The Grassroots Post by TheGrassrootsPost

WOMEN'S

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MEN'S

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UNI

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VETS

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WALKING

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DISABILITY

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SMALL-SIDED

...& FUTSAL!

LONDON & THE HOME COUNTIES EDITION

MAY 2021

FREE!

VOL. 01 ISSUE 03

SPRING, SUNSHINE & SILVERWARE

PLUS

ERS! TOP SCOR LES! AB LEAGUE T IC! CUP MAG 3 from p5

IT’S THE BUSINESS END OF THE SEASON FOCUS ON: TECH

A FOOTBALL FAMILY: GURU NANAK LADIES

THE FA SUNDAY CUP SEMI FINALS

PLAYING THE BALHAM WAY

Why I Turn Up Across the region, at all levels, and across all ages, people are getting up, getting out, and turning up. We asked these five why they do it…

MILAN CAMDEN ATHLETIC MEN’S

"Nice to get a run around and gives you a reason to get out and enjoy the weather. It’s a good laugh, competitive, gets you going. Gives you something to look forward to after a hard week at work."

WENDY SOUTHWARK STARS DISABILITY TEAM

Wendy loves football because it makes her happy and she’s been playing ever since she was a child, so it’s been a lifelong passion. Her favourite position to play is centre-forward. Her advice for taking the best penalty? Take your time to consider your shot, then go for it!

PABERAN ACORN FC MEN’S

"I turn up on Sundays because I love the competitiveness and togetherness that Sunday league brings, especially when you’re fighting together with your friends as a team, even if it is for a couple of hours. I feel like the memories you make on Sundays with your friends are moments you’ll cherish forever."

MATT THE GUN FC MEN’S

“There are a few reasons for being there on Sundays, from hanging out with my mates, the satisfaction of contributing to something collectively and legitimising me banging on about it in the pub all the time, but probably most of all is giving me a genuine excuse for wasting time in the week daydreaming about putting one in from about thirty yards.”

MEGAN CROYDON WOMEN’S FC

“I’ve been playing football for over ten years now at all different levels. I enjoy playing grassroots football as it allows me to enjoy my hobby at a less serious level and is also a great way of keeping active. Besides from playing, I enjoy the social side and I have met some of my closest friends."

HELLO 4

There’s a lot going on in football at the moment. A lot. So let’s get back to what’s pure. I saw an amazing picture of a Clapton Community FC player celebrating a last-minute, long-distance winner at Mabley Green in East London. She’s leaping in the air with the widest of smiles. Shock and elation. Searching for the embrace of her teammates. It got me thinking about last-minute winners. We were lucky enough to be at the FA Sunday Cup semi-final at St George’s Park a few weeks ago, and our cover image for this issue is the lads from St Joseph’s celebrating a late winner. There’s nothing quite like it, is there? How that feels. At any level and in any match. The magic of the last-minute winner lies in the fact that it cannot be planned or predicted. You have absolutely no idea when you will next see one. Similar to a game between Europe’s biggest clubs. The rarer they are, the more special and the more they hold in value. They happen when they happen and on that day, they change everything. Good or bad. When it comes to the late goal, you’re either mobbed by your teammates or

picking them up from the floor. It’s the jeopardy of it all. Football is about connection, identity, community and that jeopardy. And those truly rare and special moments. So much of that is under attack at the top of the game. But in the grassroots game, it’s spring and that means that it’s time for silverware and that most special of things in grassroots football: the cup final. Knockout cups have lost their way in “elite football” but for us, they’re what we strive for all season. The journey from round to round.

Comebacks, shoot-outs, hourlong away trips, battling 1-0’ers on a swamp of a pitch. Earning a game with nice changing rooms, an actual programme, an announcer and a bloody scoreboard. And a trophy. Occasions and memories with our mates. We’re always striving to capture the truly important aspects of football and we hope you enjoy reading our third effort at giving grassroots football the coverage it deserves. Enjoy! Mike Backler, Editor

DEVELOPMENT

Interview: The Grassroots Post @thegrassrootspost

STATE OF PLAY:

ENGLAND FOOTBALL Earlier this month, The FA launched a new identity connecting the grassroots game to England’s elite: England Football. We spoke to Georgina Lewis, Head of Marketing to find out what it really means for grassroots players, coaches and volunteers.

What is England Football and what does it hope to achieve? England Football is a new name and identity that represents, unites and promotes football participation in England. England Football is all about connecting the grassroots game with England’s elite and delivering a better football experience, both on and off the pitch. We want to inspire people to get involved in the game, stay in the game and excel at whatever role they participate in – be that player, coach, referee or volunteer. At its core, we have created a dynamic and aspirational platform – EnglandFootball.com – that revolutionises how The FA delivers football in the digital age and creates more chances for people to play, coach and support, while better rewarding people's passion for the game. The England Football brand will be integrated across popular grassroots programmes – including McDonald’s SuperKicks, Snickers Just Play, and Weetabix Wildcats – as well as FA products like The Bootroom and BT Playmaker, plus club and league administrative tools such as Full-Time.

Whilst we will use the power of the England Teams to inspire grassroots participation, the Three Lions crest will continue to be worn by our representative England teams.

in getting the country active again. We strongly believe England Football will help us achieve that. We need to use this opportunity to get people back on the pitch as quickly as possible.

Why was now the right time to launch? England Football has been a longterm project with the intention of launching ahead of UEFA EURO 2020. The number of active football fans increases significantly during major tournaments, so this period is the optimum time to get more people actively engaged with the game on a long-term basis. With the Olympic Games to come in August, followed by the start of the new grassroots season and the UEFA Women’s EUROs in 2022, this is an unprecedented period of major football events that will help maximise the number of people that connect and engage with England Football. We hope this has a ripple effect that means more people will be participating at a grassroots level in the short, medium and long-term. As we recover from the impact of Covid-19, we want football to be accessible to everyone and play a major role

What impact will England Football have on the administration of the grassroots game and what role does The FA still play? England Football is the starting point for a complete reimagining of what technology can do for the grassroots game. The Find Football tool will make it easier for players and parents to find playing opportunities nationwide, whilst giving clubs and activity providers a powerful tool for promotion. This will connect with the rest of the existing digital tools, including Whole Game System, the Matchday app and FA Events Platform. All of this will come together to create a fully integrated, simpler and more efficient user experience. In addition to the new digital tools, The FA Charter Standard Programme is evolving to become England Football Accreditation and will continue to serve as the gold standard for clubs and leagues that positively improves people’s football

"Data from recent major tournaments shows just how much our elite England teams can inspire a generation to play football and stay in football" football to serve and lead the game during this period. England Football will play a key part in helping to deliver the objectives set out in both the Grassroots plan and The FA’s wider Time for Change strategy announced late last year. Increasing participation, equal opportunity and harnessing the power of digital make football more accessible and easier to administer, are fundamental to England Football and we are confident the new platform, which puts participants at the heart of everything we do, will help us reach these goals. larity of England teams to and positively impact grassroots participation, both on and off the pitch. Data from recent major tournaments shows just how much our elite England teams can inspire a generation to play football and stay in football. England players are heroes to many. They are the ones we are trying to emulate when we are playing the game. We are also very proud of how players such as Marcus Rashford, Lucy Bronze, Jordan Henderson and Steph Houghton have become influential beyond the game too – they have become true role models, regularly supporting powerful social causes. We experience in England. On top of want to harness this to drive a game that, England Football is fully sup- and society that is welcoming to all. ported by the County Football Associations as they continue to play Given England Football is now a pivotal role in communicating, The FA’s umbrella for the grasssupporting and delivering partici- roots game, how does this impation programmes at a local level. pact on the recently announced grassroots strategy? Can you explain the thinking beThere is no change to The FA’s comhind the connection of the grassmitment to promoting and proroots game to England’s elite teams? tecting the grassroots game and England Football provides a platform our new four-year strategy and will to leverage the strength and popu- invest over £180m into grassroots

We saw many grassroots players and teams feature in the launch video – what was the thinking behind that? We wanted the launch film to capture the essence of football in England, in all its forms and glory, and really show that link from the grassroots game to England’s elite. We worked with COPA90, who do a brilliant job producing fan-first content. Jointly, we wanted to depict the diversity and inclusivity of football the length and breadth of the country, while showcasing its significance and centrality to local communities. That’s why we chose to feature England Internationals, including Azeem Amir, Demi Stokes, Harry Kane, Lucy Bronze and Marcus Rashford, alongside portraits of grassroots heroes nationwide – from the likes of Senrab FC, Victoria Park Vixens and Red Star Homerton – to showcase the true diversity and fabric of football in England. No matter where you end up in the game – be it representing your country or playing in a Sunday League – we all start in the same place: the grassroots game. TGP

" I knocked door-to-door in Gravesend, posted out leaflets, directly approached mothers to ask both them and their daughters to join the team"

WOMEN'S

Words & Images: Tayyiba Yunus @taybs11

Tradition, inclusivity and last-minute equalisers. Grassroots football represented perfectly in Gravesend.

GURU NANAK LADIES:

A FOOTBALL FAMILY Guru Nanak Football Club was founded in 1965 and has since developed a setup comprising several senior men’s teams, youth teams and a more recently formed women’s team. I met Manjit Singh Atwal, the manager of the Guru Nanak Ladies side, to watch the team play a friendly at their home ground in Gravesend. “The team was formed to give the ladies a space to play and enjoy football, but also compete in the league,” explains Manjit as he gives me a brief tour of the grounds. The pitches lie in the shadow of the Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara, a stunning building that is the hub of the Gravesend Sikh community. The complex is primarily a place of worship, but also has a community kitchen run by volunteers and external buildings including a school, elderly day centre and two pitches for the football teams. It’s a great feeling to be able to visit the team in person, feel the buzz of grass-

roots football and, best of all, watch a thrilling last-minute comeback by the home team. Guru Nanak FC has a long-established football past spanning over half a century, and the women’s team is the latest chapter in the club’s wonderful history. It was formed in 2016 after Parm Bhandal, the team’s founder, endeavoured to make football more accessible for women in Gravesend. Before forming the team, she used to watch her two sons play at the Guru Nanak Sports Ground. But she wanted to start something for females. She explains the origins of the club as we watch a tense first half: “I knocked door-to-door in Gravesend, posted out leaflets, directly approached mothers to ask both them and their daughters to join the team… eventually I got enough players together to get it started!” Parm’s personal dedication and enthusiasm make it clear to see how she has had such great

success with Guru Nanak Ladies. She is a regular part of the starting eleven, despite kicking a ball for the first time a few years ago at the age of forty-eight. The progress that has been made in the time since Parm set the team up is incredible. Currently competing in the South East Counties Women’s League, the team is made up of around twenty regular players. All are committed to attending training sessions twice a week which builds up to match day on Sunday. The team had their first experience of a league campaign in the 2016/2017 season. Parm says it was “very tough” to experience losses by huge margins, but the team persisted, aware that they’d dived straight in at the deep end. “We’d lose fixtures 16-0 but just kept going. The losses then went down to single figures in the next season. Now we’re at a stage where we are competing and winning against these teams.”

Guru Nanak Ladies also won the Best Inclusive Project Award in 2017, with the team name projected at Wembley Stadium during the Community Shield Final. For Parm, this award epitomises what it means to be a part of Guru Nanak Ladies. “We’re open to all. We have players from all religious backgrounds because it’s not limited to Sikh women. We have players travelling over an hour because it’s not limited to women in Gravesend. Some players had never kicked a ball before, whereas others have had experience playing in professional teams. And we have players over the age of fifty in our starting eleven. It’s such a diverse group of women. It shows you just have to work hard and put the effort in to be a part of this club.” The effort Parm mentions includes starting Wednesday evening training sessions with long distance laps. “The players run at least seven kilometres each session,”

Manjit says. He knows it can be intense, but it’s clear to see that he’s developed a dedicated team that believes in his philosophy. “We want this team to compete at the same level as any other football team. Without fitness, that wouldn’t be possible. Now they’ll encourage each other to maintain our standards without much direction from me.” One player who is also passionate about fitness is Guru Nanak Ladies’ very own goal machine, Aman Kaur. I speak to her after the game and recall a social media feature on The Grassroots Post about her unbelievable goalscoring record. Twenty-nine goals in eight games is no mean feat. Unsurprisingly, it means she’s usually man marked by the opposition defence from kickoff. Aman started playing football with her brother in her back garden, but was spotted by a QPR scout during school. She went on to spend seven seasons with the club.

