CHRIS SHORT CROWNED ESA ENGLISH CHAMPION AFTER PERFECT SEASON

After six gruelling rounds played across the country, the ESA English Championship reached its dramatic conclusion this past weekend at Stanway Rovers Flickers in Colchester, and it was Chris Short who emerged victorious, sealing his place in the history books as the new English Subbuteo Champion.

Short, who played in just three of the six national events, delivered a perfect record, winning every event he entered. That dominance earned him the maximum 300 points, putting him clear of a fiercely competitive field of 78 players who took part in at least one championship round over the 2024/25 season.

The runner-up spot went once again to Kevin Cordell on 280 points, a consistent force at the top of the table who finishes second for the second consecutive year. In third place was reigning TSPA Champion Rudi Peters, finishing strongly on 250 points after a highly competitive season.

This is Chris Short’s first English Championship title under the ESA banner, and it comes as no surprise to those who’ve followed his Subbuteo journey. With over 30 years of experience and multiple caps for Team England at both World Cups and European Championships, Chris brings a level of class and composure to the table that few can match. He is also set to represent England once again at the FISTF European Championships in Malta this October.

While he plays his FISTF Subbuteo for French club FTC Issy-les-Moulineaux, Chris is proudly part of the Pedmore Subbuteo & Table Football Club when it comes to WASPA events.

Simon Bodily club organiser at Pedmore said:

"It’s an honour to have Chris representing Pedmore. When work doesn’t get in his way, he supports our events and represents everything we’re about as a club. We’re so proud to see the English Champion based here in the Midlands."

Chris’s path to glory began in Round 1 at Pedmore, where he set the tone with a commanding win. He then repeated the feat at Round 3 in Andover and again at the final round in Stanway, each time displaying a ruthless competitive edge and tactical precision that left his opponents in his wake.

His clean sweep of wins across the season sets a new benchmark for excellence in the ESA circuit, and confirms what many already believed: that Chris Short is one of the finest players to ever grace the English Subbuteo scene.

Congratulations to Chris Short – your 2024/25 ESA English Champion!