Interview with Jimmy: Blades Ramble

Jimmy Smith has established himself as a prominent figure in the Sheffield United fan community through his Blades Ramble YouTube channel. With a growing subscriber base and a reputation for candid analysis, Jimmy offers insights into the club's dynamics, engages with a passionate audience, and explores opportunities for collaboration.

Your channel has seen significant growth. What inspired you to start creating Sheffield United focused content?

Jimmy Smith:

I just love talking about Sheffield United!

I grew up and still live 15 minutes from Elland Road, so all my mates are Leeds fans! I didn’t go to the Lane regularly when I was younger as my Dad was a scout for Everton, so instead of going to Bramall Lane, we’d go all over the country watching other teams. I then became a scout in the EFL myself, working for Rotherham, Colchester and Bristol Rovers – but my passion is and always has been Sheffield United.

I had an itch that I needed to scratch with the Blades – and this was it! I felt we could bring something new and fresh to the space, a different perspective that focusses on bringing the fans voice forward – and that’s exactly what we try to do.

Your videos cover a wide range of topics, from match reactions to transfer news. How do you decide on the content you produce?

We’re very much fan-led content, wanting to cover and talk about the subjects all Blades fans want to be discussed. We have a core of strong Patreon supporters (our ‘Platinum Ramblers’!) who I often bounce ideas off to try and get a small sample size of how the fanbase is feeling – we have over 100 Ramblers in our group so it’s often a really good gauge of the general feeling around the club.

A lot of it also, is gut feeling – and a desire to produce meaningful content. I repeatedly say that we’ll never just put a show out for the sake of it – some will work, some might not, but we can pivot and adapt dependent on the response from the audience.

The main thing is that I enjoy the content. I can’t fake how I’m feeling – it’s written all over my face. If I was ever producing content ‘for views/clicks’ rather than pure enjoyment, not only does it then become a ‘proper job(!)’, but our audience would see right through it.

Engaging with fans is a big part of your channel. What common questions or themes do you notice from your audience?

We are predominantly a live streaming channel, and the fans steer the conversation, giving them a platform and a voice among fellow supporters.

We have very few rules with the Ramble – first one is that it’s a family channel so no swearing either on screen or in the comments. I want people to be able to sit down and enjoy the content with their kids and know they’re not gonna have to screen anything that’s discussed.

The most important rule is that everyone’s opinion is respected. There are viewers all over the world, some are lonely, some are unable to attend games due to location, health or finances – I want the Ramble Community to be an inclusive place where everyone feels comfortable and confident enough to comment and engage, knowing they won’t be ridiculed or challenged. It’s this approach that’s given us an incredible community and accelerated our growth as a channel.

Consistency is key in content creation. How do you maintain a regular upload schedule, and what challenges do you face?

During the season, the content plans itself. Around each game we have preview streams, press conference reactions, post match reactions, phone ins, matchday vlogs and regular watch alongs. Then there’s independent incidents and talking points to splice in.

The summer is different but just as busy. The blank canvas of a new season brings new optimism and hope – it can also bring some concern, especially for clubs like ours who may be susceptible to losing some of our better players. I personally also love discussing transfers, and find it really exciting to consider some of the potential targets we could attract – and with our engaged audience, there’s plenty to discuss!

Your analysis often includes detailed statistics and insights. What resources or tools do you use to gather information?

As part of being inclusive, you have to consider all arguments and discussion points. I’m not a huge fan of stats, I think they can often be skewed to fit a narrative – but they undoubtedly paint a picture. I personally am a big fan of ‘the eye test’ and feel that my scouting background can lend credibility to my opinion. Despite this, people may disagree with me and that’s also encouraged – it’s another sign that people are comfortable enough expressing their opinion in a safe environment.

Collaboration can be beneficial for growth. Have you partnered with other creators or brands, and how have those experiences been?

I love collaborating with other channels. For the majority of the season I’ve shared a weekly show with Conor McGilligan from the One Leeds Fan Channel. We’ve essentially documented the season in real time – each backing our own club. Some weeks I was up, other weeks Conor was up. It’s content we’re both really proud of and has undoubtedly helped the growth of both channels.

Ironically, it’s actually brought a portion of the fanbases together – and from what we’ve seen a mutual respect between both teams. A fair portion of my subscribers are now Leeds fans and it’s because they’ve enjoyed the content Conor and I were producing. We’re hoping to continue working together in the new season (despite now being in different leagues…)

Moving into next season, myself and Callum Fowler will be collaborating on a new show, something I’m really excited to get underway. It’s going to be fan focussed, very close to traditional Ramble content – and hope to emulate similar success to that seen on One Leeds with Conor.

Looking ahead, what are your goals for the channel, and how do you plan to evolve your content?

The stock answer is to continue growing – and whilst that is true, it’s not everything. I want to continue producing content I enjoy. If I’m enjoying it, I’m confident the audience will continue to enjoy it too. The authenticity of the channel has been the key to our success so far – I’ll always be honest with them and they’ll also be honest with me, and that will determine what works.

As for targets, I would like to continue the sharp growth of our subscriber base, but a lot of that is optics. Views tell the real story. In less than 3 years, we’ve become the most viewed Sheffield United channel in the space by some distance – and I’m incredibly proud of this achievement. The momentum we have is incredible and I’m so grateful for the support people continue to show us.

For brands interested in collaborating, what value does your channel offer, and how do you ensure partnerships align with your audience?

We’re in a strong position with Blades Ramble. We have fantastic partnerships that align with our values of honesty and inclusion.

Most of our sponsors are long term relationships, that enjoy the benefits of a really engaged audience.

The most important thing for us is having partners that provide a strong, reliable service/product. This ensures we retain our credibility to our audience and in turn allows us to promote that product or service with confidence to a loyal, engaged customer base.

What does the future hold for Blades Ramble and its sister channel Behind The Ramble?

The future for Blades Ramble is really exciting.

We’re actively looking to broaden our coverage across the Championship, offering content across the league. This will include more coverage of rival teams and expanding our collaborations with other like-minded creators and channels who share our passion and approach.

As for Behind The Ramble, that’s going to remain our home for the more personal side of things, off-the-pitch content, behind-the-scenes moments and everything that brings a bit more of ‘Jimmy’ into the mix. It's where we tell the stories behind the streams and share the journey we’re on, as creators and fans.

Lastly a few rapid fire questions for our readers:

1. Favourite team - Sheffield United
2. Favourite stadium – Bramall Lane
3. Most overrated manager – Danny Rohl
4. Most underrated manager – Possibly Nuno. But Moyesy gets nowhere near the respect he deserves
5. Your dream creator collaboration - Goldbridge
6. Your dream celebrity collaboration – Chris Wilder. Yes he is a celebrity!
7. Top 3 for the Premier League and Championship next season – Prem – 1. Liverpool 2. City 3. Arsenal | Champ – 1. Ipswich 2. Blades 3. Southampton
8. Relegated next season for Premier League and Championship – Prem (sadly) – Leeds, Sunderland, Burnley | Preston, Charlton, Wendies
9. Most Improved team in the Premier League and Championship this season – Bournemouth | Bristol City
10. Favourite player – Ever? Iliman Ndiaye/George Baldock. Currently, Michael Cooper

Thank you, Jimmy, for sharing your journey and insights. Your dedication to providing quality Sheffield United content has not only informed but also united fans across the globe.