GrassRoots Magazine April 24 Issue 18

EAST THURROCK COMMUNITY FC

THE STORY SO FAR ON LAUNCHING A FAN OWNED FOOTBALL CLUB

Team Message

Congratulations to Romford FC on reaching this Season FA Vase Final, a 10-9 win on penalties over Lincoln United will see Romford take their place in the Wembley Final on 11th May. For Match report see link below Match Report: Lincoln United 0 - 0 Romford Football Club : First Team (romfordfc.com)

Also, Congratulations must go to our Sponsored Youth Team Broomfield U13’s Lions who will play Witham Town Whites the Division 2 Cup Final on 21st April, Good Luck & we hope you enjoy the day.

We were lucky enough to attend the showing of Chelmsford City Women’s Documentary ‘False 9’ at the Civic Theatre in Chelmsford. We really enjoyed the film & we are happy to hear that this is now available to be viewed online, we urge everyone to take a look for an insight into Women’s football in Essex. False 9 : The Reality Of Womens Football | FEATURE DOCUMENTARY (youtube.com)

Good Luck to everyone as we approach the final weeks of the 2023-24 Season. The Grassroots Team

If you would like to feature your Club, please email us at: grassrootsmag@btinternet.com

Goalkeeper Corner

Adult Leagues

Youth Leagues

Essex FA

Football Fitness

Match Fit

Final Whistle

False 9

East Thurrock Community FC

THE STORY SO FAR

The Grassroots team caught up with Jack Duffin the ETCFC Chairman, Jack with others are undertaking a big project to start a 100% fan owned football club East Thurrock Community FC. Jack got involved in this project after his beloved East Thurrock United FC went into liquidation, leaving a big void in the local community for all those loyal fans.

GR: So, your club is East Thurrock Community FC, how long has it been going as a club?

JD: If we go back to the start, it was the end of September 2023 when a group of fans sat around the table and decided we've lost East Thurrock United to liquidation a month before.

GR: Have you played any Matches yet?

JD: Our first game is booked for the 6th July, but I've got footballs on my dining room table, it is a proper start up atmosphere, but we're building from the ground up something that's democratic, sustainable and transparent so that's our three key pillars for building the football club.

GR:What league are you going into next season for your first season?

JD: We are applying to go into the Essex Olympian Division One, we are awaiting confirmation from the league. That would be the 12th tier of English football, East Thurrock United were in the National League South before relegations left them in the 8th tier before they folded.

GR: I remember Thurrock back in the day,where do you play your football?Where will your home ground be?

JD : Our fan owners voted on where they wanted to play, so we took a couple of options to them, they decided where to play and it is going to be at Wyldecrest Sports Country Club, It's a 5-minute walk from where our old ground was. This was really important to us all as we didn’t want to play miles away out of the local area.

GR: Have you got your managers in place?

JD So, we were incredibly lucky with that, I've run voluntary organisations before, so I understand what I am doing in running a club, but I've never run a football team before. So, when John Coventry who had managed East Thurrock United for over 10 years including their time in the National League South approached us and offered to help, we bit his hand off. We gave him the role of Director of Football and he is in a position where he oversees everything, from a football perspective. To bring someone in with that wealth of experience and his history with the former club is like what Sir Alex Ferguson is Man United. We have co-managers in, and they've brought a coaching staff with them. We've also got a sports therapists in place and we're making sure that we're building something that belongs at a higher level than we're going in. We want to build the best environment possible for our players to come together, win football games and deliver great football for our fans.

GR: How is Player recruitment going?

JD . It is still at a really early stage, no players signed yet as this season is still underway, so some might be on other teams currently, but we have a big trial day scheduled for 25th May where hopefully we'll get many players. John Coventry is on player recruitment with the managers, and they are working hard to build a really good squad. When some of the players are announced, people will be surprised. There are players with experience playing at much higher levels we are working to attract. The aspiration is we put together a squad that the fans are proud of, some of the names the fans will know. What we want to build is something special here, we want to progress we have said the aspiration is to get back to the 8th tier with a dream of one day playing in the National League South.

