A detailed map showing the venues Sassco.co.uk have played in since 2008.

MALTA 2008

7th November 2008
Victor Tedesco Stadium, Valletta, Malta
Kirkop FC 4 Sassco.co.uk 1
Scott Hembrough
David Smith, Chris Dixon, Marc McDermont, Paul McConville, Tim Gillespie, Mark Middlemiss, Dave Gourlay, Wayne Greenwell, Mark Muers, Scott Hembrough

8th November 2008
Victor Tedesco Stadium, Valletta, Malta
Mdina Knights 4 Sassco.co.uk 0
David Smith, Chris Dixon, Marc McDermont, Paul McConville, Tim Gillespie, Mark Middlemiss, Dave Gourlay, Wayne Greenwell, Davinder Sangha, Scott Hembrough

9th November 2008
Victor Tedesco Stadium, Valletta, Malta
Gudja FC 5 Sassco.co.uk 2
Mark Cresswell, Dave Gourlay
David Smith, Chris Dixon, Marc McDermont, Paul McConville, Tim Gillespie, Mark Middlemiss, Dave Gourlay, Wayne Greenwell, Davinder Sangha, Scott Hembrough (Davinder Sangha)

PORTUGAL 2009

17th October 2009
Estadio Da Nora, Albufeira, Portugal
FC Ferreiras 0 Sassco.co.uk 2
Scott Hembrough, Wayne Greenwell
David Smith, Chris Dixon, Mark Muers (Davinder Sangha), Simon Mulvaney, Paul McConville, Tim Gillespie, Mark Middlemiss, Dave Gourlay, Wayne Greenwell, Mark Muers, Scott Hembrough

16th October 2009
Municipal, Albufeira, Portugal
Juventude SC 1 Sassco.co.uk 1
Scott Hembrough
David Smith, Chris Dixon (Davinder Sangha), Simon Mulvaney, Paul McConville, Tim Gillespie, Mark Middlemiss, Dave Gourlay, Wayne Greenwell, Mark Muers, Scott Hembrough (William Harper)

18th October 2009
Hotel Alfamar, Albuifeira, Portugal
DFFC 6 Sassco.co.uk 4
Scott Hembrough 3, Mark Cresswell
David Smith, Chris Dixon, Simon Mulvaney, Paul McConville, Tim Gillespie, Mark Middlemiss, Dave Gourlay, Wayne Greenwell, Davinder Sangha, Scott Hembrough

SPAIN 2010

22nd October 2010
Pabello Zal, Barcelona, Spain
Port de Barcelona 14 Sassco.co.uk 8
Tim Gillespie 3, Scott Hembrough 2, Dave Gourlay 2, Mark Edmondson 1
Davinder Sangha, Tim Gillespie, Scott Hembrough, Dave Gourlay, Mark Edmondson

23th October 2010
Complex Sportius Llars Mundet, Barcelona, Spain
Ashwan FC 8 Sassco.co.uk 9
Dave Gourlay 5, Mark Edmondson 2, Scott Hembrough 2
Davinder Sangha, Tim Gillespie, Scott Hembrough, Dave Gourlay, Mark Edmondson

23th October 2010
Colegio Sagrado Corazón de Sarrià, Barcelona, Spain
ALM FC 7 Sassco.co.uk 7
Dave Gourlay 3, Scott Hembrough 2, Tim Gillespie 2
Davinder Sangha, Tim Gillespie, Scott Hembrough, Dave Gourlay, Mark Edmondson

24th October 2010
Poliesportiu La Farga, Indoor Gym.
UE Sants 10 Sassco.co.uk 3
Dave Gourlay 1, Mark Edmondson 2
Davinder Sangha, Tim Gillespie, Scott Hembrough, Dave Gourlay, Mark Edmondson

ITALY 2011

9th September 2011
Verde Giardino, Venice, Italy
Amici Calcetto Pellestrina 6 Sassco.co.uk 1
Dave Gourlay
Kevin Cooper, Davinder Sangha, Tim Gillespie, Dave Gourlay, Mark Edmondson

