Tom Schmitter is a football writer from Germany with a particular affection for the less obvious corners of the beautiful game. He writes about football culture, forgotten stories, small stadiums, clubs and the people who make them special. His writing has appeared in publications including When Saturday Comes and Late Tackle.

He mainly follows football in Hesse, Germany, but his interests also take him further afield — from Europe to Oceania and beyond. For him, clubs such as Leyton Orient, Perth Glory, Asante Kotoko and El Farolito SC are more than just football clubs — they are like music or poetry, each with their own rhythm, character and stories to tell.

His favourite ground is Stadion am Brentanobad in Frankfurt: small, charming and full of character. Because, after all, this is how football should be.