GR:You could be likeWrexham?

JD: Yeah, we could do with the Dwayne, the Rock Johnson, coming in and buying us, that would certainly make life easier.

GR: I have seen you do a buy a share in the club scheme for fans, what is this?

JD : Yeah, so the way it works at the moment, there are different models to allow everyone the ability to get involved, people can pay in for either £5 a month or £50 a year but each fan can only buy one share so no one can come in a buy a big chunk of the club. We set an initial goal that we thought was ambitious at the time and said, let us try and get to 100 by our first game and 22 days later, we'd already hit 100. We have been overwhelmed by the response from our fans, not just in the local area but globally, we are in eleven different countries people have bought in double digits in the US so people want to get involved in this because they see what we are trying to build. Fans can pay £1000 and become a lifetime owner, but they still get the same voting rights as someone who is paying £5 a month. It is true equality in that aspect, but we are super transparent with everything as well, so weekly emails go out to the owners of what is going on behind the scenes even down to the small things like how much we are spending on footballs.

GR:What’s the importance of a fan owned club?

JD: It is important because we want them to have confidence that after the old club went into liquidation, that this is not going to happen here. We want to build a strong financial footing that can allow the club to grow, there are some clubs with this model that have over 1000 fans owning a share. If that is something, we could achieve here it would give us an annual income of £50K that we can spend on improving and delivering great football. There are lots of non-league clubs up and down the country where owners come in with the best intentions, they start pumping money in and then something happens, either in their personal or their business life, and that £1000 a month or whatever it might be that their putting into the club just stops, then suddenly it all starts falling apart. Whereas we are fan driven, yes, we might lose 5-10 fans a year, but we gain many more and that's something that as people want to get involved all around the world there are no limits to how many owners we can get.

GR:What are the benefits from being a fan shareholder?

JD: It gives the fans as much voting rights as me the chairman, and that's something that we're going to keep, they're the ones that designed our home and away kit They have also chosen our charity partners which are St Luke's Hospice on the home kit & Prostate UK on the away shirts. They will be on our shirt sleeves, and then we will be doing some charity work for them during the year To us as a community club, it is really important to give back as well, while the priority is always going to be football, we want to benefit the community, these are two great charities, so we are proud to support them. The fan owners get to choose everything that is going on the club side I will point out they are not deciding who we sign, or what formations we play

GR:What will fans pay on Match days to watch?

JD:- It will be free and that is going to be the case until we get up to the 10th tier of the football league, which is when we will charge people to come in. We will still be there with our buckets on match days because every pound helps and will make a significant difference to the club. All the owners will be able to see on a weekly basis, the financial report of what has come in and what has gone out, it gives people an understanding of where the money has been used. We are still looking for more sponsors and we have had some already come-on board, but we always need more. We have launched all our sponsorship packages, we have sponsorship packages that range from £50 a year to £2500 a year, depending on whether you are going to sponsor a player or sponsoring the home kit.

GR: In the future do you see expanding to youth & women’s football?

JD: We certainly want to expand not just to youth football, women's football, Sunday teams, reserve teams & disability teams and we would like to offer football for everyone. We are aware that we need to walk before we can run and no one knows the journey that's ahead of us quite yet, and it's evolving at all times. We are constantly tackling all those hurdles as we go. So, what we're doing is very much focused on getting the first team established and then year two is like how many teams can we add, we just need to make it sustainable so it can grow in the right way.

GR:What do you think your attendance will be like on Match days?

JD: I think it could be as high 250 to 500 but I really have no clue what attendance we could get at the first game. We will find out what is going on. I think lots of people may rock up because it's exciting, it's new and we're going to put out 15,000 leaflets in the local area telling everyone it’s our first game, come get involved. We would also love to get as many volunteers involved as there will be lots to do on game days and leading up to them. We have a clubhouse; the bar will be stocked and ready.

