Nottingham Ball Bois FC

Nottingham Ball Bois FC, founded in 2006, is a gay community football club based in Nottingham, playing in the GFSN Gay National League and the Midlands Unity League.

The club were GFSN League champions in the 2008-2009 season, and GFSN Cup winners in the 2009-2010 season.

Home games are played at Gresham Playing Fields in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire.

2006-7 Season: Formation and first matches

The first Nottingham Ball Bois session was held on May 14, 2006, a kick-about attended by ten players at Gresham Playing Fields in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire. Interest in the club grew rapidly, with the team's first friendly match played on July 23 2006 at home, on Gresham Playing Fields, a 3-0 defeat against Birmingham Blaze FC. The next friendly, on August 23 2006, gave Nottingham Ball Bois their first victory, a 6-5 home win against Leicester Wildecats FC. During the inaugural season, further friendly games were played, and Nottingham Ball Bois entered small-sided tournaments in Leicester, Yorkshire and Dublin.

At the end of the season, the club hosted the Ballbois First Anniversary Tournament, a shortened 11-a-side invitational tournament with Leicester Wildecats FC, Birmingham Blaze FC and London Leftfooters FC. Nottingham were defeated in the final by Birmingham Blaze following a penalty shoot-out. At the end of the 2006-7 season, Nottingham Ball Bois learned that their application to enter the GFSN Gay National League had been successful.

2007-8 Season: Inaugural GFSN season

Nottingham Ball Bois first GFSN season resulted in a creditable fifth-place league position out of ten teams. During the league season, Nottingham won four games, lost four and drew one. The 2007-8 season was also Nottingham's first entry into the GFSN Cup, which ended with a first round defeat to Leicester Wildecats.

Nottingham gained their first silverware, winning the 2007 Yorkshire 5-a-side tournament, and added to this by winning the 2007 GFSN National 5-a-side tournament, held in Liverpool.

The club hosted its second annual 11-a-side tournament, with the number of teams expanding to seven. The tournament was won by London Titans FC. Nottingham failed to progress past the qualifying rounds, but won the consolation vase tournament.

The GFSN League match between Nottingham Ball Bois FC and London Leftfooters FC, held on January 27, 2008, was filmed by BBC East Midlands for a report in the Inside Out series to commemorate the tenth anniversary since the death of Justin Fashanu.

External links

http://www.nottinghamballbois.com Nottingham Ball Bois FC club website