9th September 2011
Verde Giardino, Venice, Italy
Amici Calcetto Pellestrina 3 Sassco.co.uk 3
Mark Edmondson 3
Kevin Cooper, Davinder Sangha, Tim Gillespie, Dave Gourlay, Mark Edmondson

10th September 2011
Verde Giardino, Venice, Italy
Vimage SRL 3 Sassco.co.uk 3
Davinder Sangha, Tim Gillespie, Dave Gourlay
Kevin Cooper, Davinder Sangha, Tim Gillespie, Dave Gourlay, Mark Edmondson

10th September 2011
Verde Giardino, Venice, Italy
Vimage SRL 4 Sassco.co.uk 5
Mark Edmondson 2, Tim Gillespie, David Gourlay 2
Kevin Cooper, Davinder Sangha, Tim Gillespie, Dave Gourlay, Mark Edmondson

GERMANY 2012

17th August 2012
CageBall Center, Dusseldorf, Germany
FC Vollkontakt 20 Sassco.co.uk 14
Matty Downs 2, Dave Gourlay 4, Matthew Alldis 2, Chris Dixon 2, Ed Cook 2, Paul McConville 2
Kevin Cooper, Davinder Sangha, Matty Downs, Matthew Alldis, Dave Gourlay, Ed Cook

18th August 2012
CageBall Center, Dusseldorf, Germany
Futsal Lions 7 Sassco.co.uk 2
Paul McConville, Dave Gourlay
Kevin Cooper, Davinder Sangha, Matty Downs, Matthew Alldis, Dave Gourlay, Ed Cook

FRANCE 2013

17th August 2013
Stade de Football, Villefranche, France
Sassco.co.uk 6 AngloSports 4
Ed Cook, Paul McConville, Dave Gourlay 2, Chris Dixon 2
Kevin Cooper, Ed Cook, Paul McConville, Davinder Sangha, Dave Gourlay, Chris Dixon

DENMARK 2014

25th July 2014
Dansk Boldspil-Union, Brondby, Denmark
Ishoj Fodbold Forening 12 Sassco co uk 5
Chris Dixon 2, Mike Barker 3
Carsten List, Arjan Sangha, Mike Barker, Davinder Sangha, Dave Gourlay, Chris Dixon, Tim Gillespie

25th July 2014
Dansk Boldspil-Union, Brondby, Denmark
Ishoj Fodbold Forening 3 Sassco co uk 5
Chris Dixon, David Gourlay, Mike Barker 2, Tim Gillespie
Carsten List, Mike Barker, Davinder Sangha, Dave Gourlay, Chris Dixon, Tim Gillespie

26th July 2014
Dansk Boldspil-Union, Brondby, Denmark
Ishoj Fodbold Forening 4 Sassco co uk 6
Chris Dixon 2, Dave Gourlay 2, Mike Barker 2
Musa Binici, Arjan Sangha, Mike Barker, Davinder Sangha, Dave Gourlay, Chris Dixon, Tim Gillespie

26th July 2014
Dansk Boldspil-Union, Brondby, Denmark
Ishoj Fodbold Forening 3 Sassco co uk 4
Chris Dixon 3, Mike Barker 
Musa Binici, Arjan Sangha, Mike Barker, Davinder Sangha, Dave Gourlay, Chris Dixon, Tim Gillespie

UNITED STATES 2015

12th September 2015
East River Park, New York, United States
Alphabet City SC 6 Sassco co uk 6
Davinder Sangha, Dave Gourlay 2, Chris Dixon 2, Greg Lalas
Davinder Sangha, Greg Lalas, Tomasz Kozlowski, Dave Gourlay, Chris Dixon

12th September 2015
East River Park, New York, United States
Alphabet City SC 4 Sassco co uk 6
Dave Gourlay 2, Chris Dixon 2, Greg Lalas 2
Davinder Sangha, Greg Lalas, Tomasz Kozlowski, Dave Gourlay, Chris Dixon

