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.
ADVERTISEMENT
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.
ADVERTISEMENT
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.
ADVERTISEMENT
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.
ADVERTISEMENT
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.
Oldham Athletic have founded a brand-new deaf football club
Danny Jones
Oldham Athletic FC have just started a brand-new team for deaf players ahead of the upcoming 2026/27 season.
A dedicated side built around footballers with hearing impairments, it’s an uplifting show of accessibility by the Greater Manchester side.
While this is by no means a first, and we’re proud to say that there are multiple deaf football teams across the region and North West at large, having an EFL club of this stature and history get behind the initiative is a deeply moving development and statement of intent when it comes to helping key causes.
Officially confirmed this past weekend, OAFC are set to join the North League of the deaf football pyramid imminently.
Writing alongside the social media post, the Latics said: “We are delighted to announce the launch of Oldham Athletic Deaf Football Club.
“Oldham Athletic Deaf Football Club is a brand-new team that will provide deaf and hard of hearing players with the opportunity to represent the club and compete under the Oldham Athletic badge, competing in the North League of the Deaf football pyramid.”
Once again, they are not the first local outfit to develop a deaf football programme, with the likes of Radcliffe FC, Manchester Futsal, the Deaf Rhinos in Rochdale, and Greater Manchester Deaf FC all having helped pave the way for this particular sector of the beautiful game.
In yet another recent display of their grassroots work in action, Frank Rothwell’s community-driven club have also reaffirmed their commitment to developing more pathways for young talent:
🗓️ There are extra opportunities for Year 11 school leavers to join our Football Centre of Excellence this week.
⚽ Register now for our men's programme pre-season training on Tuesday 28 and Thursday 30 July with Chris Taylor. #oafc
Circling back to the new deaf football team, the statement goes on to read, “The new team marks another important step in OACT’s commitment to ensuring that football is accessible and inclusive for everyone across the borough.
“Through the creation of Oldham Athletic Deaf Football Club, the Trust aims to provide a welcoming environment where players can develop their skills, enjoy the game, and experience the pride of representing Oldham Athletic.”
If you or someone you know might be interested in getting involved with Oldham’s new deaf football team, you can find out more about the wider project in their full announcement HERE.
As for the mainline men’s team, you can see the highlights from their most recent pre-season game against nearby opponents and old Lancashire rivals, Bolton Wanderers, down below.
Featured Images — Oldham Athletic Football Club (publicity picture)
Sport
Luke Littler is challenging amateurs to beat him at darts as part of a live Netflix event
Danny Jones
In an unprecedented new sports event in the world of streaming, North West sports star Luke Little is offering people the chance to try and win a game of darts against him live on Netflix.
Best of all, he and the entertainment platform have put up a huge grand prize for anyone who can beat the Warrington wonder.
So, for any of you who fancy yourselves as Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor reincarnated when stepping up to the oche down at the local, or if you’re simply bold enough to throw your name in the hat, you’ll want to pay attention for this one…
Announcing the special one-off sporting event on Netflix later this year, Luke Littler has issued the call-out to see if anyone can best him in a game of 501 in front of millions watching at home.
Quite literally the opportunity of a lifetime for fans of the arrows, this exclusive livestream is like nothing that the media giants have done before.
Having dipped their toes into the likes of live boxing fights over the past few years, they’ve definitely got a few live events under their belt, but this exciting and crucially interactive series of matches feels like something genuinely new for Netflix.
Most notably of all, using the name of the popular darts game played not only live on telly at competitions throughout the year but also at countless pubs across the country to set the prize fee, a prospective winner could potentially win £501k this autumn.
Imagine: half a million pounds for one (admittedly very tough) game of darts.
The only major caveat aside from, you know, him being an absolute phenom and already a serial winner is he also happens to be in the form of his life – his words and virtually everyone else’s.
"This is the best version of myself… I'm playing SO WELL!"
Luke Littler listens to some of the records he's broken in his ridiculous World Matchplay campaign 🤯 pic.twitter.com/EVQSrHxSHf
Having smashed Gerwyn Price to defend his World Matchplay Darts title on Sunday evening, cruising to an 18-9 victory with so many 100+ visits and finishes that he broke the tournament’s record average, which has stood since 2010, anyone who does come up against him is currently praying for a miracle.
Price himself told Sky Sports that the youngster’s performance looked ‘effortless’, quipping, “I hope there’s nobody else like him coming through!”
Still only 19, the local lad is the toughest of tasks for even the best on the pro circuit, but if you still somehow fancy your chances, heats will be taking place in Manchester and London, where the top 20 players will get their shot at the man himself on Friday, 30 October.
You can find out all the important information and sign up right HERE.
For now, why not see just how good Littler is playing at the minute and watch back his highlights from a record-breaking final this weekend?
Not that he’s ever truly cooled off, but he really is on fire at the minute.
Harry Quick -
30th November 2023 
