The allotments
In the Summer of 2014, a new project got underway…The Allotments.
Don Bosco Cinecittà
Then a message came from Giampaolo from Rome…
“It looks like the area around the football pitch of my amateur team 25 years ago playing in the 3rd category: Don Bosco Cinecittà
At 100 meters there were also well-preserved Roman ruins of the aqueduct Felice ... with a flock of sheep perpetually graminivorous on the lawns of the extreme suburb of Rome.
Good times!
However the pitch is now sadly abandoned and uncultivated…”
So the project now had a sense of purpose – inspired by the amateurs of Don Bosco Cinecittà, to return the pitch to its former glory, complete with aqueduct and sheep...
Giampaolo returns...
On 20th July 2014, Giampaolo was inspired to revisit the site with his son, Danilo
In Giampaolo's own words and pics...
The opening ceremony preparations
It was decided to hold the opening ceremony for The Allotments Pitch on Sunday 17th August 2014, when it was discovered that Fabio ‘Donald Crowhurst’ Bertola was popping by (from Milan!) As soon as he heard about this, Jim ‘Forfoxsake’ Westwood decided he would pop by as well (from Andover!)
Giampaolo replied “Too many similarities and amazing coincidences in this thread – August 17th is also my birthday ...”
So after some more investigation, we found out the colours of ‘Don Bosco Cinecittà’ (yellow and blue), and also of their arch rivals ‘Cava dei Selci’ (white with blue trim)…
The preparations for the opening ceremony were made, and Don Bosco Cinecittà returned to inspect the scene and take part in some light pre-match training.
The team photo
Match day
On the morning of the match, some paparazzi pictures emerged of the moment Giampaolo took the selfie with his son!
The fans then start to arrive, full of anticipation for this mythical re-match between ‘Don Bosco Cinecittà’ and ‘Cava dei Selci'
Don Bosco Cinecittà was played by Fabio 'Donald Crowhurst' Bertola and Cava dei Selci played was by Jim 'Forfoxsake' Westwood.
Spoiler-alert... A spooky co-incidence! ?
A legendary effort to celebrate the life and times of HW1966! They were both asked why they made the effort, and both just looked astounded that they needed to be asked... ?
The action...
So the inaugural match on the Allotments of Don Bosco was truly an action-packed match. With Cava dei Selci going 2-0 up by halftime, being met with stout resistance from Don Bosco Cinecittà as they fought back. Unfortunately the final whilst blew before they could equalise and the game finished:
Don Bosco Cinecittà 1 - 2 Cava dei Selci. S'fortunato Don Bosco!
Giampaolo didn’t appear too discouraged however. He responded that Don Bosco Cinecittà was “born to suffer struggling”, and that the 1-2 defeat to Cava dei Selci was the same as the last time they played them back in 1989!
Click on the link for the full story as it unfolded back in 2014.