For a local business partnership, Sam Hefford and Sam Baird, the notion of sporting team gear at wrestling events may seem unusual, but it’s become a staple of their antics. As regular attendees at WWE tapings, they’ve found their way into the limelight, with a growing following among wrestling fans and, surprisingly, football enthusiasts alike.

A Joke That Went Viral

• January saw the pair start their tradition of attending WWE events in their football shirts.
• Inspired by the ‘Green Shirt Guy’ character, who consistently appears at live tapings sporting his signature green t-shirt.
• The duo sported their Blues and Villa shirts, along with a sign that they take everywhere, sparking a reaction that would snowball into widespread recognition.

“I sat next to Green Shirt Guy at one show and Sam – my business partner – said we should do something like that,” said Mr. Hefford. “‘He said we should wear a Blues and a Villa shirt. It was off the cuff as a joke but we did it, along with the sign we take everywhere.’ It just really snowballed, I suppose. When we were at the last show, RAW in London, I think we had 20+ photos we got stopped for. It is all a bit silly because all we are doing is wearing a shirt and going to the front row of shows.”
“It is pretty surreal,” added Mr. Baird. “We parked up on Sunday at the O2 and we had a man run up to us. We are getting recognised by wrestling fans but we are getting more notoriety from Blues and Villa fans coming up to us. It is a lot of representing Birmingham.”

Despite the initial jest, the pair’s football shirts have become an integral part of their experiences at wrestling events.

A Growing Following

Recognized outside of wrestling events, they’ve been plastered across various Facebook groups, both wrestling and Birmingham-specific.

1. Increased interaction with WWE staff and talent has also been observed.
2. WWE manager, a notable appearance, and even a shout-out from Stu the camera man – who often greets John Cena – have added to their visibility.
3. Wrestling fans have even praised the pair for their team spirit, while notable wrestlers like Finn Balor have shared their thoughts on the pair’s football team.

Representing Birmingham

As a testament to their dedication, the pair has become an unofficial ambassador for Aston Villa Football Club.

A Legacy to be Built

The pair has already begun to make a name for themselves and will be at WrestleMania next week, sporting their team colours.

“We can’t see ourselves going to a wrestling event without sporting our team colours anymore,” said Mr. “We are getting more recognition from Blues and Villa fans coming up to us.