The Grassroots Post

REBIRTH IN NEWCASTLE

COMMUNITY IN LIVERPOOL

CUP MAGIC IN EAST LONDON

HEALTH & NUTRITION

NATIONAL EDITION*

JANUARY 2022

FREE!

VOL. 02 ISSUE 01

CHAMPIONING THE

WORLD'S

BEST

* THE BY WAY ...

WE'VE G O NATION NE AL!

AMATEUR FOOTBALL SCENE WOMEN'S

•

MEN'S

•

COLLEGE

•

VETS

•

WALKING

•

DISABILITY

•

SMALL-SIDED

...& FUTSAL!

VOL. 02 ISSUE 01

Image: Gem Atkinson @dropsofdiamond

Contents 04

HELLO

06 STATE OF PLAY with Euros Referee Anthony Taylor 08-23

11 ASIDE

24-27

TECH with Joymo & Spond

28-31

REFEREES

34-47 SMALL-SIDED with Powerleague, Goals & Footy Addicts 48-51

DISABILITY FOOTBALL

52-53 INCLUSIVE & INSPIRATIONAL with FOTMOB 54-55

HEALTH

56-59

COACHING with The Coaches Voice

60-61 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE #6: Paul Nicholls 62

MY GREATEST GAME

3

HELLO 4

Hello and welcome to our very first national edition of The Grassroots Post. If you’ve been picking us up across London and the South East over the past year or so, then nothing changes. We’ll still be championing the very best of grassroots football, shining a light on the innumerable positive, inclusive and inspirational stories from across the greatest amateur football scene in the world, while sharing educational pieces that can make us all better volunteers, coaches, managers, players and supporters. Only now, we’ll be covering more.

If you're new to us, then the above is exactly what we do.

Grassroots football is so much more than muddy pitches and big tackles and swearing at the ref, as it is so often depicted. Its social and economic value stands at a staggering £10.16bn. The women’s, veterans, small-sided, disability and walking games are exploding in numbers, with more people finding a place for themselves, whatever their ethnicity, gender or ability. There truly is something for everyone and we aim to ensure that people understand that. The social, physical

and mental benefits of joining a team are endless. And even if committing to a team isn’t possible for you, there are a wealth of opportunities to get involved in the small-sided game.

Across our first year, we’ve covered stories that involve players from the ages of five to eighty-five. Players who have had to leave the game behind due to a medical diagnosis and found themselves flourishing by taking on media responsibilities for their team. Volunteers who work tirelessly across the week to ensure the grassroots experience is the best it possibly can be for their club or community. Disability football teams that have changed

the lives of their members and families by providing that weekly space for fun, acceptance and enjoyment.

We want to provide a platform for these stories and we’re incredibly excited to be doing this now on a national level.

I hope you enjoy our first national issue, and I hope you take something from it that either inspires you to dust off the boots, get your first pair, or improves your experience or perception of grassroots football in this country. It’s a beautiful, beautiful game. And it’s for everyone.

Mike Backler Editor, The Grassroots Post

HEALTH

Interview: The Grassroots Post @thegrassrootspost

STATE OF PLAY:

PREMIER LEAGUE DEFIBRILLATOR FUND We kick off 2022 by chatting with referee Anthony Taylor who has taken charge of matches at the highest domestic and international levels and remains a passionate supporter of the grassroots game.

As the man in the middle for the Euro 2020 fixture in which Christian Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest, the official witnessed first-hand how rapid-response medical care can be effective in saving lives.

Taylor calls on the community to learn CPR skills and shares his support for the Premier League Defibrillator Fund, which is providing more than 2,000 life-saving devices for grassroots facilities.

TGP: You were referee at the Euros when Christian Eriksen collapsed. What role did the speed of response play that day?

AT: The key thing in that situation was to make sure that Christian received the medical attention he needed.

From my own perspective I was fortunate that I was quite close when it happened and I was able to ask the medical staff to come on to the pitch as quickly as possible.

A combination of quick thinking

by Denmark captain Simon Kjær to recognise the seriousness of the sit-

uation and start CPR - and the quick actions of the medical staff who used a defibrillator and were able to resuscitate Christian - undoubtedly saved his life. They were the real heroes on that particular evening.

The earlier somebody who has a cardiac arrest gets that necessary treatment significantly increases the chances of making a full recovery.

Every minute without CPR or defibrillation reduces the chances of survival by up to ten per cent.

What can be learned from that situation?

Sadly, a sudden cardiac arrest is not something that can be predicted.

It can happen to seemingly fit and healthy people at any time. But there are actions we can take to reduce the risk in that situation.

Simon Kjær’s ability to perform CPR played a role in saving his teammate’s life.

So, it’s quite a simple message.

Learn to do CPR. The technique is simple and it can be so effective. If as many people as possible equip

themselves with these skills, you can make the football environment safer for yourselves and others.

What is the goal of the Premier League Defibrillator Fund and who is it for?

The Premier League Defibrillator Fund is about giving grassroots clubs and facilities currently without access to a defibrillator, the chance to have one onsite.

Particularly for the lower levels where the medical support is not directly there at the game like it would be in the professional game, it is vitally important that as many venues as possible across the country have the opportunity to have one of the machines fitted.

More than 2,000 devices are available to affiliated grassroots clubs that own or operate their own facilities.

If they do have to be used, the machines are straightforward to operate. Automated external defibrillators, or AEDs, give the user verbal instructions and will detect if a shock is necessary before it is delivered.

7 ble. The games aren’t about the refs.

We have to use the framework of the law to make a decision, do that to the best of our ability and communicate with those on the field.

It’s important we educate people why we take decisions and the process we go through.

Improvement is an ongoing process. Inevitably you make many mistakes on the way. That doesn’t necessarily make you a bad referee. Like a player may miss a penalty kick, it doesn’t mean the manager drops them for the next five games.

You strive to learn from mistakes, be at the top of your game and the challenge is to keep that standard and enjoy yourself.

I’d encourage anyone contemplating shouting from the sideline to keep quiet and first be prepared to give refereeing a go themselves.

How to apply for Premier League defibrillator funding: Grassroots clubs affiliated with the FA that own or operate their own facilities can apply for funding at: www.premierleaguedefibs.org.

Clubs playing at Steps 5 and 6 of

In my hometown of Altrincham, non-league side Altrincham FC have benefited from having a device and cabinet installed by the Premier League this season. Not only is this available for players and fans, but also for local people using the community sports hall at the football ground which hosts everything from local primary school PE sessions to Walking Football and yoga for senior citizens.

It’s estimated that the 2,000 devices the Premier League are funding could potentially benefit 1.5 million people.

the National League System and clubs playing at Tiers 3 and 4 of the Women's Pyramid may also apply.

All devices will be registered to www.thecircuit.uk, the BHF national defibrillator network.

Where to learn CPR: A free Sudden Cardiac Arrest eLearning module, which includes CPR technique, is available at: www.thefa.com.

What did you learn from refereeing in grassroots football?

Like all journeys in football, mine started with grassroots. I refereed in local leagues, through the Cheshire League, through the Northern Premier League and into what’s now the National League.

It’s probably more difficult than top level matches sometimes because the ref is very much on their own.

It is about being honest and hum-

Would you advise young people to get into refereeing?

I like to get involved in training and developing refs in my local area. I’m involved in two leagues in terms of helping support and train the referees.

A lot of grassroots referees will be under the age of eighteen so we have a heavy focus on mentoring them through games. It’s not just about being a good ref; we try to think about developing them as individuals, too.

Refereeing can be very useful for teenagers to develop people skills that can even help outside of football, like decision-making, confidence and communication skills.

Even if you don’t continue to be a referee there are a lot of careers you can look at, be it a teacher, a police officer or any role where you’re working with people where that becomes beneficial.

But most of all, grassroots referees do an amazing job and help lots and lots of kids and adults enjoy football every single weekend. Play on! TGP

ORANJE MEN’S

Words: Alexander Lagoyiannis @lagoyiannis

Images: Ricky Narito & Jack Finnigan @rickynarito / @fack.jinnigan

CRUSH

Location: Liverpool

Sefton Park Rangers is a new wave community football club based in South Liverpool. Their mission: to promote positive wellbeing, inclusivity, and champion their local community, all while playing beautiful football.

Two lads sat together having a drink. They hadn’t known each other long. But now, after what had been their third unbeaten week at seven-a-side, they both had an idea: “Why don’t we make a football team?” By the end of the night, that question became easy to answer.

In the months that followed, it became apparent that the idea wasn’t just about football. No. Because what was really at the heart of it all was the positive impact that the game can have in all aspects of the community; not just within the white lines, but way beyond them too. And this is how Sefton Park Rangers was formed.

Fast forward two years – through one pandemic, two community cup tournaments, three lockdowns and over £10,000 raised for local initiatives – we now have two teams competing in the Liverpool Old Boys Amateur Football League, with over fifty members who promote our club ethoses of

"The sense of togetherness I felt from strangers in Liverpool is something I’ve always wanted to reciprocate. SPR allows me to give back in a very small way to a city that gave so much to me" positive wellbeing, inclusivity and mindfulness through the game that we love.

Between the lines, the club takes inspiration from the godfather of the game, Johan Cruyff. This affiliation with the beautiful game continues in the club’s communications, drawing influence from iconic Dutch typography designer Wim Crouwel. Bold and measured, on the pitch and off it. And orange, everywhere!

“A FOOTBALL CLUB IS AT ITS BEST WHEN IT REPRESENTS ITS LOCAL COMMUNITY” - Jake, co-founder In Liverpool, football is at the centre of everything. You see it in the yards, on the streets and in the pubs. SPR has created a community club that upholds the city's traditions on the pitch whilst also striving to set new standards off it. Just as any result on a field is a combina-

9 tion of creativity, commitment and togetherness, SPR instils the same values in its members to build a community club that encapsulates inclusivity and creative identity at its core. Moments in the supermarket where a complete stranger will let on to a player for the work they do locally is testament to how much each member has bought into what SPR is about and where it is going.

The club is run by dedicated supporters who volunteer their time.

Each member is a specialist in their field, coming together for the same purpose. Club Secretary and SPR 2’s coach, Liam Kelly, says: “It’s hard to overestimate how I feel about the club. As much as I love football, being able to help social causes, ones which are close to my heart and especially ones which are also close to the L8 area that I grew up in take my connection with the club to a different level.”

During lockdown the club virtually ran the equivalent distance of Liverpool to Amsterdam in homage to Johan. But more importantly, the run was organised to raise funds for The Florrie, a community organisation in Toxteth which, amongst many other initiatives, provides a crucial lifeline for thousands of people in some of the city’s most deprived areas who are struggling to provide food for their families.

race, religion or profession — which is something that goes far beyond the pitch every Saturday.

According to Alex, co-founder of SPR: “The sense of togetherness and encouragement I felt from strangers the moment I moved to Liverpool is something I’ve always wanted to reciprocate. SPR allows me to give back in a very small way to a city that gave so much to me.”

THE FUTURE From 2020, Tiber Football Centre became the home of SPR. Located on Lodge Lane, Tiber Football Centre was made possible by the ideas harnessed at The Greenhouse Project – a centre that exists to build a culture through which children’s and young people’s creativity are recognised and developed, and then fed back into community initiatives to give back to the local area and its people. The Tiber Football Centre is a direct result of this.

