YouTuber John Nellis: From Air Traffic Controller to Football Content Creator

John Nellis, a sports content creator, has experienced a remarkable ascent to prominence, transitioning from Belfast to collaborating with footballer Kylian Mbappé in Paris. He resigned from his position as an air traffic controller two years prior and is currently achieving significant success on social media platforms. The 31-year-old John fronts a widely recognized YouTube channel centered on football, which has garnered two million subscribers. One of his videos featuring Mbappé has accumulated nearly 10 million views. He was recently captured on film at the Ballon d’Or, an international football event, sporting football boots that had been transformed into formal footwear at a heel bar located in Belfast city center. Furthermore, John possesses over a million followers on TikTok and recently received their award for sports content creator of the year in the UK and Ireland. This current success contrasts sharply with his former occupation, where he spent eight years in air traffic control at Cork Airport. The Covid-19 pandemic, which saw the majority of aircraft grounded, provided the football enthusiast with additional time to dedicate to his video-making hobby. Subsequently, in 2022, he made a significant decision, resigning from his employment to pursue his hobby as a full-time profession. He informed BBC News NI, “I went from a big, serious stressful job and then into the dream job, very quickly.” He added, “When no planes were flying I had so much more time to put into editing and thinking of ideas. It just spiralled.” John bears a tattoo of the number 7,431, inscribed in black ink. This figure signifies the subscriber count of his YouTube channel at the point he resigned from his job in 2022. He stated, “When I look back, I label myself as delusional. I don’t know how any channel with as few subscribers as I had, in their right mind, would quit the job I had.” John’s channel currently boasts 300 times that subscriber count, attributed to videos featuring figures such as Mbappé, World Cup winner Zinedine Zidane, and Manchester United star Kobbie Mainoo. John advised that any teenager aspiring to become a professional YouTuber should maintain alternative options. He remarked, “Ultimately if tens of thousands of people do it (create content), only a few will ever actually get paid.” As subscriber numbers increase, YouTubers frequently receive offers for commercial collaborations and generate income via advertising. Regarding establishing a career in social media content, John recommended treating it as a supplementary activity and evaluating its potential impact prior to fully dedicating oneself to the industry. He emphasized that creativity and possessing a unique selling proposition are crucial. In England, a YouTuber recently started earning a livelihood by documenting his experiences on rollercoaster rides, despite his previous fear of heights. Separately, a teenage gamer in Wales, whose channel has half a million subscribers, discussed in May the potential of earning up to £25,000 monthly. Regarding John’s football-themed channel, he attributed its success partly to its appeal extending beyond dedicated sports enthusiasts. He stated: “If you don’t like football there’s a chance you’ll enjoy our content because it’s not about results or players… you don’t need any prior context… it’s loosely around the world of football.” He added, “It’s about doing fun things, it’s about doing creative things.” Hailing originally from Newcastle in County Down, he currently resides in north Belfast. During his schooling, his academic focus was on science rather than the arts. Aside from a non-speaking portrayal of Joseph in a school nativity production, he rarely occupied a prominent position. Presently, he experiences recognition in public, primarily from teenagers. He mentioned that his Irish accent has contributed to his distinctiveness. He commented, “I think it’s an advantage globally. It’s different and I think it’s always good to be a bit different.” While he remains uncertain about the duration of his new career, he is currently relishing his time in the public eye. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external sites. Information regarding their approach to external linking is available.