When Footballers Forget PR Exists: Djed Spence, Mertens Mrs' & The Greatest Posts Ever Made

When Footballers Forget PR Exists: Djed Spence, Mertens Mrs' & The Greatest Posts Ever Made

In the modern era of football, media training is king. Players rarely get the opportunity to let their true thoughts and personalities shine through into the watching world, leaving them akin to a robot programmed to kick leather and nothing else.

So through the storm of PR-friendly posts, generically-generated post match "the fans were class" tweets and mundane interviews, seeing players oust themselves through football and social media is a refreshing thing to behold.

One player in particular has had the football world laughing over the last 24 hours, that man being Tottenham and England defender Djed Spence.

Spence has been going viral for his posts about the "Spence Penitentiary" this season, celebrating the locking-up of wingers who he successfully defeats in his matches with inmates currently including the likes of Savio, Jarrod Bowen and even Doncaster Rovers winger Oyindamola Ajayi - who is technically a team-mate of Spence's, being on loan with Rovers from Tottenham this season.

Last night, as Djed Spence made his first-ever England start in a comfortable 3-0 win over Wales at Wembley, Spence locked up another team-mate of his in his cells - winger Brennan Johnson, who he broke into the mainstream alongside when on loan at Nottingham Forest in 2022.

Djed Spence strikes again! 😂

Brennan Johnson now added to the penitentiary 🔒 pic.twitter.com/dkbkcbOkmj

— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) October 10, 2025

His confidence and refusal to shy into the mundane, day-by-day media antics of your average player these days is certainly a refreshing sight to see, and it makes us want to think through other players who don't fall into the trap of media training...

Ola Aina - Nottingham Forest

Ola Aina 🕺🏻 pic.twitter.com/Wf7bk9sjWc

— Louis Wheeldon (@LouisWheeldonNS) December 30, 2023

As a Nottingham Forest man, I cannot overstate the love me and out fan base have for this man.

His Snapchat story is a work of art, constantly breaking the regular norm for footballer's on social media with hilarious behind-the-scenes content over at The City Ground, as well as answering replies from followers with little-to-no filter.

Dries Mertens - Retired

Dries mertens and his funny instagram stories / Posts a thread😹⬇️ pic.twitter.com/5fN5fMvsUX

— Adwait (@Adwaitr10) May 18, 2021

Even aside from being a bloody phenomenal player, football misses Dries Mertens dearly.

The Belgian attacker was an outstanding player for many years across his time with the likes of Galatasaray and Napoli, but many also remember him for toeing the line on plenty of occasions on his social medias. The man had no filter, before or after the age of media training.

Demetri Mitchell - Leyton Orient

Me and my FIFA character have the same energy. https://t.co/Ie52RzAEcF

— Demetri Mitchell (@demetrimitche11) October 2, 2025

Self-proclaimed as being a "footballer with a personality", Mitchell gave himself an apt description with that one.

Normally, a footballer's Twitter account is reserved for occasional post-match messages and the odd training photo here and there, all of which were likely put together by someone else on their behalf. However, former Manchester United man Mitchell uses his social media accounts the same way you or I would.

Though he doesn't do anything controversial or make any particular outlandish claims on his socials, it's refreshing to see a footballer come across as a regular person online - engaging with supporters, sharing his opinions on topics all over the game and everything in between.

Victor Wanyama - Free Agent (Last Played for Dunfermline Athletic)

Farewell to a Premier League icon in Victor Wanyama.

His legacy in England:
• a classy midfielder when fit;
• a glorious goal against Liverpool;
• one of the greatest tweets by a professional footballer. https://t.co/bRF8IkTrON pic.twitter.com/NrbzzY1cBU

— Karan Tejwani (@karan_tejwani26) March 3, 2020

Wanyama's social media posts back in the day were wholesome as they come.

They came before he was media trained and had just set foot into Britain when joining Celtic from Beerschot in Belgium. He began engaging with his supporters online with occasional tweets about his day-to-day life, including a legendary post about his enjoyment of some spaghetti - a post which follows him around to this day, despite being from 2012.