All About Football: Where the Love of the Game Reigns Supreme.
Forget the pressure, embrace the fun. All About Football is a community initiative in Burton that's reconnecting people with the simple joy of the beautiful game, no matter their skill level.
By Tom Drysdale
Shobnall Leisure Complex on a warm Monday evening, as spring gently nudged winter aside, was the perfect setting to discover All About Football. This is an organisation that resonates deeply, intertwining a beloved sport with an ethos that champions inclusivity at its heart.
All About Football is more than just a kickabout; it's a community-driven initiative that harnesses the power of football to connect people and forge a strong sense of belonging. Their core mission is simple yet profound: to reignite the pure enjoyment of football, welcoming individuals of all skill levels and abilities to the pitch. It's a concept that has clearly struck a chord, blossoming within the local area.
Football for Everyone: Fun Without the Pressure
"I love football, but I'm terrible at it. I'm overweight, I'm old. I don't like playing 11 a side or six a side, they’re too committed," Joe Evans, the visionary founder of All About Football, candidly shared. "The opposition shouts at you, even your team shouts at you, the pressure is on. I just want to enjoy it, I want it to be fun. So me and a bunch of mates set up a couple of sessions, and it kind of grew from there, just to make football fun."
The very essence of the organisation is a potent blend of enjoyment, social connection, and fitness, all delivered without the burden of pressure or the clash of egos. It's easy to see why All About Football has captured the imagination of so many and continues to expand at an impressive pace. Since its inception in January, Joe's passion project, All About Football, has evolved into a full-time commitment, now running multiple sessions across a growing region encompassing Burton, Derbyshire, and even Rotherham!
"My intention was always for people to just pay, turn up, play, and go home. If I can do that for them, that's great," Joe explained with genuine satisfaction.
“It’s fantastic sometimes, I pinch myself. There are 36 guys here who wouldn’t have anywhere to play and probably don’t have anywhere as chill as this. It’s brilliant, it’s just exactly what I wanted.”
Simplicity is Key: Re-prioritising Connection and Well-being
Speaking from personal experience, having attended sessions myself, the beauty of All About Football lies in its sheer simplicity. Signing up is straightforward, and attending sessions is equally hassle-free. It's this very simplicity that allows the organisation to truly shine, placing the social and mental health benefits of football firmly back in the spotlight.
Joe elaborated on this crucial aspect: "We've got people who go to the pub before and after here. It's that camaraderie, we've got the WhatsApp groups, where there's banter and laughter. It's harder to make friends, especially as you get older. Here you have people you can turn to, have a laugh, or just switch off. The social element is really important. It is such a laugh on the pitch. No one's fighting or kicking off at each other, we're all just laughing."
Voices from the Pitch: The Impact on Attendees
The attendees I met were a diverse group, united by their shared love for the sport and the inclusive ethos championed by All About Football. Their individual stories of how they discovered the organisation and what it means to them were truly eye-opening.
Anthony, a long-time member who played with Joe even before All About Football formally existed, shared his journey: “It'd been years since I kicked the football, and I thought, well, I've got nothing better to do, so, yeah, I'll give it a go! At the time, I was overweight, massively overweight, a lot more than I am now. It has really helped with my fitness.”
He continued, “I'm nowhere near as good, or even half as good as some of the players that will be playing today alone. But, for me, it's important to know that there's a place you can come where it doesn't matter what your skill level is. The teams are well balanced, and everyone gets a chance to play, it doesn't matter your skill level, your experience, it just doesn't matter.”
Anthony also wanted to highlight the affordable cost: “The cost of a session at Shobnall is a fiver! So rather than munching on a bag of chips, come spend an hour down here and have a kick about, have a load of fun!”
Bradley offered an honest account of his reasons for joining: “I have struggled, in the past, with my mental health quite badly. I just turned 34, needed to get some exercise done. It's just a great group of people. It’s a good laugh. We all play at different levels, but we all come together and just enjoy each other's company. We all have a bit of banter.
