| Don't people play football anymore? 20:11 - Oct 12 with 6251 views | 1BobbyHazell |
I thought I'd take a trip down memory lane and look up the last club I played for in the early noughties, Kew AFC.
It was a lovely club, 100 years old, very proud of having beaten Ipswich in the 30's, matches on Saturday afternoon anywhere inside the M25, manager always shoehorning in the fact that our results were on teletext (page 48 of 48, had to wait 27 minutes to see it flash up for a few seconds) in his half time bollocking.
Most importantly it had 9 XI's, so it catered for a decent range of ability, all the captains would meet each week to do selection, players moving up and down between teams, all very proper and must have had a good 150 players on the books. It was big on social stuff and they had a new clubhouse built with Rangers being part of it.
So when I went on the website I saw they now have just TWO teams, two. I'm really shocked.
Is this just an anomaly at this particular club or has the number of people playing the game diminished that much?
What are other people's experience of this?
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| Don't people play football anymore? on 16:51 - Oct 13 with 1363 views | ingeminate |
| Don't people play football anymore? on 14:11 - Oct 13 by Hunterhoop |
Well, we can agree to disagree.
I've just seen it for 5 years where "good" 5 aside players really struggle to play 11aside. Never seen or heard of it the other way around. The simple fact the size of the pitch is much smaller, the space to cover is smaller, the ball doesn't go over head height, etc, means it's a simpler "narrower" type of football....and, in my eyes, isn't proper football. The pool to snooker or T20 to Test match are good analogies.
And I did say it's only some, certainly not everyone, who play 5 aside for the whole personal "tekkers" thing, rather than fitness/with mates, like most.
So, I'm really not sure what was "rubbish". I made it clear, it's only my opinion having managed an 11 aside team and played with and against 5 aside players. |
Lost count of the times somebody has brought along a mate who is great at 5-aside and turns out to be hopeless at 11aside, I'm not sure that people play 5aside because they are keen to show off, more than for many it's a way of getting a game at a lower level in a sanitised environment. Most of the lads I know from school who were not good enough to play for first or second teams play 5-aside now.
I agree about the points made about increase in aggression. I play in the Stockport league for Marple and Mellor and two weeks ago the match was abandoned after a mass brawl involving players, coaching staff and spectators from both teams. One of ours left with a double fractured jaw, another broken nose, another had to go in for a suspected fractured skull. Nobody needs that on a Sunday morning!
That said I think you can in the main avoid hassle, though obv always run the risk of a nightmare challenge. [Post edited 13 Oct 2016 16:53]
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| Don't people play football anymore? on 16:57 - Oct 13 with 1357 views | Dorse |
Knocked football on the head when I did my neck in but the last 11 a-side match I played, I was up against a forward who was over half my age. After 65 mins I was blowing out my ar$e and this cheeky wee scamp was giving me a hell of a runaround. Realised I wasn't 18 anymore and bowed out after the match (which, astoundingly, we won).
I still miss playing but I know it's not for me anymore. Can't risk the neck going. |  |
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| Don't people play football anymore? on 17:15 - Oct 13 with 1336 views | onlyrinmoray |
| Don't people play football anymore? on 21:22 - Oct 12 by Stanisgod |
As I'm now 61 and my days of tearing up the right wing are gone , I've been considering this walking football thing , loads of it round my area apparently and you only have to watch Karl Henry to get a few tips. |
You should consider walking football Stan. I'm 66 and have been playing for 2 years We meet at the local community centre and play 4 minute games A good bunch of 15 blokes where we don't take it seriously but have played games against Inverness and Aberdeen
I was speaking to the Council Sports coach who said that in a nearby town you get guys who take it far too seriously and it can get nasty and they are over 50s, pathetic really
Walking football was started to encourage older men to get off their ass and get some exercise It works for me as since I gave up my gardening business it keeps me pretty fit for an old guy |  | | |
| Don't people play football anymore? (n/t) on 17:18 - Oct 13 with 1331 views | PunteR |
| Don't people play football anymore? on 16:24 - Oct 13 by Toast_R |
I quit 11 a-side at 16 when I started working Saturdays but had played in a team since the age of 6, mainly because I was pushed into it.
Joined a new team at 22 and over at Wandsworth Common, terrible pitches, weather and basically- what North said. Only did a season and that was of major perseverance. Of course, being naturally crap didn't help.
Started playing 6 a-side at the Tooting and Mitcham league on a Tuesday in 2002. Was good when it first started, organised, teams had to have a kit etc and the league was divided in 4 divisions and some quality. Slowly but surely as the years went by, it fell into disrepair and even the blokes that ran it knocked it on the head. People threatening to stab each other after the matches - that sort of thing, Quit that in 2009 had a brief spell at Goals - decided I wasn't enjoying it anymore. Took up Cycling. [Post edited 13 Oct 2016 16:27]
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[Post edited 13 Oct 2016 18:38]
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| Occasional providers of half decent House music. |
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| Don't people play football anymore? on 22:22 - Oct 13 with 1264 views | FredManRave |
| Don't people play football anymore? on 15:30 - Oct 13 by plasmahoop |
I think there have been a lot of good points on this thread. But its not just football, its all sport and other games like golf, snooker, darts too. Essentially people are becoming more individual, it would appear that there is less sport and sociable pub drinking, but there is more takeaways, obesity and cannabis. People surely still need hobbies though don't they, or is everyone just sitting indoors cracking one off in front of the computer |
Hey! Don't tar all of us with Wokings brush!