SPR now has exciting plans to expand into a competitive women's team as well as a further men’s community squad. Moving forwards from there and drawing on the resilience and commitment of other local initiatives, SPR wants to work with youth in the area, providing greater opportunities locally and helping members to develop their coaching skills. All sessions will exist to make football available to youth, no matter FAIL WE MAY, SAIL WE MUST their gender, level or ability.

Wellbeing is a central focus of SPR. Sefton Park Rangers started as a Football is a great outlet to improve football team. Now it’s a grassroots physical and, more importantly, movement. TGP mental health. Having recently worked closely with The Mind Map and Open Door, each member is offered, and encouraged to seek, support for their mental wellbeing. We believe that the biggest glory of the game is the unity that it provides, the friendships that are formed and the support that it offers – no matter what your age,

WOMEN'S

Words: Sophia Axelsson @Fii–a–

Images: Garry Strutt & Nick Davidson @joebelle & @outside–left

THE HISTORY MAKERS R O F S N TO UP! THE C

As backup goalkeeper and general secretary of the Clapton Community FC Women’s Teams, Sophia Axelsson was at the heart of an historic FA Cup run. A story that showcased the spirit and perseverance of a remarkable football club, both on and off the pitch.

11

Location: East London

The tension was high in those fifteen minutes of half-time at Hanworth Villa. It was 0-0 against Hounslow, our opponents from four divisions above, and we had matched them in every position thus far. But we were struggling to overcome our nerves.

Coach Claudio Gomes asked why that was. "Of course we're nervous," one player said. "We've never faced opposition this high up before."

Gomes then asked us to look around the room. "Does Hounslow have anyone as fast as Maria Mendonca? Does Hounslow have a goalkeeper as good as Polly Adams?

Does Hounslow have a striker as lethal as Emily Link?" The answer was no, and the same could be said of the player occupying every position we have. "We have everything to win. They have everything to lose. Let's enjoy our football and go out there and continue to show everyone who we are."

Neither side managed to break the deadlock, and the tie would be settled by another penalty shootout for the second game in a row.

Whilst the outfield players were debating who would take a penalty, goalkeeper Polly Adams sat on the floor with her phone, watching a video of Hounslow's last penalty shootout, trying to memorise which side each player would pick.

A strategy which would prove to be crucial in just a few moments.

Marta Boiro scored our first, then Polly Adams saved Hounslow's first effort. Kiki Marino's penalty was saved as Hounslow buried their second attempt. All square.

Emily Link powered her shot through the Hounslow keeper's hands, and again, Polly Adams made an outstanding save, making the score 2-1 to us. Centre-back Annie Lyons stepped up to the penalty spot, took a few strides back, took aim … and slipped. It didn't matter.

Her shot was unstoppable. All the

"The team, the coaches and every single one of the 450 travelling Tons stormed the pitch.

We had made history"

pressure was now on Hounslow's fourth penalty taker.

As Hounslow’s fourth penalty sailed over the bar, there was a tiny moment of complete silence before we realised - it was done. The team, the coaches and every single one of the 450 travelling Tons stormed the pitch. We had made history. We were the first Tier 7 team to ever reach the third round proper of the FA Cup. We were the first team ever to beat a team four tiers higher up.

12

*** Our FA Cup journey started in the second round qualifying stage, away to Tier 5 Haringey Borough.

A hat-trick from Emily Link, a brace from Marta Boiro and header from Annie Lyons secured a 6-3 win for Clapton that day, ensuring the short trip across North London was a happy one. Next up was a trip to Tier 6 Biggleswade United. More goals from Emily Link and Marta Boiro secured a 2-0 victory to put us through to the first round proper.

A clash in fixtures at our home ground meant we had to switch to an away day in Bedford. The team, alongside 400 supporting Tons, made the 120-mile round trip to watch a thrilling game. Tier 5 Bedford sat second in their league at the time of the game, and their confidence was high.

At four minutes in, Marta Boiro was first to reach an Emily Link cross to put us 1-0 up. But then, on the stroke of half-time, Bedford's tricky number 7 equalised and made the error of celebrating by knee-sliding and cupping her ears in front of the travelling supporters. Those fans sang even louder as the teams headed to the changing rooms for the half-time break.

There were no more goals in the second half, and no goals in extra time. Penalty shootout it was. It came to the last penalty. Captain Alice Nutman stepped up and buried the ball into the bottom left corner.

4-3 to Clapton. The pitch was flooded with emotions and dancing teammates. The celebrations didn't stop there, and the poor bus driver had to sit through an hour and a half of Clapton songs and chants on the way back to London. But who could blame us? We were in the second round proper of the FA Cup!

*** Up until the fourth round when the WSL teams enter the competition, games are still regionalised. And also up until the fourth round, the FA will not help teams with any expenses. Gate receipts are not shared between the teams in the Women's FA Cup until the final.

So, before the third round, we had visited Haringey in North London, Biggleswade and Bedford in Bedfordshire, and Hounslow in West London. With the exception of the coach trip to Bedford, we had paid our own way to all games.

For the third round, we could have drawn any team in the South Zone. AFC Wimbledon, Ipswich, Crystal Palace, Watford, and many other teams nearer to London.

At 2pm on Monday 29 November, we received the news that we'd been drawn away to Tier 3 side Plymouth Argyle, which meant a 500-mile round trip.

A group of hardworking CCFC volunteers started conferring

straight away. How were we going to get the team down there, and how were we going to get as many of our supporters down as possible?

After researching hotel costs and the best way to travel, we realised it would take roughly £3,000 to get just the playing squad and managers down to Saltash, where the game was to be played. All our wins up until this point had generated a prize sum of £2,900.

One volunteer spoke to the train company to see if we could get discounted tickets. He shared all the press our historic cup run had generated, which highlighted the disparity in prize money between the men's and women's competitions. Had we been men, we would have already won almost £66,000.

With that money we could have funded the round trip for the team and supporters, as well as covered the shortage the club is facing building changing rooms at the Old Spotted Dog Ground.

"How were we going to get the team down there, and how were we going to get as many of our supporters down as possible?"

*** Once we realised we had no way of getting cheaper travel, we had only two options left. Bankrolling the trip ourselves (not an option for many players) or starting a fundraiser (terrible timing due to the changing room crowdfunder).

We decided on the crowdfunder.

It went live on 1 December at 2pm.

Just thirty-six hours later we had reached our target and not only managed to get the whole team to Plymouth, but we also managed to raise money to help pay for a supporter coach.

We were overwhelmed by the reach our story and journey had.

We spoke to the BBC, The Guardian, The Independent, Spanish media and so on. It was both a fairytale and a story which highlighted the continued inequality in football.

Not long into the second half against Plymouth, I think many of us realised this might be the end of the road. Plymouth is the toughest opposition we've ever faced. We had lost vital players Mim Chadwick, Emily Link and Lucy Spours to Covid-19 before the game, but every single player gave their all for every single one of the ninety minutes we played.

After the 5-0 defeat, we continued to sing and celebrate. For the whole adventure, the history we made. The travelling supporters continued to sing until the train reached London Paddington.

This FA Cup journey has been a beautiful reminder that another football is possible. A fan-owned, fan-run football. Where a grassroots club can defy the odds and not only make their own dreams come true, but also extend that dream to almost 1,500 travelling supporters, volunteers and club owners.

We can't wait to do it all again next year. TGP

ADMINISTRATION

Words: Mike Backler @backlermike

SHOULD THE GRASSR One of the historic issues of grassroots football has been the deluge of postponements over the winter months and the effect that winter has on pitches. Though a break in the winter could see improvements in this area, that also means we lose the physical and mental benefits at a time when we may need them the most. There are also the issues of a conflict with the cricket season, the scale of the undertaking in moving the season to align with the semi-professional game and the clash with the summer holidays.

We asked some of our local clubs, leagues and The FA: SHOULD THE GRASSROOTS CALENDAR BE MOVED? And if not, what are the solutions?

THE FA: We are always considering options to improve the football experience – however, changing the season is a complex topic and there is a need to consider conflicts with other sports, in addition to alignment with school holidays, facility availability and alignment with the professional game. The more immediate challenge for us to address is investment in facilities where we know there is more work to be done. That’s why we’ve identified facilities and enhanced access to good-quality pitches across grassroots football, specifically in our four-year grassroots strategy, and have set ourselves an ambitious target as we know that 2/3 are below the expected standard.

By 2024 we want to see 5,000 good-quality pitches added to the current number. With the Football Foundation, we will prioritise the areas and communities where these new pitches are most needed. We want to make the playing experience enjoyable for everyone that plays the game and improving the playing surfaces is fundamental to that aspiration.

LEAGUE:

Graham Rodber, Chairman of the Southern Sunday Football League Our league is in a good place to comment on this as we started our season on Sunday 15th August 2021 and were the first and only league in London to do so.

From previous experience, we know that our council pitches are badly hit in December and January with bad weather so therefore it made sense to play games whilst the pitches were playable and the sun was shining. Historically, we know that our pitch capacity goes down by around 70% after Easter Sunday and with the Covid-19 situation uncertain, we strongly encouraged clubs to prioritise league games over friendly matches and get the season started.

The decision looks to be a sensible one; many clubs have already played over 50% of their league programme and the cups are making reasonable progress too. A good number of teams have been able to play county cup fixtures and make good progress in these cups without causing too much disruption to league and league cup games.

I would like to see pitches opened at grounds in August where other sports such as cricket do not take place. In addition, I would like to see the FA show some flexibility and allow the season to carry on until the end of June where necessary to accommodate end-of-season games such as cup semi-finals and finals.

15

ROOTS CALENDAR BE LEAGUE:

Gavin Hoare, Chairman, and Brian Smith, Fixtures Secretary of the Kent County Football League In the 19/20 season, prior to the pandemic, we had a significant amount of games postponed. In relation to last season, we never actually got to the winter. So far this season we are doing well, with only really one weekend (last weekend) significantly impacted due to the weather.

Managing the winter months has been a challenge, in part, when the weather has been extreme. However, we must also look at the size of divisions and the amount of cup games played or to be played.

Clubs who are successful in cup competitions generally struggle more with fixture congestion. We have to monitor the size of divisions and plan for the maximum number of Saturdays available.

With the cricket season, grounds would not be available, and also refs and players play cricket as well.

The league management team also need a break at times. In addition, many groundspersons want the summer period to do planned work on their grounds. Most clubs at the current time do not want to play much beyond mid-May. As a feeder league to a high level, there would be some very big challenges here with finishing the season later as currently we have to finish on a date set by the FA to ensure promotion and relegation can be handled. The Premier and Division One fixtures have to be completed on these dates set whereas Divisions Two and Three can run

on until June 1st. Also at present all players not under any contract are free agents from June 1st.

The move to a summer competition has been spoken about many times but it has as many problems there as it would in its current form.

It's more about managing size and ensuring that there are enough weeks available for the size of the competition. In truth, clubs do not seem to want a long winter break and if they did, when would you have it? If you do it over Christmas and the weather is bad in February then you have gained nothing. It's down to the leagues to manage their fixture schedules in a workable scenario.

MOVED?

