Games involving the kicking of a football are very popular and may be played as games in their own right or as practice for soccer.

According to the invention there is provided an apparatus for playing a game, the apparatus including a target having a cavity for receiving a football.

Preferably the target includes one or more walls which define a boundary of the cavity. The cavity may extend right through the target and be bounded by one or more side walls. Alternatively the cavity may be blind, and bounded also by a bottom wall.

The target preferably includes a base for resting on the ground. The base may consist of the bottom wall or a bottom part of one or more side walls.

Preferably when the base is rested on level ground a football may enter the cavity from above.

Preferably when the base is rested on level ground at least one side wall has an external shape which includes a sloping portion. The sloping portion preferably slopes at an angle of between 20° and 70°, and more preferably between 30° and 60° to the level ground.

The target may include a side wall having a substantially frusto-conical shape, sloping inwardly from a base portion to a smaller diameter upper rim portion. Preferably the angle of slope of the wall is between 20° and 70° and most preferably the angle of slope of the wall is between 30° and 60°. The inner shape of the side wall may also be substantially frusto-conical, thereby defining a substantially frusto-conical cavity. The upper rim portion may define the circumference of a circular hole through which the football must pass to enter the cavity.

Preferably the target is movable but includes means for retaining it in a particular position, such as ground engaging spikes provided on the base.

Alternatively holes may be provided near the base for receiving ground engaging pegs.

The apparatus may include a pole, which may be provided with a flag at an upper region thereof. The pole may be receivable within a central region of the cavity so as to extend upwardly therefrom, and may be receivable in a support. The support is preferably substantially cylindrical and may be attached to or formed integrally with either the bottom wall or a strut extending between the side walls.

The target may be made from plastics materials, wood, metal or fibreglass.

The cavity preferably has a minimum dimension of at least 150mm and preferably at least 500mm. Preferably the minimum dimension of the cavity is not more than 2m and most preferably not more than 1.5m.

Preferably the apparatus also includes a football.

The football is preferably hollow and may be made of for example leather or a plastics or rubbery material. Preferably the football has a diameter of at least 100mm, and preferably at least 180mm.

Apparatus according to the invention may include a plurality of footballs and/or a plurality of targets. The footballs may be provided in respectively different colours or be provided with respectively different markings. The targets may also be provided in respectively different colours or be provided with respectively different markings.

The apparatus may also include a plurality of markers, preferably each comprising a pole and a flag which may include an indication of a target and a location. For example, the flag may include a number representing a target and an arrow representing its direction from the marker.

The apparatus may also include one or more layers of matting or sheeting material for protecting the ground.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described for the purposes of illustration only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a target, two markers and a football in an apparatus according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic side view of a target for a game apparatus according to the invention; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic top plan view of the target of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic perspective view of an alternative target for a game apparatus according to the invention.

Referring to Fig. 1, a game apparatus includes a target 10, a football 12 and markers 14. The apparatus is used to play a game in which players attempt to kick the football 12 from the markers 14 towards and eventually into a cavity in the target 10 using as few kicks as possible. More complex games including a plurality of balls, targets and markers may be played and are described in more detail hereinafter.

Referring in particular to Figs. 2 and 3, the target 10 includes a frusto- conical side wall 16 which defines a cavity 18 within the wall. The wall 16 slopes from a relatively small diameter circular rim 20 down to a larger diameter circular base portion 22. The diameter of the circular rim 20 is approximately lm, while that of the base portion 22 is approximately 1.7m. In use, the base portion rests on the ground, such that the side walls 16 and the ground define the boundaries of the cavity 18.

When the target 10 is resting on level ground, the depth of the wall 16 from its base portion 22 to its circular rim 20 is approximately 350mm, and the wall 16 slopes at an angle of between 25° and 45°, preferably about 30°, to the ground.

The sloping side walls 16 of the target 12 ensure that a football kicked carefully at these walls will rise up over the walls and fall into the cavity 18.

However if the ball is kicked too hard at the side walls 16 it may bounce away from the target 10 or may hit the back wall and bounce out of the cavity 18.

Two fixing holes 24, shown clearly in Fig. 3, are provided in the wall 16 in the region of its base portion 22. Pegs 26, shown in Fig. 2, may be passed through the holes 24 and pushed into the ground in order to retain the target 10 firmly in place.

The target 10 is provided with a pole 28 which mounts a flag 30. The pole is about 1.9m in length and 25mm in circumference. A base 32 of the pole 28 is stuck into the ground and received in a cylindrical support 34 in the cavity 18. The support 34 is mounted on a cross bar 36 (shown in Fig. 3) which extends between two diametrically opposed points on the base portion 22 of the wall 16.

