Thats Football Magazine

issue #1 1

that’s football the magazine for youth football..... in Manchester

Celtic juniors leading the way...

...with a new and exciting coaching progam especially created for PAN disability football players.. + in this issue ”Why I love coaching football...” all about our lead reporter Adam Taylor

“It’s not a Man’s game.” a book review “a word from the official” three part series of articles, interviews with past, present and future referee’s

“the Rubber Crumb Generation” not ‘grass’ roots ‘interview with E.S.S.P´coach Clayton Palmer tells all .

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contents Page 5 Stalybridge Juniors FC lead the way with a program for PAN disability footballers, read how the idea sprang out of the community ambitions of their dedicated football coaches Page 9 “Why I love Coaching.” Adam Taylor, our lead reporter tells how he grew up living and breathing football and how he matured from a player to a level one FA coach.

Page 12 “it’s not a Man’s game.” A full review of the paperback, and an interview with it’s author Steve O’Donoghue, coach for Hattersley Jets.

Page 17 A retired referee visited that’s football office to tell us of his life as an FA association referee. One of three articles discussing referee’s

Page 23 “the Rubber Crumb Generation” Article discussing the benefits of artificial footbal pitches and the drawbacks.

Page 26 E.S.S.P - An interview with Clayton Palmer, the coach behind the popular professional skills training program held at Curzon Ashton ground

‘thats football magazine’ news desk. AOB-Ashton Old Baths, Stamford Street West, Ashton-Under-Lyne, OL6 7FW. Telephone: 07843 989320. www.thats-football.com email: info@thats-football.com thats football magzine is designed and produced by studio 5 publishing Sweden and the UK

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a very warm welcome to the first issue of ‘that’s football magazine’ below are a few words of introduction from our team...

...‘thats football magazine’ is delighted to be given the opportunity by the AOB project to base itself in Ashton-u-Lyne.

AOB is quite a superb building with a 21st century interior and it’s from here that our lead reporter Adam Taylor is based. He is a FA level one coach and continues to provide training programs for the Tameside club that he has been involved with for a number of years as a coach for junior football players.

That’s Football magazine is designed and produced

by Studio 5 Publising, a family partnership based both in Sweden and the UK. The Partnership Senior Directors are: Barry Taylor, Marianne Arnberg Taylor, Denis Taylor and Adam Taylor (Junior Partner).

Studio 5 Publishing has two other Banner publications, painters Tubes UK and the new (2018) painters Tubes international.

The publishing knowledge and design experience gained over the years by Studio 5 publishing will no doubt help to ensure that’s football magazine becomes a leading resource for youth football in the UK. We do hope you enjoy this, our first issue of that’s football magazine.

photograph: ©thats-football 2018

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Stalybridge Celtic Juniors leading the way forward for Pan Disability Football Coaching

Coaches, Liam Whitehead, Mike Taylor, John Lees and Eddie Norton, tell ‘that’s football’ how the idea started, what special training they have received from the FA and how they have managed to get the ball rolling at the club

photograph- reproduced with kind permission of Stalybridge Juniors FC

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‘the coaches attended the FA Coaching Disabled Footballers Course’ Community Junior Football (Grassroots as its known to many), is a choice by parents to teach their children about, what is often called, ‘the beautiful game.’ Football participation is available in most counties across the UK. Children can join clubs at any level of ability, even from the tender age of five, ensuring that all ages can share the passion and enthusiasm for the sport. If we ensure the game is made available to all, we have achieved a goal towards the continuous cycle of camaraderie for team mates, the important engagement with physical activity and the enjoyment of a competitive sport.

Today, there are players of all backgrounds, male, female and mixed teams, playing in organised, structured football competitions, drop in training sessions, school clubs and of course, the game down the park with friends.

There is a place for everyone in the spectrum of football. This is however a section however that have not been fortunate enough to receive specifically trained coaches, that is the Disability Football, but will this year that will be given more attention and receive a well funded campaign, backed by the FA, to increase the number of clubs in the community offering this relatively new and growing format - PAN Disability Team Football Coaching.

PAN Disability is the term given to teams compromising of players with different types of disabilities - These can include physical and mental restrictions such as blindness or deafness, to mental disorders such as ADHD. Providing specific junior football teams for each of the disability types is almost impossible for community clubs, given the usual financial restraints (funding). And the much needed specially educated coaches, for providing those special requirements required for PAN disability individuals who wish to participate and play football.