16

CLUB:

Aylesford FC The biggest challenge for us as a club with regards to fixtures is the number of teams that we have sharing pitches, and limited opportunities for expansion in current facilities or use of other facilities. This is an issue throughout the season and is not limited to the winter months. However, this issue is more prominent in the winter months as the inclement weather coupled with back-to-back games on the same pitch means pitch condition can deteriorate very quickly, and sometimes leave them unplayable for some time after.

Last weekend, 15th/16th January 2022, was a prime example. There had been a lot of rain, and we had six 11v11 fixtures to try and schedule across only three 11v11 pitches.

One of those pitches was already out of use due to it being played on the week before in heavy rain, and therefore left only two pitches for six fixtures, which unfortunately but inevitably lead to a couple of fixtures needing to be postponed.

The scheduling of fixtures from a club perspective is not too much of a strain, as overall the leagues are very good in obtaining pitch sharing information from the clubs prior to the start of the season, and schedule fixtures accordingly. Very rarely do we have more than one team from an age group scheduled a home fixture on the same day which is very much appreciated and really helps with us scheduling the fixtures on the

pitches that we hire. Our teams do, however, request the use of pitches for friendlies if they do not have a scheduled league/cup fixture, and these are becoming more difficult to manage as we want to be able to provide opportunities for as much football as we can.

However, with limited pitch space available and increased use, the pitches struggle to cope with the usage. Over the past couple of seasons, with help from grants from the Football Foundation's pitch improvement funds which we are extremely grateful for, we have been able to significantly improve our pitches with regular draining maintenance and better-quality materials like sports sand. This has significantly helped the pitches, and in the summer months the pitches can handle back-to-back games no problem at all.

In our view, there are currently too many obstacles that, if not considered, could significantly decrease participation numbers within grassroots football. For example, for those who participate in a summer sport, for example cricket, this could force those participants to choose between sports.

Some facilities that grassroots clubs use, for example schools, are closed for a period of time in the summer and therefore those clubs would not have a venue to use during that time. A winter break would most likely be beneficial for pitch conditions to have a number of weeks

without any fixtures being played and the opportunity to carry out any pitch repairs, but the weather is the key factor. A four-week winter break could be scheduled for all of December, for example, and the weather for all those four weeks could be dry.

There could then be heavy rain for two weeks in the middle of January when fixtures resume, resulting in postponements, so this results in fixture congestion anyway.

Perhaps a longer time frame for the season to be completed in, i.e. for the season to start three weeks prior and three weeks after the current start and end dates may be more beneficial. This then gives the leagues more leeway to schedule fixtures which could mean teams not playing every week two or three times during the season, which would then allow time for pitch maintenance, etc.

"We want to be able to provide opportunities for as much football as we can."

LEAGUE:

Jon Eager of the Barnet Sunday Football League: In previous years, postponements have been a massive problem but if you’ve got a good fixtures secretary, chances are it’s going to run smoothly. The knock-on effect of county cup postponements is an issue; normally you’d be able to get some league games on but if it’s a county cup week and that gets called off because of the weather, you can’t play a league fixture, and if this is ongoing you could lose two-to-three weeks of football.

We’ve tried to look at the historic issues and be a lot more organised in keeping on top of the fixtures and having the cups on one day. If the home team's pitch is unavailable, it switches. If the away team’s pitch isn’t available then the home team has to book a pitch. Simple as that. Whereas in years gone by, the fixture has moved to a league week causing a congestion as every other team is in league action but you that week. It’s just about being savvy and being organised. One thing that’s benefitted us is the quality of our council pitches, which a lot of

leagues and areas don’t have.

I would definitely be an advocate for starting the league in August.

Again, we’re fortunate with the councils. They will leave our pitches up until May or June for us, so we have the option to move games from home pitches to there to get them completed. We’ve got quite a flexible group in our league. I don’t necessarily think we need a winter break, we just need to get games on.

Teams need to want to play football and be flexible. I also think a lot of teams have cancelled because of Covid with forty players signed on.

We’ve been quite harsh. You need to prove that thirty players can’t play or it’s forfeited. It gives teams an excuse to get their best sides out. Let’s not forget also that these pitches had a good year throughout the pandemic of not being played on. The pitches have had plenty of time to recover.

We have a few teams that play on private pitches so due to the cricket season would suffer from the season finishing later, but they would

just have to finish on council or league pitches. We would all love to play on our own or a great surface week in, week out. I just think people need to be flexible. I think a lot of teams try and get out of playing matches because of injuries etc. We had so long without football, I think people just need to get a game on, whether it’s perfect or not. You still get to play 80% of your games on your own pitch but you get to get your games on.

Solutions to the problem for me are afternoon kick-offs, playing midweek fixtures, teams working with the league to get games on, and not just having the mentality of we are playing Sunday morning at home or nothing. Be flexible and want to play. Leagues potentially bulk-booking 3G pitches to allocate them. Semi-finals and Cup Finals to play midweek. Get games on in Easter and in between Christmas and New Year. Any opportunity to play, just get it on and make it happen!

SUMMARY: Across the board, it appears that none of those we spoke to are in favour of a winter break, but as with most things the answer lies in flexibility and collaboration. Between councils, The FA and the County FAs and the leagues, but in terms of flexibility it also lies considerably with the teams and the players themselves. We all want to play football. And if this means it has to take place on a different pitch than what we’re used to, or without a full squad, or at a slightly different time, we all need to ensure fixtures get played.

MOTIVATION

League: ALL OF THEM, EVERYWHERE...

Words: Andrew Martin @ajmartin90

CRAP M CHANGING RO TOP 5

We’ve all seen them. Those posters that are supposed to psyche you up for a match.

The ‘Live, Laugh, Love’ posters of the football world.

The sort of thing Sean Dyche apparently has plastered all over the walls at Turfmoor. The sort of thing that belongs in American college locker rooms but us grassroots playing Brits should be impervious to. The sort of thing that makes you want to expunge your eyeballs from their sockets.

Andrew Martin has picked the motivational changing room poster quotes that raise his blood pressure most. If you’re reading in public, be warned: you will cringe.

PUSH YOURSELF BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE IS GOING TO DO IT FOR YOU! When I was eighteen, I played six-a-side against a team who all had nice electronic anklets. One of them had madness in his eyes, and a completely shaved head. I ran down the right wing, dropped a shoulder, swept past him. I then hit the wall horizontally, like a pigeon flying into a window. When I opened my eyes, I was on the deck, somehow bleeding from the top of my wrist, subs bench claiming I deserved an Oscar. To summarise: people will push you.

ONLY DEAD FISH GO WITH THE FLOW Literally not true. Doesn’t work for fish, doesn’t work for football, doesn’t work as a metaphor. Scrunch this one up and use it as a shinpad.

19

MOTIVATIONAL OOM POSTERS IF YOU SHOOT FOR THE MOON!

EVEN IF YOU MISS, YOU’LL LAND AMONG THE STARS! I really hate this one. Firstly, this only works if you put the moon in the goal. Secondly, the moon is 384,400km from Earth. The next nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is 147,17million kilometres away, and after that you’re into trillions of kilometres. Unless you’re on a very exclusive list of people*, you’re not going to end up in the stars. You would die in space. *Adriano, John Arne Riise, Roberto Carlos, Laurent Robert.

CAN DREAM IT, YOU CAN DO IT!

And while I’m on Laurent Robert, I once dreamt I could do that half-scorpion/half-bicycle kick he did. Tried it down the Power League, woke up to a nurse called Greg telling me not to sit up too quickly. I dreamt it, I couldn’t do it.

THE HARDER YOU WORK , THE LUCKIER YOU GET! Tell that to Scott, the avid Strava runner who runs up and down the left wing every week and tries really hard but has a 0% pass completion rate for the season.

MEN'S

Location: Newcastle

A STAR IS

Words: Dan Tracey @dantracey1983

Images: Josie Lamb @josielambphoto

21

REBORN Newcastle Blue Star FC might be in the eleventh tier, but their sights are set firmly on Wembley and beyond.

Dan Tracey transports us to NE15 and proves that Newcastle is way more than just a one-club city.

While the takeover of Newcastle United may have generated plenty of sporting headlines in recent times, there is more to footballing life on Tyneside than just the Magpies.

This is demonstrated by an incredibly healthy non-league scene - one that sees some of the region’s best make a near-annual trip to Wembley as finalists in the FA Vase. And with the likes of Hebburn Town, both North and South Shields and Morpeth Town winning the trophy in the past decade, it is fair to say that this part of the country is a non-league hotbed that encompasses every step of English football’s non-league pyramid.

And although Step 7 is not eligible for entry into the FA Vase, it is still a level that has the ability to create fascinating stories; none more so than the story going on within the West End of Newcastle right now. With an eleventh-tier club being able to welcome more

than 1,000 paying supporters on matchdays, something special is happening at this level.

The club in question can be found in the NE15 postcode, an area of the city which has played host to Newcastle Blue Star FC since its revival in 2018. The original iteration of the club won the FA Vase back in 1978, but hard times followed in the new millennium and operations ceased in 2009, bringing seventy-nine years of activity to a swift end.

However, through the vision of a local businessman, a star has been reborn and with owner Steve Best breathing new life into Newcastle Blue Star FC, it is not just a Wembley return which is currently on his agenda. When you look at the list of North East clubs that have tasted success at the home of English football and then moved further up the pyramid, that is exactly what the team at Blue Star are aiming to achieve.

With the club currently operating in the Northern Football Alliance,

the seventh tier of non-league football in England, the only way is up.

And with the work that is being carried out, both on and off the pitch, upward mobility does not seem all that far away.

Take, for example, Blue Star’s Scotswood ground, which would

not look out of place further up the pyramid. It’s a world apart when compared to some of the more rudimentary locations that you find within the division. This is a ground that has seen a countless number of volunteer hours poured into its construction and with every home game that takes place, there is always some new structure or stand which seemingly appears from nowhere.

It’s clear that Blue Star do not want to just make up the numbers in the Northern Football Alliance and if progress up the league ladder is to take place, then the ground will need to match the talents on the pitch - talents that are aiming for promotion at the end of this season.

With Covid-19 halting their ambitions over the past couple of years, it has only added extra impetus to their latest attempt at progress.

Whether such attempts are converted into glory remains to be seen, and although there would be massive disappointment if it did not happen this time around, the mood at Blue Star will not be one of panic, either. Steve Best is very much of the mindset that promotion will happen and when it happens it will come at exactly the right time for the club. First and foremost, he says, this project is not about who can spend the most money at this level - it is all about sustainability: “Washing its own face is what I have said from Day One. We were perhaps guilty of getting carried away at the very beginning, but we learned very quickly that money does not buy you success. I think you have to have the right players and the right characters.

“Not only that, but we need to have diverse ways to generate funds, be it hospitality, functions or club shops. I may be new to owning a football club, but I run a steel business Monday to Friday away from Blue Star, so I know what is needed from a business point of view.”

Steve continues: “If I left here to-

"With an eleventh-tier club able to welcome more than 1,000 paying supporters on matchdays, something special is happening."

morrow, this club would still stand the test of time due to the revenue streams in place. When I do eventually step aside, all the time I have spent here and short-changed my family will be worth it, because there will be history and we are creating something for the future.”

This is an approach which is backed up by the pathway of talent that is currently being cultivated, and with teams competing from the Under 9s junior leagues all the way through to the first team itself, the pipeline is already in place for future years.

