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Critical football links

The improving saga of the Baggies

The Beautiful Game, through the eyes of John Vidovich

Soccernet, the soccer-on-the-net site of choice; and we support Mike's past efforts, if not his team

The Guardian's effort

Canada Rules! Gold Cup champions

When Saturday Comes

 The Beautiful Game graces Hyde Park

Every Sunday morning, at about 10:30, a skewed "leaf, no leaf" (or "lif, no lif") process takes place to determine the teams, and a fiercely contested game of 3-on-3, 4-on-4, 3-on-4 or other variation begins. Hangovers recede, and formations like 2-2 or 0-4 emerge. Rules are vaguely applied, with the following adaptations usually sought after by an aggrieved team only after they've given up a goal:

  • A team with a greater number of players can only score from within the opponent's half
  • A team with one less player is unencumbered by the offside rule; similarly their goalkeeper can rush forward

London Grounds We began in early 1997, in a pitch framed by the Thames, Westminster Abbey and the Burghers of Calais, until being booted off by the meanspirited, miserly police and gardeners of Westminster Parks, citing a nonexistent No Balls rule. We've now relocated to the east side of Hyde Park.

                               

The first grounds

In our current location