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Anyone play Sunday League these days?

What's things like locally?

Was flourishing 10-15 years ago but get the feeling less people are playing Sunday 11 a side these days.

What's refereeing like? Watching how little you can tackle in the pro game then most Sunday games would be 8 v 8 after ten minutes if the same approach was taken
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  • edited August 2017

    What's things like locally?

    Was flourishing 10-15 years ago but get the feeling less people are playing Sunday 11 a side these days.

    What's referring like? Watching how little you can tackle in the pro game then most Sunday games would be 8 v 8 after ten minutes if the same approach was taken

    Well if Goal-Line technology was brought in along with the VAR system it'll be a lot easier for those Referee's to control games!!

  • Numbers playing 11 v 11 dropped by 33% in this country, can't remember the time frame of this drop but it wasn't long.
  • And how much is subs these days?
  • edited August 2017
    I played for a couple of sides in Canterbury/Whitstable for a few years, stopped about 4 years ago when the second side folded. There were 5 leagues then, probably 45 teams.

    There are 3 leagues now, about 30 teams. Interest is definitely dropping off/moving onto 5/6a side.

    Subs were £7 a week by the end I think, plus a couple of quid at training.

    Ref quality was very varied!
  • Ran a team a few years back for a period of 4 years. Struggled to break even at £10 a head, although to be fair I'd been charging too little for years and subsidised the running of the team in the end. Worst job I ever did.
  • I jointly run a team. £25 a month each. 17 signed.... bare 11 with 3/4 ringers come January. Always the same dunno why I bother.
  • Pitches are £100 a game now (even council pitches). With kits, referees fees, fines and other equipment it's just too expensive to run a team these days.
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  • I used to play in Woolwich and eltham alliance, now playing In graham dodd premier which is more SW way. My lot have a really good pitch at a sports club in dulwich and our fees aren't too bad, 60 reg for the season then think it's about 8 quid per game. Once you get past your mid 20s though it's a real nightmare, too many commitments, weekends away, weddings - getting a decent team out consistently is a thankless task. And that's ignoring the fact I'm about half as good as I was 5 yeArs ago. Still enjoy it though, will play as long as I can/ injuries permit.
  • I skipper a team on Saturday afternoons that place in the Amateur Football Combination. The club run three teams and on the most part we don't struggle for players, although have done in the past. Subs are £10, training is free for club members (membership is £35 for the season). Although there are reduced rates for unemployed & students.

    We use Hall Place and the new changing facilities are there are some of the best in the league. Pitches aren't great, but neither is the standard of the the football.

    The standard of refereeing is pretty good, our 1st XI tend to have a ref appointed by the league and we've got a couple of good refs we rely on for 2nd and 3rd XI matches.
  • Played in the Gravesend League 10 years ago. There was 3 divisions. It doesn't run anymore as they couldn't get enough teams to run a single division.

    No evidence for it its just my opinion but its easier and cheaper now for young men to jump on their xbox and play Fifa.

    I used to get up every Saturday, first one out the changing rooms with nets, last one in putting them back, playing in the freezing cold in mud up to my knees to find half your team have suddenly got diarrhea and the other side are only interested in a punching your face in.

    Not sure I blame them.
  • Returning to Sunday League this year after a year off. Flattering to deceive on terrible pitches (none of them will be "my type of pitch") for Crayford Eagles (I know, what a shite name).

    We're in the Kent Suburban Division 1 and have a Fair Play Cup Final this Sunday at Phoenix before the season kicks off properly the week after.

    Got half a dozen decent players from what I've seen so far, but no doubt we'll be scrambling around for players most Saturday nights and Sunday mornings just to make the 11 despite having about 25 signed on!

    Ahh Sundays!
  • 2013/2014 was my last season and my club's last season. I really miss it these days, it's an odd one...

    We didn't really have a reason to break up, but a lot of the Reigate Hornets joined Reigations AFC Saturday team and still play together in the 1's.

  • Been getting back into Saturday league (a final, desperate throw of the dice) and have found the clubs are pretty well run, both I've been at have 6/7 teams and all manage to get a side out if the pitches are alright.

