Team Spirit. Jamal Orme

      ‘Just pass it!’ whined Faris, but with the words of his father still ringing in his ears, Amir would do no such thing.

      Mr Bateman chuckled. ‘It reminds me of when my old dad used to play football with us in the street! By the end we’d be pulling on his arms and his legs, trying to get that ball off him.’

      ‘That’s enough for one day,’ mumbled Coach Saleem. ‘Ali, you’re going on for Amir.’

      Amir skipped to the touchline, nonchalantly accepting a high five from Ali as the players swapped over. He anticipated a word from his father, but Mr Zidane was staring in disbelief at Shabab’s coach. Faris and Ismail were also replaced, by Ibrahim and Khalid. Khalid resumed his captain’s role with gusto, as if he’d never been absent. He barked instructions at everyone as if they were desperately chasing a winner, not merely cruising to an easy victory. To Ibrahim’s frustration, his fine header from Ali’s cross, soon after coming on, was disallowed by Whitehaven’s coach, who claimed that he had been offside.

      ‘But Ali passed the ball backwards,’ protested Ibrahim, desperate to have a goal to his name.

      ‘Ref’s decision is final,’ glared Saleem, who had never before had to warn his players about arguing with the officials.

      ‘Learn the rules,’ grumbled Ibrahim. The referee did not appear to hear him, but Saleem seethed from the touchline.