Whether your focus be five, seven, nine or eleven-a-side – there is a goal designed to suit your school or club needs perfectly. All you have to decide is whether you want your goal to stay in the same place all day, everyday; disappear sometimes to give you an open space; or to move around frequently.
Let’s take a look at your freestanding, socket or portable options – always with safety as top priority, followed by convenience and cost-effectiveness.
Here are some things to consider:
- Where the goal is to be used
- Grass or hard surface
- Does the goal need to be portable?
- Do you need to store the goal away?
- Is a heavyweight goal required?
- How much you want to pay for the goal
Also, above all, the importance of safely anchoring football goals at all times cannot be understated. Fatalities in the past have sadly occurred due to goal posts being anchored incorrectly, allowing the goal to tip.
Freestanding goals
- Popular
- Stand upright on the ground without any support
- Found on any surface, including grass, concrete and artificial surfaces
- Do not damage the surface at all; do not leave permanent marks
- Can be moved, if necessary
- Built to withstand all weathers
Remember!
- Require anchorage either using ground pegs/chains/counterweights or weights that are integrated within the goal frame itself to ensure safe usage. Self-weighted goals incorporate counterweights within the goal frame itself or as a weighted backbar attached to the rear of the goal.
- Can require up to four people to place safely into position.
Socketed goals
- Firmly in the ground
- No additional anchorage required
- Suitable for recreation grounds and other public areas
- Held in an upright position
- Can be removed when not in use
- Can be left in place for prolonged periods
- Robust in all weathers
Remember!
- Require posts to be placed into ground sockets – these should be set into cubes of concrete as per the manufacturers instructions (often 600mm³ or more).
- Installation should be performed by professionals to ensure the goal is safe to use.
- Do leave a permanent mark on surfaces
Portable goals
- Versatile
- Can be positioned anywhere
- Convenient
- Can be used on all grounds, for all levels of play
- Easy to transport
- Quick to set up
- Can be used anywhere out of season
- Can have swivel wheels for easy maneuverability
Remember!
- Need to be strong, sturdy material
- Require ground stakes to stabilise
- Require assembly
- Maintain wheels for optimum function
- Susceptible to theft – store securely
