Hackney Marshans 1-7 Recreativo 29.4.07The last game of the season turned out to be with one of the best (if not easiest) of the current campaign, as we came face to face with local rivals The Marshans. Going 1-0 down early on to a spectacularly awful goalkeeping error (one of the best of the season), we rallied and were always brimming with confidence despite the sluggish start. Previous campaigns have seen us dead certs to take maximum points against The Marshans, and we sure weren't going to let keeper Jones spoil our day! The first half saw tempers flare, a punch thrown, and some pretty tasty tackling, arguing and general shenanagins. All this despite promising to play the game in friendly fashion as we questioned the age, height and lack of shin pads of the Marshans young striker. Was he their secret weapon, or did they hope we'd take pity on them and gift them an early goal. (We did). Really, it was all one way traffic, with the Marshans rarely venturing anywhere near
our goal, and all but our goalkeeper must of had at least two shots on goal. We passed the ball well, and threatened their goal throughout, our youngsters running riot. We were disappointed to come away without double figures. Despite the first half boiling over, the rest of the match was played in good spirits. The Marshans are good bunch of lads, and we were impressed with their spirit and determination despite them not being able to get into the game. Unfortunately results went against us, and we ended up Division 2 runners up. We decided against parading down Stoke Newington Church Street, but headed for the pub instead. And end of season pint tastes better than any other.Team: Steve Jones, Mario Pisano, Shane O' prey, Jimmie 'Rocky' Gregory, Daniel Hall, Joao Spinola, Adam Bradbury, Kali Gregory-Hagenstede, Michael Moeller, Bilau Talib-Ali, Jel Gregory.
Albion Sundays 2-2 Recreativo (and 1-0) 22.4.07
'A scrub is a guy that thinks he's fly, and is also known as a buster. Always talkin' about what he wants. And just sits on his broke ass' ....(TLC 1999) Reluctantly agreeing to play two one hour long games in the same day against this lot after they pulled out of coming to play us over the Marshes, today was always going to be a bit of a strange occasion. Playing in the ugly shadow of Her Majesty's Prison Wormwood Scrubs, we arrived in time after a mad dash with the kitbag
doing a detour to Brighton. The van breaking every rule in the Highway Code, so as we didn't have to play in our vests and boxers! After waiting for the Sundays to eventually show, and then for nets to be found, (and the late ref to show), we were moved from pitch to pitch, and back again, as the chaos continued whilst their manager sweated into his mobile. It was quite surreal really, the Turkish League, complete with blaring sound system, Mc's urging referees to 'get on with the game please', dancing, barbecues, arguments, picnics and general socilialising, added to the chaos. Wormwood Scrubs was well and truly alive with humanity! Dancing bears and dwarves with trays of coke wouldn't of seemed out of place! As we waited, a man with a 
microphone informed us 'five minutes' as he attempted to clear our pitch of the two teams battling it out, whilst subs and bystanders gave interviews into video cameras. We waited. And waited. And waited some more. Despite being desperate for a game, we were about to walk away from all this bollocks, when in the nick of time the ref showed up. He was a limited-english speaking boy. With a beard. Jesus Fucking H Christ. As we waited to kick off, there were three teams on the pitch! The game(s) were closely fought affairs, both so badly refereed as to be laughable. The ref awarded free kicks to whichever team shouted the loudest, and booked Daniel so that he could show us he owned a yellow card. Both games weren't played in the best of spirits, and things soon boiled over resulting in an Albion Midfielder yelling an aggressive 'fuck off' in the direction of an 80 year old watching Reccy supporting grannie! Ooh, he looked really hard! However, we all shook hands at the end and somehow didn't seem too downhearted about the result. It had been such a poorly organised shambles, we were just happy to of played some football. We headed east over the Westway where talk was of next week's derby at the relatively organised Hackney Council run Marshes. Hallelujah. There's no place like home.Team: (Over both matches) Steve Jones, Mario Pisano, Shane O'prey, Jimmie Gregory, Daniel Hall, Adam Bradbury, Michael Moller, Joao Spinola, Kali Gregory-Hagenstede, Chris Read, Bilau Talib-Ali, Godred Sagoe, Jel Gregory.
Recreativo 1-0 Barking Mad 15.4.07
Three of us had already spent the earlier part of the day coaching the Recreativo junior team in Clissold Park, sweating buckloads as we put them through their paces under an unforgiving sun. By the time we reached the Marshes we were already knackered, Kali especially, having practised his step-overs against an excitable bunch of eight year olds. It's always good to be back on the Marshes, although today the unrelentling sunshine had scorched the pitches bone-dry and turned the goalmouths into dust. Our customary pre-match warm up is conducted in Portuguese, Italian, Hebrew and Spanish today as we stretch and hold to eight..."Uno, dos, tres, quattro, cinque...etc". We're in good spirits. We find Firas, our ref the agency sent us, who says he's 'heard alot of bad stories about Hackney Marshes'. We tell them they are probably all true and that it's our club's policy to always carry guns. For a brief few seconds he believes us, then
his face breaks into a smile. Behind him all hell is breaking loose on the next pitch. A red card, a player screaming and shouting and trying to attack a referee! Our match seems quite civilised..despite Shane pushing and shouting at Big Neil, Barking's hirsute right winger and a dead ringer for Robbie Knox off of SoccerAM. Bilau gets a booking for his rude bwoy haircut. Meanwhile the actual game turns into a fantastic afternoon' s football. Passing, movement, sure-footed skill and a general good vibe under summer skies enlivens the game to be one of the very best matches we've had over the past few seasons. Not to mention a..ahem...30yard free kick scored by your very own match reporter which sees us go on to a 1-0 win. A proper football score! Steve asks "who's the man of the match?", eager for praise for actually managing to hang on to the ball this week. And in truth, the old fella done good. But everyone seemed to have a good game today. Back home an organic Scilian Rosso is uncorked and we settle for an evening in front of Valencia-Sevilla. Another beautiful sunday.Team : Steve Jones, Mario Pisano, Shane O'prey, Jimmie Gregory, Marcus du Sautoy, Kali Gregory-Hagenstede, Joao Spinola, Adam Bradbury, Daniel Hall, Godfred Sagoe, Chris Read (Bilau Talib-Ali).
Men of the Match: Recreativo. True team spirit today.
