Applications for 3v3 goalposts are now open. Whether your club or league is participating in a Central Venue League or a Home & Away competition, you can submit your application now.

Applications for 3v3 goalposts must be for 4ft x 2.5ft goalposts only; other sizes, including 5ft x 3ft, are not eligible under this programme. You must submit a minimum grant amount of £400 per application and total project cost of £533 per application

When submitting a supplier quote, please ensure it is a formal written quote from a registered supplier. Website screenshots will not be accepted and cannot be approved.

Looking to upgrade or replace your clubs goalposts?

Start application

You could get a grant of up to £25,000 to help cover the cost of new or replacement goalposts.

1. What you can get funding for
2. How it works
3. Support and guidance
4. Approved suppliers

Or if you’re ready to apply start your application and check if you’re eligible

Start application

What Funding Can I Get?

The maximum grant you can get for a pair of goalposts depends on their size, you can see the maximum amount we can fund for different sizes here.

The overall maximum grant we will fund for multiple sets of goalposts is £25,000, that does not exceed 75% of the total project costs and you’ll need to contribute the additional 25%.

If you’re seeking a grant to purchase more than five pairs of Goalposts, please get in touch with the Grant Reference Number (G-123456) from your draft application so we can review your project with your local Delivery Manager or County FA.

Adult 11 v 11

2.44m x 7.32m

Youth 11 v 11

2.13m x 6.40m

9 v 9

2.13m x 4.88m

Mini Soccer

1.83m x 3.66m

3 v 3

4ft x 2.5ft

Futsal

2m x 3m

Example

Your club needs a new pair of 11 v 11 Goalposts and you find them from a supplier, priced at £1,920 including VAT. The club enters this price on the application form and applies to the Foundation for a grant of £1,440 as 75% of the total project cost. The club contributes £480 (25%).

Start your application

Check your eligibility and submit your application in just a few steps. We’ll be in touch as soon as possible.

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What you can’t get funding for

• Goalposts which have already been purchased or ordered
• Goalposts for the exclusive use of educational establishments for their students, or from clubs that play within the National League System (Step 1 to 6), Women’s Football Pyramid (Tiers 1 – 4) or the Welsh Premier League
• Individual Goalposts (Goalposts must be purchased in pairs)
• Replacement of Goalpost parts or nets
• Goalposts for use on a 3G pitch that’s not on the FA 3G Pitch Register
• Replacement of Goalposts for 3G artificial grass pitches that have previously been funded by the Foundation
• Replacement of Goalposts that have previously been purchased with Football Foundation funding
• Other items such as corner flags, football kit, footballs, cones

Check Eligibility

Have you already applied?

Get support and guidance to help you complete your next steps – from funding tips to managing your project.

Support and Guidance

Approved Suppliers

We have identified several approved suppliers who agreed that they can meet our specification, provide extended warranties, and offer competitive rates. You’ll only be able to secure Football Foundation funding for goalposts from these suppliers.

The list of suppliers is reviewed every 12 months, and we’ll only consider adding any other companies to the preferred suppliers list within this review window. To find out more about future openings for new suppliers please check the Football Foundation website and social media channels. 

Goalpost Formats Offered

The landmark finding provides powerful support for the FA’s decision to remove deliberate heading from grassroots matches for children between U7 and U11.

Some coaches and parents have questioned whether the changes are necessary. Others have argued that heading is a fundamental football skill which children should learn from an early age.

However, the evidence heard at Stiles’ inquest is an important reminder of why football must take a cautious approach when protecting developing brains.

Children do not need to experience the same volume of heading that previous generations accepted as a normal part of the game.

What Happened to Nobby Stiles?

Nobby Stiles was part of the England team that won the 1966 World Cup and made almost 400 appearances for Manchester United.

He died in October 2020 at the age of 78 after suffering from severe dementia.

An examination of his brain found that he had Alzheimer’s disease and chronic traumatic encephalopathy, commonly known as CTE.

CTE is a degenerative brain condition associated with repeated impacts to the head.

Stockport Coroner’s Court heard that Stiles may have headed a football approximately 140,000 times during his playing career.

Dr Daniel Du Plessis, the neuropathology expert who examined his brain, told the inquest that he was convinced the repeated heading had caused Stiles’ CTE.