Hunter - Hope your knee situation improves. It reads like an absolute bloody nughtmare even more so bearing in mind you're only 30 and it must have been some bástard of a challenge! I did my ACL last May and haven't yet been able to return to my chosen sport of squash. It's been a nightmare and I think any chance of Senior titles for me now are all but gone.
Maybe you should pop down to Sandbanks and get some knee and football management advice. Two birds and all that. |  |
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| Don't people play football anymore? on 22:53 - Oct 13 with 1250 views | PunteR |
I do think football is changing. More kids are playing on artificial pitches these days plus watching F2 freestylers' on youtube with all the tricks and flicks.
The art of the slide tackle is going.
I don't see so many kids on the street playing footie anymore either. Jumpers for goal posts are a thing of the past. Kids would rather get the latest FIFA 17. | |
| Occasional providers of half decent House music. |
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| Don't people play football anymore? on 09:29 - Oct 14 with 1202 views | Hunterhoop |
| Don't people play football anymore? on 22:22 - Oct 13 by FredManRave |
Hey! Don't tar all of us with Wokings brush!
Hunter - Hope your knee situation improves. It reads like an absolute bloody nughtmare even more so bearing in mind you're only 30 and it must have been some bástard of a challenge! I did my ACL last May and haven't yet been able to return to my chosen sport of squash. It's been a nightmare and I think any chance of Senior titles for me now are all but gone.
Maybe you should pop down to Sandbanks and get some knee and football management advice. Two birds and all that. |
Not that anyone will be interested, but since you asked Fred, the story of how it happened is a little unusual.
Went in for a 50/50 in a game in the Nov of the season. My studs got caught in the ground, oppo player went over the top of the ball, having got a bit of it first (genuinely don't think it was deliberate) and then followed through into my shin/calf. With me already going over my knee the wrong way due to studs caught in ground, it just made it worse. Felt like my leg had broken at the knee.
Anyway, it blew up. Agony for about 1-2 mins after the tackle. Needed help off the pitch. Once it had swollen up pain went and I could hobble. I actually drove myself home, convinced I'd just twisted it or something. After two weeks of commuting via train/tube to work in town, I eventually went to the doctors. Was referred to a specialist (lucky to have private cover with work) and had an MRI. Came back for the results, and was told the radiography dept hadn't reviewed, but my specialist had the disc and said he could do it with me there and then. Was told I'd completely ruptured my MCL but my ACL was fine. 2-3 months of physio and I'd be fine. So, I went for 2-3 months of physio. Did the leg work in the gym. Came back in Feb I think.
It still didn't feel 100% but I thought it was more lost muscle strength than anything else...and the tendonitis I'd had since 21. Actually scored a tap in from a scramble from a corner, but before half time went into an innocuous challenge (both stayed on our feet) to clear the ball and my knee just went from under me and several of my team said they heard a pop. Wasn't as painful as the time in Nov. I could hobble. Again I drive myself home (luckily only a couple of miles).
Went back to the doctors, got referred, had MRI. Different specialist this time. When he got the results, properly reviewed in advance this time, I was told I'd completely blown the ACL (as in disconnected it), severely torn the MCL and damaged some meniscus. But, worst of all, that the original MRI from Nov had been misdiagnosed; I had torn my ACL then. Not completely disconnected it, but torn of badly, and should never have been playing on it within 3 months. Doctor basically said I could not have surgery, do loads of physio to build up the leg muscle to compensate, and still expect to blow my knee out again 3-4 times of year from slipping, being drunk, etc. And of courseX I would never be able to play sport again.
Or I could have full knee reconstruction surgery. I chose this.
Took a full year to be able to play sport from them. Because of the farce back with the misdiagnosis, I lost Nov-April of one season and the whole following season.
Morale of the story, if someone says they can read an MRI scan for you, even if they're a knee specialist, but it's not their day job Roland they're in a rush, don't let them.
Oh, and don't play football after 3 months on a torn ACL. Doesn't end well. |  | | |
| Don't people play football anymore? on 10:47 - Oct 14 with 1185 views | queensparker |
Completely agree with you Hunter about the difference between 11 and 5-a-side. I still play 5-a-side every now and then and it's OK, but nothing can beat a proper game.
I played Sunday League on and off around south London for about 15 years, and used to love the physical side of it, proper tackling, aerial battles, having a real one-on-one with whoever you were up against (started as a centre forward and ended up a centre back, like a crap, lanky Chris Sutton). You just don't get that in 5-a-side.
Having said that I packed it all in when as someone piled into me from the side (completely fairly), my studs got caught in the ground and braced my leg straight, and my leg was millimetres away from snapping in half. Still f*cked my knee for months, and as I was in my late thirties (and to be honest getting even worse by the game as young kids swanned past with ease) I thought it was time to stop.
As a hangover cure you just can't beat standing around in shorts in the pissing January rain at 10am on a shitty common somewhere, wondering what the hell you're doing. Then getting home in time for a big roast and falling asleep on the sofa in front of the football. |  | | |
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