Bristol is top of table for table football
Before reaching for their passports though, the team will warm up at the UK Tornado championships at Warren's Holiday Village in Clevedon on November 21-23, which includes a beginners' tournament for anyone without a UK or world ranking.
With a CV comprising a book on world travels with a table football table (23 Sweet FAs) I was chosen to find out just how good they are.
The answer is – very good. Their speed, reactions and concentration match those in any other sport and the skill on display is enough to entertain even the most sceptical.
On a regular Tuesday night at the Crown in Keynsham or on a Thursday at the Bush in Totterdown you can rub shoulders with Joe Hamilton, 2008 UK table football champion; James Oates, holder of the Under-18 title and his dad, Dave Oates, a former UK champion, all for the price of a 50p coin.
Dave is also the founder of Foos4Fun, a company specialising in table football events. His business partner, Rob Davey, a former UK and Irish champion, can also be found in the pub, hunting for 50p coins to fuel the collective addiction.
"Basically, when I was 18 I really got hooked on table football," said Dave. "I became UK champion in about 1977 and ever since then I've been hooked.
"So we've been trying to build up the game of table football and in the Crown here in Keynsham we've got some of the best players in the country."
Bristol's dominance of the table football scene stems from the establishment of a company called Bristol Coin Equipment in the area 25 years ago.
They distributed table football tables and encouraged participation through lavish tournaments and prizes.
"I won an all-expenses-paid trip to go to America to play in a world championships when I was 18," said Dave, fondly reminiscing. "And of course that meant everybody was trying to win that sort of prize."
His son James has followed in his footsteps and recently won bronze at a junior doubles event in Las Vegas, after beating the French but falling foul of the Germans.
James said: "I'm quite proud of it. I went there with the expectation of coming in the top 10 because I was ninth in the world previously."
The 18-year-old, who was drawn into the sport helping his dad with the tables at tournaments, has set his sights on a top-three finish in the under-18 singles in Nantes, his last chance at that age level.
The senior UK team, whose Bristol contingent comprises Davey, Mike Amsden, twins Alex and John Shovelton, Joe Hamilton and John May, have a good chance of success in France, according to Dave.
He said: "We're putting forward the strongest team we've put forward for many years. I don't think they'll win as there are some awesome countries, but they should do well."
Attempting to pitch my own pub-level game against these players was clearly never going to succeed.
"There're on a completely different level," said Dave. "We do what we call 'expert challenges' for charity. You can pay a pound and play the experts.
"Members of the public are always gobsmacked, can't believe the skill on show."
Skill, yes, but questions linger about the game's integrity as a sport.
Dave dismissed the suggestion, pointing to the presence of its own international body and a world tour as proof.
And current UK champ Hamilton, from Bishopston, said: "You look at pool, you look at darts. These are all sports which require a fine level of attention to detail. I can't find a sport that's as challenging in the intense pressure that you're under like foosball.
"It's fun down the pub but in tournaments there are arguments, there's referees, and it can get pretty heated. Just like real football, there are dodgy refereeing decisions sometimes."
Hamilton started playing in his college common room and realised a talent for the game which led him to the Crown and a UK title. He said: "I've been addicted ever since."
Newcomers are welcome to join in. For details call Dave Oates on 07851905093
Rob Davey, Joe Hamilton, Alex Shovelton and Mike Amsden
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