Of course, laying down a pipeline of talent is one of the more fundamental aspects of running any football club and Blue Star will not be the only outfit at this level that will look to put such building blocks in place. So from that standpoint

alone, there is nothing to really set them apart from everyone else. But if that is the case, why are so many people deciding to walk through the turnstiles on any given weekend?

Thanks are due in large part to the owner and the committee members who have managed to tap into an enormous amount of local pride.

Pride that comes with rebuilding a club from the bottom up and aiming to go as high as they possibly can.

Not forgetting, too, that people in this area of the country simply love their football and although the city of Newcastle is viewed from the outside primarily as a one-club city, that notion is simply not the case.

Steve Best acknowledged this when I spoke to him a few months ago on the club’s own podcast. When referencing the catchment area for support, he observed: “The west side of the city, there is a big hotbed of football there. In the past, I’ve watched kids and adults who have to go further afield to play and with Blue Star we have thankfully managed to tick all the boxes in terms of junior and senior competition.

“It has been a sleeping giant for me. I was surprised that nobody in the past has looked to tie it all together in terms of a link from junior to senior football. Usually, you see players go elsewhere at sixteen because their development path comes to an end. Thankfully at Blue Star that will not be the case.”

From a personal point of view, I cannot stress how much of a community club Blue Star is. A community that has made me feel a part of not just Blue Star but also the local area since I moved here from London back in 2020. It is this community spirit that welcomes everyone through the gates, and as the club’s motto is “Feel Like You Belong”, that is exactly what I and countless other hundreds of people feel every week.

These are people who have not just taken an interest in what happens in NE15 because of previous anti-Mike Ashley sentiment up the road, but

"The club’s motto is ‘Feel Like You Belong’, and that is exactly what I and countless other hundreds of people feel every week."

because it is something that they can truly be a part of. Here you are a supporter and not a customer.

It is the pint while standing around the perimeter of the pitch; it is catching up with people you know and making new friends with strangers.

Sometimes one of the difficult things is managing to watch the game in front of you, because you are always talking to somebody else.

It is simply that kind of club, a club that may have given refuge

to bewildered fans in the past but which now stands alone. A nonleague juggernaut which is gaining incredible momentum and is not planning on stopping anytime soon.

Blue Star is everything a football club should be. Inclusive, progressive, community focused, ambitious, hardworking, but most importantly - and this is what some clubs have been guilty of overlooking - fun.

If ambition won promotion up the football pyramid, this outfit

would already be knocking on the doors of the Vanarama National.

However, ambition alone does not win you league titles or promotions.

Thankfully, it is not just ambition which is in place at Blue Star. With everyone at the club playing a fundamental role in its day-to-day operations, progress up the ladder is not a case of if it happens, it is going to be a case of when. TGP

TECH

Website: www.joymo.tv www.filmmymatch.com

Location: Luton

Sporting Carpathians Win A Matchday Filming Experience from Joymo & Filmmymatch

tool for their continued development.

In 2021, we ran a competition on

have visited the hairdressers ahead of

social media for a grassroots club

the match. The decision on making me

to win a matchday filming experi-

commentator was taken by the manager.

sional. It gives you a tiny insight into

ence, with Sporting Carpathians

He wanted someone who could keep up

what professional players experience.

from Leagrave in Luton being one

with the game, know the players’ names

From being able to replay and scruti-

of our two winners. With Joymo, the

and wouldn't be missed on the sideline!

nise your performance to feeling like

livestreaming video platform for every

“With FilmMyMatch on the ground,

all eyes are on you. The match stats,

“The whole thing was very profes-

level of the sporting pyramid, and

doing what they do best, the game was

graphics, basically the whole package

FilmMyMatch, the professional filming,

livestreamed by Joymo and we were

is awesome. For an amateur team, we

editing and analysis experts, joining

incredibly excited to run live grassroots

absolutely loved it ... just not the result!

forces in a long-term partnership, they

football on our website for the very first

were perfectly placed to deliver this

time. And the on-field entertainment

and abroad. There was a clear uptick

fantastic prize.

didn’t disappoint with Sporting Car-

in our social media engagement. It

pathians bagging five goals. Sadly, their

was surreal getting real-time encour-

opposition Wootton Cross scored six!

agement from family and friends who

Days like this are fantastic for grassroots clubs that rarely have the opportunity or resource to watch themselves in

“General feedback was really positive.

“We had people tuning in locally

weren't at the game. (Including unsolicited coaching advice!)

action, or share their efforts with friends

It was tarred a bit by the result being a

and family, without them braving the cold

negative one, albeit a close one. What

of the touchline. Michael Cardoso, Team

was interesting was how many players

Post, Joymo and FilmMyMatch for

Manager and designated matchday com-

(including those who weren't in the

organising this. We'll be keeping an eye

mentator, spoke to us about the day.

squad on matchday) watched the game

out for future competitions!” TGP

“The players were looking forward

“Thanks so much to The Grassroots

back and shared their analysis of their

to the game and the experience. It

performance as well as the team’s per-

To find out more about broadcasting

had been postponed a few times due

formance with management. It was great

your matches visit Joymo.tv and for film-

to restrictions, so there was a lot of

seeing the players embrace it, not just as

ing services go to FilmMyMatch.com.

excitement. One or two players may

a fun matchday experience, but also as a

25

TECH

Words: Steve Pigott @balhamfc

Images: Matthew Hull & Peter Clarkson @matthewhullphotography / @–peterclarkson

Balham FC Use GameChanging App Spond

Balham FC are one of the most progressive clubs in London, so it’s no surprise that they use the brilliant management and communications app to run their twenty teams across all ages.

As the song goes, “the best things

Boys’, Girls’ and Vets Football making

be a WhatsApp replacement, but its

in life are free”, and that is very

up around twenty squads from Under

focus is on organising sports clubs.

true. Think about it: love, happiness,

7s up to adults. Many of our coaches

Whether it’s a match squad, training

fresh air ... and a time-saving app for

had been using WhatsApp to organise

venue location or game cancellation

organising the matchday availabili-

everything from training sessions to

due to a waterlogged pitch, it takes

ty of a grassroots football club you

match details. Now, don’t get me wrong,

just a couple of clicks from the team

volunteer for.

there is a place for WhatsApp - it is a

admin and the message is out.

Spond is that app, and it is free and

fantastic messaging tool and pretty

Jaden, our head of foundation, was

it is game changing. At Balham FC

much everyone is on it. However, we all

bombarded with repeated messages

we started using Spond in earnest in

experience group conversations that are

from parents asking, where is the

2020, and what we didn’t appreciate

relentless and getting player availability

game again? What time are we meet-

was quite how much time it would

for a game is possible, but you have to

ing? Frank can’t play anymore, what

save for our coaches and team admins

trawl through the memes, dodgy photos,

time does training finish? All of this

across the club.

conversations about a local missing cat

was almost stopped pretty much over-

or the Wordle achievement of the group.

night when he registered the teams he

Let’s rewind a bit. Balham is a volunteer-led club with Men’s, Women’s,

Spond is different - it isn’t trying to

looks after with Spond.

Location:

Website:

South West London

spond.com

" Put simply, without Spond we could not run a club of this size with the number of volunteers we have."

fees or membership and they take a

you are balancing football and family

not run a club of this size with the

small % in transaction fee for process-

and work,” says Ebrahim.

number of volunteers we have,” Jaden

ing the payment, that’s all, which for the

explains. “It’s not just a question of the

convenience and efficiency it brings is

their new London office are amazing.

time it saves us, which must be several

incredibly worthwhile.

Their enthusiasm for the product is

“Put simply, without Spond we could

The team at Spond HQ (Oslo) and at

infectious (probably shouldn’t say in-

hours per week for each administrative role, it’s also the built-in features that

Why am I registering for another app?

fectious in this day and age, still) - they

do many basic tasks for you.”

The onboarding process is really easy:

listen to feedback and develop the

just send a group link code. You can

platform/app to meet the users’ needs.

What’s the catch?

also ask club-specific questions on

They have a genuine passion for mak-

Well, to be honest we haven’t found

sign up if you want to.

ing the very best product to enhance the club admin’s experience. They

one yet. Especially if you fully Our first team play at semi-pro

have added in user polls, repeat event

level (Combined Counties Football

scheduling, event reminders. They are

League Premier South) and coach

adding in fundraising, match reporting

What about the extras you get for

Ebrahim Seedat has found the ability

and direct debit payments soon.

top-tier membership?

to communicate and select the squad

Those who volunteer at grassroots

There are no tiers, it is all free for

or decide what to focus on at training

level know how much effort is involved

everyone, and from what we see so far

by knowing who will be attending

in the admin; this wasn’t what we signed

they have no plans to charge.

through Spond game-changing.

up for and it certainly isn’t what we give

adopt it as a squad. It seriously is game-changing for everyone.

“Spond has significantly reduced

up our time for. Spond is an app that

How do they make their money?

the amount of admin with regards to

loves all of that admin, which means we

Adverts, I presume?

training and matchdays. We can now

can focus on our love of the game. TGP

Actually, there are no adverts. Spond

prepare better for training sessions

offers e-payments for “club products”

and sort out match availability more

Download the Spond app from Google

through the app, e.g. paying for match

efficiently, which is so important when

Play or the App Store

REFEREES

Words: Mike Backler & Jacob Viera

Website: englandfootball.com

Jacob Viera

As part of the FA’s Respect the Ref campaign, Jacob Viera shares his quite incredible story. After a horribly traumatic journey from Kenya and with dreams of being a footballer, Jacob found support, safety and happiness in grassroots refereeing.

As a young and gifted footballer from Nairobi in Kenya, Jacob was spending two pre-tournament weeks in a hotel where he was approached to be a drug mule by a gang hoping to use him to transport drugs to Tanzania. Jacob was in a horrible position that no person, let alone teenager, should ever find themselves in. He was all too aware that if he was caught, it

would be him that would be held responsible. If he said no, they would ensure word of the approach never reached anyone else.

Jacob showed a staggering level of bravery to deceive the gang, telling them that the bus was due to leave a few days later. News reached him on his return that the drug barons had been arrested at the hotel, and now he feared revenge. After his high school education, Jacob returned to Nairobi, but as he began playing football in the Kenyan Premier League, his profile rose and in June 2014 on his return home from training he was attacked and left fighting for his life in hospital for a month.

The attackers had attached live wires to his door handle. His neighbour found him unconscious with the skin on his neck, face and left arm scorched off to the point that he felt the other patients were scared to look at him.

Miraculously, three weeks after being discharged, he travelled for a

trial with Newcastle. Terrified to return and after the advice of an academy coach, he sought asylum. After an ordeal that at times saw him running five miles from his accommodation every morning to keep fit, to then being placed in Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre overnight with no belongings and no phone, he was free to start a new life in Liverpool.

And Jacob has never looked back …

I was given the opportunity to start a new life in Liverpool in 2014, and while I thought my English was fairly good, I couldn't understand the Scousers properly with their strong accent and lots of slang.

But Liverpool quickly became my second home away from home.

I started playing for local clubs like Edge Hill FC, Mossley Hill Athletic, Mandela FC and Dengo United.

And before long, I was invited to train with the Everton FC Academy Under 18 squad, under Paul Tait. I

29 thought that I was dreaming. Players that I used to watch on television while in Kenya were there, on the next pitch to me at Finch Farm.

