As the Tigers prepare to take on the Prime Minister’s team Everton this weekend, our Hull City fan columnist Natalie Murphy takes a look at the world of celebrity supporters
Jon Parkin, Dame Jilly Cooper and Prime Minister Andy Burnham
Jon Parkin, Dame Jilly Cooper and Prime Minister Andy Burnham
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Finally, after an international break so long that Karl Bushby has now returned home, Premier League football is back.
In case you didn’t know, and since he hardly ever mentions it, this weekend’s opponents are the current Prime Minster’s team, Everton.
Depending on which way you vote, this may or may not add a little extra interest to the fixture. Or if you chose to neglect your civic duty and don’t care either way, there’s sure to be another opportunity soon this season to get fired up for a fixture that’s more personal.
Because ‘big’ names like Burnham are kicking about all over in football now. From famous owners to celebrity supporters, the well-known appear to want it to be, well, known that they love the beautiful game as much as us unknowns.
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So, here’s my line-up of high-profile fans with player-style ratings ranking each’s performance in the sport.
1. The political professional
Since he may be in town on Sunday, let’s start with the PM’s type. There’s no doubting this group’s genuine club loyalty, mainly because they don’t miss an opportunity to tell you about it. Despite running all or parts of the country, at a time when it appears the world is inching closer to total collapse, their deep commitment to weaponising their fandom means they continue to find time to attend games, or at least be photographed at them. Examples include Sir Keir Starmer (Arsenal) and Rishi Sunak (Southampton).
Rating: Keen to make their presence felt, which means they often wander out of position, causing problems with unnecessary interference (see Trump, World Cup 2026). 4/10
A group of individuals, dressed formally, are gathered on the sidelines of a sports stadium, wearing blue and white striped scarves, and observing the ongoing event from the stands.
(Image: Alan Martin/Action Plus/Shutterstock)
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2. The political pretender
Knows nothing about the game but prepared to pretend as though liking football is some sort of shortcut to electoral success. Identifiable by their mistaken belief that being a fan is all fun and games, or should that be games and fun, when it is actually, in large parts, total boredom, teeth griding frustration and freezing weather.
The archetype here is David Cameron, who claimed to support Aston Villa, only to slip up later in a speech by apparently confusing them with another claret and blue side, West Ham.
Rating: Tries too hard to impress, despite the fact that they should know better, ultimately making life difficult for themselves. 2/10
3. The ‘they loved it so much they bought the club’ owner
If you can’t play football for a living, then the next best thing is to make a living large enough to buy an actual football club. And not just any football club, but the club you’ve always supported.
This group are living the dream, going from bawling out their opinions uselessly from the stands to barking out orders in the boardroom, even if that passion can sometimes push things a little too far (Delia Smith, Norwich, 2005). But what a ride, and a privilege to take charge at somewhere that means so much to you and so many others. See also Elton John, whose ownership of Watford had such an impact that he was named Life President at Vicarage Road.
Rating: Leads by example with a commanding display, running the show and clearly enjoy themselves out there. 7/10
Sir Elton John at the Watford stadium (Image: Mirror Online )
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4. The North American All-stars
Ok, so I know I’ve just said football can be an incredibly unrewarding pastime, but there’s a reason our support endures over seasons, lifetimes and generations, and it’s the same reason that has prompted a number of famous faces from North America to invest in our clubs, and it can be summed up in one word – stories.
It’s true that sport of all kinds creates incredible moments and extraordinary experiences, but when you add in the weight of history held by us, the home of football, you’ve got a 10x, hypergrowth, smash-hit, blockbuster, unicorn that you can really double down on. MVPs here are Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney, Michael B Jordan and Tom Brady.
Rating: Bringing some much-needed glamour, looks comfortable on the big stage, making an undeniably box-office addition. 6/10
Wrexham co-owners Ryan Reynolds (right) and Rob McElhenney celebrate with the trophy after winning promotion to the Championship..
Wrexham co-owners Ryan Reynolds (right) and Rob McElhenney celebrate with the trophy after winning promotion to the Championship..
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5. The fan before fame
From shouting ‘who are ya’ at them when they were an anonymous opposition fan, to shouting ‘who are ya’ at them knowing exactly who they are, this group loved their football long before fame and fortune came calling. The gold standard here is the fan who manages to merge the field in which they have gained recognition with the football field.
Take the Gallagher brothers (Man City), for example, whose songs and style have become synonymous with the culture. Unlike Ed Sheeran (Ipswich), whose songs and style, er, haven’t.
Rating: Always puts in a shift, there’s no questioning the commitment; the very model of consistency. 8/10
6. The fame before fan
At The New Lawn, they sing ‘Jilly Cooper loves Forest Green Rovers’. But the late, great blockbuster author and Dame was far from a lifelong fan. It wasn’t until researching her 2023 novel, Tackle!, at the age of 86, that she fell in love with football, basing the team in the book on her local side, which she continued to follow after it was published.
She also struck up an unlikely friendship with former Tiger, Jon Parkin, whom she met when he was playing for Rovers, even writing a thirsty foreword for the forward’s autobiography, Feed the Beast, in which the Queen of the bonkbuster does not disappoint. Proof that everyone can find enjoyment in football, if they are prepared to give it a try.
Rating: Adapts effortlessly to unfamiliar surroundings. Late to the game but more than makes up for lost time. 9/10
Dame Jilly Cooper
Dame Jilly Cooper sadly died last year(Image: Getty)
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