In our local Area of Tameside, availability for primary school aged children wanting to take part in PAN disability football is currently very limited and in some areas completely non-existent.

That’s-Football Magazine talked with the only local community club who offer the service.

Stalybridge Celtic Juniors. The club launched their PAN disability sessions in November 2017. The idea came from four of the current coaching staff , Liam Whitehead, Mike Taylor, John Lees and Eddie Norton. They took it upon themselves to change the lack of training for the disabled by launching their own PAN disability football sessions, arranged at their established weekend soccer school and mid week training venue at Copley sports centre. Liam, Mike, John and Eddie are all FA licensed coaches and as such were fully committed to the idea from the onset.

The project began to take shape following attendance by these coaches of a County FA provided special training course. ‘The FA Coaching Disabled Footballers Course’ - the foundations were in place to build on their idea and ultimately, they believe this will lead the way for other football clubs to follow.

Below: The coaches receiving part of their special FA training.

All photographs reproduced with the kind permission of Stalybridge Juniors FC

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‘thats-football’ asked Liam a few questions about the FA special course’ How many took the course and how and was it designed? “..Four of us took the course, myself, Mike Taylor, John Lees and Eddie Norton all of us were already FA level one or level two qualified. The day covered effective communication including lip-reading and signing, safety and impairment- specific considerations, safeguarding, planning and organising coaching sessions, implementation of the inclusion spectrum and disability player pathways.

What sort of disabilities did the course discuss? “..Overall the course looked at a multitude of disabilities: cerebral palsy, amputee, blind and visual impaired, learning disability, deaf and wheelchair football. The day covered effective communication including lip-reading and signing, safety and impairment- specific considerations, safeguarding, planning and organising coaching sessions, implementation of the inclusion spectrum and disability player pathways. We all left with the confidence to launch our pan-disability team and were raring to go.”

What was the driving force behind starting the project? “...The initial idea came from the four of us, already volunteers at Stalybridge Celtic Juniors, discovering there were no local pan-disability teams for primary school age children and very few across greater Manchester, even from professional clubs. From there we began looking into what we’d need to do to start the session, what marketing we could do and what support was out there from the FA, both financially and in longer-term support.”

Any experiences or fun stories that have come from running the scheme so far? “..When we first started the session, after sending out flyers to Hawthorns special school, a social media campaign and local PR, only a handful of players attended. For those first couple of weeks it was touch and go if we’d be able to continue and the four of us had to put a brave face on! But, luckily after those early days and word of mouth spreading the group has grown into a sustainable number and growing.”

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the coaches put through their paces Having been involved at Stalybridge Celtic Juniors for a number of years, the coaches were fully aware that they would need to publicise the project and put together a marketing campaign by advertising in local schools and also running a social media campaign and gaining exposure within the local newspapers.

This was done with a level of professionalism you would expect to find at a premier league club.

The coaches, well trained to handle the specific requirements of disabled players, their aim is to spread the word to the public and bring attention of this amazing initiative. With the valid equipment sourced and a venue secured, it was time to but the ball into motion for Stalybridge Celtic Juniors PAN Disability football school and the sessions commenced.

At the first session only a handful of players attended and at one stage there seemed to be more coaches than players, but that didn’t discourage them from going forward with the project.

The coaches put on a brave face knowing that this was for the greater good of their community.

By the fourth week the session had become very popular and numbers in attendance had dramatically improved, enough to self-fund the project. Stalybridge Celtic Juniors now provide PAN disability football training sessions on a weekly basis, serving players from local towns in the County Borough. Disability special football coaching now includes, Autism, Dyspraxia, Epilepsy and ADHD. The players are in the foundation phase age groups, with new team members welcomed into the group monthly. The next stage will be to form a team and enter an FA affiliated league, as it stands today only two other clubs are operating at this level, Manchester City FC and Everton FC, which are professional clubs to gain knowledge and inspiration from. Thanks to the professionally managed infrastructure of the community charter standard club, Stalybridge Celtic juniors, can now provide a format of football for children with disabilities, which previously had restricted their chance to play and develop the enjoyment and passion of the game After having attended one of the sessions and discussing the project with the four coaches, it was obvious that their motives are totally community driven. The volunteer football coaches are working free, in all weathers, dealing with socially challenging issues and doing so with a huge smile and a positivity that is infectious. Perhaps this may encourage other community clubs to take the lead from Stalybridge Celtic Juniors and start their own PAN-Disability teams. Stalybridge Celtic Juniors deserve all the support the footballing community can provide.

