Hey Footy Family,

I'm here to talk to you today about one of the best parts about being a footballer in New York City, Brooklyn Bridge Park, aka, Pier 5. I won't mince words here, Pier 5 is the best place to play soccer in New York City. You can make arguments as to why other fields are the best, which I would listen to politely, before simply showing you a photo or taking you to the field and letting that do the talking.

NYC Footy is lucky enough to have permits here all throughout the week, as well as BetterPlayer programs on most days. If you're interested in playing at the Mecca of soccer in NYC, sign up right below.

Up next: Brooklyn Bridge Park

The Field: 

It's hard for me to resist just letting the sight of the field convince you that you need to play here, even just once, as nothing I can say will make a better case for the field. So I won't.

There is no other field that encapsulates the grandeur of living in New York City, while sequestering you from the non-stop energy of the city like Pier 5. The field is huge, well kept, and boasts one of the best views of the city, spanning downtown Manhattan, Governor's Island (shout out to the Gov Cup), The Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and the inevitably magnificent sunsets to the West. It's been my soccer home for a few years now, and I promise once you play here you won't want to go anywhere else.

The Neighborhood:

The neighborhood around Pier 5 is a wonderful place to explore, even if you're not planning to hang out with your team after the game. The promenade where the field is located makes for a lovely walk and the street leading to the field from the subway is quietly one of the nicest streets in the city, with cobbled streets and beautiful houses that you can ogle and dream of living in one day when rent prices go back down, so not anytime soon.

Forninio's: Only one pier and two minutes from the field, Fornino's is a great place to drop your weary legs after the game, especially during the summer. Fornino's has the same spectacular view as the pitch, but elevated, so maybe even a little bit better. They've got cool drinks, excellent food, and a really friendly staff.

Floyd's: If there's one bar in all of the city that I would say is "the Footy bar" it's Floyd's. Floyd's is the best version of the warm post-game pub you can find within any reasonable distance of Pier 5. They've got soft, comfortable couches, a big projector playing any sports you might ask for, one of the sweetest bartenders in the city, and a bocce ball track inside the bar. If you want to meet and relax with some of the best people in the world, head to Floyd's after your game.

Table 87: About a 5 minute walk from the field, Table 87 has no right to be as good as it is, but I'm grateful that it is. At least that's what I believed until I realized that Table 87 was featured on Shark Tank and took away a $250,000 investment from the show. What seems like a fairly inconspicuous pizzeria brings excellent food and service, high above the bar pizza, some of the best frozé the city has to offer (read, you will go for 1 drink and walk out having had 3), and these amazing little roasted garlic bulbs that I recommend you take with any chance you get and use in your own kitchen. You can thank me later.

Directions: 

Train: The Borough Hall stop is your best bet, where the 2, 3, 4, 5 and R trains stop. If you're off the N or W, Court St. is only a few blocks away from the field. 

Ferry: The New York Ferry has a stop right at Pier 6, next to where Fornino's is just a two minute walk from the field. You can catch the ferry at a handful of locations in lower Manhattan, as well as along stops throughout Brooklyn and Queens making it a surprisingly convenient way to travel around the city.

Bike: There is a bike path that runs along the waterfront, which passes right in front of the field. There aren't any Citibike stations right on the field, but there are a slew of them within a five minute walk of the pier.

Thanks for listening,

James

Hey Footy Family,

Clinton Hill is near and dear to me as it's where I call home. The one drawback of the neighborhood is the dependence it has on the G train, which is to trains what the Knicks are to New York sports fans. A continual letdown. The Star Spangled Playground for your NYC Footy and Better Player games and practices because now you can simply bike or walk to the field while your friends and teammates suffer the single line nightmare that is the G train.

In all seriousness, the Star Spangled Playground is the perfect field if you're looking for a place to take you out of the hubbub of the city to play some soccer and enjoy one of the best neighborhoods in the city.

Up next: Clinton Hill

The Field: 

Located just on the edges of Clinton Hill, Bed Stuy, and South Williamsburg, the Star Spangled Field is a spacious, turf field tucked away on a quiet residential street. The field eludes the noise and energy of the city around it, except for that one guy who always seems to argue with the refs, we can't do anything about that. Believe me we've tried. 

Just a few blocks away from Pratt, the field is fairly large with plenty of room for two games. The park itself is larger than just the pitch, with a playground, track, and other facilities, which means NYC Footy games and Better Player practices can really use the entire breadth of the space without worrying about sharing the field or vying for space.

The downside is that the field is currently in need of a proper makeover, which we expect to happen soon.

The Neighborhood:

The area around the field has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to bars and restaurants you can hop to after (or before) your games.

Chilo’s: Only 4 short blocks from the field you'll find this tequila bar ready for you with a backyard taco truck, frozen margaritas and plenty of outdoor seating. They also offer discounts on drinks for teachers on Fridays, which is as enlightened a policy as I've heard of in a long time.

Mekelberg’s: Only two blocks further down the road, you've probably already heard of this place, but it's worth bringing up again. The bar hosts a long list of beers and wines, happy hour specials, a dangerously well stocked mini-market attached to the bar, and one of the best dam hot chicken sandwiches in Brooklyn. They've got a small backyard, and your standard parking space patio in the front of the establishment for you and your team.

Do or Dive Bar: All it took was a couple hastily taped V's and a long line through the word "restaurant" on the yellow awning to change the Do or Dine restaurant into the grungy and lively Do or Dive. If you want to drink PBR's in a backyard, or inside amongst the throwback neon signs littered around the bar surrounded by friends, this is the place for you.

Fun Fact: Mekelberg's in Clinton Hill is one of only a handful of places in the city that carries one of the best cheeses in the world, Old Witch. If you stop by, make sure to pick up a slice (or in my case 5) from the fridge. Trust me, you will love it.

Directions: If you don't live off of the G train, or if it's not an easy transfer for you, I do recommend biking to the field as it's in one of those pockets of Brooklyn where your options are G train or nothing.

Train: The field is 3 blocks away from the Classon Ave G train stop. 

Bus: The B46 bus stops directly in front of the field. 

Bike: There is, as always, a Citibike station located conveniently in front of the field. 

Thanks for listening.

- James

Get Kicking!

As always, we'd love any feedback you have about the fields, how to get there, or any hidden gems in the area. We promise to keep your secrets safe within our email blasts. 

Hey Footy Family,

I hadn't discovered Chelsea Park until late last year and it made me question why I hadn't found this field earlier in my career. The atmosphere around the pitch incredibly calm, the field itself is beautiful and since its situated in a fairly large park, you don't feel closed in by all of the buildings. If you live in Manhattan, Queens or near the water in Brooklyn, I highly recommend checking this field out for your next NYC Footy league.

Up next: Chelsea Park

The Field: 

Chelsea Park is a beautiful, well kept, well sized turf field situated on 27th street and 10th ave. The field is big enough for two games to run simultaneously with plenty of room to spare between them. The atmosphere around the pitch is incredibly calm and relaxed. Showing up to play soccer here on a sunny weekend afternoon or a breezy weekday evening is one of the most calming feelings I can describe.

The park boasts plenty of shade to rest in on hot days if you're looking to relax a little between subs, or even games. It’s an upper-tier field and space in every measure in one of the best neighborhoods in the city.

The Neighborhood:

Once you step off the pitch, you’re smack dab in the middle of Chelsea which is chock full of bars and restaurants to carry over the good times with your teammates. It’s worth mentioning that simply walking around the neighborhood full of quiet brownstone lined streets is a gratifying experience.

Porchlight: This is where you should go if you’re looking for something a little bit more. Owned by Danny Meyer, it’s an excellent bar with a relaxed atmosphere serving great, custom cocktails alongside a variety of beer and stellar bites. It’s situated just a block away on 11th avenue and 28th street and has a ton of outdoor space.

Billymark’s West: Billymark’s is the kind of dive that sticks out like a piece of lettuce in your teeth and I love every bit of it. Billymark's comes equipped with cheap drinks, a jukebox, a pool table, and darts. This one story, bright blue box of an establishment is just one block from the field, so if you’re looking for a dive near the field, this is the one.

