Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
UK EditionUK US EditionUS AU EditionAustralia SG EditionSingapore
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Recording Week 25
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Controllers
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About Us
More
  • Seven Nation Army
  • Avril Lavigne
  • Prince and The Beatles
  • 95k+ free music samples
Don't miss these
Harley Benton ST-80 FR MN
Electric Guitars “Some might say a guitar at this kind of price point has no business resonating so well”: Harley Benton ST-80 FR MN review
A PRS McCarty 594 on a hard case
Electric Guitars Best electric guitars 2025: Our pick of guitars to suit all budgets
NEW YORK - JULY 11: Mark Ronson performs at the High Line Ballroom on July 11, 2007 in New York City. (Photo by Donna Ward/Getty Images)
Artists Mark Ronson on having to come to terms with the fact that he would never be a great guitar player
10 people drummers will encounter at gigs
Drummers The 10 people drummers will inevitably encounter when playing a gig
Orbit Culture's guitarists
Electric Guitars Orbit Culture show us their ESP guitars – and tell us why the EverTune bridge is a game-changer
Drummers When British rock drumming ruled the world
Jackson Pro Origins 1985 San Dimas: these retro S-styles take the high-performance electric guitar brand back to the '80s, offering single and dual-humbucker platforms for shred with the choice of rosewood or maple fingerboards – and what about that "Two-Face" black-and-white finish?
Guitars “These guitars empower metal artists with the authentic, crushing tone that built Jackson’s legendary reputation”: Jackson takes us back to the heyday of shred with the Pro Origins 1985 San Dimas series – and what about that Two Face finish?
Greg Mackintosh of Paradise Lost plays his custom 7-string V live onstage with red and white stagelights behind him.
Artists Greg Mackintosh on the secrets behind the Paradise Lost sound and why he is still trying to learn Trouble’s tone tricks
Nigel Tufnel grimaces as he plays an Ernie Ball Music Man electric guitar onstage with UK rock legends Spinal Tap, who return to the big screen soon.
Artists Spinal Tap’s Nigel Tufnel is open to swapping his guitars for cheese but here’s why you won’t sell him on amp modellers
Carlos Santana and Jeff Beck
Artists Carlos Santana on what made Jeff Beck a guitar great, and getting into character to cover Michael Jackson
Jack and Meg White in 2003
Artists “It was a challenge to myself: ‘I’m not gonna have a chorus in this song’”: How Jack White created the riff of the century
Ozzy Osbourne and Zakk Wylde tear it up onstage in 1989. Ozzy is shirtless. Wylde his shirtless, too – and he plays his bullseye graphic Les Paul.
Keyboards & Pianos “That actually came from me and Oz jamming on the piano in my apartment in North Hollywood”: From Ozzy Osbourne to Papa Roach, Fleetwood Mac to George Harrison, here's 5 career-defining songs you didn’t know were written on the piano
Johnny Marr plays a Fender Jaguar with lipstick pickups onstage, with his name in bold behind him.
Artists “Look for one that says ‘80’s Icon on the case”: Johnny Marr says UPS has lost his guitars
Aapo Rautio, world air guitar champion
Guitarists “For 60 seconds you’re allowed to be free, silly, the biggest rock star in the world”: How the World Air Guitar champion won his title
Derek Trucks takes a slide solo on his Gibson SG as Tedeschi Trucks Band performs live at Madison Square Garden.
Artists Derek Trucks is one of the greatest slide players of all time – here’s how he decides when to use it
  1. Artists
  2. Guitarists

10 football-mad guitar heroes

News
By Henry Yates ( Total Guitar ) published 27 August 2014

Soccer-loving six-stringers

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Pete Doherty

Pete Doherty

Around the world, and certainly within the UK, the only thing capable of inspiring as fanatical a following as music, is football. Here’s our pick of 10 famous guitar players and their club of choice…

Pete Doherty

Team: Queens Park Rangers

As a teenage stoner, the Libertines frontman edited a QPR fanzine called All Quiet On The Western Avenue and treated the team’s ground like his own personal squat:

“I would climb into Loftus Road in the summer when the stadium was empty and sit there with my little book and pen, smoking a spliff behind the goal.”

Page 1 of 10
Page 1 of 10
Serge Pizzorno

Serge Pizzorno

For the Kasabian man, the Midlanders’ chilling mediocrity is the whole point.

“The great thing about Leicester City is we’re shit,” he told Four Four Two. “We are absolutely rubbish. But that doesn’t matter, because every so often when we do achieve something, it’s all the sweeter after so much suffering.”

Page 2 of 10
Page 2 of 10
Bryan Adams

Bryan Adams

The wedding-dance king adopted the Blues when he moved to London.

“It’s easy to walk to,” he reasons. “My first game was in 1985. The fans recognise me, but they don’t hassle me, It’s just [cockney accent] ‘Alwight...?’”

Page 3 of 10
Page 3 of 10
Steve Jones

Steve Jones

As a teenage oik, the Sex Pistols guitarist was a face in the Craven Cottage stands.

“I never watched the game,” Jones clarifies. “I used to go for the aggro.”

Page 4 of 10
Page 4 of 10
Slash

Slash

“I’m a football fan and I always root for Stoke, because they’re the underdog,” said the guitarist, interviewed at half-time in the 2011 FA Cup Final between Man City and Stoke.

“They’re a great team, but they never quite make it.” [They lost 1-0].

