One of the things that makes football the world’s most popular sport, and our country’s national game, is that it can be played almost anywhere, by almost anyone. However, at most universities, things suddenly become a little different.
University football is played to a very high standard. I know this for a fact, since I turned up to one of the university trials during Freshers Week, and in my horrifically hungover state, proceeded to get dumped on my arse by numerous quality players who did not even make the 4th team, and then slink off early for a big cup of Horlicks and a cuddle.
This is where college football comes in. One of the best things about York’s collegiate system is that it opens competitive sports up to everyone; it provides the perfect mix between getting a proper game in and having a laugh.
Throughout terms one and two college football runs in a league format. The 1st teams play at 11am on Sunday mornings and the 2nds grace 22 Acres with their presence at 1pm on Wednesdays. Then, in the summer term, college football comes to a blistering, highly charged climax with the College Cup.
The College Cup is college football’s showpiece, and not just because it takes place on the Astroturf in summer (so it’s warm and close enough for a decent crowd of people to actually turn up and watch). During the first two terms of footballing fun, the competition rules limit the number of top university players allowed per team; however, the College Cup welcomes back all of York’s premium footballers with open arms.
This leads to many colleges entering 3rd and even 4th teams to accommodate their loyal servants, those who have splashed about in the mud for two terms, which, in turn, gives the College Cup an FA Cup sort of feel – everyone is always clamouring for an upset.
Both Goodricke and Derwent tasted glory over the regular season, winning the term one and two leagues respectively, while Halifax 1sts were victorious in the College Cup, picking up the all-important win over Derwent 1sts in the final, with their star striker attired in fishnet stockings kept as a memento from their college bar crawl the night before.
This is exactly this sort of thing that you can expect from college football at York. Not only will you get to enjoy playing the beautiful game week-in, week-out to a standard you feel comfortable with, but you will also meet a lot of new friends and have a great laugh. The fishnets are optional.