50 Most Influential UK Football Tweeters

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Here at Coral, we’ve unveiled a definitive list of the 50 most influential tweeters in UK football.

To create our list, we’ve teamed up with our friends at Followerwonk and have looked at around 10bn tweets across more than 100m Twitter accounts.

Each influencer has been given a Social Authority score – a 1 to 100-point scale that measures and analyses a tweeter’s influential content (the closer to 100, the better).

The score doesn’t just take into account the number of followers – it also considers the retweet rate of users’ last few hundred tweets and how many years they’ve been on Twitter. Then consider other factors such as engagement rate and average number of tweets per week and you can quickly gauge just how influential someone is when it comes to the beautiful game.

We’ve also excluded corporate accounts and those belonging to current football players. The result? A list of 50 of the most influential tweeters in the world of football.

Think you know who will be included? Check out our list below:

#1 Adam Digby

@Adz77

Italian football writer @beINSPORTSUSA @FourFourTwo @Sport360 & author of ‘Juventus: A History in Black & White’.

  • Followers – 26.1K
  • Time on Twitter – 7.79 years
  • Retweets – 5%

Social Authority Score – 84


#2 Alex Shaw

@AlexShawESPN

General Editor, ESPN. Published author.

  • Followers – 34.8K
  • Time on Twitter – 3.53 years
  • Retweets – 0%

Social Authority Score – 82


#3 Oldfirmfacts

@Oldfirmfacts1

The tweets James Forrest has read to him at bedtime. Jokes in @Daily_Record. Columns for @Glasgow_Live every Monday and Friday.

  • Followers – 34K
  • Time on Twitter – 5.17 years
  • Retweets – 5%

Social Authority Score – 82


#4 Calfreezy

@Calfreezy

Rebel FC and Youtuber.

  • Followers – 1.08M
  • Time on Twitter – 6.98 years
  • Retweets – 5%

Social Authority Score – 82


#5 Alan Shearer

@alanshearer

260 Premier League goals @BBCMOTD analyst, @sunsport columnist, @coral ambassador.

  • Followers – 484K
  • Time on Twitter – 1.99 years
  • Retweets – 0%

Social Authority Score – 81


#6 Full Time DEVILS

@FullTimeDEVILS

YouTube’s biggest and best channel for Manchester United fans. 100% unofficial.

  • Followers – 148K
  • Time on Twitter – 4.32 years
  • Retweets – 5%

Social Authority Score – 81


#7 CLUB 1984.

@Club1984_

#LDN. Create one-off pieces of clothing inspired by the icons, moments, fans, stadiums and just about everything that makes the beautiful game.

  • Followers – 103K
  • Time on Twitter – 7.13 years
  • Retweets – 5%

Social Authority Score – 81


#8 talkSPORTDrive

@talksportdrive

Adrian Durham – official talkSPORT account

  • Followers – 299K
  • Time on Twitter – 6.68 years
  • Retweets – 0%

Social Authority Score – 81


#9 Samuel Luckhurst

@samuelluckhurst

@MENNewsdesk and @ManUtdMEN football writer.

  • Followers – 40.6K
  • Time on Twitter – 6.63 years
  • Retweets – 9%

Social Authority Score – 80


#10 Andy Mitten

@AndyMitten

Works for FourFourTwo, ESPN, The National, M.E.N, @br_uk, GQ, Sunday Times, BBC, Daily Post et al.  Also author of 11 books.

  • Followers – 96.3K
  • Time on Twitter – 6.49 years
  • Retweets – 5%

Social Authority Score – 80


#11 Raphael Honigstein

@honigstein

Football and Fußball. All channels.

  • Followers – 413K
  • Time on Twitter – 7.11 years
  • Retweets – 18%

Social Authority Score – 80


#12 The True Geordie

@TrueGeordieNUFC

The King in the North.

  • Followers – 129K
  • Time on Twitter – 7.54 years
  • Retweets – 6%

Social Authority Score – 80


#13 Phil Hay

@PhilHayYEP

Yorkshire Evenings Post’s chief football writer, covering Leeds United.

  • Followers – 104K
  • Time on Twitter – 5.59 years
  • Retweets – 0%

Social Authority Score – 79


#14 Craig Norwood

@CraigNorwood

Freelance Press and Agency Photographer in Manchester, UK.

  • Followers – 133K
  • Time on Twitter – 8.15 years
  • Retweets – 50%

Social Authority Score – 79


#15 Matt Craig

@matthdgamer

YouTube video maker and FIFA video producer.