    Standard is pony at the lower ones... but down there it's about getting out, having a run around and a drink and some food after. More socially active than any Sunday ones I've been at in the past as well. Did love Sunday league too, but if I got dropped there was no '5th' team to fall into and get a game!
  • Daddy_Pig said:

    Played in the Gravesend League 10 years ago. There was 3 divisions. It doesn't run anymore as they couldn't get enough teams to run a single division.

    No evidence for it its just my opinion but its easier and cheaper now for young men to jump on their xbox and play Fifa.

    I used to get up every Saturday, first one out the changing rooms with nets, last one in putting them back, playing in the freezing cold in mud up to my knees to find half your team have suddenly got diarrhea and the other side are only interested in a punching your face in.

    Not sure I blame them.

    I last played in the Gravesend league about 7 or 8 years ago, there were 2 divisions on a Saturday and 4 on a Sunday at the time. Saturday football (and cricket) are effected by the sheer number of young lads working retail jobs on a Saturday. When I was younger Saturdays was always more serious than Sundays, you were part of the pyramid (12 promotions and we'll be in the prem lol) and the quality was often higher. Then teams started to struggle more and more for players on a Saturday and Sunday leagues became bigger and stronger.
  • Have never played for a team, but are Saturday teams more 'proper footballing teams' and Sunday team thugs from pubs ?
  • MrOneLung said:

    Have never played for a team, but are Saturday teams more 'proper footballing teams' and Sunday team thugs from pubs ?

    Wouldn't put it like that, more so Sunday league is blokes turning up to have a bit of a laugh hope to nick a win, Saturday has more of the try hard types that don't take losing well and get dirtier as the game goes on (in my experience).

    But tbh both have their decent players and their wrong uns.
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  • MrOneLung said:

    Have never played for a team, but are Saturday teams more 'proper footballing teams' and Sunday team thugs from pubs ?

    Generalising... but I've probably found that a bit, yeah. Saturday teams you get a few school 'old boys' teams, (basic) food is put on for the away team after and you often have a respected club chairman wandering around the clubhouse who used to play for them in the 50s/60s.

    That's not to say you don't get a few bruising tackles and occasional handbags on Saturdays.
  • I'm actually looking for a Sunday team for this season. Need to get fully fit again after a few seasons out and a relationship lol. But if there's anyone looking for a midfielder, give me a shout.
  • At the moment, I give up my Sunday mornings to watch my Grandson who is in the U11's this year. Not sure how much longer though as last season, despite the respect campaign, it kicked off with the parents on at least 5 occasions.

    Freddie plays in the top division of 7, it makes me laugh because all the parents want to do is tell you what academy their boy is attached too. Most of whom haven't got any chance whatsoever of making it as a footballer, so much pressure put on the boys at this age.

    Freddie has a mate at school who is attached to Arsenal, his parents were given £5k at the age of seven for him to sign, incredible!
  • The tail off in the Medway Sunday league has been fairly rapid, it was at 7 leagues of 12 team when I started but down to 5 now and with the majority playing with bare numbers.

    My local team Teynham Wanderers are 50/50 to start the season which is a great shame as this would be there 50th season of fielding a team.

    If anybody is in the area and fancies a run out let me know.

    Speaking with the Chairman he feels a lot of the younger generation do not play anymore due to nightclubs locally staying open till 4-6am hence they can't get up as opposed to the pub closing at 11.30 and the club at 2am a few years ago.
  • I refereed campion v Knaresborough town both teams only had 4 on bench.
  • Dazzler21 said:

    2013/2014 was my last season and my club's last season. I really miss it these days, it's an odd one...

    We didn't really have a reason to break up, but a lot of the Reigate Hornets joined Reigations AFC Saturday team and still play together in the 1's.

    Do you still play the "Skin the fullback, hit the deadball line and cross the ball into the box" role that you and Nathan Prior played for CharltonLife or are you a more sedate "spray the passes" about type player.
    For what its worth I think you were faster than prior, although he did have plimsols on! ;)
  • T.C.E said:

    Dazzler21 said:

    2013/2014 was my last season and my club's last season. I really miss it these days, it's an odd one...

    We didn't really have a reason to break up, but a lot of the Reigate Hornets joined Reigations AFC Saturday team and still play together in the 1's.