Frying Pan: The Frying Pan docked in NYC in 1989, and has been a highlight of the Hudson ever since. This outdoor bar located on a docked boat in the Hudson has excellent oysters, fries, and tons of drinks. If you’re playing in the summer, this is a perfect spot for you and your team to sit back, enjoy the sun and each other's company. What more could you want?

The Chelsea Market and The High-line: are also only two blocks away from the field. While they are fairly tourist-ridden, they are that way for good reason. They’re both really nice places to go. Don’t be a New Yorker who complains about tourist traps and avoids them out of spite. Do them once, and then complain about them and avoid them out of spite like the rest of us.

Directions: 

Train: The closest subway station to the field is 23rd, where both the C and E trains stop. Below that, you can take the L to 8th avenue and you'll only be a short walk from the field. If you're coming from Queens, it's much the same except take the 7 all the way West, and then either walk or transfer to the C/E.

Bike: If you’re biking, there’s plenty of room to keep your bike safely near/on the fields and there is a CitiBike station just on the corner of 27th and 10th right next to the field. 

Bus: As far as buses go, the M11 stops on both sides of the field, on 10th ave (going uptown) and on 9th ave (going downtown).

Thanks for listening.

- James

Get Kicking!

As always, we'd love any feedback you have about the fields, how to get there, or any hidden gems in the area. We promise to keep your secrets safe within our email blasts. 

Hey Footy Family,

Chinatown is one of the most vibrant neighborhoods in New York City for so many reasons. One of them that you might not be aware of is that it's home to a ton of soccer fields, a string of which are all within the same 5 blocks of each other and where NYC Footy happens to hosts both games and Better Player practices nearly every day of the week. So if you live downtown, or it's an easy bike ride over the bridge for you, or just want to start playing soccer in one of the most energetic neighborhoods in New York, you should definitely check out the the Canal Street Mini and Footy's many fields in Chinatown.

Up next: Canal Street Mini Field

The Field: 

The Canal Street Mini Field is a part of the Sara D. Roosevelt Park, a long park that runs down Chrystie St. This field is the furthest South in the park, a stones throw from the the Manhattan bridge.

Although the title says ‘Mini’, there's plenty of space for regular sized 6v6 soccer games. As is true with most fields inside of the Sara D. Roosevelt Park, the Canal Street Field is covered in new, clean turf with a small running track that encircles the area.

The field looks absolutely beautiful during the day when the sun shines down on it. It is one of the most New York feelings to be playing soccer inside of a serene park, flanked by tall trees, while at the same time being situated right inside all of the hustle and bustle of both Canal St and the Manhattan Bridge. 

The Neighborhood:

169 Bar: The even eclectic and inviting 169 Bar is a dive that has been around for over 100 years in downtown New York City. Throughout all that, it's retained a fun, casual atmosphere where you can go, hang out with friends underneath a mermaid and a taxidermy T-Rex head. They've got all of what you could want in terms fo drinks, outdoor space, a smattering of quick and easy bar food, and a pool table to boot.

Clandestino: A low key bar with dim lights that makes one of the best Pimm's Cups in the city. Just a two block walk from the field, this is a great choice for you and your team as it's got a wonderful, casual atmosphere, outdoor space in the front of the bar, and plenty of bites (cheese), beers, and cocktails to choose from.

Apotheke: This downstairs cocktail bar is by no means your typical after game saloon, but I'd be remiss if I didn't at least bring it up. They have truly amazing cocktails as well as very kind and knowledgable staff. If you do go, maybe after a change of clothes and a quick shower, look for a bartender named Nik and ask him about his time as a soccer player on the Sarah Lawrence soccer team. You'll be treated to some excellent stories and will have made a friend for the evening to boot.

Rochelle's: Rochelle's is a whiskey bar just a little ways up Chrystie street. Given the fact that there are 4 or 5 soccer fields within five blocks of the bar, you can usually find one or two other teams hanging out there and is a great way to meet players from other teams, even if they're not from Footy. The bar has a really nice large space, tall windows that open up to let in the cool summer air, and plenty of choice libations to go around.

To cap it off, there are a nearly infinite number of bars and Dim Sum restaurants to try in the area around the field as well as a shockingly high number of ice cream parlors, of which I'd recommend the Chinatown Ice Cream Factory. If you don't like what you see above, take your time and explore!

Fun Fact: Manhattan's Chinatown is one of nine different Chinatown's within the city of New York and has the largest Chinese American population (nearly 600,000) in the country.

Train: The closest station to the field is the Grand St stop, where the B and D trains top. Following that is the Bowery stop, where the J and Z trains stop and at East Broadway, you can find the F train. If none of these work for you, nearly every single line stops along Canal St. which runs right into the field and makes commuting from anywhere fairly simple. 

Bike: If you’re biking to the field, there is a bike path that runs right up into the field, the same one that extends into Brooklyn over the Manhattan Bridge. There are also a number of Citibike stations on either side of the park. 

Bus: If you prefer the bus, both the M15 and the M21 stop at the North end of the park, so all you have to do is get off at the E Houston/Forsyth St stop and then walk to the South end of the park.  

Thanks for listening.

- James

Get Kicking!

As always, we'd love any feedback you have about the fields, how to get there, or any hidden gems in the area. We promise to keep your secrets safe within our email blasts. 

Hey Footy Family,

If you've spent any significant time playing pickup soccer in NYC, you've almost certainly played at Pier 40. It's one of the largest single soccer areas outside of Randalls Island, and it's where we host numerous NYC Footy leagues and our Better Player programs. If you haven't found a field yet, or you just want to check out somewhere new, Pier 40 is one of NYC's tried and true locations for soccer.

Up next: Pier 40

The Field: 

As mentioned already, anyone who has played soccer in New York City is probably already familiar with Pier 40, which is one of the mainstays of not only the Footy community, but also of the city itself. It’s home to the most active pickup community in the city. Day or night, rain or shine, somebody will be here looking to play. 

The facility has fields on two separate floors, both on the roof and on the ground floor, each covered in turf. The downstairs field is gigantic, with enough space for 6, even 8 games to run at any given time. The upstairs, while only large enough for two games to run at the same time (tragic I know), looks directly into the forest of skyscrapers that make up downtown Manhattan, making it a particularly cool place to play at night. Just make sure you’re not enjoying the view too much during the game.

If you're playing anytime other than the summer, I'd advise you to bring that extra layer to the field as it’s located over the water and can get a little windy.

The Neighborhood:

Pier 40 is wedged right in between Soho and the West Village, so there are effectively a möbius strip of bars to choose from.

Houston Hall: located just three blocks directly away from the field on W Houston street. The space, like Pier 40, is massive, with incredibly high ceilings, and very long tables where you'll find plenty of room for you and your teammates. 

The Village Tavern: is another neighborhood staple, and is just a few blocks further North of the field. It's a classic Irish pub, with a good selection of beers and drinks, solid bar food, a great staff that's well accustomed to soccer players trodding in, and to top it off they serve goldfish at the bar instead of bar nuts and if you're not a fan of that I'm not sure we can be friends.

The Ear Inn: If you're a history buff, this is a must see. The bar has been around since the 1817 in one form or another, at first selling home brewed beer and corn whiskey. Over the years, the site has been a smugglers den, brothel, doctors office and boarding house, survived prohibition, and all without a name, simply being known as "The Green Door". Now, the bar serves libations to regulars and visitors alike as live music plays in the background.

Just a little East from the field you’ll enter NYU territory, where there are bars, comedy clubs, jazz clubs, and Washington Square Park, so rest assured if none of these bars were to your liking, just keep walking straight you’ll find something to do.

Fun Fact: The Ear Inn is named so because the two owners wanted to avoid a lengthy inspection of the signage by the landmark commission. To do that, they simply taped over the round parts of the "B" in their neon "Bar" sign so that it reads "Ear" instead, officially named the bar The Ear Inn, and the rest is history. Don't ask me why that worked or why they cared, but they did and so did their plan.

Directions: 

Trains: There are a few trains in the near vicinity. The closest station is the Houston St station, where both the 1 and 2 trains stop. After that, your best be is W 4th St/Washington Sq, which you can get to using the A, B, C, D, E, F, and M trains. 

