LGS Foosball to World Champion

My foosball journey began at LGS. The foosball table was extremely popular at break and lunchtimes; it arrived in 1975 and cost 2p a game. John Clarke (LGS 1977) and Achilleas Hatjiosif (LGS 1976) were the main competition at the time. We would also visit Franco’s coffee shop in town which had a table upstairs. 

In the summer before university, I spent a month at school in Nice. Here I was introduced to the high-control French playing style and, whilst some venues had similar tables, it was a totally different level of play. I was determined to up my game and became more competitive virtually overnight. I picked up a couple of vandalised tables from Rawlins and created a crude but playable table to practice on, honing my ball control and shooting skills. 

In 1977, I went to university in Sheffield which had an active Table Football scene led by ex-UK Champion, Solomon Gurkhan. I attended the regional championships in Bradford and the national championships at Warwick University in 1978, reaching the quarter finals of both. That was the last competition I entered for over a decade, apart from a local competition on holiday in Brittany. 

My passion re-emerged in the late 90s when I got my sons a toy table. On holiday in Kenya, there was a table in the Hotel which my son, Rob, became obsessed with. On the final day he beat me – this was the first time I had lost to anyone except my ‘sparring partner.’ I rediscovered the sport online and found somewhere to play in an Edinburgh pub. It was winner stays on with a rule that if a player or team got whitewashed, they had to crawl under the table on the deliberately filthy floor. I stayed on all night until the overconfident ‘local champions’ arrived and, when my doubles partner left, I took them on by myself. They ended the night crawling on the floor to the sound of the regulars cheering. 

I discovered the Rainbow Snooker Club in Manchester, which drew foosball players from all over the North-West. Rob, then 12, and I became regulars. We entered our first tournament together in early 1999 and came joint 5th in the Open Singles and 4th in the Open Doubles, taking runner up in the ‘rookie’ category.  We became tournament regulars, with our first overseas event at the German Open which had a much higher standard than the UK. 

I became involved in running the British Foosball Association in 2000, promoting tournaments from small local events to major international competitions. I remained on the BFA committee until 2022 when I retired due to ill health. I was also a founder of the International Table Soccer Federation in 2002 where I served as General Secretary for 20 years. 

In 2005, I was ranked 33 in the World and became a regular for Team GB with over 50 caps. I’ve come runner up in three World Finals, Senior Singles, Senior World Cup, and in 2011 qualified for the Open World Doubles Championships and picked Rob as my doubles partner. 

Foosball has taken me to places I would never have visited, I’ve made friends across the world and it’s hugely enriched my life. Although I have retired from standard competition due to disability – I’m hoping to compete at the World Championships in the wheelchair category.  

There is still a foosball table in the LGS Sixth Form common room and it remains the focus of friendly competition between pupils today. The High School girls have also recently acquired a foosball table, watch this space for LGS vs LHS competitions! 

There is still a foosball table in the LGS Sixth Form common room and it remains the focus of friendly competition between pupils today. The High School girls have also recently acquired a foosball table, watch this space for LGS vs LHS competitions! 

This article has come from the Winter 2022 edition of your alumni magazine, Beyond the Barrier. You can read the full magazine online here.