SWITZERLAND 2016

4th June 2016
École de commerce Aimée-Stitelmann, Geneva, Switzerland
FC Semailles 12 Sassco co uk 5
Dave Gourlay 3, Mike Barker, Chris Dixon
Kevin Cooper, Davinder Sangha, Mike Barker, Ed Cook, Dave Gourlay, Chris Dixon

5th June 2016
Stade De Fraisiers, Geneva, Switzerland
FC Semailles 3 Sassco co uk 4
Ed Cook, Dave Gourlay 3
Kevin Cooper, Davinder Sangha, Mike Barker, Ed Cook, Dave Gourlay, Chris Dixon

5th June 2016
Stade De Fraisiers, Geneva, Switzerland
FC Futsal Equipe 0 Sassco co uk 5
Mike Barker 2, Dave Gourlay 3
Kevin Cooper, Davinder Sangha, Mike Barker, Ed Cook, Dave Gourlay, Chris Dixon

5th June 2016
Stade De Fraisiers, Geneva, Switzerland
FC Geneva 2 Sassco co uk 1
Dave Gourlay
Kevin Cooper, Davinder Sangha, Mike Barker, Ed Cook, Dave Gourlay, Chris Dixon

ICELAND 2017

27th May 2017
Knattspyrnufélagið Þróttur , Reykjavik, Iceland
Sassco.co.uk 4 FC Sækó 0
Chris Scott 2, Dave Gourlay 2
Kevin Cooper, Davinder Sangha, Chris Scott, Tim Gillespie, Dave Gourlay, Indriði Waage, Chris Dixon

27th May 2017
Knattspyrnufélagið Þróttur , Reykjavik, Iceland
Sassco.co.uk 1 , Knattspyrnufélagið Þróttur 0
Dave Gourlay
Kevin Cooper, Davinder Sangha, Chris Scott, Tim Gillespie, Dave Gourlay, Indriði Waage, Chris Dixon

27th May 2017
Knattspyrnufélagið Þróttur , Reykjavik, Iceland
Sassco.co.uk 2 Breiðablik UBK 0
Dave Gourlay 2 
Kevin Cooper, Davinder Sangha, Chris Scott, Tim Gillespie, Dave Gourlay, Indriði Waage, Chris Dixon

27th May 2017
Knattspyrnufélagið Þróttur , Reykjavik, Iceland
Sassco.co.uk 6 Ospin 2
Dave Gourlay 3, Chris Scott 2, OG
Kevin Cooper, Davinder Sangha, Chris Scott, Tim Gillespie, Dave Gourlay, Indriði Waage, Chris Dixon

28th May 2017
Knattspyrnufélagið Þróttur , Reykjavik, Iceland
Sassco.co.uk 2 Breiðablik UBK 2
Chris Scott, Chris Dixon
Kevin Cooper, Davinder Sangha, Chris Scott, Tim Gillespie, Dave Gourlay, Albert Steinn Guðjónsson, Chris Dixon

28th May 2017
Knattspyrnufélagið Þróttur , Reykjavik, Iceland
Sassco.co.uk 4 FC Sækó 1
Dave Gourlay 2, Chris Scott, Tim Gillespie
Kevin Cooper, Davinder Sangha, Chris Scott, Tim Gillespie, Dave Gourlay, Albert Steinn Guðjónsson, Chris Dixon

28th May 2017
Knattspyrnufélagið Þróttur , Reykjavik, Iceland
Sassco.co.uk 5 Ospin 0
Chris Dixon 2, Dave Gourlay 2, Chris Scott
Kevin Cooper, Davinder Sangha, Chris Scott, Tim Gillespie, Dave Gourlay, Albert Steinn Guðjónsson, Chris Dixon

