Who Wot Why and Sky Betting & Gaming Celebrate Real Football No.1s

Sky Bet, the UK’s number one betting app, has created a through-the-line platform that puts a spotlight on football’s unsung, everyday heroes.

Devised by creative agency Who Wot Why with film work produced by Outsider TV, ‘Real Football No.1s’ is a nationwide search that aims to discover the local legends behind the sport, such as lower-league club stalwarts, grassroots community heroes, and dedicated local grounds people.

The platform features a central hub where people can nominate and vote for their own football heroes. The winning inspirational stories of the nominees will be celebrated in a supporting campaign that will run across TV, social media, and OOH.

Hosted on the hub will be a series of documentary-style films shining a light on the real football stars celebrated by Sky Bet. The first Real Football No.1s, which includes an 89-year-old who still plays in goal for Conway Borough Strollers FC, were found after a nationwide search that lasted for months. These inspiring local fans reflect the diversity of the population, and the variety of unique and vital contributions people make to football.

Hosted and narrated by Sky Sports presenter Jeff Stelling, each TV film depicts three Real Football No.1s, showcasing their local area, who they are and how they make football better. The films combine their personal stories with unscripted soundbites that offer an insight into their love of football. The TV films were directed by Jim Gilchrist at Outsider.           

Leigh Peacock Goodwin, head of SBG Brand & Sponsorship at Sky Betting and Gaming said: “We rightly celebrate the incredible players, across all English Leagues, for what they’re able to produce on the pitch. But there are those who are achieving amazing feats behind the scenes, often in the face of adversity and challenge. With our heritage in the beautiful game, we felt it was our right and role to give these people, and people up and down the country, a platform and celebrate the incredible commitments they make.”

Who Wot Why founders, Sean Thompson and Matt Gooden said: “Football isn’t all about superstars, so we asked a simple question: Why can’t the people at the heart of football have their moment in the floodlights? We set about creating a platform to discover the hidden heroes of football - and we even travelled to the middle of the Outer Hebrides to do so”.