Where did the inspiration for the shoot come from?
My book Grass Roots was inspired by my father’s stories of playing on the marshes. He used to take me there as a child, but I had little to no recollection of it so I had the urge to revisit a couple of years ago.

What was the biggest challenge?
Because of the camera I was shooting on, and the nature of analogue photography, I only had one shot per portrait, so I really had to get it right first time.

Why do you think football is such a popular sport, even on an amateur level?
Football is a way of bringing people together, and Hackney Marshes is a place for men to come, every Sunday, to express themselves, whether that’s positively or negatively. The working-class element to this project is really important; a lot of the men who I photographed might not have an outlet for whatever’s happened at work or at home in the week. The hours of full-time work don’t really allow for much socialising, let alone meeting new people.

So it’s more than a portrait series of footballers, it’s also about diversity in Britain today?
For me, all the different cultures and nationalities are what make me feel proud to be British. Historically, we are a culture of many nations. In today’s tense political climate, it’s never been more important to remember that.

What did Sunday league football mean to your dad?
My dad’s always said if it wasn’t for football, he doesn’t know what he would have done … He came to London aged just 18, from a very rural village in southern Italy. Not only were there no job prospects at the time, he was also escaping enrolment in military service! Through playing football on Hackney Marshes, he met lifelong friends who he still sees today.

Grass Roots is available to buy from simondiprincipe.com