Full Time is based around a group of young people who play football and aims to provoke debate on the youth culture and challenge attitudes relating to sexism, racism and homophobia.

The play is part of a larger initiative funded by The Football Foundation to generate wider participation in football and includes kicking out both racism and homophobia from the game and encouraging more Asian girls to play the sport.

The story is an original piece of entertaining drama, written by playwright Rachel Wagstaff, with appeal to adults and young people alike, and not just those with an interest in football.

Ultimately the play shows how football can be an instrument for positive change, creating social cohesion and friendships which aren’t determined by cultural or sexual differences.

Full Time is produced by the award-winning Y Touring Theatre Company, and has been developed in partnership with The FA and the Women’s Sports Foundation.

Nigel Townsend, Artistic Director of Y Touring, said: “Our aim is to use entertaining as well as thought-provoking theatre to help breakdown some of the barriers to participation in football.

“We want to engage young people, of both sexes and all races, in a healthy debate about the culture surrounding the sport.

“We are delighted to have received the grant from The Football Foundation, and the support and input of the FA and the WSF, as we work together to achieve these goals.”

The national school tour of Full Time began in November with each performance of the play followed by a live debate during which the student audience will be encouraged to explore what they think and feel about the issues raised by the drama.

The production is being targeted towards to over 14 year-olds and has been specifically designed to be a valuable cross-curricular learning tool with particular relevance to the PE, Drama, English, PSHE/Citizenship and RE.

A series of resources accompanying the play, including discussion triggers and related articles, are available online now at: www.ytouring.org.uk.

A podcast of Full Time will be available to download, for free, from Y Touring’s website in January 2008.