Sunday League Footy

If you look below that aswell you'd see that for the last two seasons there hasn't been a local U15 or 16 league either. To play at that level you have to play Mid Lincs County, travelling to Lincoln, Skegness and further if I'm not mistaken.

There's a bucket full of reasons as to why but the invent of social media and the over-hyped level of competition in the junior game means we're losing the interest much earlier than we used to in my opinion.

Go back 15 years when 10 year olds weren't on social media, their only means of discussing the local football scene was in person. Banter always occured and judgements have always been made but it was only ever in person and no digital footprint of opinions floated about in cyberspace as a constant reminder.

Having worked in grassroots for a long time now, I get frustrated that too many adults place their stock in winning by hoovering up talent from other teams. We know the game is based on competition and we know that in the elite game that is all par for course. But what said coaches aren't realising is that the teams who lose these good players can then only replace them with lesser standard, which drives a wedge between ability levels.

Linking that to social media, when these kids are using facebook, snapchat etc to cast their views and leave it open for all the school year to read, those kids who aren't quite as good, or play for teams towards the bottom, soon become bored with the message that if you ain't any good then you ain't valued in the game and simply quit.

That's a bit dramatised but effectively the message. It's largely kids being kids and has always happened but the way in which too many adult coaches operate in order to win, simply to massage their own egos, coupled with social media is making the dynamics of the game such that only those teams/players in the tip of the iceberg progress into adult football. The majority who sit firmly in the mid-lower parts of the iceberg have packed up and gone home.

It's a shame because Sunday League was always competitive but equally it was the social side that was just as, if not more important. Aggressive and competitive as the games could be, once the game ends focus quickly turns to the pub and the afternoon football. I don't believe there is a decline in the number of people wanting to play football, just a decline in people who as kids dropped out because they didn't feel like they fitted in based on views above.

Whoever mentioned about organising is also very much spot on too. Even if my view on the lack of player-flow from grassroots is spot on and a magic wand fixed it, it requires people willing to take the time and effort to keep these teams running and I think we live in a society that is less patient and willing to commit to the time it can take to maintain a team.

There are obviously more reasons why more people aren't playing but for me this is a big things I've noticed over the last 15 years.

In my opinion late opening hours for bars (4 or 6 ) in Meggies and the Premiership having games playing all day we’re the two main reasons .
You can probably see throw in all day opening for the pubs on a Sunday too .
It takes a special kind of player to leave a club at 6 after a night on the booze and drugs and make it to Bradley pitches at 11

Quoted from gtfc_chris

If you look below that aswell you'd see that for the last two seasons there hasn't been a local U15 or 16 league either. To play at that level you have to play Mid Lincs County, travelling to Lincoln, Skegness and further if I'm not mistaken.

There's a bucket full of reasons as to why but the invent of social media and the over-hyped level of competition in the junior game means we're losing the interest much earlier than we used to in my opinion.

Go back 15 years when 10 year olds weren't on social media, their only means of discussing the local football scene was in person. Banter always occured and judgements have always been made but it was only ever in person and no digital footprint of opinions floated about in cyberspace as a constant reminder.

Having worked in grassroots for a long time now, I get frustrated that too many adults place their stock in winning by hoovering up talent from other teams. We know the game is based on competition and we know that in the elite game that is all par for course. But what said coaches aren't realising is that the teams who lose these good players can then only replace them with lesser standard, which drives a wedge between ability levels.

Linking that to social media, when these kids are using facebook, snapchat etc to cast their views and leave it open for all the school year to read, those kids who aren't quite as good, or play for teams towards the bottom, soon become bored with the message that if you ain't any good then you ain't valued in the game and simply quit.

That's a bit dramatised but effectively the message. It's largely kids being kids and has always happened but the way in which too many adult coaches operate in order to win, simply to massage their own egos, coupled with social media is making the dynamics of the game such that only those teams/players in the tip of the iceberg progress into adult football. The majority who sit firmly in the mid-lower parts of the iceberg have packed up and gone home.

It's a shame because Sunday League was always competitive but equally it was the social side that was just as, if not more important. Aggressive and competitive as the games could be, once the game ends focus quickly turns to the pub and the afternoon football. I don't believe there is a decline in the number of people wanting to play football, just a decline in people who as kids dropped out because they didn't feel like they fitted in based on views above.

Whoever mentioned about organising is also very much spot on too. Even if my view on the lack of player-flow from grassroots is spot on and a magic wand fixed it, it requires people willing to take the time and effort to keep these teams running and I think we live in a society that is less patient and willing to commit to the time it can take to maintain a team.

There are obviously more reasons why more people aren't playing but for me this is a big things I've noticed over the last 15 years.