GR: Thanks for your time today and we wish you every success with this exciting project, and we will be keeping a close eye on how it is all going

Would you like to get involved?

There are lots of ways you can get involved from sponsorship opportunity’s, fan ownership, become a volunteer or if you just want to read more about our plan, please click the links below to find out more.

Our Plan

We believe in transparency as a football club, by clicking here you can view our full business plan. As we grow as a club we will continue updating this document with more detial VIEW

Sponsorship Opportunity

Partner with our 100% fan owned football club by taking up one of our sponsorship packages. We have several options available.

Fan Ownership

For as little as £5 you can become an owner of East Thurrock Community Football Club. Get a say in how the club is run as well as full financial updates on a weekly basis. BECOME

Our Plan

We believe in transparency as a football club, by clicking here you can view our full business plan. As we grow as a club we will continue updating this document with more detial

LATEST NEWS

ETCFC Rent Wyldecrest Sports Country Club For £1 09/04/2024

We are pleased toannouncethe leasehas been signedfor £1 for the 2024/25 season.A club going into its first ever season,couldn’t wish for a betterstart.

We have pledged transparency as a club and now that the dealhas been signedwe are happy to announce thecost.This is alongside us emailing our owners each weekwith all spending and income the club has.Then at the end of each season we will publish our accounts on our website for all.

We would like to thankGary Brownlie for his support,he has already started workon enhancementsfrom dugouts,drainage,fencingaroundthe pitch and new goalposts.We take the safety of supportersand playersvery seriously and we’dlike to thankGary for providing the club with a defibrillator.

We look forward to welcoming fans tothe new home of the Rocks at our first game.UpThe Rocks!

MEGA INFLATABLES PROVIDING BOUNCY CASTLE HIRE IN ESSEX FOR MEGA FUN FOR EVERYONE!

• Bouncy castles

• Assault courses

• Activity castles

• Inflatables games

• Slides

• Adults Bouncy castles

• Disco Dome

• Photo Booth

• Mega Marquees

• Wedding packages

Update on Fundraising

James Richings and Christopher Turton stepped out, in March, with initially a real spring in their step to raise over £1,000 for the KitAid cause.

Walking just under 70 miles in 3 days, the guys visited every one of London’s Premier League and English Football League Grounds.

Starting at the Emirates

finishing in front of the Bobby Moore statue at Wembley they smashed the challenge.

But it was all very hard on the feet and knees and inevitably they had to dig deep to complete a heroic challenge for a great cause.

Massively well-done guys. Smashed your target - well over £1,200 now donated and rising.

You can still boost their fundraising efforts at: Chris Turton is fundraising for KitAid (justgiving.com)

Please help if you can all funds go to support KitAid‘s work.

Also see the video link on their achievement at: https://www.yout ube.com/watch?v=Z dSjXehBDMk&featur e=youtu.be

International Sports Convention (ISC)

The ISC is a high-profile event bringing the world of sports business together. KitAid were delighted to be chosen as this year’s charity partner for the ISC held over 2 days at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in March.

KitAid founder, Derrick Williams MBE at the International Sports Convention. The ISC has put much needed financial support behind two significant KitAid charity partners in Uganda and Malawi:

❑ Football for conservation, a football tournament protecting chimpanzees from being killed

❑ Women’s FOMO football club, helping support their ambitions for further development and success

Details of the projects can be found at: Our International Sports Convention charity partner KitAid and chosen projects in Uganda and Malawi - International Sports Convention

Recent Essex Kit Donations

Super kit donations from Rob Evison at Eastwood Falcons Walking Football and Kateel Queresi at Trinity FC have gone to storage in Hatfield, ready to be boxed up shortly for shipping promising to spread more smiles for the love of the game.

Future Kit Donations

As we get to the business end of the season, our best wishes go to all our clubs for a successful run in.