It would be good to remember that football is the UK’s most popular sport. Eight percent of people living in the UK are playing football, in one form or another on a weekly basis. Fifty percent of children aged eleven to fifteen are playing at least once a month in England alone. The average attendance at professional club stadiums is thirty five thousand people, each and every week. It’s fair to say that football has been and will continue to be loved by the masses on our home soil and far beyond. Football today is a global phenomena, perhaps because it is a team game. It affords all players, amateur and professional an enriched life.

It also gives opportunity of meeting new people and making life long friends, it crosses the barriers of political and religious dogma. It’s also about improving physical attributes, developing a skill or technical ability, promoting a healthy active lifestyle, broadening and exercising our minds and having great fun in the process, it’s more than a game, it’s a way of life....that’s-football.. ©thats-football-2018

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photograph ©AoB 2018

“why I love coaching football...” ...our lead reporter, Adam Taylor, tells how he matured from a player to a football coach

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“Football has been my passion for as long as I can remember...” ...my youth was spent playing “Footy” in the streets on pretty much any available flat surface.

The cul-de-sacs in the housing estate was our stadium and items of clothing would make way as goal posts for our daily games of headers and volleys. These sessions were often finished off with what can only be described as a brawl, two verses two and one goalie. A game which would become widely known in the estate where I lived as “Wembley knockout.”

I was never quite sure if the title was referring to the prestigious knock out cup tournaments played by our idols in the professional game or the fact that one day soon, somebody would be actually “knocked out” during the game.

Having joined my local community club at nine years of age I began to understand that the sport has many forms. Today organised and managed football has now become a weekly activity, where participation is the main directive, winning is a bonus, I never really understood that, in the streets of my youth of course. The game for me, was all about winning. An important bragging right within the circle of friends and often settling arguments by playing our street matches, sometimes for as long as eight hours to ‘find the victor by winning the game of football.’

For my club I played left wing back, I am naturally right footed and had good pace to get up and down the wings, back then as it is now, a natural right footer on the left, afforded the chosen player to “cut inside” thus creating opportunity for the attacks to come from the wings. Although my primary role was to play in defence, getting forward when possible. When joining our school team I would take the opportunity to try another position.

Our school coach asked all the team for our preferred position, my immediate response was: “right wing Sir, I play right wing.” A position I’d hoped for and failed to nail down at my club. Sure enough the school played me at right wing for a good four or five matches, we had some success and I felt like a vital member of the team.

above: Adam with a Sunday morning ‘extra training session’ with twelve eager junior footballers at his Son’s local school sports hall. photograph ©thatsfootbal.com

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“...the four week course would prove to be the turning point in my approach to coaching young children.”

A freak biking accident brought an abrupt end to my playing days and any hopes of a professional or semi -professional career, none of which had ever entered my head of course, I just wanted to play football. Five a side matches with friends at local centres would allow my love of the game to continue. By the time I settled down and had children, I had well and truly hung up my boots.

One Summer holiday period, our son had spent the weekend with his uncle and somehow managed to return home with what he called “A Premier League Football.”

It sported a replicated design of those used by the professional footballers, this was my Son’s favourite new toy. I stood back and watched him play in the streets with his friends and offered advice, when they asked for it. A few months later my Son began after school football camps. He had started collecting the game cards of his idols and we’d even visited a Premier League match or two, I asked him if would he like to try out for a club. Subsequently he has played for four years and today lives and breathes Football, much to my delight. My enthusiasm and passion for football propelled me to became more engaged with my son’s team, one that played in our local FA affiliated league.

above: Adam writing stories for that’s football magazine at his desk at his new news desk at AOB Ashton Old Baths, Ashton-U-Lyne. photograph©thats-football.com

The results were poor and I believed that the ‘teams’ confidence (and mine) needed boosting. I began organising mid-week friendlies with teams from lower divisions to attempt to manufacture a victory, which would surely move things along, when it came to organised league matches.

The Club, in need to fulfil the FA requirement for Charter status (that coaches attained a minimum level one standard) resulted in an organised FA coaching course.The four week course would prove to be the turning point in my approach to Coaching Children football. I was instructed by two local legends in the game, (Gary and Carl) both approved FA tutors and with bags of experience and a shared passion for the game. The course provided a lot of insights and FA approved methodologies, when it comes to managing a team of children playing football. The FA philosophy and coaching ethos resonated with me almost immediately.