If that's right about Under 15/16 leagues that's a real shame. Have some great memories from that age and it's a time in life when sport can keep you on the right path.

Too many social economic changes to name in full but, huge losses of big  employers and sports grounds, Findus, Ross, Courtaulds, Tioxide, Novartis etc. Huge rises in number of youths now leaving the area for University, pub losses and squeezes on landlords,  opening hours , work patterns, more intense advanced organised junior scene sees players retiring at 16/17 as they have already done 10yrs by then.
All I know is I still love it , from growing up watching games at Bradley as an 8/9 Yr old and "playing" against other kids who were watching on the side,  the smell of wintergreen, the rock hard feel of a mitre multiplex compared to the 10 bob floater I had in the garden, the language, being in the pub after to hear the crack. Hooked.
A wise man once said to us growing up " if you play local footy you can walk in any pub in town and know someone " , that has always stayed with me, it's not quite as true now as it once was but I have gained a Sunday League "family" down the years, all with that shared common bond.

2010/2011
Was my final full season of the Grimsby Sunday league, 7 divisions at the time and I bagged 20 in 21 games in a struggling Newton's side.
Haven't scored since  

https://fulltime.thefa.com/displayTeam.html?divisionseason=7405720&teamID=166700#tab-2

Quoted from gtfc_chris

If you look below that aswell you'd see that for the last two seasons there hasn't been a local U15 or 16 league either. To play at that level you have to play Mid Lincs County, travelling to Lincoln, Skegness and further if I'm not mistaken.

There's a bucket full of reasons as to why but the invent of social media and the over-hyped level of competition in the junior game means we're losing the interest much earlier than we used to in my opinion.

Go back 15 years when 10 year olds weren't on social media, their only means of discussing the local football scene was in person. Banter always occured and judgements have always been made but it was only ever in person and no digital footprint of opinions floated about in cyberspace as a constant reminder.

Having worked in grassroots for a long time now, I get frustrated that too many adults place their stock in winning by hoovering up talent from other teams. We know the game is based on competition and we know that in the elite game that is all par for course. But what said coaches aren't realising is that the teams who lose these good players can then only replace them with lesser standard, which drives a wedge between ability levels.

Linking that to social media, when these kids are using facebook, snapchat etc to cast their views and leave it open for all the school year to read, those kids who aren't quite as good, or play for teams towards the bottom, soon become bored with the message that if you ain't any good then you ain't valued in the game and simply quit.

That's a bit dramatised but effectively the message. It's largely kids being kids and has always happened but the way in which too many adult coaches operate in order to win, simply to massage their own egos, coupled with social media is making the dynamics of the game such that only those teams/players in the tip of the iceberg progress into adult football. The majority who sit firmly in the mid-lower parts of the iceberg have packed up and gone home.

It's a shame because Sunday League was always competitive but equally it was the social side that was just as, if not more important. Aggressive and competitive as the games could be, once the game ends focus quickly turns to the pub and the afternoon football. I don't believe there is a decline in the number of people wanting to play football, just a decline in people who as kids dropped out because they didn't feel like they fitted in based on views above.

Whoever mentioned about organising is also very much spot on too. Even if my view on the lack of player-flow from grassroots is spot on and a magic wand fixed it, it requires people willing to take the time and effort to keep these teams running and I think we live in a society that is less patient and willing to commit to the time it can take to maintain a team.

There are obviously more reasons why more people aren't playing but for me this is a big things I've noticed over the last 15 years.

Superb post.

The irony is that there would be enough to form an u 15 and u 16 league in the area but some teams seem to assume that by travelling the length and breadth of Lincolnshire it makes any success all the sweeter.

[url=https://ibb.co/8DhxdVj][img]https://i.ibb.co/DDqM8n7/907-B1951-9-BF7-4349-8-A21-F1722-C178044.jpg[/img][/url]

Quoted from Meza

[url=https://ibb.co/8DhxdVj][img]https://i.ibb.co/DDqM8n7/907-B1951-9-BF7-4349-8-A21-F1722-C178044.jpg[/img][/url]

Div 4 champions with the Cricketers.  

Quoted from petethemariner

Aargh if i tell you that everyone will know who is posting rubbish on here! All i can say as a  clue is think of 'dads army'!
Hope John is well and if so, next time you speak to him  and you have worked out my name, give him my regards.

Did you play for Ross reserves in the early/mid 80s? With the likes of Bry Goodwin, Robbie Butler?

Quoted from Meza

Div 4 champions with the Cricketers.  

Happy days Meza,saw Rookie and Jam at a few home games last season,some team that was,my final yr,i retired on a high,hope your well buddy