Some people believe in Harvey Dent. I'm more into MC Harvey.
Sure, Alesha Dixon and Javine have some pretty strong criticisms of his character, but how's this for being multi-facted: the So Solid rapper and actor has played for AFC Wimbledon, Aldershot Town, Lewes, and St Albans City.
Another Harvey I quite like is Harvey Milk, but that's going off on a tangent. The reason I like MC Harvey is because he, briefly, lit up the lower leagues of English football, bringing something a bit extra to the terraces of the South East. Entertaining the fans who started up a new club after their former owner decided to take Wimbledon to Milton Keynes, and rename them MK Dons, leaving them with endless empty weekends.
The reason I love stories like Harvey's, and like AFC Wimbledon's, is that they prove that, no matter how detached an experience watching a game on TV or online might be, football is an immensely social sport. Nine divisions below the Premier League, and in almost every country on the planet, people are turning up to games, running clubs, and generally spending time with one another, talking about football.
The footballing world extends globally, from bedrooms to offices and onto pitches, and beyond. This is why, when people say things like 'football and politics shouldn't mix', I have to question them. Because by simply choosing to watch a football match, you are entering a complicated global sphere, one controlled by some very dodgy and very wealthy people, who use the passion for football and political indifference of billions to become wealthier and gain legitimacy and power. And yet all their power is drawn from communities united by a shared passion.
This global community is what I'm most interested in - specifically, the people who are intent on making football, and by extension their worlds, a more inclusive, more representative, and generally less evil place. I'm going to be writing about football stories from all levels, and from around the world, hopefully highlighting how football can bring the world together along the way.
Sure, Alesha Dixon and Javine have some pretty strong criticisms of his character, but how's this for being multi-facted: the So Solid rapper and actor has played for AFC Wimbledon, Aldershot Town, Lewes, and St Albans City.
Another Harvey I quite like is Harvey Milk, but that's going off on a tangent. The reason I like MC Harvey is because he, briefly, lit up the lower leagues of English football, bringing something a bit extra to the terraces of the South East. Entertaining the fans who started up a new club after their former owner decided to take Wimbledon to Milton Keynes, and rename them MK Dons, leaving them with endless empty weekends.
The reason I love stories like Harvey's, and like AFC Wimbledon's, is that they prove that, no matter how detached an experience watching a game on TV or online might be, football is an immensely social sport. Nine divisions below the Premier League, and in almost every country on the planet, people are turning up to games, running clubs, and generally spending time with one another, talking about football.
The footballing world extends globally, from bedrooms to offices and onto pitches, and beyond. This is why, when people say things like 'football and politics shouldn't mix', I have to question them. Because by simply choosing to watch a football match, you are entering a complicated global sphere, one controlled by some very dodgy and very wealthy people, who use the passion for football and political indifference of billions to become wealthier and gain legitimacy and power. And yet all their power is drawn from communities united by a shared passion.
This global community is what I'm most interested in - specifically, the people who are intent on making football, and by extension their worlds, a more inclusive, more representative, and generally less evil place. I'm going to be writing about football stories from all levels, and from around the world, hopefully highlighting how football can bring the world together along the way.
No comments:
Post a Comment