Grass Roots Football

[skinnydipper]

Like others I'm getting bored with the megabucks boom/bust top level football with some shit for brains chavs earning more in a week than a nurse will earn in 4 years, refs backslapping big team players and fans being financially shafted up the arse from every angle. The Premiership is perhaps more interesting this season than for many but it'll still be the usual suspects battling for the title and relegation and the value of both cup competitions has been devalued by the big clubs putting out reserve teams that more often than not will piss on it's first team opposition. What are the chances these days of an Ipswich or a Forest coming from nowhere to be a force unless ther's some faceless Sheikh or on the make Yank bankrolling it?

Most of my early years spectating was spent watching Friar Lane in the late 70s. Good times - decent enough football (got to two vase semi finals) , a few laughs with your mates, some sherberts after the game and even had a post match kickabout on or by the pitch sometimes.

I do wonder if those fans of the likes of FC Manchester/ Wimbledon are having a better time (or at least as good a time) at a fraction of the cost as the supporters of their derivative clubs.

The thing is I keep renewing the season ticket year after year.Sad but I still get nervous watching some Leicester games and a win or loss will still affect my mood. So at the moment the club's still got me (or should I say my wallet) by the balls but the grip's just loosening a little bit.

[hairy]

I have to agree. What price is success?

Fortunately my lads team are doing well. Their first match for five weeks this Sunday and the feeling of excitment is starting.

[skinnydipper]

I have to agree. What price is success?

Fortunately my lads team are doing well. Their first match for five weeks this Sunday and the feeling of excitment is starting.

My lad's team isn't doing so well. But I used to coach at U8s - U10s and that was great.

[Leicfox]

Because i can't get to many Leicester games, ive started to go and watch Fleetwood Town with a few work mates and i love it.

COD ARRRRRRRRRRRRRMY.

[Fosse Boy]

Plus, the further down the pyramid you go, the more you're able to enjoy being a fan. You're free to stand without harrassment from stewards, free to enjoy a beer while you watch the match, don't have to worry about being herded around by police etc. The standard's often shocking but hey, that's part of the fun of it.

Also, if we're on about youth football I must admit I do enjoy going down the Rec of a Sunday to watch my brother wind up a load of chavs from Corby for 80 minutes.

[skinnydipper]

Plus, the further down the pyramid you go, the more you're able to enjoy being a fan. You're free to stand without harrassment from stewards, free to enjoy a beer while you watch the match, don't have to worry about being herded around by police etc. The standard's often shocking but hey, that's part of the fun of it.

Also, if we're on about youth football I must admit I do enjoy going down the Rec of a Sunday to watch my brother wind up a load of chavs from Corby for 80 minutes.

Usually get a good scrap thrown in too

[StanSP]

I miss playing football on Sunday's. Used to love that feeling waking up in the morning knowing you have a match to look forward.

One thing I regret not doing when back at home is not watching Bedford Town once (watched rugby once).

[Daggers]

I do wonder if those fans of the likes of FC Manchester/ Wimbledon are having a better time (or at least as good a time) at a fraction of the cost as the supporters of their derivative clubs.

The thing is I keep renewing the season ticket year after year.Sad but I still get nervous watching some Leicester games and a win or loss will still affect my mood. So at the moment the club's still got me (or should I say my wallet) by the balls but the grip's just loosening a little bit.

I've spent this season playing with my kids on a Saturday. Maybe the match commentary will be on somewhere but it has ceased to be a pressing need. I'm enjoying my weekends so much more.

[Shrenchel]

Grass is always greener though. Standing in a freezing, sparsely populated ground with about 4 people singing, watching 11 blokes huff and puff round the field lumping it long ball to some fat, ugly bastard up front...actually, maybe the grass is the same colour.

I've spent this season playing with my kids on a Saturday. Maybe the match commentary will be on somewhere but it has ceased to be a pressing need. I'm enjoying my weekends so much more.

Thought you had a ST Daggers? Just don't use it? That's pretty bourgeois.

[skinnydipper]

I've spent this season playing with my kids on a Saturday. Maybe the match commentary will be on somewhere but it has ceased to be a pressing need. I'm enjoying my weekends so much more.

