While a summer tournament helps to promote Asian football clubs around the country, the FA are making strides to increase diversity.
It is a Sunday afternoon in July and Bal Singh is standing on a touchline singling out some of the players celebrating excitedly in front of us. “He is a semi-pro, the number five, and that lad was playing for Weston-super-Mare,” he says. “You can see the talent.”
These players are from Punjab United, a club from Division One of the Wolverhampton Sunday League that Singh helps to run. Earlier this year their 50th anniversary celebrations featured on the local ITV news though the reason they are celebrating here, on one of the pitches spread out like a patchwork quilt at the back of Evesham United’s small Jubilee Stadium, is that they have just won through to the Premier Division final of the Khalsa Football Federation’s (KFF) Birmingham summer tournament.
This event, taking place on the weekend of July 15-16, is one of five such tournaments staged around the Midlands over the close season by the KFF, an organising body established by the Sikh community in the Midlands to provide a platform for Asian teams. Khalsa means “pure” in Punjabi and is the name for a brotherhood of baptised Sikhs, and clubs come from far and wide to participate in these competitions – from Slough and Hounslow over 100 miles to the south, and Bradford 150 miles to the north.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der September 2017-Ausgabe von When Saturday Comes.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der September 2017-Ausgabe von When Saturday Comes.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
Pirate Transmission
Broadcasters around the world are paying huge sums to screen football, but they will not be willing to invest if they cannot be protected.
Scandi Drama
Years before it was screened live in the UK, England’s Football League was building a cult following abroad thanks to a visionary broadcaster.
Pot Of Gold
A rare meeting between two local rivals brought FA Cup fever – and a useful financial boost – to one corner of Hertfordshire
Digital Divide
From earnest post-match punditry to being used in actual players’ matchday preparations, the virtual game is becoming increasingly blurred with reality.
Haringey Ladder
The decision to walk off in the face of abuse has shone a national spotlight on a community club with a progressive approach
Bournemouth 0 Norwich City 0
Dean Court may have received a Premier League facelift but against today’s visitors the home team fail to live up to their status, although the low-quality draw they play out is still somehow reassuring.
Room With A View
Hampden Park
Not In The Script
ARSENAL FILM
Out Of Place...
After another unsuccessful qualifying attempt Martin O’Neill is under pressure, while a poor Republic of Ireland squad is only getting weaker
Uncomfortable Truth
At the end of April Sheffield United surprised many people by re-signing Ched Evans, who, following a retrial, has now been found not guilty of the rape charge for which he spent two-and-a-half years in prison.
