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S.C. Corinthians Paulista, named after the skilled amateur Corinthians team from England which toured Brazil in 1910, have put their considerable weight (they are reigning FIFA Club World Champions and Copa Libertadores Champions) behind our project to support the community work that Spirit of Football are undertaking across Brazil. From sourcing The Ball in a unique rehabilitation program in Brazil’s prisons to events in schools and favelas across Brazil you can find out about Spirit of Football’s Brazilian work here.

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Spirit of Football visited Thessaloniki in October 2012 and led an EU workshop at the 3rd Model Experimental Primary School of Evosmos. During this visit, Andrew Aris, a director of Spirit of Football whose family name just happens to be Aris, found out about the spirit of football at Aris F.C. first hand:

“We turned up unannounced at the Aris Sports Cafe and before we knew it, we were being given a tour of the stadium by Communications Manager Nikos Stakias, kicking a ball on the hallowed pitch, and being introduced to officials and fans. It was a fantastic welcome into the Aris F.C. family and very representative of the spirit of football that we felt during our entire stay in Thessaloniki.”

Spirit of Football meet Nikos Stakias of Aris FC

The Spirit of Aris Ball was officially unveiled on Saturday 3 February 2013 with a press conference at Aris F.C. It has already been signed by Aris F.C. first team players, prominent members of Aris F.C. fan groups as well as children from the 3rd Model Experimental Primary School of Evosmos. It is planned that many thousands of Aris F.C. fans all over Greece will have signed the Spirit of Aris Ball by the start of 2014, which is a significant year for both Spirit of Football and Aris F.C. It is not only the 150th anniversary of the first official game of football to F.A. Rules (The Ball 2014 kicks off to Brazil on that very day) but is also the 100th anniversary of the founding of Aris F.C.

Spirit of Football and Aris FC present the “Spirit of Aris”

Both organisations love football and agree that it is about more than results, transfers, television, marketing and money – football truly is the world’s game and a way to connect people. Those who love this game share a common spirit that crosses borders and transcends cultures. Accordingly, Spirit of Football would like to invite Aris F.C. fans (and indeed all Greek football fans) to sign The Spirit of Aris Ball and follow The Ball 2014 en route from London to Brazil and to share in the spirit of football.

This special ball will visit more than 100 schools across Brazil, including schools in a number of favelas. An estimated 50,000 people, mostly children, will encounter it as they participate in workshops run by Spirit of Football.

Read the full FC Barcelona announcement.

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The following links will help you find out more about “The Barça Spirit Ball” and Spirit of Football’s activities in Brazil:

• Spirit of Football Brazil website
• Spirit of Football Brazil Facebook page
• Spirit of Football Brazil on Twitter

Authors Will Simpson and Malcolm McMahon have painstakingly researched the first 20 years of the history of the Easton Cowboys and Cowgirls – an outfit that can without any doubt claim to be ‘Britain’s Most Intrepid Sports Club’. The book has over 200 pages, and two colour sections of photographs of the Cowboys on their tours.

Formed out of a kick-about between a group of punks and kids in Bristol, England, the Cowboys are celebrating their 20th anniversary in 2012. During that time they have played football against the Zapatista Freedom Fighters in Mexico, sent a cricket team to Compton in Los Angeles, organised the Alternative World Cup, played football in Palestine and much more.

A young street artist called Banksy joined the Cowboys on their trip to play against the Zapatistas and the book contains never before published pictures of Banksy at work in Mexico.

What people are saying on Facebook

“Just finished reading the book and want to say a massive well done to Will and Malc… (And yes maybe I did well up slightly at the end) BUY ONE!” – Dom

“I started reading it today and I know it’ll be very good company on the train to and from work this week. In fact I already need a few more copies for friends over here” – Nico

“I finished reading the book last night, it was a cracking read and had some laugh out loud moments. it also made me reminisce of the good times I had with the cowboys in the mid 90s early noughties!!” – Nick G

Review on the Tangent website

“Best ‘sports’ book ever! Don’t be put off by the title, for this book is about much, much more than football (which, incidentally, is now just one of three sports currently played by the various club teams). The Cowfolk, as they are collectively known, are a community-based sports and social club from the heart of inner-city Bristol, who have helped redefine what’s possible when you get a group of amateur sportspeople, professional drunks, activists, misfits and ne’er-do-wells (alongside a few ordinary, decent, everyday folk) together.

The book charts the first 20 years of the club’s history from 1992 to the present day, warts and all. There are tales of dodging army check points in Chiapas during a visit to play teams in the Zapatista communities, taking part in cricket matches in Compton LA against ex-gangsters, heading to the West Bank and literally leaving their mark on the Israeli apartheid wall, and organising Alternative World Cups attended by people from as close as Bedminster to as far away as São Paulo (via Lithuania and the South African township of Diepkloof). There have been a few sad losses during the journey (and quite a few happy additions too), the occasional harsh word, partings of ways, fallouts, fall-ins, love affairs, babies and hangovers. But mostly, it’s about being a part of something that exemplifies everything that is good in human nature.

The book is 229 pages, nicely supplemented with plenty of images (many previously unseen) and extra info, with an additional 32 pages of colour pics (including a couple of that Banksy fellow hanging out with the Cowfolk in Chiapas and doing some rare hand-painted pieces in the villages).”

Don’t miss this chance to immerse yourself in Freedom Through Football at a discount — just use your sof code at the checkout.

It wasn’t the very first game played by the newly–agreed rules — some of the signatories to the FA’s founding charter couldn’t wait and played a game in Mortlake on the 19th December 1863. Barnes and Richmond played out a 0-0 draw and Richmond, it seems, were so disillusioned with the experience that they eventually signed up to the Rugby code instead.

But we celebrate the match in Battersea Park because it was the first official encounter, not just a practice match by some impatient players eager to get a feel for the game under the new rules. From what we have learnt, the Battersea Park game was the showcase celebration of the new Association Football. The match was played between teams of well–known players selected by the President (Arthur Pember) and the Secretary (Ebenezer Cobb Morley) of the FA.

The game ended 2—0 to the FA President’s XIV, with C. W. Alcock, the Lionel Messi of early football, scoring both goals. And yes, the game was 14–a–side because the number of players was decided by the captains at the start of the game. It wasn’t until considerably later that the rules settled on the present 11–a–side arrangement.

One of our missions for celebrating the 150th anniversary of that match in Battersea Park is to try and locate the closest living relatives of those who played in that historic game. The Association of Football Statisticians has published a list of the players names and we’re beginning the process of tracing their ancestors. If you think you can help, we’d love to hear from you, so please get in touch.