Senior coroner Alison Mutch concluded that, without repeatedly heading footballs throughout his career, it was unlikely that Stiles would have developed the condition.

The coroner recorded Alzheimer’s disease as a cause of death, with high-stage CTE among the contributing conditions.

Repetitive Heading Was Part of Training

The inquest heard that heading was not limited to competitive matches.

Players were regularly required to practise heading during training, repeatedly exposing themselves to impacts over many years.

At Manchester United, players were reportedly encouraged to practise using a football suspended from the ceiling by a piece of string.

At the time, neither Stiles nor his teammates would have fully understood the possible long-term consequences.

That historical context is important. This is not about blaming players, parents or coaches who followed the accepted practices of their time.

It is about using the evidence now available to make football safer for future generations.

What Has the FA Changed?

The FA has gradually phased deliberate heading out of affiliated grassroots matches between U7 and U11.

The new rule was introduced in stages:

• U7 to U9 from the 2024/25 season.
• U10 from the 2025/26 season.
• U11 from the 2026/27 season.

From the beginning of the 2026/27 campaign, deliberate heading will therefore be removed from affiliated U7 to U11 matches, including club, league and affiliated school football.

If a player deliberately heads the ball, the game is stopped and the opposition receives an indirect free kick.

There is normally no disciplinary punishment for the child. A caution would only be considered for persistent deliberate offences.

Kick-ins and dribble-ins are also replacing throw-ins at these age groups. This reduces the amount of time the ball spends in the air while giving children more opportunities to develop with the ball at their feet.

What About Heading in Training?

The FA’s guidance says heading should not be introduced during training for players between U7 and U11.

At U12, when heading becomes part of matches, it may be introduced carefully as a low-priority skill.

For U12 players, the FA strongly advises:

• A maximum of one heading session each week.
• The use of light footballs.
• No more than five headers.
• Self-served balls or delivery from a short distance.
• Unopposed practice rather than contested heading.

The intention is not to pretend heading does not exist. It is to introduce the technique progressively, at a more appropriate age and without unnecessary repetition.

Does This Mean Heading a Ball Once Is Dangerous?

No. The Stiles ruling should not be interpreted as evidence that a single header will cause dementia or CTE.

The concern is repeated exposure over time.

Stiles played professional football in an era when repeated heading was part of matches and intensive training. The scale of his exposure was far beyond anything normally experienced by a grassroots child.

However, his case demonstrates why unnecessary repetition should be reduced wherever possible—particularly among young children whose brains and bodies are still developing.

We do not need to wait for every scientific question to be answered before taking reasonable preventative action.

Will Children Become Worse Footballers?

Removing heading from primary-age football does not prevent children from learning the skill later.

Instead, it gives younger players more time to develop the technical abilities they use much more frequently, including:

• Receiving and controlling the ball.
• Passing under pressure.
• Dribbling.
• Moving into space.
• Making decisions.
• Playing through different areas of the pitch.

Heading can be introduced progressively from U12, with an emphasis on correct technique and limited repetition.

Children do not need years of heading practice before secondary school to become capable footballers.

Player Welfare Must Come First

Grassroots coaches have a responsibility to develop players, but their first responsibility is to provide a safe and positive environment.

The changes will take time to become fully accepted. Some coaches may find it difficult to move away from long balls, throw-ins into crowded areas or traditional heading exercises.

However, football has changed its approach to player welfare many times as understanding has improved.

The ruling in the Nobby Stiles inquest shows why these conversations cannot be dismissed as football becoming too soft.

Stiles achieved everything a player could dream of, but his family witnessed him suffer from a devastating brain condition later in life.

Removing deliberate heading from football for children aged U7 to U11 is a proportionate and sensible precaution. It does not remove an essential skill permanently, and it does not fundamentally change the sport.

It simply delays heading until children are older, introduces it gradually and removes countless impacts that do not need to happen.

If football can reduce a potential long-term risk without taking away children’s enjoyment of the game, it has a responsibility to do so.

Sources: ITV News – Nobby Stiles’ death linked to repeatedly heading footballs and England Football – official heading rules and training guidance.

