Apparently the term "Soccer" for Association Football was actually coined over here in Blighty. But then again, we did invent both the original codified game and the Rugby School variant (which served as the inspiration for the US / Australian versions).

Needless to say, the Warwickshire town hypes up its association with the oblong ball for all it's worth (even down to the town entrance signs - http://tr.im/RKwr), and almost worships William Webb Ellis (who was probably not the first to hit upon the novel idea of picking up the ball and running with it). And we still practice a couple of predecessors to the game:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football#Surviving_medi.C3.A6va...

-oOo-

As for the article itself, now that's what I call sportsmanship. That's so touching, and a much more positive attitude than is frequently displayed by the so-called "professionals" (male) who dominate news coverage of the game (and - together with their SOs - serve as perfect tabloid fodder when off the pitch)