    Do you still play the "Skin the fullback, hit the deadball line and cross the ball into the box" role that you and Nathan Prior played for CharltonLife or are you a more sedate "spray the passes" about type player.
    For what its worth I think you were faster than prior, although he did have plimsols on! ;)
    Luckily that Golden Slug tag sped me up a bit...

    I was a forward at 11-aside started really training after the CL games and ended up getting fit enough to be used in the Simon Church/Luke Varney chase down everything role and managed to bag a couple a season along with a few assists.

    100m pace is now 12.36 seconds and 5k pace is in the 21:20's bracket.

    Back then it was around 16 seconds for 100m and 28 minutes for a 5k lol!
    Currently training for a 3hr30-3hr45 Marathon in November.

    (Good lord, thinking back, I hadn't played 11-aside since leaving school and hadn't really exercised at all since leaving my fitness instructor job at 18 - It seems in the 3 years until I turned 21, I had undone all the hard work it took to get me into the shape that got me through that job! When I look back at the CLFC days, I'm not surprised I was very slow!)


    I'll take you and @Oggy Red up on that 100m sprint now if you like :wink:
  • Dazzler21 said:

    T.C.E said:

    Dazzler21 said:

    2013/2014 was my last season and my club's last season. I really miss it these days, it's an odd one...

    We didn't really have a reason to break up, but a lot of the Reigate Hornets joined Reigations AFC Saturday team and still play together in the 1's.

    Do you still play the "Skin the fullback, hit the deadball line and cross the ball into the box" role that you and Nathan Prior played for CharltonLife or are you a more sedate "spray the passes" about type player.
    For what its worth I think you were faster than prior, although he did have plimsols on! ;)
    Luckily that Golden Slug tag sped me up a bit...

    I was a forward at 11-aside started really training after the CL games and ended up getting fit enough to be used in the Simon Church/Luke Varney chase down everything role and managed to bag a couple a season along with a few assists.

    100m pace is now 12.36 seconds and 5k pace is in the 21:20's bracket.

    Back then it was around 16 seconds for 100m and 28 minutes for a 5k lol!
    Currently training for a 3hr30-3hr45 Marathon in November.

    (Good lord, thinking back, I hadn't played 11-aside since leaving school and hadn't really exercised at all since leaving my fitness instructor job at 18 - It seems in the 3 years until I turned 21, I had undone all the hard work it took to get me into the shape that got me through that job! When I look back at the CLFC days, I'm not surprised I was very slow!)


    I'll take you and @Oggy Red up on that 100m sprint now if you like :wink:
    Happily take you up on that, although I need a rolling start. ;)
  • No using dogs as tools for taking down opposition.
  • Dazzler21 said:

    T.C.E said:

    Dazzler21 said:

    2013/2014 was my last season and my club's last season. I really miss it these days, it's an odd one...

    We didn't really have a reason to break up, but a lot of the Reigate Hornets joined Reigations AFC Saturday team and still play together in the 1's.

    Do you still play the "Skin the fullback, hit the deadball line and cross the ball into the box" role that you and Nathan Prior played for CharltonLife or are you a more sedate "spray the passes" about type player.
    For what its worth I think you were faster than prior, although he did have plimsols on! ;)
    Luckily that Golden Slug tag sped me up a bit...

    I was a forward at 11-aside started really training after the CL games and ended up getting fit enough to be used in the Simon Church/Luke Varney chase down everything role and managed to bag a couple a season along with a few assists.

    100m pace is now 12.36 seconds and 5k pace is in the 21:20's bracket.

    Back then it was around 16 seconds for 100m and 28 minutes for a 5k lol!
    Currently training for a 3hr30-3hr45 Marathon in November.

    (Good lord, thinking back, I hadn't played 11-aside since leaving school and hadn't really exercised at all since leaving my fitness instructor job at 18 - It seems in the 3 years until I turned 21, I had undone all the hard work it took to get me into the shape that got me through that job! When I look back at the CLFC days, I'm not surprised I was very slow!)


    I'll take you and @Oggy Red up on that 100m sprint now if you like :wink:
    I'm 62 now. I'll need a 50 metre start!

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