Alright folks, this Dorset Premier League thing? Total confusion when I first heard about it down the pub. Sounded proper official, like only pros could play. Decided to dig in myself, see if a regular bloke could actually join a team.
Started Clueless, Obviously
Where the hell do you even start? Typed “Dorset Premier League sign up” into my phone right there. Loads of local clubs popped up – Bridport Reserves, Hamworthy Rec, teams like that. Realised it’s club-based, not some league-wide membership. You gotta get picked by a specific team playing in that league.
First step was just finding them. Kept seeing ‘FA Full-Time’ mentioned everywhere. Went to the FA website – felt like navigating a maze. Managed to find the specific page for the Dorset Premier League fixtures and tables. Scrolled through. Bingo. Found a proper list of all the clubs for the season – their actual names and contacts weren’t always obvious, felt like a bit of detective work linking club names to their home grounds and finding contact info sometimes.
Reaching Out Like a Nervous Kid
Okay, found a few clubs relatively close. Felt daft, like phoning up out of the blue. Did it anyway. Phoned Hamworthy Rec first. Got their Secretary – bloke sounded alright. Cut straight to it: “Look, mate, never played anything higher than Sunday League, but fancy stepping up. Any chance for a trial or something?” Got told pre-season trials were key. Late June/early July timeframe. Booked that in my calendar.
The Paperwork Hassle
Thought showing up ready to run was enough. Nah. The club emailed me stuff needing signatures. Felt like applying for a bloody mortgage.
- Signed an FA Registration Form: Basic details, no biggie.
- Proof of Address: Used a recent bill. Easy.
- Proof of Date of Birth: Scanned my driving license. Done.
- Player Photo: Dug out a half-decent picture, not a mugshot.
The worst part? Needed a bloody stamped addressed envelope! Who even has stamps at home? Had to drag myself to the post office. Sent the whole bundle off, hoping it didn’t get lost.
Pre-Season: Running Like Mad
Trial week arrived. Turned up at the ground feeling like a fish out of water. Proper organised. Coach barked orders, running, drills, small-sided games. Hard bloody graft compared to Sundays. Lasted the session. Came back the next night. And the next. Thought I was gonna collapse.
Didn’t hear anything for a week. Then, got the call: “Alright, we’ll give you a go. Get involved for pre-season friendlies.” Proper buzz.
Final Bit: Getting Cleared
Club sorted the final FA registration. Got an email a while later saying my registration was active on that FA Full-Time site. That was it. My name was down. Officially part of a Dorset Prem squad.
Honest take? It felt simpler than I imagined. Mostly just:
- Find the clubs (use that FA site!).
- Call or email EARLY (seriously, pre-season!).
- Get fit.
- Be ready to fill out boring forms.
- Show up, work hard at trials.
That was my path in. Still getting used to the pace, mind. Wish me luck!
