DIY Football The cultural politics of community based football clubs

The intention of the book is to highlight the development of a type of football organisation that falls outside of the well documented elite professional game, the most recognizable face of the sport. Specifically, the focus here will fall upon community based football clubs which have grown out of the grassroots game. Well known examples of these clubs in Britain are the Bristol organisation, Easton Cowboys and Cowgirls, and the Leeds based Republica Internationale ? both of these clubs have forged links with similarly motivated organisations in other countries who regularly come together in tournaments to express solidarity. Collectively, these clubs have sometimes been referred to as forming a ?DIY culture? in football. Their defining characteristics being variously described as anti-commercial, democratically constituted, advocating social responsibility and inclusiveness, and holding an outlook of solidarity that, in some cases, involves political education. This book was originally published as a special issue of Sport in Society.

DIY football: the cultural politics of community based football clubs – introduction ‘It’s not just about the football’: leading social change in a Sunday league football team ‘Race’, politics and local football – continuity and change in the life of a British African- Caribbean local football club Stockholm’s 17 SK: a case study in community football Loyal to what? FC United’s ‘shaping walk’ through football’s ‘muck of ages’ Easton Cowboys and Cowgirls: a ‘political’ sports club that is not political and ‘anarchist’ sports club that is not actually anarchist Playing left wing; from Sunday League socialism to international solidarity. A social history of the development of Republica Internationale FC Grass-roots football, autonomous activity and the forging of new social relationships

David Kennedy is currently a freelance researcher, with research interests in the history and political economy of football.

Peter Kennedy is currently a freelance researcher, with research interests in football, sport and Marxist political economy. He is an associate member of the Socialist Theory and Movement Network, Glasgow University.