After several years of relative inactivity in grassroots football, the government, the FA and various governing bodies are finally taking action to halt the decline in participation levels. A combination of poor facilities, a lack of pitches and a nationwide dearth of coaches has forced many young people away from the game over the last 20 or 30 years. But...

Michael Carrick has enjoyed an exemplary career — both on and off the field. Widely regarded as one of the country’s best passers, the Geordie midfielder has enjoyed huge success with Manchester United over the years. But more importantly, Carrick is a gentleman and a great ambassador for both United and English football in general. He’s the perfect role model...

The fact that grassroots football across the UK is chronically underfunded is now common knowledge. This isn’t just a problem for the sport of football; it is a problem for society in general. And despite several initiatives and funded projects to improve the situation, the FA, the Premier League and the various organisations involved have barely scratched the surface. So...

Referees at all levels of the game in Britain are leaving football in droves — and one of the main reasons is the torrent of abuse they’re receiving on a regular basis. A nationwide walkout of grassroots referees was narrowly avoided last year, but it could still happen if the FAs in England, Scotland and Wales don’t do more to...

Disabled football has been short-changed compared to other “para” sports in recent years. While millions have been poured into Olympic sports, the beautiful game has been something of a poor relative — which is shocking given the huge amounts of cash in the game. While there are associations, charities and clubs promoting disability football in the UK, they’re relatively small...

Despite being far and away the UK’s most popular sport, football has an image problem in this country. Season ticket prices in the Premier League and Championship are making it impossible for ardent fans to see their team in action. TV money continues to flood in at an unprecedented rate, and the game’s biggest stars are richer than ever. But...

Lizzy Yarnold (GBR) The UK will never be a major power in the world of winter sports. With the exception of a very small area of the Scottish Highlands, we just don’t have the climate or the landscapes to excel. In addition, the most poverty-stricken, disadvantaged children in British society don’t aspire to be skiers — they aspire to...

The plight of grassroots football in the UK has now transcended the sport. This desperate situation is now common knowledge, yet we are still having exactly the same conversations — more than a decade after the issue first hit national headlines. While the problems facing the game at youth and amateur levels are never really far from the back pages...

If you’re old enough to remember English football in the early 1980s, you’ve probably witnessed overt racism aimed at black and Asian players. The likes of the late Cyrille Regis and Justin Fashanu were subjected to the most horrific abuse every Saturday afternoon — and little or nothing was ever done about it. Thank goodness that’s all a thing of...

The FA has finally started to take the issue of abuse at grassroots football matches seriously. New codes of conduct and various initiatives related to Respect have already been put in motion — but former Leicester City and Wales midfielder Robbie Savage has his own thoughts on the issue. Robbie may have played at some of the most famous football...