Jeff's Chippy 4-2 Recreativo 1.4.07
Another journey south of the river, back to Clapham Common and the darkened shed that doubles up as a dressing room. We greet some familiar faces, ex-Clapham Eagles who now wear the navy blue of Jeff's Chippy. Handshakes and nods of the head and then it's on with the game. Despite the fragrant notes of Spring arriving, we realise that whoever wins the toss will win the match as a gentle south London sirocco mutates into a forceful gale. We lose the toss. The ball is carried high in the breeze. It's like God is against us in the first half and sure enough we are 4-0 down to the Chippy by the break. We know our goalie is to blame for two of the goals. He would be rich on the royalties if only his never-ending mishaps were filmed for some kind of 'Goalkeeper's Gaffes' dvd. After a few grumbles we just get on with it as if it really doesn't
matter today. He's 55 and he's carried half the team and all our gear in his motor. Some other days we'd be less forgiving but after the previous weeks bust ups we are simply enjoying a good game of football today. Enjoying being out. Kicking a ball. Having a laugh. Godfred and Kali get two back for us in the second half, we hit the post twice and go awfully close to getting another, but it wasn't to be today. A great game and not a bad tackle in the match. Despite the loss it's good vibes all round. Nice.Team : Steve Jones, Mario Pisano, Marcus du Sautoy, Jimmie Gregory, Kali Hagenstede-Gregory, Joao Spinola, Michael Moller, Daniel Hall, Bilau Talib-Ali, Godfred Sagoe, Chris Read. (sub not used : Shane O'prey).
Recreativo 3-6 Livingstone Academicals 18.3.07
Waiting a month or so to play a game of footie after being buggered about by teams pulling out of games, we acquainted ourselves with eachother again, and tried to get to know the spherical blown up leather thing. We'd almost forgotten what a football looked like. This game, a top of the table clash, was played out in the most awful weather, sun, sleet, biting wind, snow, and will be remembered as being lost rather acrimoniously. After gaining an early lead, 2-0 up, we let things slip. A couple of long range shots assisted by the wind gave our keeper problems for some reason, and the Livvies were soon level and in the driving seat. We'd finished this lot off quite comfortably earlier in the season, yet today we were struggling. We had no cohesion in our play, and the ru
b of the green was definitely in their favour. It was at 3-3 that the game began to deteriorate and the young Ref began to lose control. As Stevie Jones held on to the ball attempting a big kick, a Livvies forward clearly obstructed him, kicking the ball from his hands, and into our net. The Ref, who looked quite dazed and confused, and who gave no explanation as to why he was allowing the goal clearly didn't see the incident, but was obviously encouraged by the whoops of joy from the rejoicing Academicals. Much arguing ensued, ('What's that for ref? Comic Fuckin' Relief'), and for the remainder of the game, every time their keeper had the ball, he was encircled by a line of Reccy players. We seem to lose the plot in some respect, angry and bewildered, and by now the damage was done and our revival had gone out the window. In truth, the Livvies were the stronger team, as we really didn't get going in the second half. There weren't many handshakes for the referee at the end.Team: Steve Jones, Jimmie Gregory, Shane O'Prey (Chris Read), Mario Pisano, Daniel Hall, Joao Spinola, Adam Bradbury, Bilal Talib Ali, Godfed Sagoe, Jel Gregory.
Sandmere 5-2 Recreativo 10.2.07
Not knowing if he was speaking in some sort of secret Polari code, we listened intently as Stevie explained how he'd 'done a removal' for George Michael in the week. 'What did you remove?', we asked, tittering like a bunch of 12 year olds. He then went on to tell us how he ended up at Geri Halliwell's - 'moving her bed', and that it had 'made his week'. Talk quickly degenerated and included varying topics, like the size of the thighs of the women in the dressing room next door and were there any spy holes in the wall, why is everyone around Barnes thick lipped, fit and sturdy looking, and tales of pink cowboy hatted pretty boys trying to cop off with a couple of the team at 4 in the morning dancing at a party on Venice beach. 'We suddenly realised that after hours on the dance floor, there weren't actually
any women at the party'. The banter evaporated as we turned our attention to the game, another cross division cup thingymajig. Avoiding the pitches with small lakes, we plummed for the sandy pitch nearest the Fulham ground. We started off brightly, and at 1-1 at half time we were well in the game. However the second half was another story, as we somehow seem to self destruct, and Sandmere took advantage of our sloppiness and we gifted them a couple of goals. Morale took a bit of a battering, and although we created quite a few problems for them, their big keeper was assured and dealt with everything in the box. He was like a big bloody brick wall. We trudged off at the end, disconsolate, pissed off and frustrated. We'd forgotten what it was like to lose, after a five month winning streak.Team: Stevie Jones (removal man to the stars), Mario Pisano, Shane O'Prey, Michael Moller, Jimmie Gregory (Bilal Talib Ali), Chris Read, Joao Spinola, Adam Bradbury, Kali Gregory-Hagenstede, Godfred Sagoe, Jel Gregory.
Recreativo 0-0 Lyric Celtic 4.2.07
Britain Britain Britain. The Marshes dressing rooms were the usual hustle and bustle. Locating our room, we had to squeeze passed a freshly showered fat ref clad in a towel, arguing with a pissed off player from a previous game. 'It's nuthin' to do with the colour of your skin', protested the ref as he combed a perfect centre parting in his hair. A Council worker puffed a few tokes on a spliff ,half heartedly sweeping up dried mud, and groups of lads from the earlier games stood around preening in matching tracksuits discussing the morning's match. Turning up at the Marshes on a Sunday morning is always an experience. The buzz, the noise, the excitement and anticipation. The blood, sweat and tears. They should recommend a visit in London's many guide books. We were out on the pitch warming up when we heard that Celtic had just left Liverpool Street in cabs. This gave us more time to discus tactics. Tactics basically being - 'they've only got 9 players, let's try and score a couple before the rest turn up!' We didn't capitalise, and by half time they were at full strength after recruiting a couple of ringers hanging about. Despite the lack of goals, it turned out to be a fantastic game. Another 'cross division' game, top of Division 1 V top of Division 2. Our two whipper snappers on the wings were slo
tting through some delicious balls, and their goalie made a great save from Adam Bradbury's late effort. It could of gone either way though, as Celtics' curly haired midfielder started to run riot forcing Corporal Jones to dive about a bit. Recovering from a 'broken face' from last week, Stevie once again bravely threw himself in the firing line and nearly broke his long ago shattered spine clashing with a pacy forward. After a few minutes prostrate on the turf, he dusted himself down, and got up looking forward to a half time Marlbro. Overall a draw was a fair result. Every loose ball was vigourosly fought over, every header challenged, every offside decision argued over (and boy, they did call a lot of them!) ,and both teams left the park exhausted, happy at taking part in such a grand battle.Team: Steve Jones, Mario Pisano, Shane O'Prey, Jimmie Gregory. Marcus du Sautoy, Joao Spinola, Adam Bradbury, Daniel Hall, Bilal Talib Ali, Godfred Sagoe, Jel Gregory.
