Roath Football
Hundreds of players have come and gone over the years, with any one day featuring a mix of regulars and occasional newcomers.
Games are mostly played with rucksacks as posts, no referee and no offside. One of the many things that sets them apart from formally organised matches is the generally free flowing nature of play, mostly on the floor. Long balls are rare and generally frowned upon.
Another key feature is the sheer exuberant mix of nationalities. This is cosmopolitan football of the greatest variety, with players from countries such as China, Japan, South and North Korea, Iran, Iraq, Spain, Germany, Italy and Malaysia. And the odd Welsh and English player as well.
The games attract gifted players and even the odd ex-International. But they also accommodate those less skilled, demonstrating how much they are sociable as well as sporting events. And oldies like me and my good friend Hong - he plays most Saturdays and Sundays in spite of reaching the age of 60.