But as minds turn too to planning for new kit orders for next season, let us know if you are to be left with any unwanted kit you would want to donate to others through KitAid.

You can email us at kitaidcharity@gmail.com or barrie.2014@yahoo.co.uk

I started personal training as I have always enjoyed being in the gym and helping people achieve their goals. I help a variety of people including those who have never stepped foot in a gym before as well as athletes who need sport specific training to improve their performance.

I offer in person training as well as online coaching for those that live further away! www.skyebac on.co.uk

I Started playing football at age 11 with Worthing town, after 2 years there I joined Brighton and stayed there until I was 17. Whilst at Brighton I received first England call up and made my debut at u17 against Norway. After leaving Brighton I spent time at Crystal Palace and Lewes. I recently joined AFC Wimbledon and hopefully we can have a strong end to the season and achieve promotion.

Click here to see what's been going on at Autistic FC

Lorem Ipsum dolor sit

Chris Berry Media

"Chris Berry Media, Freelance Videographer & Editor available to hire in the. I specialise in all things nonleague, with 6 years of football media experience, and I'm looking to help promote teams at all levels! I'm based in Essex, but I am willing to travel for the right opportunity.

If you want your game filmed and a highlights package, put together afterwards, then please get in touch by emailing cberrymedia@gmail.com or text 07447 458405"

https://twitter.com/messages/media/1716932374142083238

Goalkeeper Corner

by Andy Corton. Head Senior Keeper Coach at the Carl Pentney Keeper Academy (CPKA) in Colchester.

The Carl Pentney Keeper Academy has been coaching keepers for over 12 years. We started at Lawford, moved into central Colchester, and last year moved to The Sports Park at Northern Gateway, just off the A12.

Over those 12 years goalkeepers have come and gone, coaches have come and gone, but our coaching philosophy has stayed pretty much the same. Although coaching sessions today include much more work with the ball at our feet.

We start with 3 words.

“Just save it.”

We also use the word coaching, very different to training.

Our coaching sessions are on a Monday evening. Carl and his team of coaches work with our young keepers for an hour. Our senior coaches then run our senior keeper session which is 90 minutes.

Our young keepers receive superb technique coaching, touch, footwork, handling, one v one, blocks, distribution and more. Our young keepers range from 7 years to 12. One of the interesting discussion areas we have is when to move the young keepers up to the senior section. It doesn’t just work on your 12th birthday. Some of our younger keepers are ready to move up at a younger age. We discuss this with parents and the keepers and if they feel ready, they are welcome to step up.

Are there differences in the young session to the senior session? Longer session, more physically demanding and a young keeper may well look a one of our seniors, probably 6 foot plus and think, “I hope he/she won’t be shooting at me tonight!”

Of course, the older keepers were the younger keepers once. Here’s how we set up our senior sessions and it’s worth remembering we are coaching just the goalkeepers, not outfield players, although we welcome forwards who wish to come along and practice their finishing against our keepers.

We have developed a curriculum and within that we work on different areas each week as well as areas that we cover every week.

Here’s how a session may be planned:

Let’s say we have 25 senior keepers.

Split into groups of up to 6 per coach and we set the groups based on age / ability. Some of our seniors may be sent off to train with a dedicated coach outside of the main group session.

• Warm-up, movement, always using a ball in hands or at feet, including fun games, maybe head, shoulder, knees, and cone.

• Stretch session.

• Core session. So much of what a keeper does requires core strength, so we work on specific exercises.

• Feet touches, control and passing out from the back. It helps that we are on a brilliant 4g surface.

• Handling drills.

• We will then work on two specific areas per week.

• High Balls.

• Distribution.

• 1 v 1.

• Blocks.

• Angles as examples.

The sessions are designed to work on technique at the start when keepers are fresh and ramp up the intensity as we go through the session.

We finish off with

• Goalie Wars

• Cardio drills

• Ball serving machine.

• Stretch and a short review at the end.

We always ask the keepers a final question.