Page 5 of 10
Page 5 of 10
Simon Neil

Simon Neil

“I’d rather not say who I support,” squirmed the Biffy Clyro singer, in a 2010 video interview ahead of the Old Firm clash with Celtic.

“It’s a family thing. I don’t go to the games, but that’s my team.”

Page 6 of 10
Page 6 of 10
Ronnie Wood

Ronnie Wood

The Black Country sloggers are the unlikely choice of rock royalty, with Eric Clapton wearing the club scarf on the sleeve of Backless and the Stones’ guitarist admitting a “soft spot” for the Baggies:

“They were very big in the 50s. It’s a bit like my boys now supporting Arsenal and Chelsea.”

Page 7 of 10
Page 7 of 10
James Allan

James Allan

As a flying teenage winger, the Glasvegas frontman played 105 games in the Scottish Football League, but daydreamed of a place in the double-winning Celtic side of the late-80s:

“I’d love to have been a sub or even just trained with them. The players around that time were as artistic as any painter.”

Page 8 of 10
Page 8 of 10
Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney

“My family are officially Evertonians,” Macca explained of his dual allegiance.

“But I thought, ‘You know what? I am just going to support them both, because it’s all Liverpool and I don’t have that Catholic-Protestant thing’.”

Page 9 of 10
Page 9 of 10
Noel Gallagher

Noel Gallagher

The former Oasis guvnor is a ‘proper’ fan - he supported City before the 2008 injection of sheikh-dosh that transformed them from whipping boys to champions.

Noel also hates local rivals Man United with such venom that when their defender Gary Neville quoted an Oasis lyric, he threatened to “tie him to a chair, pull his tash out and shit in his manbag”.

Page 10 of 10
Page 10 of 10
Categories
Guitars
Henry Yates
Stay up to date with the latest gear and tuition. image
Stay up to date with the latest gear and tuition.
Subscribe and save today!
More Info
Read more
A PRS McCarty 594 on a hard case
Best electric guitars 2025: Our pick of guitars to suit all budgets
 
 
NEW YORK - JULY 11: Mark Ronson performs at the High Line Ballroom on July 11, 2007 in New York City. (Photo by Donna Ward/Getty Images)
Mark Ronson on having to come to terms with the fact that he would never be a great guitar player
 
 
10 people drummers will encounter at gigs
The 10 people drummers will inevitably encounter when playing a gig
 
 
Orbit Culture's guitarists
Orbit Culture show us their ESP guitars – and tell us why the EverTune bridge is a game-changer
 
 
When British rock drumming ruled the world
 
 
Jackson Pro Origins 1985 San Dimas: these retro S-styles take the high-performance electric guitar brand back to the '80s, offering single and dual-humbucker platforms for shred with the choice of rosewood or maple fingerboards – and what about that "Two-Face" black-and-white finish?
“These guitars empower metal artists with the authentic, crushing tone that built Jackson’s legendary reputation”: Jackson takes us back to the heyday of shred with the Pro Origins 1985 San Dimas series – and what about that Two Face finish?
 
 
Latest in Guitarists
Wolfgang Van Halen
“Sometimes it sounds like Liam thinks he’s in The Beatles, too!”: Wolfgang Van Halen talks Oasis and killer guitar tones
 
 
A composite image of Vernon Reid and D'Angelo. Reid [right] cups his fingers to his ear as he performs with his PRS signature model. D'Angelo holds both hands on his mic stand and wears a black sleeveless T and black headband.
Vernon Reid on D’Angelo’s everlasting influence and the deep roots of the late neo-soul trailblazer's sound
 
 
Steve Morse plays his signature Ernie Ball Music Man electric guitar live with Dixie Dregs
Steve Morse on playing through the pain barrier and how arthritis is forcing him to change the way he plays guitar
 
 
Aapo Rautio, world air guitar champion
“For 60 seconds you’re allowed to be free, silly, the biggest rock star in the world”: How the World Air Guitar champion won his title
 
 
Ace Frehley on stage with Kiss in 1979
“All I did was crank it up to 10 and start to rock and roll!”: The 10 greatest Ace Frehley songs from his days with Kiss
 
 
Ace Frehley in 1980
“I hope the fans realised that I’m for real”: Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley inspired a generation of rock stars
 
 
Latest in News
thomas bangalter
Daft Punk's Thomas Bangalter performs first DJ set in 16 years – and it's a B2B with Fred Again
 
 
The prehistoric monument of Stonehenge in England
“An iconic band performing at one of the world’s most legendary landmarks”: Spinal Tap’s final act is coming to cinemas in 2026
 
 
Taylor Swift performs onstage during "Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour" at Wembley Stadium on August 15, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management )
Taylor Swift finally nominated for the Songwriters’ Hall Of Fame
 
 
Liam Gallagher (L) and Noel Gallagher (R) of Oasis perform during the opening night of their Live 25' Tour at Principality Stadium on July 04, 2025 in Cardiff, Wales
Oasis Knebworth gigs for 2026 appeared to be leaked... in the House of Lords
 
 
Deals of the week
MusicRadar deals of the week: Score $170 off a PRS SE Silver Sky, $200 off a Casio piano, and big savings on a host of studio gear
 
 
Photo of Neil PEART and RUSH and Alex LIFESON and Geddy LEE; L-R: Alex Lifeson, Neil Peart, Geddy Lee - posed, studio, group shot,
Think you know your... Rush?
 
 

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...