The 45-year-old, from Blaina in South Wales, abused his position of trust by submitting fraudulent expense claims for money he said he had personally spent on football equipment, club improvements, fees and bills.

According to Gwent Police, the claims were false and enabled him to take thousands of pounds that should have been used for the running and development of the community club.

The former chairman pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position and was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday 27 July. He received a 20-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

DC Kelsey Brown, the officer responsible for the investigation, said the defendant had abused a trusted position to embezzle money from an organisation serving its local community.

The officer also stressed that fraud is not a victimless crime.

Money Taken From Grassroots Football

For grassroots football clubs, every pound can make a difference.

Registration fees, sponsorship money, fundraising income and subscriptions paid by families are used to cover essentials such as pitch hire, equipment, insurance, league fees, match officials and the maintenance of club facilities.

When money is stolen from a junior football club, the consequences are therefore felt throughout the organisation.

It can mean less equipment for children, delayed improvements, increased fees for families or volunteers having to raise the same money all over again.

The financial loss can also be accompanied by a breakdown in trust between committee members, coaches, parents and the wider community.

Most grassroots clubs are operated by honest, committed volunteers who give up considerable amounts of their own time. However, the voluntary nature of these organisations can sometimes mean their financial controls are less developed than those found within larger businesses.

That makes transparency and shared responsibility particularly important.

Could It Happen at Your Club?

This case provides a serious reminder that responsibility for a club’s finances should never sit entirely with one person.

No matter how trusted or long-serving an official may be, proper financial procedures protect the club, its members and the individual volunteers handling its money.

Sensible safeguards can include:

• Requiring two authorised people to approve significant payments.
• Giving the full committee regular financial reports.
• Keeping receipts and supporting evidence for every expense.
• Separating the roles of approving and processing payments.
• Conducting an annual independent examination of the club’s accounts.
• Restricting access to banking systems when an official leaves their position.
• Recording all major financial decisions within committee minutes.
• Ensuring more than one officer can view the club’s bank transactions.

These measures are not about treating volunteers with suspicion. They create accountability, reduce the opportunity for wrongdoing and help protect honest officials from misunderstandings or unfounded allegations.

Parents and club members should also be entitled to understand, at an appropriate level, how subscriptions and fundraising income are being used.

Protecting Community Clubs

Grassroots football depends heavily upon trust, but trust should be supported by clear systems.

Volunteers regularly handle substantial sums collected from families, sponsors and fundraising events. Even comparatively small clubs may process tens of thousands of pounds across a season.

Clubs should therefore review their constitutions, banking permissions and financial procedures before the new campaign begins.

The overwhelming majority of volunteers act with honesty and put the interests of young players first. Introducing proper safeguards protects those volunteers as much as it protects the money.

No junior football club should discover too late that funds intended for its children have disappeared.

Source: Gwent Police – Man who stole more than £20,000 from community football club receives suspended sentence

Most people assumed you were talking about a professional football club.

It suggested a recognised pathway, elite coaching and the possibility—however small—of progressing into the professional game.

Today, things look very different.

Across the country, thousands of children attend organisations with “Academy” in the name. Some operate every day, some once a week. Some are linked to professional clubs, while others are independent coaching businesses, grassroots clubs or player development centres.

Many provide outstanding coaching.

Many have excellent facilities.

Many genuinely improve young players.

So this article isn’t about questioning the quality of what they do.

It’s about asking a different question.

What does the word “academy” actually mean today?

Unlike terms such as “Premier League” or “FA Chartered Club”, the word “academy” isn’t always interpreted in the same way by parents. For some, it simply means additional coaching. For others, it suggests a recognised route into the professional game.

That difference in perception matters.

Parents who are new to football may understandably assume that every organisation using the word offers a similar pathway, structure or level of opportunity. In reality, the experiences available can vary enormously.

Of course, language evolves.

Businesses in every industry choose names that reflect ambition, professionalism and the environment they’re trying to create. There’s nothing wrong with wanting children to feel they’re part of something exciting and aspirational.

Many independent academies openly explain exactly what they offer and never claim to be something they’re not.

The challenge is consistency.

If two organisations both describe themselves as academies but deliver completely different experiences, does the word still help families understand what they’re joining?

