Can anyone be bothered?

Celtic_Steve · Can anyone be bothered?

What's going on?

Forum chat this week is full of stories of teams who, for whatever reasons, can't seem to be able to field a side.

"Ashby Rovers only having 11 players"
"Beacon starting with 9"
"Birstall Stamford have 20 unavailable"
"Falcons can't get a team"

All of us who have run clubs have had one of 'those Sundays' where you've an injury and holiday list that's more than half your squad, but these teams listed aren't Div 4 sides who struggle to get by every week, they're teams in the upper echelons of our league (Falcons were top of the Prem before Sunday).

Is the Sunday League Footballer dying out as a breed? Are people feeling the call of the duvet on a Sunday more rewarding than the call of the football pitch?

Or, is it more endemic to our society in general - too many kids playing FIFA instead of actually kicking a ball.

Adamlill

No loyalty these days. And in my opinion a lack of respect to thoses who go out there way to run the teams. If you sign on for a Sunday morning side, you should show some commitment. If you cant be arsed to turn up, dont sign on. We had a mare of a season last year, and on two occasions played with 10 men because the lads just wanted to play. We could easily have done what more than a few teams do and call the game off at the last minuite.
The bottom line is if you cant be arsed to drag yourself out of bed, either have the balls to tell whoever needs to know, or like I said dont sign on!

big_mac

Players seem to be devoted to their saturday teams (regardless of level playing at), which is great, however more and more players are deciding wheather or not to play after their saturday game. E.G. maybe a slight injury, maybe a tough Saturday or Sunday game, maybe going out Saturday night.

To many, Sundays are equally important, which is why I think penalties should be harsh to teams who claim they cant field 11. It should be 50/50 between clubs not signing on players who they feel may be unreliable, and players being 100% commited (other than injuries) or dont play Sundays at all as it ruins it for your opposition.

Celtic_Steve

Adam, I feel your pain mate. Looks like you're doing ok this year so far.

birstallstamfordanumber1

Speaking on behalf of our club, i think this week was down to the fact that most of the unavailable players were on holiday or genuinely carrying injuries as most of them play saturdays to be fair, normally we dont have a problem but it was just `one of those weeks`.

However, i do believe that steve has a valid point when he says that kids just cant be bothered to get out of bed and play the beautiful game, at any level, any more.

Is it down to us a a footballing community to do more?? The parents?? the government even?? What does th future hold if this carries on??

HathernCrowns

We've had similar issues ever since we started 4 / 5 years ago. We started off with a pretty uneven balance of players aged 30 + which makes it harder for them to make 2 games a weekend and now have issues of young families / commitments etc.

We managed to sign a few younger lads over the summer and to be honest if we hadn't we'd have struggled to get full sides out these first few weeks.

Interesting point Big Mac makes about the Saturday issues, some managers don't like their players turning out on Sundays and for others the legs just can't do two games in a weekend!

Will be interesting to see how the situation develops when its starts getting colder / wetter / windier on a sunday morning!!

Cossington Royal Oak

After reading a few topic's on here over the last few weeks i thought it was time one of the oldest sides in the charnwood leagues should comment on the state of the league at present.

The truth is sides are struggling to keep hold of sides,because of lack of committment,pot hunting season after season players.
when i first started playing at 16,there was 7 divisions all told..and you played the game,tried your best and went and had a pint and some food back at the teams pub,because that what it is at the end of the day..pub football

Now all you get is this win at all cost's mentally,players leaving to go to a bigger club on a sunday that will win things!!! we have lost players beacuse they want to win things...why,i dont know...and when you are a small team losing these players makes it hard.

i see all the frustration on this forum about teams losing 5 nil,6 2 etc..and they are on about extra training, and all sorts... is this sunday football !!
we lost 7 nil opening game of the season...we will take it on the chin,we have been in this position before and just staying up is success for us.

Again all these reserve sides...dont help..when it comes to the end of the season or semi finals etc..they pull first team players in...This just smacks of what happens on saturdays and this is how the charnwood leagues are going.

i will also add...none of our players play on saturday..we are a true sunday team. turn up,play football..win as a team lose as a team,no superstars. we must be doing some thing right as we have people still involved since the club was formed in 1966.

UL NEVER PLAY 4 COMPASS!