“What 1 thing will you take home from the session tonight?” Usually, the answer is body shape or hand shapes.

One of the things we also do in our drills which is a bit different isWhen a coach serves the ball to a keeper and they make a diving / collapsing save, we ask them not to return the ball to the coach when lying on the floor. We all see the pro’s do it in training, but does a keeper ever do it in a game? And I do not subscribe to the “it makes the drills harder and quicker argument.”

We like to see the keepers serving, this helps their distribution. That said, if the service is poor the drill is poor and so mastering the art of serving to test the keeper is not easy.

Personally, I love to see the young keepers step up into the senior group and then we watch and help them grow into brilliant keepers and who knows where their journey will end. Our keepers have gone on to represent their country at youth levels, signed pro and semi pro contracts. Who knows who’s next.

We have two sayings at the CPKA.

It’s all about the keeper.

We ask our keepers at coaching sessions, “Are you ready” they all reply, “I was born ready.”

I also take this coaching philosophy into the work that I do with the goalkeepers at the FITC Academy.

A terrific Academy based at Rickstones in Witham. I’ve really enjoyed working with a group of young keepers and have seen tremendous improvement, driven by their own work ethic and desire to learn.

The last comment to make is around watching our keepers play, which we do as often as we can and asking for game feedback and videos. This helps us to focus specifics within our upcoming sessions.

We really hope anyone who has read the three articles we’ve posted has found something interesting in them and hope to see many more keepers in years to come.

Thanks Andy

Lorem Ipsum dolor sit

LEAGUES LOCAL ADULT

LEAGUES LOCAL YOUTH

CLICK THE BADGE TO VISIT LEAGUE AND VIEW THE LATEST NEWS AND RESULTS.

From the heart of the action, to the centre of the stage. Let's celebrate our amazing referees! We're urging local grassroots football participants to ensure local match officials are represented with nominations for the 2024 Referee Recognition Awards.

The awards are an opportunity to turn the spotlight on fantastic Essex referees, recognising their unique contribution to football and showing appreciation for their dedication to their game, clubs and communities. Nominations are welcome for referees who’ve impressed this season, and they could receive one of nine prestigious awards.

Anyone can nominate as many referees, in as many categories as they want. Essex County FA Referee Development Manager, Lukas Wood, hopes for as many nominations as possible from the local area: “We’re fortunate to have a great number of very talented and dedicated local referees. Last year, Essex match officials received national recognition through these awards, and it would be fantastic if we were able to achieve this again in 2024. Get nominating!”

Nomination Categories

Outstanding Contribution to Refereeing Award: England Football are looking for someone who helps create a positive football environment. They’ll have made a significant contribution to refereeing through their support, involvement, encouragement, or in other ways.

LifetimeAchievement Award: England Football would like to find someone who’s helped create a legacy of sustainably improved outcomes for individuals, communities and the wider population. This lifetime achievement award recognises their positive influence in the development, administration and servicing of refereeing.

Refereeing in the Community Award: England Football are looking for an individual, group or initiative whose actions, empathy, unstinting support or effort have significantly helped their community. They’ll be someone referees relate to, rely on or seek advice from… perhaps while suffering adversity themselves. They may help normalise mental health conversations, signpost to relevant support and/or promote refereeing to historically underrepresented communities.

Newcomer of the Year Award: England Football would like to find someone who’s brought exceptional talents, skills and potential to refereeing during their first year of involvement. They’ll have had a meaningful impact, with significant personal development, while being new to refereeing. The Judging Panel would be particularly pleased to hear directly from young people.

Inspirational Role Model Award: Do you know someone who’s demonstrated exceptional leadership, integrity and dedication to their community? They’ll have served as a positive and inspiring example for others, and had a meaningful impact on the lives of others. The Judging Panel would be particularly pleased to hear directly from people from historically underrepresented groups.

