Unity is the big goal for footballing refugees
As children they loved nothing more than a kick-about with friends in the streets of countries as diverse as Zimbabwe, Sudan and Pakistan.
But they were forced to flee their troubled homelands and travel thousands of miles to seek sanctuary in Edinburgh.
Now a group of refugees and asylum seekers living in the Capital, whose passion for the game remains undiminished from their youth, have joined forces to compete in the Unity Cup Festival - the football anti-racism campaign Kick It Out's very own "world cup".
The BCDP (Black Community Development Project) players have stepped up their efforts in training ahead of this weekend's event in Sheffield, which will showcase the skills of players from around the world now living in towns and cities across Britain.
This year marks the first time an Edinburgh team will be taking part in the five-a-side event, which uses football's universal appeal to try to dispel negative stereotypes of displaced people and emphasise the positive contribution they make to life in the UK.
With football clearly one of Britain's favourite sports, organisers believe a festival devoted to the game is the ideal way to show Britons asylum seekers and refugees are no different from themselves.
Aside from the on-field action in Sheffield, participants will be given advice on asylum rights and on how to adjust to life in their new cities.
Team manager Adil Ibrahim, who works as a men's development worker with the BCDP, based at Craigroyston Community High School, which has brought the team members together, said they would be going all out to bring a trophy back to Edinburgh.
He said: "We consider this to be an excellent opportunity for the local black and ethnic minority men to build solidarity and links with other communities from different parts of the UK. It is also a good opportunity to aid the exchange of information and experiences amongst different black and ethnic minorities and refugee communities."
Mr Ibrahim, 42, is originally from Sudan and now lives in Granton. He now has a British passport, having lived in the country for 20 years, although many of the other team members have been in Edinburgh for as little as 18 months and are still seeking residency status.
He added: "This experience will also assist participants to overcome exclusion and build confidence. At the end of the day it will be a valuable learning experience."
Among the Edinburgh players to have polished their boots in preparation for the competition is Derick Yeboah, 30, from Ghana.
He said: "I have been in Edinburgh now for a year and a half and I like it very much. The people are mostly very welcoming.
"I think people in this country are very interested in football so if we take our cause to football people will listen.
"I myself am a big football fan and have enjoyed the game since I was very young - this is a way of reaching out."
Piara Powar, director of Kick It Out, is delighted to welcome the first Edinburgh side to the event.
He said: "The Unity Cup Festival is now an established event that the football family has been supporting since it was launched in 2003. Through channelling the power of the game, we are raising awareness of the plight that displaced communities are facing while engaging and embracing those who are often at the brunt of racism."
By Stewart Cooper, Edinburgh News