MIGHTY COMPASS AINT BEEN STRUGGLING FOR A TEAM LADS!! PLAYERS GOT TO WANT IT I SUPPOSE, DIE 4 THE CLUB!!! UP THE COMPASS

Donisthorpe Engines

Speaking from the lofty distances of Donisthorpe, as a new club, my biggest worry when forming was getting the players in, but right now we are doing ok, alot of young lads with little experience of sunday league football (due to computers and other distractions), but I think a club is moulded around the manager and the staff and how they set there team to think and act.

I have told my lads from the beginning that yes we want success, but we also want to be a fair team who cares about the traditions of the game at this level, playing football, being passionate on the pitch, but shaking hands with the opposition, putting grudges aside when the whistle blows and going back to the team pub for food and drink afterwards, what shocks me nowadays, is that some teams don't even put food\drink on for the opposition anymore!!!

First thing I did when I started Donisthorpe was get involved with my local boozer and get food and drink arranged for home and away teams, such as Greenhill this coming sunday, its actually a massive part of the game as far as I'm concerned, because playing sunday league should be about the laughs and the good times, not pretending you can be as intense and as professionaly astute as a Premiership team!

My lads have quality and potential and I think my taking training so seriously, getting them to do real drills, professional sessions and to actually learn about the game (such as we did Theory tonight instead of being on the pitch) is not only improving them, but they are learning about the game slowly and they seem to enjoy it because now, its more then just a kick around for them, while the pub laughs afterwards stop it being to pressurising and to intense.

I think there has to be a fine balance to lure in players and keep them and right now, we are enjoying the choice we currently have, I just hope we can say the same when winter turns its ugly head.

Adamlill

I'm lucky with the group I've got. We have no pretty boys or so called superstars. The main bunch is the same as last season who have stuck at it and improved vastly. They all get on with each other, and if they cant play for whatever reason each and every one lets me know in time for me to sort something out.

I myself not only manage the team but play, take the training, mark the pitch, and sort the sponsorship. I'm at our pace at 9.00am on a Sunday and I'm last to leave after I've cleaned the changing rooms along with running my own business during the week. My saving grace is that the lads appreciate what I do and show me alot of respect. They dont like to let me or any of there team mates down.

If certain so called better/bigger clubs were ran in the same manner the league would be in a better state than it is now.

Ian @ Birstall Trees

I take on board all the points raised the chap from Cossington Royal Oak,

I totally agree, Sunday mornings is all about enjoying the game, yes we all want to win, as its no fun losing every week, but at the end of the day you go to your local pub, couple of pints, bit of a laugh, then back to normality.

We seem to be bucking the trend at our club, as our trouble is trying to keep everyone happy, with 18+ turning up for each side week in week out, (not sure why, as we can hardly be labelled 'pot hunters'). Maybe its because we only have about four players who play on Saturdays in both teams, so Sundays is still king?

I am seriously considering entering a third team next year, if we continue with this interest, Am I mad?, probably so, as it will be me sorting it all out, My only concern, is with all pubs struggling at the moment, we are likely to lose more teams than we gain, so if a club can raise a reserves team, it can only be of to the benefit of the league.

That said, our pub could close any day if it doesn't get sold soon, so if it does ignore all of the above, and I'll have to start again from scratch!!!

Ian @ Birstall Trees

Adam,

With you there mate, I was at our reserves pitch 8.30 Sunday morning setting up the nets etc, then straight to the first team game to do the same.

Mind you I do get a £3 plastic Clubman of the year trophy each year which makes it all worth it!!!

We enjoy it really, or else we wouldn't do it.

Adamlill

I love it really, wouldnt fancy doing two games in one day though! You truely are a Sunday morning warrior!

Ian @ Birstall Trees

This Sunday, I had just finished sorting out the first team pitch, when I got a call from the reserves manager saying no ref had turned up, so not only did I have to sort two pitches out, I then had to zoom back over to the ressys pitch, to let them have my flags & whistle, only to get there and they had managed to borrow a spare set from the ref on the other pitch!!!

They were quick to call me when they were in a mess, but forgot to call me when they got sorted, leading to a wasted journey, and me missing the first teams, first goal, which our striker is demanding being given goal of the season for.

