Taking part in our Five A-Side feature on Matchweek 4 of the 2026/27 Premier League season is Adam Young - lead vocalist and guitarist of The Howlers.
Five A-Side sees us put five questions to our artists ahead of the upcoming Premier League round of games. Four questions relate to the games taking place in the top flight that weekend, with the fifth centred around the team they support, whatever league they happen to be in. They’ll earn points for each correct answer, and we’ll keep track of every artist’s progress. Matchweek 3 of the season saw Andy Harrison (Do Nothing) score 1 out of a possible 15 points.
London indie rockers The Howlers – frontman Adam Young and drummer Toby Richards – are a band that has always worn its honesty as a badge of honour, building a fiercely loyal following on the back of it. Their self-funded 2024 debut album What You’ve Got To Lose To Win It All landed in the UK Independent Breakers Chart Top 10, with their follow up record Heavy set for release on October 9. The latest preview of the album, ‘D.R.I.V.E’, is heavy hitting, driving, and armed with an insatiable groove, which you can listen to on our New Releases playlist on Spotify.
While now based in London, Adam is a lifelong supporter of south coast Championship side Portsmouth, with deep family roots in the maritime city:
“I grew up in Portsmouth so as we say down here ‘Portsmouth born and bred, strong in arm thick in head.’ My dad had a season ticket so I went to a lot of games when his mates couldn’t go. Eventually I was a mascot at the club when i was a nipper!
“Anyone who’s seen us live has seen I hang my Portsmouths scarf over my amp every show. “
Five A-Side: Premier League Matchweek 4: Adam Young (The Howlers)
- Nailed on win this weekend (1 point) – City to win the Manchester derby: “Given Uniteds performance last season and so far, I think City have got this game nailed down. They’re currently joint top of the table with title holders Arsenal so, I’d like to think this was a sure thing! Given im a Pompey boy at heart, always go Blue over red any-day!”
- Shock win of the weekend (2 points) – Crystal Palace at home to Ipswich: “Gotta go with the London team here! Off to a shaky start, but Ipswich are not performing much better so far. I think it will be tight but youve got to have faith that with Palace at home they could pull out a shock here and rescue there current position a bit!”
- Most likely game to see a red card given in (3 points, bonus point if guess player who is sent off) – Manchester derby: ” Think the obvious choice is to say a United plater, but that being said the derby isnt as dirty as it has been in recent years more so with the United record of under performing. As for who that card will go to, thats anyone’s guess.”
- Wildcard prediction for the weekend (4pts): “My wildcard predicition is Hull City realise their new crowd celebration is god awful. “You’re getting mauled by the tigers ….” – one of the worst crowd chants of the past decade for me. One of my best mates is a Hull fan so ill be giving him some stick when i see him next”
- Prediction for Portsmouth’s EFL Championship game away to Charlton (3pts for correct result, 2pts for correct scoreline) – Charlton to win 2-1: “We’re not off to a good start this season and Charlton are having a great start, so i can’t see us steeped in glory this week! That being said were a team that continually cling on to survival so you never know. I’ve got a lot of friends who work for the club presenting on Portsmouth TV now, so it’s a weekly conversation drowning our sorrows.“