28th May 2017
Knattspyrnufélagið Þróttur , Reykjavik, Iceland
Knattspyrnufélagið Þróttur 1 Sassco.co.uk 0
Kevin Cooper, Davinder Sangha, Chris Scott, Tim Gillespie, Dave Gourlay, Albert Steinn Guðjónsson, Chris Dixon

ISRAEL 2018 

20th May 2018
Ma’agan Michael, Israel
Sassco.co.uk 16 Soccerstars Tel Aviv 16
Soccerstars won 5-4 on penalties 
Tim Gillespie 1, Davinder Sangha 1, Roi Nave 1, Yaniv Lugasi 1, Chris Dixon 3, Dave Gourlay 9 
Roi Nave (Yaniv Lugasi), Davinder Sangha, Tim Gillespie, Dave Gourlay, Chris Dixon

CYPRUS 2019 

2nd April 2019
AM Fair Game, Paphos, Cyprus
A. M. Fair Game 14 Sassco.co.uk 10
Lee Calvert 4, Dave Gourlay 1, Gabriel Theodorou 4, Pitsillos 1
Davinder Sangha, Lee Calvert, Chris Dixon, David Gourlay, Gabriel Theodorou, Pitsillos

4thApril 2019
AM Fair Game, Paphos, Cyprus
St. Georges FC 9 Sassco.co.uk 6
Lee Calvert 4, Dave Gourlay 2
Maxim Kindyakov, Davinder Sangha, Lee Calvert, Chris Dixon, David Gourlay

5th April 2019
Alana Sports Center, Paphos, Cyprus
Alana FC 17 Sassco.co.uk 8
Lee Calvert 1, Dave Gourlay 3, Chris Dixon 2, Andreas Konstantinou 2
Davinder Sangha, Lee Calvert, Chris Dixon, David Gourlay, Andreas Konstantinou

2020, 2021 and 2022

The pandemic caused the cancellation of the Netherlands 2020 tour and it’s subsequent restarts for 2021 and 2022.

NETHERLANDS 2023 

4th May 2023
Sportcomplex, Oostzaan, Netherlands
OFC Oostzaan 2 Sassco.co.uk 0
Davinder Sangha, Chris Dixon, David Gourlay, Tim Gillespie, Mark McShane, John Harper

4th May 2023
Sportcomplex, Oostzaan, Netherlands
OFC Oostzaan 5 Sassco.co.uk 3
Tim Gillespie, Dave Gourlay, Mark McShane
Davinder Sangha, Chris Dixon, David Gourlay, Tim Gillespie, Mark McShane, John Harper

5th May 2023
AK Broek in Waterland, Netherlands
Voetbalvereniging S.D.O.B. 2 Sassco.co.uk 4
Leo Boon, Dave Gourlay, Mark McShane, John Harper~
Davinder Sangha, Chris Dixon, David Gourlay, Mark McShane, John Harper

5th May 2023
AK Broek in Waterland, Netherlands
Voetbalvereniging S.D.O.B. 4 Sassco.co.uk 0
Davinder Sangha, Chris Dixon, David Gourlay, Mark McShane, John Harper

The post Sassco’s tours overseas appeared first on Sassco.co.uk.

Indoor game in searing heat. Alldis fails to mark his four men.

Futsal Lions 7 Sassco.co.uk 2 | Full match footage is shown below. Please feel free to share this on Facebook and Twitter. We also encourage you to LIKE our Sassco.co.uk page on Facebook.

The morning after saw me and and Kev trawling along the street to find a breakfast cafe, where Kev nearly got attacked by a dog before admitting defeat to return to the hotel, not knowing if the buffet was going to be chargeable. We tucked in anyway and eventually all the rest wandered in where the only incident was trying to identify what was in a manky sausage which Gourlay and Alldis tried. Gourlay said he was suspicious as they were all in water and Alldis was certain he felt a pulse.

• 18/08 09:44 | SMS to Tim: “Where the f**k are you? Everyone’s p**sed – especially Dave.”

