u/ScottishPehrite

One of the teams at my son’s age group (2012’s) has sadly folded before the season starts.

One of the people within that club has asked me if I’d like to bring my team in and become part of their set up. This has a few cons and pros.

Pros;

- Established club in the city, known for having former Scottish cup winners and Scotland internationalists play for them in their younger days before being picked up by professional clubs.

- All the equipment we would need and replaced if needed. Same with kits, no more doing nets.

- I played for them when I younger and got to the Scottish youth cup final with them won leagues, won doubles and trebles.

Cons;

- All our players live walking distance to where we currently are inc coaches, we only take the car to training due to equipment in our cars (about 3 miles of a difference between the two teams pitches).

- We have a permanent booking at a school most the squad go to that doubles up great for winter training.

- equipment and strips is the same we just have to do nets.

- The work we’ve done for the club to be seen as a big team has taken years to build, a lot of the squad like being seen as underdogs as it is based on club profile.

I need a breakdown on this.

How much are you in your currency? What does that get you? Why is it so high? If coaches in youth football aren’t connected directly by a pro club (any pro club from Real Madrid to Dumbarton) there’s a massive problem happening there.

I’m a coach for my son’s team.

I give up 8 hours a week for training and games, I’m not paid for it and that’s before I add time for planning of training sessions.

I pay the club £20 a month (£240 a year)for my son’s fee’s.

With that I get my own club gear (polo, tee, jacket & Rain jacket), I get replacements if and when I need them.

My son gets a game kit, training kit (alternates as an away should it be needed), club tracksuit, club quarter zip, rain jacket (all replaced if and when needed).

Any equipment we need (balls, cones, nets, parent line etc etc) all supplied by the club, also replaced if and when needed.

All this thousands a year for it just seems very weird to me.

When I was younger I was £5 a week paid on Sundays, £3 if I was a sub until I was picked up by a pro club then it was a grand total of £00.00

Had a player leave.

Was voted players player of the year, finished the season with most assists (one more than second place) and second top goal scorer.

He wanted to play in a higher tier, nothing wrong with that.

We gained promotion to tier 2.

He has since messaged me and the other 3 coaches if we can get him a trial anywhere.

We’re all busy with our own work life balance while sorting out training ourselves for the two sessions a week.

We have each offered him the chance to come back, but he’s not keen. Some off field stuff happened a month ago and I think he’s embarrassed about what happened.

That and his mum owes the club £600+.

We’re starting a new thing at our team.

Few of the players discovered player fines and wanted to try it out. Of course being 13 and 14 most don’t earn money. So we suggested player court.

- Captain is the judge unless he’s called to court.

- Vice captain can be selected for the defence of the player for his “crimes” but can also turn it down.

- “crimes” include unanswered on Spond, down as attending but don’t show up, changing from attending to not with 90 mins notice (some things are a pass), turn up to training or game day without what you need (shin guards, boots, kit, gloves) and late.

- coaches can be called into court.

The sentencing.

Stuck at this, few suggestions from the squad so far are run for a quarter of the training session (i talked them down from the full, 3 quarters and half of the session) plank for 5 mins, X number of laps of the pitch.

If you have any suggestions for “crimes” and “sentencing” feel free to comment I might add them.

Had a player wanting to leave a few weeks ago. There was off field issues that made him want to leave that were out of me and the other 3 coaches control.

His mum requested and we diverted her to the club to sort that and settle any debt she may have incurred.

Turns out she is due £600+ (we’re £20 a month). After a couple weeks of messages between the club and her the club wanted to debt suspend the boy.

Me and the other 3 have been called every name under the sun on social media by her, when in actual fact the club was wanting to (due to the fact a majority of grassroots clubs in Scotland are run as charities) and we have had to fight the club on this to just void the debt.

The club eventually did and released the player but someone on the clubs end should have noticed this earlier once it hit £60 or something.

He’ll likely come back down the line as the club he’s joining their coaches are more shouty to the boys (u15) than shouting instructions to them.

Went on a caravan holiday. Took my firestick as it comes with wifi, but forgot the remote. Any one know how to connect through my app remote? Getting the “can’t connect remote” sign.

Hi lads.

Apparently my club (Dundee United) are signing Liam Cooper.

Conflicting words of mouth of deals done announced tomorrow and he’s in for a medical then talks opening tomorrow.

I’m going with the former for this.

I know he left for Sheff Wed, but how was he a couple years ago for you guys?

Any idea if his legs are gone and just looking to slum it with a bit of pay?

Yearly tournament entry.

£400 entry fee.

£1,200+ bus fee for 18 players + parents (not all parents came)

Alarm set for 04:30, pick up half way distance between me and another coach, pick up at 06:30.

Wake up at 04:00.

Leave as champions.

Bus home, is more enjoyable than following my team cause I’ve worked this squad for 4 years.

Improvements, changes, leavers, incomings, promotion.

Unbeaten in 5, 2 goals against, 16 for.

Happy Sunday.

Pre season starts Tuesday.

Has anyone been recommended by the doctors to take any/multiple?

I keep forgetting to buy vit D because apparently it’s very much needed for coeliacs.

Last night, my sons (2012’s) team played against the 2010s in a somewhat friendly instead of training for both teams (we train same day & time).

This is technically our 5th game of 2026, had a nightmare with postponements and opposition teams forfeiting, as such team we were due to play Sunday forfeited an hour before training last night.

First half, you’d never have guessed the age gap. We went in at half time 1-1. Rustiness really showed for us.

Heard a couple of boys that were coming on at half time talk about the other teams ages. I asked where the problem is, we have 2 players currently on the pitch who are born 2013 pulling strings in midfield.

Game finished 3-1 loss, could have been tighter, could even have been a win for the young guns.

And that’s kept me up most of the night.

Next time we play them, we’re booking a ref and playing a full game. We’ll definitely take them.