Bike: If you’re biking the location is fairly convenient as the bike path that runs along the outside of Manhattan runs right in front of the field. If you use Citibike, there are stations both along W Houston St and just South of the fields along the promenade. 

Thanks for listening.

- James

Get Kicking!

As always, we'd love any feedback you have about the fields, how to get there, or any hidden gems in the area. We promise to keep your secrets safe within our email blasts. 

Hey Footy Family,

Groucho Marx once said, "I don't want to belong to any club that will accept me as a member", but we at NYC Footy are happy to welcome all the exceptional, wonderful, and weird folks from everywhere in the city.

If you live uptown in Manhattan, first, I'm so sorry for your rent, and second make sure you take a look at the Marx Brothers Playground where we host Footy leagues as well as our Better Player program year round.

Up next: Marx Brothers Playground

The Field: 

The Marx Brothers Park is located in a giant plot of greenery on 96th street and 2nd ave.  The field has everything you’ll need: well maintained, even turf, good equipment, and as I mentioned, lots of space.

The field is situated on the Upper East Side, it’s far enough East that it’s away from the high-rises that occupy the area, instead opening up toward the East River and panorama of sun and sky that that entails. If you're playing in the Winter, or even in the early Spring or late Fall, I recommend long sleeves and some gloves as the field is right across from the river.

The Neighborhood:

The Painted Lady Saloon: Located less than a block from the field, the Painted Lady is a great place to roll into after a win or loss. Ties are required to head elsewhere, it's just the rules. It’s an easy bar with plenty of space, good food, solid drinks, and a super friendly atmosphere. 

Merrion Square Pub: A brick wall bar with good outdoor space for warm summer evenings, burgers, wings, and a solid craft beer selection for you and your team. No muss, no fuss, plenty of specials and a pool table in the back. It's also caddy corner from The Painted Lady, so if you're looking to play hard to get, maybe pop between the two of them and see which one you like best.

Reif’s Bar: Reif's has been around since 1942, so rest assured they know what they're doing. They've got darts, pool and plenty of patio space in the back. If you're looking for a friendly spot to post up with your friends, either in the sun or gathered round the green felt, Reif's is the perfect choice.

If none of these are to your liking, there are a half a dozen gastropubs all within a block of each other on 3rd avenue around 95th street, so if you mosey up there you’ll be sure to find something. 

Fun Fact: The field is named after the Marx Brothers because the family (all five brothers and their two parents) grew up only a few blocks away on 93rd and Lexington.

Directions: 

Train: The Q train stops at 96th street, right across from the field. The 6 train is also incredibly close, stopping only two blocks away from the field on 96th and Lexington. 

Bike: The 1st avenue bike path runs right into the field making it incredibly convenient to cycle to. If you’re using a CitiBike, there’s a station less than a block away from the field on 2nd avenue. 

Bus: The M15, both the express and local, stops just a block away from the field on 1st and 97th street. And if you're coming from uptown. the M96 stops just one block over on 2nd and 96th.

Thanks for listening.

- James

Get Kicking!

As always, we'd love any feedback you have about the fields, how to get there, or any hidden gems in the area. We promise to keep your secrets safe within our email blasts. 

Hey Footy Family,

Most New Yorkers know Roosevelt Island as "that place where tourists go to ride the gondola", but few know that it's home to one of the nicest fields in the city. Secluded, beautiful, and surprisingly easy to access, let's discover why NYC Footy's leagues on Roosevelt Island should have your attention.

Up next: Roosevelt Island's Octagon Field

The Field: 

The Octagon Field is a gem hidden in plain sight. Renovated just before Covid, the field has stayed entirely pristine during the pandemic and since it's situated on Roosevelt Island. Since it doesn't get a lot of foot traffic, it will stay that way for a long time.

Expect a well-kept, clean field, clear painted lines, well maintained equipment, and great lighting for evening play. It’s everything you’d want in a field.

There is also an uncanny, captivating feeling afforded to anyone playing here as the field is at once surrounded by a low panorama of open space in one direction, and the stunning Manhattan midtown skyline in the other. I cannot overstate how beautiful this field is and how excellent it is to play here, nor recommend it highly enough.

The Neighborhood:

The Jeffery is an old favorite of mine that you can find heading back into Manhattan, just across the corner from the gondola. It has hosts two bars, at one a large, local, and ever-changing beer list, while the other is made specifically for custom cocktails. They have an excellent array food, and a staff that just puts it a cut above. As welcoming as it is laudable, there’s plenty of room either inside or in the backyard for you and your teammates to relax after your game.

Granny Annie’s should be the first bar on your list when leaving your game on the island. Only a quick five minute walk from the field (and one of only a handful of bars on the island), they boast a wide selection of drinks, including their own home brew, fish and chips, bangers and mash, and every kind of bar food your heart desires.

"Fun" Fact: Roosevelt Island is home to not one, but two hospitals that have at one point burned down. The ruins of the Small Pox Hospital, the first hospital in the country dedicated to the treatment of the disease, remain standing near the Southern tip of the island in all their stygian beauty. To the North, The Octagon, the last remaining part of the Metropolitan Hospital that has long since vanished from the island, has been repurposed as the entrance to two apartment buildings. Both of these site can still be visited today.

Directions: 

Transportation/Directions: One might think that the field is difficult to get to, but the city has gone to great pains to make Roosevelt Island very accessible.

Subway: The F Train, which runs through South Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens, stops on the island at the Roosevelt Island Station, making it easily accessible for subway commuters. 

Gondola: The most well known way to get there is to take the gondola (The Roosevelt Island Tramway) on East 60th street. The gondola serves daily commuters to and from the island everyday and is accessible with a metro card. 

Bus: If you’d like to take the Bus, the Q102 runs from Queens into Roosevelt Island via the Roosevelt Island Bridge, connecting the island to Queens. 

Bike/Foot: If you’d like to bike or walk to the field, the Roosevelt Island Bridge connects the island and Queens and puts you within 100 yards of the field. There are CitiBike stations on the island and on both ends of the Roosevelt Island Bridge. 

Boat: You can also take the Ferry to Roosevelt Island. Look for the Astoria Line, which makes stops all across Queens, Manhattan, and Brooklyn. The ferry often runs a lot faster than the subway and affords you a great view of the city instead of forcing you to play eye-contact chicken with strangers on the subway. You can even buy wine on the boat, just don't fall overboard.

Thanks for listening.

- James

Hey Footy Family,

Up next in our weekly field feature is one of NYC Footy's staple fields in Queens, Grover Cleveland Park. If you live in Queens, Brooklyn, or work in midtown, this is one of the best spots for your afternoon and weekend games.

Up next: Grover Cleveland Park

The Field: 

The Grover Cleveland Park is a beautiful, recently renovated, turf field right on the border between Bushwick and Ridgewood (not to be confused with the Grover Cleveland Athletic Field, which is also nearby). 

The park itself is much larger than just the soccer fields, and a lot of effort has gone into maintaining the space as a calm, serene environment and it shows when you walk onto the field. The park is also one of the furthest east fields that Footy acquires permits for, making it a second home for a lot of Queens and Brooklynites who are a part of the footy family, so expect a particularly warm and welcoming environment when you arrive here for games.

The Neighborhood:

The Rookery Bar, is one of my favorite spots in Bushwick. It spans the spectrum of vibes, fitting everyone wearing cleats or collars, pennies or penny loafers, and everything in between. The interior is well decorated, with a large U shaped bar, booths both inside and out, and a few sets of Connect 4, Battleship, and Uno floating around the establishment as well as a foosball table. It's got great post game food and a wide selection of drinks. Put it down as a must visit.

Windjammer is your closest choice to the field, just four blocks away on Grandview Ave. If you're looking for an easy drink in a relaxed environment with a pool table that dabbles in karaoke, this is your spot. It’s a solid, laid back corner bar spot that’s guaranteed to entertain.

Echo Bravo is few blocks away from The Rookery and is perfect for larger groups. They've got tons of outdoor space on their patio, excellent wings, and even shuffle board for everyone who, like me, is 30 going on 75. 