Or has it become a marketing term that’s interpreted differently depending on who’s reading it?

Perhaps this debate isn’t really about the word “academy” at all.

Perhaps it’s about clarity.

Parents deserve to understand exactly what they’re signing up for.

Is it additional technical coaching?

A development centre?

An elite performance programme?

A recreational football session?

A pathway linked to a professional club?

None of those are inherently better or worse.

They’re simply different.

And perhaps describing them clearly is more important than the title on the badge.

Grassroots football has changed enormously over the last decade.

Independent coaching providers have created fantastic opportunities for children to play more football, develop new skills and enjoy the game in different environments. Many have become a valuable part of the football landscape.

But as the game continues to evolve, maybe it’s worth asking whether the language we use should evolve too.

Not to restrict ambition.

Not to criticise good coaching.

But to help families make informed decisions.

Over To You…

When you hear the words “football academy”, what do you expect? Has the term become too broad, or is it simply a natural reflection of how grassroots football has evolved?

Ask ten coaches whether every child should play the same number of minutes, and you’ll probably hear ten different answers.

Some believe equal game time is one of the foundations of youth football. Others argue that football is competitive, and selection should reflect commitment, attitude and performance.

So where should grassroots football draw the line?

Those in favour of equal game time believe children join football to play, not to watch. Families give up weekends, pay subscriptions and support their clubs because they want children to experience the game, not spend most of it on the sidelines.

They also point out that players develop at different speeds. The child sitting on the bench today could easily become one of the strongest players in two or three years. If opportunities are limited now, that development may never happen.

Many coaches would agree.

Confidence often comes from playing matches, making mistakes and learning through experience—not simply watching others.

However, there is another perspective.

Some coaches believe equal game time should never mean equal regardless of effort.

What about the player who rarely attends training?

What about poor behaviour?

What about commitment throughout the season?

Should those factors influence selection?

Then there are cup finals, title deciders and knockout football.

Many volunteers admit these are the hardest decisions they make.

Do they reward attendance and loyalty?

Or do they pick the strongest team available?

There is no answer that keeps everyone happy.

Perhaps that’s because one solution doesn’t fit every age group.

At younger ages, equal game time often supports confidence, enjoyment and long-term participation.

As players get older, many naturally begin to understand competition, accountability and earning opportunities through commitment.

Maybe the challenge isn’t deciding whether equal game time is right or wrong.

Maybe it’s deciding when development gradually gives way to competition.

Whatever approach a club takes, one thing remains essential.

Communication.

Parents don’t always expect coaches to make decisions they agree with.

But they do appreciate understanding the thinking behind them.

Most disagreements begin not with selection itself, but with confusion.

At the heart of every decision should be one simple question.

“What’s best for the child?”

Sometimes that means more minutes.

Sometimes it means patience.

Sometimes it means difficult conversations.

Grassroots football has never been about producing identical experiences for every player.

It’s about creating environments where every child feels valued, respected and motivated to keep playing.

How clubs achieve that may differ.

The responsibility to keep children enjoying football never should.

Over To You…

Should equal game time be expected at every age group, or is there a point where competition should begin to influence selection? If so, when?

But as players get older, league tables return.

The question is…

Is the current age the right one?

Or should children be given a little longer before results become part of the conversation?

Supporters of the current system believe it strikes a sensible balance. Younger players are given time to develop without the pressure of league positions, while older children are gradually introduced to the competitive side of football.

After all, football is a competitive game. Winning and losing are part of sport, and learning how to deal with both is an important life lesson.

Others, however, believe the pressure begins too early.

They argue that once league tables are published, adult behaviour can start to change. Coaches may feel greater pressure to win, game time can become less equal and late developers may find opportunities reduced as results take on greater importance.

Many coaches will have seen examples of this.

Children who once played freely suddenly become worried about making mistakes. Parents begin discussing league positions before performances. Conversations shift from development to points, goal difference and who sits at the top of the table.

Of course, league tables themselves aren’t the problem.

A table is simply a record of results.

It’s how adults respond to those results that really shapes a child’s experience.

For many clubs, league tables are simply part of football and never affect the way they coach or develop players. Those environments continue to prioritise enjoyment, learning and inclusion regardless of where they sit in the standings.

