22 Jul 2025 11:27:28
Anyone else checking this site every hour to see if the Eds, Carra or The Fields are dropping a big bit of news!?
Honestly, I can't keep myself off of here at the moment!
Been the most exciting window since I've been coming to this site. (That started when we had links with David Villa)
22 Jul 2025 11:49:18
I'm with you 2shoes. guilty as charged.
22 Jul 2025 11:54:20
Ditto! On all fronts, and I first found this site around 2012-13 when Rodgers was here.
22 Jul 2025 12:35:46
Zedd, forgive me if you've already posted, but how did your son get on in his tournament?
22 Jul 2025 12:38:16
Been here daily since about 2005-6? Whenever it was simply football. rumours. Best site on the net.
22 Jul 2025 12:57:21
Wncred, you still waiting for a particular update from 05/ 06?
22 Jul 2025 13:13:31
Hey Rome! Thanks for remembering!
They did better than last year (albeit it was a new team) .
Basically there's roughly 2,000 teams across U11-U18 - my son was in the U13s and there's around 150 teams in that age group. They all get split into groups of 4 who play each other. Top 2 go through to the 'Gothia Cup' (the more prestigious comp) and bottom 2 go through to the 'Gothia Plate' so all teams get at least 1 knockout match.
Last year my boy's team lost all 3 group matches, but won a couple of knockout matches in the Plate. They lost on pens (heartbreaking, as it was 1 boy who missed) to a team from the same part of the country.
This year, they won 2/ 3 group games, got through to the Cup and were hammered in the first knockout game!
Tricky thing is that the teams that do really well in all age groups are usually academies, who train and play together all year round. My son's with a South East Schools group who field dozens of teams, but the players only meet at the start of the week, so little chance to get to know each other and how they play.
We're hoping that we can keep 8-9 of the group of 12/ 13 together (they play 9-a-side at U13 and U14) for next year and try to arrange some friendlies along the way.
Ironically, 4 of the team this year were in the same team last year (incl my son) and 4 others were in the team that beat them last year!
Great fun, very expensive but an amazing experience given there are 30-40k kids playing and around another 50-60k adults supporting/ coaching/ medics etc - it's huge!
22 Jul 2025 13:15:51
I am, I am. Never had a more exciting transfer window in my memory.
22 Jul 2025 13:23:33
Yeah, me too. I think this is the most frequently I've checked in since the VVD saga. Been coming here for around 20 years I reckon. I thought I'd be here less sice Ed2 passed but seem to find myself here more! Weird. This is easily my most visited site (honestly ?) .
Can't wait for the new season to start, whoever else we end up with.
22 Jul 2025 14:54:20
I’ve been coming here since the Frank Worthington rumours.