Every footballer has a kit bag routine, even if they would never call it that. The good ones are packed the night before. The best ones are packed in the order things come out on the day, so nothing is buried under a towel when the referee is waiting.
This is a typical Sunday league bag, laid out from first item to last. Use it as a checklist, then make it your own.
The night before
Boots
Boots come first because they need the most attention. Knock the dried mud off outside, then brush the rest away with a stiff brush and a little water. Check every stud. Moulded studs wear down at the toe. Screw-in studs work loose, so tighten them now rather than in the car park. If a lace is fraying, swap it. A snapped lace in the warm-up is a small problem that feels much bigger at 9:55am.
If the boots got soaked last week, stuff them with newspaper and let them dry at room temperature. Direct heat from a radiator can dry the leather too fast.
Shin pads, tape and spare socks
Shin pads are required in every match, so they are the one item you can't borrow your way out of. Put them in the bag with the socks they fit under. Add a roll of sock tape and a spare pair of socks. Somebody always needs the spare pair, even if it isn't you.
The water bottle
Fill it to the top the night before and put it in the fridge, then move it to the bag on your way out. Write your name on the side in marker pen. Unlabelled bottles have a way of leaving with the away team.
The side pocket
Side pockets are for small things that need to be found quickly: car keys, a phone, a hair tie, plasters, a pound for the car park. Ours also holds a 10ml roll-on. It is small enough that it never gets in the way. It just lives there, ready for the end of the game.
Matchday
The warm-up
Most teams start about twenty minutes before kick-off. Every team does it differently. Some run through a structured routine, others jog, stretch and pass. What matters is that everybody is moving before the first whistle. Arrive early enough to be part of it.
Ninety minutes later
Mud on everything. Boots off first, then shin pads out. Knock the worst of the mud off before it dries hard. Put muddy kit in a separate bag so it doesn't share space with the clean towel.
The cool-down
This is the part of the day that gets rushed the most. A few minutes of easy walking and gentle stretching gives the body a chance to slow down before you sit in a car. For a lot of players it is also when the roll-on comes out of the side pocket for a slow massage. It rolls on, sinks in and leaves no greasy finish to get on your kit.
Home
Kit in the wash, boots by the back door, bottle back in the side pocket for next week. A few tips that make the next Sunday easier:
- Rinse muddy kit in cold water first. Hot water can set mud stains.
- Wash kit inside out to protect printed numbers and badges.
- Leave boots somewhere airy to dry, never on a radiator.
- Refill the side pocket now, while you remember what ran out.
- Put the shin pads back in the bag the moment they're dry.
