Five-a-sides anyone?

Wealdstone Supporters’ are holding their second five-a-side tournament on the late May Bank Holiday Monday, the 24th.

Here are the details that they posted up on the Dulwich Hamlet unofficial messageboard:

THE WHO, THE WHAT, THE WHERE AND THE WHEN

Wealdstone FC Supporters Club (WFCSC) are delighted to announce details of their second five-a-side tournament to held on the second Bank Holiday in May at the clubs new home at Grosvenor Vale. WFCSC hosted a similar event in 2003 held at the Roger Bannister Stadium in Headstone Lane which was won by Hitchin Town FC. This years tournament promises to be another fantastic event and will follow the junior tournament which is being run on the Saturday and Sunday of that weekend.

THE FORMAT

Firstly and foremostly, this is a supporters tournament and all teams must represent a club. This is not open to 'generic' Sunday league sides. Where possible, supporters should wear their teams colours. There will be an initial group stage containing five (maybe six) teams who play each other once in a round robin format. The top two teams will go foward into the cup knockout stages while 3rd and 4th will enter the plate competition. The last placed teams will be sent packing, tails between their legs. Both the cup and plate tournaments will be a knockout stage with the winners progressing. Each team will guaranteed at least 45 minutes of football.

Games will be played on the grass pitches outside the main stadium and will have hockey sized goals.

HOW TO BE PART OF IT

The cost will be £40 per team to join and each team can consist of upto but no more than 8 players (works out at £5 each). All payments must be paid for before the first game. To register an interest please send an e-mail to Adam Hills with details of who you are, what team you will be representing and how many teams you wish to enter.

I know Mick has sent out an email to gauge the interest, but surely we can-hopefully- manage to knock up at least one side. It is only five-a-side after all!


As one of the teams who entered the previous one five years ago it would be nice if we could muster enough interest to take part again.

Domestic tournaments used to be a major part of “The Rabblers” close season activities, but interest has waned over the years. Some tournaments have had their day, some lamented by myself, others not so much. But they are still out there, including the Wivenhoe Town tournament; which we also haven’t entered for a good few years.

I’ve never kept full records of all the ones we’ve taken part in over the years, but I wonder if any of the these stir any memories?

Hitchin Town 11-a-sides

Peterborough United 5’s

Cambridge United 11’s & 5’s

South Wales 5’s

West Bromwich Albion 5’s

Bishop’s Stortford 11’s

Charlton Athletic 11’s

The Post Office 5’s (held in Charlton)

Southwark Caribb FC 11’s

The Dulwich Hamlet Junior Club 5’s

& not forgetting our own 5’s which ran for a few years.

There may be one or two more, but these are the ones I can recall, off the top of my head.

Can anyone remember others we have participated in down the years?

I’d be interested to know what people can recollect of these tournaments, good & bad!
I certainly never attended all of them, but went to a fair few, & many have merged into the ‘mists of time’ & I can’t recall the dates, or even the years! And, obviously, some I simply can’t recall totally due to alcohol clouding the memory! Some of the Hitchin weekenders spring to mind, as I type this…

One day I might sit down, if I ever find the time, & try to piece together some of the stuff that is still stuck up there in the old grey matter, but if anyone else wants a go then they’re most welcome to send me an email with their thoughts…