It was tram and subway time this time. Dixon wanted the chauffeur treatment, but we said the Sassco team had moved with austerity times and downgraded to public transport since Spain 2010. Plus, the kit rule had gone out of the window with the heat and the polos were considered an unwise investment. However, I did tell Dave that they would be used in Sassco 11-a-side’s eventual return from the wilderness (Just like the New York Cosmos).

A tram station was handy and close to the hotel. We got on and managed to get to city centre where, after enjoying a cold coke in the blazing heat, we went separate ways before meeting at 2:30 and tramming it to the venue. It was in the middle of nowhere and reminiscent of the scene in Trainspotting. However, a mini detour saw us discover the venue, which was like Crowtree Leisure Centre, with no vending machines, people or shops around it (so nothing like Crowtree). We met Sascha, the Lions manager, who pointed us to the nearest drinks outlet which was Subway.

We returned and after some little warm ups and once over with the rules, we kicked off and held our own, being 3-2 down in the half. Second half, we conceded more, but did blame Matthew Alldis as he wasn’t marking the four players he should have been. Fancy Dan got our first at 3-1 down, while Gourlay poked one past the on rushing ‘keeper to make it 3-2. We suffered more in the second half, where goals were conceded, but Kev Cooper cemented his player of the tour billing with several saves, meaning that hammering we got at Gateshead a few weeks back did him the world of good.

I got whacked in the nuts, but convinced everyone it was my stomach, and Paul just generally got pissed of and wanted to go home. Tim still hadn’t turned up, so we all had to double up

Dave also complained to the referee as he was penalised for not stepping behind the red line when taking dead balls and said it’d help if the referee told him. You might also want him to wipe your arse and launder that stupid head band you’ve been wearing for the last few years. Dave was beginning to get moody due to him cocking up his make-believe fantasy football thing and removing some random players and apparently getting beat by Ed Cook who “auto” selected his squad.

We were presented with Futsal Lions unlucky 13 shirt after the game, while we in return presented what Alldis claimed was a “picture on a stick” to them. I did say it was an austerity tour. I was going to try and present them with Dave’s Nike jacket from Malta in 2008. Yes, I still remember, Dave.

It was the tram back, before the change over saw us tucking into some sausage in the main station, where we thought we saw Tim rustling up he bratwurst sausages in the canteen. Then it was back to the hotel, with the football business complete. We trammed it all the way and were convinced we saw Tim being bundled into the back of a car by four burley Russians.

• 18/08 20:55 | SMS to Tim: “We’re having a meal in Einschiffen. Meet at 10:15. I’ll order for you.”

It was food time and Dave got a handy tip to go to a nice bar and restaurant off a “mate” which turned out to be generally shite, where the waiters were ready to go home, snatching a fork ladened with steak before it even reached Alldis’ mouth. A more welcoming pub later, we discovered Alldis’ expertise, via video on his phone, of him throwing small objects into other objects from a distance. He reckoned he’d get on Britain’s Got Talent, where his Pièce de résistancewould be sticking his dinger into Amanda Holden from a distance. “Come here, love and get this inside ya!”

By the end of the evening my chin infection flared up again with the stress, making me look like Desperate Dan with half a face. I just hoped Tim turned up with the antibiotics soon. Matty and Matthew, apparently, had a bust up regarding the concept of man marking. Alldis’ method is to use zonal marking while everyone else did the man-to-man. Alldis, McConville and co. also haggled for a bottle of Jim Beam at a local shop. They got back and just as Alldis had “scientifically” measured the cokes, realised someone had lost the Jim Beam bottle. Most suspect that Tim had been shadowing and sabotaging the trip throughout.

The remaining days were spent with strolls around the city centre (which is all but closed on Sundays). We went to the odd museum and sat in a bar to watch some Premiership games. The Sunday night also saw us wander into a local Italian restaurant, where the waiter was a miserable twat, and they didn’t do pizza or chips. So we all upped and left while Dave G was still reading the menu.

