User:Footballcontributor/sandbox
 | |
| Industry | Recreational Football |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2013 |
| Founder | Konstantinos Gkortsilas
Jonathan Suárez Danny Taeidy |
Area served | United Kingdom |
| Website | https://footyaddicts.com |
Footy Addicts is an open platform and community that connects casual football players with local small sided games across the United Kingdom. Founded in 2013, the organisation emphasises the physical and mental health benefits of football, with a focus on accessibility, social integration and well-being.
History
[edit]Initiated in 2009 by Konstantinos Gkortsilas in London, Footy Addicts was formally established in April 2013. The concept was to enable anyone to sign up and participate in football games throughout the city.
In 2014, with Jonathan Suárez and Danny Taeidy joining as co-founders, the company expanded its operations in Manchester.
As of 2023, the user base of Footy Addicts includes over 220,000 registered players, spread across 9 major UK cities: London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leicester, Liverpool, Nottingham, Leeds, Bristol and Glasgow.
Community Impact
[edit]Footy Addicts is affiliated with the local governing bodies such as the London Football Association[1], Birmingham Football Association[2] and Manchester Football Association[3], contributing to the development of recreational football in these regions.
Notable media coverage includes:
- A film by Mundial Magazine[4] discussing the role of football in local communities.
- Features in The Guardian Football Weekly Podcast[5], The Telegraph[6], Manchester Evening News[7], the MANC[8], MyLondon[9], and the Islington Gazette.[10]
Technology
[edit]The platform is accessible via a website and a mobile application and provides tools to find, organise, and participate in casual football matches tailored to users' preferences and locations.
Key platform functionalities include:
User Profiles
Every registered member has a user profile, allowing for the searching and joining of local games, and communicating with organisers and other participants.
Game Creation and Management
Game organisers can set up and manage football games, specifying the date, time, venue, and number of players required.
Real-time Notification
Players receive instant notifications about messages received, game comments, venue changes, and other critical game-related information.
Rating and Feedback
After each game, players can rate their experience and provide feedback, ensuring the quality and safety of the games organised through the platform.
Geolocation Services
The platform employs geolocation technology to suggest games nearby a user's location.
References
[edit]- ^ Association, The Football. "Footy Addicts". www.londonfa.com. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
- ^ Association, The Football. "Footy Addicts". www.birminghamfa.com. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
- ^ Association, The Football. "Flexi-Football". www.manchesterfa.com. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
- ^ WHY the FOOTBALL REVOLUTION will not be TELEVISED | #MUNDIALISSUE25, retrieved 2023-12-07
- ^ Rushden, Max; Glendenning, Barry; Bandini, Nicky; Grove, Joel; Bennett, Christian (2023-04-19). "Chelsea's reality check and the simple joy of pick-up games – Football Weekly". the Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
- ^ Morrissy-Swan, Tomé (2017-07-24). "Footy Addicts: the start-up bringing football back to the masses". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
- ^ Bell, Alex (2015-02-02). "All the fun of a 5-a-side game without hassle of organising one @footymanchester". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
- ^ Quick, Harry (2023-11-30). "The five-a-side app that's helping people find pick-up football games in Manchester and all over the UK". The Manc. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
- ^ Abela, Jack (2023-03-04). "Friends 'just wanting to play football' create booking site with 80 games a day". My London. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
- ^ "London FA joins Footy Addicts to get more females into football". Islington Gazette. 2018-06-04. Retrieved 2023-12-07.