The jokes are inevitable. Much because of those jokes, we have a Brazilian fanpage of Cheddar FC, a team that dispute Toolstation Western League, or simply, the tenth English division. The name, the old crest, the small town and the stadium, everything draws attention in this tiny English club.
Let's start talking about the city that gives the name to this lovable team. Cheddar is a small English village, with a population of approximately six thousand people -something considered very small in the Brazilian reality- but, despite the small size, the village does not cease to be attractive, and the beautiful gorges of "Cheddar Gorge" do not let us lie. It is a unique landscape, almost as unique as the city's football team.
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| The beautiful landscape of canyons. |
Cheddar AFC was founded in 1892 and it has never had great aspirations. Competing in local and regional championships has always been the ultimate goal, and until these days it is still done with little ambition. With capacity for 600 people, the Bowdens Park receives the host matches. The "stadium", if you may called it, barely has stands and those who watches the games are very close to the players. The goals of the Cheesemen usually don't sell much, but between 50 and 200 people usually go to the stadium.
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| The stadium in a good public day: 228 fans. |
Supported by the fans, the team has been giving more than expected and the surprising campaign has freaked out effects in the structure, which the sales engineer George Booth said that has been greatly improved:
The club is growing season to season. The structure is improving and we have three teams here, which is great for such a small village. Our expectation is to get access and to establish ourselves in top leagues. It would be amazing having a nice campaign in the FA Cup.You must be wondering why a sales engineer speaks for the club. We explain: he does not live only with his sales. In addition to spending all day persuading customers to shop, he also manages and plays for the local club.
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| The captain in action for Cheddar. |
The team captain, Booth told us a little of his style and the ones who inspired him to act: "I'm kind of a passing and tackling center fielder, I consider myself a box-to-box. When I was younger, I really liked Robbie Savage".
"Football is the national sport, I wouldn't say it's a daily routine for people playing our standard but it does take quite a big chunk of our lives with training and games." Perhaps this phrase, by itself, explains a lot about what is to play and cheer for clubs such as Cheddar. Love to the sport and everything that surrounds it.
Like most players, Booth does not settle for just playing. He also uses his spare time to watch matches of the big teams in the Champions League. The midfielder says he has already faced a top-tier team and he also plays with a MSN trio, comparing Barça's to the attacking trio of "Chhesemeen".
I have once played against a giant. It was against Liverpool in the FA Cup when I was still 16 years old. I will never forget. And I love to watch the Champions League, especially Barcelona. The attacking trio of the Spanish team reminds me of the Cheddar attacking trio.
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| The stadium is well on game day |
God knows why there is a Cheddar Brasil page! Not sure if it's banter or not, but it is nice. I don't have that vast knowledge about brazilian teams, I'm afraid. Sao Paulo? "Correnthenians"? I'm not sure how to talk.Cheddar is just another one of the various examples that, no matter smaller the host town is, how funny name is, how the stadium or the crest are, football offers us stories, experiences and moments. Booth is only one of the many who work than can and still find time for sports. Moved by passion, like us. Something that here in Brazil we are able see and identify with a club that is far from falling into the gorge of oblivion.
No matter how small the institution, passion is always big enough to tell stories...
We thank the player for the availability and wish all the best for Cheddar FC.
Translate by: Guilherme Henrique Medeiros and Lucas Vasconcelos.