For others, the league table slowly becomes the measure of success.

Perhaps that’s the real question.

At what age are most children emotionally and physically ready for that extra layer of competition?

There isn’t a perfect answer.

Some children thrive on competition from an early age.

Others need longer to develop confidence before results become the focus.

Maybe the answer isn’t moving the age at all.

Maybe it’s ensuring that, whenever league tables are introduced, they remain just one small part of the football journey—not the reason children play.

Because the best grassroots clubs already understand something important.

A league title is worth celebrating.

So is developing confident players.

So is retaining every child until the end of the season.

So is creating an environment where children can’t wait to come back next week.

Grassroots football has always been about much more than where a team finishes.

Over To You…

Do you think league tables should be introduced at the current age, should the age be raised, or do you think the current system has got the balance about right? We’d love to hear your reasoning.

Without either of you realising it…

You’ll watch your child’s last grassroots football match.

There won’t be an announcement.

No presentation.

No special programme.

No emotional speech before kick-off.

It will feel exactly like every other Sunday.

You’ll be looking for a missing shin pad.

Checking the weather.

Loading muddy boots into the car.

Wondering if you’ve remembered the water bottle.

Driving to the same ground you’ve visited hundreds of times before.

You’ll complain about the traffic.

About the rain.

About another early start.

You’ll stand on the same touchline.

Speak to the same parents.

Buy the same cup of tea.

Cheer the same team.

It will feel wonderfully ordinary.

And that’s why you’ll never see it coming.

The final whistle will blow.

Players will shake hands.

Someone will score.

Someone will miss.

Someone will laugh.

Someone will cry.

The coach will gather everyone in.

Parents will clap.

Children will race back to the cars.

You’ll throw muddy boots into the boot.

Drive home.

Probably talking about school the next day.

Or what you’re having for Sunday dinner.

And somewhere between that journey home and the weeks that follow…

Football will quietly become something your child used to do.

Not because they stopped loving it.

Life simply moved on.

College.

Work.

Friends.

Relationships.

New interests.

New adventures.

The Sunday mornings slowly filled with other things.

One day you’ll walk past the garage and notice the boots.

Still there.

Covered in dried mud from months ago.

You’ll pick them up.

Smile.

And put them back down again.

Because suddenly you’ll realise…

That really was the last match.

The strange thing about childhood is that it rarely ends with one big moment.

It disappears quietly.

One ordinary day at a time.

One final bedtime story.

One last time holding their hand to school.

One last family holiday before they’re too old to want one.

One final football match.

None of us know when those moments are happening.

That’s why they’re so precious.

Grassroots football gives us hundreds of ordinary Sundays.

Early mornings.

Cold mornings.

Wet mornings.

Long journeys.

Missed lie-ins.

Mud in the washing machine.

Grass in the car.

Lost water bottles.

Forgotten shin pads.

It can feel relentless at times.

But one day…

You’d give anything for just one more.

One more early kick-off.

One more freezing morning.

One more frantic search for a missing football boot.

One more drive home talking about a goal that nearly went in.

One more opportunity to stand behind the barrier and watch them play.

Ask any parent whose children have grown up.

Very few remember the league tables.

Most can’t remember the scores.

They couldn’t tell you who won the cup final in 2016.

But they remember the people.

The coach who believed in their child.

The volunteer who opened the clubhouse every Sunday.

The referee who smiled at nervous young players before kick-off.

The teammate who became a lifelong friend.

The laughter.

The car journeys.

The tournaments.

The rain.

The sunshine.

The muddy hugs after a victory.

The quiet hugs after a defeat.

Those are the things that stay.

Not because they were extraordinary.

Because they became part of family life.

Grassroots football has never just been about football.

It’s been about childhood.

About growing up.

About communities.

About families spending time together.

About watching confidence slowly replace nerves.

About seeing children become young adults right in front of our eyes.

The boots eventually become too small.

The shirts no longer fit.

The trophies gather dust.

The medals end up in a drawer.

But the memories never leave.

So this weekend…

If you’re standing on the touchline…

Take a moment.

Put your phone away for a minute.

Watch your child.

Really watch them.

Watch the smile after a good tackle.

