Football in the 21st century is a game of extremes. At one end of the footballing spectrum, we have the cash-strapped local leagues and the casual players. At the other, we have the multi-millionaire superstars who are adored by millions all over the world. But the 2016 Homeless World Cup in Glasgow has shone a light on a demographic group...

The huge riches that await the very best young footballers in England are beyond the wildest dreams of most. Worldwide fame, untold riches and the opportunity to do something they love for a living can be attractive pull factors to the game for youngsters. But the biggest rewards are reserved for less than one percent of the children who are...

On June 23rd 2016, the British people made the historic decision to leave the European Union. The country - and indeed the whole of Europe - now faces an uncertain future. And this uncertainty has already reared its head at every level of football in Britain. While the details of Brexit will take several months to emerge, it is clear...

England’s national team will once again leave a major tournament finals early. But this time, the English ‘superstars’ must live with the fact that their Welsh counterparts have been the very best of British at Euro 2016. The rise of Welsh football on the international stage is not just down to having Gareth Bale in the squad - it has...

There is a huge debate raging across the UK regarding the best way to develop our footballers of the future. It is now widely accepted that we’ve fallen behind the likes of Spain and Germany in terms of technical ability, coaching and the production of well-rounded players. But the Scottish FA may have developed a new way of producing its...

Football in Britain has come a long way since the dark days of widespread football hooliganism in the 1980s. But no one should be complacent about racism and discrimination - as it still exists in every level of the game. Several initiatives have been successful at changing attitudes and stamping out widespread racism in football, but none more so than...

Geoff Hurst helped England to fulfil its destiny 50 years ago this month - by scoring the goal that brought the World Cup Jules Rimet trophy to the home of football. Despite countless opportunities and near misses, the England national team has failed to replicate that success. For whatever reason, the country that gave the world the game has fallen...

Although the FA is the body primarily responsible for driving forward grassroots football in England, UEFA plays an important role too. Under the banner of the UEFA Grassroots Charter, the governing body of European football is responsible for improving grassroots activities across all of its member associations. While the effects of this involvement from UEFA might not be immediately apparent...

In October 2015, Wales lost the first match of their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign to Bosnia-Herzegovina - but no one really cared that much. Chris Coleman had masterminded Wales’ first qualification for a major tournament finals since 1958. Gareth Bale described the defeat as the best of his life, and an entire nation looked forward to its first summer of...

Some youngsters need to see first-hand the joy and excitement football can generate before they can be persuaded to take up the game. So when it was announced that the inaugural Grassroots International Youth Football Festival was coming to Glasgow in July 2016, local coaches must have jumped for joy. The Scottish capital will host the hugely prestigious international tournament...