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Life as a fan in lockdown captured on camera

A photographic exhibition showcasing life as a football supporter during the pandemic will launch at the National Football Museum next week.

Football photographer Stuart Roy Clarke was given access to shoot inside the homes of supporters and capture the highs and lows of following their teams as they watched live Premier League matches on Amazon Prime Video.

The images captured will form part of the new Homes Of Football outdoor exhibition presented by the broadcaster and Clarke at the museum in Manchester from May 27.

“The Homes of Football 20/21 project with Prime Video has been an unforgettable experience for so many reasons,” Clarke said.

The Hiley family are distraught as Southampton miss a series of chances in a defeat to Manchester City
The Hiley family are distraught as Southampton miss a series of chances in a defeat to Manchester City (Handout from Stuart Roy Clarke and Amazon Prime Video/PA)

“I feel privileged to have been the figurative fly on the wall for the campaign, capturing the passion of fans in their personal spaces, at a difficult time when football has been a saviour for so many.

“There’s a famous quote – that football without fans is nothing. And while those mythical words were uttered many years ago by the immortal Jock Stein, the statement rings truer than it ever has in the decades since it was first spoken. Football IS the fans, and we must never forget that.”

“With empty stadiums and social restrictions in place, watching football has been a very different experience for so many,” Alex Green, the managing director of Prime Video Sport Europe, said.

“Despite the uncertainty of the past year, one thing hasn’t changed – and that’s the passion and dedication of football fans.

“We’re so pleased to have worked with Stuart to create The Homes of Football – capturing this unique moment in the history of the beautiful game, and celebrating the fans that make the game what it is.”