See you Sunday, our cafe is back open, if your lads want a pre-match bacon butty - good for you honest!!!

Cossington Royal Oak

It sounds like the guys at donisthorpe,birstall tree's all know how a sunday team should be run,with committment to the pub and committment to the playing side...a 50/50 split every player should think about when signing on...!! and i congratulate you on it and wish you success for the season,it is good to hear other clubs in the same boat as ours.

We have been in division 2 for about 4 seasons,and going back to committment i think there is just us and birstall stamford A who are still in that league from when we got promoted i think 4 years ago, again going back to our earlier comment about sticking at it,they have all folded..it seems to be a general habit now,you play a side one season and the next they fold for one reason or another.

We dont like losing along with the next club,but we know our limits...we have no saturday players and can not convince other players to join as we have not got the muscle to say 'we are going to have a good crack at winning the league or a cup this year'. We are just realistic,2 years ago we finished 2nd and had to turn promotion down because if we went up to div 1,we would be on the end of some right hammerings and one season like this can fold a club,with players losing interest and not bothering.

We always know we are up against it, and i would just say to the guys at donisthorpe and birstall tree's even if you dont get promoted this year or next,if the players are sticking at it,supporting the pub after the game and enjoying it, success will come.

cooling79

I think the one common theme seems to be someone organising and running round like a fool just so that a squad can play football on a sunday morning. I myself like a fair few others I know do jus about everything to keep the club running, however this year I have started to receive more help because the lads can see that not only is it expensive but it can be real hard work.

I for one try to run the club in an honest way from top to bottom however we place the emphasis on Enjoyment above verything else, sure we all want to win which is why we play the game but sometimes we need to look at the bigger picture.

I think someone touched on it earlier when the players see someone dedicated and working hard they tend to show more respect and dedication which leads to a better club all round

I for one hope to build this club more however I fear the individuals that live breath football, that do anything to get a game organised are a dying breed which will be a sad thing if most dissapear . . . . .

ROLL ON SUNDAY

Donisthorpe Engines

Agree with alot of comments here and its nice to see so many dedicated people in this thread who enjoy running there teams and gettng things sorted for a Sunday.

Me personally, I am the chairman\manager and sole coach of our club, started it to give the people of our local community a healthier option then going to the pub after work and it seems to be attracting alot of the local lads (especially as we dont even have a shop in our village).

I have always maintained that the club is run on morals first, morals such as having the right attitude, performing hard in training and doing what your told, turning up on time and giving notice to me or at least, one of the players if at any point you can't attend training or the game. Also I have maintained to the players that every player who comes into Donisthorpe PAYS to be apart of this club and for that reason, everybody will be treated fairly and everybody will get games, whether they are the best or the worst in our ranks, everybody will get opportunties over the season because fairness is something that is always demanded by players, but often, not shown by a large number of managers, the same managers who forget what Sunday League is about and demand only success from a team, without all the important things that surround amateur football.

My boys, as Barton, Loughborough Rovers reserves and Twelve can attest to have had it drilled into them that they must always show respect to the officials and the opposition and of course, people have outbursts and disagree with decisions, but they all must be willing to drop grudges when the final whistle blows and the trip to the pub begins.

As for the boozer, its beyond me why some clubs dont offer the opposition back to a local pub and put on food, surely its polite to do so just for the sake of that team travelling to come and play you? Like I said before, as far as Donisthorpe is concerned, any team who comes our way this season and from this point onwards will always be offered food and drink back at our local, its good for the pub, its good for both teams and its a great way to build relationships between squads over the course of the season!

Just my point of view.

Krashslaughta75

This is an awesome thread and I can't add to anything other that's been said to it so I'll bulletpoint from my experiences.

People go missing due to.

1) Injuries from Saturdays.
2) Too knackered from Saturday teams schedule e.g games on Thursdays nights and Saturdays afternoon
3) Cheap drugs. Seriously. Cheap drugs = not getting up on a Sunday morning
4) Can't be arsed. Happens too often more than likely in kids.

Seriously tho I have loads of context for this arguement but I neither have the time or the patience to get into an arguement about it but again GREAT THREAD let's have more Very Happy

Cossington Royal Oak

The chap from Birstall Stamford brought up points that the reason people stop playing sunday football is because of injuries,tirdness from games on saturdays. Well maybe thats in there case,but we dont have any saturday players. I think its more deep rooted than this, on saturday the nets are put up for you,kit hanging in the changing room,nice track suit every season and some players paid for turning out on a saturday afternoon.
So all this!!! then why bother playing sunday mornings....

