Organising a football match for 8 years

Not all just goals and post-game beers.

As a football fan, I’m one of those that would much rather plan than watch. The game does many things for me, the physicality and technicality, the teamwork as well as the individual contribution, sometimes good and sometimes bad.

It has been a staple in my life since I was about 10, and so on arrival in my new hometown in 2015, I wanted to seek it out. Luckily within a few weeks of settling in, I met a man with a similar mission — Dino (short for Dinamo Zagreb fan).

We started playing together along with other foreigners, organising things through Facebook and gathering a whole range of nationalities, ages, backgrounds and skillsets.

Eight years on, and we’re still rocking. Just with anything there have been ups and downs over the years, and here are some of the standout moments that anyone that organises a group of people in anyway may appreciate.

The Great Schism

At one point, Dino and I started afresh. The group that now was, was far from the one we had intended on creating. What started as an easy going, energetic and good hearted kickabout, slowly slid into hurling abuse.