Ciggies, Spliffs and Footie
In 2018, I published the book Field of Broken Dreams which was photographed in the 2016/17 football season in Bradford. It focused on the lowest local leagues - the West Riding League, the Spen Valley League and the Bradford Alliance Sunday League. I visited numerous grounds and witnessed many games. The Bradford winter made it a tough experience to be outside but I very much enjoyed working on that project.
Since then, I had always wanted to return to the Sunday League and make new work. However, I didn't want to repeat what I had done before. I wanted to feature only one team and make a long-term documentary project that was far more intimate.
Through a twist of circumstance, I found myself on a cold November morning in 2023 at a local council ground known as Emsley's Rec. It was the home venue of the team Shuttle Athletic, later to become known as Red Lion.
I photographed the whole game and then between November 2023 until December 2025 I photographed almost weekly. This work has now been compiled into the book Ciggies, Spliffs and Footie.
Since then, I had always wanted to return to the Sunday League and make new work. However, I didn't want to repeat what I had done before. I wanted to feature only one team and make a long-term documentary project that was far more intimate.
Through a twist of circumstance, I found myself on a cold November morning in 2023 at a local council ground known as Emsley's Rec. It was the home venue of the team Shuttle Athletic, later to become known as Red Lion.
I photographed the whole game and then between November 2023 until December 2025 I photographed almost weekly. This work has now been compiled into the book Ciggies, Spliffs and Footie.
