Making Up For Lost Time

Jamie Platts, Cardiff, Wales

Goal Click have teamed up with EE to tell the stories of UK grassroots teams born out of adversity - that have overcome hate with hope, with the aim of making the beautiful game more inclusive for all. Because there is a place in football for everyone. 

Jamie Platts plays for Dragons Rock (“Drocks”), a Cardiff-based grassroots women’s and non-binary team, particularly supporting and promoting the rights of the LGBTQI+ community. The team was born out of partnership between the Cardiff Dragons men’s football team and a team of geologists called Rock Solid, who played in the Bristol Casual League. Dragons Rock caters for all abilities and commitment levels, supports numerous local LGBTQI+ causes, and has a focus on trans inclusion in football, engaging with the FAW (The Football Association for Wales) around mixed gender football policy.

Inspired? To find your place in football, in Wales, head here. 

Can you introduce yourself and tell us how your football life began?

My name is Jamie, I am 27, originally from Nottingham. I hopped over the bridge to Cardiff in September 2013 for university and never left. I currently play for Cardiff Dragons, in the 7-aside team Dragons Rock (Drocks). I am the Drocks Vice Captain, Secretary and club Social Secretary.

After moving from Nottingham to the south coast of Devon, I started playing football. I was lucky that the neighbouring town had a girl’s football team, so at 11 I started playing for Newton Abbot 66 AFC. But my love of football pretty much started brewing from birth - I was born into a family that loves football. My mum is an avid Manchester City fan, passed down from my grandparents. 

There was never a doubt which team I would support. We often travelled around England watching Manchester City play and I was a mascot for Portsmouth v Man City in 2006, walking out with Richard Dunne. 

What has your football journey been like up until now? 

I played for Newton Abbot 66 AFC for around 6 years, moving from 7-a-side to 11-a-side and also playing futsal. When I was 16, I encountered some medical issues that bought my time playing football to a firm halt.

I continued to watch football and go to matches, but always missed actually playing. 10 years passed before I was back on the pitch, and I am still amazed it happened. I was recommended to the Cardiff Dragons by a friend who played in the same league. The idea of a 7-a-side casual club was very welcome, and seemed like a great place to start to try and get back into playing.

What did you try to capture with your photos? Was there a wider meaning with the photos?

I tried to encapsulate the essence of being a Cardiff Dragon and specifically a Drock; the community, the friendship, the love of the game. Our team and our club is more than just the players and the football; it is just as important off the pitch too, being a safe space for all our players. I also very much wanted to show off our fancy new kit designed by one of our players. It is utterly beautiful.

The majority of these photos were taken at the Dragons Rock Tournament pêl-droed, as well as the training session before and after. Most of the people are Cardiff Dragons players, but there are also the referees from the tournament and some of our supporters. 

Michelle was one of the referees from Dragons Rock Tournament pêl-droed. We first met Michelle at a tournament we participated in at the beginning of the year, and loved the fact there was a female referee in our local area. We had no doubt that we wanted her to be involved in our tournament. There are many avenues to be involved in football, not just playing and having the representation of a female referee at a tournament that embraced women and non-binary players in football was important for us.

Our lovingly named “Supporters Union” is a really special part of our club. They are the friends and partners of our players, and they continually come to support us both at training and matches. They brave the torrential rain and have trekked to Paris to watch us play - although the croissants may have been more of the incentive to come! A club like ours has a significant impact off the pitch and creates an environment where everybody feels welcome.

What are the opportunities for women’s and non-binary players to participate in your community?

Opportunities for women and non-binary players are definitely increasing. Although there are not enough teams in Wales that share the same inclusive ethos as us, and are open to all, irrespective of gender identity, sexuality, ability. However, this is changing, and more teams are being created in Wales; I do believe funding at grassroots level has a significant impact on this.

What role does football and Drocks play in your life and in your community?

Football plays a really important part in my life. I have some incredibly fond memories of watching football with my family as a child. The friendships I have made through Cardiff Dragons are so special. Football gives me the opportunity to push myself and my boundaries; not just in terms of physical fitness or ability on the pitch, but also in relation to mental health. 

As incredibly cliche as it sounds, football is a chance to forget the real world. For the time you are on the pitch, or watching a match, it is a distraction from the stress of life. No matter what the day or week has been like, playing football makes it all that bit better. Football brings together people from all walks of life and gives you the opportunity to meet people within your community that you would not have necessarily met otherwise.

A club like Cardiff Dragons helps to improve physical and mental health of the whole community, allowing everyone to exercise, improve their skills, participate in a team activity, socialise and be an integral part of a community. Places where people feel safe and welcome regardless of abilities, background and gender are key to achieving this.

How important is it for male allies to fight sexist abuse?

In simple terms men listen to men – they need to be responsible for educating each other and calling out sexist behaviour in order to make significant changes. It is something that affects everyone.

What do you think the future looks like for football in your community? What are your ambitions?

The future of football in our community is looking really positive. The opening of the Women’s Football Hub ‘Amdani Hi’ shows the commitment to providing a safe and supportive place for women to be involved in football. Cardiff Dragons was the first and used to be the only all-inclusive football club in Wales, and now we are not - which is amazing. There are more clubs like ours forming in Wales, providing more safe spaces for those who identify as part of the LGBT community to play football and reap the benefits of doing so.

The acceleration of women’s football since the 2012 London Olympics has been incredible and with England hosting the Euros, a light is being shone on women in football and our enthusiasm and passion for the game.

Personally I want to play as much football as possible in the future to make up for all those years I did not play.

Series edited by Emma Walley.