CORNISH SUNDAY LEAGUE

This documentary project focuses on a small Sunday League within Cornwall, displaying the companionship surrounding football. The chance to wake up every Sunday morning and photograph football has really given me an insight into the passion that these men have for the game.

The Sunday League falls somewhere between the broad spectrum of a “jackets for goalposts” game amongst friends in the local park and a professional game. It is perhaps the better elements of these two extremes of the sport that it best encapsulates. It is fair to say that Sunday League football shares some of the characteristics of professional football, as those involved have taken the trouble of organising themselves so that there is something to aim for, whether it be a trophy or the “bragging rights” that are associated with winning the league. There are also moments when genuine skill and ability are displayed. However, Sunday League football is not about the financial awards as with professional football but more about the love of playing the game of football.

Sunday League football is, however, more than just about a simple love of the game. On an individual level it provides an outlet from work and everyday life in that, unlike with the professional game, the focus is not normally on satisfying the requirements of a demanding coach but more about dealing with the effects of a hangover or the advantages or disadvantages of a sharply sloping playing surface. However, and still much more than this, it is very much a team activity. The players and "management" of each team are generally based on a shared geographical location such as a village, a pub or a workplace playing against similar teams from nearby villages, pubs and workplaces.

By building relationships, I was able to go ‘behind the scenes’ photographing the social side of this sport, hearing stories of Saturday nights out, hangovers, and how stressful the week has been. Football brings people together and this league is no exception. At the start of this project my aim was to document what this league was about. Initially it was an observed, distant and candid body of work but over time the acceptance of teams and players meant that I was able to photograph the unscripted life of grass roots football. Sunday League is one of the few sports that welcomes people of any size, ability, and skill level.