Aberdeen fans invent fake manager who’s listed among favourites for vacant job

Aberdeen fans invent fake manager who’s now listed among favourites for vacant job following the departure of Derek McInnes on Monday.

A group of the Scottish club’s fanbase have created a fake manager named Ross Nicholson, who appeared on Sky Bet’s list to become the new Aberdeen manager.

They even went to the lengths of setting up a fake Wikipedia page under their friend’s name as a prank, and rather hilariously “Ross Nicholson” was suddenly at a 10-1 shot on the bookmaker’s site for job, having the same odds as former Dons player Alex McLeish.

The Wikipedia page (which has since been taken down) listed the supposed 45-year-old Nicholson’s current club as “Diznei Exzest” (to sound like ‘Doesn’t Exist’), so you’d expect that would have at least been picked up by Sky Bet.

A few Aberdeen fans have created a fake Wikipedia profile under their friend’s name – Ross Nicholson – and managed to get him sitting at 10/1 on SkyBet for next manager odds 😂 pic.twitter.com/mFL33bqp1k

— Andrew Maclean (@AndrewMaclean_) March 9, 2021

One supporter got a chance to place a £5 bet on fake manager Ross Nicholson when at 7-1, then the odds extended to 10-1. 

Sky Bet have since taken his name down after discovering that he isn’t in fact a real football manager or even a person at all.

Aberdeen announced that they were parting company with boss Derek McInnes, who had been at the club for eight years.

Currently team ffs! https://t.co/HHsljThBSW pic.twitter.com/X8Ipq1osGP

— Darran Donald (@DarranD87) March 9, 2021

At one point, Ross Nicholson was among the serious of contenders, above the likes of Paul Hartley in the running.

This isn’t the first time that Aberdeen fans have pulled off a prank as back in 2017, a fake Twitter account was able to fool Sky Sports into thinking that the club had signed Turkish midfielder Yerdas Selzavon.

Sky Sports reported it as a deadline-day deal, despite the player not actually existing. The fake player’s name was a play on “Yer Da Sells Avon”.

Let’s all hope Aberdeen can really get on the joke and give it some publicity, or go one better and announce the appointment of Ross Nicholson and then making first signing Yerdas Selzavon his first signing! Double whammy.

CLUB STATEMENT:

Aberdeen Football Club and Manager, Derek McInnes, have agreed to part company after eight years.

The Manager and his assistant, Tony Docherty, will leave the Club with immediate effect.

AFC Chairman, Dave Cormack, said: “During his time in charge Derek raised the bar and delivered a level of consistency not seen at the Club for many years, qualifying for Europe each season, and delivering a memorable Scottish League Cup win at Celtic Park in season 2013/14 with 43,000 Dons fans in attendance.

“Clearly, results since the turn of the year have been disappointing and frustrating for everyone. Derek and I reviewed where we were and agreed that this was the right time for him to step down. The Club now has the opportunity to appoint a new manager ahead of the new season where, with a number of players out of contract, we have work to do to build a competitive squad.

“Derek and Tony leave with our thanks and gratitude for what they have achieved during their tenure. We wish them well for the future.”

There was reaction as Aberdeen fans invent a fake manager who’s listed among favourites for the vacant job…

@Scotslynn: This is genius 😂 love his current club Diznei Exzest.

@kiltedlad1983: I did wonder who TF this was!

@Lewdog17: Tremendous work

@melville36: What about Yerda Selsavon? He must be in with a shout.

@stvstheworld: Scottish football is unparalleled

@RatedRobson: Skysports news are the Ron Burgundy of Broadcasting. They’ll air whatever they’re given. Remember the translated morellos interview?

@Craig1986c: Shows them up for the joke club they are, who would honestly want the job, Paul Hartley type – mid table finishes from now on for the sheep

@bspeed1e: Looking at the rest of that list, I might still stick a fiver on Ross

@scottiewfc: Ffs whose his first signing going to be Yerdas Selzavon

@despicableHalzE: Shows you how good bookies are at doing their jobs…10/1 on someone that doesn’t exist! Poor bookies don’t exist.

@Grant67Milne: Sky are absolutely clueless

@specialhun1690: Don’t really like Aberdeen fans normally at throats with our support but this is good shit housery

@GaryJamesWriter: Nice work here! And there are some who believe everything they read on wikipedia and t’internet in general.

@scottishfsa: Love it…. always nice to tease the bookies

@quirie89: Was wondering this morning who this guy was

@LeeVanBaaren: Outstanding!

@Conroy24948717: Love stuff like this

@bobby__peru: Let this be the end of anyone ever using bookies odds as an indication of how likely a managerial appointment is

@gordon1957: I love to see people rip the piss out of Sky.

@McBookie: If I was Skybet I would be changing his name to Barry and saying it was just a typo!!!

Annoyed I only got him at 7/1. He’s my good friend and I know how much he wants this role https://t.co/suyxXkMEhe

— James (@Clybo98) March 9, 2021