Loading ...Imperial 5-a-side team get BBC 6Music manager
As a country becomes increasingly disillusioned about its national sport, it falls to the grass-roots, or more specifically parquet-floor based players to revive the reputation of football. Imperial College’s Ethos 5-a-side league is a place where dreams are made, hearts are broken and matches are played for the love of the beautiful game. This is the story of one team who stared failure directly in the eyes, repeatedly, resulting in appointing a manager and gaining the goodwill of a nation.
The Sci Comm Stallions are a ragtag bunch of individuals studying at Imperial who entered the winter league hoping to keep fit and have some good competitive games of football. Their first match was a close run affair but their fitness issues began to show when 20 minutes proved to be too much for our protagonists. In the end they came away with a 4-2 defeat. This was to be their closest game for seven more matches. In what was a run that last season’s Derby County would have pitied, the Stallions lost eight games in a row. They had the skills and the commitment to win but such results as 11-1 against Stats and 16-1 against the Flying Ducks and Falcons suggested that something was awry.
It was six games into the nine game season when the Stallions answered BBC 6Music DJ Jon Richardson’s call for a team to be managed by comedian and co-host Matt Forde. The call could not have come at a better time, the Stallions had begun to give up hope of getting a win for the season. Their final fixture was against Resp Pharm a team who had also lost all of their previous games. They were ahead of the Stallions by virtue of having conceded less goals. It was safe to say that the Stallions’ cup final game had arrived.
Matt Forde otherwise known as ‘Fordy’ or Gaffer, arrived to meet the lads prior to kick off and shared some words of wisdom. Thanks to Fordy’s amazing insights (‘’If you know where you’re good try and stick to that”), vocal support (‘‘You kicked it into his face you idiot”), and constructive criticism of the referee (‘’How tall are your friends?”), the Stallions fought their way to victory. They ran out 4-1 winners and avoided the dreaded wooden spoon. The match was played to great acclaim on their Sunday afternoon BBC6 Music show and subsequent podcast. This was just the tip of the iceberg for the Stallions and Fordy combination who begin the new season on Thursday 7th of May. You can keep up with their progress on the show (http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/shows/jon_richardson/), expect another rollercoaster ride.
hey my name is nathaniel and am from liverpool. well football is what me and my friends are intrested, we love football because it keeps us from getting to trouble or crimes. when my friend mom died, its bein really hard for him but ever since he joined the football team hes moved on with his life. we believ that helping us build this team will change lifes in my area.
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