King Kev is the Centre of Excellence

English Cup runner-up Aaron Skinner and champion Kevin Cordell

Two tournament wins in two weeks for the King, Kevin Cordell, this time it was victory in The England Nations Cup, played at the English Subbuteo Associations, Centre of Excellence. 24 players entered the competition on Saturday 24th of February 2024 with a host of current England Internationals taking part.

Kevin Cordell's reaction: "What a day and what a tough group I had! During today I played top players throughout all my matches with group wins over Miguel Pereira (2-0) and Justin Scott (2-1) and also a draw against Rudi Peters (1-1) meaning I topped my group with 7 points and a +3 goal difference 😁. This led to me playing another good player in the barrage with a 2-1 win over Sam Curtis in golden goal although we played really well and it could’ve gone either way.

Next up in the quarters, a player I’ve never played before in Ian Aggett. In this one I came out with a comfortable 5-2 win. Semis against Alan Lee was a very high tense quality game with it finishing 2-2 AET and I won 4-2 on shots. Final against Aaron Skinner was another cracking game with lots of chances at both ends but in the end I completed a fantastic day with great performances in all games.

Thanks to Alan and everyone who helped out today me and Jamie really enjoyed it all and great to see everybody. Roll on Mons, Belgium next week along with Wobblies."

Original story: https://www.englishsubbuteoassociation.com/post/king-kev-is-the-centre-of-excellence   

Francis Cozzarin wins Western Sydney tournament

Friday, February 23, 2024
The Clubhouse, Toongabbie

(Story by Adrian Elmer)

While there was a tournament planned for the evening, firstly, more important matters needed to be dealt with. Eating! A collection of gourmet accompaniments were lavished atop humble hotdogs, washed down with ciders and white wine, and the crew were primed to get on with the flicking.

A 9 player Swiss tournament necessitated 4 pitches - 3 crammed into the air-conditioned clubhouse proper with a 4th out on the back verandah. While the temperature had, thankfully, cooled from the high-30s of earlier in the day, there was still plenty of humidity about, along with the ubiquitous mosquitos, so players were really stretched by the conditions. Louis and Dave were the first to put themselves to this test, with Louis making a fine start and a 2-0 victory. In the air-conditioning, Adrian and Gabriel played their first ever competitive match against each other, Gabriel holding out for a significant part of the game before Adrian scored 2 late goals. Imojjen came from behind to take a 1-1 draw with Franck, while Steve and Tim played out the exact same scoreline.

Steve was unimpressed with the two mediocre goals Franck put past him in their match up, especially as Steve could only find 1 of his own in reply. Louis stayed on the humidity pitch but this time fell 1-0 to Adrian. Imojjen and John failed to bother each other's goal while Dave took a narrow 1-0 win over Gabriel. 

The third round was one that could have been done without, in retrospect. Across the four fixtures, not a single goal was scored, which probably validates the benefits of a Swiss system but really didn't do much to excite spectators!

Round Four pitted John against a son for the second game running, with him going down 1-0 to Tim on this occasion. The humidity finally caught up with a wilting Louis with Franck hammering him 4-1. Steve was in clear control in his game against Gabriel and so began to give pointers to Gabriel. Gabriel listened carefully and then proceeded to score his first of the evening based on this advice! Meanwhile, for the first time ever, Dave picked up a competitive point against Adrian. Having gone behind following a fatal traveling goalkeeper error, Dave managed to eke out a small piece of space behind Adrian's defense and slip an equaliser with a few minutes remaining.

A final round of catchup games for all of those who had sat out for a bye had the potential to determine the final standings significantly. John was no match for Steve who won 3-0. Imojjen was clearly fading as the evening wore on and Tim took full advantage, claiming a 2-0 victory and slotting himself right amongst the top of the table.

That table was congested! 3 players ended the evening tied at the top on 8 points, so Power Rankings (where the relative strength of each opponent is factored in) were used to determine the winner, with Franck coming out on top, followed closely by Tim then Adrian. With every player picking up at least one positive result across the evening, placings then counted down with a single point between each successive player on the table.

Congratulations to Franck on the win and thanks to all those who came along to make another successful, well contested, and well fed, tournament.

Final table:
1. Francis Cozzarin
2. Tim Phokos
3. Adrian Elmer
4. Steve Dettre
5. David Rudd
6. Louis Dettre
7. Imojjen Elmer
8. John Phokos
9. Gabriel Phokos

Original report here: https://sites.google.com/view/westernsydneysubbuteo/tournaments

Western Sydney Subbuteo on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1379501845629782

Martinog Bradley wins Winter Cup

The 2024 Derry City Winter Cup in in the books. 8 players competed with Martinog Bradley taking the title with a 2-0 final win over Barry Spence. Oisin Mor and Donegal's Frankie Connolly made it to the semi-finals while Derry's own Dee Jenkins won the plate in a thriller shootout against plate runner-up Stephen Mc Allister.