Playing active sport with my son usually results in me trying to get revenge for the stuffings he gives me on Pro Evo and prove that I'm not yet a total has been. Sad I know

And for him there's not to much worse than being beaten at anything by his old man

Either way one of us ends up in a mard or with battered pride

Whereas with watching Leicester we can both be miserable

[skinnydipper]

Grass is always greener though. Standing in a freezing, sparsely populated ground with about 4 people singing, watching 11 blokes huff and puff round the field lumping it long ball to some fat, ugly bastard up front...actually, maybe the grass is the same colour.

Thought you had a ST Daggers? Just don't use it? That's pretty bourgeois.

Not sure what but something about your post made me think about Steve Howard

[Tevez]

Grass Roots Football is a part of my life, running a Sunday team and maybe doing a Saturday team next season. But I just don't think it's invested in much despite the amount of good players there are.

[lou]

My Son played Sunday league from when he was knee high to a grasshopper til this season and I miss going to watch it sooooo much

[Daggers]

Thought you had a ST Daggers? Just don't use it? That's pretty bourgeois.

Nah. Got them refunded before the kick off of the season.

[skinnydipper]

My Son played Sunday league from when he was knee high to a grasshopper til this season and I miss going to watch it sooooo much

My son plays U15s this year but is thinking about jacking it in at the end of the season

I won't miss driving all over the county and getting my nuts frozen off on a Sunday afternoon

But there's lots of things I will miss about it, probably won't realise how much until it happens

[lou]

My son plays U15s this year but is thinking about jacking it in at the end of the season

I won't miss driving all over the county and getting my nuts frozen off on a Sunday afternoon

But there's lots of things I will miss about it, probably won't realise how much until it happens

I said all that (well, barring the nuts bit ) but Id give anything to be doing all that again! Make the most of it while you can...

[skinnydipper]

I said all that (well, barring the nuts bit ) but Id give anything to be doing all that again! Make the most of it while you can...

I imagine Mr Lou's mighty relieved to hear that

I will

[Wycombe Fox]

I'm assistant manager of a local Under 15's team on the island.

My son plays left-back and has missed, I think, one game in three years.

This Sunday we play in the age-group cup final.

Last week he was diagnosed with glandular fever; he feels absolutely rubbish and can barely get himself out of bed so playing in the cup final is out of the question, as is playing in our remaining three league games. He is gutted.

I've just had a phone call telling me that the FA have decreed that any player unavailable to play in the final won't be entitled to a medal. The local secretary of the FA actually said that if my son wants a medal, he has to get himself to the bench, kitted out ready to play. Cnut.

I've become increasingly disillusioned with 'grass roots football' as it appears to be run by, as Will Carling once put it about the RFU, a bunch of old farts.

The FA promotes 'Safeguarding Children', one of the principles of which is to protect children from emotional harm. They really should take a look at themselves.

Disgusted.

Grass roots football can be fun and rewarding for children, coaches and parents.

Grass roots FA can kiss my arse.

[AyewJoking]

pay some kid to sit on the bench and give the medal to your son.

[Wycombe Fox]

pay some kid to sit on the bench and give the medal to your son.

Everybody knows everybody down here so we wouldn't get away with it, plus the IOWFA Secretary is also our club secretary.

[NeilyBoy]

I'm assistant manager of a local Under 15's team on the island.

My son plays left-back and has missed, I think, one game in three years.

This Sunday we play in the age-group cup final.

Last week he was diagnosed with glandular fever; he feels absolutely rubbish and can barely get himself out of bed so playing in the cup final is out of the question, as is playing in our remaining three league games. He is gutted.

I've just had a phone call telling me that the FA have decreed that any player unavailable to play in the final won't be entitled to a medal. The local secretary of the FA actually said that if my son wants a medal, he has to get himself to the bench, kitted out ready to play. Cnut.

I've become increasingly disillusioned with 'grass roots football' as it appears to be run by, as Will Carling once put it about the RFU, a bunch of old farts.

The FA promotes 'Safeguarding Children', one of the principles of which is to protect children from emotional harm. They really should take a look at themselves.

Disgusted.

Grass roots football can be fun and rewarding for children, coaches and parents.

Grass roots FA can kiss my arse.

I hear you - I played an entire season without missing a game apart from the last 2 of the season. Had to watch my team-mates and some cvnt who barely made it off the bench collect league winner medals.