The renamed Sheet FC is full of people who aren’t brilliant at football but just want to get out and play

A COLD, wet Sunday morning on Hampstead Heath. Only three players have turned up, the team captain is angrily addressing last-minute excuses, such as “I have an emergency family meal” or “I haven’t got my full nine hours’ sleep”, sent via Facebook at 4am. Dog walkers look across with pity at this skeleton crew.

What started out as Shit FC, reflecting the ability level of its players, is now an Islington-based seven-a-side amateur football team. It rebranded as Sheet FC during lockdown as only teams registered with the Football Association could play during tiered restrictions. The FA deemed the club’s previous identity unfortunate.

Two-footed challenges, toe-punts and a complete disregard for the offside rule define this club, formed of 25 players who attended Acland Burghley, William Ellis and Camden’s sixth form. But for eight years this team has kept going.

Why?

Jack White, 25, a business analyst and striker, said: “Meeting people through games, people who were feeling trapped and cooped up, that has been vital. I was on furlough, absolutely begging for some structure to my week.”

During Covid lockdowns, it was easy to lose track of friends as people tired of Zoom quizzes. Loneliness is rife among 18 to 25-year-olds, Sheet FC’s core demographic, and online events did little to ease frustrations.

Adam Haines, 24, a civil servant, said: “Football can be a way of forgetting difficult emotions. It is easy to feel in your head if you work from home or study – football allows you to play outside of your head.”
“Tempers were high after lockdown, and that was actually healthy because it allowed people to process difficult emotions,” added Mr Haines, a reluctant centre-back.

Formed by players not considered good enough for their school team or otherwise intimidated by a PE atmosphere dominated by a few, skilled players, Sheet FC is a community.

Mahad Magan, 25, a data analyst, said: “Football affects my mental health in a good way. When I play I am not thinking about much, just about football.”

Lack of playing time during lockdown left many players frustrated, and the first games back were characterised by pent-up frustration, with shirt-pulling, swearing and shouting from typically shy players.

Mr Haines said: “Letting go during exercise allows people to find part of their character they didn’t know existed.”
The lifting of lockdown has raised spirits, with the return of social activity that extends to the club’s own outings to the pub or the cinema, bowling and barbecues.

Mr Haines said: “You can easily find yourself drinking several times a week – football provides motivation not to drink and something to commit to that means you won’t fuel self-destructive behaviour.”

The Sunday matches are beneficial in many ways, said Mr White, adding: “In daily life it is easy to make excuses, but in football it is easier to understand immediately that you have made a mistake and see how you have reacted to it.

“In football there is no time to be in denial.”

The miniscule crowd at Sheet FC games groan at the lack of ability on display, but are nonetheless cheered at the sight of 14 players charging around a lumpen mudhole marked by jumpers and the odd salvaged cone.

But it continues to welcome players whether they are hungover or have two left feet. All that’s wanted is good company.