Photo: EFL/PA The refugee crisis that is engulfing parts of Europe right now has been a political hot potato for years. Unfortunately, the issue is often broken down into statistics, leaving the individuals affected alienated. Thankfully, football is — yet again — being used as a force for good in this regard. There is nothing new about refugees coming...

When Gareth Bale led an heroic Euro 2016 campaign that led to the semi-final, a proud nation watched on — including a group of Big Issue sellers from Wales. Inspired what they witnessed, they decided to group together to form a team of their own. Big Issue Cymru was born, featuring homeless and socially excluded football fans from Cardiff. Street...

The Premier League dominates the football industry in the UK, so it’s always nice to see community-based projects make the news. The FA Mars Just Play! Initiative recently proved that local amateur football in England is alive and well after revealing more than one million people have attended events so far. The Mars Just Play! scheme is all about the...

Photo: Premier League Most Premier League initiatives are aimed at furthering the reach of the brand or getting more people playing, so it was somewhat gratifying to see the World’s richest domestic football competition throwing its weight behind an education initiative this week. The Premier League’s Primary Stars campaign aims to use the huge draw of the Premier League...

Young referee Ryan Hampson finally gave bad behaviour at local football matches the red card this month when he led a strike in protest against the abuse being directed to match officials. The inspirational 18-year-old persuaded more than 2,000 of his colleagues to join him in his protest. For too long, referees officiating on playing fields and municipal pitches up...

The House of Commons debated the current state of football’s governing body in England last month — and voted overwhelmingly in favour of reform. The FA has resisted real and lasting change in the past, so will the threat of legislation change the organisation for the better? Following a motion of no-confidence in the FA — presented to Parliament by...

It is now estimated that around one in five people in England live with a disability or a chronic illness. For the vast majority of these people, the need to exercise and socialise is just as important as it is for able-bodied people. Fortunately, opportunities to get involved in disability football are numerous, and they’re growing all the time. Since...

  Tom Heaton has come a long way since his days as a trainee at Manchester United. The Burnley stopper’s time at United didn’t involve much in the way for first team action — although he was in the travelling 24-man squad for the 2008 Champions’ League final in Munich. After leaving Old Trafford on a Bosman free transfer, Heaton...

The FA is constantly being lambasted for its management of grassroots football in England, but to be fair, it is finally taking the problem seriously. Every year since 2010, the “Grow the Game” initiative has provided funds to local youth teams up and down the country. Any FA-affiliated club can apply for a grant of up to £1,500 for each...

The behaviour of some players and parents in grassroots football has been a major cause of concern for many years now. But over the last decade or so, the situation at youth level seems to have become worse — despite the existence of the FA’s Respect campaign. So bad has the problem become, grassroots referees were planning to strike on...