Kian Gadsby
With the score tied at 3-3 with two minutes remaining, the 2025 Varsity Futsal clash between the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University was coming down to the wire.
The tension was palpable, as whoever struck next would win the game and establish a crucial advantage early in the series.
Few sporting experiences are more dramatic than a late winner. From Aguero’s title-winner against QPR to Solskjaer’s strike to win Manchester United the Champions League in 1999, last-minute goals become legends of their own and write names into folklore.
For UoN Futsal, that list now includes a strike from Sam Bunce. His headed finish completed a memorable comeback from 3-0 down, sending the David Ross Sports Village into raptures.
The goal meant that the futsal team retained their Varsity crown, and it proved to be the moment that kickstarted the University of Nottingham’s glorious Varsity campaign in unforgettable fashion.
Many dream of scoring a last-minute winner to clinch a trophy. However, for Sam, this experience became a reality.
In this instalment of Impact’s Students’ Sporting Stories, Kian Gadsby talks to Bunce as he opens up about his futsal journey, and why Varsity matters more than most realise.
What is Futsal?
As we took a seat in the David Ross Sports Village, merely metres away from Sam’s moment of glory, and started our conversation, it very quickly became apparent that futsal is something of an enigma to many sports fans.
Despite being an enthralling game which captivates spectators, futsal is yet to gain mainstream media attention in the UK, even though it has hallmarks of many popular sports.
For those unaware, futsal is a smaller, indoor version of football. The games are incredibly fast-paced, with chances flying from one end to the other like a basketball match, and this chaos often leaves supporters biting their fingernails on the edge of their seats with excitement.
Intrigued by the sport, I asked Sam to outline what characteristics and skills he felt were required to shine in this intense environment.
“Deception, shifting momentum, small advantages – that’s the understanding you build from playing the sport,” he said.
“More touches demand technical proficiency and smaller spaces demand tactical nuances and sharp, powerful movement.
“It’s not all about the glitz and glamour of skills, but rather defending like your life depends on it and a mix of tactical understanding and confidence with the ball to outwit opponents.”
“It’s exciting because, simply, you can’t afford to take your eyes off it. I’ve looked down at a notification on my phone or had a quick chat, and that was it, I missed a key moment. The intensity is unrivalled, the tension that builds throughout a close game is incredible.“
When asked about why futsal was not as popular as it perhaps could be and its potential ceiling, Sam did not hold back. He passionately expressed that the vibrant and energetic nature of the sport could propel it into the eyes of the world if the game could permit itself to grow.
“I think it has the capacity to reach the heights of basketball in the US where there is a massive indoor sport culture, however, there are so many things still holding the sport back, particularly in the UK. University futsal is one of the primary drivers of the sport’s growth and awareness.”
How did Sam’s Futsal Story Begin?
With futsal being a relatively niche sport, becoming an established athlete requires a journey that is very rarely documented or discussed.
Fortunately, Sam was willing to tell his tale, including a change of sport and some astounding achievements from years of playing at the highest level.
“I first got into futsal when I was around 8 years old at a club called Escolla Futsal. I regularly trained on a court in Watford, where I was brought up, before training near Wembley for several years.
“I competed in tournaments abroad, including in the Youth Futsal World Cup in Barcelona when I was 10 or 11 years old, when we achieved a third-place finish.
“That seems like a long time ago but it was all part of the process of understanding the mentality of futsal.
“I was a centre-back for large parts of my youth in football and played at ‘fix’ (back position in futsal) for all my time at Escolla, which may seem weird considering my height, but that’s where my attributes and strengths of defending probably stem from.”
During this time period, Sam continued to develop his technical skills by playing football alongside futsal.
However, COVID struck, and like everything else futsal was shut down by lockdown restrictions.
It was during this period that Sam realised that he enjoyed futsal more than football, a rare decision for players of his ability. That choice proved to be justified, as after a successful trial, Bunce was then able to join one of the top futsal sides in the country.
“Then following lockdown, I trialled to join Bloomsbury Futsal’s academy. I was quickly falling out of love with playing football as futsal seemed to have so much more to offer. You’re in the thick of the action all the time in futsal and I enjoyed all aspects of the game. The opportunity to compete at a really high level was also attractive.
“From there, I played for the Under 15s/16s academy team for a season before progressing to the second men’s team.
“My debut was away to Southend in the second tier of men’s futsal in England, and I remember scoring a goal at the back post which was a special moment to look back on.
“I spent two seasons with Bloomsbury, primarily playing in Tier Two of the National Futsal setup, still playing matches against some of the best in the country. I had invaluable experiences with everything futsal has to throw at you in each game and throughout the season, as a player and as a person.
“I’d say there were certainly challenges in progressing to be a winger and it took courage to learn how to advance my game with the ball.”