"We’re open to all. We have players from all religious backgrounds because it’s not limited to Sikh women. We have players travelling over an hour because it’s not limited to women in Gravesend" “I started off as a defender but later moved into midfield. My parents supported me all the way – they took me to football training and watched my matches come wind, rain or snow.” She explains how she had to leave the QPR team to focus on university. This led to ten years of not playing football until she moved to Gravesend and found the Guru Nanak Ladies team. For Aman, an important part of

joining the club has been meeting other players with different backgrounds, careers and commitments who are all united by their love of football. She resonates with Manjit when she describes the team as being a family. The club has succeeded in bringing together a diverse group of women and providing a space to play competitive football, whilst maintaining an encouraging environment for players to develop as both footballers and people. As for the future, Parm has no fixed plans but would love to see South Asian women becoming a norm in professional football. Part of the Guru Nanak Ladies philosophy is a refusal to give up, and the team’s performance on a glorious Sunday afternoon of football is a reflection of this. 2-0 down with ten minutes to go, the ladies make a dramatic comeback to make it 2-2 at full-time – with none other than Aman grabbing the equaliser. TGP

WALKING

Words & Images: Mike Backler @backlermike

League: Middlesex FA Walking Football League

HIVE WALKIN'

Barnet FC Walking Football Team are making an immeasurable impact on the community and its members, and creating a few internationals along the way. There was a time when footballers of all levels hung up their boots in their mid-thirties and retired to the golf course or the pub to regale associates with tales of their glory days. That, of course, is still very much an option, but over the last ten years there has been an explosion of football being played beyond that which can only have a seismic effect on the health of the more seasoned population of the UK. Participation in Vets Football is growing at a rate that County FAs and leagues are struggling to keep up with, and Walking Football is flourishing. None more so than at the Barnet FC Walking Football Team, part of The Hive Foundation. Seventy players turn up each and every Friday at The Hive in Barnet, a perfectly assembled multi-pitch centre, and compete across five pitches. And it is competitive. But more than that, it’s very, very inspiring. Though the Barnet FC WFT is without doubt the sum of its parts, and he couldn’t do it without support, Shaun Sherrick is certainly its beating heart. Trying to pin the man down on a Friday afternoon is tough as he’s constantly being questioned about subs, injuries and which pitch players should be on. On the pitch, they’ve had a great deal of success. They qualified for the EFL Cup at St George’s Park; their Over 60s are Middlesex FA Champions; their Over 50s are runners-up;

their Over 65s are in the top four in the country; and their Over 70s are unbeaten. They’ve had visits from the Chinese Walking Football Team. They’ve played at the Etihad. They have international players in their ranks. But this isn’t the real driver for Shaun or even the most impressive thing about this club. It’s without question its impact on the community and its members. There is a purpose and a pathway for every single player. Whether it be to improve their life, their health or even to represent their country. I’m thirty-six and I’m in the middle of a bit of a football rebirth myself. I’ve never fallen out of love with the game, but I had fallen out of love with playing it in my thirties. The shift to Vets Football has made me realise what I love about it, and that is quite simply playing with friends, making new ones and having the ball at my feet. You can do all this at The Hive. I’m quickly involved in a game, barking and receiving instructions, finding space, playing one-twos. Smiling. Managing your weight of pass is one of the most enjoyable aspects - just enough to pass the defender, but not too much to outstrip a walking centre-forward. It’s a real game of science. Looking across the five pitches of activity, it’s clear to see that there may be a few football rebirths left to come for me. On my team in defence is Bob - he’s eighty-two. Calm, composed, a brilliant foot-

ball brain protected by hair thicker than mine. The oldest player at The Hive is Sid, who’s eighty-five. If thinking about these guys placing their boots in their kitbags once a week doesn’t warm your heart, then you’re probably reading the wrong publication. Shaun tells us more. “The body is eighty, the eyes are eighteen. We’re all friends here. We’ve been togeth-

er five years. We all have a game and have a drink afterwards. If someone’s not well, we call them up. If people can’t play, they still come down, whether they wanna watch, ref or come for social. “We split it up into Over 50s, Over 60s, Over 70s, so everybody gets a competitive match. Breaking it up means we can invite Over 70s teams. We’ve got players up to eighty-five years old! So we’ll arrange fixtures with other Over 70s teams - they’ll come here, have something to eat and we’ll make a day of it. Nobody just plays football and disappears. “I’d never played any football before this at all. I started playing football at fifty years old. You’re playing for fun and to keep fit. It’s all about enjoyment. Sure, we’ve won leagues and got FA trophies and medals but since the pandemic we’ve raised £1000 for The Hive Foundation, and we worked over Christmas with Mesut Özil’s Warmer Winters Christmas Project where we helped deliver 10,000 meals. We got our cars, we loaded them up, we helped package stuff up and off we went. We helped raise £500 for Mind and just recently we held a Zoom Quiz and raised £600 for Harrow Bereavement Care. We understand how fortunate we are, at our age, to be playing the game we love. We are a community team. And as much as we want to win, our community means a lot.” There’s a common theme with everyone we spoke to about Walking Football, and that’s initial hesitation.

Is it for me? Shaun remembers that it wasn’t an instant success. “We’re Barnet fans and there was an advert on TV for Barclays Digital Eagles and saw these old people playing Walking Football and we thought, what is that? And The Hive Foundation, the charity arm of Barnet FC, approached myself, Peter and Mike and said what about starting up a Walking Football team. We really had no idea what it was. We just looked up some rules. We put it up on Facebook, said come along. Three of us turned up! We tried a midweek; nobody turned up! We didn’t give up. “We kept plugging away. Three turned into six, and then nine. And now we’re 110. Our sessions on a Friday are one of the biggest, if not the biggest in London. We’ve now set up on a Tuesday night and in the space of ten minutes, twenty-eight names. The thing about The Hive is that the facilities here lend itself. We’ve got a great group, we’re friends, we’ve worked together on it.” And within that success have been many individual success stories. Whether on or off the pitch. Tom Moran now represents England Over 50s with the likes of expros Alan Kennedy and Mike Milligan and has written a book called Walking Football: Improve Your Life. “I started about four years ago. I played to a decent standard as a lad, but nothing special. Had a few trials at Watford and gave up when I was about thirty, really. I saw this advertised, Walking Football, and I don’t

live too far from here and I thought, ‘I dunno, it don’t sound very exciting’. Nothing could be further from the truth. It’s really important for your physical wellbeing and more importantly your mental wellbeing. “We’ve got people from forty-five to eighty-five. It’s fantastic. A lot of the guys, it gets them out the house. They sort of visualise just standing at home looking out the window and it’s so true. There’s a big social aspect to it. And there’s a competitive element. Lots of friendlies. You come up against tough teams. It’s meant to be non-contact or minimal-contact but when you come up against guys that have played all their life, it’s in their blood. It can get a bit, y’know, but everyone’s a bit older so they’re more respectful. It’s a fantastic game. If you let the ball do the work, you can’t go dribbling up the wing. Move it, give and go. “I was lucky enough to get nominated by our manager for England trials in Cirencester and I managed to get through into a squad of twenty. All fantastic players. The talking, the movement, it’s a different level. Everybody sees that you can play for your country now and all the good players want that opportunity. They have trials three times a year and they have spotters around as well. It’s probably not gonna be a long career because there’s always going to be someone that’s going to take your place, getting older and that. The opportunity is there for anyone over fifty. We’ve got two guys that

" To see eighty-five-year-olds playing football with that glint in their eye, to see them giving a bit of that (elbow) and back here for chip butties, that was emotional millionaire time" have just been picked by the England Over 70s, which is fantastic. “It’s like getting in the playground again, meeting your friends and playing football. The social side is probably the most important thing.” Reshad Sufraz is fifty-seven and joined up three weeks ago. It’s already made a considerable impact on him. “I used to run and play in a fivea-side league for about twenty years. Started off as a kickabout in Regent’s Park but moved to Powerleague Barnet. I gave it up in 2012 and since then I have put on twenty kilos and a couple of months ago I was diagnosed with diabetes. “I’d been thinking about Walking Football for a while and that kind of tipped me over the edge to come and try it out and see what it’s like, and I really loved it. The first week after the game I was on such a high. Good for your mental, physical and social health. Great to have a kickabout and when the weather is like this, great venue, good guys. “When I first looked at it I thought this isn’t for me, because of the walking element, then a few years went by and I realised this is for me, because of the walking element.” Reshad is a Consultant Psychiatrist so although he knows a fair bit about mental health, even he wasn’t prepared for the lift it has given him. “It’s one thing knowing about mental health; it’s another experiencing it. Before I got diagnosed with diabetes I was feeling quite

drained, a bit down, lethargic, and the boost that improving my physical health has had on me is palpable. I’d recommend it to anyone.” Reshad is going to be here tomorrow because his little five-year-old girl is playing in a Barnet Under 5s game. He’s got the bug back and it’s beautiful to see. So for a club that has already achieved so much, both on and off the pitch, in some of the most trying times for grassroots football and mental health, what is Shaun most proud of? “Setting up the Over 70s is probably the thing I’m proudest of. To see eighty-five-year-olds playing football with that glint in their eye, to see them giving a bit of that (elbow) and back here for chip butties, that was emotional millionaire time.” “To be nominated in the London Sports Awards at Guildhall was special. It’s the most prestigious sports awards and we were nominated for the Community Impact Award. A fantastic event. We can never win these things. We’re sitting next to the Black Prince Trust and Care In The Community, these incredible organisations, and then there’s Barnet FC Walking Football Team. It’s just great to get the recognition.” And the recognition is fully deserved. A couple of hours knocking the ball about and grabbing a drink with the guys will not only restore someone’s faith in football and its potential impact, but it will also give anyone a welcome boost. So

what’s next for the all-conquering Barnet FC Walking Football Team? Shaun’s not resting on his laurels. “Off the pitch, to continue our community work. One of our guys has just qualified as a counsellor, so we’ll be offering that. We’ve just started the Barnet FC WFT cycle group. And we’ve set up a walking group. Fourteen of us have already joined up and went on a thirteen-mile walk. The cyclists go off for thirty miles into Hertfordshire and have a great time. “We’re not just a Walking Football team, we’re a family.” TGP

League: ALL OF THEM, EVERYWHERE

Words: Andrew Martin @ajmartin90

Illustrations: Millie Chesters @milliechesters

THE LANGUAGE OF GRASSROOTS FOOTBALL

(BASIC)

Learning a new language can be tough and intimidating. Grassroots football has its own glorious language which, if you’re new to the game, can be confusing. We’ve put together this handy phrasebook to help get you through any situation the beautiful game might throw at you.

All day, mate You’ve kept the opposition out of your penalty area, and they’ve resorted to a shot from long range which goes sailing over the bar. “Alllllll day, mate,” says the gobbiest player on your team, semi-mockingly, “all day, from there,” ensuring that the next time a long-range shot comes in, it will curl perfectly into the very topmost bins. That is how football works. That is how the world works. This lot don’t wanna know Interchangeable with “this lot aren’t interested.” A weakness in the opposition has been sensed. A tackle has been missed or a cheap throw-in conceded. Their hearts aren’t in it, they’d rather be on the beach, they don’t wanna know.

TIME! Screamed, often exasperatedly, at a teammate who has a tendency to panic, to let them know that they have time and space in which to play. This often causes said teammate to panic and give up possession faster than they otherwise would have. One of football’s great ironies. Man on! The opposite of “TIME!”. Used to tell a teammate that they are being closed down by an opponent they may not have seen coming. In English-speaking countries, “Man on!” is used in both men’s and women’s football, probably because it’s faster than saying “woman on” or “player on”. They don’t like it up ‘em Often used to intimidate an opponent of smaller physical stature, and to encourage one’s teammates to use hard tackling and physicality to rush the opponent into a mistake.

Get rid! / Away! “For god’s sake, kick the ball as far away from our goal as you can, immediately.” Tippy tappy Mispronunciation of the Spanish phrase tiki-taka, wrongfully used by British managers over the age of forty to refer to any team that can string two or more consecutive passes together. “Bloody continentals... coming over here, passing our footballs.”

Start again If a team has tippy-tappied more than two passes together and hasn’t yet scored a goal, one of the players will inevitably say, “start again,” the ball will be passed back to the goalkeeper, and the goalkeeper will launch the ball out of play. God save the queen. No shot! Used by goalkeepers, at defenders, to let them know that they simply cannot be bothered saving any incoming shot, essentially preemptively passing blame for any potential goal conceded. Skied it A shot that has gone over the crossbar, and toward the sky. Rangy midfielder Lanky beanpole.