Beyond that, just walk South from the field on either Starr or Troutman street. Within five blocks, you’ll be smack dab in the middle of a cluster of about 15 bars, 4 food trucks, artichoke pizza, and one incredible halal stand. You are also near two very fairly well known and celebrated venues in Elsewhere and House of Yes, just maybe grab a shower and an extra footy jersey to change into before you go in.

Fun Fact: Queens is the single most diverse county in the entire United States, with over 130+ languages spoken. A beautiful microcosm of that diversity plays out in Ridgewood, where the two largest demographic populations are the Hispanic/Latinx and Polish communities that call Ridgewood home.

Directions: 

Train: Your best bets are the L and the M. If you’re taking the L train, you’ll want to get off at either Jefferson Street or Dekalb Ave and then it’s a short walk. If you’re taking the M train, take it to the Forest Av stop and then again, its just a short walk from there.

Bike: As per usual, the field is very bike friendly with a Citibike station right in front of the pitch. 

Bus: The Q54 runs all along Metropolitan Ave on the North side of the park and runs deep into Williamsburg and far into Queens. You also have the B38 bringing you from South Brooklyn up to the field. 

Thanks for listening.

- James

Get Kicking!

As always, we'd love any feedback you have about the fields, how to get there, or any hidden gems in the area. We promise to keep your secrets safe within our email blasts. 

Hey Footy Family,

In this week's spotlight, we focus on the second ever location NYC Footy hosted leagues: the iconic (at least for us) Gantry park field in Long Island City.

👉 Reminder: Our biggest ever early bird expires Tuesday for all summer leagues (including LIC). 👈

We also hosted one of our first ever tournaments at this field about 10 years ago (our one and only "tech tournament"). It's located snug in the middle of residential housing, with access to bars and even a brewery nearby. It's fits two fields with a comfortable 7v7 split and, before or after your game, access to the unique views of the east river.

[The registration page for LIC summer can be found here]

Next Up: Gantry Park in Long Island City

The Field: 

The Gantry Park field (AKA the Queens West Sports Field) is in a gorgeous location right along the East River in Queens. There’s plenty of room around the field for everyone to safely store their stuff, and the field catches a fair bit of sun, so bring sunscreen (if you’re an adult and you get sunburnt it’s only your fault). Goalies, it’s not a terrible idea to bring a hat.

This gem of a field is in a prime location in LIC so you’ll find people playing soccer there at almost every hour of the day, especially in the summer. If you’re itching for some practice outside of your NYC Footy games, you should sign up for our BetterPlayer program which has practices all around the city every day of the week. Otherwise, Gantry Park is a great place to show up to if you just want some casual futbol fun. 

The Neighborhood:

LIC Bar is the go to bar from the field for post-game drinks. If you owe someone a drink on the other team for getting nut-megged, or you just want to get to know more of the Footy crowd, this is the spot. There’s a lot of outdoor space, cheap beer, and they don’t mind if you order outside food to the bar. The regular bartender happens to be a big Mets fan, so if you come with the right gear you might get served quicker. Just don’t mention John Rocker, The Phillies, or the 2000 Subway Series.

Skinny’s Cantina is a Mexican joint one block from the field with dangerously good frozen margaritas, great table food, and a friendly staff that will help you drink yourself under the table if you stay there overlong. If you’re looking for cold drinks on a warm night with a view of the water and the midtown skyline, look no further. 

The Gutter, if you haven't already visited or heard of it already, is a bar with an eight lane bowling alley in the back. Apart from the alleys, where you can drink white russians and live out your very own Lebowski fever dream, they have plenty of space up front, a lengthy, shifting beer list, and sell a dam good hot dog. Being only two blocks away from the field this is a great place to keep the fun going. 

Fun Fact: Hunter's Point Park, right next to the field, is built to help withstand the overflowing waters of the East River in the event of a hurricane. It also features man-made marshland along the riverside, built as part of one of the cities Green Urban renovation initiatives. 

Directions: 

Subway: The field is incredibly accessible by subway, with the 7, G, E, and M trains all stopping within 5 blocks of the field. 

Bike: Biking to the field is easy if you’re coming from Queens and Brooklyn. Coming from Manhattan is a little more arduous, but if you want that extra workout from biking over the bridge, bless you. There’s a Citibike station and bike racks to lock your bike right next to the field.

Boat: The Hunter’s Point Ferry Terminal is only a short walk away from the field and is a great way to move about the city that a lot of people don’t take advantage of. It's easily as fast as the subway, if not faster if you're coming from the right place. You can grab Ferries to the field all along the East River from both Brooklyn and Manhattan.

Thanks for listening.

- James

Get Kicking!

As always, we'd love any feedback you have about the fields, how to get there, or any hidden gems in the area. We promise to keep your secrets safe within our email blasts. 

Hey Footy Family,

As part of an effort to be more useful in our emails, we will be regularly featuring field and location "spotlights" that give you a bit of the cultural surroundings of a particular footy field.

Plus, now that summer registration has been unleashed to the masses, we thought it might be wise to parse through the admittedly long list of fields and give you some of the highlights so you can find the best field (and watering hole) for your team.

Up First: Baruch Playground on the Lower East Side

The Field: 

A quiet field wedged in an alcove with the Williamsburg Bridge and the East River as your backdrop. Right off the main strip of E Houston ST, the field is one of the locations where we run both Footy Leagues and our partner BetterPlayer practice program. 

Having been recently renovated, the field is in excellent condition, with enough space for two 6v6 or 7v7 games to run simultaneously.

Since the field is tucked away from the crowds, with the pair of regulation goals always on site, Baruch Playground is an excellent place to grab some friends for a practice and a picnic over the weekend. Or grab your team's goalie and just take shots at them for an hour. Trust me, they love it.

Fun Fact: The field is located where NYC's first public bathhouse and pool was built in 1901. Some say, you can still hear the spectral whispers of lifeguards long past yelling "No running!" to this very day.

The Neighborhood:

Whether you’re looking for a sunny patio, a string lit garden, or a bustling dive, you’ll find all of the above within a short walk of the field, including one of my all time favorites.

The Summit Bar is an absolute gem that maintains a quaint but upscale environment through a balance of great food, excellent cocktails (I recommend The Matador), an incredibly endearing staff who all happen to be soccer fans, and most importantly, freshly popped popcorn at every table. What more do you want. They have space in the front as well as a cozy (heated in the Winter) back-patio, which you can reserve if you DM them on Instagram.

Royale is only one block further North, which has a busy dive bar vibe, but with a massive back deck that spans two floors and can covered and so it’s even enjoyable in the rain. Don’t be fooled by the laid back vibe, Royale was featured in The Infatuation for having one of the best burgers in town.

Ace Bar is another great spot on 5th street that has darts, pool, pinball, and plenty of other games. If none of these fit your fancy, just head West from the field on E Houston St. and by 1st ave you'll have run into more bars than you will know what to do with.

Directions: 

Subway: The closest stop to the field is the Delancy St - Essex St stop, where both the F and J trains stop. The other best bet is coming off of the 4, 5, and 6 trains, which stop at Bleeker St. 

Bus: The M14D, which you can catch along 14th street and is your best bet if you're taking the L train. The M21 runs all along E Houston St from West to East and will get you just a block away from the field. 

Bike: The bike path that runs up and down the East River is only one block away from the field, as is the Williamsburg bridge, which will let you out only 3 blocks from the field if you bike or walk over it. As always, you can take a Citibike, as there is a station literally at the field.

Thanks for listening.

- James

Get Kicking!

As always, we'd love any feedback you have about the fields, how to get there, or any hidden gems in the area. We promise to keep your secrets safe within our email blasts. 

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The Skinny on NYC Footy's Newest Indoor Turf Location

We want to take advantage of this rather quiet week to feature a few of our winter locations and the surrounding area that offers up a bit more than footy.

Today, we are excited to feature only our second ever indoor turf location: Bedford Armory, a brand new facility that is quickly becoming the talk of the town. Just take a look at the photo below.

BEDFORD ARMORY: CROWN HEIGHTS

For its opening season, NYC Footy is going to host a couple of programs, including two 5v5 leagues and one training & development class.