Clapham Sundays 4-5 Recreativo 28.1.07
It was bloody freezing on the back of the team vespa on the way 
down to Clapham Common. Arriving at the dressing rooms, it was the usual panic of trying to locate the rest of the team who had set off at the same time. Some had gone to buy sweets for breakfast at the local shop. Another in the queue for a table on the high road, hoping to get a pre-match greasy grill down fifteen minutes before kick off. Jesus H! A few stern words in the dressing room about how important this game was to us soon done the trick, and we set off to the pitch with much determination, and optimism. We beat this lot last week, although we didn't recognise half their team as the same lot we'd previously played. Our young 'uns on the wings were enjoying themselves, Bilal Talib Ali causing problems for them down the left, weaving the ball in and out, and creating chances. Daniel Hall had one of his best games to date, sliding through some wicked balls, and giving his much frustrated marker the runaround. Replying to his quip of 'I'll seriously hurt you mate', Daniel ran him ragged letting his skill do the talking. Football talks, bullshit walks. We should of scored more to finish them off, and kept their goalie busy throughout the game. He looked a bit like our keeper actually, although spoke Spanish. Not sure what language Stevie Jones speaks. We hung on to take the points, and with raised fists and elated howls welcomed the silver haired fox of a ref's whistle. We ground this one out, and left feeling well happy after taking the maximum 6 points from The Sundays.
Team: Steve Jones, Mario Pisano, Shane O'Prey, Michael Moller, Marcus du Sautoy, Daniel Hall, Chris Read, Bilal Talib Ali, Ali Man, Godfred Sagoe, Jel Gregory.
Recreativo 2-1 Clapham Sundays 21.1.07
We arrived in high spirits, with the tumbleweeds blowing accross the bleak Marshes in some god awful wind, gazing up to the skies at the numerous kites swirling majestically in the squall. There were some dead serious kiters strapped in to little karts, in harnesses, Oakleys, and crash helmets. A good day for kites. A bad day for keeping the ball on the floor - The traditional Recreativo way. This game was all very much 'up and unders', very Eddy Wearing and all that. Was like something out of 'It's a knockout', with players falling about here, there and everywhere. Sometimes to the sound of hysterical laughter. Daniel Hall's plastic headband always brings much merriment to our games, and this week he turned out in a particularly
fetching pink number. With little hearts on! ' They only had two in the shop - You ought of seen the other one', he protested.
Team: Steve Jones, Jimmie Gregory (Ali Man), Shane O'Prey, Marcus du Sautoy, Bilal Talib Ali, Joao Spinola, Adam Bradbury, Godfred Sagoe, Jel Gregory.
Inter South London 2-2 Recreativo 14.1.07
Back after a long winter break, this was always gonna be a hard one. A 'cross division' cup game against a high lying outfit from the division above.. A bunch of strong athlectic looking fellas stood around in the car park as we arrived at the milatary style complex of Barnes Elms, as we arrived stylishly in the back of Steve's removal van. Crammed with bodies and two bikes, bags, and chocolate and crisps. The same guys were soon turned out in a pristine Juve-style kit looking the dogs. We just looked like, well.... Recreativo. 'Stop worrying about the oppo', we kept telling ourselves, and after 5 mins we were 1- 0 up, and were buzzing. We played a bloody good game, maybe not matching in the fitness department, but giving as good as we got, winning the tackles, and putting it about a bit. They were ruffled. We scored another, and we were lucky to keep Shane on the pitch after he took one of them out and conceded a penalty. They missed. The game got faster as the minutes ticked down, and we conceded 2. We were more grateful for the
final whistle than them, and despite not getting the win, we were mildly pleased with the draw. The journey home was a nightmare - A couple of us Yids amongst a van load of gooners. Tottenham on the radio, winning two nil, then throwing it all way to a team in black and white stripes. A bit like Recreativo really.
Team: Steve Jones, Mario Pisano, Marcus du Sautoy (Chris Read), Jimmie Gregory (Jel Gregory), Daniel Hall, Adam Bradbury, Joao Spinola, Daniel Hall, Kali Gregory-Hagenstede, Michael Moller, Godfred Sagoe.
Recreativo 5-1 Hackney Marshans 19.1106
We arrive at the Marshes to the sound and sight of a dog fight in the distance. Growls and yelps from two intertwined mutts carrying in the breeze. We walk past the departing youth exiting the
Marshes from the morning games. Unsmiling moody looking hoodies with wires coming from their ears. Plugged in, spliffed out. Past the north dressing rooms, stinking of piss, covered in ineligible graffiti, barbed wire, broken glass and rubbish long blown across these at times, desolate looking pitches. But, as the sun starts to shine, it feels good walking across these familiar fields. This is a game we always want to win. The local Hackney Derby against the self proclaimed 'People's team'. Someone remarks they left the word 'Old' off of their club badge. Turning out in an uninspiring Gold/Shit brown number, we feel a psychological advantage already just because we've got a better kit! Ours is shades of Roma, theirs of Coventry City Away circa 1978. We're soon 1-0 up from a Kali Gregory-Hagenstede tap in. Conceding what Ruud Gullit would describe as a schloppy goal soon after, it's even at the break. Jel Gregory hits a sweet volley early in the second half, and it's one way traffic from then on. With Daniel Hall and Godfred Sagoe adding to the tally, it's all over midway through the second half. We play pretty triangles, squares, dodecahedrons, and infact throw more shapes than Peter Crouch! We're actually disappointed not to of got into double figures by the end. The result sends us to the top of the division. As we traipse over a cold and gloomy Marshes on the way home, the place is empty 
save for a small gaggle of lads determined to see out the fading light. Kicking balls into a netless goal and having to run 50 yards to retrieve the ball time and time again. As we wait at the crowded bus stop at the arse end of murder mile with aching limbs, flexing our Oyster cards, we wonder why there's a Jaguar showroom round here. We pick out a chocolate brown one.
Team: Steve Jones, Mario Pisano, Michael Moller, Jimmie Gregory (Ali Abdul), Daniel Hall (2), Adam Bradbury, Joao Spinola, Kali Gregory-Hagenstede (1), Godfred Sagoe (1), Jel Gregory(1).