Could it have been the case that my own approach had been hindering our team’s progression? Had I put too much importance on winning? The self reasoning was becoming more and more apparent to me with each lesson I obsorded from the Level One FA coaching course. Foundation stage football, that is children of primary school age, playing small sided matches and attending weekly training sessions had become the design of parents and coaches alike.

The question coaches need to ask is according to the FA course is:- “am I operating with their best interest at heart?” or “Have I become obsessed with the need to play to win?”

The importance of the development of children may be forgotten about accidentally,

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book review and interview

photograph ©thats-football 2018 The author and coach, Steve O’Donoghue, during his interview at Ashton Old Baths with that’s football magazine

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“It’s not a Man’s game” book review and interview Steve O’Donoghue began writing his this paperback after thinking about his many experiences as a junior football coach.

The motivation behind the book was two fold.

Firstly his desire to explain to spectators, players and referees how important it is to consider the consequences that overly zealous reactions, during a junior football match, have on children and the supportive parents alike.

And secondly to leave a written legacy for his own local team of the high’s and low’s he experienced.

Steve has had some success with the book and today it is becoming noticed by many people in the Manchester leagues and the local media including a BBC radio who broadcast who interviewed him recently.

As a Junior Football coach and a reporter for Thats Football magazine I reserve as much time as possible reading the news and scouring social media for all things youth football related.

The majority of material out there is relative to coaching techniques and training drills for coaches to utilise for their teams, it’s a rarity to come across anything that gives an insight into the life as a Junior Football coach- Steve O’Donoghue explains how he found that to be the case and subsequently decided to write a book to fill that void. Junior Football “It’s not a man’s game” does exactly that. The story has been written much like the man himself, genuine, honest and with a fabulous peppering of humour. It’s an emotional story providing an insight to one full season with his son’s team – Hattersley Jets.

“throughout each chapter you will find yourself riding a metaphoric emotional roller-coaster.”

‘It’s not a man’s game’, suggests that the children in the game are treated as adults.

It’s unfortunate that with some this remains the case today. Despite the countless FA backed campaigns, covering subjects such as respect and appropriate behaviour when managing children. Supporters come in their thousands each weekend to cheer on their loved ones and play their part, in what is the most popular hobby in the country. Community clubs do announce guidelines for parents to follow when attending matches and some venues will go as far as to installing a barrier around the pitch ensuring spectators are kept as a safe distance, Steve’s book also raises questions that coaches often consider to themselves in private. Today, football coaches usually attend numerous FA led training courses that teach them to right and wrong approach when coaching children’s football. Clubs are setup with dedicated welfare officers that have a obligation and purpose to ensure the safety and well being of the young football players.

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“..if I’m in charge then things would be different..”

The FA education missing link is the spectator. Community clubs are run by volunteers, usually these considerate parents fund the ongoing existence of these clubs by paying in weekly ‘subs.’ Money that, for example, finance equipment and kit purchases. Why is it then, that the important and essential members of the junior football, the parents, are often over looked when it comes to investing money on the education of the rules of the game and perhaps considering the childrens sensitivities to critic at a children’s football game?

It is not uncommon for children to react to excess pressure negatively, encouragement, praise and even sometimes reverse psychology is employed by the coach, so why not the parent? Coaches will tell stories of how they had to “deal” with an overly concerned parent following games.

The above thinking (children’s development) is the main backdrop behind Steve’s book.

He had experienced the complex parentcoach relationship first hand during his son’s time with a local team. His son’s team eventually folded, the coach resigned, having just about all he could take from a segment of the teams parents, ones that would insist on using foul language and extreme criticism from the sidelines. Steve remembers thinking to himself “..if I’m in charge then things would be different..”

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for a copy of the book go to: www.stevesbook.co.uk Handling ‘things different’ would be the over-riding motive behind the next step in his journey.

Hattersley FC - was founded after the first club’s demise, and this club would become Steve’s chance in the form of ‘Hattersley Jets’.

He set about gaining the appropriate FA coaches training, a program organised by the club, and after completing the course he equipped himself with essential coaching items, including his famous clipboard, adorned in the team colours. He was now ready to journey into the world of Junior Football. And it was quite an amazing journey, to all acounts, as it states in the book.

Thats-Football magazine has selected a short extract that may well whet your appetite to acquiring a copy of the book to enable you to judge the book for yourself.

