Anyone up for this tournament...

We don't seem to enter as many-IF ANY!- tournaments like we used to.

One we've recently missed out on up in Dunoon, on the west coast Scotland, but which is an annual event, is something I seriously think we should consider for next year. And it would make a good trip away, as it's a two-day event. It has a truly international flavour. This years final was between an Australian team, who defeated the plucky Belgians.

It's a bit different to ones we've been to in the past, but just because it's got some weird rules, it doesn't mean it's not taken seriously. This year 36 of the teams were all male, & a dozen were mixed. so we could even send up a team combined with the girls from Peckham Village, to take part.

It's a six-a-side competition, with the basic rules being as follows:

Each team consists of a goalkeeper and five outfield players. The number of substitutes (and of substitutions) is unlimited.

Each match lasts 24 mintes (12 minutes each way)

The playing area is slightly larger than a five-a-side football pitch.

There are no offsides.

Throw-ins, corner kicks and penalties are taken by using the hands to drop the ball to the foot.

All free kicks are indirect.

Fancy dress is permitted.

That last rule tells you that something is not quite 'normal' with this tournament, and that there must be some reason that I might suggest that 'The Rabblers' traipse all the way up to Sweatyland to take part.

And that is because the competition is the annual UK Swamp Soccer Championships!