Well we pick the odd player up from saturday football who has become fed up with the system,clickyness in the team, manager and player merry go rounds and some team offering players cash( he is on 20 quid more than me mentality). so we offer enjoy your football, a good bunch of lads and it works. like my other posts we can not compete with stamford for players but again its two opposite ways of running a sunday morning football team.

I think the charnwood leagues are developing much faster than the alliance,sunday and hinckley leagues. i think in a few years time the top couple of leagues will be dominated by sides filled with saturday players with reserve teams also in the top 3 divisions.

The genuine 'pub' teams will operate in the bottom half, and it will be the leagues discression if you would like promotion at the end of each season.

This is just a theory but maybe then players can decide on the two ...to go pot hunting with bigger sides or play in the bottom half with the aspect more on enjoying it.

Its like what my manager says on the aspect of sunday football coming from within...'you can go out and look for a lad who will score you 30 goals or some one who can pick a pass..but you cant sign some one who will run the line or put the nets up'

tjriverside

I must we are very lucky with the commitment to the club from our players, just look at last season for us not once did our lads refuse to get changed outside when we had no changing rooms if anything it brought us closer lol (insert your own joke there) and every week we had to retrieve our goalposts from someones garden and return them after the match.

But the thing that stood out the most and made me realise what Sunday mornings are about is before our first game of the season the council forgot to cut the pitch and on the Saturday five or six of went down with a garden push along lawn mower and cut the whole pitch, then had to mark the pitch out with some spray cans which cost myself £100 which took the best part of seven hours, now I don't know too many players who would give up the whole of their Saturday to cut a football pitch ready for the morning

tjriverside

I must we are very lucky with the commitment to the club from our players, just look at last season for us not once did our lads refuse to get changed outside when we had no changing rooms if anything it brought us closer lol (insert your own joke there) and every week we had to retrieve our goalposts from someones garden and return them after the match.

But the thing that stood out the most and made me realise what Sunday mornings are about is before our first game of the season the council forgot to cut the pitch and on the Saturday five or six of went down with a garden push along lawn mower and cut the whole pitch, then had to mark the pitch out with some spray cans which cost myself £100 which took the best part of seven hours, now I don't know too many players who would give up the whole of their Saturday to cut a football pitch ready for the morning

wilko

I think from me, starting a club at 17 I think it gives hope to many young lads who know me or heard of me. I think more younger teams will create, Beaumont Town 04 and Ac Wigston have orginiated from youth leagues the past couple of seasons. I'd love people my age to get involved.

Little Bloke

Cossington R.O., Trees, Shepshed United -- I cant name new teams coming in this season as i dont know them, but the other 3 are clubs that I know are being run by people who are 'local football' through and through (and I realise there are probably a few more clubs not named). And although "success" isn't always forthcoming to the 3 named above, I know they are successful in the most important of ways. It's a true awakening when you realise how many people judge success in a Sunday League by the number of trophies on their mantel-piece!! Don't get me wrong, it's nice to win things - it always is! But unlike many "superstars" way of thinking, winning isn't everything. If it was truly that important in a Sunday League, then the Sunday League's would be considered a rung on the football ladder just like Saturday Leagues are, but Sundays aren't and won't be a rung on the footballing ladder (at least not in my lifetime!)

(And before I get linched! I didnt bother including the likes of Stamford, Saints, Long Whatton and a few other clubs as they do not prove the point I'm trying to make).

wvfc11

This whole thing about you need saturday players to be successful is a bit off the mark, in our case it is anyway. We have 1 or 2 players who play on a saturday (for reserve teams) and we seem to be doing just fine competing with the top teams each season as we climb the leagues. We have players who could probably play for saturday teams but choose not to because of other commitments. I guess we are one of the lucky sides, but it shows you can have "success" without all the "superstars" and still have a laugh and a joke with your mates. We have at the least 13/14 lads who show up every week, put the nets up and have a laugh, but still manage to get results, but like i said we must be one of the lucky ones

Krashslaughta75