Billy Cotsis

Once upon a time in Crystal Palace, Heart, football and life under Brexit Billy Cotsis

Brexit fiction. What happens when a Greek Aussie, a Cypriot, football and Brexit all meet in Crystal Palace? With the divisive Brexit looming in Britain, Fillipos is seeing his struggling FC team marching through the Cup rounds. Despite his youthful age, he is considered a has-been with either a return to Australia or a stint in the desert on the horizon. The Greek Aussie and his local buddies seemingly navigate a range of problems, egos, domestic violence, gambling and the meaning of heart and friendship. They are joined by Jamal who is their struggling Captain with his own problems and woes. The Captain of a world cup winning team, he has to hold the egos of his team together while facing his own dramas, when Palace suddenly appoint Fernandinha as an assistant manager. Based on a collection of real and imagined stories accumulated in Crystal Palace, not based on the real (and awesome) football team, this tale combines a dry sense of humour, drama, sport and politics in a fast-paced nod to contemporary London and Europe.