AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 GAMES
www.atw80g.com

In a reaction to the greed, corruption and obscene amounts of money involved in the game I love, football, I am taking my ball, and jumpers for goalposts, (as I did as a child) and having a kick-a-about with people in villages, towns and cities around the world. Setting out in the spring of 2016, so far I have completed 27 games (Please see my blog at: www.atw80g.com). The 80th game will be on the local recreation ground where I first played.

Football belongs to us, not the billionaires. It’s the worlds game. The peoples game. In my own small way, I aim to celebrate this fact by getting back to the sheer joy that kicking a ball about can bring. The games have taken place in 14 countries so far, including New Zealand, Japan, China, Vietnam, Colombia, Costa Rica, the USA and Cuba. The journey so far has been incredible. Taking my ball into the mountains, onto beaches, into village and city squares, I have been amazed by how quickly random strangers want to have a kick-a-bout with each other. Men, women and children (and the occasional dog!); people who have never played before in far off distant lands. Football truly does connect and unite people like no other sport.

Importantly, through interviewing players after these games, I have met some of the most humbling, inspiring and life-affirming people of my life. I feel compelled to tell their stories and highlight the incredible work that selfless individuals and organisations are doing out there to support their fellow human beings. Just incredible.

It is my intention to write a book about my travels and put together a show to take on the road featuring photos, videos and anecdotes of the people I have met and will meet. I hope to raise awareness of the many organisations out there helping people so that people may be inspired to support them. What started out as a kick-a-bout has now grown into something much more. I believe its a very powerful, positive story