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Hall of Fame


This is where we recognise the epic ballers from our football leagues. By epic, we mean, absolute legends, people who’ve blown teams away single handed game after game, whose creativity on the pitch has confounded the opposition and who have brightened up our referees’ evenings in the dark January nights and made them go home smiling whilst reliving moments of absolute class. Think Bergkamp vs Dabizas. Bale vs Inter. Henry vs Tottenham.

Winning the league isn’t enough. Being top scorer for a season isn’t enough. These guys have done it season after season and are the best of the best. Picked exclusively by our refs, welcome to our Hall of Fame you 100% BALLERS.

 

Rob Langman

Spartak Docsis

To be found arriving late at our Oval Thursday 7s league in south London, this guy took everyone by surprise, but when he was on the pitch you ALWAYS knew! 

Powerful, aggressive, direct, with a burst of pace and an explosive finish, he was Spartak Docsis' budget version of a quick Harry Kane. A stellar performer throughout Spartak's time in our leagues, Rob Langman was a class footballer, a refs favourite and fully deserving of his place in the Hall of Fame.

Scott Johnston

The R.I.P. / ReachOut FC

Another blast from the past, this guy was both a goal machine, creative force and sublime baller for four years at Ballers Leagues. After playing at Montrose FC in Scotland he moved south to 'continue his football career' in Hackney. 

A short, Scottish, less handsome version of Kaka combined with Jack Wilshere, he played in midfield or up front in our 5-a-side and 8-a-side leagues and was the fulcrum of a great team and respected by everyone he played with and against. Understated, hard working on and off the ball and devastating in the final third for season after season, Scott Johnston is an all time Ballers Leagues great.

Manny Fletcher

Ballers Leagues

Being a ref ain't easy, we all know that, but when you find a good one, you know you onto a winner!  Manny has been with us from Day One, reffing in all our leagues in Shoreditch, Oval and Haggerston. A proper footballer himself, he's a tough ref, commanding respect while promoting the Ballers Leagues way and building relationships with all our players - even the dry ones!

A feature of Ballers Leagues in London, he's part of what makes it great, and I know all our teams are happy to see him pitchside (until they don't get EVERY decision their way, and some people start crying).

Manny Fletcher. Legend.

Matt Harper

Eye of Schweinsteiger

Every team needs a leader, and every team needs an organizer. Tragically, in most teams, it's the same person who has to do both, and we salute ALL you organizers especially - football just doesn't happen without you!  Matt Harper is one such guy. For the entirety of our Oval Thursday 7s league he was the spiritual leader of Eye of Schweinsteiger, their driving force and key defender, midfielder or striker, whatever was required.

Another all round good guy, he turned this team of one time dry ballers into a footballing force to be reckoned with, and played some great football in the process. They never quite won the league, but their sick name and (relatively) low goals over fence ratio made them a refs favourite, and we wanted to give big props to Matt Harper for his efforts off the pitch and making it beautiful on it.

Rick Sleiman

The R.I.P. / ReachOut FC

If you've played football at a decent standard in east London you've probably played against Rick. This bald, bearded, bizarre Lebanese/Nigerian combo heavy metal fan has been seen in goal on pitches all over Hackney and beyond for the best part of 10 years now.

Winning a hatful of trophies in his time with ReachOut FC, we've seen countless opponents leaving the pitch muttering about how the GK was 'insane' and if it weren't for him their team would easily have won - and frankly, often they're not wrong! Without doubt the best shot stopper we've seen in our leagues, Rick Sleiman is our first GK in the Hall of Fame. 

Other legends in this pic are 'Cut Back Kid' Ali Aden, Ewan Rothnie (aka the Scottish Matthias Sammer), Ryan 'Scottish Ronaldo' Downie and Jawaad Jaigirdar, the bengali midfield master.

Alex Hassan

Heights / ReachOut FC

Another veteran from the earliest days of Ballers Leagues, Alex has put in performance after performance for Heights over the seasons, earning a reputation within the league as a top class player, and a call up to Hackney's greatest club, ReachOut FC.

Combining quick feet and superb technique with pace, aggression, strength and determination, this guy is a serious baller. A Ballers Leagues version of a hard working, tough defending Eden Hazard, Alex Hassan is a player every team would love to have him in their squad, and is a deserving entry into our Hall of Fame!

Kaká

Brazil / AC Milan / Real Madrid / Sao Paolo / Orlando City

He only made one appearance at Ballers Leagues, but it was clearly the greatest appearance of all time, and he also scored a worldie to cap it off.

You can read more about it in our News section, but in short, Kaká was having a mare of a game in Hackney until he missed a penalty and realised he needed to fix up. Fifteen minutes later he helped make Ali Aden an internet legend by completely ignoring his shouts for a cut back and banging it left footed into the top left right corner.

An epic moment, see it all here. Oh, that's Pete & Ku from Ballers Leagues in the pic with him. Also legends.

Robbie Greatrex

Dinosaurs FC

This legend played in the first ever Ballers Leagues season in our cult Shoreditch Tuesday 6s competition for Dinosaurs FC.

Whether playing up front in a Matt Le Tissier-esque casual but devastating style, making the team flow through the middle a la Iniesta, or helping out in goal, Robbie lit up our football league from start to finish over four great years, scoring hundreds of goals and winning title after title. 

A class act on and off the pitch, it was a privilege to have him showcase his talent and character in our league and he absolutely deserves his place in our Hall of Fame.

Welcome, Robbie Greatrex.

Steve Robertson

Lads on Toure / Beaky Blinders

One of the first ever players we gave a fabled #Baller base layer to, this fella was key in Lads on Toure's several 'nearly' seasons, and after they changed their name to Beaky Blinders, their eventual championship season in our Shoreditch Tuesday 6s football league.

Superb balance, great on the ball, tough off it, linking play and placing shots in the corners, the ginger Shaqiri was a cornerstone of their squad and a sick player. A bit facety from time to time, but what the hell, he was a baller, and we gave him the base layer to prove it!

Welcome to the Hall of Fame Steve Robertson.