IN HONOUR of the World Cup, Yate Heritage Centre is mounting an exhibition documenting the history of football in the area.

The show explores everything from flashes of brilliance on the pitch, right down to the nitty gritty of changing rooms and shower facilities.

The display includes interviews with players from across the years.

One, Laurence Walker, recalls playing against Uley.

“We went over to Uley and we’d change in a chicken hut, that was their roost at night. It was dark in there,” he said.

Before the 1980s, tin baths were the order of the day for washing after the game.

At Old Sodbury water for washing came from a pond near the pitch. North Road goalkeeper Graham Hulands bemoaned having to be last man in the bath.

Old Sodbury had a classic village football pitch. Cows grazed on it and club officials had to clear off the cow muck before the games.

The exhibition runs June 21 to July 12.