Battersea Southsiders 1-2 Recreativo 5.11.06
Barnes? Where da fuck is Barnes? It’s a long way from Hackney, that’s where it is. Work called, so it was an even longer way, encompassing a quick dash down to Brighton and back first thing, attempting to pass the annual Vintage car rally on the way. Silly old gits dressed like Sherlock Holmes and Mrs Beeton, with obligatory RAF moustaches and Biggles goggles, excersising their hundred year old motors that looked like horse drawn carriages without the horse. Plumes of smoke wafting down the A23, from their baccy shag-filled pipes, and exhausts. Working class scum with bored kids mixed with Babour clad cashmere and tweed types, (sitting on those
walking stick-cum-stool things) lining the route waving like they were expecting Queen Victoria. We thought we might just bump into Prince Phillip or someone in the queue at Burger King at Pease Pottage services. We spotted many a cape and bowler hat wearer in the car park. I quite like bowler hats. We made it back to the city and through the rugby bound toffs heading to 'Twickers'. The Ref waited patiently as kick off approached and in the distance we saw half the team running across the surrounding fields eager to don the red and orange…. It was a bruising encounter, with each and all giving 100 percent. Joao Spinola was winning everything in the air, and pulling the strings in midfield. It’s a joy to watch him play at times. Stevie Jones pulled off a couple of great saves and got it full on in the knackers as he flung himself selflessly between the ball and the net. ‘My sex life is over’, he howled as he writhed on the floor. ‘Well if ya tell us his name, I’ll let ya boyfriend know’ quipped the Ref, a well spoken grey haired Freddie Starr/Anders Frisk. We hung on valiantly and headed to the dressing room for a cold shower and to catch up on the footy results. (It was all going our way, we’d won, the Gooners had lost, and Spurs were drawing with Chelski). As the light faded we raced over the Westway back to North London, (yelling jubilantly when Spurs scored what was to be the winner against the Blues) taking in the stunning sky in the wing mirrors. A beautiful sunset, Recreativo red and orange. From Hackney, to Brighton, to Barnes and back, this had been a Vintage day out.
Team: Steve Jones, Mario Pisano, Shane O'Prey, Marcus du Sautoy, Jimmie Gregory, Adam Bradbury, Joao Spinola, Ali Abdul, Godfed Sagoe, Michael Moller, Jel Gregory. (Roll on Roll Off Subs, all used, and abused: Kali Gregory-Hagenstede, Chris Read, Daniel Hall).
Livingstone Academicals 1-5 Recreativo 29.10.06
It's quite an achievement to get a fourteen strong squad down to the leafy surrounds of Hurlingham Park, Fulham today, considering some of us have had an early start, setting up in Clissold Park at 9.30am to coach the under 9s. Fulham seems an awful long way away when you count the tube stops and changes. However it's a good turn out and like most of our away games we are at the ground before the home team. Recreativo are rocking today and booting the balls around the huge dressing room, inadvertently setting off taps to flood the place like a bunch of rock stars on tour. Norman the ref holds up the kick off waiting for Livingstone's kit to arrive...something about goalie being late..traffic.. Putney Bridge..but when we do get going we play some very neat football and but for a brief ten minute spell are in charge of the game. Kali, Daniel and Sama once again shine, injecting some youthful vitality into Recreativo's attacking play. Kali smacks a delicious drive into the Livi's net and follows a few seconds later hitting the post. Daniel is shooting from all over the place and bags a very well deserved hat trick and Sama takes charge of the middle like Viera in his prime, ball winning and directing the next forward
charge. Marcus, Mario and Shane are solid as a rock today, breaking up everything that comes their way and giving everyone the confidence to launch another attack. Even the old man between the sticks plays a bloody good game and tips a near certain header over the bar just before half time. As always a 100% commitment from every player in a Recreativo shirt. It may have taken us four seasons, but Recreativo are really starting to come good. We weave home along the Kings Road in and out of the Porsches and Range Rovers, past the dark shadows of the Evil Empire of Stamford Bridge. Back home it's lamb casserole. After twenty three years of being a vegetarian, this free range baby sheep tastes bloody lovely! On the telly, West Ham play Blackburn and me and Kali discuss Alan Pardew's big lips as we tuck into our death feast. Back home football has finally taken over every square inch of the house. It simply oozes out of the walls, out of every cupboard and drawer. The downstairs communal sheds house three sets of Samba goals, two full sized goal nets, 25 size five footballs, 50 coloured training cones, various carry bags and ball nets. 
Somewhere under all this are the kids' bikes, long forgotten since the paraphenalia of the beautiful game made it nigh on impossible to go for a sunday cycle without having to untwist a muddy net from an oily chain or unhook a crossbar upright from back wheel spokes. The coats, scarves, hats and shoes have lost their cupboard space to Recreativo's kitbag, home and away, training bibs, various muddied and studded boots, astros, goalie's gloves, first aid box, pumps and whistles. And another forty training bibs that we aquisitioned since we set up a football club for the Under 9s! Oh, and four corner flags, a long time unused... Elsewhere in the house, photos of friends and family, school photos of the kids, have paled into the background as images of football eat up the walls... Jackie McNamara (Celtic) punching Mark Hately (Rangers) in the face, Totti celebrating scoring against Lazio. Even the relatively football free calm of the main bedroom has now given way to Maradonna celebrating winning the World Cup, Tardelli's classic scream celebration and thousands of Boca Juniors fans rocking the Bombonera. The family photo albums now read like a photo journal of European football grounds. Delle Alpi, Olimpico, San Siro, Stadio Penza, Sao Polo. From the front room the sound of football permeates from the tv. My young 'un made me switch off the morning news this weekend so he could watch The Peace Queen Cup, women's friendly football live from South Korea. And through the open windows on a clear day comes the distant sound of 60,000 fans at the Emirates Stadium wafting high across Clissold Park. In this house football is king. Long Live The King! Long Live Recreativo FC!
Team: Steve Jones, Mario Pisano (Chris Read), Shane O'Prey, Marcus du Sautoy, Daniel Hall, Joao Spinola, Osama Mansour, Kali-Gregory-Hagenstede, Michael Moeller (Ali Abdul), Jel Gregory (Jimmie Gregory).
