Football, fun and respect at Exeter’s annual Community Futsal Tournament

THERE was great football and a fantastic final at the annual Exeter City FC One Game One Community Group futsal tournament, where 10 teams competed for trophies and medals.

In the final, “Space Raiders” beat “Ability Counts B” 4-2 following a well contested game. The tournament featured teams including refugees and asylum seeking young people, players with a disability and the recently formed LGBT team, Exeter Apollo.

The tournament, which encourages participation from local community teams, was held at the University of Exeter’s Streatham Sports Complex on Sunday, April 28.

It was supported by City Community Trust, the charity partner of Exeter City FC, DYS Space, Young Devon, Kick it Out, Devon County Council and Devon FA and funded by the University of Exeter, DYS Space and the One Game One Community Group using funds from Postcode Community Trust, a grant giving charity funded entirely by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

Simon Kitchen, from the Exeter City One Game One Community Group, presented the trophies and medals at the end of the tournament.

The group, which is part of Exeter City Supporters Trust, supports the clubs pioneering work around equality, diversity and inclusion.

In welcoming players he said: "Today is about enjoying the games, expressing yourself and meeting new people but it’s also about respecting each other and the role sport plays in bringing people together.”

Players were asked to remember Atta Elayyan, a Muslim from New Zealand who was his country’s International Futsal Goalkeeper. Atta was killed in the recent terrorist attacks in Christchurch having done so much in New Zealand to bring people together through his sport and wider career.

"Events like this, which has been run now for a number of years, help Exeter City to make a difference and champion equality and diversity within football and our community."