And finally…crowdfund success paves way for ‘appy’ solution to man down sport frustrations

Glasgow-based Find A Player which aims to use mobile smart phone technology to rid the world of the frustration of getting together enough people to play team sports.

With funding now in place, the app, created by local man Jim Law, has also secured the services of Owen O’Donnell, the former chairman of fantasy sports operator FanDuel, as its chairman, while Steve Oliver, co-founder and chief executive of MusicMagpie – the online service that lets users sell unwanted gadgets – is a fellow investor in the business.

Mr Law said he wanted to develop a product that “makes it easier for people to play sports at times and places that suit them best”.

“Basically we’re delivering a hub between sports people and games, allowing each user to build their own local sports network,” said Law, who turned to crowdfunding platform Seedrs to raise the cash.

He added: “To have the backing and support of people like Owen and Steve is completely invaluable. Owen has been involved in numerous start-ups which have gone on to achieve multi-billion dollar valuations and Steve has built his business from scratch to approaching £100m in turnover in under ten years. They both have very high hopes for what we can achieve and are excited to see the product launched.”

Similar to the industry’s hugely successful dating apps, Find A Player allows users to create a profile detailing the sports they are interested in playing, their skill level and the how far from home they are will to travel to play. The free app then matches them with games and events looking for players that fit their profile.

It is initially launching in Scotland, and Law said he plans to roll out the concept overseas within the next few years.

“Anyone who has ever played a team sport knows the hassle that comes with being the organiser and having to find players every week, especially when people drop out last minute,” he said.

“We want to provide a vastly improved solution to all those organisation problems and give people a real alternative to posting desperate pleas on Facebook or sending blanket text messages whenever they need bodies quickly.”