Recreativo 4-4 Shepherds Tuesday 8.10.06
All roads lead to Hackney Marshes this morning...only that all the roads leading to Hackney Marshes are undergoing major roadworks. The traffic is chokka all the way from Lea Bridge roundabout up through Murder Mile and into Homerton High Road. Those of us lucky enough to be on two wheels pass a mile long convoy of VW Golfs and souped up Astras, eager yet anxious
footballers squeezed inside, like the proverbial sardine, easing slowly towards the spiritual home of football, our very own Golden Temple, Hackney Marshes. Somehow Steve manages to pack the nets, kitbag, first aid bag, balls and various players into his motor and arrives at the car park like a triumphant mule on a trek up K2. Made it! It's good to be back. It's always good to be back. Even on a grey day like today, the Marshes are buzzing. Chaotic, yet totally alive with the banter of hundreds of footballers in every colour strip imaginable..well, okay, we've never seen anyone dare wear a Palermo-style pink yet! Fat referees draw on roll ups. Some geezer sets up shop from the boot of his car selling studs, laces, Deep Heat, shin pads and other player paraphinalia. And the heady mix of burgers, frying onions and cigarette smoke gently waft from the burger van spreading an invisible salmonella cloud acoss the car park. Mmmmmm...what a perfect way to spend Sunday afternoon. With a good squad turn out and fairly strong line up we give Shepherds a bloody good game. Daniel, Kali and Sama really have become the Boyz II Men of late, our teenage rampage having stepped up over the summer from Sixth Form to the School of Hard Knocks in this adult league. They seem to win all their tackles, challenge every loose ball and between them give our side a new found and much needed vitality, despite two of them ending up in the ref''s book for back chat. All in all a great game. Despite coming away with just a draw we headed home content with the fact that today we stepped it up all over the pitch. The best football Recreativo have played in our four seasons. So far.
Team : Steve Jones, Mario Pisano, Marcus du Sautoy, Jimmie Gregory (Shane O'Prey), Kali Gregory-Hagenstede, Adam Bradbury, Pawel Ognik (Osama Mansour), Daniel Hall, Joao Spinola, Ali Abdul, Godfred Sagoe.
Barking Mad 3-2 Recreativo 10.9.06
''Typical teenager", Marcus remarks, referring to Kali sat astride his dad's Vespa, gazing at his reflection in the wing mirror while very carefully fluffing up his gelled hair and squeezing his spots. It's 11.30am sunday morning when we meet outside Manor House tube station, ready once more to embrace another season of football in the Sunday Superleague that will take us
right up to the beginning of Summer '07. It's all very exciting. The start of a new season always holds so much promise. We turn up in dribs and drabs. We're on the phone to Daniel's mum asking if he's left yet. Our new signing Pawel hasn't turned up (*lost phone, Oyster Card, missed train and absolutely nothing to do with lager, mates and a barbecue on saturday evening we later find out), though the mood is bouyant as we head to Clapham Common with a good turn out and in good spirits. I don't know what it is about away games. But most of the time they are so much more enjoyable than games at the Marshes. Maybe it's because we don't have to worry about the ref, the goal nets, the pitch booking, supplying the ball, etc. We may not be the best team in the league, but as always, we are the most punctual. We're at the Common a good hour before kick off. We approach a couple of blokes in tracksuits but decline to ask "are you Barking Mad?" so hit the cafe and wait for the oppo to arrive. We sit over a coffee talking about motorcycle accidents, parking tickets and riding scooters in the freezing winter. The actual football is good. Despite every member of Barking Mad being taller than the Recreativo player that is marking him, we have a good game and with goals from Kali Gregory-Hagenstede and new recruit Michael Moeller it's 2-2 with 30 seconds to go. Despite the black and white stripes of Barking Mad playing like a post-Moggi Juventus for the final 20 minutes of the game, they step up like the Old Lady of old and some bald Vialli look-a-like smashes the ball into our net with the very last touch of the game. Bollocks. We say it every game. The result really doesn't matter. It's the effort we put in that really counts. And so today, despite coming away without a point, we 
depart Clapham with smiles on our faces after such a good game, 90 minutes of decent football under our belts and another season of Division Two ahead of us. With the sunshine on our backs we turn and head home back across the river.
Team: Steve Jones, Jimmie Gregory, Chris Read, Mario Pisano, Marcus du Sautoy, Joao Spinola, Ali Abdul, (Daniel Hall), Kali Hagenstede, Michael Moeller (1), (Bilau Talib Ali) Godfred Sagoe (1), Jel Gregory.
Recreativo 5-0 East One 3.9.06
Why oh bloody why are we doing this again?!! After a summer spent re-connecting with our loved ones on romantic ventures to Rome, Venice, Naples and East
Grinstead, sunday morning is here and we're running round looking for the change kit, searching for that missing shin pad, scraping mud off studded boots that have laid dormant in the cupboard the past 4 months. It took three visits to Hackney Marshes to get our booking done ( 1. Booking office closed early, 2. Booking officer on hoiliday, 3. Booking officer finally takes our booking though doesn't know how the credit card machine works) and still they haven't got us down on the fixture list! Meanwhile our ref has phoned two days before the game to say he can't make it because he's having physio on his leg and can't run. I remind him that he's never run during any of our games the past three seasons, so it shouldn't impede him now. I offer to provide him with a wheel chair to spin round in the centre-circle and a pair of binoculars to watch for offsides. Half the team have paid their subs up front. Half the team cite unemployment, getting undercut at work or the possibility of "moving out of London soon" as reasons for not stumping up their cash. Some even dare sit in the brand new Arsenal kit pleading poverty! Now that really is rubbing salt in the wounds....However the familiar pre-match rituals feel good. Deep Heat. Steve's ciggie smoke wafting through the corridors. Chris's mantra, "has anyone got spare shin-pads?". Hands reaching into the bag pulling out kit. Laughter, banter, piss-taking. The shirt feels slightly tighter this
season. Like, around the waist. And were the shorts always this close fitting? (Ahem..Naples really is the home of the pizza.... And ice cream. And lager. And wine. And all those lovely cheeses. And cakes). A familiar refrain at the start of every Recreativo season from the management : "we're gonna get fit this season". Usually heard five whole minutes before the kick off of our first game. (Fact : Jel was off work last week drinking gin and tonic during daylight hours. Fact : Jimmie accumulated a skyscraper of pizza boxes because he liked the picture of Maradona on the front).Who really cares 
about the actual game? The wind in the first half ensured the opposition couldn't get out of their own half. It was like God really was on our side. It was like England vs Andorra set against the backdrop of the whirlwind from the Wizard of Oz. The linesman spent most of the game in the bushes looking for the ball. Or that's what he said he was doing. We bossed the game despite some flourishes from the oppo down the left wing. Their captain, Abdul Koyar, take deep breath... (*not to be confused with Mohammed Abdul Kahar, a 23 year old man from south London who was shot by the police this summer for, it seems, having a long beard and wearing a muslim dishdasha. Strange but true, this very website was inundated by desperate and very unproffessional hacks from the national press after confusing these two people....well, they're both called Abdul and their surname's begin with K!..for fucks sake!)...exhale...played a blinder in midfield, but we bossed the game and scored five goals. Great performances all round and in particular by our new boys Michael Moeller and Pawel Ognik.
