Podcast football team gears up for 'biggest Sunday league game'

It has been billed as "the biggest game in Sunday League history" and it is already a sell-out.

More than 2,000 fans are expected to watch self-styled saviour of grassroots football Steve Bracknall and Royal Oak FC play arch rivals The Nags Head in the quarter-final of The Sheffield Imperial Cup.

Kicking off at 14:00 and broadcast live on YouTube and BBC Radio Sheffield, the match will draw the biggest crowd ever seen to Sheffield FC, the world's oldest football club.

The twist, however, is both teams are in fact fictional, as are the characters of Bracknall and the Royal Oak manager he serves, Paul Sampson.

Bracknall is the brainchild of Sheffield's Chris McClure - who is is also famous as the face of the Arctic Monkeys' debut album.

Rarely doing interviews out of character, in a 2022 YouTube video he said Steve Bracknall had been born out of combination of two of his own former football coaches.

He said the first video he shared had "got a good reaction" and he was approached about developing the character, but said he was not in a position to take it on at the time.

Now though Bracknall has become a viral hit and in 2025 his Game's Gone podcast was picked up by BBC Sounds.

Speaking in 2022 McClure said: "People just see something in that guy that they love.

"Whether it's familiarity, or warmth or charm, there's millions of Steve's across our country.

"All the best comedic characters - and I'm not putting myself in this bracket - but if you look at Jim Royle or David Brent, they are like 'you're like him' or 'he's like such and such. You all see yourself in them characters."

Back in character, Bracknall runs Royal Oak FC alongside manager Sampson, better known as Jon McClure of Reverend and the Makers fame.

Ahead of kick-off Bracknall said: "This is the biggest game in Sunday League history.

"Whilst on the surface it's two rival teams battling it out for a place in the Sunday Imperial Cup semi-finals, it's also a celebration of the grassroots game in this country."

Speaking on BBC Radio Sheffield's Football Heaven, he said the Royal Oak was an "older" and "bigger" club than The Nags Head.

He added: "I'm not necessarily saying we're better, but we'll take our chance on the day.

"And I would love it - I'm saying it like (Kevin) Keegan - I would love it, and I'll tell you now if we do it, I'll be going into the Nags Head, I'll be having a Peroni and I'm going to be absolutely giving it to them."

Bracknall said the game would be the "biggest day of his life" and has promised his players "free ale" for two weeks if they win.

Meanwhile, Adam Oxley, who will be commentating on Sunday's game for BBC Radio Sheffield, said: "I've commentated on some historic local matches in my time at BBC Radio Sheffield, not to mention my fair share of Steel City derbies between the Blades and the Owls…blue 'n' white v red 'n' white…I've seen friends and families divided come derby day.

"But I've never known a footballing story or rivalry like this one. It's unique to say the least. It's got everything, drama, betrayal and Sunday League football. What more could you want?"

Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.