A trip round the corner saw a more welcoming Chinese, with masses of food, including Ed’s oversized spring roll thing, Dixon discussing “Tromboning” and Dave getting pissed off with the tour kitty. An idea where we all gave Dave around €20 a day for him to pay the taxi and food fares.

• 20/08 10:25 | SMS to Tim: “Dear Tim, I’m ordering number 117, what shall I get you? Paul’s getting chips.”

Next morning, me, Alldis and Kev went to the city centre for shopping, where Alldis made a sharp exit as he was allergic to shopping. The others were also there, but in the old town. We travelled back to the hotel and all met up to blag our way past some free breakfast payments and prepare our suitcases and hand luggage. I asked Alldis to “mule” my Kappa bag. He was worried I had put something in it, but I explained the smell was my sweaty duds from the last two days. Matty Downs also said “You can’t take cheeses or water on the plane.” To which Alldis replied that he better get back to the showers and clean up his bell end. A taxi trip to the airport was surprisingly uneventful.

The airport saw Dixon, McConville and Gourlay beginning to hate each other. Dave gave in and logged on the Internet for his fantasy team. McConville was dead, while Alldis was wandering around the shops revealing that he does like his shopping. Dave also threw a wobbler when he purchased a “wiener” and a bun drenched in water.

So, a great tour, which like all tours is different and perfect in its own right. Germany is a pure utopia of a place. The people are nice, the cities look superb and no charvers or benefit scum in sight. The opponents were fabulous as well. All really helpful and of a good standard where we didn’t get a hammering as I feared. They also talked of coming over to England, where we could use mind games and take them to downhill for games where they could avoid the litter congregating in the area, golf balls being thrown at them, charvers on the roof tops eyeing up their gear, a carved up pitch and the only 1980’s astros still around with bobbles, plus a squad boasting big names such as David Murton, Sassco’s only full time signing (as he is banned from playing with anyone else) and the ubiquitous Tim Gillespie.

To top it off, I’d get Ken Street to referee.

Sassco.co.uk are in preparation for the France Tour 2013, which is likely to take place in early September, due to flight costs. More details will be updated on the site. Anyone interested, please contact us via the Facebook Fan Page.

The post Germany Tour 2012 – Day 2 appeared first on Sassco.co.uk.

Geordie Shore cast member to replace Tiger Tim.

FC Vollkontakt 20 Sassco.co.uk 14 | Full match footage shown below. Please feel free to share this on Facebook and Twitter. We also encourage you to LIKE our Sassco.co.uk page on Facebook.

After all the build up, the fifth tour commenced, with nine players signalling their intent to take on Dusseldorf’s finest. Pre-match preparations were as expected, with the team queuing for pasties and pastries at Greggs. We were also put off guard when the cast of Geordie Shore were in the security line behind us. The security chaps were in a quandary because the dippy one had hair rollers in. “You have to ask her to remove her rollers.” said one. “No, you ask her.” said the other. While our expert security checkers were busy drawing lots, they failed to see Mohammed Abdullah, wearing club foot shoes, carrying some Prittstick and a bottle of Fairy liquid, sail through security.

More issues when we landed in Düsseldorf, baking with heat. The fulcrum of the team: the Tapas Terrorist, Tim Gillespie, wasn’t there when we landed. I should have suspected something as me and Dave G received not even a single one of the one hundred and one text messages asking mundane questions. What could have happened? I was waiting for a call from him saying “Dov, why is everyone speaking French, and what does it mean by ‘Paris Airport?'” Yet this wasn’t the biggest disaster of the day, as McConville turned up in the old mid 2000s polo shirt, which was purple and not maroon, like the new ones. Maybe he thought it was too close a shade to his face after a few drinks or minutes in the sun.

• 17/08 12:37 | SMS to Tim: “We’ve Landed.”

Talking of kit, being the austerity tour, Adidas was relegated in favour of Kappa and the track tops were Fruit of the Loom.

