A Christian football team whose manager admits could be Britain's worst has lost every match it has played this season – but the manager says he doesn't mind.
Amory Green Rovers is bottom of the division seven Devon and Exeter Football League, and its defeats include 22-0 and 17-0. It has conceded 120 goals in just 16 matches.
However, manager Marc Hodsdon told the Daily Express that while the team might be the worst, it was probably the happiest.
"We are absolutely shocking to be fair. We could well be Britain's worst football team – but we are certainly the nicest," he said.
Hodsdon (33), a forklift delivery driver, said that his priorities in the game changed when he became a Christian and that he returned after a break with a new vision – that showing Christian principles was more important than winning.
"We think about winning every time we go on to the pitch, it's nice to win, but there is a bigger picture," he told Christian Today.
"Socialising, forming friendships and good relationships – that's winning too."
Hodsdon said that he had started the team 10 years ago and after a break had returned with a new ambition. "I had a vision of doing something completely different," he said. "I wanted to give people the opportunity to play football who might not be amazingly blessed, but why shouldn't they be able to play?"
He said: "We are quite competitive, in a sense, but we are open to everyone whatever their footballing ability. The most important thing about the team is about giving people somewhere to get out and socialise."
For instance, two members have Asperger's syndrome. "Their confidence has been affected throughout their life, but they genuinely take comfort from playing football."
He continued: "Last Wednesday, we lost 15-1 in our local derby yet we walked off the pitch being the happier team. Some of the players on the other side were still arguing among themselves and just not enjoying it – that is not what football is about.
"We have had a lot of praise from the league for our sporting attitude. We have never had any sending off and we never abuse the ref. Our attitude is always spot on.
"Sometimes players do get frustrated if they didn't play as well as they should have done, but on the whole they're really happy."
