My Football and Rounders kit

 Phew! What a scorcher of a week, eh? 

In the normal course of events I'd of been away with friends this Winter and we'd of been looking at being away mid Summer too which normally involves arts and crafts, exploring and as it would of been summer, games.

A  part of that was going to involve some physical activity in form of games, no not board games but the sort of games you had as part of your education at school although this will be more for fun than winning for your house team.

Given how things are, that's not going to happen so I'll talk about a bit of my games kit as a chunk really needs sorting for whenever we can meet up.

This is my footie top. It had been a good number of years since I had proper strip but as things are a kickabout would probably do me more good so I bought this top which unlike those I wore as a boy is made from synthetic materials rather than cotton and is short armed.

These are my Umbro footie shorts to match that top, nothing fancy but do what you need and easy to wash as they're bound to get muddy.

Somebody always has to tie my football boot laces for me as can't tie and untie things unfortunately.

This is a spare pair of shorts, more general games shorts that can be worn with that top.

I added later to it a netball/games skort that would come in handy when playing rounders that matches the football  top.

I bought a couple of pairs of Blue compression games socks cos something has to absorb sweat between your feet and my black plimsolls or boots as sensible footwear.

There is room for your shin guard too which is much appreciated.

* Updated in 2021

Soccer's World Cup 2010

Well the World Cup in South Africa is over for England as this girl clearly shows blowing the final note!

Football reminiscences

 

Cool November mornings tend to bring back memories of our football sessions not just the informal kickabouts but the structured football matches we played in juniors against others where typically two or three year groups would combine to form two teams of eleven each with substitutes.

Back then girls just NEVER played football where mixed teams are common today but a boy who say rubbish at cricket could not play netball with the girls.

That's progress for you.

The smell of damp earthy soil and feel of mud on your socks and legs are ingrained in my memory.

The kickabout difference

The usual transgender narrative never applied as much as people tried to fix it to me because I definitely had an still have a more dominant feminine side that could slot into the very binary world I grew up in fairly well not having any dysphoria around my body nor what we wore.

The problem was more around other peoples attitudes.

I am physically disabled but played football as hard as it was for me to stay upright, concentrate on the action and generally get stuck in in all weather.

I got the hang of it even if my football boots needed another lad to fasten them for me and they developed a respect for me for having the guts and determination to just do it.

It didn't alter the fact I would want to play netball with the girls or that after a hard game I really needed some girls TLC for my injured feminine side rather than the gruff stoic stuff you got in the changing rooms.

It was the reverse of some of the girls who wanted a game at playtime but they boys wouldn't let them and other girls called them names.

I learned we actually had more in common as I got older.

It's why I see myself more as a little sissy gurl or a jane gurl than a transgirl.