' It’s a bit like telling a fish to swim, and then becoming convinced that you’re God when it starts wiggling its tail and flapping its fins' We’ve gone quiet! Talk! Let’s get some chat going! “Alright, mate? See Love Island the other night? Nah, me neither.” Mind the short one Confusingly, nothing to do with player height, this phrase actually means ‘mark the player closest to the ball’ at a free-kick or corner. How long, ref? Often asked by the winning team from the 70th minute onward. Always followed by “[insert number of minutes]?! Where’s that come from?!” Don’t dive in! A phrase traditionally said to a defender immediately before they dive into a tackle they don’t win.

Twinkle Toes Common nickname given to any player who has ever attempted a stepover. Game’s gone Often used by older fans who paid £40 for outright ownership of a house in the 1970s, using money from their paper round, and misremembers pre-Premier League football as a popular form of bare-knuckle boxing.

One of you! Used when two teammates are running toward the ball at the same time, often followed by a comedy head clash, cartoon stars and canaries circling around the players’ respective heads, and the opposition bearing down on goal. Shape! Meaningless phrase shouted by the gobbiest player on the team when they can’t be bothered to run.

Win your battles This one refers to any sort of physical confrontation or one-on-one situation in football. If you’re a right-back playing directly against a left-winger, for example, your coach might tell you to ‘win your battles’ against that winger. It’s a real staple of the coaches’ phrasebook, as it’s essentially meaningless, but then if their player does win a battle, the coach can claim responsibility for that victory. It’s a bit like telling a fish to swim, and then becoming convinced that you’re God when it starts wiggling its tail and flapping its fins. Seconds Nothing to do with food. “Seconds” actually refers to a loose ball immediately following an aerial challenge between two opposing players, or the second ball. Shouting “seconds!” is a way of encouraging your teammate to win the second ball. TGP

VOLUNTEERING

Words: James Hilsum @jameshilsum

Images: Cameron McFarlane @camylyf

GROUNDSKEEPER GAINSFORD

Mick Gainsford is a oneman Grounds Team of the Year, doing a remarkable and invaluable job for Crawley Wasps Ladies FC. Mick Gainsford is like many in the grassroots game, tirelessly working away and dedicating their time to ensure that grassroots football players up and down the country have a chance to play the sport they love. Mick was an unsung hero whose praises are now starting to be sung after winning the Grounds Team of the Year at the FA and McDonald’s Grassroots Football Awards, and the irony is not lost on Mick, considering that his ‘team’ consists solely of himself along with occasional help from his football-mad daughter. Mick volunteers for Crawley Wasps – a football club that, despite their ‘grassroots’ status, has a first team which competes in the third tier of the women’s league pyramid alongside the likes of Watford, Oxford United, Portsmouth and Gillingham. We met Mick at the Ewhurst Playing Fields, a council-owned facility which hosts the club’s junior, development squad and reserve teams, before sitting down over a coffee to discuss his eventful fiveyear journey with the Wasps and why now is the time to take a break. “I got involved through my daugh-

ter, who was playing for Crawley Town Girls at the time, but found she wasn’t progressing very far there. That meant we decided she would move to their arch-rivals in Crawley Wasps! One of the coaches there called Woody [Emma Wood] managed to bring out the best in her and that’s when I started jumping on the mower, cutting the grass, and I got into it that way,” he explained. “It began by helping out casually every now and again to taking everything on full-time. Now I’ve been involved with the club for about five years. It’s been a long road, and I’ve had to learn plenty about the pitches in that time. It’s about getting them up to a good standard and it’s evolved in that respect. “I had no groundskeeping experience so it’s all about learning on the job, which is most of what the volunteers do at grassroots clubs. Even though I do the job on my own, I have had help from my daughter and the reserve team coach, Simon Pavey. I must say that the club as a whole has also given me tremendous support, from the chairman to all the coaching staff and volunteers. “From Mark Graves who coaches the Mini Kickers team [Under 7s], up to Dave Cole who does the seniors, everybody talks to you and asks if you need a hand with anything. Even our secretary Maz [Graves] puts hours in doing things that are outside her remit. People don’t understand the work that goes on behind the scenes at the club.

“I have to say that Crawley Wasps means everything to me. Seeing the players enjoy their football is what makes everything we do feel worthwhile. That’s very important because it’s only a game, and you have to enjoy it.” Mick speaks with pride when recounting the journey of his daughter Chanelle – affectionately known as ‘Nellie’ – through the ranks at the club. “Nellie came here at Under 14 level, where they won the league, the cup and was then part of the Under 15s team that moved into the boys’ league. She’s also played for the Sussex Schools FA and was the captain for their Under 16s side before being selected for the England Schools trials, where she got into the last 64 of the country. “She’s a lovely daughter to have – she’s out there with the mower, on the roller and can actually line the pitches! One of my pet hates is crooked lines, and she manages to avoid those. She has just broken into the first team, but also plays for Chelsea Foundation too.” Mick talked through his prematch routine and revealed the less glamorous parts of the job ahead of a matchday, detailing the most enjoyable and challenging aspects involved. “I’d get to the ground at around

half seven in the morning, pick the pitch and clear up all the dog poo. I’d then set everything up, which includes the barriers around the pitch as well as the nets. Then I’d take everything down afterwards. “After the game, it will be a case of clearing up all the mess, sweeping up and then waiting for the next game. On Saturdays, we also have two teams from Brighton Girls’ Centre of Excellence playing here, so it’s very demanding and people don’t realise what’s involved. “I love cutting the pitches and marking them, but it’s all about seeing the girls’ faces if they’ve won the game; it’s lovely. The most challenging part of the job is the rain because we’ve got an underground stream that goes straight under the field. There’s also a house up the road from the ground with a moat, and if that gets clogged up then it affects what goes on here. “We’ve had to abandon two games because of that over the years, which is very demoralising. But during the recent lockdown, we haven’t had any games so there hasn’t been a matchday to prepare for, although my day-to-day work hasn’t changed too much. As I work on my own most of the time, there isn’t the likelihood of me coming into contact with lots

"I love cutting the pitches and marking them, but it’s all about seeing the girls’ faces if they’ve won the game; it’s lovely" of different people. I’ll only have Nellie with me now and again. “I still kept the pitches cut during that time because you never knew when football would be back. There is always plenty to do.” Attention then turned to Mick’s award and how the news of his surprise nomination came to light, courtesy of development squad coach Holly Walker and player Charlotte Barnham. “They said they nominated me and I said, ‘no, you haven’t, have you?’ and they went, ‘yeah’. I said ‘thanks’, sarcastically, as I didn’t expect to win anything. Then a few months later I got a text to say congratulations and that they would be announcing me as the winner on social media. I couldn’t do much about it at that point! “In all seriousness, I was pleased because the club has recognised all of the work I’ve done. It was funny that the award was called Grounds Team of the Year, because it was just me, Nellie and a couple of others here and there. “Holly’s dad Paul Walker told me that this award was recognition of all the hard work I have put in since I’ve been at the club. I take pride in what I do and I have heard so many comments from people who have praised the surface at Ewhurst. “On the flip side, we played a reserves game down on the south coast, and the pitch was so bad that it looked like someone had taken a load of cows off it just so the game could be played! Someone could have easily broken their ankle on that surface, and I thought to myself, ‘you can’t play football on that.’”

So, with all this in mind, what is the motivation behind Mick’s decision to step down? A combination of needing a rest and letting others come to the fore were the main reasons behind the move, but it seems unlikely that he will completely sever his ties with the club. “Deciding to step away was more about me needing a break and allowing other people to step up. Someone now needs to come in to take the role on, but it will be difficult to find someone because everyone knows it’s hard work. I need time to have a break, watch Nellie and chill out for a year. I told our chairman that I would leave at the end of the season. I feel relieved because it makes me worry when you have to cope with things like lining the pitch during bad weather. Those little things begin to trouble you, so a year away will do me some good. “Walking away will be hard because I love this job, but sometimes you have to bite the bullet and take some time out for yourself. It will be a learning curve for whoever takes on the role next, but I feel like I can’t just walk away. I will always be on hand to help out and give advice whenever the club needs me.” Mick’s final word at the end of our chat paid tribute to all of the grassroots volunteers for their tremendous work up and down the country. “If you didn’t have grassroots volunteers then you wouldn’t have grassroots football; it’s as simple as that. They put in a lot of time and effort, and without them, these clubs wouldn’t be able to function.” TGP

Above: Goals Southampton in full swing on a spring midweek evening. Get yourself down there.

Images: Alex Daniel @––pictures–of–you–

FOCUS ON: TECH

Images: Paul Burgman @burgy–tog

Website: www.joymo.tv

Joymo x Guildford City FC

Guildford City have partnered with Joymo for live match day streaming services, with all of their games since the resumption of grassroots sport available to watch live or on demand online. Guildford City were once one of

How challenging was it to step

Since grassroots football returned,

the best non-league clubs in the

into the manager’s position

you’ve been using video analysis

country and played in the equivalent

during the pandemic?

and live streaming your matches –

of today’s National League. The ‘old

Paul Barnes: Our league was paused

what was the driver for that?

club’ folded in 1974 but was resur-

when I took over and we didn’t know if the

PB: I’ve always been a big advocate

rected by a group of enthusiastic

competition would continue, so it was an

of analysis and using video to improve

volunteers in 1996. Now playing in

uncertain time to take over. The club were

performance, so it’s a great tool for that.

the Combined Counties League Pre-

languishing at the bottom of the table as

We are trying to be progressive on and

mier Division, the country was still

well, so, from my point of view, it was a

off the pitch, and a big reason for sign-

in lockdown when new manager,

time to use to our advantage and assess

ing up with Joymo was to better engage

Paul Barnes, took over in January.

the squad. Even though a lot of people

with our supporters and the local com-

said, “well, you can’t really do a lot during

munity. And also further afield, where

lockdown,” we were really proactive.

people are maybe hearing good things

Barnes, who holds a UEFA A Licence and is Director of Football at Westminster School by day, joined Guildford from

We used the time to do lots of online

Staines Town. He immediately set about

sessions – regular Zoom calls to deliver

about what we are doing at Guildford.

installing a new culture and mentality

fitness programmes, plus technical

supporters wanted to be able to follow

for the club as they seek to rise up the

and tactical information via presenta-

the team while we are playing behind

football pyramid. This ambition has seen

tions. We also had guest speakers from

closed doors. We also appreciate that

the club bring in strength and condition-

around the game give support to players.

there are still risks for people who ha-

ing coaches, a sport science team and

For me, it was all about how we could

ven’t been vaccinated for Covid-19, so

partner with a GPS provider to track

build relationships and engage with the

we may see less attendees when fans

players during training and match days.

players all the way through lockdown.

are allowed to return.

Paul Barnes spoke to The Grassroots

Ultimately, the league season was

We understood that a lot of our

Now they have the choice. They

Post about his progress in the role so far

curtailed but the FA Vase continued, so that

don’t have to physically go to the game

and how technology is helping to improve

was a great incentive and we wanted to

to watch us. They can stay safe at

performance and keep his players engaged.

give the players the best chance to perform.

home and watch the stream online.

At the moment, when we are all trying

stream was an FA Vase game, which

associated with streaming its games is

to minimise travel, Joymo is helping us

was a big occasion - one of the biggest

a helpful marketing tool for attracting

to connect better with our fans and the

games in the club’s history.

new players and to being recognised

local community.

All the players were talking about

as a club that’s innovating.

it, they were sending our WhatsApp How easy have you found it to film

group pictures of their families set up

Do you expect to see more clubs

your games and training sessions?

at home ready to watch the game. So, it

at your level, and below, starting

PB: We actually film our matches

was brilliant that their biggest support-

to stream games in the future?

from two angles with our media team

ers, and fans of the team, were still able

PB: I think so, and that was why I was

positioned on one side of the pitch and

to watch the game in real time.

so keen to sign up with Joymo, because

our video analysis team on the other.

The best example is our goalkeeper

I believe this is where the world is going.