(Taken from pages 58 and 59) ... When parents are fed up and they start to vent their disgust at me, I can’t retaliate, I can’t speak my mind, I have to stand there and witness these outrages and so does my son. Sometimes they the feel bad days later and text an apology – “it was just the red mist, you know how it is.” Harrison (my son) doesn’t see those texts; he just hears the snide comments from the touchline. He may even hear them at school with the kids regurgitating their parents bile.

It’s a tough call as a child listening to people slagging your dad of, I imagine. Sometimes they don’t bother to apologise at all. They have their rant and then they feel better and go home. I go home with my son fuming and ready to burst [into tears]. We have witnessed some terrible mood swings because of it. Most of the time everything is great, until you do something they don’t agree with. I wish parents would step into the coaches boots once in a while and I wish they were capable of seeing the bigger picture.

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Steve O’Donoghue talking about his book at a local culture group meeting in Glossop. photograph: ©thatsfootbal.com-2018

What do Parents want from kid’s football? If I’m honest I have spent too many late nights going too deeply into that question. In a few years this will be all be over, we will have all moved on. Hopefully the team will grow to be successful young men with happy memories of their junior football days. Sadly one or two of them will only remember their pushy parents or the words their parents used to describe the volunteers who coached them. If I was going to give any parents some advice on their child signing for a club, I would as 1- Why do you want them to sign? 2- What do you expect is going to happen 3 - What if you don’t agree with the training methods?

Your [patents] job is to deliver your child to training and on match days. To make sure he or she has all the correct equipment, that they are on time and their subs are paid.

And that is your bit done, that is where your responsibility ends....[end of extract] ...A football coach for children’s teams is almost a paradox, One can be separated from the people that once shared a common position on the sidelines. But once having accepted the challenge, to be the mentor and main motivator for young players, then being a role-model, is important to give them a sense of togetherness and team spirit. Junior Football – ‘It’s not a man’s game’ (the Book) is packed full of real life stories, ones that illustrate the issues of overly zealous behaviour, and how that can impact on and have an adverse effect upon children. Steve’s level headed pragmatic approach is defined throughout with tcomedy that he embroiders throughout the book, which could be valued in pure gold.

“I was left wanting to know more about the man behind the book.” I wasn’t disappointed when we met face to face at our offices in Ashton-Old-Baths. We talked for hours, until ‘time’ finally blew the whistle.

Some days later I discovered Steve was giving a ‘reading’ of the book at a meeting of a new culture group in Glossop and decided to attend. He told me, during the interview, that he was a little nervous about speaking in public. Which is normal, however Steve has been interviewed about the book on BBC North West Radio and other local newspapers, so I don’t think he had anything to be nervous about.The book is a reflection of the man, and the Man is a good coach and, I think, a great guy.

Footnote: Steve laboured for two years putting his ideas for the book on pen to paper, or more accurately, finger to touch screen, as he often completed his work during countryside walks or evening strolls, typing as he went directly into his smart phone. The resulting book that came from these ‘notes’ is well worth a read, not only for the information it imparts, but also for the entertainment it provides the reader, personally, I couldn’t put it down , Adam Taylor. interview with Steve O’Donoghue Feb 2018

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Graham Poll - refereeing a first division game - Photograph ‘Daily Mail’ - (Agency)

“...you’ve got to be kidding me ref, but I went for the ball...” “..it’s probably one of the most difficult jobs in football being one of the officlals at a game. TV pundits, fans, the media all paw over their decisions of the each and every game of football. That also goes for the amateur game, if not more so. That’s Football magazine decided to get their side of the story with three articles that deals with the past, the present and what refereeing could entail in the future. First up is the ‘past’. We selected the 1970’s as a general guide and was lucky enough to be in contact with a ref’ who experienced both amateur and semi-pro duties.” [the full name of the Referee has been left out, just in case of repercussions from past games...that’s-football Editor]

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This is the first of a three articles that takes an indepth look at referees past, present and the future.

To kick-off we asked a retired FA association referee if he would relate his stories and opinions on how things were for officials in the 1970’s.

Barry decided to travel to Manchester from Dorset to meet up with our reporter and brought along not only his memories, but also some old photographs that he had collected from his referee and sports stadium advertising technician days.

photograph: The Ref meets the Reporter at AOB, Ashton-u-Lyne. photograph: Šstudio5publishing-2018

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“a word from the Officials.” a series of articles about refrees, past, present and the future

Part One - Past That’s Football talks with a retired referee.