  • Followers – 696K
  • Time on Twitter – 8.15 years
  • Retweets – 70%

Social Authority Score – 78


#16 Sam

@samuelJayC

Arsenal. European football.

  • Followers – 67.8K
  • Time on Twitter – 7.79 years
  • Retweets – 26.0%

Social Authority Score – 78


#17 Adam Hurrey

@FootballCliches

Freelance football writer for @Telegraph, @ESPNFC and beyond.

  • Followers – 61.7K
  • Time on Twitter – 6.48 years
  • Retweets – 14.0%

Social Authority Score – 77


#18 Geoff Arsenal

@GeoffArsenal

Arsenal.

  • Followers – 149K
  • Time on Twitter – 5.64 years
  • Retweets – 21.0%

Social Authority Score – 77


#19 John Cross

@johncrossmirror

Daily Mirror Chief Football writer and author.

  • Followers – 259K
  • Time on Twitter – 8.01 years
  • Retweets – 0%

Social Authority Score – 85


#20 Ian Darke

@IanDarke

Football commentator for BT Sport in UK and for USA international games on ESPN in America.

  • Followers – 133K
  • Time on Twitter – 6.34 years
  • Retweets – 11.5%

Social Authority Score – 77


#21 Amy Lawrence

@amylawrence71

Football writer for The Guardian and Observer.

  • Followers – 71.4K
  • Time on Twitter – 4.39 years
  • Retweets – 4.0%

Social Authority Score – 77


#22 Daniel Storey

@danielstorey85

Football365’s deputy editor. One quarter of @FtblFivesPod.

  • Followers – 25.4K
  • Time on Twitter – 6.30 years
  • Retweets – 4.0%

Social Authority Score – 77


#23 Scott Patterson

@R_o_M

Editor/writer for Republik of Mancunia. Writes about Manchester United for @ESPNFC and @FourFourTwo.

  • Followers – 72.4K
  • Time on Twitter – 8.18 years
  • Retweets – 22.0%

Social Authority Score – 76


#24 Tom Williams

@tomwfootball

London Sports Correspondent for @AFP, mainly reporting on English football.

  • Followers – 39.4K
  • Time on Twitter – 7.38 years
  • Retweets – 2.5%

Social Authority Score – 76


#25 Cartlon Cole

@_CarltonCole9

Darren Randolph fanboy. Kidnapped Savio Nsereko in Thailand once. Featured on the Wikipedia page for Carlton Cole under “controversies”.

  • Followers – 29.3K
  • Time on Twitter – 4.82 years
  • Retweets – 10.0%

Social Authority Score – 76


#26 Ian Abrahams (Moose)

@BroadcastMoose

Sports Report & Commentator for 25 years.

  • Followers – 209K
  • Time on Twitter – 7.10 years
  • Retweets – 12.5%

Social Authority Score – 76


#27 West Ham Central

@WestHam_Central

Scott Parker enthusiast.

  • Followers – 33.9K
  • Time on Twitter – 3.41 years
  • Retweets – 28.6%

Social Authority Score – 75


#28 Andy Ha

@_AndyHa

Social Media Editor for football.london

  • Followers – 8,160
  • Time on Twitter – 8.25 years
  • Retweets – 17.0%

Social Authority Score – 75


#29 Lee Ryder

@lee_ryder

The Chronicle’s Chief Sports Writer and NUFC multimedia journo.

  • Followers – 87.7K
  • Time on Twitter – 8.19 years
  • Retweets – 6.0%

Social Authority Score – 74


#30 Iain Macintosh

@iainmacintosh

@ESPNFC football writer and author.

  • Followers – 93.7K
  • Time on Twitter – 7.43 years
  • Retweets – 20.5%

Social Authority Score – 73


#31 Tim Payton

@timpayton

Sports communications for work. Also tweets own views on Arsenal’s ownership, finances & governance; custodianship matters:

  • Followers – 51.1K
  • Time on Twitter – 8.07 years
  • Retweets – 13.0%

Social Authority Score – 73


#32 Alan Brazil

@SportsBreakfast

Listen on @talkSPORT weekdays from 6am.

  • Followers – 170K
  • Time on Twitter – 7.30 years
  • Retweets – 11.5%

Social Authority Score – 72


#33 Michael Gooner

@MickTheGooner

100% Arsenal Game of opinions.

  • Followers – 81K
  • Time on Twitter – 7.67 years
  • Retweets – 10.0%

Social Authority Score – 72


#34 Julien Laurens

@LaurensJulien

French football expert and consultant based in London.

