Whilst the vast bulk of the FA’s grassroots investment it devoted to the men’s game, there is a growing feeling that women’s football deserves a larger slice of the pie. A year after the Women’s European Championship was aired live on the BBC, participation levels at grassroots level are still growing. But can the ladies’ game continue to grow at...

Think McDonald’s, and images of obese children, greasy fries and unsightly litter probably pop into your head. However, as the fast food giant tries desperately to change its image, grassroots football in the UK has been an unlikely beneficiary. After a successful 12-year partnership with the UK’s governing bodies, McDonald’s has announced that it is to extend its sponsorship commitments...

Another Football League Season is well under way. But while the Premier League looks forward to yet another bumper payday of television riches, several Football League will simply be hoping to unearth a few hidden gems from the ranks of their youth systems. With money growing increasingly scarce at the lower end of England’s professional footballing ranks, the need to...

So the new Premier League season is finally upon us, and we get to see dozens of new players finally taking the field for their new clubs. However, we also get to see an exciting new crop of youngsters –many of whom could be the superstars of the future. While a few of these starlets made their professional bow last...

A recent Sky News report uncovered the true scale of the funding crisis threatening the future of grassroots football in the UK. Between 2007 and 2013, spending on facilities by local councils fell from £5.9 million to £4.9 million, which represents a 17 percent cut in seven years. And while the fact that spending on pitch maintenance actually rose during...

The role of parents in the development of youth players has long been a contentious issue in British football. Head along to an under-12s match this weekend, and you are likely to witness pushy parents shouting advice and encouragement from the sidelines. But whilst most parents have the best of intentions, direct involvement of this nature may be doing more...

Despite decades of resistance, it seems that Premier League teams and the Football Association are finally coming to the conclusion that the continental approach to training and coaching delivers more rounded, technically gifted players. The European way has always involved a more holistic approach to the development of young players, and the recent domination of the World Cup and the...

The days of jumpers for goalposts and playing football on the streets until dusk are long gone. Our children are spending their formative years on gaming consoles and tablet computers, and they’re not getting the exercise they need. Obesity levels amongst kids are rising as a result, and technical skills at the very top of the professional game in Britain...

Why Are Huge Participation Levels in Grassroots Soccer Not Being Reflected in America’s Professional Game? Driving around the streets of a typical urban area in the United States is a sobering experience for an English football fan. This is because it’s not baseball and American football pitches that litter the landscape – but soccer pitches. So why is a country...

The road to becoming a professional coach is a long and arduous one, but it is a pathway that is open to everyone with the determination to succeed. Whether candidates have played the game professionally or simply admired it from afar, anyone willing to put in the hard work required can realise their dreams of managing a top side. The...