Andy Devaney
If you thought Sunday League football was all dog-eared shin pads, dodgy pitches, and hangovers from the night before, think again. Jameson and the EFL are about to turn one grassroots side’s muddy weekend slog into a full-blown professional spectacle.
For one glorious day, an unsuspecting local team will swap their battered park ground for the bright lights of the EFL experience. Their reward? A matchday makeover featuring Jameson branding, Sky Sports’ David Prutton on the mic, punditry from Jobi McAnuff, and live commentary from David Stowell.
Throw in a professional referee, an actual physio (no bucket and sponge in sight), tactical analysis of false nines, and EFL legend Steve Sidwell rolling back the years, and you’ve got yourself a Sunday League match like no other.
And just in case you were wondering — yes, Sidwell will lace up for one last muddy showdown.
More Than Just a Game
It’s not just about the glory for one lucky team. Two runners-up will also get kitted out in a full Jameson-branded strip, complete with club crest, ensuring bragging rights down the pub for at least a season.
The initiative is the latest move in Jameson’s four-season partnership with the EFL, which has already supported community projects through Connects F.C. That programme channels £2,500 into each club charity to run events aimed at tackling loneliness in football communities up and down the country.
This new ‘Day in the Life of a Pro Club’ is designed to keep that grassroots connection alive while giving Sunday League players a taste of life usually reserved for the pros.
Jameson’s Big Pitch
Josh McCarthy, Brand Director at Pernod Ricard UK, said: “The new season is officially underway, and we believe local teams across the country deserve as much fanfare as those in League One, League Two or even the Championship!
Jameson continues to champion football through our partnership with the EFL, as well as through initiatives supporting grassroots football just like this one. Our Jameson kits have become the must-have merch both on and off the pitch and we’re buzzing to be teaming up with Steve Sidwell and our partners at Sky Sports to give Sunday leagues a touch of EFL magic.”
How to Enter
The competition kicks off on 8 September. Entry is straightforward: head over to the Jameson website, register your team, and then cross every available body part in hope of being selected.
The more entries your squad puts in, the greater your chances of seeing your Sunday League side transformed into EFL contenders for the day.