FC-Communities MatchDay Programme – Final (1)

This publication represents research findings, in the form of a match day programme, that are the result of various innovative and conventional research methods. These include questionnaires, individual and group interviews, participant observation and performative participatory research (PPR) methods.

Our aim has been to explore the role of football (and its connected constituents) as community resource(s) and global media product(s) in the lives of young people in a collaborative manner. In doing so we feel this is an appropriate form for the (re)presentation of our findings. As such, The Inter Section (page 4) for example represents a multiplicity of young people’s perspectives told through a single fictional author’s voice, drawing inspiration from the work of Gautam Malkani to stylistically mimic the vernacular of our interactions with participants. Similarly, the Community Pages (page 12) have allowed us to promote socially responsible football campaigns designed by young people as a research exercise as if they had become fully realised. In the case of the Football Circus, this is an actual event being used to promote the research.

We would like to thank community partner FURD, a youth and community engagement organisation based in Sheffield, for helping act as cultural intermediary in reaching out to young people as well as the support of King Ecgbert School, coaches and participants involved with the Sheffield United Community Foundation and Fakenham Academy, Norfolk.