Foul Play Update

Following on from my previous post, I did a little delving, as well as receiving some surprising information about what constitutes a foul in open play.

Firstly I’ve studied the FISTF rules, as heavy going as these rules appear, broken down they will appear familiar to anyone that has or does play the Subbuteo rules of the mid 70’s, those rules in particular were very similar to the rules I played in local Tournaments at that time. OK FISTF have put a slightly different twist on things, including in my honest opinion an offside rule that is way more, shall we say complicated than it probably needs to be, and the rules that state, if a player strikes another player before the ball it is a foul, but it goes on to say, If a player strikes another player and misses the ball it’s a back.

Now that addresses my concerns of players having the ability to take out an opponent with a deliberate foul with no consequence, instead the play is reset and you loose possession.

But as we read in the 80’s rules a back was never mentioned. Maybe FISTF had come to a similar conclusion to myself that the potential to take out an opponent was becoming more and more frequent as competitors tried to use the rules to their advantage, so to keep momentum, the attack are penalised by means of the back makes a little more sense. There’s me now thinking why do they not just play the foul or advantage rule, we all seemed to play prior to 1980.

But there’s another twist

Just to muddy the waters even further, I was informed by I believe an Italian player who is a member of the “Alive and Flicking” Facebook group, that he plays the 80’s way and has done since, wait for it, 1978. Apparently the foul rule of the Italian Federation (FICMS) of 1978 which if I’ve grasped this correctly was set out almost word for word as the green sheet rules. So Ladies and Gentlemen we have a new winner, unless you know different?

Would it be presumptuous of me to presume that Tournament rules were being mirrored in part by Waddington’s during the 70’s and 80’s.

75 years and counting

I wonder if Peter Adolph imagined in 1947 that his game would be played around the World and still be going 75 years later. He may not have invented the game per se, but he expanded on the “New Footy” theme with innovation and enthusiasm to the crescendo of the 70’s when the game was on every football loving child's Christmas list. Some games seem to have that je ne se quoi like quality. Scrabble, Monopoly, Backgammon, Chess, to name but a few, played all over the world and continue to stimulate a resurgence generation after generation.

Like most things the resurgence of anything is dependant on enthusiasts keeping things going and “spreading the word” and the availability of the equipment necessary to play the game. Subbuteo is lucky enough to have both of these things. Main stream manufacture to cottage style industries turning a game into an absorbing hobby, for adult and child alike.

Photo courtesy of Chris Cowen 

Solo play resurgence

During the 70’s I was lucky enough to have enough mates to play as well as a local Club, that playing solo was for me just a way of practising my technique, honing my skills as a competition player, to be fair I was more Non league than Premier League, but the best Season I had was in 1976-77 when I finished 2nd in the Club League, and reached a Semi Final of the Combination League Cup of all the Clubs in the area. I lost out in both competitions to opponents playing with flats. The next and my last season, I had to forfeit a few games due to College but still in my eyes finished a credible 7th place out of 12.

I got back into the game in a big way 2 years ago, mainly after reading about the ISSL and by chance finding Table Football Monthly on YouTube. That was all I needed to start playing again, this time Solo due to the circumstances that we all faced at that time. I would imagine my back story is familiar in some way to the experiences many of you reading this have had over time.

The beauty of the solo game

I’ve heard it said that solo play is boring, well ask all the solo players I’ve had the pleasure corresponding with, and anybody who stills thinks it’s boring after talking with these people, at least may have to change their stance from boring to it’s not really my thing.

The beauty of the solo game is not just mindlessly flicking your players around a pitch, it’s the innovation it produces to be able to play the game without an opponent, making the contest as unbiased and lifelike as possible, the organising of leagues, playing or replaying historic tournaments, or like myself inventing teams to compete season after season, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Solo play can be as simple or complicated as you like, be played when you have the time. in your own home. It can can also be a social thing, corresponding with other soloists, joining a solo league, the world is at your feet without ever leaving the comfort of your own home.

The purpose of this Blog at it’s outset was to promote the solo game, give seasoned or prospective solo players ideas from myself and others alike, to hopefully allow players to get the most out of solo play and bring more players into the game whether solo or not, to seek out others, make new friendships, and in some cases relive their youth.

 Is this the best we can expect to celebrate 75 years

 

Eccentric or just passionate

My Wife bless her thinks I’m a tad eccentric, but humours me as long as she’s not asked to join in. To be honest I’m glad she feels that way, at least those prized finger nails of hers are not going to scuff the old astro, but I don’t consider myself eccentric, I’m just passionate about football in general. Subbuteo is just an extension of this, it’s my way of getting a football fix anytime I want. I’ll go as far to say at my age it’s also a way I can still play football whenever I feel the need.

I can also play the game the way I want it to be played, with different formations, employing real football tactics. My rules I feel reflect this, but they are and maybe always will be work in progress. The passion I have now is as strong as it’s ever been, and nothing pleases me more than to see other people enjoying the game no matter whether it’s solo, just for fun with a few mates or competitively. I believe it’s our duty as possible custodians of the game to entice the next generation of players into the beautiful game.

Subbuteo 75^th Anniversary Edition

Well the now manufacturer of Subbuteo, University Games is planning to release a 75th anniversary edition of the beautiful game, but I have a feeling it may be a little underwhelming, it has apparently a better quality pitch, which is a bonus but it’s becoming apparent that the goals are of the same abysmal quality as they have been for a while now, the players are reportedly the new bendy type, but I’m unsure what kind of kit they will be sporting. So there you have it all the stops pulled out to celebrate a milestone in Subbuteo. I think they may have missed a trick or two here.  

If I were to offer a celebratory product for the game it would have probably taken the form of replica flats, round balls, goals of quality, and a pitch of the same quality that we remember from the late 60’s, with a booklet encompassing all the rule-sets since 1947, and including a short history of the game at the very least. Maybe include a couple of modern OO scale teams and then you have a set that not only shows it's roots but showcases current offerings in the same box. 

Instead it looks like we're being offered a new box with a better pitch, how much thought went into that then?  Dear University Games I implore you to make something worthy of 75 years not eBay fodder.

So I’ll end this update by asking you all a question which, (if you had the choice), would you buy?

Keep On Flicking

Ian 

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