National Five-a-Sides (England)
Founded | 1968[1] |
---|---|
Abolished | 1986[1] |
Region | England (The FA) |
Number of teams | 16 (1972–82)[2] |
Last champions | Norwich City (1st title) |
Most successful club(s) | Wolverhampton Wanderers, Southampton (2 titles) |
Television broadcasters | BBC (1972–83)[2][3] |
The Daily Express National Five-a-Sides was an annual indoor football tournament for Football League clubs across England, with Scottish League clubs invited on occasions.[4] The competition was contested between 1968 and 1986 (and televised up to 1983).[1]
History
[edit]The Daily Express sponsored competition was held at Wembley Arena to packed crowds of between 8,000 and 10,000.[1] The competition was a covered by the BBC and highlighted on their Wednesday Sportsnight programme.[1][5] The last televised edition was in 1983.[1]
There was no coverage of the 1985 edition because of the TV blackout on football in England at the time.[6]
Scottish football teams received invites.[7] Other indoor tournaments popular around this time included Evening Standard London Five-a-Sides (around since 1954) and Guinness Soccer Six (inspired by MISL) competitions.[7] Both the national and London fives tournaments shared a home at the Wembley Arena between 1968 and 1986.[8]
Matches were split in two four minute halves.[1] Time limits for matches increased as the tournament progressed.[1] Though match lengths altered over the years.[1] Any drawn matches were resolved with a penalty shoot-out.[1] The rules included no passbacks to the goalkeeper and the ball must remain below shoulder height.[1]
Competing teams
[edit]- 1974–75: Ipswich Town, Luton Town (East); Chelsea, Leyton Orient, QPR, Tottenham (London) Derby County, Leicester City, Stoke City, Wolves (Midlands); Middlesbrough (North East); Everton, Man City, Man United (North West); Celtic, Rangers (Scotland)[2][9]
- 1975–76: Leyton Orient, Tottenham (London); Derby County (Midlands) Man City, Man United (North West)[2]
- 1977–78: Ipswich Town (East), Arsenal, Chelsea, QPR, Tottenham, West Ham (London); Aston Villa, Coventry City, Derby County, Notts Forest, Wolves (Midlands); Newcastle United (North East); Everton, Man City, Man United (North West); Celtic (Scotland)[2]
- 1978–79: Ipswich Town (East); Derby County, Wolves (Midlands); Man City, Man United (North West), Southampton (South East)[2]
- 1980–81: Ipswich Town (East); Arsenal, Crystal Palace, Chelsea, QPR, Tottenham (London); Aston Villa, Coventry, Notts Forest, WBA (Midlands); Newcastle United, Sunderland (North East); Man City, Man United (North West); Brighton (South East); Aberdeen (Scotland)[2]
- 1981–82: Ipswich Town (East); Arsenal, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, QPR, Watford, West Ham (London); Birmingham City, Coventry City, WBA (Midlands); Everton, Man United (North West); Southampton (South East); Celtic, Rangers (Scotland), Swansea City (Wales)[2]
- 1982–83: Ipswich Town, Luton Town (East); Arsenal, QPR, Watford, West Ham (London); Aston Villa, Birmingham City, Coventry City, Notts Forest (Midlands), Sunderland, Newcastle United (North East), Man City, Man United (North West), Southampton (South East); Celtic (Scotland)[2]
- 1986–87: Luton Town, Norwich City (East); Arsenal, Charlton, Tottenham, Watford, West Ham (London); Aston Villa, Coventry City, Notts Forest (Midlands); Man City, Man United (North West); Oxford United, Reading, Southampton (South East); Sheffield United (Yorkshire)[10]
List of Finals
[edit]Finalists by
[edit]League
[edit]League | Winners | Runners up |
---|---|---|
Football League First Division | 13 | 14 |
Football League Second Division | 5 | 2 |
Football League Third Division | 0 | 1 |
Scottish Premier Division | 1 | 1 |
Country
[edit]Country | Winners | Runners up |
---|---|---|
![]() |
18 | 17 |
![]() |
1 | 1 |
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ Scorers from the winning team are listed first. The scorers from penalty shoot-outs were not included.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Football Nostalgia: National Daily Express 5-A-Side Competition". comicus.co.uk. 17 July 2018. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Results 1 to 13 of 13 for Five-a-Side National Championship". BBC Genome Project. BBC. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
- ^ "TV CENTRE : BBC 1 & CENTRAL". Sandwell Evening Mail. 23 November 1983. Retrieved 14 July 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Welcome to Issue 26". Nutmeg. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
- ^ "Subbuteo Football Express Set & Accessories". Little Plastic Men. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
- ^ "BANNED". The People. 24 November 1985. Retrieved 14 July 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ a b "Famous Fives". When Saturday Comes. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
