Thank God for Football! The Illustrated Companion

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While the influence of faith on football has sometimes been seen as divisive, many of the country’s clubs emerged from church groups, according to Peter Lupson, author of Thank God for Football. Published in 2006, his book charts the religious roots of many big clubs, among them Aston Villa and Barnsley. Overall, Thank God for Football is a thoughtful and insightful look at the relationship between faith and football in England. It highlights the importance of spirituality in the lives of footballers and how their values and beliefs can shape both their careers and personal lives. The show is a must-watch for anyone interested in the intersection of sports and spirituality or the history of English football.

Williams, a referee and former coach, said: “It’s about making sure people all around the country and of all faiths and denominations feel welcome in football.” Of course no one in the 19th century set out to found a 21st century Premier League Club. Churches formed sports clubs, many existed for a short time and many remained church teams all their lives but a few evolved into professional clubs. She said: “He has said very publicly that he’s driven by his personal experience of growing up in poverty but also by his faith.It isn’t just for the headlines. There are a lot of other players putting their faith into practice at a local level really quietly, but really brilliantly.” I found that something like a quarter of all clubs that have played in English football over the past five years have a close connection with the church.”Now an initiative organised by the Football Association hopes to show that a dedication to the sport can work hand in hand with faith groups to enhance the game’s reputation — on and off the pitch. It is a little known fact that of the thirty seven clubs that have played in the English Premier League since its inception of the 92/93 season, twelve can trace their origin directly to a church. However, many of these famous football clubs know little about their origins or their founders. This book, which is the fruit of seven years intensive research, features chapters on: Aston Villa, Barnsley, Birmingham City, Bolton Wanderers, Everton, Fulham, Liverpool, Manchester City, Queen’s Park Rangers, Southampton, Swindon and Town Tottenham Hotspur. This book is a must read for football fans everywhere! About the Author How could the members of the Young Men's Bible Class who decided to found the Aston Villa (Wesleyan) Football team or the boys of the All Hallows Church Bible class who founded the Hotspur Football Club, for example, possible have guessed that two of England's finest clubs, Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur who emerge in later years?

Thank God for Football also explores the underlying values that football has instilled in its players over the years. Lupson examines the core principles of teamwork, loyalty, respect, and humility that are fundamental to a successful football team. He discusses how these traits are linked to Christian values and how the integration of faith into football can help shape the future of the sport. Catherine Pepinster, a journalist specialising in religious affairs and an avid Brentford fan, said: “You’re not passive when you watch football, you’re not a bystander. You are a participant.” The FA’s Faith and Football programme will see special events take place with other faith communities in the coming months. As part of the initiative, it held an online webinar with the Religion Media Centre to discuss the links between football and Christianity. Strong affiliations in football have sometimes been linked to religious rivalries, but Ms Pepinster hopes such sectarianism is disappearing. The show delves into the lives of several inspirational Christian footballers who helped pave the way for future generations. These players share their stories of how their faith grounded them and gave them a newfound purpose both on and off the field. Viewers are given an unprecedented look into how these players overcame adversity to achieve greatness in the sport they loved.

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The book’s title is based on the following quotation from Lord Arthur Kinnaird, who played in nine FA Cup Finals between 1873 and 1883 – as well as being a leading Christian statesman of his era. “I believe that all right-minded people have good reason to thank God for the great progress of this popular national game”. Many of us regularly and sincerely thank God for football. The FA says the project aims to make the game truly inclusive. Arran Williams, diversity and inclusion manager at the FA, told the webinar that other upcoming events include an Iftar and call to prayer at Wembley stadiumand events for Vaisakhi in the West Midlands. urn:lcp:thankgodforfootb0000lups:epub:dffaac8b-2f56-49eb-b3cc-54091becceb1 Foldoutcount 0 Identifier thankgodforfootb0000lups Identifier-ark ark:/13960/s25hh602gdt Invoice 1652 Isbn 1902694309 But let us thank God for Rev Tiverton Preedy, founder of Barnsley St Peter’s Football Club, for John Ripsher, who ran a Bible Class at All Hallows Church, Tottenham and poured his life into the boys of the area and their football club or William Baker Pitt, curate of Christ Church, Swindon. Where would Barnsley FC, Tottenham Hotspur or Swindon Town be without them? The original Thank God for Football! was published to great acclaim in 2006. This new edition, with abbreviated text, contains almost 120 illustrations. It gathers together a huge number of rare images of founders, founding churches and early teams. It includes contemporary photographs of streets where players lived, pubs in which they socialized and churches where they gathered. Furthermore, it offers images reflecting the impact of Thank God for Football! the restoration of founders’ graves, the inducting of Christian founders into Halls of Fame, and features in match programmes and club magazines. Aston Villa Barnsley Birmingham City Bolton Wanderers Everton Fulham Liverpool Manchester City Queen’s Park Rangers Southampton Swindon Town Tottenham Hotspur

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for...By faith Abraham...was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. Hebrews 11:1,2, 8,10

The church and football complement each other really well,” he told the briefing, saying that he regularly discussed the sport with parishioners of all ages. He still plays and even captains the Archbishop of Canterbury’s football team, which in the coming weeks will compete against teams from The Times, the Vatican and the Swiss Guards. Peter Lupson interviews key players, including former professionals and managers, who share their personal experiences of how their Christian faith helped shape their careers. Lupson’s interviews reveal fascinating insights into how these individuals were able to reconcile their religious beliefs with the pressure and challenges associated with being a top-level footballer.