Collaboration between the Hamlet, Football & War Network and Outside Write exploring the historic link between football and politics

Champion Hill will be hosting a History of Football & Politics evening at the ground, on Tuesday 30th May.

The event is free to attend, and will run from 7pm-9pm in the clubhouse, with doors open from 6:30pm. The bar will be open, and attendees are welcome to bring their own food to the event, or order from local vendors throughout the evening such as Yard Sale Pizza.

Author Chris Lee will be the guest speaker, his theme for the evening is Football and Politics: A Century of Progressive Football, and will look at the following topics:

• When, where and why did football become political?
• Mussolini and football as a propaganda tool
• Italian footballing resistance and partisans under Mussolini and during World War II
• Italy’s modern ultrà scene
• Football in Spain during the Second Republic, the Spanish Civil War, and under Franco
• Footballing resistance during World War II across Europe
• Players versus dictators (1960s-80s)
• Modern progressive fanbases
• Discussion and Q&A

Chris is the founding editor of the Outside Write blog and podcast, which covers different aspects of football history, and lots of fan culture too. His latest football book, The Defiant: A History of Football Against Fascism, features the Hamlet and Altona 93.

The Defiant will be available to purchase on the night, with Stanchion Books setting up a stall in the bar, with some of Chris's other books also among those being sold. Posters of The Defiant front cover will also be available to buy, with the proceeds being donated to charity.

Also speaking is Dr Alex Alexandrou from The Football & War network, he will be talking about football within the British Army, and the Army FA.

We hope to also run a Supporters' Trust stall to sell some of their fabulous merchandise to attendees.

Hope to see as many Hamlet, and indeed football and history fans, at the event as possible!