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Welcome to the Club House - September 2009

Good morning sports fans!

The football season is back up and running. Nine months of excitement and drama lie ahead: highs, lows, banter, muddy pitches, lashing rain, gale-force winds. Forget the Premier League, this is real football and it's back. We love it!

We've got a hugely exciting season ahead here at Club Website and it's great to have you on board. We're shaking up amateur football and The Club House will keep you ahead of the game as we do so. This month we bring you a piece on UEFA's recognition of the success at grassroots level in Wales and Scotland, a chat to the goalkeeping legend that is Neville Southall and a competition that's more than just a load of pants! We've got more on next week's Homeless World Cup, our usual slot from top ex-ref Graham Poll and, to top it all off, a brand new season of the LSPL.

Football's most exciting virtual league is back with 80 lucky Club Website teams doing battle over the season ahead. But don’t despair if your team aren't involved - there are still loads of ways you can benefit from Lucozade Sport’s expert advice this season, starting right here in The Club House this month. Now get stuck in!

in the spotlight this month...

Back to my roots - Neville Southall

Neville Southall is a goalkeeping hero to the Welsh football public and all of those from the blue half of Merseyside. With a massive 92 caps he holds the Welsh record for international appearances and is a hero at Goodison Park for his exploits during the club's 1980s heyday.

Football wasn't always about packed stadiums and fans' adulation for Southall though.  In fact, he was a latecomer to the professional game which means that he's got even more stories to tell of his early days in the game, as Club Website found out when we took him back to his roots.

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Neville Southall

Wales get UEFA five star treatment

Welsh football has received a big boost from European football's governing body after receiving a five-star rating under the UEFA Grassroots Charter, a scheme designed to develop grassroots football across the continent.

Wales' success follows hot on the heels of the other home nations. Scotland and England both received UEFA's 'Superior Level' sixth star award this summer, while Northern Ireland also achieved their fifth star this year.

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Welsh Football Trust logo

Inter Milan and AC Milan pitch in

The 2009 Homeless World Cup gets underway in Milan this weekend as over 500 players from 48 nations come together to demonstrate the power of football to unite and change lives. Embodying this spirit are Milanes football giants Inter Milan and AC Milan, who have come together to support the tournament which takes place from 6-13 September.

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Homeless World Cup logo

Graham Poll answers your reffing queries

Club Website's favourite referee is back in The Club House to solve the refereeing queries that other ex-FIFA officials cannot reach.

It's simple, you play/watch football at the weekend, see a decision that you don't quite understand, email it to grahampoll@clubwebsite.co.uk and wait until next month's Club House for the answer.

Graham answers the best questions each month and his 'Question of the Month' wins a signed copy of his new book 'Geoff Hurst and the Hand of God', which this month takes over as our prize from his bestseller 'Seeing Red'.

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Graham Poll

Let virtual battle commence

The teams have been selected. The stage is set. Let virtual battle commence. The 80 teams to contest the 2009/10 Lucozade Sport Performance League have been drawn live on talkSPORT radio and the LSPL has now officially kicked off!

Don’t worry if your team wasn’t drawn, there are still loads of ways you can benefit from Lucozade Sport’s top flight expertise throughout the season, starting with our ultimate guide to pre-season fitness which you can download now.

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LSPL crest

Do you get enough support?

We've got something a little bit different on the competition front this month. Two lucky Club Website winners can win a pair of personalised pants for their whole squad courtesy of Footy Pants.

Footy Pants are lightweight, comfortable and designed especially for footballers. What's more, with your squad number or initials on the front and your name, nickname or team name across the back, they are a great fun addition to any team.

Enter here

Footy Pants logo

Competition winners

Congratulations to Brydon Robertson, secretary of Ness United FC in Shetland, who won a pair of IGOALs for the club.

Describing the win as "a surprise", Brydon said the inflatable goals were "a welcome addition to our training kit as we start winter training shortly. The design and portable nature means that they are easy to move around between venues and teams, really what you need with a large club."


Well done also to the following people, each of whom has won a copy of 'The Damned United' on DVD or Blu-ray: Allyson MacDonald, Billy Inglis, Celia West, Chi Ho Hui, James Martin, Mark Nolan, Paddy McQuillan, Paul Bennett, Shelley Mason, Terence Wilson.

The Damned United

Club Website monthly round-up

Loads going on at Club Website this month, as ever! Our foray into the world of social media has proved a big hit as you have been joining us on Facebook and Twitter in droves. If you've not joined in yet, get involved! It's a great way of keeping in touch with what's going on at Club Website.

The big LSPL kick off has got everyone very excited, with 80 lucky teams winning themselves a Lucozade sponsorship package for the season. We can't wait to see how this season develops so make sure you keep in touch with how this second season pans out.

On the back of Crystal Palace's recent 'goal that never was', you've been voting in your thousands on a big moral question in the game. If your opponents score a valid goal that only the referee doesn't see, do you do the right thing or take the luck and run? It turns out that 60% of you out there would count your lucky stars and keep quiet, while 40% of you would own up and let your opponents get the goal they have just scored.

Yet another big debate on Club Website, and here's the latest poll appearing on our network of websites: It goes on in the professional game, but have you witnessed diving in your amateur matches? Cast your vote on your club website now, and check back in for the results next month.

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If you have any comments on The Club House or any other aspect of our service - good or bad - then we want to hear them. We also want to investigate and report on the issues that matter to you, so tell us what's on our mind and we'll get on the case!

Email any comments, suggestions or just whatever's on your mind to clubnews@clubwebsite.co.uk. You're the people at the sharp end so we want you to shape the debate. It's your game and your Club Website, so your opinion counts!

Until next month...

Yours in football,

The Club Website Team

August 2009

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