Traveller/Roma Soccer
Traveller/Roma 2002 Soccer Round-up
On the 9th of December 2002 Haringey Travellers United played Hammersmith All-Roma in a series of epic nail biting closely fought five and seven aside soccer encounters at the indoor sports complex in Broadwater Farm Tottenham North London. The Roma and Travelling boys taking part were between 11 and 16 years of age and were divided into age appropriate teams.
Hammersmith All-Roma are a polished Polish Roma side based in West London. These Roma lads attend Henry Compton School for boys in Hammersmith and are managed by Valdemar Kalinin and coached by Errol Whistey
Haringey Travellers United are primarily an Irish Traveller side composed of Travellers who live on site or in houses in Haringey North London. This side is managed by Michael Ridge and Patrick Webb from Haringey Traveller Community Social Work Team and Gordon Calliste from The London Gypsy and Traveller Unit, and Dairmuid Doolan from Haringey Traveller Education Support Service.
Dairmuid Doolan put in two years of first class soccer coaching work, sadly this was his last match, as he is moving to Ireland, and will not be replaced, so in the future Haringey Traveller United will be managed by Haringey Community Social Work Team and The London Gypsy Traveller Unit.
On the day Haringey Travellers United emerged as the victors in a series of closely fought five and seven a side matches. Hammersmith All-Roma fought each match to the final whistle, putting in some excellent team performances, indeed their first class teamwork and superb team spirit will surely secure many victories for Hammersmith All-Roma in forth-coming fixtures.
Haringey Travellers United are a somewhat seasoned side having played Ealing Irish Travellers on the 2nd December 2002 at Broadwater Farm North London and Woodside Wanderers on the 14th October 2002 at the pitch on the Woodside site in Bedfordshire just north of Stevenage.
Haringey Travellers lost their first match at Woodside on the 14 October 2002, however they could not play a return as the pitch and facilities were damaged during the eviction by Mid Bedfordshire Council and so the Woodside team and their families were again forced to move on. This match though was a great sporting and cultural success as it did receive positive coverage in the local press and was thoroughly enjoyed by the whole Romani and Traveller community at Woodside who turned out to watch, moreover it was a great sporting event and educational experience for all the boys who took part.
In order to commemorate this inaugural match and the struggle for the site at Woodside it was decided to award the Woodside Wanders team with the Woodside Solidarity Cup.
As the successful Woodside team had to be disbanded through political circumstances beyond their control Haringey Travellers United and Ealing played each other for the Woodside Solidarity Cup at Broadwater Farm in December 2002. On the 8th of April 2003, the exciting final of the Traveller/Roma Soccer took place on Roma Nation Day in Epping Forest. Click here to read about the match and see photos
Click here to read about the second year of the Gypsy Shield Cup, held on Roma Nation Day on the 8th April, 2004 at the Hartley Centre, London. Teams of six-a-side competed for the Under l6 and Under 13 cups which were presented by the Gypsy Council.