Available NYC Footy Leagues:

• Tuesday Night 5v5 Coed (9 Teams Currently. 1 Spot left.)

• Sunday afternoon 5v5 Coed (5 Teams Currently. 3 Spots left.)

• Footy Skills: Soccer training & skills development (Sunday)

Location:
Just to the left of the visible area of the above map is the Brooklyn Botanical Garden and the NE entrance to Prospect Park. The facility itself is situated right off the 2/3/4/5 trains, as well as major bus routes.

The Neighborhood
If you're looking for some insights into the neighborhood, first take a note that if you fancy a lazy Sunday after your game, you not only have bars & restaurants to choose from, but you're just 2 blocks from the Brooklyn Botanical Garden and the rest of Prospect Park.

If you're interested in the bar and restaurant scene, be sure to click the links below, which will take you to a map of the top rated spots nearby.

Featured Restaurant: Ix
Guatemalan fare + coffee, tea, baked goods and the like.

Here's a list of top restaurants nearby

Featured Bar: Branch Ofc.
Fully equipped with cocktails, pinball and, thankfully, a patio out back.

Here's a list of top bars nearby

That's the feature for today. We'll be back later in the week with Sunset Park and our two winter locations.

For all other leagues, visit www.nycfooty.com!

As we are approaching Christmas, I have been thinking about the best football related Christmas gifts I’ve received in my life. As I was a football nut as a kid, football gifts were a large part of my childhood.

Here are a few that stuck out in my memory.

1. Subbuteo Set

Do you know what Subbuteo is? Do you know what Subbuteo WAS, is probably the better way to phrase that question. When I was a kid, Subbuteo would take up a huge amount of real estate in any self respecting toy shop. Subbuteo was a game that involved flicking these teeny plastic figures at a ball.

The branding of Subbuteo was fantastic and you could buy any team you wanted. What’s more with Subbuteo you could buy stands, floodlights and build your dream football stadium. It was so popular that there were vast Subbuteo tournaments that people took very seriously. I must be honest - the game itself was not too much fun to play. But it didn’t matter. It just looked great.

2. Footy Books

I had a library of football books as a kid. Two that stick out were -

The Times Illustrated History of Football

By most people’s standards I think I have a pretty strong knowledge of the history of football. Why? Well one Christmas I got The Times Illustrated History of Football. The book dedicated about 4 pages to newspaper stories telling the biggest football stories of that season, along with a couple of pages with every league table for that season. I poured over that book like it was the Bible.

The Comic Book History Of The World Cup

Another absolute beauty of a book - The Comic Book History of The World Cup brought to life the history of the world’s greatest sporting event through beautiful illustration. The book isn’t particularly big, and has an unconventional shape, but it feels so unique in your hands. You don’t get bored going through it again and again. Between World Cups, the book has short interesting profiles on the greatest managers and all the results from that particular tournament. Sadly, the comic book only goes up to the 1990 World Cup in Italy, and as far as I can see has never been updated. If you can get a copy of this on Amazon if will make a unique item on your coffee table.

3. Premier League Trading Cards

For a few years of my youth, collecting and swapping Merlin’s Premier League stickers was as addictive as crack cocaine - not that I have any experience with the later mind you. Building onto the frenzy kids had in the mid nineties for football stickers - Merlin brought out a far more expensive trading card set. I managed to collect all the cards at great expense, but I needed to find one to finish the collection. My poor old grandmother would buy tons of packets of cards hoping I would find it, to no such luck. The particular card I was looking for was known as a Laser Cut card, and there was something like a 1-in-a-million chance of finding it. One Christmas, with my aunt light on funds, she asked me what I would like as a gift. I told her to just get me a couple of packets of cards. That Christmas, when she gave me the two packets, I wasn’t expecting to get the elusive card. But like Charlie Bucket himself… I did. I celebrated the find like scoring the winning in the last minute of a World Cup Final.

Here is the card in question which I see you can now get on Ebay for about 8 dollars. Had I known the value would climb so poorly, I could have saved my family a lot of money had they just waited 20 years.


4. Footy Videos

Back before the days of YouTube, I was a huge collector of football videos. You could buy all manner of videos on the beautiful game. I particularly liked goal-compilation videos. Those videos would have imaginative titles like ‘500 Great Goals’ or ‘All the Goals of USA 94.’ I wore those videos out like the footy geek that I am.

Around Christmas time it was often common in the UK for videos to come out featuring the best of footy bloopers. The videos would be marketed on TV as the ultimate Christmas gift. These productions always seemed thrown together - and were often hosted by some b-list TV presenter. Now, of course, you can find them all on YouTube. So without further ado… enjoy Danny Bakers Own Goals and Gaffs:

5. Footy Kits

I was only really into getting football jerseys when I was young. My best jersey memories included getting the Ajax shirt from around 1995, and the Brazil 98 jersey. That was a classic. But I suppose my all time favorite kit memory was when I got the Irish goalkeeper jersey after the 1990 World Cup.

6. Footy video-games

There were so many football video games that I loved as a kid. The first one I remember having was simply called Soccer for the NES. It was made by Konami and was ultimately a precursor to PES. After that, there was Super Soccer on the Super Nintendo. That was dodge, even if it did allow you to run the field and score with the goal keeper.

My friends loved Sensible Soccer with its top down visuals. Apparently, that was the thinking person's football game. But I never got into it. FIFA Soccer came out around 1993 but was all style and no substance. I preferred Striker and World Cup Striker. Me and my friends would all gather around have have high stakes tournaments on it. No jammy goals allowed. But in hindsight, the football game I played more than any other was International Superstar Soccer on the Nintendo 64. After that, there really was no point in playing a footy game ever again.

That was a good trip down memory lane. Get writing your Santa wish lists kiddos.

Back in September I had a great day out at the inaugural NYC Footy Governors Cup on Governors Island. It was an all day tournament culminating in some glorious trophy lifts. The day got me thinking about the best cup runs in my living memory. I’m sure I have left plenty of good ones out, but the following spring to mind.

1. Ireland Make It To The World Cup Quarter Final

I am a broken record in these articles talking about Ireland in the 1990 World Cup in Italy. But as it was Ireland's first appearance at a World Cup, not so much was expected from us in the tournament. First we had to get out of a tough group that included The Netherlands (fresh from winning Euro 88), England (who would go on and reach the 1990 World Cup semi finals) and the unknown quantity of Egypt. Not only did we get out of the group, but then overcame Romania in the round of 16, before ultimately getting knocked out by a solitary goal from Italy in the quarter finals in Rome. The team came home to a hero's welcome of 800,000 people on the streets of Dublin. Can you imagine if we won the thing?

2. South Korea Make It To The World Cup Semi Finals in 2002

Pressure is always on for host nations of big tournaments. The same was true of South Korea ahead of the World Cup they jointly hosted with Japan in 2002. But under the management of great Guus Hiddink, the team topped a tough first round group that included Portugal, USA and Poland. The South Koreans then sensationally beat both Spain and Italy in subsequent rounds before losing by just one goal in the semi finals to Germany. Granted the run to the semis was marred in all manner of controversy and suspicious referee decisions. But you can’t let the truth get in the way of a good story.

3. USA Make It To The Quarter Finals in 2002

For me, USAs run to the quarter finals of the World Cup in 2002 is the greatest achievement in US soccer history. It is also one that is strangely forgotten in recent history. Perhaps it's because soccer's popularity in the USA has only really bloomed in subsequent years, and the new fans and media attention that has came with it only have a football memory that goes back so far. Nevertheless, the US came out of a group by gloriously beating Portugal 3-2 and then beating permanent rivals Mexico 2-0 in the last 16. Yes, folks, the US beat Mexico when it really mattered. In the quarter finals, the US got knocked out by just one goal to Germany who would go all the way to the final. USA! USA!

4. Celtic Reach The UEFA Cup Final In 2003

Another personal choice for me. Playing in the Scottish Premier League, little is ever expected from Scottish teams in European competition. But in the 2002-2003 season under the management of the inspiring Martin O’Neill (who also had legendary cup runs with Leicester City), Celtic made it all the way to the UEFA Cup final, only to lose to the then unknown Jose Mourinho's Porto in the final. On the route to the final, Celtic beat both Blackburn Rovers and Liverpool. Both ties were dubbed a ‘Battles of Britain’ with English pundits giving Celtic little chance. I went to a number of games on that famous cup run, and was behind the goal in Anfield when John Hartson scored a screamer that knocked out The Redmen.

