The Ballad of Brigg — Terrace Edition

Words: Anna Backstrom

Images: Anna Backstrom

Swedish photographer Anna Backstrom’s English football adventure has taken her to Brigg Town FC, over the Humber from Hull. Here she talks through her sympathetic style which captures both the play and the people with aplomb at the Lincolnshire club formed in 1864.

“I come from a family of football lovers and I’ve played the game myself for many years. I think my dad really would have preferred it if I was a boy but, undeterred, he sat me down every Saturday afternoon to watch English football live on TV. As he played himself we, as a family, travelled all over the northern parts of Sweden to see him play and, later on, coach. It was inevitable that I would start to love football as much as he did and still does.“

“I’ve always taken photographs - in one way or another - but I studied journalism and documentary photography for three years and the same year I finished, I moved to the UK. Sheffield and later Newcastle-Under-Lyme, Staffordshire, to be exact. I never made the connection between photography and football my first few years here as I was too busy finding my place inside the British job market and just trying to stay afloat and paying my bills, so it wasn’t until my 15th year in Brigg that I made the connection.“

“I have Graham Tock to thank for that. He invited us to go down to watch some local football and, on our third visit, I brought my camera. That was in July 2021 and I’ve been to every home game, apart from one, ever since. I miss most of the away games due to lack of transport but I’m working on getting my driving licence so that I can start watching Brigg away from home.“

“You get involved with the club so quickly and that’s thanks to all of the wonderful staff, supporters and players down at the club. I remember feeling a little shy when I first walked into the clubhouse but now most people know who I am and often greet me with a hug and an ‘Alright?’. I sincerely love it down at the Hawthorns and hope that I can continue to take photographs down there for as long as I can physically stand up.“

Up the Zebras!

You can find Anna on Instagram: @annabackstrom

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