The facilities were brilliant. I’d never trained on such grounds before in my whole life. Everything was amazing and the staff so friendly. Indeed: "Nil satis, nisi optimum."

And that was the place to be if you needed to be the best. Yet frustratingly, until my immigration status was sorted out, I couldn’t sign any contracts.

The first team manager, Roberto Martinez, became and will always be my favourite Premier League manager. He was a very good man, not just as a manager but as a person.

But it was someone else who I met there who helped me onto my next path, and that is Stuart Carrington who was with the Liverpool County

FA - a good man with a heart full of kindness, love and support.

After suffering a knee ACL injury and working on my rehabilitation, Stuart introduced me to the Liverpool County FA to start my refereeing and it's here that I came to meet very kind, generous and lovely people who have taken me in as their own son.

With my refereeing journey, it’s been absolutely fantastic. I started as a level eight and nine referee when I had my ACL injury to keep myself going with football before my recovery. One year later, I loved refereeing more than playing. My County FA gave me an opportunity and always offered to help with anything.

These people have made me push myself to the limit in terms of my refereeing career. I had to commit myself, work hard and show deter-

"I’m proud of what I've achieved and happy for the safety I’ve had while I’ve been in England."

mination. I’ve loved every single game I've refereed to get promoted. Whether it was girls’, boys’ or men’s games, I've had the passion and the teams can testify that I've always given my best.

I was selected to be on the FA CORE programme in which as a young referee, you are given a coach or mentor that guides you and advises you on becoming a better referee. When I started, I never had any self confidence; I was very weak mentally and I wasn’t one of the best. It is through the CORE that the coaches have helped me build on my communication skills and improve on my knowledge.

I’ve since won the Liverpool Grassroots Match Official of the Year Award in 2017-18, one of my career highlights, and it’s because of the Liverpool County FA that I've met Premier League referees like Anthony Taylor through FA CORE regional assessments.

Last season I was buzzing when I received an email from the FA congratulating me on my promotion to level four. This is what any referee would want to hear.

The FA has given me an opportunity that I’ve grabbed with both hands and it’s up to me to use it in achieving my dreams.

I know I’ve got a long way to go with my refereeing career but as for now, I’m proud of what I've achieved and happy for the safety I’ve had while I’ve been in England.

I have come to learn that in life, if at first you don’t succeed in whatever you want to achieve, keep trying a million times, even in tough times and never quit. If you believe, every failure can be a stepping stone to something better.

Life has knocked me down a few times. It showed me things I never wanted to see. I’ve experienced sadness and failures. But one thing is for sure: I always get up. TGP

REFEREES

Words: Trevor Booking

Illustration: Millie Chesters @milliechesters

OR T RE V I N G : K BO O

WHISTLEBLOWER! 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...

New year, new you, new start.

But hey, us kings and queens of grassroots football don’t need a new fitness regime - we’ll be out there in January, come rain or shine, sleet or snow.

Who are we kidding? At this time of year many look at their phones in the hope of reading “match postponed” and pulling the duvet back over their heads.

Unfortunately for me, I’m the one who must make the decision.

To be fair, most players and officials love mid-winter games.

Maybe it’s the childlike joy of muddy pitches with sliding tackles beginning three metres away from the ball or the whole “magic of the cup” background narrative which we’ve all grown up with every January. In the imagination, grassroots football in Britain is played in puddled parks with the faint aroma of muddied boots which haven’t been cleaned since the week before.

For me, new year weekend mornings begin with some curtain twitching. Did it rain overnight?

Has that forecast snow settled? Was there a frost? Are we on or off?

No matter what you might think, refs only call off a game if they really have to, based on a set of questions we have to ask ourselves: • Will the state of the pitch endanger the safety of the players,

likely ending in injuries (mild or severe)?

•W ill conditions severely affect the standards of play and therefore the spirit of the game?

• Are there risks involved with the field of play’s surrounding areas and/or travel risks for players making their way to the game?

You weren’t expecting the second point, were you?! Safety on the pitch and on the way to the game are paramount, but also, no one wants to see their certain goal held up by a flooded six-yard box.

For the game to get the go-ahead, the answer to all of the above must be no.

Yet this is football, and things aren’t always that simple. An overnight storm or a foot of snow make for an easy decision.

The need for a pre-match pitch inspection can leave things more open to opinion. As a referee you can come under pressure to put the match on from Team A if they are top of the league and at home.

Whereas their opponents Team B have three players missing on a stag do and keep on kicking the ball into any standing water to illustrate how P-P is the only option.

These days there’s also the added complication of modern weather apps. “Look ref, it’s stopping in ten minutes!” You have to shut all this stuff out and do what

* not his real name.

you think is right. And more often than not, the match officials want to get the match on.

If we do give the green light in difficult conditions, the ninety minutes can be more challenging than usual. Refs always need to keep up with play and this is even more important in bad weather where slipping and sliding can make the game hard to read and communication with players and managers even more difficult.

When games do go ahead, the possibility of abandonment remains. Player safety is always in the back of your mind and even though those sliding tackles can be fun, they also present an increased risk. Don’t be surprised if an early yellow card is brandished to cut them out.

As a contact lens wearer, I work extra hard in monsoon conditions and will admit to having guessed at a few marginal throw-in decisions in my time. One particularly wet day saw the second half literally pass by in a blur. Not that anyone seemed to mind; at the end of the game both sides praised me for my (enforced) decision to “let the game flow”. TGP

Location: Runcorn, Cheshire

Image: Peter Franklyn Banks @peterfranklybanks

Grassroots Photography Abandoned changing rooms at Pavilions Ground in Runcorn. A North West town with a once-thriving Sunday League across four decades. Through footballbased creative consultancy August - May, plans are being drawn up to bring adult Sunday football back to the town’s playing fields.

33

SEND US YOUR GRASSROOTS PHOT OGRAPHY TO:

EDITOR@GRASSRO

OTSPOST.UK

& WE’LL PUBLISH OUR FAVOURITE HERE.

SMALL-SIDED

Words & Interviews: Mike Backler @backlermike

Website: footyaddicts.com

Footy Addicts: A Football Revolution

We chat with Kos, MD of Footy Addicts the platform that is changing the way we can all experience the beautiful game.

anyone to sign up, pick a game, turn up and play. And it truly is for everyone.

For those just learning to play, to those using it to keep sharp around their eleven-a-side on the weekend. Whether

We all want different things from

who has tried to arrange a regular

you’re new to a city, passing through, or

football. For some, it’s to play at as

kickabout, or get their mates together

whether you call it home. We caught up

high a level as possible or to enjoy the

for a one-off, knows that those things

with Konstantinos Gkortsilas, or “Kos”,

on- and off-pitch camaraderie of being

are not easy to achieve. And then

to find out all about the platform that

part of a team. For others, it’s just the

there was Footy Addicts.

gets everyone playing.

chance to blow off some steam and

Twelve cities globally, 170,000

“When I first moved to London, there

get some exercise. One thing we can

registered players from 209 nation-

was a lack of visibility on football games

all agree upon is that we want the

alities, more than 500 games taking

played in the city. I could only search for

goals and nets up, even-numbered

place every week and a significant

games via Gumtree and that was usual-

teams and the ball at our feet. Anyone

social impact. It’s a platform that allows

ly for small-sided league teams looking

Social:

Images:

@footyaddicts

footyaddicts.com

“Footy Addicts is a fantastic open community. It has always been and will always be about the community”

for extra players. I wanted to enjoy

after a placement year and struggling to

community,” says Kos. “It has always

football in a more casual and social way

find accessible football on their travels,

been and will always be about the com-

than play a competitive league game.

had got the wheels in motion on creat-

munity. We are privileged that we have

“I was introduced to Meetup.com,

ing a platform where people could find

met so many fantastic people. These

a social website in which you are

and join casual football games easily,

people make this project a success and

matched with people in your area who

wherever you are, whatever your ability.

are the ones fuelling us to keep going.

share the same interests with you.

The three joined forces in 2013.

“Footy Addicts has always been an all-inclusive project. We want to give

Naturally, Footy Addicts first started

“A year after the limited company

as a Meetup social group, for people

was registered I was lucky enough to

pitch space accessibility to everybody.

who wanted to play football games. It

have Jonathan and Danny coming on

Players of all levels of ability, regardless

was the first football-related Meet-

board,” Kos explains. “Being so en-

of age, gender, race, religion or sexuality.”

up group in London back in 2009. I

thusiastic about the project they were

tried to create a similar platform to

best suited to be out and about with

their own games, or they can essential-

be dedicated only to football, and in

the community, leaving me to deal

ly create their own business arranging

2012 we created the first version of a

with all the paperwork!”

and hosting games from within. This

web app for Footy Addicts. In 2013 we

And so, the Footy Addicts communi-

The platform allows organisers to run

isn’t without its challenges, though.

“One of the biggest challenges we

registered as a limited company and

ty grew and grew, while still remaining

started operating in a more structured

close-knit. The vibe at games is brilliant.

face is getting other organisers on

format on game organisation.”

Competitive without ever going over

board by sharing their football sessions.

Kos continues: “By creating the lim-

the top. Well organised with hosts hav-

Organising a game takes time, energy

ited company I was the point of contact

ing the final say on disputed free-kicks

and financial risk from the person who

for everything. Literally everything, from

and corner kicks, and ensuring teams

is doing it. Making all this effort, the

game organisation, finance, accounts,

are fair and everyone is respectful, with-

majority of the game organisers have a

pitch hire contracts, website develop-

out it ever losing its edge. And each

feeling of ownership for the community

ment, and the list goes on.”

and every game has a range of abilities

they have created. Our approach is dif-

Two guys that had shared a similar

and ethnicities that is brilliant to see.

ferent; we believe that people will play

experience were Danny and Jon, who

“Footy Addicts is a fantastic open

football where and when is convenient

43

for them. By providing visibility to all pitch spaces in your area, you give more options to people and encourage them to be more active. It is a win-win situation for the player, the game organiser and the community.”

Growing up in Greece, and living in Spain, Kos is very well placed to give us a fresh perspective on the issues of facilities in the UK. “In Greece, the majority of the small-sided football facilities are privately owned. This comes with pros

" I wanted to enjoy football in a more casual and social way than play a competitive league game."

and cons. In London, the majority of the pitches are owned by the council which helps to keep the pitch hire cost down, but at the same time the repairs and the pitch quality is not great. Lack

Below: Konstantinos Gkortsilas

of space is a big challenge, especially in London. When it comes to The FA and Football Foundation’s plans for investment, every bit of support for grassroots is welcome.”

So, what’s next for Footy Addicts?

And what is Kos most proud of in their journey so far?

“Footy Addicts’ goal is to become the place globally to be for everybody who wants to play football. We want to provide easy access to football games and the benefits that they bring to the community and mental and physical health to everybody.

“I’m most proud of the Footy Addicts team; we have built a team of people who all have the same vision and share the same passion for this project.” TGP Footy Addicts is open and everyone can join. Just download the app and get involved.

