Northampton Town Whamageddon stadium DJ hangs up headphones
A football stadium DJ who gained international fame for knocking more than 7,000 people out of cult game Whamageddon is hanging up his headphones after eight years.Players try to avoid Wham!'s 1984 hit Last Christmas for as long as possible before Christmas Eve and are eliminated once they hear it.Matt Facer, DJ at Northampton Town, was criticised for playing it at the home game against Portsmouth on 2 December in 2023.Recalling what happened, he joked: "I get contacted by some people at BBC News, it goes a bit crazy on there, and then, before I know it, I'm a question on Have I Got News For You?"
Whamageddon started about 10 years ago, and has grown in a popularity through social media.It now has set rules, a dedicated website, and merchandise.Mr Facer, known as DJ Matty, played the song during half-time in the League One clash at Sixfields, attended by 7,215 people.After the incident he appeared on BBC Radio Northampton to "officially apologise to everybody whose Christmas I've ruined".The story initially appeared on the BBC News website, and then other outlets.He said: "I've got [ITV's] This Morning mentioning it, I'm getting a phone call from the Washington Post to do an interview, it's in the New York Times, the Rolling Stone magazine, the NME."It's just crazy, but it's all good fun."
'An absolute privilege'
Mr Facer's last game will be Northampton Town final League One match of the season against Wigan on Saturday.He said work commitments meant he could no longer take up the role."It's been great fun, a real honour," he said.The DJ, who had played in pubs and clubs, started on 26 august 2017 after a conversation with the chairman Kelvin Thomas."I remember how honoured and excited I was to get the opportunity," he said.A lifelong Northampton Town fan, he said: "All of a sudden, there I am playing music in front of thousands people, it's an absolute privilege."Everyone [at the club] has been fantastic."From the outside looking in, everybody can see what a great club it is, but I can say from experiencing it, their matchday team and everyone from [chairman] Kelvin [Thomas] downwards, it is a real family."
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