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Quickly Kevin; will he score? The 90s Football Show
Quickly Kevin; will he score? The 90s Football Show

Jon Hare on Sensible Soccer (QK Reloaded)

May 20, 2026 • 1h 28m

Summary

⏱️ 27 min read

Overview

John Hare, co-founder of Sensible Software and creator of Sensible Soccer, shares the story behind one of gaming's most iconic franchises. From teenage musicians to game developers working in a bedroom with Flintstones wallpaper, Hare discusses the creative partnership, innovative gameplay, and lucky timing that led to Sensible Soccer becoming a cultural phenomenon. He reveals fascinating details about player databases, the economics of game development, piracy's impact, and why those tiny 16-pixel sprites had so much character. The conversation covers the golden era of British game development, from Megalomania through Cannon Fodder to Sensible World of Soccer.

The Museum-Worthy VHS Collection

Michael Marden was introduced as "a man with more homemade VHS videos than Janet Bruce, wife of Steve Bruce," sparking a running joke about football memorabilia collections. This led to discussion of Steve Bruce now managing Newcastle United despite the Saudi takeover, with speculation about how fictional character Steve Barnes would handle investigating the new owners' human rights record. The surreal comedy of comparing 90s football ownership (caravan parks and print shops) to nation-state ownership highlighted how dramatically the game has changed.

  • Michael was introduced as having more VHS tapes than Janet Bruce, Steve Bruce's wife
  • Discussion of Steve Bruce managing Newcastle during Saudi takeover
  • Fictional character Steve Barnes would investigate the new owners while pretending loyalty
  • 90s owners like Terry Brown made money from caravan parks, vastly different from nation-states
" Football owners back in the day, they were like print shop owners. West Ham's owner, Terry Brown, owned a caravan park. That's how he made his money. "

The 11-Name Chain Game

A listener submitted an 11-player name chain starting with Stern John and ending with Thomas Brolin, each player's surname becoming the next player's first name. While technically successful, it included the somewhat controversial John Obi Mikel (with 'Obi' as middle name) and several obscure players. The hosts debated whether it was impressive or boring, comparing it to watching Denmark win Euro 92—technically accomplished but lacking flair. The discussion highlighted the podcast's love of both football trivia and arguments about arbitrary standards.

  • Chain included Stern John, John Collins, Collins John, John Obi Mikel, and ended with Thomas Brolin
  • Controversy over including John Obi Mikel with middle name
  • Hosts compared it to Denmark winning Euro 92—accomplished but boring
  • Debate over whether technical achievement matters more than entertainment
" That for me was like watching Denmark win Euro 92 like he did it and they won it but I yeah that's not for me where's the flair that was boring that was boring "

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