A Day for the Underdogs: The Leicester Foxes Nomination-Invitational Competition

Subbuteo has always meant different things to different people. For some, it's about silverware and rankings. For others, it’s about the camaraderie, nostalgia, and simple joy of flicking plastic players around a felt pitch. This past Sunday, the Leicester Foxes Subbuteo Club hosted something refreshingly different, a tournament created by and for players who often find themselves on the fringes of competition.

Event organiser Andy Henley offers a heartfelt account of how the Nomination-Invitational came to be, and what made it a special day. The thoughts below are Andy’s own, reflecting the honest experiences of players who often feel they go unheard.

 

Words by Andy Henley – shared with the support of the ESA

 

Andy Henley writes:

It was February or March when I decided something must be done. I’d just taken part in another tournament and finished dismally. I hadn’t got through the group stages again. I hadn’t really enjoyed the tournament, again. I said I had fun to the organisers, but not really. I was fed up of being cannon fodder for Subbuteo players who I could only look at from afar and admire their flicking skills. Even with loads of practice, I’ll never be able to catch them up.

Chatting to my Leicester Foxes teammate Sean Wenlock, I found he had the same thoughts. He hadn’t entered a tournament for over a year because he was fed up of being defeated heavily on the Subbuteo pitch.

So, what could we do?

Together, we thought of creating a tournament where we would invite players who were always going through to Plate competitions at tournaments; players who were absolute beginners; and players who never entered tournaments or even joined a club. We wouldn’t announce it publicly until it was organised, except to those we were inviting. At this point, Alex Ashcroft came on board, and he did a fantastic job of inviting the right people.

We quickly reached 23 names, though a few dropped out due to holidays or clashes. In the end, we had fourteen like-minded players. This would be an “unofficial” tournament, no WASPA points, no fuss.

Sean, Alex, and I kept things simple. The entry fee was minimal. The venue was booked, the pitches ready. Three trophies were ordered. It wasn’t deliberate, but the fact that Pedmore held their own tournament on the same day meant we attracted only players of our level, no top-tier players.

Sunday 29th June arrived. It was hot and muggy, but every one of the fourteen players turned up. The trophies looked fantastic, Jay Williams’ wife engraved them herself the day before. Everyone also received a medallion and ribbon for taking part.

We flicked off ahead of schedule, and it was immediately clear we had achieved our goal. All fourteen players were of a similar standard. No 10–0 drubbings. The biggest wins were just 5–0.

We used a Swiss format, meaning players with similar results played each other throughout the day.

After three rounds, Andy Pountney led with a perfect nine points, followed closely by four players (myself included!) on seven. That moment, seeing how close the competition was, confirmed to us that this event was needed.

People were laughing. They chatted during matches. Bristol Rovers fan Alan Twiddy, who only started playing four months ago, held his own impressively. In our match, I narrowly beat him but was struck by how strong his defending was.

We even built in ten-minute breaks between rounds, allowing everyone to soak up the atmosphere. I went round the room asking who everyone supported. Alongside the usual big clubs, Leicester, United, Chelsea, Spurs, Villa, we had fans of Grimsby, Burton Albion, Sheffield Wednesday, Coventry and QPR. It felt like a footballing microcosm, where small and mighty mixed on a level Subbuteo playing field.

The results stayed tight. In Round 5, Andy Pountney drew with Martin Holmes, opening the door for others to catch him. By Round 7, four players could still win the tournament. In a thrilling final round, Nigel “Eddie” Edwards beat Andy 4–2, Sean Wenlock beat Dale May 2–0, and Martin Holmes beat Dave Everitt 4–1.

The final table had just three points separating first and fifth. Sean won the tournament, Martin came second, and “Eddie” edged third on goal difference. Andy, who had led most of the day, finished fourth. A superb player, but unlucky.

As Master of Ceremonies, I had the pleasure of handing out the trophies and medals. Every single participant helped pack away the equipment and thanked us for organising the event. The camaraderie and enthusiasm for the game were clear. Everyone left with a smile, and asking when the next one would be.

Surely that’s a success?

So, to summarise: if you’re a Subbuteo player who doesn’t usually get involved because you feel “not good enough”; if you don’t go to a club because “others are too good”; or if you’re part of a club that only runs WASPA events and highlights elite players, here’s something to think about.

There’s a whole community of players like me. We’re not trying to fragment Subbuteo or divide it. Quite the opposite, we believe there’s space for everyone: World Cup players, club players, solo flickers, collectors, and total beginners. This tournament showed what can happen when that space is created.

Have a go. Invite players like us. You might just find a whole new level of joy in the game.

 

Note: The thoughts and reflections above come from organiser Andy Henley and reflect his personal experience and passion for inclusive play. The ESA supports a wide range of playing opportunities across all skill levels and is always encouraged to see new formats and events that welcome more people into the hobby.