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Sporting Memories join @lostfootballs for their exciting new book!

Posted on September 23 2022

We’re delighted to announce that we’ve united with the creators of @lostfootballs once again as they launch their new book that captures the evocative memories of playing football in the past through images of discarded footballs across a variety of weird and wonderful places.

Buy Lost Footballs here

Alongside the brilliant images contained in the 100-plus pages of the book, there are also contributions from Sporting Memories patrons such as Dr Luther Blissett OBE DL, Terry Butcher as well as Times Chief Football Writer Henry Winter as they recollect their memories of misplaced footballs of their past!

All proceeds from the book will support our work with older people through the power of sports reminiscence and physical activity.

@lostfootballs has been going since 2013, when Matthew Lutz found a discarded ball in the park behind his house and shared it on social media. He decided to the create the @lostfootballs account, where the world could share their pictures of football being found in a number of different locations.

Since then, the account has evolved to show the poignancy that footballs lost in time in mundane and unusual areas can show, not just on the individual but communities as well.

In 2016, Matt was joined by Adam Barnfield, as the duo keep their Twitter and Instagram accounts regularly updated with the latest contributions accompanied with lyrics to songs from late nineties and early noughties songs, with the odd classic tune thrown in as well.

With help from Stadium Hoppers in 2019, Matt and Adam created a calendar for 2020 with proceeds of that supporting our work and helped us through the challenging start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The new book is available to buy now and is the ideal coffee table read or as a gift as a birthday present or Christmas present. Order yours now at this link.

Susie Brindley, Partnerships Director (Charities) of Sporting Memories, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be involved with this exciting book with @lostfootballs and we cannot thank Matt and Adam enough for allowing us on this journey.

“@lostfootballs is all about bringing back those cherished moments of playing football with friends, whether it be at the local park, in school or the street or even a car park and we hope this book reignites memories looking at the brilliant pictures and reading the evocative stories shared by our brilliant patrons.

“We’d strongly urge everyone to get their own copy before they sell out!”

Matt and Adam from @lostfootballs, said: “@lostfootballs started by complete accident. The simplicity of a lost ball posted to twitter seemed to gain a lot of attention and it grew naturally from there - we have no idea why song lyrics work, but we try to find a song that matches the mood of the picture.

“Working with Sporting Memories was also a natural growth for us. They support people that are affected by conditions close to our hearts and the sporting connection is obvious.

“The calendars were a success and we hope this book will be too (we have added ‘author’ to our CVs!).

“Also, and just to reiterate a very important point - no rugby balls.”

A big thank you to Meikle International for their support in publishing the @lostfootballs book - find out more about Meikle International by visiting www.meikleinternational.com