Both are using their mobile phones and

who’d set his family up on the stream, and

We’ve talked about the benefits from a

a tripod to film the games, which has

the game ended up going to penalties

playing perspective and staying connect-

worked brilliantly. It’s really simple to

and he saved one. It was brilliant that he

ed with our fans, but this is also a way for

set up the live stream and the feedback

could share that moment with his friends

us to make revenues that can help the

we’ve had from the fans watching has

and family and relive it again online.

ongoing development of the club.

grateful that they now have an option

How else are you using the live

play in an area where we sometimes trav-

to see the games online at their leisure.

streaming of matches to your

el up to two hours for games and that’s

advantage?

just not possible for many people in this

What have the players made of be-

PB: The added benefit of streaming

day and age. They’d love to come and

ing able to watch and analyse their

our games is that there are players that

watch us home and away every week,

own performance?

I’m talking to about joining the club for

and now they can with Joymo. TGP

PB: From the player perspective, there

next season and they are able to jump

has been a real buzz since we started

online and watch the team and see for

streaming our matches. Our first live

themselves. Just being a club that’s

been really positive. They are really

From a supporter’s perspective, we

Check out www.joymo.tv for more info.

FOCUS ON: TECH

Words: Mark Holmes @Homzy

Website: playermaker.com

UNO by Playermaker

The Grassroots Post tests out the new wearable tracker that allows you to have your game stats delivered to your phone and if you’re an amateur looking to improve your game, we couldn’t recommend it enough. You can’t hide on a football pitch. It

More than 150 elite academies and

may be a cliché, but it’s one we all

clubs including Fulham, Rangers, Nor-

believe to be true. If you’re not con-

wich, Millwall, FC Copenhagen and even

tributing, people are going to notice.

the Argentinian FA have used Player-

looked well winnable too, against a team beneath us in the table. The Inevitable

In March 2019, I wrote about a new

maker’s technology since 2017, but now

You all know what happened next.

motion sensor that straps to boots and

anyone seeking a competitive edge can

We lost 4-2 and I didn’t score or assist.

allows football clubs to not only track

buy the UNO to access all these insights,

Obviously. From the moment I had

their players’ physical data but also col-

benchmark themselves against pros in

agreed to wear the UNO, it was bound

lect technical insights such as number

the app, see where they need to improve

to happen. It was up there with the

of possessions, number of touches per

and maybe even use the data to help win

most inevitable results of all time.

possession, releases per foot and more.

them contracts à la Kevin De Bruyne.

If ever there had been a hiding place

As for me, despite my brain scream-

And to make matters worse, I’d spent pretty much the entirety of the second

before, there certainly wasn’t one for

ing at me that it could only end in hu-

half moaning that I wasn’t getting the

anyone wearing these.

miliation, I agreed to not only wear the

ball. As a centre-forward, there are

UNO kit but to share my stats on the

games when it feels like you’re involved

with a left foot for standing on only, I

internet afterwards. I have previously

every time the ball’s in the opposition’s

summed up the article simply by saying:

worn a GPS vest, which was embar-

half and games when, for whatever

“We’re glad we’ll never have to wear these.”

rassing enough, but now I was about

reason, it just will not come to you. This

to find out how much I have regressed

was one of those games.

As a terribly unfit amateur footballer

Playermaker, the company behind the tracker, clearly took that as a chal-

physically and how bad I am technically.

lenge: two years down the line they got

In fairness, it did seem like a pretty

Was it a deliberate ploy by my teammates to make my stats look worse?

in touch to say that they had launched

good time to do it. I had scored four

the UNO, their new tracker aimed at

goals and set up three more in my

We can’t rule it out.

individuals, whether they be academy

two games prior to wearing the UNO.

mitigation. I’m thirty-six in June, it was

players looking to improve their game

We won those games by an aggre-

a red-hot day and I’m still feeling the

or amateur footballers like me.

gate score of 10-2, and our next game

effects of breaking my tibia and fibula

Before we get to said stats, some

29 in October 2018. So that at least justi-

the ninety minutes is above average.

Eighteen. One-eight. Eighteen, FFS!

fies some of the less-than-impressive

I plan on using all this data in

physical data the UNO returned from

negotiations to have my £7-a-week

but eighteen is still utterly ridiculous.

my first ninety minutes wearing it. As

subs waived. Above average distance

I knew I hadn’t been involved much

for the technical data, well, I don't really

covered? They should be paying me.

in the second half, but never in a

have an excuse for that. I certainly can't blame the UNO, because after a few minutes I forgot I even had it on. The kit consists of two motion sen-

OK, so the tracker can’t count headers,

million years would I have guessed I’d Technical data Like most amateur footballers, I have

touched it that little. It’s not unusual as a centre-forward to

convinced myself many, many times

make runs that aren’t used, but eighteen

sors marked L and R which you insert

that I’m technically good enough to

ball possessions has sent me into a pe-

into straps that fit over your boots. The

play in the Premier League. If only I

riod of deep reflection. The UNO hasn’t

sensors sit on the side of your heels so

was fit enough, I could do what Olivier

just provided me with insights into my

don’t interfere with any ball touches,

Giroud does, no problem.

performance, it’s got me questioning my

and it’s so lightweight that you don’t notice it when running. So, my stats...

Joking (slightly) aside, I’ve always thought of myself as very sound technically. I’m decent receiving the ball with can finish and I create a lot of chances

thoughts. Hit the big man, lads!

Indeed, I did that several times in the

Even if it doesn’t inspire them to pass it to me more, the UNO has certainly inspired me. Because like

first half of this game, setting up two

every other human, I’m obsessed with

or three chances for teammates before

self-improvement. I want more touches,

my Invisibility Cloak took effect at half-

more sprints, more distance covered.

time. I also had a goal narrowly ruled

Maybe even the odd left-foot pass.

out for offside. Nice finish, too. The app tells me that 56% of my

utes, an average of 865 metres covered

Suffice to say, I shared this data with my teammates along with some of my

wide forwards in behind.

I covered 7.9km over the ninety min-

runs on a Saturday morning instead?

my back to goal, I’ve got a turn in me, I dropping back to No.10 and playing our

Physical data

life choices. Should I just go for shuttle

And that is perhaps the UNO’s greatest asset. It’s a lot of fun for an

possessions were one-touch, 33%

amateur player like me, but for an

were short possessions and 11% were

academy player looking for that advan-

long possessions. It also tells me that

tage over everyone else chasing a pro

every time I got the ball, I managed

contract, these insights could make an

to release it. In other words, I wasn’t

enormous difference.

dispossessed once. This is genuinely incredible data for

As for me, we’ll see what improvements the UNO can inspire me to make

per ten minutes, which the app informs

someone playing in the Manchester

in the coming weeks. Olivier Giroud,

me is significantly more than the UNO

Saturday Morning Football League to

watch out. TGP

community average of 793km for a cen-

be able to see. And I’m pretty chuffed

tre-forward but unsurprisingly not even

with it too: get the ball into me and I’ll

You can purchase the Playermaker

close to the benchmark for elite players.

look after it for you. I even had a higher

UNO Kit for £189 using Planet Football’s

It was also slightly less than the

percentage of one-touch possessions

exclusive discount code UNOPS at

8.04km I covered back in September

than the elite player average. They’re

www.playermakeruno.co.uk.

2018, but let’s see how much running

clearly not playing enough Rondo.

Roberto Firmino’s doing when he’s near-

The app also tells me that I received

ly thirty-six. Nobody can stop the sands

the ball with my right foot 88% of the

of time, mate. And as I like to tell my

time and, hilariously, released it with

teammates, I’m just conserving energy

my right 100% of the time. Who needs a

for all those high-intensity sprints I do.

left foot anyway?

There were twenty-one of those,

But I’ve saved the best (worst) piece

according to the app, and I reached a

of data until last. We know how much I

top spot of 24.3kph. That’s slightly down

ran, how quickly I did it and how I used

on the average of 24.9kph, but fifty-six

the ball when I got it, but how many

accelerations and decelerations over

times did I actually touch it?

MEN'S

Words: Alex Waite @waiteyal

A BALHAM BRAND Inspired by Cruyff and Coerver, Greg Cruttwell’s Balham FC is a fascinating, successful, nomadic club with a clear footballing philosophy.

Images: Balham FC

OF FOOTBALL Since forming in 2011 under the stewardship of chairman Greg Cruttwell, Balham FC has developed a clear footballing philosophy – to play possession-based football across all youth levels and the first team. Since starting as one team of Under 10s in 2001, the club has grown exponentially in the past two decades. From training in a small church hall to reaching the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division, the Wandsworth outfit has become well-known for its expansive, eye-catching brand of football. After five promotions in six seasons, winning the London Senior Cup in 2018 and lifting hundreds of trophies at youth level, Balham has achieved success from a unique playing style in grassroots English football. But there has been a huge amount of organisation, attention to detail and wholehearted commitment to getting this far. Greg Cruttwell founded Balham Blazers in 2001 after his son wanted to play for a football team, and this group of youngsters achieved quick success. Soon, the club began to grow into more than just one team. ‘In 2001, I thought, “we have got a good little team”, so I put them in a local league and they did really well. We added one team at a time and we could have become an empire very quickly, but I didn’t want to start anything without a good infrastructure in place,’ Cruttwell notes.

Fast forward eight years and many players from the original Under 10s team were still playing for the Blazers at Under 18 levels. Eventually, the club had to move into senior football, and this is where Balham Blazers became Balham FC. ‘The players from that 2001 team started as Under 18s with Balham FC. They got into the semi-professional Southern Youth League and did very well. We had to start at a really low level in 2011 and got five promotions in six years and shot all the way to the Combined Counties Premier League,’ explains Cruttwell. The club has evolved massively since 2011, and it has become a big part of the local community in Wandsworth. Balham FC has expanded and set up a women’s team, Balham Panthers, which emulates the style of the men's team. The club also has a vets’ team, a B team and the Balham Football School. Due to their impressive setup, Balham has won the London FA Charter Standard Community Club of the Year Award three times and the Wandsworth Sports Club of the Year Award on four occasions. Fast-tracked success for Balham over the last decade stems from a high level of organisation and clear ambition. But at the heart of the club is their football philosophy. ‘Bringing a bit of Barcelona to Balham’ is the tagline synonymous with the South London club. It’s a badge they have

earned by playing controlled, possession football - an unlikely sight when watching lower-league professional football in England. Cruttwell admired the Total Football style of the 1970s and 80s, inspired by Dutch legend Johan Cruyff. Influential Dutch coach Wiel Coerver also played a part in shaping Balham’s identity. The Coerver Method develops an individual player's technical quality alongside the mastery of small-group play. Cruttwell read Coerver’s books and implemented his methods into training. As a result, his team keep the ball and move it quickly and effectively. Coaching this style of play with Balham Blazers from 2001 was very much against the grain of footballing philosophy in England in the early 2000s, and Cruttwell was well aware of this. ‘When I started coaching in 2001, everyone wanted to get the biggest players on the ball and play Route One football. I wanted to see possession-based, expansive and attractive football.’ Weaving this ideology into individual players, let alone an entire club, has not been plain sailing. Balham first team defender and vice-captain, Jake Henry, has played for Balham since 2011, and he signifies what Balham is about. He is a player who enjoys the possession brand of football and is part of the club’s fabric, having risen through the Balham youth system. But Henry acknowledges that

it can be hard to commit to this style of play at the grassroots level. ‘Along the way, there have been doubts, as a defender. There have been times, especially at youth team level, where you just panic and think, “I don’t want to give the ball away here”. But ultimately, you find out that if you are under a lot of pressure and go long, it’s going to come back at you anyway.’ Now an established first team player, Henry accepts that the playing style is unusual, especially at the non-league level, but he also feels that the playing style is an homage to the club’s roots. ‘It’s the most unconventional way to play non-league football and it all stems from where the club first started training in a church hall, then to Chestnut Grove, a secondary school where there’s a sevena-side pitch, and we were always forced to play in tight areas, using minimal touches, keeping the ball moving quickly. As an eleven-a side team having to train on a seven-aside pitch made us play a lot differently to all the other teams, which has been quite beneficial for us.’ The challenge to find training space is a problem for many grassroots football teams, especially in large cities. Balham is no exception to this. Youth teams and the senior first team all share various facilities and training venues in South London. But the club has used this to its advantage. First team Head Coach, Ebrahim Seedat, who has worked

at the club with various youth teams since 2015, believes that the tight training areas breed technical football players who naturally learn to play the Balham way. ‘Because we’re based in London, it’s very difficult for us to get training venues so the teams share these venues. When I was coaching the Under 13s and 16s, we made it to the London Cup final. There’s five or six of them around the first team now - we trained on half a netball court but they become really natural in their environment. Suddenly they find themselves on the pitch and they deal with the pressure.’ Implementing a universal brand of football at any level requires unwavering support from players, coaches, parents, backroom staff and volunteers. At Balham, this commitment is needed at their youngest level, Under 8s, right the way through to the senior first team. To maintain and grow the club’s footballing philosophy, Cruttwell has to be ruthless when recruiting players. ‘We say to all parents and players that this is a programme and you buy into that. It’s not about cutting corners. We’ve won over 500 trophies so we’ve got the balance right. All age groups play just below academy level and we hold trials for players to get in. We want our players to stay with the club and to eventually get into the first team. Everything at our club is about player progression. Eighty percent of the players will have

come through the system. Our players bleed Balham blood.’ Balham is a unique club for the level at which they operate. Despite playing at a semi-professional level, they do not pay their players. Therefore, commitment to the Balham way of playing expansive and attractive football is vital. But there is a risk when recruiting new players as to whether or not they will suit the Balham style of play and embed themselves into the culture. To avoid being used as a stepping stone, there is a simple rule for all players of all ages: if you leave the club, you cannot return. The only exception is for first team players making a step up in level. However, if they want to join a rival club of similar standing, they cannot return. While it may seem harsh, the high standards are essential for the long-term progress at Balham. Henry explains how this culture has created a family feel within the club at all levels. ‘We’ve got a couple of the first team players coaching some of the younger groups and we have a club secretary who is the backroom hero, she’s the one who brings the oranges, the Jelly Babies, the Jaffa Cakes – all the good stuff you need at half-time! That threads itself through the whole club and we don’t get paid to play so everyone is there because they love it, because they enjoy it, because they love what the club is about and it’s different to what you would normally get at this standard.’