We then took a taxi to the hotel, which was located in the business district. It was truly stunning. Rooms were spacious, including separate beds, so no top and tails for Dixon, Ed and Gourlay. Also, the kettle was there: Perfect.

• 17/08 14:33 | SMS to Tim: “We’re going to the game. I’ve got your kit.”

We had more than enough time for the trip to the Cageball Center. We took a taxi, but got there well in advance. We were seeing ghostly images of Tim, either on the side walk, or serving people in shops as we sped by.

First person we saw was Benny Benicke, from the opponents, but we took in the venue, which was excellent. The only problem was the camera position, which was solved by ramming the camera through the net with the tripod on the outside.

McConville disagreed with my starting line up, so I told him in no uncertain terms to sit it out, expecting that Tim would arrive like a knight in shining armour to save the day. Luckily, McConville was persuaded by Ed Cook and Dave Gourlay, thought again and kitted up for the team photo. I texted Tim to say that he’d be on the bench now that McConville was ready.

However, my team line up was looking jaded as we were 3-0 down. And did Tim come along to pull us out of the shit? Of course not. I came off and Matthew Alldis, the poster boy for the tour, a sort of a Mark Muers replacement, stumbled off and around ten minutes later we were 4-3 up. Half time saw a 7-6 lead, including Ed breaking their keepers finger (he denies it), but we were playing 40 minutes each way, which meant the battery in the camera was dying as well as the team. Eventually Vollkontakt came roaring back and took a large lead, which we eventually pegged back for a 20-14 defeat. The camera battery died with five minutes left, but did I panic? Hell no, I simply shoved my hand through the net and filmed the remaining five minutes with a shaky camera phone, which had a battery charger hanging out of the back.

• 17/08 20:31 | SMS to Tim: “Guten Tag, Herr Tigger. Have you been kidnapped?”
• 17/08 20:45 | SMS to Tim: “What do you reckon: Chinese, Italian or McDonalds?”

After the game, we were presented with a bottle and several miniatures and shot glasses of Düsseldorf’s finest, which we never saw again, once Matthew Alldis perked up and took it to his heart.

I also left the flag dangling off the side netting, where I believe it remains to this day.

• 17/08 21:01 | SMS to Tim: “Where are you? We had to cancel the game. Dave’s ill in hospital and luggage has gone missing, the battery died on my camera and everyone’s wearing different colour shirts.”
• 17/08 21:42 | SMS to Tim: “Was that you in one of the boats down river?”

Shit, shower and shave, then down to Alstad, which is the old quarter containing dozens of bars and restaurants. We had a pizza (healthy Ed and his Pasta), but I texted Tim, asking what he wanted so I would pre-order for him. A few drinks later, me and Kev Cooper went back, but left Dixon being chatted up, not by Düsseldorf’s finest fräuleins, but some fella with a dodgy hair cut. Apparently, the rest of the squad got refused entry in a club, because Fancy Dan McConville, never one of the best for his maths, said there were eight of them. Lucky Tim wasn’t there as there’d be fat chance for getting in with nine.

Matty and McConville were persuaded by Alldis for a Jack Daniels night cap, which technically wasn’t a night cap being around 3 or 4 in the morning. A perfect fitting end to an opening day.

The post Germany Tour 2012 – Day 1 appeared first on Sassco.co.uk.

FC Vollkontakt 19 Sassco.co.uk 15.

Futsal Lions 7 Sassco.co.uk 2.

Two defeats for Sassco in the tour, but both performances were more than adequate. The team even led at one stage against Vollkontakt, and were only one goal behind Lions for a large part of the game.

Match reports will be updated soon and full match footage from both games will also be online soon.

The post Germany Tour update. appeared first on Sassco.co.uk.

Friday 17th August

• 11:35 – Flight fron Newcastle to Düsseldorf.
• 13:55 – Landing in Düsseldorf.
• 14:30 – Travel to Hotel Lindner Congress.
• 16:30 – Travel to Cageball Center.
• 18:00 – FC Vollkontakt v Sassco.co.uk. 

