Pick the team on the touchline. Line-ups and team sheets for grassroots football.
The Gaffer01 / 06
Pick the team on the touchline.
A matchday board for grassroots coaches. Squad, shape, bench, subs and the message to the parents, on your phone. I tell you what's next.
11-a-sideUnder 14s. Results count now. So do your decisions.
How old are they?
Pick the age group. I set the format and the shapes. Under 11s, everyone gets a go. From under 12s, it's about results.
Squad in. Then we talk.
Paste the names from the parents' group. Numbers and positions if you've got them. Type them once, they're there every week.
Pick your strongest side.
Tap a shape. Drag players where you want them. Save it. I'll question it. You'll pick it anyway.
Clock on. Make your changes.
Tap a player, bring the bench on. Every sub logged to the minute. Injured players stay flagged for next week.
Send it to the parents.
Who's in goes to the WhatsApp group or by email, and the result after the whistle. Never the shape or who's injured. It goes out plain, in your name.
Your turn
Enough talk. Tap a player.
A made-up team on a real board. Sub someone off, mark an injury, change the shape. I'll have something to say.
Go on. Make a change.
Bench12 Mia14 Jordan15 Sol16 Kit17 Ash18 Rowan
An example team, made up for this page.
Tell the parents
This is the squad from the board above, as the parents get it: who's in, by shirt number. No shape, no bench, no injuries. Send it to the WhatsApp group, email it, or copy it.
Under 14s parents
Ashford Juniors v Northgate (home) Squad: 1 Alex 2 Charlie 3 Sam 4 Jamie 5 Riley 6 Frankie 7 Remi 8 Robin 9 Taylor 10 Ellis 11 Nico 12 Mia 14 Jordan 15 Sol 16 Kit 17 Ash 18 Rowan
Your team. Nobody else's.
- Stays on your deviceThe board is saved in the browser on your phone. You don't need an account, and your squad is never sent to us.
- Move it with a fileExport a squad file to move the board to another phone or laptop, or to keep a copy.
- Delete means deletedRemove a player and their details are gone. Nothing is kept anywhere else.
Matchday's coming. Pick your team.
Pick my teamBefore you start.
What is Gafferboard?
Gafferboard is a free web app for grassroots football coaches. It holds the squad, who is called up, the formation, the bench and every substitution on one screen, works on a phone, and needs no account. Pick the team, send the call-up to the parents, and log every sub to the minute on matchday.
Is it free?
Yes. Picking the team, the call-up and the subs are free for your team, with no adverts and nothing to install. A season pass with extras may come later.
Do I need an account?
No. Open the board and pick your team. Signing in is optional, and only needs an email address.
Where is my data kept?
In the browser on your own phone or laptop, and nowhere else. Nothing about your players is sent to us. To move the board to another device, export a squad file and open it there.
Which formats does it support?
3-a-side, 5-a-side, 7-a-side, 9-a-side and 11-a-side, with the shapes for each. Pick the age group and the board sets the format the FA uses for it. You can change it if your league plays differently.
Which format does each age group play?
Under 7s play 3-a-side. Under 8s and under 9s play 5-a-side. Under 10s and under 11s play 7-a-side. Under 12s and under 13s play 9-a-side. Under 14s to adults play 11-a-side. That is the FA's pathway from the 2026-27 season. Up to under 11s is development football, where everyone plays. From under 12s, results count.
How do I give every player fair minutes?
Log every sub on the board as it happens. It records the minute, and Minutes played shows each player's total for the match. You see who's short before the second half, not on the drive home.
Can I send the team to the parents' WhatsApp group?
Yes. The call-up says who's in, when, where and what to wear, by shirt number. No shape, no bench, no injuries. Send it on WhatsApp, by email, or copy it. Use initials if the group has people outside the club.
Can my assistant coach use the same squad?
Yes. Send the squad by link or QR code, and it opens on their phone as their own copy. The link carries your players' names, so send it to a coach you trust, never the parents' group.