It might surprise you to know that professional scouts don’t attend grassroots football matches as much as they used to. Before the digital age, a scout might watch a young player from the sidelines a dozen or more times before making an offer. These days, however, players can be signed after just one or two visits. This is because technology...

Participations levels in grassroots football are still falling — despite the best efforts of the government, the FA and local associations. If you want to recruit the next generation of players, you’re going to need to reach out. One way to get young players excited about your club is to hold regular open days. These are casual, fun and interactive...

Times have changed, and the days of jumpers for goalposts are fewer and farther between than ever. Strict rules on ball games on streets and a huge increase in road traffic have restricted where and how often youngsters can practise their football skills. But if you have a garden, you’ll always have your own mini training pitch. The truth is...

If you’re serious about being the best you can be on the football pitch, you need to put in the hours on the practice pitch. The best players make the very best of their natural talents. They do this by adopting an holistic approach. They eat right, stay fit, work on their strength and conditioning and practice. They practice a...

Buying a Christmas gift for a grassroots football player this year? If so, why not give them the gift of skill? Yes, you can play your part in that person’s footballing development by putting one of these exciting football training gifts in their stocking this year. Whether you’re buying for a child or a regular Sunday league player, these quality...

Across Britain, football is a huge part of Christmas for players and fans alike. But if you’re a player, you have a responsibility to your coach and your teammates to maintain a reasonable level of fitness. Of course, this is easier said than done. There are hundreds of distractions and indulgences around at this time of year. While you don’t...

The life of a grassroots football referee is very often a thankless one. Amateur match officials get it in the neck from all sides these days — from players, coaches and spectators. So much so, there’s now a dire shortage of referees in England. Nevertheless, thousands of referees perform their duties diligently every weekend, on pitches and playing fields up...

There are a few key goalkeeping skills that are essential in the modern game. Without all of them, an aspiring keeper won’t be able to fulfil their true potential. This is why constant practice and repetition of certain drills and exercise is essential. We’ve put together a few tips to use on the training pitch. But first, you need to...

In football, no one skill is more important than any other — at least in the eyes of a coach. But there’s little doubt that fans love the ability to score goals. In many cases, this skill is instinctive. But to perfect it, you must put in the hours on the training pitch. And you must work on your technique...

While honing technical skills is a very important part of football training, strength and conditioning work is equally as important. Football is a highly physical contact sport. In order to muscle opposition players off the ball, you need lower, core and upper body strength. Strength and conditioning work on the training pitch also improve speed, acceleration and balance. But there...