How Subbuteo is making a comeback
It’s the beautiful game – in miniature form. Subbuteo dominated dining room tables and floors for decades until the advent of video gaming.
Now enthusiasts say it is enjoying a resurgence with players sharpening their finger-flicking skills after seeking out their old sets during lockdown.
Grandparents and parents have also been introducing younger members of the family to the game for the first time, inspiring a new generation of fans.
Among those enjoying regular matches are members of Wolverhampton Table Football Club who have recently been crowned champions of the UK National League for 2021.
Founded in 2016, the club meets every Sunday at the Electric Club and members take part in league and cup competitions.
For anyone who doesn’t already know, the game involves players using their finger to flick footballers into position and to play the ball around a rolled-out felt pitch.
Club chairman Justin Scott first learned the ropes as a child but hadn’t played Subbuteo for many years when he suffered a nasty injury on the football field. Forced to hang up his boots, he turned to the table-top version of the game to find the same friendship and camaraderie he enjoyed on the pitch.
“What I enjoy most is the people. I enjoy the banter. It’s been amazing for me because I’ve not just met people from the local area but from all over this country and other countries. In 2019, we went to Lisbon, Portugal, to play in the Europa League and we’ve also been to Northern Ireland,” Justin tells Weekend.
He says there has been a growing interest in Subbuteo over the past 12 months which has led to the formation of half a dozen new clubs around the country.
“I don’t think it’s ever gone away but it’s growing again. I think because of Covid people have been dusting off their old equipment from the loft and playing again. Social media has also helped because people can quite easily find out what’s going on in the area. Subbuteo has also started advertising the game again,” Justin explains.
The Wolverhampton players are currently riding high after their success in the UK National League competition which saw 12 top clubs from England, Scotland and Wales attended a new Subbuteo event in Redhill, Surrey, sponsored by the Wobbly Hobby Shop.
The format of the competition, which organisers and players hope will become an annual event, consisted of a first round of three groups of four teams, with the teams playing one another once. The top two teams of each group qualified for League Division 1, while the bottom two played in League Division 2. Again in each division teams would face each other once with all matches lasting 15 minutes each way. Each team consisted of four players and could name two subs.
Playing for Wolverhampton in an old gold and black kit donated by Wolves was Justin along with Richard Badger, Mick Hammonds and Justin Finch. The team qualified for Division 1 with two victories against new club Solent and one of the competition favourites, Kent Invicta.
This was followed by a defeat to Harrow, wins against Cardiff Bluebirds and White Star and a draw in their match with Dundee Utd TFC.
It meant the Wolverhampton team needed to win the final game of the day against Stanway to be sure of the trophy. But their players were oblivious to the fact they were the table leaders even after winning their final fixture 4-0.
“We knew we had done well during the day but we had no idea that we were going to win,” says Justin. “It was amazing when they announced that we had won.”
More recently the club held its annual showcase event, The Roy Holden Trophy, which is named after the man who set up the original Wolverhampton club back in the 1980s, at the Electric Club.
“We had 22 players from all across England and Wales,” explains Justin. “Games were played from 10am right through till 5pm and were all played in a friendly but competitive spirit, all to a very high standard. After the group stages, the tournament split into three events, with the final of the main event contested between Wolves players Mick Hammonds and Christian Short. Christian edged a goal-blessed final, winning 6-4. In the plate competition, Colin Fletcher from the South Staffs Club took the honours after a close game with Wolves TFC’s Robert Ramsey. In the Junior Final, Ruby Matthews beat Gage Badger.”
“It was a great day and good to meet and play against people that I’ve not played before,” says 14-year-old Wolverhampton player Alex Scott.
The club is always on the lookout for new members. For more information see www.wolvessubbuteo.co.uk or search Wolverhampton Table Football Club on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
