At the end of 2015, the FA conducted the biggest ever survey into the state of grassroots football in England. Although there were many issues raised by people involved in the game, the overwhelming complaint related to the state of municipal football pitches. More than 80 percent of grassroots football matches take place on pitches run by cash-strapped councils. Yet...
18-year-old Lewis Maguire was a highly promising goalkeeper with dreams of playing in The Premier League. That was until he developed Hodgkin’s Lymphoma whilst on trial with Leeds United. Lewis’ father Nigel is a former NHS boss, and he believes that his son might have developed this aggressive form of cancer as a result of playing on synthetic surfaces on...
Football clubs, leagues and associations throughout the UK have been struggling to cope with major problems coming from almost every conceivable direction in recent years. As well as chronic underinvestment, declining participation levels and decaying facilities, a growing number of clubs are now struggling to simply fulfil their fixture list. Several postponements in recent months have been highlighted in newspapers...
The FA, Sport England and the British government are trying to boost participation in grassroots football around the country, and one of initiatives they are pursuing is a 4G pitch building programme. Although expensive initially, the very latest artificial pitches are helping cash-strapped leagues and associations to fulfil their fixtures during periods of inclement weather. While much is said about...
When artificial pitches made their first appearance in England during the 1980s, they were quickly written off as a failed fad. But huge advances in technology have given rise to a new breed of playing surface. Although still banned in English football, there are growing calls to allow their return - particularly at the cash-strapped clubs of the lower leagues...
Image: The Football Foundation It seems that concerns over the future of the England national team are finally being taken seriously by those in control of the game. The government, the FA and the Premier League have joined forces to announce a £102 million fund aimed at increasing participation in grassroots football throughout the country. And it is believed...
At the end of 2015, the FA conducted the biggest ever survey into the state of grassroots football in England. Although there were many issues raised by people involved in the game, the overwhelming complaint related to the state of municipal football pitches. More than 80 percent of grassroots football matches take place on pitches run by cash-strapped councils. Yet...
18-year-old Lewis Maguire was a highly promising goalkeeper with dreams of playing in The Premier League. That was until he developed Hodgkin’s Lymphoma whilst on trial with Leeds United. Lewis’ father Nigel is a former NHS boss, and he believes that his son might have developed this aggressive form of cancer as a result of playing on synthetic surfaces on...
Football clubs, leagues and associations throughout the UK have been struggling to cope with major problems coming from almost every conceivable direction in recent years. As well as chronic underinvestment, declining participation levels and decaying facilities, a growing number of clubs are now struggling to simply fulfil their fixture list. Several postponements in recent months have been highlighted in newspapers...
The FA, Sport England and the British government are trying to boost participation in grassroots football around the country, and one of initiatives they are pursuing is a 4G pitch building programme. Although expensive initially, the very latest artificial pitches are helping cash-strapped leagues and associations to fulfil their fixtures during periods of inclement weather. While much is said about...
Image: The Football Foundation It seems that concerns over the future of the England national team are finally being taken seriously by those in control of the game. The government, the FA and the Premier League have joined forces to announce a £102 million fund aimed at increasing participation in grassroots football throughout the country. And it is believed...