SMALL-SIDED

Location:

Website:

Southend

goalsfootball.co.uk

Why We Play at Goals THE TOMMY TANKERS ARE TEARING IT UP IN SOUTHEND

With this kind of ability and soul-destroying

Head down to Goals Southend

victories comes

on a Monday night and you might

a price. And the

come across a team that are really

reducing tackles

enjoying themselves. A collective of

from opponents

twenty-two stupidly talented teenage

began to fly. Some

lads who enjoy nothing more than

parents decid-

documenting the 600+ goals they’ve

ed that enough

amassed over three and a bit seasons,

was enough and

ripping their way through the Southend

removed players

leagues in their shimmering pink kit.

from harm. This

It started as a group of seven

led to the decision The lads continue to express

players, six of whom attended the

to switch leagues, with the Tommy

same school, and were led by star

Tankers joining the 6s Premier Division,

themselves both on and off the pitch.

goal machine Archie Sheppard and

played on an eight-a-side pitch. There

They announced a new podcast,

the recruitment of Concord Rangers

was still time for Archie Sheppard to

TANKERStalk, and have a documenta-

first team player Elliot Johnson. Their

bid farewell to the five-a-side leagues

ry releasing at the end of their fourth

opening game was, and you have

by scoring 100 goals in seven games.

season which starts with that famous

read this correctly, 55-11. How a game

That’s around fourteen goals a game.

night, and the win against SMPU.

features sixty-six goals, we’ll never

With space to express themselves

It’s a brilliant way to create a

understand, but Sheppard got twen-

and the reduction of ways to stop

fun, exciting brand and small-sided

ty-two of them. It’s safe to say that

them, they joined the six-a-side

dynasty at Goals. And what most of

they, and he, were off to a solid start.

league, even bringing in a sponsorship

us would have done to have had the

Despite the suspension of all grass-

deal with RAMtalks podcast, acquiring

ability to document and be so creative

roots football, they were promoted

more kit, production equipment and

with something we all loved doing

into the Championship. Champion-

a GoPro camera. But the Southend

with our mates in our younger years.

ship defences beware.

six-a-side Premier League contains

The lads love it. And so they should.

local “giants” Smack My Pitch Up, with

They mention how much it does for

Ben Roberts, moved into a media /

a roster of forty players across several

their mental health, having something

director of football / propaganda role

teams and divisions. Small-sided foot-

to look forward to each week, as well

upstairs, taking on the role of manager

ball really is a world of its own.

as how Goals Southend has the best

Their goalkeeper of the first season,

and videographer of the Tankers’

The Tommy Tankers were beaten

pitches and the best refs around, and

ascent. And thus, the Tommy Tankers

in their first encounter, then lost a

seems to be the perfect environment

brand was born. The squad swelled to

friendly. How would they react? Well,

for them to keep on doing what they

twenty-two players, all from the ranks

in dramatic fashion, in the last game of

love. Scoring goals, and building the

of some of Essex’s professional team’s

the year, on the last time slot at 9.15pm,

brand of the Tommy Tankers. Good

academies in Southend and Colches-

and with fifty-to-sixty people watching

luck to ’em. TGP

ter, as well as non-league clubs in

a small-sided game, they won 7-6. Cel-

Concord and Bowers & Pitsea.

ebrations went long into the night.

Join a league at goalsfootball.co.uk

DISABILITY

Location: Birmingham

Words & Images: Graeme Longstaff @grayo–

The Greatest Place on Earth If someone asked you to describe the greatest place on earth, where would your mind automatically whisk you away to? That beach in Bali, the cobbled streets of Croatia or the mountaintops of the Alps?

For me it’s a little closer to home – Chelmsley Wood, to be precise. Now, I can pretty much guarantee that no one has ever called Chelmsley Wood the greatest place on earth. However, every Saturday morning I take one of my lads there, Ted, aged six, to football practice.

“Big deal,” I hear you say in your head.

You’d be right – this is a big deal. You see, Ted has a form of Cerebral Palsy called a Hemiplegia that affects the right side of his body. He suffers from a lack of balance and coordination; what he calls “being wobbly”. This also affects his confidence in day-to-day life and can sometimes hold him back from getting stuck in with other kids. However, from just playing in the garden we stumbled upon something Ted loved, where he seemed to forget about his Hemi and just be free. That was football.

After some time playing at home it was obvious Ted yearned for something a little more, something to call his own.

So, we set out to look for a place where Ted could train and play in surroundings

gets Ted out of bed faster than know-

that not only understood his disability,

ing he’s off to play his beloved football.

but most importantly allowed him to feel

But football is only part of Ted's love.

teams like this exist, and this is down

part of something.

He loves his friends, his coaches and

to the dedication of the club and the

his feeling of belonging. And you know

coaches. I need to say a huge thank

what? I can fully get this.

you to Scott, Callum and Darren – you

After lots of internet reading (by my rockstar wife, I must add) looking at All Abilities teams such as Aston Villa and

When you come down here and just

to be from these young guys and gals.

However, there’s a big reason that

all hold a special place in our family's

West Bromwich Albion, we focused

observe what goes down on that pitch,

heart, and I’m sure in the hearts of the

our attention on Solihull Moors Ability

it pretty much brings me to tears every

other players' families.

Counts Foundation.

time. Tolerance, acceptance and unadul-

We reached out to Scott Langford

Also, a huge shout out to the guys

terated inclusion. None of the kids care

from Nike Teamsport (you know who

from Solihull Moors and we were

about race or religion or sexuality or abil-

you are) and Kitlocker who are helping

welcomed down to check out the

ity or pretty much anything – apart from

us sort out the junior team and frame

training session. The rest, as they say,

having fun and playing football. The world

football team with their very own kit!

is history! Over one year later nothing

could learn a pretty good lesson in how

Love from the Longstaffs. TGP

DISABILITY

49

Image: Gem Atkinson @dropsofdiamond

Football Your Way: The FA's Landmark Disability Football Plan

The Southwark Stars are just one

session from Crystal Palace number

It hopes to raise participation by

disability team that have made huge

one: Chloe Morgan.

50% and ensure that disabled

strides in the past few years. At a

The FA recently launched a three-

people have the opportunity to

recent session at the Geraldine Mary

year plan titled Football Your Way,

engage and participate in football

Hemsworth facility in Lambeth, play-

to help develop, improve and raise

their way, from grassroots to the

ers were given a special goalkeeping

awareness of disability football.

elite game. TGP

DISABILITY

Words & Interview: Amie Cripps @amiloucri

Legends in the Game In each issue we want to celebrate and inspire by hearing from those who have made their way to the top in the world of disability football.

The challenges they’ve overcome, their journey and their hopes for the future of the game after the launch of the FA’s Football Your Way plan.

In this issue, we speak to Claire Stancliffe who represents England & Great Britain’s Deaf Women’s team.

TGP: Where did your love of football come from?

Claire: We always had football on the TV growing up, and I was usually at the park playing football with friends from a really young age. I played for both of my primary school’s girls’ and boys’ teams growing up too. I’ve always loved the sport.

You've never let your disability stand in the way of your passions!

But were there any challenges or obstacles you faced when you realised you wanted to work in football?

Claire: I lost my hearing when I was about four and a half, and football was the one thing that helped me to feel “normal”. It’s always been my escape and a way of expressing myself. Being involved with England has completely changed my life.

It's given me so many life skills and once in a lifetime experiences.

Growing up in Northamptonshire I thought I was the only deaf person in the world until I was

about 18! I didn’t realise how deaf I was until I started my A-Levels and my additional support was taken away from me as a result of doing so well during my GCSEs. I’ve always felt isolated as a deaf person and had a deaf friend at the time who invited me down to a five-aside game. A coach from England was there, and that’s when I started playing deaf football for my country. That was fourteen years ago.

Over the years I’ve been both a funded and an unfunded athlete.

You’d be surprised how much it takes out of you when you need to self-fund. You’re exhausted mentally and physically. Fundraising is one of the biggest obstacles I’ve had to overcome, whereas now I can come home from work, train and chill. I don’t need to worry about anything else. In 2015 we were told we couldn’t go to the World Cup because we didn’t have the necessary funds. I raised £18k in thirty days.

We ended up going, and I captained the side to a bronze medal in Italy.

That was almost as good as making my England debut during a World Cup and scoring four goals!

What impact do you think the FA’s Football Your Way plan will have on the sport?

Claire: Deaf football now receives a lot more funding and support from the FA in particular. They’ve also been fantastic at trying to help us spread the word when it comes to deaf football. I’ve had interviews with news outlets like the BBC, and lots more interaction on Twitter for example. The Lionesses interact with us online too, which is bizarre! But it is really nice to feel like you’re a part of the England set-up.

The initiative focuses on supporting every level of the game from grassroots to the elite level.

It also helps players with things like careers after football, and is trying to bring more disabilities to the FA’s workplace to create a culture of inclusivity.

51

If you were to give yourself one piece of advice growing up, what would it be? Or what words of encouragement would you give to a young person with a disability wanting to play or work in football?

Claire: I play football in both a hearing team and a deaf team. And despite my hearing team being really supportive, I do lack confidence because I don’t always understand what’s happening. Training and playing in the winter under the floodlights makes lip-reading really difficult, and I don’t always “get” banter in the changing room.

But when I go to England camps and play with teammates who are deaf, I am a completely different person. But those challenging expe-

riences have helped me to develop resilience. I’d be a completely different person if I didn’t try and take those opportunities.

If you’re struggling with your disability, make sure you speak up about it because there is always support you can access. And never think you can’t do something because you have a disability. I always say: hard work beats talent, when talent doesn’t work hard. And enjoy your football! That’s the main thing.

deaf football to the next level. At the moment we win medals, but they always seem to be bronze! We just need that little extra push and support to step it up a notch.

One day, it’d be great to have a deaf football academy or college.

So, offering the same type of provisions that exist in mainstream football but for people with disabilities.

I think that’d be amazing.

More initiatives and clubs for young people from the deaf community in their local areas is important What are your dreams for the fu- too. We can’t have lots of “Claires” ture of football? thinking they’re the only deaf peoClaire: With the England path- ple in the world, can we! TGP ways that have been set up, lots more deaf people will be coming through. That will really help take

MENTAL HEALTH

Website:

Illustrations: Millie Chesters @milliechesters

gershonportnoipsychotherapy.com

When New Year's Resolutions Go Wrong Psychotherapist Gershon Portnoi explains why you need to think carefully when setting your goals for the year ahead.

For many of us, the start of a new year coincides with a vast set of new goals that we task ourselves with achieving. Whether it’s winning the cup with our team or getting promoted at work, we all aspire to hit the heights in the year ahead.

There is, of course, nothing wrong with that. After all, we can never be expected to achieve much in life without setting targets. But occasionally there can be a downside to making a new year’s resolution.

Imagine a scenario where you set

"The key thing to ask yourself is whether your goal is achievable."

yourself a target of being able to do 100 It’s also important to have a detailed

keepie-uppies, having never previously

skills, it is based on a realistic chain

managed to do more than five or ten.

of events: if you set your bar too high,

plan in place for achieving your

You start off all guns blazing and before

you run the risk of crashing head-first

resolution, and to only focus on one

you know it you’ve hit twenty, then

into a major disappointment.

particular goal rather than making a

thirty, and you’re feeling great.

But then, no matter how hard you

So, whether you’re after a rock-hard set of abs or a thirty-goal season, the

long list of targets.