Derry City TFC on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DerryCityTableFootball

Christophe Dheur and Matthias Averlant win WASPA events in Belgium

Last friday two WASPA tournaments were played in Belgium and once again, organizers were happy to host a great turnout.

In Verviers, 10 players competed in Swiss format. Christophe Dheur won 4 of his 5 games, which was enough to claim the victory while Sébastien Scheen was runner-up!

Final table:
1. Christophe Dheur
2. Sébastien Scheen
3. Salvatore Visconti
4. Geoffrey Dheur
5. Daniel Scheen
6. Pascal Scheen
7. Jean-Michel Cuenca
8. Philippe Roufosse
9. Valéry Willot
10. Benoit Vanwissen

Templeuve had a bigger turnout with 16 players from 3 nationalities taking part. Cezar Stoilescu continued his visit in Belgium and was glad to play many games. During the tournament, he won 2 of his 4 games to finish in a good 9th place. The winner of the day was Matthias Averlant. In the last session, Averlant and Geoffrey Marain were the only players with three wins and their game together ended with a draw (2-2). Thanks to a better goal difference, the young ASH player won the event.

More importantly, every player had great fun and competitive games so Subbuteo was the real winner.

Final table (all Belgians unless noted):
1. Matthias Averlant
2. Geoffrey Marain
3. Vincent Coppenolle
4. Benjamin Marain
5. Pascal Flémal
6. Sébastien Sorge (FRA)
7. Sébastien Rochez
8. David Sardi de Letto (FRA)
9. Cezar Stoilescu (ROM)
10. Michaël Dupret
11. Didier Moons
12. André Flémal
13. Franck Santer (FRA)
14. Eric Caillaux (FRA)
15. Olivier Bodelle (FRA)
16. Marc Sceraert

Luke Radziminski wins Northern Phoenix tournament

Here is the report of the recent Northern Phoenix tournament held in Melbourne, Australia.

Thanks to Christos Garagounis for the story.

"Another big night of Table Football was had on the evening of Tuesday 20th February as Northern Phoenix TFC hosted the February Fanatics NPTFC WASPA at Preston Druids CC.

A solid gathering of nine competitors saw the field split into two groups (of five and four respectively) with all games played in the popular Fast-15 format.

A feature of the evening was the number of Intra-Club derbies that were played along with one noticeable upset as Adrian Connolly held on for a big 2-1 victory against Carl Young.

Luke Radziminski got the job done with the same scoreline against club teammate Benji Batten in the other Semi-Final (scoring the goal of the evening in the process with an outrageous long range effort).

In the Final, Luke proved too strong for Adrian (3-1) to claim WASPA honours and the new title of the 'Polish Predator' (let's hope it sticks).

Hard not to mention the return to competitive action of the state's (and arguably nation's) favourite son Kevin Grant. Great to see the Legend back.

Lots of games and lots of goals but most importantly, lots of fun and an opportunity for players to enjoy more table football in Victoria.

Another enjoyable evening and needless to say.......

Subbuteo was the Real Winner!"

Northern Phoenix on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/780610992079187

Great success for the first tournament in the North of France

 A few months ago, Sébastien Sorge and David Sardi de Letto started their own club in Wattrelos. This is the only club in the north of France, a region where most of the best players decided years ago to play for foreign clubs. Starting a new club is always a challenge, in particular in a region with no tradition of Subbuteo. Fortunately, the motivation of organizers made miracles happen. Weekly trainings are organized with some new players taking part but also friends from belgian clubs. The club had the first tournament under WASPA banner on thursday and dur to limited space, it was decided to limit to 10 players. For this first "promotional tournament", Wattrelos players had the visit of Romania's Cezar Stoilescu, who was spending a few days in the area, but also some players travelling for other regions and even 2 Belgians.

After groups sessions played in games of 20 minutes and semi-finals, local player David Sardi de Letto faced AS Hennuyer's Jordan Bonte in the final. Bonte was in an amazing great day and won the final! Sébastien Sorge and Franck Santer reached the semis.

In the end it was a great evening for all, every player was given the chance to play at least 5 games. It was also a good way to promote the game in the area!

We are sure more tournaments will be played in the future!

