In Episode 4 of The AGB Show, I sit down with former British and IBO lightweight champion Maxi Hughes.

Maxi’s career has been built on hard work, resilience and refusing to give up. We talk about becoming British champion, winning the IBO title at Headingley and the controversial decision against George Kambosos Jr in America.

Maxi also shares what happened when he was turned away at the US border before eventually fighting in Las Vegas, competing without his long-time trainer in his corner and facing setbacks that could have ended his career.

We also discuss approaching the later stages of his boxing career, building a life outside the ring, opening his own gym, starting a gardening business and why he still believes he has another big run left in him.

The AGB Show is hosted by me, Joe Edwards, produced by ODGE MEDIA and sponsored by Intec Office Systems.

Follow and find out more:

ODGE MEDIA

https://odgemedia.com/

Intec Office Systems

https://intecoffice.co.uk/

About Going Blind on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/aboutgoingblind/

Subscribe for more honest conversations with people who have faced adversity and continued moving forward.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sam Hird spent almost a decade at Leeds United without making a first-team appearance. Years later, he returned to face them at Wembley and helped Doncaster Rovers secure promotion to the Championship.

I sit down with Sam to explore the resilience, self-belief and work ethic behind his career in professional football.

We discuss his six years and nearly 250 appearances at Chesterfield, changing Paul Cook’s mind after being placed on the transfer list, battling serious injuries and eventually being released by text message while he was still recovering.

Sam also shares the story of helping Barrow return to the Football League, being unexpectedly placed on furlough after being told how important his experience would be, and the opportunity that followed to begin his coaching career.

He explains why he ultimately left coaching at Bolton Wanderers and how his current role with the PFA allows him to support players through contracts, disputes, setbacks and the realities of professional football.

This is an honest conversation about rejection, loyalty, difficult decisions and believing in yourself when your career does not go to plan.

The AGB Show is hosted by me, Joe Edwards, produced by ODGE MEDIA and sponsored by Intec Office Systems.

Follow and find out more:

ODGE MEDIA

https://odgemedia.com/

Intec Office Systems

https://intecoffice.co.uk/

About Going Blind on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/aboutgoingblind/

Subscribe for more honest conversations with people who have faced adversity, navigated change and found a way forward.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I thought I needed a new glasses prescription. Within weeks, I had lost most of my sight.

The seriousness of the situation became clear when I attended my daughter’s dance show. Despite sitting only three rows away, I couldn’t see her on the stage.

In this role-reversal episode, my friend and ODGE MEDIA’s Ollie Needham interviews me about my sudden sight loss, my diagnosis of Leber hereditary optic neuropathy, also known as LHON, and why I created The AGB Show.

I talk about the confusion of those first few weeks, undergoing hospital tests and learning that a condition I believed could no longer affect me had developed.

I also share my experience of accessing treatment that wasn’t initially available through the NHS in England, accepting that my sight may not return and learning to approach life differently.

During our conversation, we discuss:

Using a cane and rebuilding my independence

Accessible commentary at football grounds

Audio description at the cinema

Using AI and assistive technology

Continuing to build LEGO and enjoy family activities

Campaigning for better accessibility

Finding a new purpose through sharing my experiences

I also explain why I created The AGB Show and how I hope these conversations will help other people facing adversity in their own lives.

The AGB Show is hosted by me, Joe Edwards, produced by ODGE MEDIA and sponsored by Intec Office Systems.

Follow and find out more:

ODGE MEDIA
https://odgemedia.com/

Intec Office Systems
https://intecoffice.co.uk/

About Going Blind on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/aboutgoingblind/

Subscribe for honest conversations with people who have faced adversity, adapted to change and found a way forward.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ryan Oldfield cried nearly every day at school, but it wasn’t until his twenties that he understood he had been living with anxiety since childhood.

After becoming increasingly isolated while working from home, a panic attack in Tesco made Ryan realise he needed help. Football became a vital part of managing his mental health and eventually inspired him to establish Mental Health FC.

In this episode, Ryan joins Joe Edwards to discuss his experience with social anxiety and generalised anxiety disorder, the importance of seeking support and how gradually facing difficult situations helped him rebuild his confidence.

Ryan also shares how a Facebook post looking for people to join a casual five-a-side game grew into Mental Health FC, which now runs seven relaxed football sessions across Doncaster, Sheffield and Scunthorpe.

They discuss:

Ryan’s experience of anxiety from nursery into adulthood

The panic attack that led him to seek help

How football supported his mental health

Why relaxed, pressure-free sessions matter

Using exposure therapy to manage anxiety

Building confidence through networking

Mental Health FC’s plans to support more communities

Creating accessible football experiences for families

The importance of time, patience and supportive people

The AGB Show is hosted by Joe Edwards, produced by ODGE MEDIA and sponsored by Intec Office Systems.

Follow and find out more:

Mental Health FC
https://www.mentalhealthfc.org/

ODGE MEDIA
https://odgemedia.com/

Intec Office Systems
https://intecoffice.co.uk/

About Going Blind on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/aboutgoingblind/

Subscribe for honest conversations with people who have faced adversity, adapted to change and found a way forward.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Everyone faces challenges.

Some are personal. Some are professional. Others completely change the direction you thought your life was heading in.

After losing my sight, I began sharing my experiences online. Along the way, I discovered how much it can help to hear from people who have faced difficult moments of their own.

That is why I created The About Going Blind Show.

I’ll be speaking with guests from sport, business and everyday life about the challenges they have faced, what helped them through and how they found a way forward.

Each guest has a different story, but every conversation will offer something you can take away and apply to challenges in your own life.

Despite the name, this isn’t simply a podcast about sight loss. It is about the experiences that shape us, the setbacks we face and the different ways we learn to move forward.

The AGB Show is hosted by me, Joe Edwards, produced by ODGE MEDIA and sponsored by Intec Office Systems.

Follow and find out more:

ODGE MEDIA

https://odgemedia.com/

Intec Office Systems

https://intecoffice.co.uk/

About Going Blind on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/aboutgoingblind/

Subscribe for full episodes, clips and honest conversations with people who have faced adversity and kept moving forward.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.