Being able to play possession-based football and fitting in at the club are two of the main facets at Balham. Seedat feels that this balance gets the best out of all the teams, explaining that ‘players need to be able to play our Balham brand of football, but they also need to embed themselves into the culture. The trial is not just about how good they are, it’s about whether they can get on with everybody, whether they like us and if we like them. We do get players from outside we may have a top player come in who is really good and played at a top-level, but it just doesn’t work sometimes. We have this gameplay where we don’t have one star; they’re all knitted together.’ Balham is an ambitious club, and getting to Level Five of the English pyramid in ten years is a monumental achievement. But getting here hasn’t been without its challenges. Balham FC encounters issues that many non-

league clubs have to overcome: finding enough training venues for all teams, providing FA-standard facilities and having a suitable ground. In 2015, Balham was denied promotion to the Combined Counties League after failing to meet FA standards for their ground at Wimbledon Extension. The club moved to the Wibbandune Stadium to ground share with Colliers Wood, and they moved again in 2020 to ground share with AFC Croydon Athletic at the Mayfield Stadium. It is an issue Cruttwell acknowledges. He believes that Balham will attract good crowds in the future, but he is under no illusions that more challenges and more competitiveness will come as Balham rises up the pyramid. And getting as far up the pyramid is the ultimate goal. In a comparison with South London underdogs, Dulwich Hamlet, Cruttwell aspires to mirror their growing fanbase. ‘If we had our own stadium, we

could attract really good-sized crowds for our level. People are getting cheesed off with corporate football, and people want to see real football. You can drop down the levels in England and the standard remains really high.’ Balham FC is certainly a club with high standards. Who knows how far it can take them? But one thing is for sure, it’s a philosophy that has been incredibly successful so far. TGP

HELP US SHAPE FUTURE ISSUES OF THE GRASSROOTS POST

WIN A NEW SPONSORED KIT FOR 2021/22! Want to kick off next season looking the business? The Grassroots Post have partnered with discountfootballkits.com to give one adult football team the chance to win a new sponsored kit from their new Vesey ID range. To enter, all you need to do is complete our readership survey through the QR code below or at grassrootspost.uk/ competitions and nominate a team.

TERMS & CONDITIONS: UK 18+ only. Competition closes at midnight on 23/06/21. Standard designs only with VESEY and TGP logos on shirts. Enter by completing The Grassroots Post’s Readership Survey May 2021. Prize consists of 14 sponsored outfield shirts, 1 sponsored goalkeeper shirt and 15 pairs of shorts and socks. UK only. Full terms available at www.grassrootspost.uk/competitions

REFEREES

Words: Trevor Booking

Illustration: Millie Chesters @milliechesters

! R E W O L B E L T WHIS

OR T RE V I N G : K BO O

Trevor* is an up and coming referee who each month will blow the whistle on what it’s really like to take control of grassroots games... According to the pundits (both those on TV and Sunday morning pitch-side commentators), the best refs are those who “let the game flow” and “don’t make it all about them,” and to an extent, they’re right. There are times when you can choose whether to blow your whistle. And others when you don’t have any choice but to blow it repeatedly. A bugbear of those who think the “game’s gone” are the upholders of the foul throw rule. A diligent, passionate group of players and fans who appeal at the merest hint of a toe being on the line or off the ground. Quite often they’ve got good reason, as everyone knows what a foul throw looks like – there’s simply something not quite right. Now, to be honest, foul throws put refs in an awkward situation, especially at the grassroots level. You have to make a decision as to whether you’re going to out yourself as a slave to the laws of the game or be a bit more liberal and prioritise goals over foul throws. Take a tip from Trevor – take the temperature of the game and only give it if things are threatening to boil over! Of course, there are times when it does hit boiling point and then your challenge is not whether to step in, but how and when. More often than not you feel it in your gut before it even happens. The pacey winger has picked up the ball and is about to run at the ageing full-back again or someone’s first touch has let them down once more, they’ve overrun the ball and yet they think it’s still there to be won… When the bad foul comes, the

inevitable melee (known in refereeing circles as a “mass confrontation”) follows. What the ref does next can often dictate just how long the rest of the game and your match report is going to be. As ever, there are two types of referee when the pushing and shoving commences. Firstly, there is The Hero. They pump their chest out, stand between the foes and factions and allow themselves to be pinballed around until everyone acknowledges that they’re not going anywhere. The Whistler takes a more diplomatic approach and demonstrates their presence by tooting while holding their yellow card in their other hand, hoping that this dual threat will arrest attention back in their direction. With this comes the risk that if this approach doesn’t work, those yellows become reds. My favoured tactic, like all law enforcement officers (after all, that’s what we are), is being quick on the scene. If it is a red card challenge, run in and give it straight away. This often calms things down and more often than not the side that has gone down to ten men know it too. Not that it’ll stop them complaining. Here your pre-match running backwards warmup will really serve you well. Fortunately, the majority of games pass without “mass confrontation” or the need to award foul throws, and players and fans can go home reasonably content that the ref was “alright”. Believe it or not, that’s all we want. Especially as we’ve a ref’s report to write when we get home. TGP * not his real name.

League: Super 5 League, East London

Image: Gary Strutt @joebelle

Grassroots Photography The ladies of Assisterhood FC gather for a pre-match team talk before their Super 5 League clash with Whippets FC at Mabley Green in East London

SEND US YOUR GRASSROOTS PHOT OGRAPHY TO:

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DISABILITY

Words: Charlotte Dukes @dukesofhazzard

Images: Stuart Harper @stuart–harper

The Shooting Stars of SOUTHWARK Genuine, impactful, inspiring. We’ve run out of superlatives to describe Southwark Stars Disability FC. What is it about grassroots football in particular that elicits the fondness and warmth we experience when we clap our boots together after a match? It often comes down to the way in which football makes us feel. The true meaning of grassroots lies in the impact that it can have on a wider level, upon its community, and on a micro level, upon its participants. In a small corner of South London, I found the true spirit of football when I met the members of Southwark Stars Disability FC. In a year characterised by struggle, Southwark Stars are a shining example of a team smashing down barriers in the face of adversity and the purest reflection of what football is truly about. Before the formation of the Southwark Stars, Coach Louis Wickett-Padgham worked with a charity organising coaching sessions with a local disability group.

However, when funding for the group was cut in 2017, the true scale of Louis’ mission statement was spelled out to him. Experiencing sporadic funding and a lack of infrastructure, it was clear that opportunities for disabled people to play football safely were simply not accessible. Louis wanted to change that narrative and he set straight to work on levelling the playing field. In 2017, Southwark Stars Disability FC was officially formed. The ethos of the team is based on inclusiveness and the Stars are one of only 100 clubs in the UK who are a Kick It Out Equality Chartered Club. They believe that there is no room for discrimination in football and strive to ensure that warmth and a sense of community dominates everything they do. The team currently has twenty-to-thirty regular players of all genders and ages. They compete in the North London Special League.

Yet the existence of Southwark Stars isn’t simply about getting players on the pitch - it’s also about building up the transferable skills that will support them through life and raise the profile of their community. As a glowing example, Lloyd was recently made captain of the team, an appointment he believes to be one of his proudest achievements in life. As captain, he says: “you have to take ownership for the team and ensure that everything flows properly for everyone in the game.” What he loves best about football is that each Southwark Star team member can bring their unique skills and qualities to the pitch and feel comfortable to be themselves. Watching the team train, I saw a powerful and supportive team network bringing out the best in its talented players. Players bring their friends along to Southwark Stars and the team grows stronger as a result; it also leads to player re-

" Players bring their friends along to Southwark Stars and the team grows stronger as a result; it also leads to player retention and a sense of community based on friendship and respect"

tention and a sense of community based on friendship and respect. Rachel, mum of Southwark Star Temi, is one of the team’s most avid supporters. She was referred to the team by her son’s college, again demonstrating the power of wordof-mouth when it comes to recruitment of new members. Temi used to play in an elite club’s cerebral palsy team, yet Rachel believes he lacked the nurturing approach that was required to support his condition. She saw him lose interest despite the kudos of being in an elite club structure. It was only when he joined the Stars that she saw the true spark and passion for the game and confidence grow within him. When I ask why Rachel believes the team is so special, she highlights the warm environment at Southwark Stars that Temi required to thrive, both at matches and training. “There’s no consequence to winning or losing,” Rachel notes, and Temi simply cannot wait to

attend training on a weekly basis. Rachel adds that Coach Louis is the cornerstone of the success of the club, providing a safe space for all of the Stars. But his efforts often go under the radar: “his humility strikes me too,” says Rachel, “as he mentions he’s just trying to ‘give a little back’, when he’s touching the lives of a group of adults in a very meaningful way.” Not only are the players thriving individually, they are equally striving to pave the way for others in the sport. One of the Southwark Stars, Patrick, is fifty-one, and a qualified disability coach, being a visible role model for those who are aspiring not only to play in the game, but also to make an impact in the wider infrastructure of football. When I speak to Coach Louis about what more needs to be done to develop further opportunities for his team members (of which six already have FA chartered qualifications), it’s about achieving an authentic buy-in

from mainstream clubs for disabled people wanting to get involved in the game at any level. This continues to be a barrier to progress. Nevertheless, Patrick’s optimism for the future is evident, as he tells me that sports can be adapted to any disability if the right thought, consideration and work goes into it. He's currently working on adapting Gaelic football to work better for those with a disability. This is an example of someone truly leading the way for future generations. When I ask Patrick what drives him to contribute towards the future of disability sport, he tells me: “I’ve got a lot to give.” For other team members, the true power of Southwark Stars Disability FC lies in its ability to be a platform to simply bring joy. When asked why she loves the game, Wendy told me it’s because it really makes her happy. Coupled with a beaming smile, her passion for the sport was clear to see. Similarly, Maisa tells me that one of her fa-

