Grassroots clubs in Northamptonshire urged to enter national search for football’s biggest underdogs
Grassroots football clubs across Northamptonshire are being invited to put themselves forward for a chance to star in the next series of a popular online football programme.
Specsavers has launched a nationwide search for the next team to feature in the latest season of its YouTube series, Specsavers’ Best Worst Team, and says clubs from Northamptonshire are encouraged to apply.
The series follows struggling grassroots football teams as they receive support, coaching and guidance from well-known figures from the sporting world in an effort to improve their fortunes on and off the pitch.
Last season featured Warley FC, who were mentored by former Premier League and England defender Micah Richards. The club enjoyed a dramatic turnaround after a difficult campaign, finishing fourth in their league after winning 10 of their final 12 matches.
Specsavers is now looking for another amateur club to take part in the 2026/27 series, with the successful team set to receive what organisers describe as a season of "money-can't-buy experiences" involving high-profile guests from the world of sport.
Kim Bull, brand communications lead at Specsavers, said the campaign was about celebrating the realities of grassroots football while supporting local clubs and their communities.
She said: “Best Worst Team has always been about celebrating those brilliantly human moments where our eyesight or hearing lets us down and there’s no better stage for that than grassroots football.
“Season four proved just how transformational that support can be when you shine a spotlight on a grassroots club and back it wholeheartedly.”
The selected club will be followed throughout the 2026/27 season, with its journey documented online and on social media.
Teams can apply directly or be nominated by supporters, players or members of the local community.
Applications are now open through the Specsavers Best Worst Team campaign website, with organisers hoping to uncover the UK's next footballing underdog – potentially from Northamptonshire.