The ''

Evening Standard The ''London Standard'', formerly the ''Evening Standard'' (1904–2024) and originally ''The Standard'' (1827–1904), is a long-established regional newspaper published weekly and distributed free newspaper, free of charge in London, Engl ...

'' London Five-a-Sides was an annual indoor football tournament organised by the

Sports Council Sport England is a non-departmental public body under the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Its role is to build the foundations of a community sport system by working with national governing bodies of sport, and other funded partners, ...

(now

Sport England Sport England is a non-departmental public body under the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Its role is to build the foundations of a community sport system by working with national governing bodies of sport, and other funded partners, ...

). As the competition name suggests it featured

Football League The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional association football, football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, it is the oldest football league in Association football around the world, the w ...

clubs from the capital city. The latter years of the event was open to Football League clubs outside

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

History

The competition usually took place towards end of the domestic football season in April or May. The competition was on six-year hiatus from 1961 to 1966 and then a seven-year break between 1986 and 1992. The first venue of choice was the Empress Hall, Earls Court. The second edition was transferred to the

Harringay Arena Harringay Arena was a sporting and events venue on Green Lanes (London), Green Lanes in Harringay, North London, England. Built in 1936, it lasted as a venue until 1958. Construction Harringay Arena was built and owned by Brigadier-General Al ...

. The event moved to Empire Pool Wembley in 1959. It shared a home with the National Five-a Side tournament that ran from 1968 to 1986.

ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: Television TV stations/networks/channels ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network and company, including: **ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network in the United Kingd ...

(

Thames Television Thames Television, commonly simplified to just Thames, was a franchise holder for a region of the British ITV television network serving London and surrounding areas from 30 July 1968 until the night of 31 December 1992. Thames Television broa ...

) covered the best of the action on its late evening show ''Midweek Sports Special'' for

and surrounding areas only. Commentary came from Brian Moore. The final three editions in the 1990s were shown by Sky TV to a wider audience. Originally, only

First Division 1st Division or First Division may refer to: Military Airborne divisions *1st Parachute Division (Germany) *1st Airborne Division (United Kingdom) * 1st Airmobile Division (Ukraine) * 1st Guards Airborne Division Armoured divisions *1st Armoure ...

and

Second Division In sport, the Second Division, also called Division 2 or Division II is usually the second highest division of a league, and will often have promotion and relegation with divisions above and below. Following the rise of Premier League style compet ...

clubs from the

were eligible to participate.

List of Finals

Titles by Club

References

{{Reflist

External links

Midweek Football Coverage 1968/69 - 1982/83
Midweek Football on TV.

The Football Attic. Indoor soccer competitions Recurring sporting events established in 1954 1954 establishments in England 1995 disestablishments in England Defunct football cup competitions in England Recurring sporting events disestablished in 1995 London Evening Standard