“It’s all about that community and feeling together.”
“It's great because you get everyone from every level, different places, and we all come together as a community,” Bradley further illustrated. “I'm not originally from Burton, but I've come to know these people now. I can consider them friends, I would go for a drink with them, and I would go out if they went out as well. It's all about that community and feeling together.”
When asked what he would say to someone considering joining, his message was clear: “It does not matter your skill level, just come down and give it a go, you will not regret it.”
Akeel emphasised the inclusivity as his primary reason for returning: “We've got guys and girls playing, different ages, different levels of fitness, different levels of ability. The payments are also very flexible. Joe has loads of sessions, so it fits around work and family really well. It's always a friendly atmosphere. You won't get into any arguments with people. We are all here to enjoy and have fun.”
He also touched upon the mental benefits: “When you're between the white lines, nothing else matters. I know I'm not the best, and I'm not the fittest, but for that hour, that's it; there's nothing else on my mind.”
Akeel's final piece of advice for anyone considering All About Football was pragmatic: “The worst that you can do is waste five quid, as daft as that sounds, because there isn’t any physical activity as cheap, you really can't lose.”
Simon echoed the sentiments of friendship and mental well-being: “It's about having that friendship that you make with the group, it's about the mental health side of it as well. I enjoy it. It's just a couple of hours a week where I get to unplug from the daily demand. I don’t want to do anything overly competitive, I haven't got it in me anymore! So for me, it's about that nice and easy laid-back experience that All About Football offers. Everybody's under a lot of pressure out there at the minute with work and things like that. I'm no different to anyone else in that regard, and this just helps unwind from daily stresses.”
His encouragement to potential newcomers was emphatic: “You won't regret it, there's plenty of sessions, so it is easy fitting around life, work, and kids! It's really flexible! You can come and go when you want, it's pay as you go, there's no contract or subscription. It has worked really well for me.”
A Testament to Community Spirit
The heartfelt testimonies of the attendees perfectly mirror my own positive experience with the group. All About Football provides a safe and welcoming space for anyone who wants to enjoy the beautiful game in a no-pressure, no-judgment, and genuinely enjoyable environment. It stands as a testament to Joe's unwavering commitment to the community and his dedication to making a positive impact on the lives of those around him.
Joe himself extends an open invitation: “I would say definitely try. The one thing that I like to hear is people that come down for the first time saying they always feel welcome. If they want, they can always chat to me first, but they always feel welcome. We don't have many people come and not come back; just give it a try, or if you want to come down and watch, you are more than welcome to see what it is about.”
Exciting Plans for the Future
Looking ahead, All About Football has ambitious plans: “I want to work with as many clubs, league clubs, and community trusts as possible. I want to bring All About Football to as many different communities as I can. We already work with Burton Albion and Rotherham United; I just want to spread this as far and wide as we possibly can and get people playing football and enjoying it as well.”
With the exciting prospect of 11-a-side sessions, a summer tournament, a forthcoming podcast with Burton Radio & Echo, fun days, future collaboration with one of the biggest clubs in the local area (stay tuned!), and corporate/business tournaments on the horizon, the future looks bright for All About Football! We at the Burton Echo are genuinely excited to follow them on this inspiring journey.
Local Session Details:
Monday: Shobnall 8:30pm, Mickleover 7:30pm
Tuesday: Uttoxeter 8:00pm, Barton 8:00pm, Rotherham RUCT 8:00pm
Wednesday: Shobnall 8:00pm, Mickleover 8:00pm
Friday: Shobnall 8:00pm, Burton Albion BACT 3G 7:00pm and 8:00pm, Lichfield 8:00pm
To learn more about All About Football or to sign up for a session, visit their website here or follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Have a positive community story to share? Email Tom Drysdale at tom.drysdale@burtonecho.co.uk, and we’ll do our best to bring it to life!
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