5. Ajax Reach The Champions League Semi Final In 2019

Ajax have always been one of Europe's greatest clubs. But sadly, in recent years with TV finances being stacked towards the big leagues in Europe, their power to compete on the biggest stage appears to have diminished over time. That was until last season when an exciting crop of young players took Ajax all the way to the Champions League semis. I could argue that Ajax's run was the biggest surprise in Champions League football since Porto won the competition in 2004. Ajax’s run is made more impressive by the fact the Dutch giants had to overcome three qualification rounds just to get into the competition proper.

6. Denmark Win Euro 1992

Denmark winning the 1992 European Championship was truly a fairytale story. The story is made fully incredible by the fact that Denmark hadn’t even qualified to compete in Euro 92. But, due to the outbreak of war in Yugoslavia a team was needed at the last moment to replace the war torn country. The story goes that many of the Danish players were on their summer holidays when they got the phone call that they were needed to play. The Danes beat France in the group stage, The Netherlands in the semis and Germany in the final.

7. Greece Win Euro 2004

It always upsets me the way the Greek team of 2004 is spoken about. Their glorious win in 2004 coupled with Leicester City winning the Premier League are arguably the two biggest football surprise stories that I can think of. I think the Greek team is thought of unfondly because their whole team were unknown with awkward to pronounce names and also because their football was tough and pragmatic. To put some perspective on Greece’s victory - before the tournament Greece were 150/1 to emerge victorious. Personally, I don’t care how you get the job done, as long as you get the job done.

8. Wigan Win The FA Cup in 2013

Although it’s prestige has been severely diminished in recent years - The FA Cup is still the most famous domestic cup competition in the world. It is also the oldest national football competition in the world. The romance and myth of the competition suggests anyone can win it on their day. But in truth the winners, certainly in my time are the usual suspects - Man Utd, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea and recently Man City. So with that in mind, the most glorious winners by far were Wigan Athletic in 2013. In truth they had a favorable draw to the final which included ties against Bournemouth, Macclesfield, Huddersfield, Everton and Millwall. But they did then have to beat the big spending Manchester City in the final. Despite the glory of winning the cup, Wigan were also relegated from the Premier League in the same season

9. Iceland Reach The Quarter Finals of Euro 2016

With a population of just 330,000 people - Iceland's very qualification for Euro 2016 was considered remarkable. For their first qualification game at home to Turkey, only 7,000 people turned out in the 15,000 capacity national stadium. That was the beginning of an incredible story which captured the hearts and minds of people the world over. Iceland ultimately made it all the way to the quarter finals of Euro 2016. Along with the thunderous Viking Clap, for me the greatest moment of Iceland's story was when they knocked England out, beating them 2-1 in the second round. And this video reaction by former England manager Steve McClaren to Iceland’s 2nd goal is priceless:

If you feel I’ve missed an obvious one, leave a note in the comments…

I hadn’t slept the night before. I had to wake up at 6am to watch Ireland in the Rugby World Cup Quarter Final v New Zealand (The All Blacks). In the end I didn’t really sleep at all. I tend not to sleep very well when I know I need to get up so early. I’m too worried about not waking up. Suffice to say game was an unmitigated disaster for Ireland and I would have done well to sleep right through it.

I took a hastily arranged car ride to Footy Fest with the kid, Adin. Adin was quite a character and together we made for an unlikely buddy cop movie duo on the way to the fest. I thought Adin was a NYC Footy regular initially, but it turned out it was his first time taking part. I was excited on his behalf to see the Footy Fest set up.

Before we hit the road proper we stopped into a gas station. He grabbed two meat pies, and a bunch of the most random confectionery - Ferro Rocher as a pre footy snack… nice.

On the ride we got acquainted by talking about everything and anything - break-ups and music tastes. Nothing was off limits. We had philosophical conversations about kids and tattoos while I bored Adin with my love of U2, and gave him a crash course in the best of Irish music - Van Morrison, The Boomtown Rats, The Waterboys and Thin Lizzy.

I am not the best passenger in a car ride. I am a nervous passenger. And I am not immune to car sickness. This kicked in particularly during the last 30 minutes of the ride to the fields in the Catskills. Those windy country roads do nothing for my stomach - not helped by the meat pie I decided to join in on.

By the time we arrived, I pretty much fell out of the car - gasping for air and trying to gather myself.

I confess we arrived so late that we had missed our first two games. Nevertheless I couldn’t wait to have a game. The weather was particularly glorious in the Catskills. I was half expecting an icy chill and a mud field this time of year, but in truth I could have done with bringing some Factor 50 rather than a wooly hat.

I was put on team, Pre Malone. The Green Team - rather appropriate for the Irishman. I love the shirts that NYC Footy give the teams. The designs are always great.

As excited as I was about playing - my first game was an utter disaster. We lost what felt like 9-0. We were all quite frustrated with each other by the end of the game. I made the decision then, that in the next game I was going to be diligent to the task of defending and maintaining some kind of team shape. I always feel when a game goes badly, it’s important to focus on the basics of your own game - stay in a good useful position, and make sure to give passes to feet. I think I did that pretty well… but we still got hammered in our last run out.

Shaking off the blues of our team performances I dived into the pizzas that were on offer. I also had a couple of Red Bulls. Usually, I would be very against such an energy drink, but as I was working on about 30 hours without sleep I needed a good kick up the arse - especially as my main task was to make the weekly NYC Footy video.

When I make my videos, I like interacting with people and bringing out some level of colour and humor. But sometimes you need to dig deep to find the right energy to do that. I am actually shy at heart, so going up and talking to random people you barely know requires you clicking into somewhat of an alter ego. Red Bull helped in this case.

My main strategy when making a video is to circle the fields and try to find interesting moments and shots. I like to come up with a certain theme of questioning for the people as well. It amazes me how often I have no clue what I will ask them, and then out of nowhere something pops up in my head to save the day. For the day’s video, I thought simply I would ask people what was on their mind. That worked well to get me going as I got a few wacky answers.

The great thing about NYC Footy and the Footy Fest is seeing the regular faces. Everybody seemed in great spirits overall. Tarek and Gerardo (two of NYC Footy’s founders) were well on top of proceedings. I was only thinking last night how those guys need a medal. As a former founder myself, I understand what it’s like to be taken for granted despite the huge amount of work and stress that goes on behind the scenes to make an operation go off well. The guys do a stellar job. I salute them.

The footy moment of the day for me was during one of the semis, the game was tied 0-0 going into the last two minutes. Then one team (the New York K(n)icks - the ‘n’ is silent), went on top, only to give away two goals in the subsequent 60 seconds to lost the game 2-1. It was the most glorious of comebacks and I am happy I caught it on camera.

From the Footy Fest we headed to the bar. I was under-dressed for the evening - Still in the footy gear I had wore all day. An icy chill have finally arrived. Meanwhile some had been able to squeeze in a shower and get changed allowing them to show up looking sparkling. It’s amazing how people can look totally different when spruced up, as opposed to when they are wearing their functional footy gear. Mind you, shout out to the girl who wore the fashionable woolly Nike leggings.

Sadly, I had to get back to Manhattan that evening as I had a video shoot the very next morning. I hitched a ride with Danny Ospina - the photographer for the day. I didn’t know Danny at all but we had great chats on the way back that made the 3 hour drive go by in no time.

By about 11 I was back in bed for some much needed sleep. It had been a while. But it was a great day. Looking forward to the next NYC Footy Fest outing already.

In my recent NYC Footy video I took in one of the new NYC Footy Fitness sessions held on Saturday mornings at Sara D. Roosevelt Park in Chinatown. It was a great run out for all involved - stretches and technique training capped off with a good old game of ball.

