Ahead of this year’s Rock N Roll Circus, Ash Birch grabbed a quick word with Steve Bracknall – assistant manager of The Royal Oak FC – as he put out the cones at Hillsborough Park, to hear what he’s got in store as compère for Saturday’s Reverend and the Makers takeover…
Big weekend coming up in August, Steve, and we’re not talking about the start of the 25/26 season! How does a humble Sunday League assistant manager end up compèring a Rock n Roll Circus?
Listen, mate, it’s certainly not in my job brief to be fronting up an outdoor gig the size of Rock N Roll Circus, but here’s some backstory: me and our Nikki have loved Sheffield music scene for absolutely years. Boardwalk, Grapes, you name it.
We used to go because Cookie from Arctic Monkeys’ dad boozed in the Royal Oak and he was always telling us off about the hottest bands. We saw them all – Milburn, Harrisons, Rev, Arctics. It were a reyt time to be alive in Sheffield. Brilliant.
I’ve kept in touch with Rev – he’s stayed local. He’s a big football fan and he’s always backed what we do at Royal Oak FC. He needed someone confident, who could pull it off, who could bring people together. I fit that brief.
It’s only same as giving a team talk on a Sunday. Bring people together, make them believe. That’s my job on the day. Yeah, I’m out my comfort zone, but that’s when the best things happen.
Will you be dressed for the part?
I’ve already told them I’m not wearing a daft circus outfit. I’ll feel a lot better in my cream jacket and jeans tucked into my socks – last thing our Nikki needs is mud traipsing through house.
Are you excited, or would you rather be reviewing set-piece routines and sorting lift shares?
I’m very excited, mate, but let’s be frank, I’m more comfortable on the touch line in piss-wet rain. That’s my bread and butter.
But I’m all for anything that brings people together. Music and football can do that. It’s a one-off event. I’ll do my job, have a laugh, then it’s straight onto the new season. It starts two weeks after – training sessions, tactics, kits, bibs. The work of a Sunday League assistant never stops.
Will any of your Royal Oak lads be allowed to attend, or are you enforcing a curfew?
No curfew. It’s an open invite – players, staff, families. I’m hoping Rev gives me a guest list, because I’ll be filling it with Royal Oak lads.
They can stay out as late as they like, but I’ve told them I want best behaviour. They don’t just represent Royal Oak on the pitch, they represent it off it. If I hear any shenanigans, I’ll be stamping down on it. No doubt about it.
The Rock N Roll Circus is known for big performances and even bigger hangovers – do you think your players can behave?
Listen, it’s a big event, and that means press, journalists, paparazzi – so I’ve told ’em: best behaviour. Last thing I want is some so-called journalist getting a scoop on one of my lads. I don’t need it, and neither does our Nikki, or Terry and June, landlord and landlady of the Oak.
So have a dance, have a sing-song – but behave. I’ll be alert to the press being there, and I include you lot in that.
You’ve mentioned the new season. Feeling confident? Or just hoping Housey remembers the corner flags?
I’ll always back my lads. Yes, there’s been ups and downs over our 25-year history, but this season I’ve told ’em I expect a certain level of performance.
I’ve probably been guilty in past of not changing things round quick enough. I hope Housey, Parksy, Tommy and Winny don’t get too comfy, because I won’t be afraid to shake things up.
There’s a good feeling in camp. A few of ’em have been on all-inclusives, had their jollies. Now it’s heads down, heads on the game. I’m quietly optimistic.
Paul Sampson – your gaffer – looks a lot like Reverend and the Makers frontman Jon McClure. Will he be at the gig?
I’m constantly asked this question. The resemblance is uncanny. However, the other person they both look like is Ange Postecoglou, and he got sacked recently, so Paul Sampson better keep on his toes. I’m joking.
Me, Paul, Deborah, all Royal Oak lot, Carpet Dave, MOT Mick, Fire Stick Dean’s trying to get a ticket, but I’d rather him not. We’re going to get a minibus from Oak – can’t wait. Maybe go into town first. Have a drink. Brilliant.
What kind of ringmaster will you be – Greatest Showman or fairground barker with a pint of Stones?
It’s not for me to say. What I want to be is relatable. That’s the power of the Royal Oak – people see a bit of themselves in us.
So if I walk on that stage, and I might have a tin of Stones to take nerves off, all I can hope is they relate to me, and I can bring people together. That’s what I’ll be going there to deliver, mate.
Worried about getting caught up in the glamour and swapping dugouts for dressing rooms?
I can categorically state, on record – no way, Jose. The music industry full of absolute sharks. My bread and butter’s on the touch lines of the Sheffield Imperial League, and that’s where I’ll stay.
Rumour is you’ve been rehearsing with a karaoke mic down at the Oak. Any truth in that?
I absolutely adore karaoke. Put that in your magazine. My favourite nights out are with our Nikki – a few drinks at the Oak, then karaoke comes out at the end. We have a lock-in, oreyt, curtains shut, ashtrays are out. Gets a bit naughty.
Me and our Nikki do Bonnie… err, not Bonnie and Clyde – they were murderers!
[Looks towards Nikki] What do we do?… Sonny and Cher, brilliant. I love owt like that. I’d absolutely love to set up a karaoke machine backstage. I think that’d be reyt good. I should get into entertainment. No don’t, you’re tempting me now. Stop it, Steve. Stop it.
Any of the lads tried blagging a support slot or backstage passes? Who’s most likely to show you up?
To be honest, I’d rather they were backstage, because that reduces risk of showing me up and showing club up.
However, my new 25/26 season strip is going on sale and will be out by then. I might put shirts on Tommy, Winny Parksy and Housey and send them out into crowd – increase revenue, because that’s what we need at minute, a cash injection into the club. seeing Oak shirts across the field would fill me with pride.
Could this potentially become a new revenue stream for the club? You’ve spoken already about how finances can be tricky at Sunday League level. Are we looking at Steve Bracknall: assistant manager by day, Sheffield’s answer to P.T. Barnum by night?
Listen, I’m doing Rock N Roll Circus for a laugh. I’ll enjoy me sen. But come Sunday morning, the tactics board’s back out in my garage and I’m planning the downfall of D Division.
It’s about taking the club to a new level, so I can’t be gallivanting on stage, acting the goat. No, we’ve got new kits. We might even do a live talk. See people’s faces. I love football. I love music. I love Reverend and the Makers, but more than anything, I love Royal Oak… Oh, and I love Our Nikki anall. Cheers for the chat, pal.