Team : Steve Jones, Jimmie Gregory, Chris Read, Pawel Ognik, Kali Hagenstede, Adam Bradbury, Joao Spinola, Ali Abdul, Godfred Sagoe(4), Michgael Moeller(1) Jel Gregory.
down to Clapham Common. Arriving at the dressing rooms, it was the usual panic of trying to locate the rest of the team who had set off at the same time. Some had gone to buy sweets for breakfast at the local shop. Another in the queue for a table on the high road, hoping to get a pre-match greasy grill down fifteen minutes before kick off. Jesus H! A few stern words in the dressing room about how important this game was to us soon done the trick, and we set off to the pitch with much determination, and optimism. We beat this lot last week, although we didn't recognise half their team as the same lot we'd previously played. Our young 'uns on the wings were enjoying themselves, Bilal Talib Ali causing problems for them down the left, weaving the ball in and out, and creating chances. Daniel Hall had one of his best games to date, sliding through some wicked balls, and giving his much frustrated marker the runaround. Replying to his quip of 'I'll seriously hurt you mate', Daniel ran him ragged letting his skill do the talking. Football talks, bullshit walks. We should of scored more to finish them off, and kept their goalie busy throughout the game. He looked a bit like our keeper actually, although spoke Spanish. Not sure what language Stevie Jones speaks. We hung on to take the points, and with raised fists and elated howls welcomed the silver haired fox of a ref's whistle. We ground this one out, and left feeling well happy after taking the maximum 6 points from The Sundays.Team: Steve Jones, Mario Pisano, Shane O'Prey, Michael Moller, Marcus du Sautoy, Daniel Hall, Chris Read, Bilal Talib Ali, Ali Man, Godfred Sagoe, Jel Gregory.
Recreativo 2-1 Clapham Sundays 21.1.07
We arrived in high spirits, with the tumbleweeds blowing accross the bleak Marshes in some god awful wind, gazing up to the skies at the numerous kites swirling majestically in the squall. There were some dead serious kiters strapped in to little karts, in harnesses, Oakleys, and crash helmets. A good day for kites. A bad day for keeping the ball on the floor - The traditional Recreativo way. This game was all very much 'up and unders', very Eddy Wearing and all that. Was like something out of 'It's a knockout', with players falling about here, there and everywhere. Sometimes to the sound of hysterical laughter. Daniel Hall's plastic headband always brings much merriment to our games, and this week he turned out in a particularly
fetching pink number. With little hearts on! ' They only had two in the shop - You ought of seen the other one', he protested.Team: Steve Jones, Jimmie Gregory (Ali Man), Shane O'Prey, Marcus du Sautoy, Bilal Talib Ali, Joao Spinola, Adam Bradbury, Godfred Sagoe, Jel Gregory.
Inter South London 2-2 Recreativo 14.1.07
Back after a long winter break, this was always gonna be a hard one. A 'cross division' cup game against a high lying outfit from the division above.. A bunch of strong athlectic looking fellas stood around in the car park as we arrived at the milatary style complex of Barnes Elms, as we arrived stylishly in the back of Steve's removal van. Crammed with bodies and two bikes, bags, and chocolate and crisps. The same guys were soon turned out in a pristine Juve-style kit looking the dogs. We just looked like, well.... Recreativo. 'Stop worrying about the oppo', we kept telling ourselves, and after 5 mins we were 1- 0 up, and were buzzing. We played a bloody good game, maybe not matching in the fitness department, but giving as good as we got, winning the tackles, and putting it about a bit. They were ruffled. We scored another, and we were lucky to keep Shane on the pitch after he took one of them out and conceded a penalty. They missed. The game got faster as the minutes ticked down, and we conceded 2. We were more grateful for the
final whistle than them, and despite not getting the win, we were mildly pleased with the draw. The journey home was a nightmare - A couple of us Yids amongst a van load of gooners. Tottenham on the radio, winning two nil, then throwing it all way to a team in black and white stripes. A bit like Recreativo really.Team: Steve Jones, Mario Pisano, Marcus du Sautoy (Chris Read), Jimmie Gregory (Jel Gregory), Daniel Hall, Adam Bradbury, Joao Spinola, Daniel Hall, Kali Gregory-Hagenstede, Michael Moller, Godfred Sagoe.
Recreativo 5-1 Hackney Marshans 19.1106
We arrive at the Marshes to the sound and sight of a dog fight in the distance. Growls and yelps from two intertwined mutts carrying in the breeze. We walk past the departing youth exiting the
Marshes from the morning games. Unsmiling moody looking hoodies with wires coming from their ears. Plugged in, spliffed out. Past the north dressing rooms, stinking of piss, covered in ineligible graffiti, barbed wire, broken glass and rubbish long blown across these at times, desolate looking pitches. But, as the sun starts to shine, it feels good walking across these familiar fields. This is a game we always want to win. The local Hackney Derby against the self proclaimed 'People's team'. Someone remarks they left the word 'Old' off of their club badge. Turning out in an uninspiring Gold/Shit brown number, we feel a psychological advantage already just because we've got a better kit! Ours is shades of Roma, theirs of Coventry City Away circa 1978. We're soon 1-0 up from a Kali Gregory-Hagenstede tap in. Conceding what Ruud Gullit would describe as a schloppy goal soon after, it's even at the break. Jel Gregory hits a sweet volley early in the second half, and it's one way traffic from then on. With Daniel Hall and Godfred Sagoe adding to the tally, it's all over midway through the second half. We play pretty triangles, squares, dodecahedrons, and infact throw more shapes than Peter Crouch! We're actually disappointed not to of got into double figures by the end. The result sends us to the top of the division. As we traipse over a cold and gloomy Marshes on the way home, the place is empty 
save for a small gaggle of lads determined to see out the fading light. Kicking balls into a netless goal and having to run 50 yards to retrieve the ball time and time again. As we wait at the crowded bus stop at the arse end of murder mile with aching limbs, flexing our Oyster cards, we wonder why there's a Jaguar showroom round here. We pick out a chocolate brown one.Team: Steve Jones, Mario Pisano, Michael Moller, Jimmie Gregory (Ali Abdul), Daniel Hall (2), Adam Bradbury, Joao Spinola, Kali Gregory-Hagenstede (1), Godfred Sagoe (1), Jel Gregory(1).
