News

Club kit lists cover every eventuality. A junior's first hard-ball season needs about a third of it. What to buy now, what can wait, what to skip.

Bladders, laminate layers and grip compounds: the four real differences between a training ball and a match ball, and how many of each a club needs.

What the rules say about branded items, which uniform is fine bought cheap, which items cost more when you save on them, and how to buy second-hand well.

A day-by-day routine for breaking in new football boots, the lacing fixes that stop heel blisters, and why the old bath trick only suits leather.

How the three main kit decoration methods differ on durability, detail, fabric and cost, and which one belongs on which garment.

Knocking in a bat is hours of mallet work spread over days, not an afternoon. A day-by-day guide from first coat of oil to first net session.

Size 3, 4 or 5? Rugby ball sizes by age grade, why your club's list may differ, and three quick tests for whether a ball is too big.

Which name labels actually survive the wash, where to put them, and the routine that gets lost uniform back before it ends up on the second-hand rail.

Size 3, 4 or 5? A straight guide to football sizes by age group, weights and circumferences, plus the questions parents and coaches ask us most.