Saturday 18th August

• 15:30 – Travel to Heinrich-Heine-University.
• 17:30 – Futsal Lions Düsseldorf v Sassco.co.uk

Sunday 19th August

• Free day

Monday 20th August

• 13:15 – Leave hotel for the airport.
• 16:15 – Flight from Düsseldorf to Newcastle.
• 16:40 – Land in Newcastle.

The post Germany Tour itinerary. appeared first on Sassco.co.uk.

For Vollkontakt and the Lions.

Back in 2008, in Malta, team captain, Dave Gourlay, looked like a plum when our opponents provided us with pennants and mementos before our games. This was rectified in Portugal in 2009, but for Spain and Italy, we didn’t really produce anything apart from metal Sassco badges for our opponents.

For Germany, we’ve produced two pennants for our two opponents.

The post Pennants at the ready! appeared first on Sassco.co.uk.

I think that was the score.

The second training game ended in a stalemate, but nearly started off with a disaster. Dixon, finally showing his face, locked his keys in the boot of his fancy BMW 320d (E92 model) and it took Sassco.co.uk to help him out before he was going to ring his missus, for which he’d have gotten a bollocking for telling her to turn up with the spare key. Simple; just press the central locking button on the dashboard to open the boot from the inside. And BMW’s don’t even drop down the back seat – something I discovered when I was at B & Q a few years back with a set of 4 by 2’s.

Sixth sense kicked in and we had a drop-out, but Dave Gourlay and Matty Downs called on two helpers Chris Howe and Michael Pace. While I cobbled together Scott Hembrough and Dave Simpson to form the Sassco 5 (or V). The Germany team was Gourlay, Alldis, Downs, Dixon and Cook.

It was hoying it down. Typical July in Sunderland. We played at Goals, which was a decent venue outdoors, but matches the Cageball Centre in Düsseldorf. The Germany team raced into a lead, but were pegged back by the V, until it was evenly balanced and no one could be arsed to remember the score.

Digga kept lashing the ball high over the bar. No change there then.

The post Sassco.co.uk 20 Sassco V 20. appeared first on Sassco.co.uk.

Entering the “cage” in Düsseldorf against FC Vollkontakt.

Our opening game on 17th August 2012 in Germany, is against Tobias Mundt’s FC Vollkontakt team, who play in the Cageball Centre in Düsseldorf. Thanks to Petra Aydin for initially arranging the game and the Cageball Centre themselves. Cageball is actually very similar to our own Soccerarena as well as Gateshead Pitz. The pitch is 3G and the standard of the opponents will probably be similar to our own.

We’ve scheduled a training game to take place at Goals Sunderland, which is the same surface. The game is due to take place on Tuesday 10th July at 7:00pm. At least five of the Germany Tour members will be present, and the opponents will be a representative team.

The address is:

Goals Sunderland
City of Sunderland College
Durham Road
Sunderland SR3 4AG

The website is http://www.cageball-duesseldorf.de/

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It’s not long now before we undertake the tour to Germany.

Our second opponents are going to be a the real deal and it’s definitely going to be a tough encounter The Futsal Lions Düsseldorf eV were founded in 2004 and are one of the best known futsal clubs in Germany.

The team is actually professional; having turned pro in 2008. Club Chairman and founding member, Sascha Mirza, was the driving force behind the creation and was kind enough to arrange the fixture for us. I’ve asked them to “be gentle….”

Their website is http://www.futsallions.de/

The game is due to be played at the University of Düsseldorf, known as the Heinrich Heine University of Düsseldorf. It’s named after German poet and political thinker Heinrich Heine, who was born in Düsseldorf in 1797. It became a full-fledged university in 1965 and currently comprises faculties of law, medicine, philosophy, mathematics and natural sciences, and economics.

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The map below shows the hotel, airport, as well as the two venues at Cageball and Dusseldorf University.

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