Alright, let me tell you about trying to find a decent football turf here in Thane. It wasn’t exactly straightforward, you know? It feels like ages since I last had a proper kickabout on something that wasn’t just a patch of dusty ground.
Starting the Hunt
So, the urge hit me and a few buddies. We wanted to play, like, actual small-sided football, not just passing against a wall. First thought? Just search online, right? Easy peasy. Well, not really. You type it in, and sure, names pop up. But then you dig a little.
Found a few places listed. Called one up, sounded promising. Got there, and man, the pictures online must’ve been from five years ago. The turf was worn thin, almost like a carpet left out in the rain for too long. Not worth the price they were asking. Definitely not. Another place looked great, but booking was a nightmare. You had to use some clunky app, and slots were always gone, like trying to book a train ticket during festival season.
The Process – More Than Just Searching
It became a bit of a weekend mission. We actually drove around to check out a couple of recommendations.
- One spot was near Majiwada. Looked okay from the outside, but the ground felt super hard. Like playing on concrete with a thin green layer. My knees were aching just looking at it.
- Another one, someone’s cousin’s friend recommended it. Tucked away behind some buildings. It was small, like really small. Barely enough room for a 5-a-side. And the lighting? Forget playing after sunset.
It started feeling like finding a good spot was more effort than the game itself. You spend more time coordinating, searching, checking reviews that might or might not be real, than actually playing. Kinda frustrating, honestly. Makes you miss the old days where you just found an open ground and played till you dropped.
Finally, Finding a Spot
Eventually, through sheer persistence and asking around like old-school detectives, we landed on a place. It wasn’t perfect, mind you. Nothing ever is, right? But it was decent. It’s one of those newer setups, maybe near Ghodbunder Road, can’t recall the exact lane now.
The booking was still online, but at least the system worked. You could see available slots clearly. We had to book a week in advance for a weekend slot, which tells you how much demand there is. The turf itself? Pretty good, actually. Had that nice artificial grass feel, good cushioning. Not like those rock-hard surfaces elsewhere.
The Actual Game
So, we finally got our game in last Saturday. It felt amazing just to run around, chasing the ball, even if most of us were panting after five minutes. We aren’t kids anymore, that’s for sure. The vibe was good too. Lots of other groups playing, everyone just there to have fun. No agro, just pure football enjoyment.
The best part? Just that feeling of playing a proper game on a proper surface. Makes a huge difference. We weren’t tripping over potholes or skidding on bald patches. We booked it for an hour, felt like ten minutes. We are definitely going back, even with the booking hassle.
It’s funny, you know. Thane has grown so much, all these tall buildings and malls. But sometimes finding simple things, like a good place to play a sport you love, takes real digging. Glad we found this one, though. It’s a keeper, for now at least.
