Football across Borders (The Talk)

Assaf Gavron, the author of CrocAttack, Uri Sheradsky, editor of the monthly sports magazine, Shem Hamisehak, both members of the Israeli writers football team and their counterpart on the English team, Jeremy Gavron, (An Acre of Barren Ground) and Simon Kuper (Why England Lose) are joined by Jerrold Kessel, the author of Goals for Galilee, the story of a tiny Arab soccer club which won the Israeli State Cup to discuss the ways in which football can bring together people, players and audiences of different nationalities, cultures and religions, transcending deep-rooted divides.

11.30am - The Game

Harry Abrahams stadium, Summers Lane, Finchley, London N12 OPD.

The writers football teams are made up of novelists, poets and non fiction writers. The England squad includes Whibread-prize winning novelist and central midfielder Patrick Neate, up-and-coming novelist, poet and striker Joe Dunthorne, and veteran goalie and fantasy writer, Graham Joyce, author of Simple Goalkeeping Made Spectacular. The Israel squad includes Avi Shilon, biographer of Menachem Begin, and defender Assaf Gavron, author of the controversial CrocAttack. The teams met for the first time in Tel Aviv in December 2008, when Israel twice came from behind to win 3-2 with a late penalty. Come and see who comes out on top this time.

England: Graham Joyce, Paul Laity, Daniel Tatarsky, David Goldie, Jeremy Gavron, Saul Frampton, Marcus du Sautoy, Patrick Neate, Simon Kuper, Craig Taylor, Jakob von Baeyer, Matthew Hollis, Joe Dunthorne, Philip Oltermann

Israel: Dovi Keich, Mordi Alon, Eli Eliyahu, Avi Shion, Uri Sheradsky, Guy Lichenstien, Roi Shani, Noam Slonim, Ori Kerman, Tomer Kerman,Udi Sharabani, Assaf Gavron

Entrance free - all are welcome.
Thank you to all the many sponsors who made this event possible.

In association with the