After such an impressive youth career, choosing which university to study at to continue to shine both on the pitch and academically was a difficult task for Sam.
However, it was the atmosphere at the futsal club that really drew him to Nottingham, as he conveyed that the positive environment at the team was a crucial factor in his decision-making process.
“That leads me here to UoN. I went to watch Varsity in 2024 and I was hooked ever since.
“The culture seemed too good to pass up on and I could see myself enjoying my futsal, playing without too much pressure, and being able to bring things to the table and experiment with improving my weaknesses.”
“Results will come our way” – Bunce Optimistic Despite Setbacks
Competing on multiple fronts is always a challenging ordeal, but that is the task that UoN Futsal face as they contend with clashes in both the BUCS League and the National Futsal League.
Unfortunately, last season was a disappointing campaign for the team in both competitions.
They fell short in their quest for promotion from the National Futsal League, whilst they were relegated from the top division of the BUCS League despite a commanding 3-1 victory against Derby on the final game of the season.
When asked for his thoughts on last season, Sam grimaced, before responding with “Well, it was far from smooth sailing.”
“The team ended up getting relegated from the top division of BUCS while narrowly missing out on chances to get promoted from the National Futsal League. New players, new manager, and results weren’t always falling into place, but that’s the reality of futsal.”
Bunce also personally suffered hardship last season. He missed most of the campaign after suffering a devastating ankle injury just two minutes into his BUCS debut for the side.
He spoke in depth about his disappointments, as well as highlighting just how tough recovering from an injury can be, especially so soon after moving into a new environment.
“Personally, I suffered an ankle injury in my first BUCS game against Loughborough. How’s your luck?”
“This was a real setback for me as I found I was finding my feet playing on the wing, developing aspects of dribbling and confidence that were not previously there.
“It became very difficult and frustrating as futsal was what took me away and what I enjoyed. I managed to return in February time for the crucial back end of the season.”
Despite the setbacks suffered last season, when pressed about his sides’ future ambitions, Bunce remained upbeat as he expressed his confidence that they could turn their form around in the upcoming campaign.
“The objective would seem obvious, to get promoted back to the top division of BUCs and win the National Futsal League, which I think the team is more than capable of doing with availability and fine-tuning some things and understanding of futsal’s demands.”
“But overall the objective is to maintain what was special about the club last season which was how people developed not just as players but off the court and the community surrounding the club.
“Results will come our way if we continue doing the right things and acknowledge the things that need to be worked on, but work ethic and consistency are the foundation for the success we want to achieve.”
He paused, before laughing at himself for almost forgetting the main reason for this interview, “Oh, and another Varsity win is always what we want too of course.”
That Varsity Goal
Of course, the highlight of Bunce’s spell on the team so far was his dramatic winner in the Varsity game against Trent.
The hall is a lot quieter now than it was that day, with the only sound being the faintly audible gym music coming through the ceiling. However, the excitement and the glee in Sam’s eyes remained the same, and his face lit up as he walked me through that critical goal.
“I mean what can you even say, unbelievable!” He declared, pausing to take a moment to smile before resuming his story.
“3-0 down to Trent and the second half needed everything we had to get over the line. And somehow we pulled off an insane comeback to make it 4-3.
“In terms of my goal, I remember Ryan (manager) putting me on with around three minutes left and I knew that it was my time. It was a deflected looping cross and my eyes lit up and I headed home, jubilation, it was like living a dream honestly.
“When is there ever a header in futsal? Let alone from the smallest player on the court?
“All the injury problems made that moment ten times more special for me and I will never forget that game.”
“It’s great to represent UoN, all the sporting successes the university has behind it makes it a privilege to play and immediately gives you a winning mentality.”
Finally, just before we concluded the interview, Bunce gave a message for anyone who is considering giving futsal a try.
“If you want to get more touches on the ball and hone all parts of your game, futsal is the sport for you.
“I fell out of love with playing football because futsal always had more intensity, more involvement. There’s five people on the court so you have 20% of the responsibility when you are playing.
“It’s enjoyable, intense, you have the chance to express yourself with the ball, which you don’t get enough of in football.”
On our way out, Sam had one final, wistful, look around the sports hall. He will be in there many more times over the coming months, but few experiences could top the moment he has already enjoyed.
You can follow the team throughout their league campaigns in BUCS and the National Futsal League on their Instagram @uonfutsal.
Kian Gadsby
Featured image courtesy of Kian Gadsby. No changes were made to this image.
In article image 1 courtesy of @uonfutsal via Instagram. No changes were made to this image.
In article image 2 courtesy of @uonfutsal via Instagram. No changes were made to this image.
In article image 3 courtesy of Bloomsbury Futsal. No changes were made to this image.
In article image 4 courtesy of @sambunce_44 via Instagram. No changes were made to this image.
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