Simplify Matchday Prep with the Pitchero Manager App

Player availability: know your numbers early (and chase the right people)

If you’re used to “Any chance you can play?” messages flying around the night before a game, availability will feel like a breath of fresh air.

1) View availability for a specific fixture

From your team’s Match Centre, open the fixture and tap Availability. You’ll see each player’s current status, typically:

• Available
• Unavailable
• Not sure
• Not set (they haven’t responded yet)

That “Not set” column is gold. It tells you who you actually need to chase — not the players who have already confirmed they can’t make it.

2) Prompt players to set their availability

Players can automatically be prompted to set availability for the upcoming fixture date 6 and 5 days beforehand. This is managed on a per-team basis in the club admin dashboard > Teams > team name > Notifications

Separately from automated notifications, the simplest way to speed things up is to prompt players directly from the fixture’s Availability screen in the Pitchero Manager app. This nudges anyone who hasn’t replied yet to update their status in the Club app. Players/parents can also get an email prompt.

A good habit: Monitor player availability the week before the fixture, check-in with players/parents at the previous fixture and training session to remind them to set availability, then prompt players who have not set availability 48–72 hours before you enter the team selection. It’s a gentle way to keep the squad engaged without personally messaging half the team.

3) Update availability manually (when real life happens)

Not everyone is glued to their phone, and sometimes you’ll get availability updates in person, by text, or via a parent.

In the Manager app you can set a player’s availability manually, choosing from the same options (Available / Unavailable / Not sure / Not set). That means your availability list stays accurate, even if people communicate in different ways.

4) If you’re short: check other teams’ availability

One of the most useful features for clubs running multiple sides is the ability to view availability across other teams on the same date.

So if your team is light on numbers, you can quickly see whether players in another time/the wider squad have marked themselves as available.

If a player in another team doesn’t have a fixture on the same day, you can prompt them for your team’s fixture date. Your fixture will then appear in their schedule with a notification to set their availability.

That makes it much easier to borrow players in a fair, transparent way, and reduces last-minute panic.

Tip: when you’re calling on players from other teams, use availability as a starting point, then check whether they’re already involved with another fixture (more on that below).

Team selection: build your line-up with confidence (and get it confirmed)

Once availability starts to take shape, you can move on to what everyone really wants to know: who’s in the squad.

1) Enter your team selection

From the fixture in team’s Match Centre, tap Team Selection. You can fill positions by tapping the field position and selecting a player.

This is where availability becomes a real time-saver as you’re no longer guessing. If someone’s “Unavailable” or “Not sure”, you can avoid building your selection around them and having to redo it later.

2) Choose a formation and number of starters

If your sport uses a formation/line-up structure, you can set:

• the number of starters
• the formation you want to use

It’s a quick way to make sure your selection matches the format of the game, especially when rules vary by age group or competition.

3) Spot clashes with other fixtures

One of the most common admin issues in multi-team clubs is a player being selected for two teams on the same day.

The team selection area helps you monitor whether a player is involved elsewhere, so you can make better decisions early, and avoid awkward conversations on Saturday morning.

4) Prompt selected players to confirm attendance

Availability is step one. Confirmation is step two.

Once you’ve created a team selection, you can see whether players have confirmed they are playing. In the selection list, players can show as confirmed (or not), helping you identify any weak links in the plan before matchday.

Only the selected players will see they’ve been picked and asked to confirm their place in the team. They won’t see who else has been selected.

5) Finalise and publish the selection

When you’re happy, you can publish the team selection using the publish slider.

This is a huge win for communication:

• Players know where they stand
• Parents can plan lifts
• Volunteers can prepare kit and logistics
• And you reduce the number of “Am I in the squad?” messages

Pro tip: keep a draft selection early in the week, then publish once confirmations and availability are in a healthy place.

Checklist ahead of matchday (your 10-minute routine)

Here’s a simple workflow you can repeat every week using the Pitchero Manager app:

1. Add or check fixture details
   Open the fixture and make sure the essentials are correct: opponent, date/time, location, and any notes.
2. Enter all match info players actually need
   Include meet time, venue details, and clear instructions (parking, kit, colours, etc.). Anything that reduces questions is a win.
3. Prompt and monitor availability
   Send an availability prompt, then check back for “Not set” players and chase only those people.
4. If you’re short, look across other teams
   Check availability on the same date for other squads and approach players who are marked as available.
5. Create your team selection
   Use availability as your guide, and keep an eye out for fixture clashes.
6. Prompt selected players to confirm they’ll play
   Watch for confirmations and address gaps early.
7. Publish your final selection
   Once confirmed, publish so everyone is aligned.
8. Collect match fees on the day (if your club uses them)
   Use Match Fees to request payment from selected players, track who has paid, and mark cash payments if needed.

Wrap-up

Grassroots sport runs on volunteer time and anything that cuts down admin stress is worth using. With availability and team selection in the Pitchero Manager app, you can get ahead of the week, communicate clearly, and walk into matchday knowing you’ve covered the essentials.

If you haven’t done so already, download the Pitchero Manager app. It’s free via the App Store / Play Store.

Useful help articles:
Manage player availability using the Pitchero Manager app

Manage team selections using the Pitchero Manager app

Manage training using the Pitchero Manager app