  • Followers – 51K
  • Time on Twitter – 6.27 years
  • Retweets – 7.0%

Social Authority Score – 72


#35 George Caulkin

@CaulkinTheTimes

Chronicler of Misery for The Times (North East football, mainly) and a Patron of the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.

  • Followers – 63.2K
  • Time on Twitter – 7.49 years
  • Retweets – 6%

Social Authority Score – 71


#36 Jim Boardman

@JimBoardman

Football writer, mainly #LFC, for @MirrorFootball@AnfieldRoad@5TimesCo & elsewhere.

  • Followers – 71.8K
  • Time on Twitter – 8.11 years
  • Retweets – 22.0%

Social Authority Score – 70


#37 George Riley

@georgeyboy

Broadcaster @footballon5  @bbc5liveambassador @StevePrescott1 @josephsgoal

  • Followers – 44.4K
  • Time on Twitter – 8.18 years
  • Retweets 19.0%

Social Authority Score – 70


#38 Tim

@CookPassTim

Anything and everything related to the beautiful game.

  • Followers – 5.9K
  • Time on Twitter – 7.33 years
  • Retweets – 12.5%

Social Authority Score – 69


#39 Stuart Brennan

@StuBrennanMEN

Manchester City reporter at the Manchester Evening News.

  • Followers – 28.8K
  • Time on Twitter – 8.18 years
  • Retweets – 8.5%

Social Authority Score – 69


#40 Owen Gibson

@owen_g

Guardian head of sport.

  • Followers – 49.1K
  • Time on Twitter – 9.31 years
  • Retweets – 38.0%

Social Authority Score – 69


#41 Jim White

@JimWhite

Sports broadcaster @SkySportsNewsHQ @talkSPORT

  • Followers – 320K
  • Time on Twitter – 3.43 years
  • Retweets – 21.5%

Social Authority Score – 68


#42 Michael Bridge

@MichaelBridge_

Sky Sports News HQ journalist and writer of the Official Tottenham Hotspur Annuals

  • Followers – 23.3K
  • Time on Twitter – 6.30 years
  • Retweets – 2.0%

Social Authority Score – 68


#43 David

@TekkaBooSon

Chelsea FC Torres and JMac.

  • Followers – 16.4K
  • Time on Twitter – 4.92 years
  • Retweets – 27.1%

Social Authority Score – 67


#44 Andy Brassell

@andybrassell

European football writer/ talker for the likes of the BBC, Guardian, BT Sport and @brfootball. Also co-host of European Football Show on @talkSPORT2.

  • Followers – 49.3K
  • Time on Twitter – 7.62 years
  • Retweets – 29.5%

Social Authority Score – 66


#45 Natalie Pike

@MissNataliePike

@citysquarelive presenter, Event host, fundraiser, @xsmanchester Football Social host, talking football on YouTube.

  • Followers – 30.8K
  • Time on Twitter – 8.49 years
  • Retweets – 10.0%

Social Authority Score – 64


#46 Michael Graham

@Capt_Fishpaste

Sunderland AFC fan, football writer. @TEAMtalk@FoxSoccer@FoxSportsAsia@RokerReport.

  • Followers – 9.7K
  • Time on Twitter – 7.79 years
  • Retweets – 27.5%

Social Authority Score – 62


#47 Matt ‘Smiv’ Smith

@smivadee

Football fanatic. All things @PalmersFC

  • Followers – 19.4K
  • Time on Twitter – 8.65 years
  • Retweets – 7.0%

Social Authority Score – 61


#48 Tom Adams

@tomEurosport

Deputy managing editor at http://Eurosport.co.uk  Formerly ESPN, Setanta, Sky Sports. Have written for The Blizzard and others too.

  • Followers – 18.8K
  • Time on Twitter – 8.12 years
  • Retweets – 19%

Social Authority Score – 60


#49 Scott Wilson

@Scottwilsonecho

Chief Sports Writer, The Northern Echo

  • Followers – 21.1K
  • Time on Twitter – 7.49 years
  • Retweets – 1.0%

Social Authority Score – 59


#50 Brickstand

@brickstand

A project to build all 92 English league and Scottish Premier League grounds from Lego bricks.

  • Followers – 10.5K
  • Time on Twitter – 3.20 years
  • Retweets – 23.5%

Social Authority Score – 58


 

For more information on how Followerwonk’s Social Authority score works, visit their website: https://moz.com/followerwonk/

 

 

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