" In a small corner of South London, I found the true spirit of football when I met the members of Southwark Stars Disability FC"

vourite elements of the team is her teammates and I’m not surprised. Within thirty minutes of arriving I was surrounded by a team of curious, genuine, caring and warm characters. I felt inspired by the camaraderie and sheer joy of being part of the team that I witnessed on the pitch. For Johnny, too, the key thing that matters is having fun: “you don’t need to be playing for a team in the Champions League to enjoy football.” Given the importance of football to the Southwark Stars players, the cancellation of grassroots sport due to lockdown in 2020 was a huge blow for the team. Louis laments that the pandemic couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Stars as many of the players spent the majority of the lockdown shield-

ing and away from the routine and community of football. In the Active Alliance 2020/21 survey it was found that twice as many disabled people felt that coronavirus greatly reduced their ability to do sport or physical activity compared to non-disabled people, with respondents stating that the lack of activity has led to both their physical and mental health being harder to manage. Southwark Star, Alex (referred to as Donny van de Beek by his teammates, as an avid Manchester United supporter), told me that one of his favourite things to do is going to the pub with friends or watching a football game live. In the absence of his normal hobbies and activities, he found lockdown frustrating. To continue to provide support, Louis leveraged the pow-

er of the same technology we’ve all become increasingly familiar with in lockdown, using Zoom to keep fitness, training and team morale as high as possible. Emerging from lockdown is the release the whole team longed for. With training back in swing and fixtures in the pipeline, the energy and enthusiasm of the Stars is evident. As I join them for training, they’re gearing up for back-to-back friendly matches versus South London rivals Sutton United FC. They went on to win their ‘Championship’ fixture 3-2, whilst narrowly losing their league game 4-3. Considering their progress and growth since inception in 2017, the future continues to look bright for the shining Stars. One of the key projects for the club going forward is the formation of their women's team. Given that many teams in the UK still haven’t branched out into women's football, this is a clear sign of Southwark Stars’ forward-thinking approach to football, particularly for a club so young. Promoting the Southwark Stars network and visibility, Louis also highlights the importance of the growth of the club’s social media channels, which has helped the team to reach a wider audience. Raising the profile of players through the utilisation of technology has been another key step to the growth of the club and has increased the visibility of what has typically been an overlooked and underfunded area of football. Leaving the training session with the sun going down, my time with the Southwark Stars struck a chord with me. Through the formation and growth of the Stars in South London, Louis has enabled a very powerful community to be created. And through simply turning up and being visible role models for those around them, the Southwark Stars team are trailblazing for those disabled people who want to play the grassroots sports they truly love. That is what football is all about. TGP

COACHING

Words: Tara Barratt @taraborat

01. NET CLIPS

THE ES COACH CLINIC

Other than a referee, plastic net clips are my match day essential. When I first started coaching, I relied on tape to secure my nets which was often a two-man job. It was an absolute nightmare to attach in wet weather and regularly fell down mid-match, leaving holes in the net. So, get rid of your single-use tape that goalposts seem to

S P I T T N E M P I EQU

collect an extra layer of every week and invest a fiver on a set of plastic net clips. Not only are they reusable and therefore cheaper in the long-run, but and so much more effective

03. FLAT DISC MARKERS

than tape. It’s a win-win-win for

Other than a set of footballs,

net clips in my opinion.

when you think of the one piece

they are way easier to set up

I have been playing football for most of my life and when I moved to Brighton after finishing university, I decided to get involved with coaching grassroots football. I am now an FA Level 1 qualified coach and manage the Hollingbury Hawks Under 14 Girls’ team in Brighton. After coaching the girls for three years, I have picked up a few valuable coaching hacks and equipment tips along the way which make training and match days just that little bit easier to manage. Grassroots clubs need to be resourceful, which is why the focus of this feature is on equipment that is inexpensive, practical and versatile.

02. SPLIT POLES

of equipment any coach needs, it’s cones. Yes, cones are great,

Poles are essential for any foot-

but they can definitely get in

ball coach. While typically used

the way sometimes. This is

for dribbling drills, you can also

where flat disc markers save

use them to mark out some

the day. In my opinion, flat disc

quick goalposts/corner flags or

markers are a vital accompa-

even orientate them to create a

niment to a set of cones as,

makeshift dummy defender.

unlike cones, they will never

When I started coaching,

disrupt a drill! I mostly use them

I was driving a little Seat

to split the pitch into zones for

Ibiza. Fitting all my coaching

specific drills, but also use them

equipment into the car was a

to mark out goalkeeper areas

struggle at the best of times,

for small-sided games.

and trying to manoeuvre 6ft poles through the boot to rest

04. TARPAULIN

securely on the passenger

A tarpaulin is an absolute

seat was definitely a deterrent

lifesaver at matches on a wet

to transporting this versatile

weekend. Simply lay it out on

piece of equipment. Thankfully,

the floor for everyone to put

I found that split poles exist.

their belongings on and fold

Split poles are essentially

over so nothing gets wet. You

full-length poles which are

can even have an extra one to

cut in half and can be secured

use as a shelter for substitutes.

together at your convenience.

Costing approximately £6 for

They are so much more port-

3m x 3m of material, a tarpaulin

able as I can fit them width-

is a very cost-effective solution

ways into my boot – I now take

for avoiding the Great British

them everywhere.

elements.

TGP

THE DRILL:

This drill starts simply, with a focus on keeping possession, before building on this to utilise wide players and create goalscoring opportunities. The only equipment you need is a ball, a set of bibs, a set of flat disc markers to mark out a central square area (cones are sufficient if you don’t have these) and two goals facing each other on either side of the central square area (small, if possible, but this is not essential).

Split your group of players into two

One player from each team becomes

Now when a team reaches their target

teams. All players start in the central

a neutral receiver on the wide areas

number of passes, they should look to

square area that has been marked out.

of the marked-out area. The remain-

get the ball to one of the wide players.

Both teams should try to win and retain

ing players trying to keep possession

When the wide players receive the ball,

possession of the ball. Keep it compet-

within the square area can utilise either

they break away towards one of the

itive by telling your players that once

of these wide players while trying to

two goals. One player from the team

you reach a certain number of passes

reach their target number of passes.

who passed to the neutral receiver

(suggest five or ten, depending on abil-

The wide players need to pass back to

also breaks out of the central square to

ity) you win a point. Make the drill more

whichever team passes to them.

support the attack, while two players

KEEP POSSESSION

INTRODUCE WIDE PLAYERS

INTRODUCE GOALS

challenging by putting a limit on the

from the defending team break out to

amount of touches a player can make

try and stop a goal.

(suggest a three-touch maximum).

HOW TO ADAPT THE DRILL:

i) Modify the size of the

ii) If you have an odd

iii) Keep switching out

square area depending on

number of players, you

the wide players (and the

how many players you have.

can add a neutral player

neutral player within the

within the square area who

square area if you have an

is working with whichever

odd number) so that players

team has possession.

rotate roles.

SMALL-SIDED

Words: Mike Backler @backlermike

GOALS OF THE MONTH

with Footy Addicts

Images: Gem Atkinson @gematkinson

It’s 7.02pm on a Wednesday night and I’m sitting in Gem’s car (who I’ve just met) while we wait for a brutal hailstorm to subside over a housing estate in Shepherd’s Bush, where a worn down 3G pitch with fencing for nets awaits a weekly game of football. As the dark clouds recede, sixteen ladies appear from cars and soaking wet commutes and start knocking the ball about and sorting the teams. Some are kitted out in the finest shirts from across the globe (Nunzia from Milan is in a Sheffield United strip,

We’re on the lookout for games that are allowing people to smash their personal goals through football. First stop, Shepherd’s Bush.

Chelsea from Middlesbrough dons the Nigerian World Cup classic). When the weather’s like this, which it often is on this pesky island, it’s easy to say no. To drop out, to surrender to Netflix and the warmth of home. Nobody does here. It’s eight v eight and off we go. You never regret turning up. We’re all looking to improve ourselves and better our situations. There are those personal goals that crop up time and

over 100 average unique women play-

time again. Looking to improve phys-

ers every month and one visit to one of

ical and mental health? Find a new

these games and it’s evident that this

hobby? Be more active? Make new

will grow. It has to.

friends? Recover some self-esteem?

One thing that stands out from

Improve second-language skills? It’s

attending a women’s Footy Addicts

clear that football can support in all

game is the diversity. This game in

those things, and it’s abundantly clear

Shepherd’s Bush has a multitude of

that this particular game, featuring

nationalities. Portuguese, Spanish, Ital-

players pulled together on the Footy

ian, South African, American. All with

Addicts app, is helping these ladies

different backgrounds and different

achieve a vast majority of them.

experiences in coming to London, or in

It’s one of over 300 female-only reg-

football. But there is a through-line that

ular games that have been played since

connects a lot of their stories, which

2018 and there are currently 700-plus

seems to be the lack of accessibility to

female footballers on the app. There are

play when they were younger.

Website: footyaddicts.com

Gem’s thirty-seven and after a successful sporting career as a cyclist she hung up her cleats a couple of years ago after a bad crash. “My Dad’s a mad Sheffield United fan. Brought up bleeding red and white blood. I was never allowed to play as a

of games. And I got a really good crew

kid. It wasn’t really a thing twenty-five

of mates from it!”

“Football’s been my life, but seeing the other girls progress is one of the

years ago, ladies’ football; it certainly

One of those Italian girls is Nunzia.

best things. Turning up each week,

wasn’t accessible, so I would always

Nunzia turned up in the Sheffield Unit-

supporting them, helping them and

kick around with the lads. Went to high

ed shirt for a bit of banter with Gem.

watching them improve.”

school and didn’t play and after uni I

And that’s the vibe throughout. Friend-

got into cycling which I did for fifteen

ly, positive, fun. And no one minds

nical. A playmaker and a goalscorer.

years and raced for eight.”

taking a turn in goal. But more than

Having moved to London from South

that, the game is disciplined, creative

Africa three and a half years ago, she

and very, very technical.

immediately found Footy Addicts.

But when the long days of training and the sacrifices were over, Gem knew she wanted to play football again. “This one Christmas, I went and got

Nunzia is an example of that discipline.

Robyn is a brilliant player. Fast, tech-

“I lived down the road in Shepherd’s

From a family of Inter Milan fans, she’s

Bush and I came here, and it was very

some boots, some cones and a football

got Catenaccio in her blood. She’s never

small at the time. There weren’t a lot of

and went to the park and set up some

shirked a tackle in her life and simply

girls. We were playing four v four and

silly drills. I was beaming ear-to-ear. I

loves to defend. And that flows through-

it’s just grown and grown and grown.

needed to find a team and I had one

out the game. It never loses its shape or

The main thing for me is I’ve made a

friend that wanted to play. But it’s super

its intensity but it never boils over. Players

lot of friends here. There’s a really nice

hard as you can’t really commit to any-

are picked up from the floor with an apol-

community of girls here and everyone

thing as we have high-pressured jobs.

ogy and a smile, then it’s back to finding

has stuck around. Very nice vibe, very

And then I found Footy Addicts.

space, asking for the ball and tracking

friendly, good level of football and we

runners. It’s great to watch. And there are

welcome all different levels.

“I joined a game in Whitechapel. I was like a teenager, super excited. I

some seriously good players there.

rocked up and nine of the other girls

Chelsea came through Mid-

were all Italian. I was buzzing. Then I

dlesbrough’s academy as a cen-

shine, five-a-side, seven-a-side, what-

just went for it. Registering for all kinds

tre-back, but has a strike on her that

ever it is, they could be inside under a

makes you wince from the sidelines

blanket but they want to be out here

and say a prayer for the keeper’s

playing football.”

cold and gloveless hands. She’s had

“I love grassroots football. I love the passion. Girls will come up, rain or

So, what’s stopping you? Whatever

quite the career; travelling to North

your level. Friendship, fitness and foot-

Korea with Middlesbrough Ladies and

ball awaits. TGP

getting a scholarship to play football in Texas. Chelsea now works with

Footy Addicts is open and

young offenders and it’s that nurturing

everyone can join. Download

side that shines through, above the

the free app and get involved

thunderbolts from distance.

COUNTY ROUNDUPS Many leagues and cup competitions across the region have fallen foul to the pandemic. Thankfully, some still live on. Beyond that, clubs, leagues and volunteers have shown incredible initiative and dedication to run bespoke competitions to ensure that teams still have something to play for. After the most difficult of periods in grassroots football history, let’s take a look at who’s still in the hunt for silverware.

READ ON

COUNTY

ROUNDUPS

MEN’S FA SUNDAY CUP

Images: Ryan Murrant @ryanmurrantphotography

CUP MAGIC

We were at St George’s Park on 25th April for the rearranged 2019/20 FA Sunday Cup Semi-Final between St Joseph’s and Portland.

FIRST HALF Tough, tense and competitive throughout. Portland have a couple cleared off the line and St Joseph’s come close too.

DAN BURNETT, PORTLAND MANAGER, SHARES HIS THOUGHTS ON THE DAY AND COMING SO CLOSE

BREAKTHROUGH! Lucas Kirkpatrick finds the net for St Joseph’s in the 87th minute and the boys in green go wild.