"The glory days of televised indoor tournaments". When Saturday Comes. Retrieved 14 July 2020. - ^ "Football Nostalgia: London Evening Standard 5-A-Side Tournament". comicus.co.uk. 13 July 2018. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
- ^ "Pick of the Night". Aberdeen Evening Express. 6 November 1974. Retrieved 14 July 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "WEMBLEY DATE FOR ROYALS". Reading Evening Post. 19 July 1986. Retrieved 14 July 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "The 1960s". Gillingham FC Scrapbook. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
- ^ "Gills lose by the only goal". Kentish Express. 17 May 1968. Retrieved 14 July 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "National Daily Express 5 A Side Trophy 1969/70". City Till I Die. 6 July 2011. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
- ^ "Wembley alp Number Two for Man. City". Acton Gazette. 13 November 1969. Retrieved 14 July 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ a b c "Other Activities". My Eyes Have Seen The Glory. Retrieved 19 July 2024. (new version)
"Other Activities". My Eyes Have Seen the Glory. Retrieved 14 July 2020. (archived version) - ^ "Best turns on fives' magic". Belfast News Letter. 5 November 1970. Retrieved 14 July 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ a b "WHEN SAINTS WENT TO WEMBLEY IN 1971". Saints Players. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
- ^ "Saints Players: Eric Martin". Saints Players. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
- ^ "Spurs take fives title". Western Daily Press. 16 November 1972. Retrieved 14 July 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ a b "Daily Express Five-a-Side Challenge Cup". Retrieved 14 July 2020 – via The Celtic Wiki.
- ^ "How much did Derby County legend John McGovern's medals net him at auction?". Derby Telegraph. 7 December 2017. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
- ^ "Phil Hoadley". leytonorient.com. Leyton Orient FC. 5 May 2025. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
- ^ "Match: England 2–0 France, 7 November 1974, Plough Lane". Women's Football Archive. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
- ^ a b "Bailey & co were five-a-side kings". Black & Country Bugle. 27 January 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2024 – via pressreader.com.
"The Days Of Five-A-Side!". Wolves Former Players Association. 30 May 2024. Retrieved 14 July 2024. - ^ "Wolves lift fives trophy". Express & Star. 6 November 1975. Retrieved 14 July 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Wolves double". Belfast News Letter. 4 November 1976. Retrieved 14 July 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Famous five so close". Coventry Evening Telegraph. 10 November 1977. Retrieved 14 July 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "National Daily Express 5-A-Side Competition - Penalty Shoot-out". comicus.co.uk. 6 July 2011. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
- ^ "Sunderland AFC; Daily Express 5 A Side Winners 1979/80". ryehillfootball.co.uk. 9 December 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
"Fever Pitch (Vol 1, Issue 1): August 2016" (PDF). safcnasa.com. Retrieved 2 August 2020. - ^ "BRIGHTON FINISH SECOND IN FIVE-A-SIDE TOURNAMENT". thegoldstonewrap.com. 23 June 2013. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
- ^ "Villa take fives title". Express & Star. 27 November 1980. Retrieved 14 July 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "25th November 1981- National Five-A-Side Football Championship (at Wembley Arena)". oldwatford.com. 25 November 1981. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
- ^ "Villa beaten in final". Express & Star. 25 November 1982. Retrieved 14 July 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Football Nostalgia: National Daily Express 5-A-Side Competition - Southampton". comicus.co.uk. 17 July 2018. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
- ^ "21st November 1984- Five-a-side Football National Championship (at Wembley Arena)". oldwatford.com. 21 November 1984. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
- ^ "Oddities: Sunderland's odyssey through a variety of weird & wonderful cup competitions". Roker Report. 15 January 2019. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
- ^ "Arsenal Programme (v Liverpool, Dec 14, 1985)" (PDF). eastlower.co.uk. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
"DAILY EXPRESS FIVE-A-SIDE". worthpoint.com. Retrieved 14 July 2020. - ^ "INDOOR FOOTBALL". Late Tackle Football. 1 October 2017. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
"Chris Goreham: Rolling with the punches is underpinning City and Farke's promotion assault". EDP. 22 January 2019. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
External links
[edit]- Sportsnight With Coleman History BBC.
- Midweek Football Coverage: 1968/69 to 1982/83 ITV Football.
- Football Tournament Programmes Archived 22 December 2022 at the Wayback Machine AB Football Programmes.