First Day Update

We have had a great start for our first day for the New Entry Forms for the Golden Goals Season 43. We had a total of 54 entries back to date. Last season we had 51 and the previous season 38 entries back on the first day. So we could be looking at the same numbers as last season, but we still have a long way to go before we close the books on midnight 21 July.  

So how is how the team selection are looking so far 

We have just 29 English teams with once again, Liverpool picking up the most votes with 21 already. In second place we have Arsenal with 14 votes. Third place we have Manchester City and Newcastle  with 8 votes each while in fourth place we have Sheffield United with 6 votes.

We have just 5 teams at the moment from our Scottish leagues with Celtic leading the votes again this season with a total of 37. Rangers are currently in second place with just 4 votes.  

Although we have a long way to go yet, we still need more players to beat our biggest season’s total of 149 players although we still have a lot of our regulars waiting for their teams. Please note that it will be very hard to have Celtic and Liverpool with another team now.

Well if you would like to know more or to receive your free entry form to join in, then you can email me, Steve at goldengoals1983@gmail.com

Entry Form for Season 43 Out Today

Today we launch Season 43 which means that the New Entry Forms are now available as from today. Last season we managed to have a total of 114 players but we hope to beat that total this season.

So what about you who are looking at this blog today, for just £8 (English pounds) you could be part of our history and become our 43rd Champion of Golden Goals. To receive your free copy of the rules and entry form send email to Steve at goldengoals1983@gmail.com

Countdown to Season 43

We have 11 days left before we launch Season 43 of Golden Goals and we have once again kept the entry fee at just £8 (UK).

The Competition first started way back in 1983 and has built up a regular fan base on average 89 players per season. Last season we had our 7th highest number of entries with a grand total of 114, but our record stands at 149 in the 2017/18 Season so we looking at 150+ for this season.

As we have said before, that’s it’s not an easy task to pick three teams that could make you our 43^rd Champion but that is how football goes. As always it’s first come, first served so it’s important to get your teams in as quick as you can. The entry forms will be available from Monday 7th July 2025. 

You can e-mail me here at goldengoals1983@gmail.com to find out more about the competition rules. 

Start Dates 2025/26 Season

The English Premier League will start on the 15/16th August. The Championship will start on the 8/10 August, League One will start on the 1/3 of August. League Two 2 August. The League (Carabao) Cup preliminary round starts on the 4th August.  

The Scottish leagues will all start their games on the 1/3rd August with no mid-season break for the Premiership once again. The League cup first round starting on 11/12 July.

Carabao Cup Changes for 2025/26 Season

The 2025/26 Carabao Cup will include a preliminary round for the first time, to accommodate the increased number of Premier League clubs playing in European competitions next season.

A total of 9 top-flight sides are set to play in European competitions next season, prompting the change to help reduce the number of clubs in the first two rounds. 

The preliminary round will feature the two sides promoted from the National League, Barnet and Oldham have now to compete in a preliminary round in order to qualify for the first round. The perliminary round will start from the week commencing 4 August and will be in their separated regionally groups, which is now normal with the competition's early rounds.

All EFL clubs, other than the two eliminated in the preliminary round, will participate in round one of the competition.

Coming Soon

With last season finished, it is now time for me to start preparing for Season 43 and getting it up and running, and it will soon be time for you to start thinking about your three teams.

This unique competition has now been running for 42 consecutive seasons and with 43 just around the corner, Golden Goals has stood the test of time. The competition first started way back in 1983 and has built up a regular fan base of a round 89 players per season but we would like to add more, much more. We would like to beat our top season with 149 players from the 2017/18 Season.

It’s not an easy task to pick three teams that could make you our 43rd Champion, but that’s how football goes. As always it’s first come, first served so it’s important to get your teams in as quickly as you can once the form comes out. 

How does the competition work? Well you have to do is pick three football teams here in the UK from any English or Scottish league’s or you can mix up your choice from the two countries. Once you have picked the three team’s and sent them in to me via your entry form with the entry fee, these teams will be unique to you, as no-one else will have your teams. These three teams could make you our 43rd Champion by scoring as many goals as they can.  Where do these goals come from? They will come from any league games, and from the two English and Scottish domestic cup competitions.

We will have prize money throughout the season, and if you have been following last seasons blog entries then you will know what I mean.  Each week I will send you a News Sheet via email which will tell you where you are in our table and how your teams are doing. Once the deadline date has passed, you will not be able to join in.

Even if you just look at the simple rules and decide not to join in, there will be no pressure to join Golden Goals. We have had over 192,527 hits on our blog and it would be really great if some of you could get together and represent your family or even better your country. You can e-mail me (Steve) here at goldengoals1983@gmail.com to find out more about the competition.

Our Top 20 Champions

  NAME                                             M/W     W/E   TOTAL   SEASON 

1. L. KING                                        116        239      355       2001/02

2. P. DAVEY                                      132        216      348       2013/14

3. J. WOOD                                         92        252      344       2016/17

4. C. STEPHENS (Miss)                     97        244       341      2024/25

5. M. PEPPERRELL                           91        247       338      2002/03

6. J. WOOD (Mrs)                              94        241        335      2021/22

7. T. GUY                                            95       240        335      2022/23

8. C. BOLBERY                                 95       239        334      2017/18

9. D. SOMERVILLE                          95       237        332      2009/10

10. K. STRATTON (Mrs)                 104      227        331      2018/19

11. B. CLARK                                  121      210        331      2019/20

12. J. FILTNESS/A. HAMMOND   117      211        328      2023/24

13. P. CHRISTOPHER                     123     204        327      1983/84

14. I. SWEENEY                              100     226        326     1985/86

15. T. PATMAN                                  89     233        322     1999/00

16. A. STUBBS (Miss)                      80      238        318     2012/13

17. J. CONWAY (Mrs)                       97     221        318     2000/01

18. J. CONWAY (Mrs)                     113     199        312     1996/97

19. P. LOCKER/E. DRAPER            79     232        311     1998/99

20. T. BICKNELL                            126    185        311      2014/15