“Our day started by meeting in Whyteleafe at 9.45am to get on the coach for 10am. The boys were buzzing for the day and so was I. Due to a player late we left at 10.30am but it was a nice morning and a good tempo on the coach with music playing, players relaxing. We aimed to be at St. George’s Park for 2.30pm for a 4pm kick-off and stopped off in Warwick to grab a bite to eat and let our legs stretch out before carrying on our journey. “When we arrived, everyone’s phones were out taking pictures of the grounds. I must say, what a moment. Not many Sunday league players can say they have played there and the boys really cherished it. “Our music was blaring from changing rooms and we walked up to the pitch with our music box and got to look at the perfect settings. Walking past the national team training pitch, everyone was taking pictures, wishing they were playing on that!! Instead we played on the Gary Lineker Pitch which was also in perfect condition. I got the boys prepared for the game and off we went. We had the better chances in the first half. Longer the game went on the longer the nerves were going but I couldn’t let the boys see that. Conceding in the 87th minute was sickening. The game finished 1-0 and the boys’ heads were down, but

FINAL WHISTLE St Joseph’s will meet Campfield from Liverpool who won their earlier semi-final 3-0 against Peterlee. Both teams have a huge pedigree in the FA Sunday Cup. St Joseph’s have won it twice, but not for twenty-five years. This will be their sixth final, having been beaten in the finals of ‘98, ‘99 and 2006. Campfield have more recent form, having taken the trophy home in 2015. It’s on May 16th - should be a cracker.

it’s up to me to pick their heads up and hopefully we’ll be back in this position and can go one further. The day itself was enjoyable and the experience was life changing, just not the result we were after.” TGP

COUNTY

COUNTY FA UPDATES

Essex FA

Kent FA

ROUNDUPS

across Kent have access to a trained Mental Health Champion. Kent FA’s Mental Health Champions are trained

As the governing body of football in

volunteers who work with their clubs and

Kent, the Kent FA recognises the power

leagues tolisten, provide support and

of football to understand, support and

signpost services for any young person

listen to young people. This includes

who needs it. Now, as we head out of

those with poor mental health that are

the pandemic, they will also start hosting

either unable or unwilling to seek support.

events at their clubs to continue raising

Shockingly, one in ten young people have

awareness of the support available to

experienced a mental health issue and,

young people in their community. Already

sadly, suicide is the leading cause of death

since January 2021 they have trained

for those aged 5-19. And coupled with the

fifty-eight Mental Health Champions and

challenges that have arisen from the pan-

directly supported 272 young people.

demic, more and more young people need help when it comes to their mental health. In December 2020, Kent FA joined

These Youth Mental Health Champions will be fully supported by the Kent FA, Tommy Crush Foundation and Kooth. TGP

2021/22 affiliation will be provided

forces with the Tommy Crush Founda-

free of charge for new and existing

tion and digital mental health provider,

To find out more about this pioneering

football clubs and competitions in

Kooth, to make a change. Together, their

project, please contact Luke.Baker@

Essex, following a decision by the

ambition is to ensure that all youth teams

KentFA.com.

Surrey FA

upcoming 2021-22 season. Thanks in part

Essex County FA Board to offer additional financial support during the extra challenges faced as a result of Covid-19. A new partnership has also been

to support from the FA, free affiliation is to be offered to all clubs in the county at the

announced with a specialist sports

Surrey FA are going all out to look

end of a difficult twelve months for grass-

insurance broker, Sportsguard. And, as

after their clubs in the midst of the

roots football. In recognition of the financial

part of that partnership for the 2021/22

pandemic and ahead of the 2021/22

challenges which Surrey clubs continue

season, the Essex County FA will

season. A season we all hope will see

to face, the Surrey FA Board have decided

continue to pay 100% of the Sports-

a return to normality. Earlier, they

to go a step further by also offering free

guard Legal (Public) Liability costs for all

announced that Charter Standard

County Cup entry to Surrey clubs. Entry

eligible grassroots clubs as part of their

clubs across the region will be receiv-

will also be discounted to £20 for clubs

affiliation, as well as contributing 50%

ing £10,000 of funding through their

affiliated to other County FAs competing in

towards Sportsguard Personal Accident

Charter Standard Booster Pack which

Surrey FA competitions, where eligible.

cover up to the minimum requirements.

was open last month.

The overall affiliation and insurance

This year's edition of their Booster Pack

Football matches cannot take place without match officials, and Surrey FA are

pledge amounts to a circa £140,000 in-

has seen forty-six Surrey clubs in total

recognising their importance by extending

vestment to support grassroots football.

receive multiple benefits - from Samba

their support package this year to assist

goals to referee courses - which will help

these individuals. As a result, referee regis-

support their members in the near future.

tration will be free for the 2021/22 season.

The process will also be streamlined, saving time and effort for volunteers, by providing an integrated

These benefits and extra funding will

This decision has been made in light of

process via the FA Whole Game

provide the successful Charter Standard

the limited fixtures available to many over

System and the Club Portal, including

clubs with the opportunity to improve

the last twelve months and forms part of

the purchasing of insurance products

their football activity and offer develop-

the organisation’s most comprehensive

at the point of affiliation. TGP

ment courses to their coaches, players,

referee recruitment and development plan

volunteers and other members.

ever, ahead of the new season. TGP

Keep up-to-date with the latest devel-

On top of that, and for the second

opments in grassroots Essex football at

consecutive season, Surrey FA will offer a

For more information on Surrey FA’s

www.essexfa.com, by following @Ess-

wide-ranging support package for football

various support packages, check

exCountyFA on Twitter and by search-

participants in the county, including free

out www.surreyfa.com and follow

ing for ‘EssexFootball’ on Facebook.

affiliation and County Cup entry, for the

@surreyfa on Twitter.

COUNTY LEAGUES & CUPS

London

1/2

LEAGUE STANDINGS:

CUP MAGIC:

CAMDEN SUNDAY MEN’S

LONDON SUNDAY CHALLENGE CUP

TEAM

PLD

PTS

Badu C.I.C FC

The Auld Shillelagh First

Hackney Wednesday FC

Heavyn Football Club H's

Hurricanes (Camden) First

QUARTER FINALS, FROM 9TH MAY

AFC Hammersmith v Mile End Baiteze Kenningwell United 3 – 3 M Boys (4-2 on pens) Hatcham First v AFC Brixton Grand Athletic v SE Dons

BARNET SUNDAY MEN’S PREMIER P

TEAM

PLD

PTS

Highgate Albion First

SEMI FINALS, 22ND MAY

Rising Ballers

Trabzonspor UK

Milldean FC v Spartans First

Takers

Park Royals

16 13

TOP SCORER: Solomon Ofori (Highgate Albion First)

HACKNEY & LEYTON SUNDAY MEN’S PREMIER P

TEAM

PLD

PTS

Mile End Baiteze Squad F.C.

FC Niva

Hackney Downs

Hackney Borough FC

Boston Celtics

LONDON SUNDAY TROPHY

Sporting Continental v TBC

LONDON SUNDAY JUNIOR CUP QUARTER FINALS, FROM 5TH MAY

AFC Rose Blue v City East FC Zaza FC London Greens v The Gun B Young Stars Reds v Hatch Lane United Selhurst Sunday 6 – 1 Badoo FC Blues

COUNTY

ROUNDUPS

London

2/2

LEAGUE STANDINGS:

CUP MAGIC:

GREATER LONDON WOMEN’S PREMIER P

TEAM

PLD

PTS

Walton Casuals Ladies 1st

Clapton Community WFC

Brentford Women WFC

TOP SCORER: Kaitlyn Spencer-Dempsey (Brentford Women WFC)

MIDDLESEX MEN’S SUNDAY PREMIER CUP SEMI FINALS, 23RD MAY

Shire United 1st v NLO 1st Takers FC FC v Larkspur Rovers 1st Sunday

MIDDLESEX MEN’S SUNDAY INTERMEDIATE CUP QUARTER FINALS, 23RD MAY

GREATER LONDON WOMEN’S DIV 1 SOUTH P

TEAM

PLD

PTS

Bromley FC Ladies

Sutton United Women U21's

Balham Panthers Women

Old Brentford United FC 1st v ProPanthers FC Mens Grenfell Athletic FC 1st v Bedfont Sunday 1st London Wednesday 1st v The Vine 1st Whetstone Wanderers WW U23 v Sporting Club De Subbuteo 1st

TOP SCORER: Charlotte Lee (Bromley FC Ladies)

CAPITAL WOMEN’S CUP FINAL, 25TH MAY

GREATER LONDON WOMEN’S DIV 1 NORTH P

TEAM

PLD

PTS

Headstone Manor Ladies 1st

Sport London E Benfica Ladies 1st

Edgware Town Ladies

TOP SCORER: Judith Rossey (Tower Hamlets Womens 1st)

Actonians Ladies 1st v Queens Park Rangers Women 1st

COUNTY LEAGUES & CUPS

Kent & Sussex LEAGUE STANDINGS:

CUP MAGIC:

ORPINGTON & BROMLEY SUNDAY MEN’S SENIOR DIVISION P

TEAM

PLD

PTS

LAS FC

SE Dons FC

Kenningwell United FC

TOP SCORER: Daniel Boatang (Portland)

KENT COUNTY CUP WOMEN’S FINAL, 25TH MAY

Aylesford LFC v Dartford FC

GEORGE MILLYARD CUP MEN’S FINAL, TBC

Castle Sports v BN Dons SUSSEX SUNDAY MEN’S PREMIER PLD

PTS

WEST KENT SUNDAY SPRING CUP MEN’S

Castle Sports 1st

SEMI FINALS, 16TH MAY

Woodingdean Wanderers 1st

AFC Borough v AFC Valour

Queens Park 1st

Pembury Sunday v Speldhurst Rangers

TEAM

TOP SCORER: Rob Jones (Physics Athletico 1st)

SUSSEX COUNTY WOMEN’S WSL DIVISION P

TEAM

PLD

PTS

Hastings United Women

Montpelier Villa AFC Women

Pagham Ladies

TOP SCORER: Molly Hill (Hastings United Women)

COUNTY

ROUNDUPS

Surrey, Hampshire, Berks, Bucks & Essex LEAGUE STANDINGS:

CUP MAGIC:

SURREY & HANTS BORDER MEN’S DIVISION ONE P

TEAM

PLD

PTS

University Strollers 1st

Guildford Albion 1st

Woking & Weybridge First

20 13

TOP SCORER: Luca Mortellaro (Woking & Weybridge First)

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY WOMEN’S DIVISION ONE P

TEAM

LEATHERHEAD SENIOR CHALLENGE CUP MEN’S SEMI FINALS, 16TH MAY

The Buffs v Poplar AFC Chase v Wandgas Utd

HAMPSHIRE PREMIER SENIOR CUP MEN’S QUARTER FINALS, 15TH MAY

PLD

PTS

Down Grange Ladies 1st

Infinity v Locks Heath

Shanklin LFC 1st

Silchester v Headley United

Winchester City Flyers Reserves Women

Bush Hill v Moneyfields Reserves

Paulsgrove v Liphook United

TOP SCORER: Gemma Luke (Alton Ladies)

CITY OF SOUTHAMPTON SUNDAY MEN’S P

TEAM

PLD

PTS

Athletico Romsey Men

Boyatt Wood 1st

Durley First (Sunday)

13 11

TOP SCORER: Aaron Dunne (Empire 1st)

ESSEX SUNDAY FOOTBALL COMBO MEN’S SENIOR DIVISION P

TEAM

NORTH BUCKS PREMIER DIVISION CHALLENGE TROPHY MEN’S SEMI FINALS, 15TH MAY

Towcester Town v Aylesbury Vale Dynamos Hanslope v City Colts

PLD

PTS

Walthamstow Red Star 1st

SOUTHEND, THE FRANK WALTON CUP MEN’S

Barkingside Sunday 1st

FINAL, 25TH MAY

JK Silvertown (S) 1st

TOP SCORER: Reece Simpson (Barkingside Sunday 1st)

Ashingdon v Southend Rangers

COUNTY LEAGUES & CUPS

Veterans LEAGUE STANDINGS:

CUP MAGIC:

SOUTHERN AMATEUR VET'S LEAGUE MEN’S SOUTH DIVISION 1 P

TEAM

PLD

PTS

Livingstone RARA Vets

Balham Vets

Alleyn Old Boys Strollers

TOP SCORER: Cedric Abraham (Livingstone RARA Vets)

TEAM

QUARTER FINALS, FROM 16TH MAY

West London Old Stars Veterans WLO v Independant Veterans 1st London Tigers Veterans v Jamrock Vets FC Veterans The Charcoal Veterans 1 v Catford Wanderers (2008) Veterans Enfield Borough Vets v West Fulham Vets

ESSEX VETERANS LEAGUE MEN’S PREMIER P

LONDON VETERANS CUP MEN’S

PLD

PTS

Hutton Old Boys

Harold Wood Athletic

Little Thurrock Dynamos

TOP SCORER: Dean McAteer (Parsloe Athletic)

MIDDLESEX VETERANS CUP MEN’S SEMI FINALS, 23RD MAY

West London Oldstars Veterans WLO v Middlesex Wanderers AFC 1st London Lions Veterans (Garston Vets) v Parkfield Youth Old Boys Vets

ESSEX VETERANS LEAGUE MEN’S OVER 45S PREMIER P

TEAM

PLD

PTS

BSC (Over 45's)

Herongate Athletic (Over 45's)

Harold Hill (Over 45's)

TOP SCORER: Martin Buglione (Herongate Athletic (Over 45's))

34!

