First things first….Who do you support?
Nottingham Forest and West Ham United, I began to support Forest when I was around 12, and have been to a few games at the London Stadium courtesy of some supply contacts and it's a rekindled the flame.
I always get conflicted when people say support your local club, many of us don't come from an area which is lucky enough to have a club, what if England was a third tier nation in terms of football, would these same people support their local clubs?
Songfish & Frodo after FC7's Maiden Victory
When did you start playing?
I began around the age of 6 but I only really got into it a few years later, never good enough for school which was more about athleticism than skill, I enjoyed playing for my Cub teams which was more about the taking part. We were useless too, 6th Sittingbourne Eagles, good times ha
What bit of advice would you give to someone just starting out footy?
Anyone who knows me will know that I’ll say, if you choose to do something, do it wholeheartedly. Research beforehand, read our blog, the starter guides on YouTube.
Then dive into it and immerse yourself not just in the sport, but the culture too. Also stick to it, give it a fair whip, not every game will go well, sometimes the weather can get you down, but you’ll look back and appreciate those moments in the long run. They make up your story.
Halloween Footy with deboo maker; Finance Philip
"...Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today, if you enjoy it, you can do it again tomorrow…"
……..but do it with us at FC7!
As an organiser, what advice can you give others?
It can be a thankless task, but it's all about what you put in, it's often the case that others may not see how much effort it required in the background, but most organisers are fully aware of this and it's something they enjoy. Sure it's tough at the beginning, but check out some of our other blog posts, and you can get some really good inspiration. Have a couple of your players be in a position to help you out, Jumbo and Frodo are good support pillars and ready to step up to the plate if I'm busy one week etc. The key is creating a self fulfilling system, one which takes time to build up but ultimately takes care of itself.
We all have to begin somewhere, and it's as much about your journey as it is the end product.
Wearing the 'Black'
If you're not that positive, organised and don't put the effort in, then it's likely, you won't get a good turn out. Making an effort can reap massive rewards. For us, the Blog was a big milestone, getting that up and running with a nice mix of posts showed that we meant business, had passion and were looking to share it with people. Everything's a 2-way street, the more effort you put in, the more people will feel confident in getting involved.
Build it, and they will come.
Linking it with Instagram was another nice moment, but this was more about our creative and web presence. From there, we can use it to entice new players, which in turn makes the whole experience for everyone else much better. Don't ringfence yourself and limit our capabilities, football is the main reason we all get together, but it's also about friendship, our interests, socialising etc, Instagram is our photographic journey
Most importantly, remember footy can be so much more, but the beauty of it, is that's it's just a game too.
Do you think football can really make a difference in society?
100%. If we don't believe in football's power, we may as well give up on life and society in general. I'm the first person to say that football has its ills. I've never shied away from that.
But it has the magic to unify people, the key is make to football's short term buzz, have long lasting, life changing effects. Football for me, has been life changing, it is my life, me and Jumbo are always super excited to our next game. Anything that can give so much joy to people can be used to good too.
We need to veer away from soundbites and slogans, t-shirts and words and translate them into real change and action.
Kind thoughts and kind words are not enough, it's kind deeds that define you
I've been loud when stating that footballs' problem come from societal issues, but the sport does have the ability to change things from the ground up.
People don't suddenly become sexist, racist or homophobic when they walk into a stadium. Likewise, they aren't born that way. Weak people allow themselves to be taught like that, they don't have the strength of character to question it. It's education, changing it at school and grassroots football level, teaching people that there's a better world to be had out there.
Get kids to challenge the normal.
Unfortunately we also need the right leaders at the top, without their backing nothing will change in football or indeed society. Many people over the summer of 2020 have questioned or even criticised the BlackLivesMatter protests. The fundamental requirement of everyone to be treated equally is a human right, that must be fought for tooth and nail.
That some people in this day in age, still query this, or worst still remain silent, shows how far we have to go, to educate the weaker people in society.
The Thursday Night Lights, What I live for!
Do you play for fun, fitness, competitiveness or all 3?
Initially it was all about fun. Fitness and competitiveness never came into it but the older I have got, it’s a mix of all 3. Football is so much more fun than running (you can read my post regarding my trial and tribulations with it) and the competition adds a nice spice to things.
Turf trainers or Studs?
Hmmm when I was younger I was naïve and would generally just wear any trainers for everything. I’ve learnt and researched a lot since then and due to my ankle injuries, I do like the extra support I get from studs. Only on a sandy 2G or if I was coming back from a nasty injury would I go TF trainers, otherwise it’s studs all the way.
I think there's a lot to learn when it comes to the small-sided game still. In the past, 5-a-side was always very separate from the 11-a-side game, but the pitches have advanced loads and are now of a similar standard to the elite levels, I'm not sure why our knowledge of boots hasn't advanced too. I actually think TF Trainers have no place on the 3G pitch now, once you wear AG boots in particular, you won't go back. The comfort, grip and support are a huge step up, it's about taking that plunge. Having said that, it's about the price too.
Whatever you feel comfortable and safe in will be different for everyone though. Take time and don't just buy the first link that pops up on Google!
In fact, check out our Boot Guide on the Blog for a detailed view (link below) :-
Who is your favourite footballer and why?
Tough one, probably Figo, I grew up watching him from a young age, his skills were amazing and watching Portugal during that era was a joy, it's still 1 of the great mysteries that the Portuguese of that era never won medals. I admired David Beckham as a role model too, he showed that it is possible to be a good guy and play footy.
Who are you most like in football, playing wise?
As much as I’d like to say Figo, in reality I’m more a Paulo Sousa (when he was a player jokers!). Plagued by injuries, much like myself, not many people know he won the Champions League titles with Juventus then Borussia Dortmund in consecutive seasons.
Always playing the simple passes, diligent in his defensive duties and possessed of great footballing vision.
Dream 7-a-side team? Name them
Fairly decent outfit I think.
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