Is Shaquille O'Neal a Northampton Town fan?
Not in his own words. What's on file is a background tie to Northampton Town, not a stated fandom.
Shaquille O'Neal Full fan file: every team he roots for, with receipts
“revealed in a YouTube message to Northampton Town that he's a surprise fan of the Cobblers”
Reported by Bleacher Report, February 15, 2016. Backed by The18 (2016) and OffTheBall (2016).
Last checked November 4, 2026: the quote still matched the page word for word.
What has Shaquille O'Neal said about Northampton Town?
Shaquille O'Neal has no first-person quote on Northampton Town in the available reporting. What exists is a 2016 video message and the coverage it drew. Bleacher Report wrote on February 15, 2016 that O'Neal "revealed in a YouTube message to Northampton Town that he's a surprise fan of the Cobblers." That sentence is the writer's description of the message, not O'Neal's own words, so the answer here stays at a background tie rather than a stated fandom.
The18 reported on February 16, 2016 that "This is a video posted on Northampton Town's official Youtube channel." The video, in other words, came out through the club, which fits the idea that it was a message to the club rather than a remark he made unprompted in an interview.
Does Shaquille O'Neal have a connection to Northampton Town?
The tie comes through a person. OffTheBall wrote on February 16, 2016 that "The link between O'Neal and the club comes from his relationship with Northampton Town owner Kelvin Thomas." That is the only explanation given for why a former NBA center would send a message to a club in the English Football League.
Nothing in his biography points to Northampton. O'Neal was born in Newark, New Jersey, on March 6, 1972, and his family moved many times during his childhood, sometimes staying with relatives, including his grandmother in Jersey City. He attended Fulda American High School in Fulda, Germany, and Robert G. Cole High School in San Antonio, Texas, then played at LSU from 1989 to 1992. His NBA career ran from 1992 to 2011 with the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics. None of those stops is in Northampton, which leaves the owner relationship as the only stated link.
Did Shaquille O'Neal grow up a Northampton Town fan?
Nothing supports that. The only coverage of the club dates from February 2016, several years after O'Neal's playing career ended in 2011. No coverage describes him following Northampton as a child or at any earlier point, and the reporting treats the fandom as a surprise.
Which teams does Shaquille O'Neal actually root for?
His clearer team allegiances lie elsewhere. He has named the Dallas Cowboys as a team he supports in his own words, and the Edmonton Oilers appear as a background connection. Northampton Town sits in the second category: a documented tie, with no confirmed statement from him that he follows the club.
Questions people ask
Is Shaquille O'Neal a Northampton Town fan?
Not in his own words. Bleacher Report described a 2016 YouTube message in which he was said to be a surprise fan of the Cobblers, but what is documented is a background tie to the club, not a stated fandom.
Does Shaquille O'Neal like Northampton Town?
He sent a video message to the club in February 2016, posted on Northampton Town's official YouTube channel. OffTheBall tied the link to his relationship with club owner Kelvin Thomas.
When did Shaquille O'Neal become a Northampton Town fan?
No date is given. The first coverage is from February 15 and 16, 2016, when Bleacher Report, The18 and OffTheBall reported on the video message.
Did Shaquille O'Neal grow up a Northampton Town fan?
There is no sign of it. He was born in Newark, New Jersey, and the only Northampton material dates from 2016.