Finally, resolving to achieve some-

try, you just can’t get past forty and

key thing to ask yourself is whether

thing you’ve previously failed to do is

you begin to feel a sense of disap-

your goal is achievable.

another potential problem, as you’ll

pointment and failure. In some cases,

If you’re the office intern, resolving to

be highly likely to approach the task lacking in real belief.

these kinds of negative feelings can

become the CEO by the year’s end is

start spilling out into other parts of

definitely unrealistic, but if you aim to

your life and your self-esteem might

become a full-time member of staff, it’s

do), here’s to a genuinely happy new

be affected, which can itself trigger a

far more likely.

year. TGP

prevalent low mood and anxiety.

Whatever you decide to do (or not

Similarly, it’s important that the goal you set is as specific as it can be – in-

To find out more about Gershon

up situation and you’re unlikely to

stead of aiming to lose weight or get fit,

and his psychotherapy practice,visit

damage your mental health while

give yourself an exact target like losing

gershonportnoipsychotherapy.com.

attempting to improve your football

half a stone or running a half marathon.

Although this is an entirely made-

NUTRITION

53

Social: @nutritionemmy

Nutrition: Winter Fuel Emmy Campbell is a SENR-qualified sports nutritionist, working with football players from grassroots levels right up to professional players to help them improve all aspects of their game.

There’s nothing better than those

EAT BEFORE & AFTER

early season fixtures and lining up

Eating before and

with your mates on a sunny day.

after football is not only

You’ve nailed your pre-match nutrition,

essential to fuelling and

got plenty of fuel in the tank and are

refuelling, but it can also

ready for kick-off. Easy.

help to warm the body, too.

But, what about on a cold and rainy

When food is digested it pro-

night in Stoke? What should you be

duces heat, so besides being key

eating to fuel those tough midwinter

to performance, your pre- and

fixtures and can nutrition help to keep

post-match nutrition can help to

you healthy on and off the pitch?

keep you warm.

With chilly days and long dark nights, eating well can be more

HYDRATION

VITAMINS & MINERALS

challenging. You probably find yourself

Even when the temperatures are

The immune system needs lots of

reaching for the comfort foods more

sub-zero and it’s raining sideways,

different vitamins and minerals to

regularly and focusing a little less on

your body will still sweat and lose

ensure it can function properly and

what you’re eating, especially when

fluids. You’re less likely to feel thirsty

to keep you healthy. Getting in your

it comes to your training or match

during those cold and wet training

five-a-day is even more important in

day nutrition. But eating well through

sessions and drinking icy water is

winter to help fight off colds and other

the winter months is not only key to

often the last thing you want. This is

illnesses. As well as that, vitamins and

performing well on the pitch, but also

why it’s really important to pay more

minerals will also help your football

to keeping you healthy, too. And while

attention to what and how much you

performance, too, impacting everything

you don’t need to make drastic chang-

drink. Keep your drink in an insulated

from how strong your bones are to how

es to how you eat in the winter, there

bottle to stop it from getting too cold

efficiently your body can produce ener-

are certainly some key areas that

and make sure to sip on it regularly

gy. So, make sure to eat the rainbow to

might need a little more attention.

throughout the game.

play well and stay healthy! TGP Whether you’re looking to get in better shape, need help with fuelling

"With chilly days and long dark nights, eating well can be more challenging."

your ninety minutes or just want to take your game to the next level, Emmy can help. Find her on social media @nutritionemmy for support with your performance nutrition.

GIRLS

Words: Tayyiba Yunus @taybs11

Images: Gem Atkinson @dropsofdiamond

INCLUSIVE & INSPIRATIONAL WITH FOTMOB:

FC LEYTONSTONE In each issue, FotMob - the livescore app - are sponsoring a feature on inclusive and inspirational grassroots stories and assisting in their development by providing equipment vouchers to these special football clubs.

It’s a freezing cold Sunday morning

ences which have shaped her path in

bours all involved with the club. She

in mid-December, the kind of morn-

football. “With my generation, girls didn’t

explains how Imaani has grown from

ing players might just be tempted to

have a lot of opportunities to play. I used

an introverted and quiet player to “so

choose a lie-in over football training.

to travel over an hour to train at a club

much more confident on and off the

Not at Wanstead Flats, though. The

and that was difficult. I also didn’t have

pitch. Football has really helped the girls

iconic football venue in East London

anyone I could look up to that looked

build an identity for themselves and us

is home to FC Leytonstone, a local

like me. South Asian girls in football

parents absolutely love watching them

club with a rich history that has been

were an exception, rather than the norm.

train, form friendships, score brilliant

running for close to twenty years.

When I got injured, my focus shifted to

goals … we’re loving being with them on

FC Leytonstone provides local youth

how I could help girls have a different

every part of this journey.”

and adults in Waltham Forest a

experience to what I had, and this role at

space to play football, and they have

FC Leytonstone coincidentally came up

Imaani to get involved with football her-

most recently launched their first

at the perfect time.”

self, beyond supporting on the sidelines.

ever girls’ team.

Thirty-five girls turned up for the first

Tasnim was inspired by ten-year-old

She has started playing football on Friday

We trek through Wanstead Flats in

session in July 2020. Most of the players

evenings and also has joined the 100FC

the fog in search of the squad and find

had never played football before joining

coaching pathway programme at the

Sabah, the Head Coach, leading a series

the club, but since then the Lemons

club, which addresses the shortage of

of drills for her Under 12s and Under 13s.

have played multiple tournaments and

female coaches in London.

“The girls’ football team was formed last summer,” Sabah explains. “Munaf, the Club Chairman, was looking for a

started playing league football every Saturday at Hackney Marshes.

Sabah echoes Tasnim’s comments about the team spirit: “We are definite-

Imaani is one of FC Leytonstone’s

ly a family and a lot of work goes into

female coach to lead and deliver the

Under 13s ballers and has been part

making everyone feel part of that. We

coaching sessions. I was put in contact

of the team since it started. I meet her

have regular socials, fundraisers and our

with him through a mutual friend and it

Mum Tasnim on the sideline. Like most

sponsors are all local. I’ve even moved

pretty much all started there.”

of the other Leystonstone parents,

house from over an hour away to be

Tasnim has family, friends and neigh-

closer to the club!”

Sabah talks about her own experi-

55

Website: fotmob.com

“They’ve also understood the importance of visible female role models and given this project to local female coaches to lead. The players and parents hadn’t seen South Asian females involved in football before, so it changed perceptions and gave the girls the confidence to play.

We know the power and positivity that role models can have on communities, and having a local club like FC Leytonstone providing this is amazing.”

FC Leytonstone are a wonderful community club with contagious FC Leytonstone is a club full of

positivity and a dedicated leadership

dedicated parents, coaches and staff,

team. The club are at the beginning of

but in particular, the efforts of Club

their journey in women’s football, but

Chairman, Munaf, and Club Secretary,

with plans in place to expand the girls’

Umar, are talked about constantly.

programme and form a women’s team

“Both Munaf and Umar go well above and beyond their actual roles at the

in the upcoming year, the future for the Lemons is an exciting one. TGP

club,” says Sabah. “They put in a lot of hard work to make football open to all.

FotMob is the essential football app.

Finance is a factor that is sometimes

Scores, stats, news and more. Get the

overlooked, but our sessions are just £3

app on iOS and Android.

and this makes sure football is accessible from a financial perspective.

COACHING

THE COACHES CLINIC

with:

Website:

Code:

academy.coachesvoice.com

TGP1MONTH

STAYING ON THE BALL

SESSION:

(ATTACKING UNDERLOADED) SESSION OVERVIEW:

KEY Ball movement

Player movement without the ball Player movement with the ball

SESSION OBJECTIVE: To improve players’ decisionmaking when attacking in

Players

underloaded situations

We’re delighted to have Coaches’ Voice taking over our regular COACHES CLINIC. Coaches’ Voice features worldclass football insights from the game’s leading coaches. Their website www. coachesvoice.com features a stunning array of content from some household names. Perfect for students of the game.

In each issue, they’re going to help us be better, as managers and coaches. First up, playing out from the back. We’d be lying if we said this was something the English grassroots game had mastered, but forget your “get ’em turned” or your “lob it in the channels”, here’s how you get your team up the pitch and into dangerous areas without ever losing possession of the ball. Unheard of, right?

Cones PART 1: 1v2 SKILLED PRACTICE •T his is a 1v2 practice, progressing

Flat marker

into a 2v2, that gives players plenty of repetition in attacking in an underloaded situation.

•T he playing area should be 5m less

Cones with flat marker

than the width of the penalty box and 30m in length.

PART 2:

Goal

CONDITIONED GAME •T his practice builds upon Part 1 by applying the build-up patterns

Mini-goal

to a possession game.

•T he practice sees a group of seven players of the six goal game.

Mannequin

PART 3: ATTACKING UNDERLOADED CONDITIONED SMALL-SIDED GAME •T his is a 4v4 (plus goalkeepers) small-sided game, with situations in attack varying from attacking underloaded in a 1v2 and also a 2v3.

• The practice should be played over the width of the penalty area and 45m in length. Each end zone should be 20m, with the middle zone at 5m.

Football

Pole

57

01. 1V2 SKILLED PRACTICE STAYING ON THE BALL (ATTACKING UNDERLOADED) FUNCTION: •

One Team A player passes to the single attacker, then sprints around the nearest mini-goal before entering the practice,

B

B

turning the 1v2 attacking situation into a 2v2.

This pattern is shown

B

B

in the diagram.

•

The single Team A attacker has a decision to make

A

A

A

A

as to whether to stay on the ball and await the support of their teammate, or to attack individually against the two defenders.

•

The Team A attackers aim to score a goal to earn

•

their team a point.

DEVELOPING THE PRACTICE

The two active Team B

The coach can introduce a time limit for the attackers to score

defenders become live

a goal after the second attacker joins the practice.

as soon as the first pass is played. If they are successful in regaining the

COACHING DETAILS:

to encourage the player re-

When a goal is scored

RECEIVING

doing so under pressure.

at either end or the ball

• The player receiving the

ball, they aim to pass into one of the two mini-goals to earn their team a point.

•

• They should also take

stay on the ball and await support from a teammate.

• False movements – for example, a stepover,

initial pass should scan the

up a low body position,

dummy or feint – or put-

attacker (who played the

pitch to build up a picture

and get side-on to any

ting a foot on the ball will

initial pass) becomes the

of where the defenders are

approaching defender

help to delay the decision

first attacker and receives

approaching from.

so their body is between

of the defender.

the practice restarts.

•

the ball and get used to

• Slow down quickly to

goes dead, the second

from the opposite side as •

ceiving the pass to protect

The pair of Team B

•T he first touch should be taken away from pressure.

• Soft knees will help the

defender and ball.

• The use of small touches and feints or disguise will

OFF THE BALL • If the first attacker is

defenders rotate with the

player react to where the

help the player to turn

facing forwards, forward

resting Team B players.

pass is headed.

and face the defender.

runs such as overlaps or

If the goalkeeper catches

underlaps will help

• The player should take

the ball, they aim to

small touches so they can

ON THE BALL

either throw or kick the

quickly manipulate the ball.

•P layers on the ball should

ball into a mini-goal to practise their distribution.

PROTECTING THE BALL

The Team A attackers

• Use the phrase ‘feel the

can attempt to block these efforts..

contact, give the contact’

create space.

• If the first attacker has their

be encouraged to face the

back to goal and is under

goal whenever possible.

pressure, the second at-

• Head up and chest out when an facing opponent.

tacker should provide support underneath the ball.

