Whether you’re a young footballer with dreams of making it as a professional or the parent of an ambitious youngster, it’s important to know exactly what a professional scout is looking for. Every professional club in England — along with many semi-professional clubs — employ full-time scouts to scour youth and local leagues for talent. If you or your child...

At a time when many people believe that grassroots football in Britain is at crisis point, young people are struggling to afford the cost of following their local professional team. Supporters of Premier League teams have been forced to contend with massive price rises. Meanwhile, TV and marketing revenues amongst the country’s richest clubs have soared. As a result, thousands...

The recent revelations of abuse within every level of football have shone a light on the welfare of children and vulnerable adults within the game. It is blatantly clear that hundreds of children have been failed by the system over the years, and the responsibility rests on everyone’s shoulders — including with parents. By playing an active role in your...

If a CEO or an executive board member were to deliver a bad performance, the chances are they’d be fired. If you were to fail in your most basic of duties at work, you’d probably face the axe too. So why do the faceless FA board members, who are ultimately responsible for the grassroots game in the UK, seem to...

The sex abuse scandal that has enveloped British football in recent weeks has shone a light on how vulnerable our youngsters can be. We often entrust virtual strangers with the wellbeing and safety of our children, yet we usually know very little about the coaches and administrators who are crucial to the grassroots game. The FA and the various grassroots...

In light of recent developments in relation to the sexual abuse of young footballers in the UK, it is incumbent on all coaches and football administrators to ensure their club is safeguarding the children it is responsible for. In reality, the safety and well-being of children playing the game is the responsibility of everyone. Each club, association, school and private...

Cast your mind back to the 1970s and 1980s; a time when English defenders in the professional game were fearsome and fearless in equal measure. For fans of a certain age, visions of Stuart Pearce’s crunching tackles live long in the memory. The iconic sight of Terry Butcher covered in blood after guiding England to the 1990 World Cup Finals...

The term ‘giving something back’ has become a cliche — often used by rich and powerful celebrities to enhance their public image. But there are several Premier League footballers who are putting their money where their mouth is by getting involved in crucial grassroots projects around the country. In this age of uber-wealthy football stars, it is somewhat gratifying to...

Despite some noticeable improvements in recent years, disabled people are still finding it far too difficult to get involved in football. Whether they’re on the terraces or on the pitch, it seems that people living with disability have to work twice as hard as their able-bodied friends and families to enjoy the sport they love. The shameful accessibility issues in...

After many years of fending off criticism about their approach to grassroots football in England, the FA’s biggest initiative to date made a huge splash in the press this week. The Parklife Football Hubs Programme arrived in Sheffield - the home of football - and it was welcomed across South Yorkshire as the next step to increasing participation levels in...