Into football, are you? Know Watford’s top goal scorer from last season, do you? Able to recount who scored the winning penalty in the FA cup final 11 years ago, are you? Fine. Congratulations. Here’s one: ever heard of the English Prison Service Football Association? No? That’s not a huge surprise, given the fact it gets very little press coverage.
However, the EPSFA has been around in some form since the beginning of last century, with prison officers from around the UK competing against each other and other local teams. In 1975, a national Prison Service team was formed and started playing regular fixtures against sides from other big British institutions, including the Royal Navy, the RAF and the Army.
Videos by VICE
Photographer Riccardo Raspa gained access to the Prison Service’s national squad and went along to a training session at the ground of Daventry Town FC, between Milton Keynes and Birmingham, to shoot some pictures. He then spent some time with a guard at HM Prison Hindley, just outside Wigan, photographing life on the job.
The England Prison Service team playing a friendly match against Daventry.
The prisoners’ changing room at HM Prison Hindley.
The England Prison Service team’s changing room.
A prison guard in the high security wing of HMP Hindley.
The England Prison Service team entering the pitch at Daventry Town FC.
The England Prison Service team.
Prisoners taking a general exam at HMP Hindley.