Battersea Southsiders 1-2 Recreativo 5.11.06
Barnes? Where da fuck is Barnes? It’s a long way from Hackney, that’s where it is. Work called, so it was an even longer way, encompassing a quick dash down to Brighton and back first thing, attempting to pass the annual Vintage car rally on the way. Silly old gits dressed like Sherlock Holmes and Mrs Beeton, with obligatory RAF moustaches and Biggles goggles, excersising their hundred year old motors that looked like horse drawn carriages without the horse. Plumes of smoke wafting down the A23, from their baccy shag-filled pipes, and exhausts. Working class scum with bored kids mixed with Babour clad cashmere and tweed types, (sitting on those
walking stick-cum-stool things) lining the route waving like they were expecting Queen Victoria. We thought we might just bump into Prince Phillip or someone in the queue at Burger King at Pease Pottage services. We spotted many a cape and bowler hat wearer in the car park. I quite like bowler hats. We made it back to the city and through the rugby bound toffs heading to 'Twickers'. The Ref waited patiently as kick off approached and in the distance we saw half the team running across the surrounding fields eager to don the red and orange…. It was a bruising encounter, with each and all giving 100 percent. Joao Spinola was winning everything in the air, and pulling the strings in midfield. It’s a joy to watch him play at times. Stevie Jones pulled off a couple of great saves and got it full on in the knackers as he flung himself selflessly between the ball and the net. ‘My sex life is over’, he howled as he writhed on the floor. ‘Well if ya tell us his name, I’ll let ya boyfriend know’ quipped the Ref, a well spoken grey haired Freddie Starr/Anders Frisk. We hung on valiantly and headed to the dressing room for a cold shower and to catch up on the footy results. (It was all going our way, we’d won, the Gooners had lost, and Spurs were drawing with Chelski). As the light faded we raced over the Westway back to North London, (yelling jubilantly when Spurs scored what was to be the winner against the Blues) taking in the stunning sky in the wing mirrors. A beautiful sunset, Recreativo red and orange. From Hackney, to Brighton, to Barnes and back, this had been a Vintage day out.Team: Steve Jones, Mario Pisano, Shane O'Prey, Marcus du Sautoy, Jimmie Gregory, Adam Bradbury, Joao Spinola, Ali Abdul, Godfed Sagoe, Michael Moller, Jel Gregory. (Roll on Roll Off Subs, all used, and abused: Kali Gregory-Hagenstede, Chris Read, Daniel Hall).
Livingstone Academicals 1-5 Recreativo 29.10.06
It's quite an achievement to get a fourteen strong squad down to the leafy surrounds of Hurlingham Park, Fulham today, considering some of us have had an early start, setting up in Clissold Park at 9.30am to coach the under 9s. Fulham seems an awful long way away when you count the tube stops and changes. However it's a good turn out and like most of our away games we are at the ground before the home team. Recreativo are rocking today and booting the balls around the huge dressing room, inadvertently setting off taps to flood the place like a bunch of rock stars on tour. Norman the ref holds up the kick off waiting for Livingstone's kit to arrive...something about goalie being late..traffic.. Putney Bridge..but when we do get going we play some very neat football and but for a brief ten minute spell are in charge of the game. Kali, Daniel and Sama once again shine, injecting some youthful vitality into Recreativo's attacking play. Kali smacks a delicious drive into the Livi's net and follows a few seconds later hitting the post. Daniel is shooting from all over the place and bags a very well deserved hat trick and Sama takes charge of the middle like Viera in his prime, ball winning and directing the next forward
charge. Marcus, Mario and Shane are solid as a rock today, breaking up everything that comes their way and giving everyone the confidence to launch another attack. Even the old man between the sticks plays a bloody good game and tips a near certain header over the bar just before half time. As always a 100% commitment from every player in a Recreativo shirt. It may have taken us four seasons, but Recreativo are really starting to come good. We weave home along the Kings Road in and out of the Porsches and Range Rovers, past the dark shadows of the Evil Empire of Stamford Bridge. Back home it's lamb casserole. After twenty three years of being a vegetarian, this free range baby sheep tastes bloody lovely! On the telly, West Ham play Blackburn and me and Kali discuss Alan Pardew's big lips as we tuck into our death feast. Back home football has finally taken over every square inch of the house. It simply oozes out of the walls, out of every cupboard and drawer. The downstairs communal sheds house three sets of Samba goals, two full sized goal nets, 25 size five footballs, 50 coloured training cones, various carry bags and ball nets. 
Somewhere under all this are the kids' bikes, long forgotten since the paraphenalia of the beautiful game made it nigh on impossible to go for a sunday cycle without having to untwist a muddy net from an oily chain or unhook a crossbar upright from back wheel spokes. The coats, scarves, hats and shoes have lost their cupboard space to Recreativo's kitbag, home and away, training bibs, various muddied and studded boots, astros, goalie's gloves, first aid box, pumps and whistles. And another forty training bibs that we aquisitioned since we set up a football club for the Under 9s! Oh, and four corner flags, a long time unused... Elsewhere in the house, photos of friends and family, school photos of the kids, have paled into the background as images of football eat up the walls... Jackie McNamara (Celtic) punching Mark Hately (Rangers) in the face, Totti celebrating scoring against Lazio. Even the relatively football free calm of the main bedroom has now given way to Maradonna celebrating winning the World Cup, Tardelli's classic scream celebration and thousands of Boca Juniors fans rocking the Bombonera. The family photo albums now read like a photo journal of European football grounds. Delle Alpi, Olimpico, San Siro, Stadio Penza, Sao Polo. From the front room the sound of football permeates from the tv. My young 'un made me switch off the morning news this weekend so he could watch The Peace Queen Cup, women's friendly football live from South Korea. And through the open windows on a clear day comes the distant sound of 60,000 fans at the Emirates Stadium wafting high across Clissold Park. In this house football is king. Long Live The King! Long Live Recreativo FC!Team: Steve Jones, Mario Pisano (Chris Read), Shane O'Prey, Marcus du Sautoy, Daniel Hall, Joao Spinola, Osama Mansour, Kali-Gregory-Hagenstede, Michael Moeller (Ali Abdul), Jel Gregory (Jimmie Gregory).