Final table:

1st: Jordan Bonte - AS Hennuyer
Finalist: David Sardi de Letto - ALC Wattrelos-SLM
3rd: Franck Santer - Templeuve United
4th: Sébastien Sorge - ALC Wattrelos-SLM
5th: Cezar Stoilescu - Subbuteo Bucuresti
6th: Eric Caillaux - Templeuve United
7th (tied): Olivier Bodelle - ALC Wattrelos-SLM
7th (tied): Nicolas Voet - ALC Wattrelos-SLM
9th: Thibaut Marville - ALC Wattrelos-SLM
10th: Anthony Meireaux - Templeuve United

ALC Wattrelos-Subbuteo Lille Métropole on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077687595237

More pictures of the tournament

February 2024: more results from around the globe

We are happy to receive more results from around the globe. Here is a brief summary of recent results from England, Australia, Ireland and Belgium.

Alan Kimber in great shape in Perth

The monthly tournament of the Perth club had a great turnout of 9 players. Players were divided in 2 groups and after the semi-finals, Alan Kimber managed to beat Singapore's Tan Yew Low in the big final. Hugh Best and Brian Pearson made it to the semi-finals.

Semi-finals: Hugh Best - Tan Yew Loy 1-4 ; Alan Kimber - Brian Pearson 1*-1
Final: Alan Kimber - Tan Yew Loy 1-0

Subbuteo Perth on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1233903783292458

Farrell and Moore winners in Dublin, Ireland

Report from Andy Fitzpatrick - On a lively Saturday in Cherrytree Walkinstown, the grounds of Cherrytree Dublin Subbuteo Club and TFAI buzzed with the excitement of Republic of Irelands Table Soccer (Subbuteo) 2024 World Cup qualification event. Enthusiasts and competitors alike came together to vie for a spot in the prestigious tournament. John Moore, known as the godfather of Irish Subbuteo, with his extensive World Cup experience, dominated the Veteran competition, securing the top spot with an impressive 19 points. The battle for the second spot was closely contested between Gerry Harrington and Adrian Pigott, with only a point separating them at 15 and 16 points, respectively. However, Gerry's narrow victory over Adrian in the opening round ensured his place on the Republic of Ireland team. Tralee & Munster Subbuteo Clubs David Elton displayed remarkable resilience across the rounds, finishing with 11 points, while William Magnier  strategic gameplay earned him a solid 8 points. Despite their best efforts world cup vet Nick Moore and John Kinsella were positioned lower on the table, underscoring the competitive nature of the event. The tournament was not just a display of skill but also a celebration of the spirit of Subbuteo, paving the way for future thrilling encounters in the sport.

In the Open category, Ireland's pro, Mark Farrell, emerged victorious, facing stiff competition, notably a tight 1-0 win against Irish international player Oisín Mór in the opening round game.

I managed to score the leading goal in both matches against Mark, but he won the first game 3-1, and we drew 1-1 in our second game. 

Oisín Mor, with close games against Andy losing 1-0 and Drawing 1-1. Well done Oisín, showed exceptional skill but ended the event with 1 point due to the tough competition. 

The day was marked by exhilarating matches and commendable sportsmanship, setting a high standard for future competitors in the world of table soccer.

As the Irish qualification event for the Table Soccer (Subbuteo) World Cup 2024 concludes, Ireland looks forward to sending a team to Tunbridge Wells, England, in September this year. They will proudly wear the national colors and compete against teams from around 30 nationalities, representing their home countries in this esteemed international event.

Team so far to represent Ireland is open Mark Farrell and Andy Fitzpatrick.

Vets John Moore and Gerry Harrington.

Under 16 Daniel Kaliszewski.

Under 12 Elliot Fitzpatrick. 

Open table:
1. Mark Farrell
2. Andy Fitzpatrick
3. Oisin Mór

Veterans table:
1. John Moore
2. Gerry Harrington
3. Adrian Pigott
4. David Elton
5. William Magnier
6. Nick Moore
7. John Kinsella

Subbuteo in Dublin: https://www.facebook.com/cherrytreedublinsubbuteoclub

Action in Morecambe Bay

In England, Stuart Andrews won this month's WASPA tournament in Morecambe Bay, finishing on top of a group of 5. Here is the final table of the tournament.

1. Stuart Andrews
2. Luca Lanzani
3. Keith Carman
4. Rob Wilkinson
5. Perry Sinacola

Morecambe Bay SC: https://www.facebook.com/themorecambebaysubbuteo

Great turnout in Milton Keynes

Here are the results and final table from Monday night inaugural Milton Keynes Table Soccer Club World Amateur Subbuteo Players Association (WASPA) event. Huge congratulations to former club champion Phil Holmes on his victory and to runner-up and tournament organiser Ian Aggett.