One of the most famous referee’s (in the past) in the UK. Clive Thomas ‘Barry’ a retired referee, he served as a FA association referee in the late 70’s and 80’s. football leagues. If we told all the stories he related at our recent meeting in Ashton, they would run into the next four issues of the magazine.

Back in the 70’s and 80’s, (as it is today), officiating a game of football is one of the toughest, challenging and skilful roles to play. Both mentally and physically draining the role requires a keen eye to detail, the ability to make the “correct” decision in the blink of an eye and of course handling the outcome of that decision. Referee’s can never really know for sure if their call was 100% correct.

With the game being played at such a high tempo, referees seem to develop a sixth sense towards decision making, basing a lot of their choices on players body language, input from assistant referees and most importantly their instincts, Perhaps the absolute secret to becoming a great referee is simply being in the right place at the right time. ‘Abused’ is maybe the only accurate word to describe the situation our referees sometimes have to deal with. When a coach or a spectator forgets the respect ethos and hurls endless amounts of obscenities and remarks at the official, following decisions, whether the decisions are correct or not, it doesn’t matter. The character and professionalism of the referee can be the deciding factor of how to calm things down.

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Barry’s views... “...As a certified FA association referee, I spent five years every Saturday and Sunday mornings and afternoons during the season, refereeing for my local league. Both for the junior and the senior teams in the Weymouth (Dorset) county. I was in the same Association as Paul Derkin, who I rated as a very good professional ref.

They say there is no game without an impartial ref and I’d been to watch many amateur football games when the referee simply never turned up. The home team manager would usually referee the game, which frequently turned the match into almost a riot, because the Manager was so bias in favour of his own team.

The next time your son or daughter is playing football in a match and the ref hasn’t turned up, please have a go yourself at refereeing and see how many people watching all of a sudden start telling you how to referee a game of football. In my experience angry parent’s usually want to punch you in the face, because they do not not agree with your decision. This sort of outburst from onlookers, happens frequently. From my personal point of view, I believe the children’s parents needs educating about the actual laws of the game.

When I was out on the field, my first job was to walk around the playing area, check the nets for holes especially in the side netting, ensure all the markings were correct, goal area, penalty sport and son on and look for any dangerous objects on the playing area.

I’d then have a jog to the goal line and sprint the length of the area to warm up. I would then get changed into my referee strip, check my whistle (and the spare), ensure I had both yellow and red cards, my notebook and pen, and a suitable coin for the toss up Then I would go to each changing dressing room and have a two minute chat to each team, advising them, that if they swore to each other, that’s OK because it’s all part of the game, if they swore in my face, then it would result in early bath (red card). Most of the time this ‘informal chat’ worked well, because you always have a good banter with the players, especially when the game was in progress. You tend get most of the players on your side when they see the ref is being fair to both sides, firm but impartial. The trouble makers would then remain quiet and keep their biased opinions to themselves.

When the game was in full swing, the adrenalin kicks in, it’s like I used to say to the players, I only see what I can see. If I don’t see an incident I cannot rule on it.

We all make mistakes, that’s also part of the game and I didn’t have a slow motion camera inserted or positioned on my head.

I always loved my refereeing days and do miss them, but with my eyesight failing and the old legs not as fast as they once were, I felt as though I could not carry out my function in the way it should be done, so I had to retire and spent more time in a warmer climate and away from the game that I loved so much.

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Paul Derkin in action. ©commons licence

one of Barry’s stories... “...I recall one particular day, after I had retired, that an old football pal of mine rang me up to ask if I could step in for referee who had taken ill. It was an important semi-final of a league Cup match. They had to have a qualified referee. It was very short notice and half of me (the retired ref half) wanted to help but the other half (the past his best referee) really didn’t fancy taking it on at all. My pal pleaded with me to help out and offered me £40 (as persuasion to say Yes). The referee in me won and I finally gave in and told him to put the £40 in the clubs funds as my donation for the good times that I had had in the past.”

22 “...it was a windy and wet winter Sunday morning and I arrived at 9.00am to begin my inspection of the pitch, kick off wasn’t until 10.am so it gave me plenty of time to have a good warm up as well. The two teams were both very good and the whole match had been a hard fought, but fair contest. In the last part of second half the game was reaching its climax, it had been an evenly contested goal-less game. I’d awarded a corner following a good recovery challenge, which of course received mixed responses. The lad had gone to ground,won the ball before the player, which I deemed as a fair tackle.

photo credit: ©Daily Echo.

