Iron Bru has been named a finalist in the Best in Non-League category at this year’s Football Content Awards. It is the sixth time we have been shortlisted, and we are grateful to anyone who put our name forward, but on this occasion we will not be attending.
The truth is that we have not recorded a podcast since January and we have published very little content since our nomination last season. It feels like a selection made on past reputation rather than on any research into what we have actually put out, and we would be uncomfortable accepting recognition for content we have not created.
Another concern is the size of each shortlist. Our first nomination was in 2014, when Anthony Cooper ran the awards as a grassroots event and there were just eight of us in the ‘Best Forum’ category at the National Football Museum in Manchester.
It has since grown into something far bigger, and whilst it has been great to see the event develop over time we believe up to 25 finalists in a single category is wholly excessive and most unusual for an awards ceremony.
With ticket prices increasing dramatically since those early days, it is difficult not to conclude that the shortlists owe more to ticket sales than to the standard of the content created.
There are some fantastic creators nominated this year who thoroughly deserve the recognition, and a category that size dilutes it somewhat.
We wish the organisers well, and offer our best wishes to everybody on the shortlist.
Iron Bru
Thank you to our partners for the 2025/26 season