KENT VETERANS CUP MEN’S FINAL, 5TH JUNE

Crayford One Bell Veterans v VCD Athletic FC Veterans

SHARP SHOOTERS OF THE MONTH There’s a rivalry brewing in women’s grassroots football in the South East between two strikers that have probably never met and it feels like it could be an ongoing theme for some time in The Grassroots Post. We’ve mentioned Aman Kaur in our feature on Guru

Nanak Ladies and her goalscoring exploits (now thirty-three goals in fourteen games) but cross the Thames estuary from Gravesend and head up the A13 to Barking and you may see murals on the local walls of Laura ‘Buntini’ Bunton who has hit the net thirty times in ten games. Ridiculous strike rates from both players. Both sadly play in leagues that are null and void, yet with the intro-

duction of a round-robin tournament they are still able to find the net at an alarming rate. Keep an eye on these two! Martin 'Bugsy' Buglione was, and is, a gifted striker with a magic wand of a left foot. Throughout a non-league career during the ‘80s and ‘90s that saw him play for many clubs across the South East as well as a spell in the higher reaches of Scottish Football, he scored a lot of goals. Over 200 for Margate alone. Defences in the Essex Veterans Over 45s Premier were probably thinking the days of being twisted inside out were over, but no, Bugsy is playing for Herongate Athletic, and he’s banged in thirty-four goals this season. He’s fifty-three. You love to see it. We don’t have a recent pic of Martin, but there’s that left foot in action. TGP

UNSUNG HERO OF THE MONTH We couldn’t let Louis Wickett-Padgham get away without properly celebrating his role with Southwark Stars Disability FC. There’s so much going on there that is positive and brilliant, that it’s easy to overlook just what an incredible job he is doing. He’s the beating heart and the engine room of a truly special club and he deserves fantastic credit. More people like Louis means more and wider opportunities for those underrepresented in society, and that would be an incredible thing. TGP

Playmaker AD

THE GAMECHANGER IN FOOTBALL PERFORMANCE ANALYTICS

playermakeruno.com

WOMEN'S

Words & Interview: The Grassroots Post & Dwayne Ellis @thegrassrootspost

“It’s hard to overestimate the influence and stature Becks has within the club. First and foremost she's an excellent player, and certainly one of the best players I've coached in either men’s or women’s. We currently play at tier 5 in the women's pyramid and she definitely has the ability to play in a higher division. Clubs as prestigious as Fulham have attempted to sign her in the past, which shows how she's thought of in the game. “Becks is an attacking midfielder with a range of passing and ball mastery most players aspire to, can glide past players easily, pick out de-

INDUCTEE #2:

fence-splitting passes and has a great

REBECCA BARR

set piece delivery. Aside from that, she's an excellent leader and a driving force for the team. All her teammates

TEAMS:

look up to her and there are countless

AYLESFORD FC

times that she's been the match winner. She's twice been named league player of the year in 2014-15 and 2017-

LEAGUE:

18 and come very close in a couple of

LONDON & SOUTH EAST REGIONAL

other seasons. “She very much embodies everything about the team and club with our values and principles. Never In each issue, we celebrate a player

misses a game or a training session, al-

who deserves to have their grassroots

ways has a great attitude and gives her

career up in lights by inducting them

all on the pitch, and helps other play-

into The Grassroots Post Hall Of Fame.

ers; particularly the younger players."

For Issue 3, it’s Rebecca Barr.

Dwayne Ellis (Manager Aylesford FC)

There aren't many players at grassroots that can claim to be a one club player, but Becks, as she's affectionately

“Becks has been an exceptional

known by her teammates, can claim just

player for us for such a long time.

that, with fifteen seasons of consecutive

She could definitely play at a higher

service for Aylesford FC, the grassroots

level for higher-profile clubs but has

club in the heart of Kent. After a junior

shown great loyalty to us. As a club,

career having to play boys’ football,

we're very proud to be at the heart

Becks was fifteen when she joined the

of our community with everything

club where she has experienced back-

we do and Becks is an integral part

to-back promotions, reached two County

of that with our women's teams. The

Cup finals, been team captain for nearly

team particularly in the last few

ten years, and even caretaker manager

years have been excellent represent-

for a couple of months back in 2015.

atives for the club and Becks is very

Unsurprisingly, Becks’ manager, her

much at the heart of everything that

Chairman and her teammates have won-

is good about our club.”

derful things to say about her:

James Fuller, Chairman Aylesford FC

"I've played with Becks for ten years and

Hamlet in the first round and after going

she's a really, really great player. It's so

1-0 down I managed to get the equaliser

hard getting the ball off her in training

and in the last minute of extra time we

with her skill and strength. I'm pretty

scored to win 2-1.

sure most of my goals have come from Becks giving me the ball! She's a great

What do you love about

captain for the team, she's a leader,

grassroots football?

everyone respects her and always steps

I love the impact grassroots football can

up for the team when we need her. It's

have on players and the local com-

hard to imagine the team without her."

munity. Aylesford is a community club

Bethany Hulme (Player, Aylesford FC)

and while not all the players come from there, we have always had a good group of people that gave everything for the team and worked hard for each other. I work locally as a PE teacher and whether it’s children or teammates I enjoy helping players understand the game, improve their skills and watch players improve. I also enjoy the other

IN HER WORDS:

side of the grassroots game in the social skills gained like confidence, communication, leadership, teamwork, amongst others, and the creation of friendships along the way.

Tell us about when you fell in love with

Tell us about your grassroots career?

playing football?

Any highlights?

association, Medway, which runs teams at

Football has always been a passion of

There are too many to highlight! One

multiple age groups of boys and girls from

mine since a young age. My dad is a

would be winning back-to-back promo-

Under 10 right up to Under 16 and I love

huge football fan and we were always

tions in 2012-13 and 2013-14 to reach the

being a part of providing opportunities for

out in the garden, down the park and

fifth tier of women's football, the division

other players to experience all the joys of

if we weren’t playing football we were

we are currently in now and the highest

grassroots football that I’ve enjoyed.

watching football on TV. I was nervous

we have been in the pyramid. We had

about playing football at a young age

a great team and battled against bigger

What does it mean to be inducted into

as there were very few girls playing at

clubs to get there.

The Grassroots Post Hall of Fame?

the time and I was always worried if

I also run my local school district

We have played a lot of big teams in

It's really nice to be recognised at any

I was good enough to play alongside

our league and had some great games.

point but particularly at this time with

boys and if I would fit in.

In October 2016 we played Fulham away

everything happening at the top of

at their training ground, they had a full

the game with the proposed Europe-

ham and I used to watch him specifi-

squad, several coaches and a physio and

an Super League. Thank you to The

cally; I read his books and watched his

we only had eleven players. We won 3-0

Grassroots Post for everything you do in

DVDs and then went down the park

and I scored a penalty and a free kick.

putting a spotlight on grassroots football

My idol at the time was David Beck-

with my dad to recreate his technique,

In September 2016, we drew Carshal-

especially his set pieces. While down

ton Athletic away in the Women's FA Cup

the park one Saturday, my dad was ap-

and after going behind we came back

proached by a coach of a boys’ team.

to win 3-1, our first ever win in the FA

He said he’s never seen anybody cross

Cup. The same season we beat Herne

a ball like myself at such a young age

Bay away in the semi-final of the Kent

and invited me to a training session

Women's Cup to reach our first ever final

with his team. From the first session I

against Gillingham.

really enjoyed it, the boys accepted me into the team and I never looked back.

Another FA Cup game was the 2019-20 season where we had Dulwich

and hopefully the sport will continue to grow. TGP

EVERY ISS INDUCT SOM UE WE’LL EONE TGP'S HALL O ELSE INTO F FAME. — GOT SOMEO NE Y NOMINATE? OU’D LIKE TO EDITOR@GR PLEASE EMAIL ASSROOTSP OST.UK

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WOMEN’S

Words: Alicia Povey @lishapovs

Illustration: Millie Chesters @milliechesters

MY GREATEST GAME SLOUGH TOWN LADIES V HAWLEY LADIES, 2021

There’s always going to be something special about making a debut with a new club, but perhaps there’s something even more special about making that debut following an extended hiatus due to a global pandemic. With steps 3-6 of the women’s football pyramid curtailed by the FA and my “main” club Wycombe Wanderers Women not beginning training until pre-season due to injuries, I was desperate to get out on the pitch. Enter Slough Town Ladies, another local team playing at step 7 and therefore continuing their competitive league season. Following one training session with the squad, we had our first league match of the interrupted season against Hawley Ladies at home. I was nervous. I always am, but it’s a big deal to step onto the pitch with a new bunch of women and you nev-

er expect it to click straight away. I’d worked hard on my fitness during lockdown, too, and this was the first time I’d really got to put it to the test in a match situation. Would it make a difference? The short answer is yes. And I needn’t have been nervous. I was put out on the right-hand side of a three up top - a position I am well-accustomed to playing with Wycombe - and I was ready to run myself into the ground out there to secure the perfect debut. It didn’t take long for us to break down their defence either; a miscued ball found the feet of centre-forward Abi Canvin, who threaded me through one-on-one, allowing me to slot home in the bottom left. My first goal for the club. I went on to score my second in a similar fashion before I scored my third, winning the ball from a goal kick and lobbing the keeper

(receiving a knee in the thigh and a gigantic bruise courtesy of the on-rushing Number 1 as well). After bagging three in the first half and missing an open goal (whoops!), I added another two to the tally in the second, bringing my total to five for the game. I had been so nervous to even step out on a football pitch. What if I had forgotten how to kick a ball? What if all the fitness work I had done made no difference? What if I was horribly ill-matched with my new teammates? It wasn’t my greatest game because of all the goals - although, of course, that’s a bonus - but to get back out on the pitch with a great bunch of women, find my feet again and feel confidence flood back into my game was the special thing. A debut, five goals and my greatest game. TGP

SEE YOU NEXT MONTH Massive thanks for giving us a read. Issue 4 will be exactly where you found this one from June 30th. Want to stock the paper for free in your grassroots football venue? Or got a grassroots story that needs telling? Email us on editor@grassrootspost.uk.

Issue 03: Editor: Mike Backler

Design: Alex Mertekis

Sub Editor: Lucy Mertekis

Words:

Images:

Illustrations:

Tayyiba Yunus, Andrew Martin,

Stuart Harper, Alex Daniel,

Millie Chesters

Charlotte Dukes, James Hilsum,

Michael Morgan, Gem Atkinson,

Tara Barratt, Alex Waite, Alicia

Gary Strutt, Cameron Macfarlane,

Povey, Mark Holmes

Ryan Murrant, Paul Burgman

Special thanks: Kirsty McManus from Goals, Ian Doughty and Drew Smith from Powerleague, Danny Taiedy and Jonathan Suarez from Footy Addicts, Lucy Darrall from iPro, Chris Evans from Essex FA, Jacob Bellheimer from Middlesex FA, James Chadwick and Marcus Tyrer from Surrey FA, Matthew Fletcher-Jones from Wales and Gem Atkinson.

We work with a number of partners who not only enhance the grassroots game but also support us in our endeavours to give amateur football and the stories within it the coverage they deserve. We’re a free paper, and without them, we would not exist. • Goals Soccer Centres:

goalsfootball.co.uk

• The FA:

thefa.com

• Discount Football Kits:

discountfootballkits.com

• Essex FA:

essexfa.com

• Footy Addicts:

footyaddicts.com

• Middlesex FA:

middlesexfa.com

• Joymo:

joymo.tv

• Surrey FA:

surreyfa.com

• Powerleague:

powerleague.co.uk

• Kent FA:

kentfa.com

• Your Club Subs:

yourclubsubs.com

• Hampshire FA:

hampshirefa.com

• iPRO:

iprohydrate.com

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