The corner ball came in and two lads, both well built centre’s halves, collided with each other mid-flight, the ball hit one of them which in turn deflected it into the back of the net. It looked like it was one of those last minute goals. To be fair it wasn’t a foul either way, both lads had eyes for the ball and their bodies hit each other in the process and the ball rebounded off their backs and past the keeper. The defender at this point still on his back in the mud began screaming for a foul to be given?, “Up you get lad” I said to him, to which he replied.

“...You stupid, four eyed, ugly, fat bastard!”

I blew my whistle and shown him a Red Card, whilst he was still on the ground. I noted his number and then told him, with a smile on my face, “That’s for calling me Fat. The teams Manager entered the field of play waving his arms at me like a dutch windmill. I explained how the lad had deemed me “a fat bastard” and such a measure of disrespect for a referee, according to FA rules, is a red card offence. The manager went off the field with tail between legs as I also booked him for dissent...” After they kicked off from the centre position, I blew my whistle for full time. I’ll be honest the weather wasn’t particularly great, my legs had started burning and extra time was the last thing I wanted, but I had to make the right call, which I thought was fair and keeping to the rules of the game. Despite my aching old legs playing up, I would have carried on, if extra time would have been needed (after a 15minute break that is).

That was and will remain my last game as Football Referee...” “..by the way and as a footnote to the story, the winning team of that day, went on to win the final and their Manager (via a message from my old pal) insisted that a bottle of Whisky would adorn my front porch. I never heard from the foul mouthed player or his manager ever again. Hopefully the Manager signed up to do his coaching level One with the Dorset FA.“ (story © BarryWeymouth Dorset 2018)

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‘the Rubber Crumb Generation’ Grassroots Football, as it is known to many, refers to the younger generation of footballers gracing the game of football in their childhood. It’s the beginning of a lifelong journey in sport. ‘Grassroots’ is a term aptly named after the thousands of grass pitches across the country which are utilised as the stage for our youngsters to thrive and develop a deep rooted love of the game. The smell of a muddy grass field is something that stays with you for life, as will the memory of frozen fingers, puddles of water, after a downpour, and three inch thick mud caked onto ones football kit.

Thanks to continued investment and the ever growing interest in junior football, the majority of children in today’s Grassroots football enjoy much improved facilities than those experienced by young players of the past. The modern artificial all weather pitches provide a secure environment for our children to burn off their endless supplies of energy and afford football coaches more time with their teams, or the coaches say...

“...plenty of ball rolling time”.

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photograph:©commons licence

Today’s junior footballers certainly seem to have a great opportunity to enjoy themselves. You could say they are the “The Rubber Crumb Generation,” due to the miniscule black rubber remnants that rise from the synthetic pitches and stick to everything that’s on the training ground, including the children .

Anyone involved in youth football today will tell you of their ‘love-hate’ relationship with the tiny pieces of rubber that make their way from the pitch to the home after every training session and weekend match. You find them everywhere.

“...once found some ‘crumbs’ that made their way into the sugar bowl and subsequently into my cup of tea.“ and what are these bits of rubber all over my house?

The construction of “all-weather”, artificial pitches are made from a base layer of sand which is then impregnated with recycled rubber from car tyres. The idea is that this layer provides a soft base and helps to absorb rain water. The main issue is when the 'base layer' becomes aggravated with sliding tackles and excessive body to ground contact, let's say for example in the goal area.

Those micro sized rubber crumbs rise into the air and settle on player’s boots and shorts and anything that is lying flat on the side-lines. It's an issue much discussed in footballing circles as a problem, one that's sure to be resolved with advances in materials technology and the more the attention is drawn to the rubber crumb problem

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regular evening training for junior footballers, who bring the ‘crumbs’ home at least once a week...

...the 'Rubber Crumb growing problem to be solved?

On the positive side, there has been no better time to play ‘Rubber Crumb’ football. Each passing year across the country we seem to take on twice as many players as the previous year. Ability levels are becoming more and more recognisable, even at a very young age. You have ask yourself, that with so many children playing in this improved environment, then surely this means our professional international achievements will also improve?

