Used to but factored there was more chance of getting injured doing that than riding stupidly fast down rocky hills! To many dick heads playing in the local leagues!

I used to play in the local sports ctr league, for the referees association, when I was actively Reffing in the area. That used to sometimes get a bit tasty, fortunately being in goal in my protected area meant I rarely got a bad challenge, just the joy of a ball slammed into you face / nuts from 5 yards on a regular basis. Those soft furry balls still hurt, even if they don’t have the slap of a proper caser.

Best / worst I saw was at the annual referees association 5 a sides, when all the county ra’s came together. Full on fist fights! I know most people think local league refs are speccy school teachers with a Hitler complex, some of the inner city ra refs looked like they were on day release for the occasion!!

I used to play at work in a sort of informal “league” against other units/departments. Matches against the tactical aid unit resembled a scene from The Mean Machine 🙂

I think if you find a group at a similar level its great, but knackering, I play most weeks with a group of 30-40 yr olds and since most of us want to keep playing no ones getting kicked up a height, Don’t think its helped my bike fitness at all ( running 5k a few times a week did, but its boring….)

I started playing again about 5 years ago after a break of about 15 years. I’m now 43 and still play for an hour every week. Usually about 7 a side depending on how many turn up. We play on astro outdoors under lights on a really nice pitch – only £3 per player per game. I remember the first few weeks being really painful but now I guess my body has got used to it. Don’t think it’s improved my fitness but really good fun. We take it easy and don’t allow sliding tackles etc. But most weeks someone usually goes down in a heap after a hefty challenge.

Played fairly regular in my 20s. But I just came of of retirement 4 weeks ago at the grand old age of 36. I’m loving being back but its tough going. Had a wee bit of a break through in that a managed to stay out of goals last week for most of the game and just took my turns in.

Luckily last week was a slower game than usual, I’m playing with an age range of 22 year old to 36 year olds, so it can get very intense.

Fives fitness is vastly different from cycling or even jogging IMO. Much tougher as its all twisty and turny and fast sprints. I reckon its making me stronger overall. Its definitely not hindering the cycling. Well until I injure myself! 😆 I’d been playing badminton recently which negates some of the aches but not all.

I’m playing tonight, really looking forward to it.

I’m not angry or violent enough

Did Pitch Invasion (5 aside league) for about 5 years but stopped when the aggro levels beat the fun levels. Echo the comments above re sprint/recovery and joints. Enjoy a friendly kick about now (less commitment for a start) but miss the intensity of the league, just a shame there are so many meatheads living out their mean machine fantasies.

I’ve played for the last 8 years or so and find it good to mix up the cycling

I also heard that too much cycling can shorten the Achilles – football is a good way to counter that (if it really happens)

I think it is a quite different cycle of exercise, think high intensity reps for 40 mins, rather than a few hours of sustained effort.

I am sure it must be good for you!

Absolutely knackering, the only thing on a par, even remotely is playing squash. Local leagues are full of dickheads, and things do get pretty heated.

Our local league has stopped now, as guy who ran it works away, but I think I’d rather just play with a bunch of mates for an hour a week.

Used to play at a large AstroTurf place in Alperton. But, stopped going as there were some real morons who used to take the whole thing far too seriously and get very aggressive/shouty. Used to be some brutal tables too.

I’d play again, but only ‘mates in the park’ type stuff.

used to when worked at a research campus in cambridge, lunch time league all a good laugh

moved to london and a few of the guys played at a local school after work with some other mates of mates, was awful; got shinsplints from the concrete playground and some of the office types took it very seriously, obviously using it to agressively vent their issues after a day in the office

cant be arsed these days

dunno I seem to be able to put all my effort into chasing the ball/player but chuckle about it when I (inevitably) **** up. Commitment rather then necessarily aggression I reckon.

But yeah I don’t play often, too much chance of injury, even ifit’s only minor – plus they play on what is usually my rest day

I play every week with mates and I’m starting to think about packing it in, it’s the accidental ankle turning and 2 days of knee pain afterwards that worry me. I *really* don’t want to be off the bike for months with a stupid injury.

shame as I reall enjoy it but it’s not one of those things you can half do, it’s only fun if you fully commit.