Earlier this year someone asked me three questions:
- What Subbuteo has given to you and what you have given to Subbuteo?
- What is the proudest moment of your Subbuteo life?
- What is the most embarrassing moment of your Subbuteo life?
Not easy questions...so after some thinking, I answered:
What Subbuteo has given to you and what you have given to Subbuteo?
"Subbuteo is taken the from the Latin description of the Hobby bird. It’s given me exactly that – a hobby – always something to do in spare moments. But more than this, it’s given me the opportunity to share this hobby with a community with similar passions. So a few years ago I created this pitch that was surrounded by allotments, and then Giampaolo from Rome said it reminded him when he played for a local football team in his youth – 25 years ago. He described the scene – the old Roman aqueduct and the sheep grazing. Giampaolo said he played for a team called Don Bosco Cinecittà. So, I included these aspects in the model and ended up creating the Allotments of Don Bosco. Then Fabio says he’s coming to England in the Summer, and so Jim travelled from Andover, so that that we could replay the game between Don Bosco Cinecittà and their fierce rivals of 25 years ago, Cava dei Selci. So, what started as a solitary project had become a shared experience. The day of the match was coincidentally Giampaolo’s birthday(!) and the action was recorded with clips shown online. Unfortunately, when his team lost 2-1. Giampaolo (watching from Rome), was full of stoicism, He said Don Bosco Cinecittà was 'born to suffer struggling', and that the 2-1 defeat to Cava dei Selci was the same as the last time they played them back in 1989!"
"The question ‘What Subbuteo has given to you and what you have given to Subbuteo?’ suggests a transactional relationship, but for me it has developed into a transformational one. It’s more about the message of ‘Old Subbuteo’, rather than the task of playing Subbuteo, or of collecting, or creating models. The focus is to share something of ourselves with others in the Old Subbuteo community and show our appreciation their own ‘Subbuteoic’ endeavours with our own commitment and support. For example, after I’ve been invited to take part in an Old Subbuteo event I often make a model of the Olds that were there (in Florence, Mestre, Reggio Emilia, or the Old Sods Old Subbuteo Club here in England). So the relationship is based on a shared set of values – good values – values worthy of loyalty. So Subbuteo, particularly the Old Subbuteo community has given me a good cause. Back in 1908, Josiah Royce introduced this concept of ‘loyalty to loyalty’. The importance of being loyal to causes worthy of loyalty. Subbuteo in a small but meaningful way, provides an opportunity for me to do this."
What is the proudest moment of your Subbuteo life?
"After building the Stadium of Fingers and some other themed pitches, people come from many parts of England and Italy to take part in the Southend-on-Sea Old Subbuteo tournaments. It’s always a proud day for me – so many people with smiles on their faces, enjoying the company of old friends, making new ones, and experiencing the healthy madness of playing Subbuteo on sno, on the floor, or with trees or jumpers for goalposts. - For playing, I’ll always remember the Cialtrons final with Ottiko –in Ely in 2013. In this match my finger was able to play without any interference by me. And Ottiko is always an inspiration to play with. We drew a crowd and shared many spectacular goals on the pitch. They gave me a trophy at the end, so maybe I won the game. But it was just so good to be part of that Pazzo OldSubbuteo final. - The proudest moment to come, will be one day I hope Giampaolo will be able to travel to England to play on the Don Bosco Allotments pitch. I will play Cava dei Selci…"
What is the most embarrassing moment of your Subbuteo life?
"Once I accidentally scored too many goals playing with an Old called Mitico in a tournament in Gorla. My finger was playing without me again, and I think I scored maybe 5 or 6 goals, and this was a sin – I‘d lost my focus and was enjoying my play, rather than the game with a fellow Old. Later on, near the end of the day there was a great interruption to the games as a player was shouting on one of the tables that they had scored a goal – the first goal they had ever scored in an OldSubbuteo tournament! It was Mitico. Everyone stopped playing and applauded and cheered! This was a poignant lesson for me – one I’ll never forget. One day I hope to meet Mitico again and play once more…"
Friends of Old Subbuteo return to the homeless centre!
One way of introducing folks to the game is to play a shoot-out (no game, just shoot-out! ) Nate has never played before and is holding a goalkeeper for the very first time. Nate wins the shoot-out with Russell, 3-0! Nate then plays 3 more games and wins them all! https://friendsofoldsubbuteo.uk/2021/09/19...ub/#October2021
It is always good to take advantage of some accidental breakages - invention is never far away...!
I just used a normal HO player - the challenges was getting the glue to make it robust enough for use. I cant remember what I used...maybe superglue, but maybe plastic glue (or even a mixture?)
The motivation was to create a more realistic figure to use for direct free-kicks, and they also tend to get steeper initial trajectory than the corner kickers, so little chips over the defensive wall are easier.
Subbuteo goes beyond social classes and gives joy to everyone!
"We talked—I told you of my heavyweight teams Ref 9 and Ref 42—ah, yes, you remember that; and about mine old cloth pitch—and the games played on the floor with the lads of the poor neighbourhood—yes, you remember these things also; …You gave me food and drink, and did with princely courtesy send away the serious players, so that my low skills might not shame me before them—ah, yes, this also you remember.” The Prince and the Pauper
CITAZIONE (Dinamite Bla.. @ 26/9/2021, 02:03)
"There was a relaxed atmosphere for folks to eat, chat and play, as they wished." Reminds me about something.. Waiting for next event, in October!
I look forward to the day when travel to Italy is sensible (not just permissible). To be once again amongst the Olds of Italy, speaking not their language, save the words "cambio", "s'fortunato bisnonno", and "scuse, culissimmo!"
That wonderful place where you close your eyes and dream 3 dreams. Then wake up and wonder what the 4th dream might have been, and try to make that dream come true...
Like the way your own wonderful stadium was created!!
)
Down here!! 