1. Phil Holmes (Milton Keynes TSC)
2. Ian Aggett (Milton Keynes TSC)
3. Graham Harwood (Pedmore TFC)
4. Sam Curtis (Yorkshire Phoenix and Dewsbury Moor TFC)
5. Mark Weaver (Leicester Foxes Club)
6. Martin Holmes (Kettering Flicking Marvellous)
7. David Everitt (Kettering Flicking Marvellous)
8. John Cooper (Milton Keynes TSC)
9. Martin Hill (Kettering Flicking Marvellous)
10. Greg Lickorish (Milton Keynes TSC)

Milton Keynes TSC: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1526416458124954

Bruno Timpano winner in the South of Belgium

Finally, in Belgium, Bruno Timpano won last Friday's tournament in the South of Belgium. the tournament was held under the banner of Wamme Subbuteo club and the man from Seraing had enough with 4 wins and a draw to finish on top of a league of 7 players. Congratulations and thanks to organizer Thomas Janssens for the great evening!

Final table:
1. Bruno Timpano
2. Christopher Sabetta
3. Luc Grosdent
4. Jean Grosdent
5. Noah Janssens
6. Thomas Janssens
7. Antonio Timpano

Wamme SC: https://www.facebook.com/groups/180520979012248

Small events are beautiful

The WASPA circuit is made of big and small events. Sometimes small events don't get the deserved lights but we really think it's important to notice small groups of players are also part of our fantastic community.

Players in Edinburgh, Scotland

In Scotland, the second WASPA tournament organized by "Monday night Subbuteo" in Edinburgh had 3 players taking part. Marco Bevilacqua was the winner of the night but, more importantly, everyone had a great time! Games were played at "the Chanter" and the group had the vist of a potential new player. The next event will be on March 18th. This will be the third event in Edinburgh, giving the Golazzo players to the WASPA Conference League ;-)

Final results: 1. Marco Bevilacqua ; 2. Andy Kent ; 3. Paul McFadyen.

Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/SubbuteoEdinburgh

In South Africa, the Eastern TFC player met for their monthly tournament that was played as a league. Ian clarke was one again the winner while Gary Downs was runner-up. 

Final table: 1. Ian Clarke ; 2. Gary Downs ; 3. Rui Dos Santos ; 4. Keegan Paolini ; 5. Christopher Paolini.

Finally we received results of the latest North Shields tournament. The club from England has regular events and Chris Kaberry, who is also the club organizer, was the winner of the day after a session of very close games!

Fcaebook link: https://www.facebook.com/northshieldssubbuteotablefootball

Feel free to contact the WASPA circuit at vincentcoppenolle@gmail.com for tournament requests. We are glad to compile results from all kind of Subbuteo groups and we are excited to see the first WASPA event this season in France to be held on February 22 in Wattrelos (North).

WASPA trophies at the Australian Grand Prix

Earlier this month, the Australian Grand Prix 2024 was held in Sydney and was a fantastic week-end of table football with competitors travelling from all over Australia but also New Zealand and Singapore to play.

During the week-end, two tournaments were played under WASPA banner.

Saturday final (Wilson vs Brener)

On Saturday, the consolation tournament of the individual event was played by 16 players from many different clubs. Congratulations to Jonty Brener from the Northern Falcons Table Football Club for his victory. An entertaining 3-1 win over Richard Wilson (Canberra & South Coast). Hugh Best (Western Australia) and Paul Magee (Western Sydney) made it to the semi-finals.

On Sunday, the "Travellers Cup" was played as a small league by six players. Singapore's Vikas Chandiramani won the tournament, helping his club (Juring SC) to claim their first points this season in the WASPA top clubs section. Nick Brill was runner-up and Jonty Brener was third.

Nico Muller's visit in London

Subbuteo is all about friendship and fun. This Sunday London Subbuteo club had the visit of germany's Nico Muller. It was the perfect time to organize a small tournament with old rules. Congratulations to Simon Goodman, winner of this International WASPA event played in the home of London SC, "La Pizzica Restaurant". Tony Banks was runner-up and Nico Muller was third!

London SC on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083345050371

WASPA rankings of January 2024

Dear friends, please find the monthly updates of the WASPA circuit. We are pleased to publish the results and rankings after the 39 tournaments played in January.

PDF file

Excel file

Old rules tournaments in Brescia, Italy

It was another big month with the first tournaments held this season in Czech Republic and New Zealand. We also had many events in England, Belgium and Australia and some nations continue to support the circuit with excellent events.

Final of the Barcelona tournament (Prat vs Araujo)

Old rules events have been held in Italy and England and we really appreciate some FISTF organizers hold consolation tournaments under WASPA banner.

Benny Ng winner in Auckland, New Zealand

On a more personal note, the last few weeks have been difficult so I would like to apologize for the lack of updates on the WASPA blog. Hopefully things will be easier in the next few weeks.

Kye Arnold wins consolation tournament at the FISTF Satellite in Leicester

I stay at your disposal for more questions about the WASPA circuit.

Table football legend Gil Delogne won the Stembert tournament

Please keep the address vincentcoppenolle@gmail.com for sending tournament results!

Vincent Coppenolle, WASPA Organizer