Watch them celebrate a teammate’s goal.

Watch them laughing during the warm-up.

Watch them being exactly the age they are today.

Because they’ll never be this age again.

One day, without warning…

There will be a last match.

You just won’t know it’s the last one.

Until it’s gone.

So enjoy the rain.

Enjoy the cold.

Enjoy the early starts.

Enjoy the muddy boots by the front door.

Enjoy the chaos.

Enjoy every ordinary Sunday.

Because one day…

Those ordinary Sundays will become the memories you treasure most.

And you’ll discover that the greatest thing grassroots football ever gave your family…

Was never football at all.

Actually…

Most teams have several.

The child who isn’t the quickest.

Isn’t the strongest.

Doesn’t score the most goals.

Doesn’t get picked first in every drill.

Sometimes they don’t even believe they should be there.

They’re the child who quietly gets on with it.

The one who always turns up.

Always listens.

Always tries.

Always applauds everyone else.

They don’t usually get Player of the Match.

Parents don’t stand behind the goal talking about them.

Opposition coaches rarely notice them.

But somebody does.

Their coach.

Because good coaches know something many people forget.

Football isn’t a race to find the best eleven-year-old.

It’s a journey to help every child become the best version of themselves.

Some children develop early.

Others don’t.

Some are physically stronger at nine.

Others catch them at fourteen.

Some dominate youth football.

Some disappear before adulthood.

Some struggle through every age group…

…before suddenly flourishing when nobody expected it.

Grassroots football is full of stories like that.

The problem is…

Adults are often far more impatient than children.

We love certainty.

We love predicting the future.

“This one will definitely make it.”

“That one won’t.”

But football has spent decades proving us wrong.

Late developers become captains.

Quiet children become leaders.

Small players become outstanding footballers.

The goalkeeper who’s terrified of diving today…

Might become the player everyone relies on tomorrow.

Children change.

Sometimes unbelievably quickly.

That’s why labels are so dangerous.

“The weak one.”

“The slow one.”

“The substitute.”

“The difficult one.”

Children hear those labels.

Even when adults think they don’t.

The best coaches never coach labels.

They coach people.

Because every child deserves somebody who believes in them before they’ve fully learned to believe in themselves.

Perhaps that’s the greatest gift a coach can give.

Hope.

Not false hope.

Real hope.

The hope that says,

“I can see something in you.”

Sometimes that’s all a child needs.

A little patience.

A little encouragement.

A little belief.

The reality is that grassroots football isn’t just about discovering talent.

It’s about developing confidence.

Character.

Friendship.

Resilience.

Kindness.

The child who’s struggling today may never become the best footballer.

But they might become the teammate everybody wants beside them.

The captain who lifts everyone else.

The volunteer coach twenty years from now.

The referee.

The committee member.

The parent encouraging every child from the touchline.

Football needs those people just as much as it needs goalscorers.

So the next time you watch a grassroots match…

Don’t just watch the child scoring hat-tricks.

Watch the player chasing every lost cause.

The one helping an opponent back to their feet.

The one applauding teammates.

The one who never stops trying.

Because sometimes…

The child who isn’t the best player on the team…

Ends up becoming the very best thing about it.

And that’s a success no league table could ever measure.

Someone is going to think you were terrible.

One team will believe you favoured the opposition.

Parents will question your decisions.

Players will appeal for everything.

Coaches will disagree with you.

And yet…

You still turn up.

Week after week.

Welcome to grassroots refereeing.

It’s one of the most important roles in football.

It’s also one of the least appreciated.

The strange thing is…

Most of us don’t notice referees when they have a good game.

We only notice them when something goes wrong.

One offside decision.

One penalty.

One handball.

One throw-in.

That’s often all it takes for an afternoon to change.

But let’s remember something.

The referee standing in the middle isn’t watching the game from the same angle as everyone else.

They don’t have slow-motion replays.

They don’t have VAR.

They don’t have four camera angles.

They have one pair of eyes.

One whistle.

One split second to make a decision.

Sometimes they’ll get it wrong.

Just like players do.

Just like coaches do.

Just like parents do.

Every single week.

The irony is that many of the people criticising referees would never volunteer to do the job themselves.