Despite Footy Fitness being free from controvery (to date), things can actually get quite heated on the training pitch. I’m sure it happens more often that anyone cares to admit, so I did a bit of research and found some high profile training ground bust ups for your amusement:

1. Paul Pogba vs. Jose Mourinho:

In present memory there was last season’s training ground confrontation between Paul Pogba and Jose Mourinho at Manchester United. The two didn’t seem to hit it off since Pogba’s arrival at Old Trafford with the Frenchman’s continued bad form sinking The Special One into the mire. In this training ground run in not much seems to happen. But if you look closely you can see words are exchanged followed by a glaring stare by Pogba. The writing was on the wall for one of them. Player power won out.

2. French National Team World Cup Meltdown

During the 2010 World Cup nothing seemed right in the French camp. There’s too much to outline to give this spat any good context but I recommend the documentary Les Blues to give you the full background. The training ground meltdown happened in-front of live TV cameras, smack bang in the middle of a disastrous World Cup for the French team.

3. West Ham’s John Hartson vs. Eyal Berkovic

This one is straight up nasty. In 1998, a video leaked showing a training ground altercation between West Ham teammates John Hartson and Eyal Berkovic. It was Tarantino level violence from Hartson on Berkovic. Berkovic said of the incident “If my head had been a ball, it would have been in the top corner of the net”. Hartson would later say the incident was the biggest regret of his career.

4. Mario Balotelli vs. Roberto Mancini

All these bust ups seem to be between big egos. Another such confrontation happened between the consistently tempestuous Mario Balotelli and Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini in 2013. In the pictures of training ground argument you can see Mancini trying to grab a hold of Balotelli - something no manager has appeared capable of since with the Italian strikers career going into steady descent since. He currently plays for Brescia in Serie A.

5. Barcelona’s Neymar vs. Nelson Semedo

The final major bust up that comes to mind was between FC Barcelona’s Neymar and new recruit Nelson Semedo during a pre season training camp in the USA ahead of the 2017-2018 season. Neymar at the time was about to depart Barcelona for PSG. Since then Neymar has had his fair share of problems and is now begging to get back to Barca. Semedo beware.

Comment below with any other legendary training ground sparring sessions that I may have missed.

In this week’s video I went to cover some NYC playoffs on the rooftop of Upper 90 in Astoria - a brilliant unique football environment in NYC. It got me thinking of some other unique footy locations. So without further ado, and in no particular order, here are some great alternative places you might find football being played.

1. Indoor Mode In Striker

OK, granted, my first example isn’t even in the real world, but it was too much fun not to mention. Striker is a Super Nintendo soccer video game from the early 90s that me and my friends would play endlessly. The game had a unique mode that allowed you to play indoor. It was certainly unique at the time, and was particularly fun because the ball could bounce off the walls, making the gameplay lightning fast.

2. The Pontiac Silverdome

Speaking of indoor football, the Pontiac Silverdome hosted the first ‘indoor’ game in World Cup history when the USA played Switzerland in the 1994 World Cup. Having a roof over a stadium is now much more common, but in 1994 it felt very unique. In its heyday, the Silverdome hosted all manner of high profile sporting events, but sadly now has been left to crumble. 

3. The Colosseum in the Good v Evil Nike ad

In writing this article, I have just realized hat unique football locations in the world of make believe are more fun. And there are few better companies at coming up with makey uppy football theatres than Nike. In the Good v Evil ad from the last 90s - Eric Cantona, Paolo Maldini and a raft of other superstars take on Satan’s footballers in a far away colosseum where the pitch lines are marked by flames. It’s a classic. 

4. Airport 98 

The next great football location in the Nike cannon is Rio airport which was used for a television ad pre-World Cup 1998 in France. The ad which was directed by legendary action director John Woo features a bored Brazilian national team deciding to have a kick about around the airport. The spot has been described by FourFourTwo as the greatest ad ever. The music really makes it for me. 

5. The Secret Tournament ships hull

The last of the 3 Nike ads that spring to mind was made in advance of the 2002 World Cup. The location - a cage inside a cargo ship’s hull. The commercial was directed by Terry Gilliam of Monty Python fame and featured a kicking remix of the Elvis track ‘A Little More Conversation.” The track went on to reach No.1 in 20 countries on the back of the ad’s success. It was all a bit convoluted if you ask me, but it stuck in the head.

6. AS Monaco's training field

I was actually going to reference AS Monaco's football stadium, Stade Louis II, which has always stood out to me watching TV as having a unique look and feel to it. But, upon just a couple of minutes research it appears to me that Monaco's training field may be an even greater footy location. Have a look.

7. Estadio Hernando Siles – La Paz, Bolivia

This one on the list is more of a good trivia piece than having any particular resonance with me. Estadiou Hernando Siles in La Paz is always referenced as being one of the highest stadiums in the world at 3,601 metres (11,932 feet) above sea level.  The stadium is so high that Lional Messi got sick on it during a game, and Neymar described the conditions as inhuman while wearing an oxygen mask at the arena.

"Inhuman to play in such conditions. Pitch, altitude, ball... everything bad," he wrote on Instagram.

Did we mention, it’s apparently home to paranormal activity as well?

8. Estadio Nacional, Lisbon

A nostalgic final choice for me. Estadio Nacional in Lisbon in where Glasgow Celtic won the European Cup (Champions League) in 1967. I recently took a pilgrimage to the stadium and had a walk about inside. You can see the video of that adventure above. What is interesting about this Estadio Nacionals characteristics is that it hasn’t really changed much since its look and feel in 1967. The stadium is surrounded beautifully by greenery and is close to the beach. It has a great retro feel to it in an era of soulless modern stadium development.

Estadio Nacional still hosts the Portoguese Cup Final if you are curious. 

That's all folks. 

In this week’s moody NYC Footy vid, there is a moment where I point out that I had a bad first half in goal for my side. To say I had a bad game was an understatement. And the attempt I made in the video to add some levity to my abject performance was nothing other than a desperate attempt on my part to mask what was horrifying internal embarrassment and crushed confidence.

Now I will admit, the game was the first proper game I have played in goal for almost two decades. As a kid, and up to about the age of 14, I played in goal regularly. I was a pretty good keeper, always picked for my local team, and also playing regularly for my school in Gaelic football (a kind of soccer / rugby hybrid sport).

My school got all the way to the Gaelic cup final which took place in Croke Park - the most famous and historic stadium in Ireland. Even though we lost that final, it didn’t stop The Irish Times from writing - Only a fine goal keeping display from Stephen O’Regan prevented the winners from scoring more.

Considering how long its been since I put on the gloves, perhaps I could be forgiven for having to dust off some cobwebs. Perhaps I was naive to think that I could simply turn back time and expect to be the agile shot stopper I once was. Regardless the excuses I or anyone else could have, the embarrassment and humiliation I was feeling was real.

The bad vibes creeped in early. An inoffensive ball was floated into the box. It was a simple catch by anyone's standards. But as I looked up at it, terror overcame me. What if I don’t catch this? Don’t mess this up whatever you do.

Suffice to say, I completely misjudged the flight of the ball, taking my eye off it as the panic overcame me. Instead of falling into my hands, it fell into the goal, with my hands flapping pathetically. When you make a mistake like that there really is no one else you can look at but yourself.

Sometime later a similar ball was floated in. This was one of those that had the potential to just go wide, or over the bar. A braver and more confident keeper in that moment would have not taken that chance and simply caught it. Instead I watched the ball as it got closer and closer to the goal in the hope that it would miss the target. But no. To my skin crawling embarrassment the ball hit the bar, bounced back and hit my arm and went in. And this was just as a bunch of NYC Footiers passed by the goal in the background.

I made about 3 or 4 other glaring mistakes in the first half alone. I have no idea what my team must have been thinking.

But how does a keeper or any player for that matter recover from an embarrassing moment? The super elite have such intense focus and determination to be the best that they simply manage to dust themselves off and even come back with renewed vigor. Ronaldo, Messi, and even David Beckham have had very high profile bad moments but they all came back fast and strong. Those type of players are in the minority though. Confidence can be shattered easily even at the top level, and it is incredibly hard for most to come back from that.