A preferred game apparatus according to the invention includes a plurality of the targets 10 and for each target 10 two or more markers 14 as illustrated in Fig. 1. Each marker 14 comprises a small piece of plastics material including an arrow head 38, indicating the direction of a target 10.

The apparatus also includes several footballs 12 in respectively different bright colours.

The above game apparatus may be used in many different ways, to play games with varying rules. One possible game is played as follows. Each target 10 is positioned in a desired location on the ground and pegged into place as described above. Suitable playing surfaces include grass such as on a school playing field or football pitch, or sand such as on a beach. The distance between targets 10 will depend upon the space available and the skill of the players. A pair of markers 14 is spaced apart from each target 10 in order to indicate a starting point for play. Further markers may be used to indicate a specific route to be taken. Each marker and target combination may be given a par score defining the number of kicks in which it should be possible to transfer a football from the markers into the target.

Players may play singly or in pairs. In a pairs game, the players take it in turns to kick the ball. The maximum number of players permitted to play for a target at any time is six for a singles game and eight for a pairs game.

To start playing for a target 10, a player places a football 12 at any point behind and between the two markers 14 which define the starting point for that particular target. The football 12 can then only be moved by kicking it and each kick must involve a single contact. The football 12 must be stationary before each kick is taken. If a flag 14 is located between the start point and the target 10, the player must kick the ball 12 around its outside angle, whether this is to the left or the right. When more than one player is playing, it is always the turn of the player furthest from the target.

A football 12 which is lying in an unplayable position can be moved to the nearest playable position which allows at least a three step run-up. There will be a one kick penalty for doing so. The term"playable position"is defined as a position that allows the player to kick the football 12 in a direct line to the target 10, which therefore should be in view of the player providing that the contours of the ground afford such a view. The football 12 may never be replaced at a position that is nearer to the target than where it originally lay.

No obstacles between the football 12 and the target may be removed unless their presence is temporary and provides an unfair disadvantage to the player.

In particular, if one player's football blocks the path to a target, it is for the other players to negotiate a way over or around the obstructing football.

If a player's football makes contact with another player's football during the playing of the game, then a shot will be dropped by the offending player.

The player whose football was hit may then move his football if he has been impeded or hampered in any way. However the football must not be moved more than lm in any direction. Hitting another player's ball intentionally is not permitted. Should this occur, the offending player must drop two shots and the footballs will be replaced in their original respective positions.

A speed version of the game may be played, where the time taken for a target is the deciding factor.

There is thus provided an apparatus which allows the playing of an interesting and versatile game, which combines skills of the popular games of football and golf. The game may be played at a range of different levels, from simple football practice with a single target to full tournaments with many players and an extensive course of targets.

Various modifications may be made to the above apparatus while still falling within the scope of the invention. The shape or size of the target 10 may be modified to make the game easier or more difficult. Larger targets with gently sloping sides make it easier to kick the ball into the cavity, while more upright sides or a smaller cavity make the game more challenging.

Fig. 4 shows an alternative target 110 which makes the game more difficult and which is suitable for more proficient footballers. This target 110 has a cylindrical wall 116 which defines a cylindrical cavity 118 approximately 0.8m in diameter. The height of the cylindrical wall is about lm. A player must therefore aim a football quite accurately in order to kick it into the cavity 118.

The target may be made up of a plurality of separate pieces, which may be assembled to form the frusto-conical side wall. For example, three pieces each defining an arc of 120° may be provided as a kit for making up the target.

This ensures that the kit may be stored in a relatively compact container.

More than one cross bar 36 may be provided. The or each cross bar may be formed integrally with the side walls 16, or may be provided as a separate component. If the cross bars are provided as separate components, they may include tabs at their ends, each tab comprising a bent end portion of the cross bar, angled at approximately 30° (or the angle of slope of the side walls 16) to the remainder of the bar. Each tab may include a hole for receiving a bolt, for example, for attaching the cross bar to the side walls via complementary holes in the side walls. One or more cross bars may include a thickened portion at a central region, provided with a cylindrical recess for receiving the pole 28.

The pole 28 may be made up of more than one piece, the pieces being attachable together. Alternatively the pole may be telescopic.

The target 10 may include protruding downwardly extending spikes, for engaging the ground. The pole may also include a downwardly extending ground engaging spike. Alternatively, for indoor use, the target may be provided with rubbery pads or be edged in a rubbery material, to provide adhesion to a solid floor.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.