Welcome to a slightly different Football in Berkshire podcast. This weekend (Sunday 27th July) is the inaugural PLAION Launchpad Berkshire 5s, a charity five-aside competition raising money for Launchpad, Reading’s homelessness charity.

We have been sponsored by Plaion, a worldwide video games distributor with a UK office in Theale and we say a huge thank you to them for putting up the funds to get the tournament on.

To celebrate, we've recorded a short series of podcasts asking some of our friends in non-league football to pick their five-aside teams.

If you enjoy the episode, please consider making a donation to Launchpad, which you can do at donate.launchpadreading.org.uk

Writer and host Paul Watson joins Tom Canning to preview the forthcoming Berkshire Football Awards (for about 7 minutes - then it takes a whistlestop tour around the world).

Hopefully you enjoy the episode!

Eversley & California upset the odds in the Combined Counties League Division One play-offs at the end of the 2024/25 season, beating Penn & Tylers Green in the semi-finals and division runners up Westside in the Final.

The Boars now go into a Step 5 season for the first time in the clubs history. Co-manager Darryl Jelly talks to Tom Canning about the clubs unique challenges ahead and the debt they owed Woodley United.

More on Eversley & California FC: https://footballinberkshire.co.uk/eversley-california-fc/