In the last few years, I have found that goalkeepers’ confidence to be more brittle than I remembered as a kid. David De Gea at Manchester United, for example, has been the best United player of the past 5 seasons. But in the past few months he no longer has seemed as reliable as he once was. When he concedes a goal he may previously have saved he now has a look of bafflement. So much of goalkeeping is instinctive. You just react and save. But when something in that instinct goes and you end up letting in that goal at the near post, you just wonder, What did I do differently there than what I usually do? You begin to second guess yourself.

Look at Liverpool. They have been blighted by shaky keepers for years. When they made the Champions League Final a couple of years ago - the grandest stage of them all, Liverpool keeper, Loris Karius, was already walking on ice with Liverpool fans. The fans knew he was capable of mistakes. His confidence I would suspect was already delicate. But nobody could have expected the mistakes he made in the final which gifted the trophy to Real Madrid.

The mistakes were too much for Liverpool to accept and soon after, The Redmen broke the bank for a new keeper. It has been a very public ordeal for poor Loris Karius and one which he will be reminded of for the rest of his days.

Confidence affects player performance all over the pitch, of coarse. Strikers seems to be either on form or off it. There are countless examples of players who were at one time incredible, and then for no reason that anyone can understand suddenly are a shadow of their former selves.

Fernando Torres was a world superstar until his 50 million pound move from Liverpool to Chelsea when he suddenly couldn’t hit a barn door. Most recently, much was expected of Alexis Sanchez after his big money move from Arsenal to Manchester United. But he has been a shadow of the player he was prior to the move. I don’t think anyone can understand his drop in form.

So, how does someone recover from embarrassing performances? How does one avoid it sinking into one's psyche and leading to prolonged bad form? Well, if I had the exact answer I might be a better player. In fact if I had the right temperament I might be an all round better person. Temperament is the word of the day here. It’s either in your temperament to overcome setbacks fast, or it’s not. If like most of us, it’s not and you’re relegated to those sorry souls that buy various self help books in a bid to improve yourself.

The key piece of wisdom that I might give comes from any other bad moment you have in life. Think of a failed relationship, for example. Or a failed business effort. The advice your usually given is to dust yourself off and get straight back up. You need to just move forward. Quickly learn the lesson from the mistake you made, and then speedily move forward. Avoid wallowing in the past at all costs.

But if you are like me , a nostalgist - as these articles have demonstrated, moving on bravely is not so easy.

In this week's NYC Footy video, I decided to focus on just one player’s movements during a game - the talented, and poetic Dexter. I actually followed him through the whole game in order to make the video.

Afterwards, it got me thinking of a couple of noted films that take the same approach.

The first film that comes to mind is Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait. Part documentary film and part art installation, the film focuses on Zidane through a full match for Real Madrid v Villareal in 2005.

The film used 17 cameras to track Zidane through the game in which he would ultimately get sent off. Funny that.

To add to the esoteric nature of the film was a soundtrack by the Scottish band Mogwai.

Another more obscure film in the same vain was the 1971 German film, Football As Never Before (Wie Noch Nie)

The film used eight 16mm cameras to track the legendary George Best during a game for Manchester United v Coventary. As the Guardian writes:

For 45 minutes each way and at half-time, the cameras stay focused only on Best, who sports shoulder-length hair and a beard. There is a hypnotic sequence of him inside the bowels of Old Trafford.

The film was only recently resurrected with a new score by Irish composer Matthew Nolan.

Even though Football As Never Before was a pioneering piece of cinematic art by an experimental German film-maker, back in 1971 it had limited distribution options. I think if it had been made today it would have received similar exposure to the Zidane movie. It is a source of some annoyance that in all the press attention the Zidane film got, nobody seemed to acknowledged that there was a precursor in Best.

Here is a clip from the original film.

These films are for anoraks mainly. They both capture the player mostly walking around the field without the ball while observing and reading the game as it flows around them. The players are waiting and looking for opportunities. Only in very rare moments do the players come to life. As one online reviewer states -

The small segments of real action (especially Best's goal) are like Jekyll-and-Hyde transformations -- you can almost see the electricity going off in Best's head as the ball nears him.

Personally, as a film maker and football nut, I love what is attempted in both these films. But the question is, which current player do you think should get the same treatment? Messi? Ronaldo? Zlatan?

Hope you enjoyed this week’s video.

After making this weeks video about goalkeepers of NYC Footy I thought it would be fun to make a list of 7 of the best goalkeepers (err, my favorite goalkeepers).

The list in no particular order, since it’s not really a “top goalkeeper” list. Well, except for No.1. He’s in that spot because I actually feel he is the best keeper of my lifetime.

Without further ado, “the list”:

7. Bruce Grobbelaar: Bruce Grobbelaar was a Liverpool keeper in the 80s and early nineties. He stood out for his cat-like agility. He would stop shots in a style I have rarely seen a goalkeeper do since. As a kid, I thought Grobbelaar had a funny look to him - he seemed small for a goalkeeper - round head and a stand out mustache to go along with that iconic green jersey. Grobbelaar’s life has been full of drama too. Here is a video on his story:

6. Packie Bonner: A proper emotional choice here and someone I have already referenced in previous articles. Packie Bonner became my first football childhood hero after his penalty kick save v Romania that put Ireland into the 1990 World Cup Quarter Final. After that moment I had to get the jersey and the gloves. I would then try to mimic Packie in every way - from his kick out style to angry gestures. In later years, Packie struggled with the back pass rule which only came into effect in 1992. Whenever the ball was passed back to him, I would almost have a heart attack in hope he wouldn’t mess up. Scroll forward to 11:40 here and relive Packies greatest moment:

5. Thomas Ravelli: An obscure choice. I first saw Ravelli play for Sweden in Euro 92, the first major tournament I could sink my teeth into. Ravelli had a peculiar scruffy look to him. He was a bit like a Swedish Grobbelaar in his movements. But what I always remember most about Ravelli was his curious and risky habit of juggling the ball behind his back before he would launch goal kick out of his hands. I’ve had to watch a lot of videos to try and find an example of him doing it. Here is a good doco piece about Ravelli, and you can spot his ball juggling at the 7:20 mark:

4. Rene Higuita: Top of the nutter list - Colombian keeper Rene Higuita. You know when you are playing 5-a-side, and your keeper decides to recklessly go on a run up field while leaving the goal empty? Well Higuita would do that during a World Cup match. Here is a fantastic montage of his antics (excuse the awful choice of music). But for me the stand out moment by Higuita will always be his ‘scorpion kick’ save he pulled off v England in a friendly in 1995. I was lucky to watch the save live. The next day the UK news was telling how kids were in danger of getting badly injured in attempting the stunt. It’s a classic football moment:

3. Andy Goram: As a Celtic fan in the mid and late 90s, Andy Goram of Rangers broke my heart over and over pulling off what seemed to be impossible saves. Rangers at the time were the dominant force in Scottish football. But Celtic were getting closer and closer to over taking them. And when things got so close, it seemed like literally only Goram was getting in the way. Goram was another keeper who didn’t seem like he had quite the right look for the role - short, stocky and scruffy - but despite this he got in the way of everything. As he played for Glasgow Rangers there really is not much more I wish to say about him.

2. Jorge Campos: Mexican goalkeeper Jorge Campos had a few claims to fame. Through his career he would often play as striker and scored a hatful of goals doing so. But what stood out most about Campos to me were his incredible jerseys. My friends and I were such football nuts growing up, that we would often draw our dream football kit designs. So due to this - Campos jerseys were the stuff of our childhood fantasies. What was even cooler was that Campos actually designed his kits himself. My dad would tell me the crazy designs were to put the strikers off during one on ones. Decent logic if true.

1. Peter Schemeichel: I first saw Peter Schmeichel when he played for Denmark in Euro 92. During that tournament he seemed taller and more impressive than any keeper I’d seen. With his blonde hair he brought back memories of Ivan Drago in Rocky 4. Schmeichel had unique attributes as a keeper in ‘92. He would come out far and fearlessly, and pull high crosses out of the air. He would then launch a long throw out. We would marvel that Schmeichel could throw the ball out as far as most other keepers could kick it. After Euro 92, Schmeichel moved to Manchester United where he had a sparkling career. Specialising in the starfish save, and with agility he got from handball, Schmeichel is the all round best keeper in my memory.

Till next time…