In 1898, the Corinthians broke their own code and agreed to compete for silverware for the first time. They did so in a showpiece game played between the best amateur and the best professional team in the country. The winner took the mountainous Sheriff of London Shield, an oak leviathan too big for any captain to lift in celebration.

But since the club were forced to sell the Shield in 1996, its whereabouts have been unknown to Corinthians and football historians alike. We set out to track it down, speaking to a Andy Gray, who competed in the last Sheriff of London Shield game in 1983; Brian Wakefield and David Harrison, two Corinthian-Casuals committee members who oversaw the sale of the Shield; and Massimo Ferragamo, the present day owner of the trophy. 

—

Written, produced and presented by Jarek Zaba and Dominic Bliss. 

Editing: Jarek Zaba;
Audio engineering: Brent Davies;
Title music: John Forrest;
Artwork: Matt Alabaster;
Website: Chris Kelly.

Additional archive audio in this episode courtesy of Gillian Townsend.

Broadway to Brazil S2 Ep5: The Search For The Shield

The list of international teams that the Corinthian-Casuals have visited is long, weird and wonderful. But perhaps one of the most unusual ties in the club’s history features them as hosts rather than visitors. 

In 1991 a squad of the Soviet Union’s greatest former player came to Tolworth. As if this wasn’t weird enough, their home country was all but being dissolved at this precise moment. 

We've delved deep into this remarkable fixture, speaking to Steve Bangs, the first time manager at the time who played in the Veterans game; Gary Brigden, at the time the club's first time goalkeeper but a spectator for this tie; and Manuel Veth, a Soviet football historian who places this bizarre tour into context. 

—

Written, produced and presented by Jarek Zaba and Dominic Bliss. 

Editing: Jarek Zaba;
Audio engineering: Brent Davies;
Title music: John Forrest;
Artwork: Matt Alabaster;
Website: Chris Kelly.

Broadway to Brazil S2 Ep6: The Russians Are Coming!

The footballing paths trodden by the Corinthian-Casuals side are long and varied. From as far afield as Australia and Belgium, and featuring clubs right at the very top of the English game, the players have often seen it all before they walk through the gates at King George’s Field.

But they all have one thing in common – they’ve all fallen in love with this famous old club hidden away off a slip road on the A3.

These are the stories of the men who make up the team today, told through four voices in the present day first team dressing room: Robert Paratore, Ben Cheklit, Danny Bracken and Kieron Cadogan. Dominic and Jarek are also joined by club volunteer Stuart Tree, who knows the first team well through his involvement as club photographer and programme editor. 

—

Written, produced and presented by Jarek Zaba and Dominic Bliss. 

Editing: Jarek Zaba;
Audio engineering: Brent Davies;
Title music: John Forrest;
Artwork: Matt Alabaster;
Website: Chris Kelly.

Broadway to Brazil S2 Ep7: Current Crop

Football is a sentimental culture. Where do you draw the line between heritage and progress? And when you represent a club that has chosen to set itself apart, with its own respected ethos, how do you move with the times and maintain your unique identity?

These are the questions that have faced custodians of the Corinthian-Casuals legacy from the 1880s through to the 2020s. 

So how have things changed over the course of those 14 decades? In our final episode, we set out to answer the overarching question behind this entire series: What does it mean to be a Corinthian?

To help explore this topic, Dominic and Jarek are joined by committee member John Forrest, and we hear from a wide range of club voices, past and present, including players, management, fans, and a range of the club's custodians over its distinguished history. 

—

Written, produced and presented by Jarek Zaba and Dominic Bliss. 

Editing: Jarek Zaba;
Audio engineering: Brent Davies;
Title music: John Forrest;
Artwork: Matt Alabaster;
Website: Chris Kelly.

Broadway to Brazil S2 Ep8: What Does It Mean To Be A Corinthian?

I am a freelance audio producer and sound designer available for work on fiction and non fiction projects alike. 

This short showreel highlights some of the experience I have on audio dramas and fiction podcasts. 

See https://www.jarekzaba.co.uk/ for more information

Jarek Zaba

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