Influencers

MANCHESTER UNITED fans are just discovering YouTuber Mark Goldbridge’s real name – and a back story equally as intriguing.The presenter on The United Stand and talkSPORT watched Nottingham Forest as a kid and was a policeman who became a detective.
Mark Goldbridge doesn’t hold back on fan channel ‘The United Stand’Credit: Instagram @markgoldbridge
He’s outspoken now but went out of his way to avoid trouble on the beatCredit: Social Media – Refer to Source
Mark also has his own show on national radioCredit: TALKSPORT
But many Red Devils’ supporters have only now realised his true moniker is  Brent Di Cesare.
The married dad of three, 44, who lives in Solihull, is of Italian descent.
But that Azzurri association is the only thing supporters might be able to guess from his real name.
Fans were amazed to discover his alternative details as they reflected on the Red Devils’ early exit from the Champions League.
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One posted: “Wait y’all know who Brent Di Cesare is?”
And others revealed they had dashed off to Wikipedia to check it out.
But his marvellous moniker, which he changed at his police bosses’ request when he launched his YouTube career, is just one fascinating fact about the outspoken broadcaster.
Goldbridge has gone from investigating crimes to laying down the law on United performances. 
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He’s amassed around 3million followers across his four YouTube channels, regularly going viral with his rants
But his football journey began watching Forest – as he was born in Nottingham and his dad would take him to the City Ground.
However, his parents split when he was six and his mum’s dad got him into following United.
After working in insurance in Ireland, he returned to England in his mid-20s – joining the police because he couldn’t find any other employment.
Goldbridge told JackMaate’s Happy Hour podcast in December 2020: “When I came back from Dublin, I had no qualifications.
“I had a C in Maths and English and that was it. And although I had quite a good job in Ireland, I couldn’t get a job anywhere. 
“My wife said ‘why don’t you go in the police?’.
“I wanted to do the fire service but I’m not very good with heat, I’m really irritable in the heat so I went in the police. 
Mark Goldbridge was a detective with a far more exotic nameCredit: Instagram @markgoldbridge
“Uniform about a year-and-a-half then a detective for 10 years.”
And his reason for switching from the beat might surprise fans who know him best for his hard-hitting outbursts.
He would “just walk about and try and stay out of trouble” as “I haven’t got the physique for it, have I?” – so he moved into detection.
Goldbridge also revealed his trauma at seeing dead bodies on the job – with the “horrible smell” of the first occasion still remaining with him.
His online persona kicked off when he set up Soccer Box TV after England exited the 2014 World Cup at the group stage for the first time since 1958.
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Now he’s speaking out on another team also departing a major competition without reaching the KO stages – United.
Tuesday’s’s 1-0 defeat against Bayern Munich condemned the Red Devils to a bottom-place finish in their Champions League group. More