The Giants. Very decent football in a very decent manner.

Our forefathers laid the railways, mined the coal and built the vessels that allowed Britannia to rule the waves - they kept the wheels of industrial empire turning. It was a grafter's existence but grafters they were, asking little and receiving just that. Yet one day a week was theirs, and, on this day that God and the labour movement had designated for their rest, many liked nothing more than to unwind by organising association football matches.

These honest, simpler days saw amateur clubs forming the length and breadth of the nation. Infused with the Corinthian spirit, and dressed in ludicrously heavyweight garments, they played with commitment and courage.

If we open the sporting annals at January 2003 we find a group of like-minded young gentlemen inspired by this rich heritage. In an age when many footballers have only ever seen the word loyalty accompanied by 'bonus' on their wage slip, these talented chaps were determined to resurrect old traditions, to do things differently. These men had a vision: By day they would continue to strive in the worlds of politics, local government, the civil service, marketing and IT, but on Monday nights they became the Left Whingers.

Their dream now a reality, their play transformed previously humdrum cityscapes into Elysian Fields; these noble men would sweat out their hangovers with vim and vigour, with their pass and move, their turns and back-heels. Enjoyment and élan were the watchwords. The referee's decision was to be respected (even when he wasn't looking). The final whistle the signal for an honest handshake: the cue for convivial refreshment.

In five years, although much has changed - the personnel, the stadium, the strip, the moniker - the club has grown. Rogan Josh's Giants (as they became) reach out to a fan base that stretches far beyond south London and into the southern hemisphere. Yet the founders' original values endure.

Rogan Josh's Giants stand head and shoulder above many of their amateur compatriots. The titles and trophies have been won by playing very decent football, in a very decent manner. When the vagaries of injury and absentee goalkeepers have turned fortune against them they have accepted their fate with good grace, grinned, gritted their teeth and redoubled their efforts. They adopted a tiger.

Please be our guest, explore further the development of this unique and fascinating football club. Up the Giants!