Bolton content creator Jacob turned fan-made videos into a football career

From Bolton supporter to club content creator

Making videos with supporters and players is part of Jacob’s working week at Bolton Wanderers, where he comes up with social media ideas, films and publishes content on the club’s official channels.

His route began with a lifelong interest in football. He went to Bolton games with his father and had his first season ticket at five. At school, he made videos rating school dinners; later, he contacted the club and began creating videos with fans. As the audience for his work grew, he took on more projects, including filming with players and departments across the club.

Building a role through initiative

Jacob’s progression—from voluntary work at Bolton to becoming a professional content creator—was not automatic. One of his biggest challenges was persuading the club to create a role for him. He left high school without GCSEs, but says he enjoyed creative subjects such as English, drama and writing.

“Don’t wait for an opportunity to come to you,” Jacob advises. “If you’re good at it, it does then sometimes lead into getting a role. If it doesn’t, you’ve created a portfolio and it’s really good for your CV and future opportunities.”

He says the work extends beyond filming. Creators need to understand their audience, pay attention to analytics and adapt content for different platforms. The job can involve matchday filming, speaking with players and supporters, and testing new ideas based on what audiences respond to.

Skills, routes and pay

Jacob’s advice to people interested in the field is to build experience with different clubs and companies, stay adaptable and develop communication skills. He says he was shy at school but became more confident over time, an important change for work that involves talking to supporters, staff and footballers.

Routes into the profession can include volunteering, apprenticeships, college courses, short training programmes or teaching yourself. Courses in video editing and production or a T Level in Marketing may be relevant. Roles can also be advertised under titles such as social media manager or content manager.

Jacob says jobs like his can pay from around £26,000 to £40,000. Earnings and hours vary, particularly for freelancers and self-employed creators. He works two days a week as well as on matchdays, while other positions may be full-time.