58

02. CONDITIONED SMALL-SIDED GAME STAYING ON THE BALL (ATTACKING UNDERLOADED) FUNCTION: •

This is a conditioned 4v4 +GKs small-sided game that leaves attackers underloaded until a teammate can join them in the end zone.

•

formation.

•

A

A

Both teams are set up in a 2-1-1

B

Defenders in the line of two and the attackers are locked in theirs zone.

The two midfielders in the middle

A

zone are free to move in all three zones, but can only enter either end

B

zone when the ball is in that zone.

•

Cones on the edge of the practice mark the offside line.

•

scored keeps the ball and restarts the practice from their goalkeeper.

•

A

If a goal is scored, the team that B

B

When the ball goes out of play, the ball starts with a goalkeeper. Alternatively, the coach can choose to distribute a new ball to a player...

DEVELOPING THE PRACTICE

COACHING DETAILS:

• The coach can

RECEIVING

encourage an attacker re-

on the ball and await sup-

ceiving a pass to protect the

port from a teammate.

ball and get used to doing so

•F alse movements – for

under pressure.

example, a stepover,

progress by allowing

• An attacker receiving a pass

players to rotate posi-

in the end zone should scan

body position, and get

putting a foot on the ball

tions. For example, if a

to build up a picture of

side-on to any approaching

will help to delay the

centre-back brings the

where the defenders are

defender so their body is

decision of the defender.

ball out of defence and

approaching from.

between defender and ball.

into the middle zone, the midfielder has to drop back into the defensive third.

• The first touch should be

• The use of small touches

dummy or feint – or

OFF THE BALL

taken away from pressure.

and feints or disguise will

• If an attacker in the final

• Soft knees will help the play-

help the player to turn and

third is facing forwards,

face the defender.

forward runs by teammates

er react to where any pass

• Centre-backs can step

coming their way is headed.

out with the ball into

• The player should take small

the middle third and

touches so they can quickly

join the midfielder, but

manipulate the ball.

such as an overlap or

ON THE BALL •P layers on the ball should be encouraged to face the goal whenever possible.

the attacker on the opposite team can track

PROTECTING THE BALL

back to create a 3v4 in

• Use the phrase ‘feel the

the middle third.

• They should take up a low

contact, give the contact’ to

•H ead up and chest out when an facing opponent.

•S low down quickly to stay

underlap will help to create space.

• If the attacker is back to goal and under pressure, provide a supporting run underneath them to receive facing forwards.

TGP

59

VOLUNTEERS

Words: Alan Bond @august––may

INDUCTEE #6:

PAUL NICHOLLS TEAMS:

HELSBY FC LOCATION:

CHESHIRE

In each issue, we celebrate a player

Helsby Football Club, however, who

cony Ultras after the popular draft beer

who deserves to have their grass-

during the pandemic completed the

sold on site, members congregate at

roots career up in lights by induct-

move from their original BICC Sports

the viewpoint on Saturday afternoons

ing them into The Grassroots Post

& Social Club - a traditional working

as the Green Army look to surge for-

Hall Of Fame. For our first national

men’s club - to a new complex 400

ward to a second successive promotion

issue, it’s Paul Nicholls, of Helsby

yards away.

and towards the West Cheshire One

FC in Cheshire.

Overlooking the pitch at Callander

Division (Step 7).

New clubhouse and changing room

Way in the Cheshire village is a glass

Accompanying the crowd of locals

buildings can often be quite clinical for

balcony where, from the beginning of

is a flag reading “Geoffrey Paul is our

those accompanying the modern-day

the 2021/22 season, a new fanbase has

Hero”. It is the reveal of his primary given

4G facilities. This is not the case at

been growing. Named the Madris Bal-

name and, most importantly, an ode to a

61 man who has served his local community’s football club for over three decades with relentlessness.

Known as “Nicksy”, there are simply no remaining roles which Paul Nicholls hasn’t filled, starting as a player before utilising his accountancy skills to move into several off-field duties. In recent years he has taken up a keen interest in walking across the United Kingdom as well as following his beloved Everton, and his appetite for amateur football refuses to diminish whilst his son Jack is part of the first team squad.

Since arriving as a student in the 1990s, Paul has experienced it all,

the footsteps as future volunteers and

hang on, I don’t have a club. I just

having grown up a stone's throw away

gatekeepers for the future.

thought it was a good way of keeping my

Come wind, rain or shine every Fri-

fitness up so we shook hands. Typical of

Cheshire FA Amateur Cup and Northern

day after work or on Saturday morning,

him, he had a form ready and I signed on

Counties FA Trophy glory at the turn of

Paul would never fail to make the long

for a few end-of-season games.”

the millennium, there have also been

walk from the old clubhouse down to

darker hours. Relegations, loss of teams,

the pitch - located on a boggy, sloped

Gaz Gerrard made his debut for Helsby

yet none more greater than the personal

marshland - to make sure the nets were

in 2004. He remains part of the club’s

health battles he has overcome.

up, lines marked and pitch maintained

second team set-up at thirty-five and

to the best of the club’s resources,

knows Nicksy more than most, under-

moving into the dugout for his first taste

before returning to the changing rooms

standing that his diplomatic approach

of management between 2011 and 2017.

to get the kit set out or packed up ready

can often be contrasted on a matchday

for an away day.

as he patrols the touchline with the flag.

from the old ground. From the highs of

Lee Bignall played for Helsby before

“There are a million stories about

Central midfielder turned centre-half

“I think it’s dead funny,” Gaz explains,

him and some that probably shouldn’t

It has been this pursuit to make sure

be told,” said the current Ashton Town

he shows up and sets the standard for

“because if you speak to him, he says

manager. “I think the sign of the man is

the club’s teams which shines through.

he will never get involved in the football

that he soldiered on, unphased, whilst

Even though I’m not at the club now,

side, but as soon as you’re not playing

recovering from Lymphoma. That’s a

for me personally it was always his

well or it’s a close game, it’s him you

memory that really sticks out for me.”

recognition that you would crave. I can

hear first with the vein coming from his

remember once shooting in the nets at

forehead. He is always there, has been

country, figures such as Paul Nicholls

half-time and managing to curl one in the

there for absolutely years and loves it.”

continue to act as the bedrock for

top corner at the Factory End, turning

teams that mean so much to them,

round to see him nodding in approval.

present. Whilst the balcony fills and the

whilst a younger generation of players

With me on the muddy pitch at the

Madris flows alongside the trajectory of

often don’t realise the work that goes

old base that day was current Stoke City

the football team, there may just be more

in and show no sign of following in

right-back Tommy Smith. Having been

tales to come for the legacy of Helsby’s

released from Manchester City earlier

hero, Geoffrey Paul Nicholls. TGP

Like many amateur clubs across the

Memories treasured from past to

in his career, he trained with his local side whilst getting his career on track and explains how he couldn’t turn down Paul’s advances when he pulled him aside after one session.

“I was just coming towards the gate when he asked me what I was doing on Saturday. My automatic response was thinking that I was occupied, thinking I already had a game. Then I realised,

EVERY ISSU INDUCT SOM E 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

MENS

Words: Alan Bond @august––may

Illustration: Millie Chesters @milliechesters

League: Warrington Sunday Premier League

MY GREATEST GAME HALTON ARMS V CHESHIRE HAWTHORNE, 2007

It was a fixture that had fueled a fierce rivalry at the top of the Warrington Sunday Premier League since the turn of the millennium.

One between Halton Arms, from the Brookvale neighbourhood of Runcorn and Cheshire Hawthorne from Woolston.

And on this cold autumn morning in 2007 - as a young skinny striker playing alongside my boyhood heroes - I was about to enter the fire and in doing so, experiencing my greatest game.

Having spent two seasons at the local junior club Brookvale United, I had been ushered by my dad towards the locally renowned Halton Arms; Wednesday night training on sandy astroturf was never an occasion to miss - always intense and competitive with a strict two touch rule.

Starting the 2007-08 season as one of the strikers in a 3-5-2 system, it was like playing for Everton for me. Surrounded by the tight-knit

group of players that I watched win a glorious treble alongside my uncle Roger for another local pub team, the Old Transporter.

A decade on, the group had now reached their prime. As I sat in the corner of the red brick building which I had grown up whilst following the fortunes of ‘ The Tranny’ as well as my dad’s Sunday League career, manager Frank Cannon’s teamtalk felt like a coming of age.

Rainfall had been heavy, signalled by the sounds of studs trudging through towards the pitch. I can remember feeling sharp in the warmup and my boots, Adidas World Cups, feeling like they should. I felt a nice warmth of confidence and anticipation against the cold coming through the baggy navy blue Umbro no.9 jersey. As a brief few seconds of silence proceeded, the referee blew his whistle with both sets of teams right up for the battle.

After going 1-0 up and getting

some early touches, I doubled the lead with a half volley inside the box after a flowing move. Laying the ball back after good control, the ball was sprayed out to Tony Ennis on the left. His cross was nodded down by Lee Mitchell. I caught it sweet. I knew my dad was watching on a packed line who I could hear were in raptures. I was mobbed. It was a great feeling of pure elation.

The match opened up with Hawthorne halving the deficit at the break but in the second half we were rampant. I scored a tap-in at the back stick to seal an eventual 6-2 victory. A complete performance.

We would go on to win the double that season, adding the Dennis Scholes Cup to a league title. That match and the season as a whole provided me with rich and fulfilled memories that I will cherish forever. TGP

SEE YOU NEXT MONTH Many thanks for giving us a read.

Vol. 02 Issue 02 will be exactly where you found this one late February.

Want to stock the paper for free in your grassroots venue?

Got a grassroots story that needs telling?

Email us on editor@grassrootspost.uk.

Vol.02 Issue 01: Editor: Mike Backler

Design: Alex Mertekis

Sub Editor: Lucy Mertekis

Words:

Images:

Alexander Lagoyiannis, Sophie

Gem Atkinson, Garry Strutt, Nick

Axelsson, Andrew Martin, Dan Tracey, Steve

Davidson, Josie Lamb, Matthew Hull, Peter Clarkson,

Piggott, Graeme Longstaff, Tayyiba Yunus,

Peter Banks, James Starkey, The Plastic Goldfish

Andrew Martin, Amie Cripps, Gershon Portnoi,

Company, Ricky Narito, Jack Finnigan

Emmy Campbell & Alan Bond Illustrations: Millie Chesters

Special thanks: Emily Harding at Newspaper Club, Matt Hall at The Premier League, Gavin Hoare at The Kent County League, Jon Eager at The Barnet Sunday League, Graham Rodber at The Southern Sunday Football League, Aylesford Football Club, Chris Swoffer and Joe Heatley-Baillie at The FA, Jake Nolan from SPR, Daniel Tunna at The Space Between, Trine Falnes at Spond, Matt-Fletcher Jones and Larissa Khatchik at Cake, Drew Smith and Ian Dougherty at Powerleague, Corrie Davidson at Goals, Amanda Lewis and Aquila Burgess at The London FA, Matias Morgan at The Coaches Voice, Michael Cardoso from Sporting Carpathians and Ben Roberts from The Tommy Tankers.

TW: @GrassrootsPost

IG: @thegrassrootspost

FB: @thegrassrootspost

100% free Complete team, club and league management system Coaches save hours every week 1 million monthly active users teaching us how to be better every day

DOWNLOAD the app and register your team today

Spond.com