Having a kick about is one of life’s simple pleasures. Just grab a ball, your boots, some mates and you’re good to go, right? That is until the inevitable excuses pop up on WhatsApp with an hour to go and suddenly you’re scrambling for a ringer to keep your so-called ‘weekly’ five-a-side match alive.
Another night is followed by the usual “Sorry, maybe next week” message and you’re left wondering why getting a footy game going with few friends isn’t as easy as it was when you were younger. If only there was an app for that…
For those in the know, there is one name that’s actually helping make sorting a regular five-a-side night or even a quick pick-up game in and around Greater Manchester that little bit easier and more social than ever.
Footy Addicts, the football-based social networking platform, are on a mission to make the beautiful game easier and more inclusive across the region and the UK at large.
The app, founded by self-proclaimed footy addicts Konstantinos Gkortsilas, Danny Taeidy and Jonathan Suarez, aims to make quality football matches — be it a straight-forward five/seven-a-side game or a bigger affair — happen across Great Britain and, if they carry on how they’re going, the world.
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When you sit and think about it, it’s one of these ideas where you wonder, ‘How hasn’t this been thought of before?’ From the first unofficial pick-up game back in 2010 to what has now grown to a community of over 210,000 users across 140 active locations, the proof is in the pudding.
Not only is the demand obviously there but it just goes to show how important opportunity and accessibility are when it comes to playing the game so many of us love.
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Footy Addicts’ biggest goal is ensuring that wherever you are, you’ll only be a button away from a game — and the stats don’t lie. Now growing by a rate of more than 5,000 new users each month with players from over 200 different countries, it just goes to show how a simple kickabout can help enrich diverse communities a game at a time.
Whether you are a first-timer, Sunday league Messi or ‘could’ve gone pro if it wasn’t for my knee’, there’s a spot on the team sheet for all abilities.
Just to highlight some of the regulars in the Manchester scene, this could be your squad lining up alongside you next time you stick a bib on under the lights: lifelong Burnley supporter James is still going strong at 70 and nutmegging students. You can’t drag him away from the pitch.
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Marc used to ply his trade in the Premier League but now gets his football fix in a more casual setting and Nadia is a semi-pro female footballer who’ll happily show up the best of them.
The importance of running around after a ball for an hour or so is far more than the scoreline; it’s like therapy for the mind and body. The escapism, confidence and community that blossoms when you step on a pitch is what keeps the world hooked on the beautiful game. And, that’s not to mention the obvious physical benefits.
Footy Addicts are also brilliant at spotlighting the sporting stories that mean so much to local communities — including here in Manchester.
Available to download from the Google Play and Apple App Store, or by simply using their website, it’s not quite as easy as clicking your fingers but it’s close enough.
It goes without saying that Footy Addicts organise games all over Manchester. Just whack in your postcode and see if there is a place and time that suits you. It’s also pay-as-you-play, with no monthly subscriptions or signing-on fees, just dust off your boots and head down.
Prices start at only £3.50 a game with the average price of around a fiver, which in this day and age is great value for footy.
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See you on a pitch in Greater Manchester sometime soon.
There are literally tonnes of Footy Addicts games taking place around Greater Manchester every week.
Phil Foden picks up Premier League Player of the Year for 2023/24
Danny Jones
Manchester City forward Phil Foden has picked up the Premier League’s Player of the Year award for the 2023/24 season.
Having enjoyed the best statistical campaign to date, with two games still left to play, the Stockport-born star City and England star has swept up his first-ever Premier League POTY award at the age of 23.
The attacking midfielder has already swept up Young Player of the Year twice in his career (2021 and 2022), which was awarded to former teammate Cole Palmer on Friday, and this accolade just goes to show how much of a first-team star he’s become over the past couple of years.
With both awards going to Manc footballers and Foden being the first Englishman to win it since Jamie Vardy in 2015/16, you’ll hear no complaints from us.
Foden has 25 goals and 11 assists this season, his highest tally ever, and with the chance of a domestic double still looming, he could be set for another unreal 12 months in sky blue.
Pep Guardiola’s side simply needs to beat West Ham this Sunday to win their fourth consecutive Premier League title and with a Manchester derby FA Cup final waiting for them next week, the local lad has a big fortnight ahead of him.
Having already become a treble winner with Man City last season, not to mention emerging as one of the first names on the team sheet for the Three Lions, he’s graduated from one of the most talented youngsters to one of the most impressive in Europe – and he’s got the stats to back it up.
Here’s hoping he can round off this year with some more silverware while wearing an England shirt. Here are some of his highlights from this season:
A huge congratulations to Phil Foden on winning the 23/24 Premier League Player of the Year; regardless of who you support, you can’t deny he’s been unreal this season.
In fact, his emergence as a senior figure and somewhat of a leader in this current City side has given us a lot faith for the summer and we’re more convinced than ever that Gareth Southgate must try and build around him if we stand a chance of going for in Euro 2024.
Is it coming home and will a lad from Stockport play a big part in bringing it here?
Cole Palmer wins Premier League’s Young Player of the Year for 2023/24
Danny Jones
Manchester-born and bred footballer, Cole Palmer, has won the Premier League’s Young Player of the Year award for 2023/24 following a spectacular breakthrough campaign.
The ex-Manchester City youth product made his big-money move to Chelsea at the start of this season and has been comfortably one of the best players in the league this year, once again proving the old adage that if you’re good enough you’re old enough.
Sitting second in the race for the Golden Boot behind former teammate Erling Haaland and shining as one of the most creative midfielders in Europe in his first full season, you could have banked on him winning it months ago.
🔵⭐️ OFFICIAL: Cole Palmer wins the award as Premier League Young Player of the Year. 🧊
Chelsea star has scored 22 goals and provided 10 assists in Premier League this season. pic.twitter.com/HYpthQiOU3
Having bagged a hattrick in Chelsea’s remarkable turnaround against Manchester United as well as bagging four against Everton, just to name a couple of his most impressive performances over the past 12 months, he doesn’t like a player who only made a handful of appearances last year.
With the 22-year-old fittingly netting 22 goals not to mention 10 assists and quickly establishing himself as Mauricio Pochettino’s main man, despite the multi-billion squad assembled around him, it’s been nothing short of a remarkable emergence onto the biggest stage.
Having earned his first senior international call-up through his efforts too, he now looks set to be one the players England fans are dying to see start at the Euros – the point where many Blues are now wondering whether they made a mistake letting him go.
Congratulations to the Wythenshawe native on his well-deserved award and we sincerely look forward to seeing what he does in an England shirt this summer.
As for who will pick up the outright Premier League Player of the Year, surely Palmer picking up the youth award means that Phil Foden is set to mop up the main prize?
A clean sweep for Manc footballers. We like the sound of that.