A NORTH Berwick amateur football club is starting its journey to the top after Uri Geller adopted them as the national side of his newly proclaimed micronation on the Lamb.
The Israeli illusionist purchased the island in 2009 for £30,000, with the belief it held a mystical connection with ancient Egypt and hidden buried treasure.
As part of his nation unveiling, he revealed a flag, anthem, constitution and notably the desire to start a football team.
Now, North Berwick Amateurs FC have become that team, renaming themselves North Berwick Lamb Football Club.
Speaking to the Courier, Mr Geller told readers about how his plans for a football team got under way.
He said: “A few weeks ago, I was on TalkSport with Alan Brazil and he said to me: ‘Now that you have an anthem, flag and a constitution, you need a football team.’
“Call it coincidence, call it paranormal, but I then received an email from Jack [secretary of North Berwick Lamb FC].
“I said: ‘Wow, what a brilliant idea.’
“I made it clear that this was all about charity. I am not a Roman Abramovich or a Saudi mogul, but I can take care of the little things.
“If the ‘Lambies’ start winning, we can arrange friendlies with Tottenham or Arsenal – I have contacts there.”
Mr Geller also wanted to get a big-name manager on board, not in a coaching capacity but someone with a big reputation to get behind his and the club’s charity missions.
“I’d love to get Jose Mourinho’s blessing," he said. "You never know!
“[I'm looking for] someone famous to give an aura of energy.”
Uri provided the Courier with its own personalised spoonbending video
Mr Geller is raising money for a charity for children with heart conditions in Israel by selling citizenship of the Lamb for $1, but he also wants to get behind the club’s own mental health mission if he brings in enough.
On the prospect of returning to East Lothian to see the team, he was unsure when he could return but was eager to come and meet all the players.
He said: “I am very busy in Israel with my museum at the moment.
“But the first chance I have, I want to come and meet all the players.”
Cameron Law, one of the team's players, told the Courier about how the connection with Mr Geller began after he was made aware of a Courier article about the celebrity's ambition for a football team for the Lamb.
He said: “It all came about when my mum read an article in the Courier.
“I put it in the club group chat and joked that ‘we may have a few internationalists by the end of the season’.”
“For us, we were just chancing it – we are just an amateur football club.”
Club secretary Jack Fish then sent an email to Mr Geller's website about getting the club involved and was amazed by the spoon-bender's quick response.
He said: “We emailed him about it and in 10 minutes he had called me!
“Within a day or two it was all going ahead.
“It was nerve-wracking, he was sending me videos, so I knew it was definitely him and not an assistant.
“It’s habit now to wake up and I have 10 messages from him.”
The team have now all become citizens of the Lamb, changing the club's name and adopting a new badge that reflects Mr Geller's connection with the island.
Cameron added that it was great for the club to get this exposure, hoping that some more celebrity visitors might make their way to East Lothian.
He said: “Football is a big outlet to get more exposure and a chance for guys that would never have had it.
“The long-term dream is to have Uri come along to a game – if he wants to bring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt then brilliant!"
And on the prospect of receiving their first international caps, Cameron said the players were “all putting it in our LinkedIn profiles”, with Jack adding that he thought he had given up that dream 15 years ago.
Jack, alongside manager Hamish Law and Finlay Pratt, set up the club during lockdown with a focus on mental health – the club donates its fines to support charity SAMH.
He said: “Charity was the main focus – the inspiration came during lockdown when we were playing online quizzes.
“It became clear we needed a football club.”
Mr Geller has come out and said he hopes to take the ‘Lambies’ to the World Cup but Jack was somewhat more realistic with his ambitions.
He said: “Realistically, we are looking at the Island Games, a competition for micronations and islands like Shetland and the Faroes, with it taking place in Guernsey next year.”
Next up, the team are getting ready to film a rendition of the new 'nation's' anthem in front of the Lamb.
Jack said: "That one is going to take a lot of bottle, but the lads all have the lyrics so they can get studying!"
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