'Tribe: Class of 05/06' has evolved from a project entitled 'Life's A Ball' which came about in the mid 90's with me , Zak Waters a photographer and a close friend and colleague of mine, the writer Ivor Baddiel. We set off around the UK to see if we could find the most fanatical football supporters in the country.
'Life's A Ball' took us both on a long, colourfull road where we met a diverse range of football supporters ranging from the Scottish league clubs like Raith Rovers, East Fife, St Mirren to English league clubs like Torquay, Burnley, Arsenal and so on. We also travelled on the Non-League circuit where I found myself on a number of infamous 'Ground Hopper' trips in the Northern Premier League where I sometimes attended on occaision over 9 matches in 3 days.
Being life-long football supporters ourselves, me being Sunderland and Ivor Chelsea, we could appreciate what it felt like to follow your team through thick and thin, especially on those very wet mid-week evenings.
What never ceased to amaze the both of us were the lengths some supporters went to, to prove their allegiance to their club and to make themselves stand out from the rest of the crowd.
We found an assortment of supporters that went to some bizarre lengths. One supporter managed to get hold of the washing machine suds from his team's shirt wash after a Wembley appearance. He bottled and labelled it, then placed it pride of place on his mantlepiece
at home - more than once! One supporter converted his work van into a mobile shrine to his club and another supporter even painted a fire engine in his club's colours! There was a wife of one fanatical supporter who made her own t-shirt entitled 'Football Widow'shortly before she divorced her husband.
To help us along we gave all the football supporters that we added to the 'Life's A Ball' family categories like 'Fancy Dress Merchants','Musicians,' 'Namers,' 'Shouters,' 'Supperstitions and Rituals,' 'Shrines,' 'Tattoos,' 'Travellers' and 'Treasure Hunters.'In 'Tribe: Class of 05/06' you will find that all supporters will be listed under their football club.
My aim with 'Tribe: Class of 05/06' now, is again to find the most fanatical supporters from every club in the British Isles and I need you to help me with this. Whoever you are, where ever you are, whatever team you support, please feel free to contact me if there is anyone at your club, another club or even your next door neighbour who is going that little bit further. They may have a huge badge collection, tattoed body, have blue hair, red & white teeth, black & white suit, etc.They can range from the ugliest, the most handsome, the funniest, the most colourful, the quietest, the youngest, the oldest, the smallest, the daftest, the fattest, the thinnest, the smelliest, the hungriest, the most thirsty, the best singer, the worst singer, the band, the dancers, the party people,the mascots, the fancy dress brigade and Elvis Presley (thank you very much!!)
Anyone who goes that little bit further to support their team whatever shape, age or gender you they come in. Even if you are lying in your hospital bed and your mate has just painted the team badge on your plaster cast, please get in touch with me or tell me about someone you know or have seen.
What we are compiling is a rich diversity of people from all walks of life from all over the UK, but all with one common bond and that being their love of Football.
Yours in sport
Zak
Contact Zak at http://www.lifesaball.co.uk/ or mail at zak@watersz.fsnet.co.uk