Twitch star's football club takeover brings crowd

An amateur football club taken over by a Twitch streamer, who brought virtual glory on the Football Manager videogame, saw a big jump in attendance for his first real-life match.

Aaron Hunt gained thousands of followers streaming his success with his local club Daisy Hill FC, based in Westhoughton, Bolton, on the management simulation game online.

His popularity led to him being invited to step in and become chairman of the North West Counties Football Counties side, which needed financial support.

Daisy Hill usually attracts modest numbers of supporters - about 50 - but their clash with Atherton Laburnum Rovers FC saw well-known YouTuber Angry Ginge and TikTok star Steve Bracknall among a crowd of several hundred.

Mr Hunt was headhunted by manager Lee Hill, in the hope he could replicate his virtual success on the pitch.

Speaking before kick-off, Mr Hunt described the differences between running a virtual club on his computer to the real thing.

"I could do it in my boxers at home, I can't do that here," he said.

"I've got right stuck in though. I have drawn all the lines on the pitches today and that, I want to be proper hands on with it and just help a lot of people in the community as well.

"Everyone's come together as well, you've seen how many people are here."

Mr Hunt said one of the biggest advantages to his appointment was the chance to bring attention and "new eyes" on the club, potentially attracting new sponsorship.

"There's lads who's worked here for 60 years behind the bar and stuff. I don't want to let anyone down. I want to make sure we do it right and do it properly and succeed with it," he said.

His friend Angry Ginge, real name Morgan Burtwistle, said he had attended the match to support Mr Hunt - even as he joked his fellow Twitch streamer was "very underqualified".

"I think he's got the right thing, he's got the right idea, and looking at tonight, if it continues to do this, it can only grow," he said.

Long-time Daisy Hill supporter Susan Ramwell said she was hoping Mr Hunt's appointment could bring "energy" to the club.

She said: "He's certainly brought a lot of buzz around the place, that's for sure. It's never been this busy before, so it can only be for a positive."

Fellow fan Ian Parkinson added: "Any kind of social media exposure is always good for club's at this sort of level."

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