National Five-a-Sides (England)

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. The competition was contested between 1968 and 1986 (and televised up to 1983).[1]

National Five-a-Sides
Founded1968 [1]
RegionEngland (The FA)
Current championsNorwich City (1st title
Most successful club(s)Wolverhampton Wanderers, Southampton (2 titles)
Television broadcastersBBC

History

The competition was held at Wembley Arena to packed crowds of between 8,000 and 10,000.[1] It was sponsored by the Daily Express.[1] The competition was a covered by the BBC and highlighted on their Wednesday Sportsnight programme.[1][2] The last televised edition was in 1983.[1]

Scottish football teams received invites.[3] Other indoor tournaments popular around this time included Evening Standard London Five-a-Side (around since 1954) and Guinness Soccer Six (inspired by MISL) competitions.[3] Both Five-a-Side tournaments shared a home at the Wembley Arena between 1968 and 1986.[4]

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]

List of Finals
Year Winners Score Runners up Ref[1]
1968 Charlton Athletic 1–0 Gillingham [5]
1969 Manchester City 2–1 Swindon Town [6]
1970 Manchester United 2–1 Tottenham Hotspur [7][8]
1971 Southampton
1972 Tottenham Hotspur Penalties Ipswich Town [9]
1973 Derby County 3–1 Celtic [10][11]
1974 Leyton Orient 2–0 Tottenham Hotspur [9][12]
1975 Wolverhampton Wanderers
1976 Wolverhampton Wanderers
1977 Ipswich Town 3–1 Coventry City
1978 Crystal Palace 2–2
Penalties		 Chelsea [13]
1979 Sunderland 2–0 Brighton & Hove Albion [14]
1980 Aston Villa
1981 Celtic 1–0 Southampton [10][15]
1982 Arsenal
1983 Southampton 3–0 Leicester City [16][17]
1984 Watford 1–0 Aston Villa [18][19]
1985 Oxford United 2–2
Penalties		 Arsenal [20]
1986 Norwich City 5–0 Manchester City [21]

See also

References
  1. "Football Nostalgia: National Daily Express 5-A-Side Competition". Comicus. 17 July 2018. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  2. "Subbuteo Football Express Set & Accessories". Little Plastic Men. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  3. "Famous Fives". When Saturday Comes. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
    "The glory days of televised indoor tournaments". When Saturday Comes. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  4. "Football Nostalgia: London Evening Standard 5-A-Side Tournament". Comicus. 13 July 2018. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  5. "The 1960s". Gillingham FC Scrapbook. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  6. "National Daily Express 5 A Side Trophy 1969/70". City Till I Die. 6 July 2011. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  7. "Football Nostalgia: National Daily Express 5-A-Side Competition - Manchester United". Comicus. 17 July 2018. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  8. "Carlo Sartori". Sons of United. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  9. "Other Activities". MEHSTG. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  10. "Daily Express Five-a-Side Challenge Cup". The Celtic Wiki. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  11. "How much did Derby County legend John McGovern's medals net him at auction?". Derby Telegraph. 7 December 2017. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  12. "A BUNCH OF FIVES!". Orient 1881. 7 May 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  13. "Football Nostalgia: National Daily Express 5-A-Side Competition - Penalty Shoot-out". Comicus. 6 July 2011. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  14. "Sunderland AFC; Daily Express 5 A Side Winners 1979/80". Ryehill Football. 9 December 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
    "Fever Pitch (Vol 1, Issue 1): August 2016" (PDF). SAFC NASA. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
    "BRIGHTON FINISH SECOND IN FIVE-A-SIDE TOURNAMENT". The Goldstone Wrap. 23 June 2013. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  15. "CHARLIE NICHOLAS: THE SWAGGER AND STYLE OF A TEENAGE SENSATION". The Football Pink. 10 May 2020. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
    "25th November 1981- National Five-A-Side Football Championship (at Wembley Arena)". Old Watford. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  16. "Football Nostalgia: National Daily Express 5-A-Side Competition - Southampton". Comicus. 17 July 2018. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  17. "Saints Players: Eric Martin". Saints Players. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  18. "21st November 1984- Five-a-side Football National Championship (at Wembley Arena)". Old Watford. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  19. "Oddities: Sunderland's odyssey through a variety of weird & wonderful cup competitions". Roker Report. 15 January 2019. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  20. "Arsenal Programme (v Liverpool, Dec 14, 1985)" (PDF). East Lower. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
    "DAILY EXPRESS FIVE-A-SIDE". Worthpoint.com. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  21. "INDOOR FOOTBALL". Late Tackle Football Magazine. 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.
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