Meet the hat-trick of heroes nominated for Sky Bet's Real Football No.1s

09 June 2023 , 11:00

991 0

The UK’s No.1 Betting App is on the hunt for people working hard behind the scenes who deserve to be shouted about for their unrivalled contribution to the beautiful game.

Here’s a hat-trick of candidates whose commitment has earned them deserved nominations for the coveted title of the Real Football No.1.

Girls On The Ball

The England Women's Football Team captured the hearts of the whole nation last summer during their dramatic victory in the Euro 2022 final.

Chloe Kelly was on the front and back pages of every newspaper in the country after her last-gasp goal against Germany fired the Lionesses to glory at Wembley.

But there was a time when women’s football struggled for column inches.

‘At 89 I plan to play on forever’ - meet the oldest goalkeeper in the football league

Meet the hat-trick of heroes nominated for Sky Bet's Real Football No.1s

Watch Rachel and Sophie's video here

Meet Rachel O’Sullivan and Sophie Downey aka Girls On The Ball. The duo have gone the extra mile - literally - for more than a decade to ensure women’s football has been given the coverage it deserves.

From Kazakhstan to Belarus, the girls combined their day jobs with following the Lionesses around the globe to bring updates to their thousands of followers on social media.

“There were times when we started when we were the only media there,” they said. “We wanted to show fans you can travel and experience a major tournament like the men’s game. It’s about bringing the game to life for the people that follow us.”

Their impact has been huge off the football pitch too, and helped some of their followers feel more comfortable about their sexuality.

The pair added: “We get messages from people who followed us for years who decided to reach out and show their gratitude because they’ve not felt comfortable coming out. That means a lot.”

Jimmy The Mower

Ground staff throughout the land are unsung heroes who work around the clock to ensure thousands of games go ahead every week at grassroots level.

But one man is a cut above when it comes to commitment to the cause.

Meet pitch perfectionist James Broadhouse aka Jimmy The Mower.

Watch Jimmy's video here

Jimmy’s journey has taken him from parish council pitches all the way to the hallowed turf of Wembley since falling into the job by accident more than a decade ago.

After being made redundant from his first gig, Jimmy decided to go it alone and launch his own company.

'I'm both coach and agony aunt' - helping the next generation of women's football talent

He now travels hundreds of miles preparing pitches every week - and has even played on one ground he’s worked on.

Jimmy’s exploits even include converting wasteland into a football pitch. He turned into a viral sensation when a picture of the amazing transformation hit the internet.

He said: “I love my job. I represent the hundred of thousands of people up and down the country who do this week in, week out. I’ve got a responsibility and we work long hours to try and get games on. It’s about making a difference.”

Sally Butler

Sally Butler was just nine years old when she was told she wasn’t allowed to join the school football team because she was a girl.

But she never took no for an answer and after staging a playground protest she was eventually given the green light to join in with the boys.

That drive and determination has stuck with her ever since, and she has played a key role in starting her own football team years later.

Sally, who has two daughters, decided to dust off her boots and, along with a group of other mums, took to the pitch again.

Watch Sally's video here

Fast forward seven years and they now have more than 50 women on their books who attend their weekly Friday night session under the floodlights on 3G.

She said: “When we started we never imagined what it would be now. We just wanted to have a bit of fun and it really snowballed from there.

“I do it for the love of it. It’s more than just football and what happens on the pitch. Some of my best friends I’ve met through the game.”