I'm Brian McFadden and I hadn't heard of Chorley FC - now I cry every time somebody scores against them

Chorley FC proudly welcomed the return of pop sensations Shane Lynch and Keith Duffy of Boyzone, alongside Brian McFadden of Westlife, for a special appearance on Non-League Day as the Magpies took on Boston United in March.

Whilst everything was going on surrounding events for Non-League Day, including raising awareness to World Down Syndrome Day and Prostate Cancer UK - another very special event took place behind the scenes where a number of camera crews were present.

Shane, Keith and Brian, alongside a selection of Chorley FC's shareholders sat down and officially signed on the dotted line, cementing their commitment to be involved with the football club.

In a recent interview prior to Boyzlife’s upcoming 2025 tour, McFadden admitted he didn’t know who Chorley FC were last year.

Now, he says he nearly cries every time somebody scores against them

“The thing that I have noticed is how quickly you get emotionally invested in something like this, it’s been driving me mad,” McFadden said.

“I’ll be sitting there watching the games, and they’ll go 1-0 down and I’ll feel like I’m going to absolutely die.

“And you get so emotionally connected and invested with a club so quickly, I couldn’t believe it.

“I didn’t even know who Chorley (FC) were at this time last year, and now I’m nearly crying every time somebody scores against them.”

The team currently plays in the National League North, but the singers have set their sights on getting the club promoted next season.

The Lancashire-based town also drew them as it reminded them of the area they grew up in within Dublin while Duffy currently resides in Manchester and McFadden is based in Rochdale.

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McFadden added: “I can’t believe we voluntarily got involved in this to bring this kind of stress.

“But hopefully, if we get promoted next year it’ll be worth it because the joys are always going to outweigh the cons.”

Duffy and McFadden’s upcoming UK tour will see them celebrating the hits from Boyzone and Westlife that made them.

The 14-date tour is set to kick off in January in Poole, Dorset, before moving to cities including Birmingham, London, Glasgow, and York until March.

Along the way, they will be performing at theatre halls and venues which have a special connection to them as they were where Boyzone played when they first got on the road in 1994.

“The special thing, about playing these theatres, you can see the eyeballs of everybody in the audience”, Duffy said.

“After 30 years in the business, we know most of our fans, we’ve seen them all before, so it’s a much more intimate, personable show that we do.”

For each tour they have added a musical medley section, having previously blended tracks from various boy bands like the Backstreet Boys, NSYNC and Take That.

This time round, McFadden, 44, says they are keen to take on a girl group medley featuring everyone from the Spice Girls to The Supremes.

Tickets are available for Boyzlife’s upcoming 2025 tour and their festival appearances are available.