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Fashion photographer turns spotlight on love affair with football’s grassroots

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After focusing on The Hammers and their supporters, Taff Manton relishes a return to where it all began.

Sweet FA Amateur Football project by Taff Manton. Bournes Green, Southend-on-Sea.
Bournes Green, Southend-on-Sea. ©Taff Manton

The weekend amateur football scene holds a special place for Essex born Manton, hooked since his first game as a 10 year old for his local Cub’s group – 3rd Rayleigh.

“Proper kit, goals, pitch, ref,” he recalls. “Hooked! Loved it. Still playing, luckily quick was never my game.”

Sweet FA Amateur Football project by Taff Manton. Garon park football, Southend-on-Sea.
Garon park football, Southend-on-Sea. ©Taff Manton

Wakering Sports Reserves are right up there in Manton’s list of favoured clubs, sharing top spot with West Ham United.

“You have to support who you play for,” he says. “Soft spot for Rayleigh Trinity, Thorpe Athletic, Surreal Madrid and Southend Sports.

“You have to love the hard as nails amateur player, picking up cards without any dissent to a portly referee. 

“Honorary mention to Colin Clarke of Thorpe Athletic and Steve ‘Carthorse’ Cartwright of Surreal Madrid… fairest hard players I ever saw. Then you have your quality flair players who are playing well below the level they should. I won’t name names because then everyone I’ve every played with can believe its them…

“As a player you’re part of it. When you’re all playing well and winning your social life moves up a notch. I’ve met some great people through football and a few not so great, but not many. 

Sweet FA Amateur Football project by Taff Manton. Roots Hall, Southend United.
Roots Hall, Southend United. ©Taff Manton
Sweet FA Amateur Football project by Taff Manton. Hackney North Marsh facilities, London.
Hackney North Marsh facilities, London. ©Taff Manton

“You have to love the hard as nails amateur player, picking up cards without any dissent to a portly referee.”

Taff Manton
Sweet FA Amateur Football project by Taff Manton. Ekco social sports club, Southend-on-Sea.
Ekco social sports club, Southend-on-Sea. ©Taff Manton
Sweet FA Amateur Football project by Taff Manton. Southend sports.
Southend sports. ©Taff Manton
Sweet FA Amateur Football project by Taff Manton. Wadham Lodge, Walthamstow.
Wadham Lodge, Walthamstow. ©Taff Manton

“I’ve always been interested in the grounds. I’ve photographed stands, dugouts, goals etc.. it’s all part of the experience. Trying to get the shots no one else would think of. Nights out, trips away even team mates weddings, it’s all part of it.”

Manton is now more into street photography rather than fashion. His preferred gear is either a Nikon 1 J1 or an Olympus PEN E-P5 and he lists among his inspiration the likes of American photographer and filmmaker Danny Lyon and Swiss born documentary photographer Robert Frank, and is a big fan of “photographers who shoot motels in USA or bus stops in Russia. You learn a lot from those guys”.

Sweet FA Amateur Football project by Taff Manton. Chester football tour
On tour, Chester. ©Taff Manton
Sweet FA Amateur Football project by Taff Manton. Railway Academicals, Southend-on-Sea.
Railway Academicals, Southend-on-Sea. ©Taff Manton
Sweet FA Amateur Football project by Taff Manton. Del. Surreal Madrid, Camden Sunday Football.
Del. Surreal Madrid, Camden Sunday Football. ©Taff Manton

“We had a whole sub culture mix up in our defence. A mod, a rocker, a brit pop hair mop and a trolley. Probably why we won f*ck all!

Taff Manton
Sweet FA Amateur Football project by Taff Manton.Bill. Wakering Sports, Essex.
Bill. Wakering Sports, Essex. ©Taff Manton
Sweet FA Amateur Football project by Taff Manton. Berlin tour
Berlin tour. ©Taff Manton
Sweet FA Amateur Football project by Taff Manton. Cupids Country Club, Southend-on-Sea.
Cupids Country Club, Southend-on-Sea. ©Taff Manton
Sweet FA Amateur Football project by Taff Manton. Roots Hall, Southend United.
Roots Hall, Southend United. ©Taff Manton
Sweet FA Amateur Football project by Taff Manton. The Len Forge Centre, Southend-on-Sea.
The Len Forge Centre, Southend-on-Sea. ©Taff Manton
Sweet FA Amateur Football project by Taff Manton. Cupids Country Club, Southend-on-Sea.
Cupids Country Club, Southend-on-Sea. ©Taff Manton

“You go to a Weller gig and you’ll see the old school supporters. Southend’s Cliffs Pavilion was a sea of claret and blue Fred Perry’s.”

Taff Manton
Sweet FA Amateur Football project by Taff Manton. Southend sports celebration meal.
Southend sports celebration meal. ©Taff Manton
Sweet FA Amateur Football project by Taff Manton. Wakering Sports FC, Essex.
Wakering Sports FC, Essex. ©Taff Manton

“Images tell a story,” he says. “The hard part is the edit, steering the viewer to see things how you see things.”

Editing is key for Manton. “Research, shoot too many, edit, edit, and then edit.”

Interestingly, he sees more evidence of the sub cultures within football in the professional game than at grassroots level.

“I think sub cultures relate more to the pro game supporters,” he said. “Bands, fashion, it’s all part of it. Less than it was but still there.

“You go to a Weller (Paul Weller) gig for example and you’ll see the old school supporters. Southend’s Cliffs Pavilion was a sea of claret and blue Fred Perry’s. 

“I don’t think it relates to a Sunday morning. In a way amateur football brings all sorts together in all ways. We had a whole sub culture mix up in our defence at Surreal Madrid on the marshes (London’s Hackney North Marsh). A mod, a rocker, a brit pop hair mop and a trolley. 

‘Probably why we won f*ck all!’

Sweet FA Amateur Football project by Taff Manton. May and Baker, Romford.
May and Baker, Romford. ©Taff Manton
Sweet FA Amateur Football project by Taff Manton. Cupids Country Club, Southend-on-Sea.
Cupids Country Club, Southend-on-Sea. ©Taff Manton

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