Football at War: Exploring Football in the First World War

Join us for Football at War, a unique and insightful study day exploring the fascinating role of football during the First World War. Held in an original wooden Great War recreation hut, this immersive event brings history to life through a series of engaging talks by expert guest speakers who really know their offside from their artillery!

The event will be accompanied by a special one-off exhibition by the Football and War Network.

Discover how the beautiful game endured and evolved amid the chaos of conflict, on both home soil and the front lines. Whether you're a history enthusiast, a football fan, or simply curious about the untold stories of wartime sport, this is a day not to be missed.

Lunch is included in the ticket price – because no one should fight through a study day on an empty stomach.

Bring your curiosity, your sense of humour, and maybe a scarf for your favourite team!

About the speakers:

Steve Bolton

‘Orwell Ladies FC of the Great War to the Tractor Girls of Today: Over 100 Years of Women’s Football in Suffolk’

During the Great War, over 1,000 football matches were played by over 250 women’s football teams, raising a fortune for the war effort, often after a 12-hour shift. On March 1918, the Orwell Ladies of the massive Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies factory, held the mighty Marconi Ladies to a 1-1 draw in Chelmsford. This was all the more remarkable as the team had previously played an astonishing 18 inter-departmental games, which were reported on in the local press!

Steve Jenkins

‘They Took The Lead - The story of Clapton Orient's major contribution to the Footballers' Battalion in the Great War’

The talk will be about the enlistment of Clapton Orient players; the sacrifices of those who fought both in terms of those who did not come back and those that did; letters and stories from the trenches that relate to the heartbreak, suffering and humour in adversity; the commemoration and remembrance of those who served and fell, including the installation of permanent memorials in England and France; as well as a number of related activities and initiatives.

Clive Harris

‘A Tale of Two Footballing Men’ 

Alex 'Sandy' Turnbull and Donald Bell came from different backgrounds and had differing lives both as footballers and soldiers before they were cut short by the war. This talk considers both men's lives and the way they are remembered for their contribution in the Great War.

Taff Gillingham

'How Football Fouled the Truce'

Taff has studied the 1914 Christmas Truce in great detail since 1999. In the lead up to the Centenary of the Truce in December 2014 he fought a tidal wave of ignorance and misinformation, almost single-handed as the event was misrepresented and distorted by governments, tourist offices and the media. However, the deliberate manipulation of the history of the event by national, and international, football deserves the greatest criticism. Using his in-depth knowledge of the Truce, Taff explains the full story and how Football fouled The Truce.

Alex Alexandrou, of the Football and War Network, will be the host for the day and will give a short talk about ‘Games of Remembrance – 2014-2018 Exhibition’