Wednesday 1 June, 12noon
Philosophy and Football: a Conversation in the Shadow of Pier Paolo Pasolini
Philosophy and Football: The PFFC Story by Geoff Andrews and Filippo Ricci (Pitch Publishing) is the extraordinary account of how a team of friends kicking a ball about in Regent's Park was transformed by European travel in the shadow of Brexit.
Playing in shirts adorned with the words of philosophers and authors like Pier Paolo Pasolini, Niccolò Machiavelli and Antonio Gramsci, Philosophy Football FC created its own philosophy in opposition to the growing commodification of professional football. Its occasional players travelled from London to take part in tournaments in unique venues such as a national football stadium in Rome, a Spanish bullring in Bilbao and Taksim Square in Istanbul.
Practising its 'slow foot' philosophy, it exported the idea of a revolutionary and more complex three-sided football. Inspired by European culture, PFFC was transformed from a team that regularly lost heavily to winning three consecutive London league championships.
Over 25 years PFFC attracted players from 24 countries and six continents. Its story illustrates the power of football to reach people from all walks of life: to travel, play, eat, drink, win and lose together.
Geoff Andrews is a historian in the politics department of The Open University. He has written two books on Italy as well as histories of the British left and labour movement.
Gabriele Marcotti is a sports author and radio-television presenter. Born in Italy, raised around the world and a long-time Londoner, he currently works for Espn, La Stampa and Il Corriere dello Sport.
Filippo Ricci is the Madrid correspondent of Gazzetta dello Sport. Brought up in Rome, he lived in London for 6 years covering the Premier League. His previous book was on African football.
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