TWO FOOTBALLERS AND A COMEDIAN WALK INTO A BAR...

After starting a podcast together, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and Paddy McGuinness sat down with FFT for a no-holds-barred conversation about Manchester United's golden years, kisses from Rita Ora and Peter Kay's Three Lions faux pas...

- Interview Chris Flanagan

THUD!

Nicky Butt has nearly gone flying, stubbing his toe on a wire across the floor as he attempted to dart across the room to speak to someone. Paul Scholes laughs. Paddy McGuinness exclaims as Butt hobbles back.

It’s a Monday lunchtime, and it’s all happening. FFT is in Manchester and we've just arrived to speak to the trio after the recording of the latest episode of their new podcast The Good, The Bad & The Football - McGuinness, of Phoenix Nights, Take Me Out and Top Gear fame, utilising his extensive presenting experience to link up with the Manchester United midfield legends. On the way in we cross paths with Paul Merson, who's just leaving after being today’s guest.

Out in the car park we'd seen Sam Allardyce heading to his vehicle and picking up a carefully ironed shirt on a hanger, before carrying it into the building - Big Sam is also recording his own podcast at the same venue today. David Dunn pops over to say hello to Scholes and Butt, before heading on to join Allardyce - soon, former Manchester United coach Rene Meulensteen sticks his head in too, before doing the same.

“All right Rene, how are you?” Scholes asks, accidentally luring Iraq’s current assistant manager towards that pesky wire across the floor. THUD! This time it's Meulensteen who nearly goes flying. “Everyone does that...” Butt chuckles. After a brief chat, Meulensteen departs, shaking everyone by the hand - even FFT, mistakenly thinking we're part of the podcast team and wishing us luck with it. Thanks, Rene! Actually, we're here to chair our own conversation with Scholes, Butt and McGuinness - just for you, the readers of FourFourTwo...

FFT: How did the podcast get started?

SCHOLES: We'd been talking about doing something for quite some time.