By Alex Lawson
For those who can't wait until next summer's World Cup for a dose of international football, look no further than the Essex Senior League. There, you'll find FC Romania. Created as a pastime for tired Romanian construction workers a decade ago, the team has risen up the leagues but now faces having its wings clipped by Brexit.
Chairman and manager Ion Vintila founded the Non-League team – currently fourth in the league with Redbridge narrowly top – in 2005.
“Because we worked hard in construction I said, end of the week, we have to enjoy some football,” he said. The nucleus of the team, who play in the eastern European nation's bright yellow, remains made up of Romanian players. Guiding them through a string of promotions, Vintila brought in players from the top two divisions in Romania and created a distinct, passing style in the process.
“In the Essex Senior League the level is quite good. It's very physical, more aggressive. Back home we have a different style, more technical. A mixture between England and Romania would be perfect football,” laughs one of the team's midfielders, George Stroe. “If we could run as you guys run and you have our technical quality it would be the perfect team.”
The team shares its home, the Theobalds Lane Stadium, tucked off the A10 in Hertfordshire, with local side Cheshunt FC of the Bostik League North Division One. There's one decent seated stand while huge Romanian flags fly alongside terraced shed at one end, with fans chanting in their team's native tongue.
The ground share has helped broaden the side's fanbase with several fans attending every home game for both teams,” adds Stroe.
“We have a lot of Romanian supporters who support us at the ground and on social media. We also get really good feedback from our supporters, we have a lot of English supporters… we are treated at every game like we are playing an international game.”
A recent tumultuous FA Cup tie with Hayes & Yeading, of the league above, highlighted the team's attacking flair – and vulnerabilities – scoring twice but conceding while attempting to play the ball out of the back. Hayes eventually won the replay.
Ahead, two worries hang over the club. The first, Brexit, is more than well documented. The club has given an excellent image of the country amid aggressive headlines denigrating Eastern Europeans in the UK during the Leave campaign.
And both players and manager agree it's a bonus to give a good image of Romania in the UK. While the Romanians who have come to find work and settle in the UK over the last decade appear likely to have their status guaranteed, Vintila admits bringing in new players is already proving difficult.
Secondly, Vintila has cast doubt on his own future. He recently tweeted: “Probably my time is over. For sure it is the last season for me.” But the chairman-coach was begged by fans on social media to stay. Watch this space.
If he does decide to leave, Vintila leaves a strong legacy of a man who created something from an idea and gave his entire nation a voice in Essex, 1600 miles from Bucharest.
*For more interviews and sounds from the ground at FC Romania, listen to Rabonas & Rhythms, the world football and music podcast. @rabonasnrhythms