Recreativo 4-4 Shepherds Tuesday 8.10.06
All roads lead to Hackney Marshes this morning...only that all the roads leading to Hackney Marshes are undergoing major roadworks. The traffic is chokka all the way from Lea Bridge roundabout up through Murder Mile and into Homerton High Road. Those of us lucky enough to be on two wheels pass a mile long convoy of VW Golfs and souped up Astras, eager yet anxious
footballers squeezed inside, like the proverbial sardine, easing slowly towards the spiritual home of football, our very own Golden Temple, Hackney Marshes. Somehow Steve manages to pack the nets, kitbag, first aid bag, balls and various players into his motor and arrives at the car park like a triumphant mule on a trek up K2. Made it! It's good to be back. It's always good to be back. Even on a grey day like today, the Marshes are buzzing. Chaotic, yet totally alive with the banter of hundreds of footballers in every colour strip imaginable..well, okay, we've never seen anyone dare wear a Palermo-style pink yet! Fat referees draw on roll ups. Some geezer sets up shop from the boot of his car selling studs, laces, Deep Heat, shin pads and other player paraphinalia. And the heady mix of burgers, frying onions and cigarette smoke gently waft from the burger van spreading an invisible salmonella cloud acoss the car park. Mmmmmm...what a perfect way to spend Sunday afternoon. With a good squad turn out and fairly strong line up we give Shepherds a bloody good game. Daniel, Kali and Sama really have become the Boyz II Men of late, our teenage rampage having stepped up over the summer from Sixth Form to the School of Hard Knocks in this adult league. They seem to win all their tackles, challenge every loose ball and between them give our side a new found and much needed vitality, despite two of them ending up in the ref''s book for back chat. All in all a great game. Despite coming away with just a draw we headed home content with the fact that today we stepped it up all over the pitch. The best football Recreativo have played in our four seasons. So far.Team : Steve Jones, Mario Pisano, Marcus du Sautoy, Jimmie Gregory (Shane O'Prey), Kali Gregory-Hagenstede, Adam Bradbury, Pawel Ognik (Osama Mansour), Daniel Hall, Joao Spinola, Ali Abdul, Godfred Sagoe.
Barking Mad 3-2 Recreativo 10.9.06
''Typical teenager", Marcus remarks, referring to Kali sat astride his dad's Vespa, gazing at his reflection in the wing mirror while very carefully fluffing up his gelled hair and squeezing his spots. It's 11.30am sunday morning when we meet outside Manor House tube station, ready once more to embrace another season of football in the Sunday Superleague that will take us
right up to the beginning of Summer '07. It's all very exciting. The start of a new season always holds so much promise. We turn up in dribs and drabs. We're on the phone to Daniel's mum asking if he's left yet. Our new signing Pawel hasn't turned up (*lost phone, Oyster Card, missed train and absolutely nothing to do with lager, mates and a barbecue on saturday evening we later find out), though the mood is bouyant as we head to Clapham Common with a good turn out and in good spirits. I don't know what it is about away games. But most of the time they are so much more enjoyable than games at the Marshes. Maybe it's because we don't have to worry about the ref, the goal nets, the pitch booking, supplying the ball, etc. We may not be the best team in the league, but as always, we are the most punctual. We're at the Common a good hour before kick off. We approach a couple of blokes in tracksuits but decline to ask "are you Barking Mad?" so hit the cafe and wait for the oppo to arrive. We sit over a coffee talking about motorcycle accidents, parking tickets and riding scooters in the freezing winter. The actual football is good. Despite every member of Barking Mad being taller than the Recreativo player that is marking him, we have a good game and with goals from Kali Gregory-Hagenstede and new recruit Michael Moeller it's 2-2 with 30 seconds to go. Despite the black and white stripes of Barking Mad playing like a post-Moggi Juventus for the final 20 minutes of the game, they step up like the Old Lady of old and some bald Vialli look-a-like smashes the ball into our net with the very last touch of the game. Bollocks. We say it every game. The result really doesn't matter. It's the effort we put in that really counts. And so today, despite coming away without a point, we 
depart Clapham with smiles on our faces after such a good game, 90 minutes of decent football under our belts and another season of Division Two ahead of us. With the sunshine on our backs we turn and head home back across the river.Team: Steve Jones, Jimmie Gregory, Chris Read, Mario Pisano, Marcus du Sautoy, Joao Spinola, Ali Abdul, (Daniel Hall), Kali Hagenstede, Michael Moeller (1), (Bilau Talib Ali) Godfred Sagoe (1), Jel Gregory.
Recreativo 5-0 East One 3.9.06
Why oh bloody why are we doing this again?!! After a summer spent re-connecting with our loved ones on romantic ventures to Rome, Venice, Naples and East
Grinstead, sunday morning is here and we're running round looking for the change kit, searching for that missing shin pad, scraping mud off studded boots that have laid dormant in the cupboard the past 4 months. It took three visits to Hackney Marshes to get our booking done ( 1. Booking office closed early, 2. Booking officer on hoiliday, 3. Booking officer finally takes our booking though doesn't know how the credit card machine works) and still they haven't got us down on the fixture list! Meanwhile our ref has phoned two days before the game to say he can't make it because he's having physio on his leg and can't run. I remind him that he's never run during any of our games the past three seasons, so it shouldn't impede him now. I offer to provide him with a wheel chair to spin round in the centre-circle and a pair of binoculars to watch for offsides. Half the team have paid their subs up front. Half the team cite unemployment, getting undercut at work or the possibility of "moving out of London soon" as reasons for not stumping up their cash. Some even dare sit in the brand new Arsenal kit pleading poverty! Now that really is rubbing salt in the wounds....However the familiar pre-match rituals feel good. Deep Heat. Steve's ciggie smoke wafting through the corridors. Chris's mantra, "has anyone got spare shin-pads?". Hands reaching into the bag pulling out kit. Laughter, banter, piss-taking. The shirt feels slightly tighter this
season. Like, around the waist. And were the shorts always this close fitting? (Ahem..Naples really is the home of the pizza.... And ice cream. And lager. And wine. And all those lovely cheeses. And cakes). A familiar refrain at the start of every Recreativo season from the management : "we're gonna get fit this season". Usually heard five whole minutes before the kick off of our first game. (Fact : Jel was off work last week drinking gin and tonic during daylight hours. Fact : Jimmie accumulated a skyscraper of pizza boxes because he liked the picture of Maradona on the front).Who really cares 
about the actual game? The wind in the first half ensured the opposition couldn't get out of their own half. It was like God really was on our side. It was like England vs Andorra set against the backdrop of the whirlwind from the Wizard of Oz. The linesman spent most of the game in the bushes looking for the ball. Or that's what he said he was doing. We bossed the game despite some flourishes from the oppo down the left wing. Their captain, Abdul Koyar, take deep breath... (*not to be confused with Mohammed Abdul Kahar, a 23 year old man from south London who was shot by the police this summer for, it seems, having a long beard and wearing a muslim dishdasha. Strange but true, this very website was inundated by desperate and very unproffessional hacks from the national press after confusing these two people....well, they're both called Abdul and their surname's begin with K!..for fucks sake!)...exhale...played a blinder in midfield, but we bossed the game and scored five goals. Great performances all round and in particular by our new boys Michael Moeller and Pawel Ognik.Team : Steve Jones, Jimmie Gregory, Chris Read, Pawel Ognik, Kali Hagenstede, Adam Bradbury, Joao Spinola, Ali Abdul, Godfred Sagoe(4), Michgael Moeller(1) Jel Gregory.