If the England’s under 17’s recent world cup success is anything to go by, this logical conclusion is proving to be valid thinking. Probably only time and a ton of rubber crumbs brought into the home will prove it that conclusion be correct. The reality is that without support from the home of the young participants, coupled with a controlled well prepared and thought out coaching approach, then these facilities serve as nothing more than a bouncy play ground, with a goal at either end. Coaches and parents play an equal part in ensuring that enjoyment and ensure that ‘Rubber Crumb Football’ remains what it should be for our children – great memories of good fun, fun that can be enjoyed in a controlled and safe environment for everyone.

photographs: top ©thatsfottbal.com - bottom:©commons licence

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E.S.S.P the professional minded coaching program You can always judge a football coach by their positivity and enthusiasm for the sport, both of which Clayton Palmer, the main coach for E.S.S.P has in abundance. Having been involved in Football for all of his professional career, coaching children, began at an early age following a number of years playing himself for a local community club (Waterloo AFC).

He would experience the ups and downs local community football would bring, affording him many reflections on the right and wrong ways to do it.

Knowledge as a player will always be transferred to a coaching career providing the individual with experience and knowledge of the game passed on from their own coaches. Knowing how to set up a team and what vocabulary to use with the players forms a solid foundation for players turning to coaching. Clayton spoke about how on occasions he would experience, what he perceives as the incorrect way to coach and would in turn use that as a positive to avoid bad habits.

Early in his career Clayton was involved with “Inter League� branded tournaments, managing teams made up of players selected from several clubs, along-side an array of professionally coached teams. Clayton would go on to provide successful pathways for the junior footballers of today.

In addition he spent a number of years working within a number of professional clubs in the region. His broad knowledge of how a professional academy operates in comparison to a volunteer led local community club created the incentive to provide his own coaching sessions, affording these children the extra training they would receive.

At community level the clubs are usually structured to provide a one hour training session throughout the week and match days at the weekend. Professional academy players once accepted tend to improve dramatically, training three, sometimes four times a week, thus accelerating their progress.

27 Clayton felt a responsibility to the non-academy kids and wanted to give them some extra football. In 2011, “Elite Soccer Skills Programme” was born. ESSP, as it’s known, was conceived to provide these extra sessions that the majority of players in the community sought after. Located at a central Ashton venue, ESSP opened their doors to players of all ability levels aged between eight and eleven years old.

The programme, now popular with the East Manchester community, provides extra training for up thirty children on a Friday evening on a weekly basis at Curzon Ashton FC’s Tameside stadium training ground.

The programme has been added to with an additional evening session concentrating on advanced practise’s, designed in the philosophy of the elite professional academy’s structure. The advanced sessions are kept to a maximum of twelve participants, ensuring the quality of the lessons on offer. Recently it has also introduced a dedicated goalkeepers session, delivered by an ex-professional player, Callum Williams of Blackburn Rovers FC.

photographs:©thats-football & ESSP

E.S.S.P continue to bridge the gap between professional and community football in Manchester and beyond.

Professionalism in Football can be measured in many ways.

In Junior Football the judgment is naturally made on the level of the players, their achievements and success stories including admittance into professional academy’s across the country. Whilst this is apparent within E.S.S.P, it is not the main focus.

Their coaching ethos, session planning, training structure appears at a high level. Football Players are encouraged to wear a ESSP training kit, ensuring a ‘professional look and feel’ to the sessions. Plans to provide interactive training reports, accessing parent feedback and discussing individual player experiences and achievements with their clubs are just three of the future plans for the managers of E.S.S.P. Many companies providing football camps, weekly training sessions and closed season events tend to focus on a broad array of activities sometimes with over forty children per session. E.S.S.P keeps the numbers realistic and provides them with a professional and safe environment to blossom into the next generation of Footballers. The FA’s coaching license qualification is becoming more and more popular volunteer coaches.

County FA establishments are incentivising community clubs to send their volunteers for the level one course, Clayton gave thats football his opinions on this.

“The FA’s England DNA is a coaching philosophy and ethos that is applied to all coaches operating within the national team setup.” It is this kind of philosophy that will go on to improve the level of coaching being delivered to the thousands of community clubs in our country by assisting volunteer coaches, providing them with proven guidelines on coaching approach and ideology for the youth.

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in the next issue of ‘that’s football’ magazine we take a closer look at Stalybridge Junior Football Club and talk with the coaches and players...+ an in-depth report on Futsal...the game, the idea and the effect on the game. + Part Two of ‘a word from the official’... we talk to a young referee and gain an insight into his way of thinking. + a feature on Curzon Ashton. + much more...

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