The English Football Association Charter for Quality: the development of junior and youth grassroots football in England

Abstract

In this article, we provide a practitioner’s account of the work undertaken by the English football association (FA) in the field of junior and youth grassroots football over the past two decades. We cover The FA’s main achievements and challenges in implementing strategies and changes in the delivery and provision of grassroots football. In doing so, we draw upon some of the research The FA has commissioned and undertaken to inform the developments that have been and continue to be made. It is rare for organizations such as The FA to communicate their work and contextualize the challenges and innovations within which this work takes place. As such, we hope this contribution will inform the reader of the past and future innovations that are central to sustaining and developing the grassroots game.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. The FA, ‘A Charter for Quality’.

2. The FA, ‘Football Development Strategy 2001–2006’.

3. Ibid.

4. Houlihan and Green, ‘Modernization and Sport: The Reform of Sport England and UK Sport’.

5. Sport England, Who Plays Sport – The National Picture.

6. The FA, ‘Women’s and Girl’s Football Strategy 2008–2012’.

7. The Footballers’ Further Education and Vocational Training Society (FFE/VTS) was an organization, set up in 1980 by the combined efforts of the Professional Footballers’ Association, FA and Football League to ensure clubs offer education and training opportunities to youth footballers.

8. Lusted and O’Gorman, ‘The Impact of New Labour’s Modernization Agenda on the English Grass-roots Football Workforce’, 2010.

9. O’Gorman, ‘The Changing Nature of Sports Volunteering: Modernization, Policy and Practice’.

10. The FA, ‘National Game Strategy 2011–15’.

11. Ibid.

12. Brackenridge et al., Child Welfare in Football: An Exploration of Children’s Welfare in the Modern Game.

13. Brackenridge et al., ‘The Football Association’s Child Protection in Football Research Project 2002–2006’.

14. The FA, ‘Youth Development Review’.

15. Small, ‘Small-sided Games Study of Young Football Players in Scotland’.

16. The FA, ‘National Game Strategy 2011–15’.

17. Ibid.

18. Sport England, ‘Active Places 2012’.

19. The FA, ‘England Chairman’s Commission Report’.