Because deep down, they know how difficult it is.

Grassroots football desperately needs more referees.

Not next year.

Now.

Without them…

Fixtures don’t happen.

Children miss games.

Leagues struggle.

Clubs become frustrated.

The game suffers.

Some of today’s youngest referees are still teenagers.

Imagine being sixteen years old.

Standing in the middle of a pitch.

Trying your very best.

While adults twice your age question every decision you make.

Would you come back next weekend?

Some do.

Many don’t.

And that’s the problem.

Every referee who walks away leaves a gap that somebody else has to fill.

Or doesn’t.

Perhaps we need to change the question.

Instead of asking,

“Was the referee good enough?”

Maybe we should ask,

“Did we create an environment where they’d want to referee here again?”

Because those are two very different conversations.

The best grassroots clubs understand this.

They welcome referees.

They thank them.

They offer a hot drink.

They shake hands before and after the game.

They challenge poor behaviour from their own sidelines.

They recognise something simple.

Referees aren’t visitors.

They’re part of the football family.

Without them, there isn’t a game.

So this weekend…

If you see a referee walking towards your pitch…

Remember that they chose to give up their time so children could play football.

That’s worth something.

In fact…

It’s worth far more than one disputed throw-in.

Before the first whistle blows, they deserve one thing from all of us.

Respect.

Not because they’ll always get every decision right.

But because they cared enough to turn up.

And grassroots football needs more people willing to do exactly that.

You’re probably doing a better job than you think you are.

I know that sounds strange.

Especially after the weekend you’ve just had.

You lost 5-1.

Or maybe you won 5-1 and still spent the drive home wondering whether you gave everyone enough game time.

Perhaps a parent questioned your substitutions.

Maybe somebody left the club.

Maybe you read a social media comment you wish you hadn’t.

Maybe one child looked upset when they came off.

Maybe another forgot to say goodbye.

And somehow…

You’ve convinced yourself you’ve failed.

Volunteer coaches are incredibly good at remembering everything they think they got wrong.

The missed substitution.

The forgotten water break.

The training session that didn’t quite work.

The tactical decision that backfired.

The player you meant to speak to but never got around to.

The text message you still haven’t replied to.

The thing you said that came out differently to how you meant it.

It’s exhausting.

What coaches rarely remember are the hundreds of things they quietly get right.

The nervous new player you welcomed.

The child who smiled because you remembered their name.

The goalkeeper who finally wanted to go in goal again.

The player who’d been struggling with confidence but suddenly started asking for the ball.

The parent who thanked you privately.

The volunteer who stayed because you made them feel appreciated.

The child who now looks forward to football every week because of the environment you’ve created.

Those moments matter.

Far more than you realise.

The trouble is…

They don’t usually make headlines.

Nobody posts on Facebook because their child came home smiling.

Parents rarely email to say,

“Thank you for making my child feel included today.”

Children don’t always tell you that football is their favourite part of the week.

So coaches naturally assume they’re getting everything wrong.

But they’re not.

Could you improve?

Of course.

Every coach can.

Every volunteer can.

Every parent can.

That’s part of grassroots football.

But perfection has never been the job description.

Showing up has.

Caring has.

Trying your best has.

Learning has.

Growing has.

Turning up again next Thursday after a difficult Sunday has.

That takes courage.

The greatest coaches aren’t the ones who never make mistakes.

They’re the ones who care enough to keep learning from them.

Because that’s exactly what we’re asking children to do every week.

Be brave.

Try again.

Keep going.

Learn.

Improve.

Maybe it’s time coaches gave themselves the same advice.

So before your next training session…

Before your next match…

Before you start wondering whether you’re good enough…

Remember this.

Somewhere there’s a child who can’t wait to see you.

Somewhere there’s a parent who’s grateful you volunteered.

Somewhere there’s a teammate whose confidence only exists because you believed in them.

You may never know the full impact you’ve had.

Most coaches don’t.

But that’s the beautiful thing about grassroots football.

The seeds you plant today often grow years later.

Long after the final whistle.

Long after the trophies.

Long after the league tables.

So if nobody has told you recently…

Thank you.

And one more thing.

Keep going.

Grassroots football needs coaches exactly like you.