Championing Diversity Award: England Football would like to find someone who’s championed equality,diversityand inclusion in refereeing.They’llhave demonstrateda holistic and long-term commitmenttoequality.They’llalso have deliveredprogress in creatinga diverseand inclusive environmentthrough targetedinterventionsand programmes.

Positive Environment Award: England Football are looking for a team, club or league who’ve consistently shown exceptional levels of care and support towards match officials, and who show respect at all times. They’ll have helped cultivate a positive, safe environment for the refereeing community to learn, grow and develop.

Refereeing Volunteer Support of the Year Award: England Football would like to find someone who’s demonstrated outstanding dedication, commitment and service as a volunteer. They’ll have given their time and energy to support a cause, organisation, or community, and had a significant and measurable impact on the referee community. England Football welcome nominations from the observer, mentor, coaching or appointing workforce and parent/carers of the volunteer.

Club Recognition Award: England Football are looking for clubs to nominate someone who’s shown exceptional performance and dedication in officiating their games. This award recognises the contributions of referees who consistently display a high level of skill, fairness and professionalism. This award is nominated by a team or club.

Make your nomination/s for the Referee Recognition Awards 2024 by following this link. You can also interact with us via the @EssexCountyFA and @EssexReferees accounts on Twitter/X, and by searching for ‘EssexFootball’ and ‘EssexReferees’ on Facebook

ESSEX FA

COUNTY CUP FINALS

MATCH OFFICIALS APPOINTED FOR ESSEX’S COUNTY CUP FINALS Performance and Commitment in 2023/24 Rewarded

25 Essex County Cup Finals will be staged throughout March, April and May, and local match officials have now been confirmed for these showpiece matches as a reward for their performance and commitment throughout the 2023/24 season so far.

Dates and venues for each of the showpiece occasions, from the Under 12s through to the Veterans age groups, have recently been announced. And, at a ceremony on Wednesday 7th February at Chelmsford City FC, Essex County FA Referee Development Manager, Lukas Wood, revealed this season’s highly-anticipated appointments.

“A cup final is a special occasion for everybody involved, including the officiating team, and they deserve these accolades,” he explained. “It’s a huge privilege to be able to present our best-performing officials with a County Cup Final appointment, which is a deserved reward for everything they do. Hopefully they’ll be able to enjoy more as their careers develop.”

“These individuals have shown a considerable level of commitment throughout the season and have displayed high performance levels to earn these appointments, which were assigned according to the type of game that they referee. As always, it was really difficult to select the officials for these finals, with such a huge number of referees to choose from.”

To find out more about refereeing in grassroots Essex football, or for an update on the respective competitions, visit www.essexfa.com. Updates are also shared by @EssexCountyFA and @EssexReferees on Twitter/X and by searching for ‘EssexFootball’ on Facebook.

BBC Essex Saturday Premier Cup

Wednesday 17th April 2024, Kick-Off 7:45pm, Billericay Town FC

Referee: Richard Baker (Colchester)

Assistant Referees: Daniel Squibb (Chelmsford) and Robert Willcocks (Braintree)

Fourth Official: Joe Wise (Basildon)

Essex Sunday Junior Trophy

Friday 19th April 2024, Kick-Off 7:45pm, Heybridge Swifts FC

Referee: Christopher Rammell (Harlow)

Assistant Referees: Lewis Sibbons (Chelmsford) and Moises

Amoes (Waltham Forest)

Fourth Official: Richard Ramjane (Chelmsford)

Essex Rosser Under 15s Cup

Sunday 21st April 2024, Kick-Off 10:00am, Saffron Walden Town FC

Referee: Yaron Woolf (Redbridge)

Assistant Referees: Stephen Dadds (Southend-on-Sea) and Jack Falco (Brentwood)

Fourth Official: Liam Judd (Thurrock)

Essex Cassels Under 16s Cup

Sunday 21st April 2024, Kick-Off 2:00pm, Saffron Walden Town FC

Referee: Liam Dawson (Thurrock)

Assistant Referees: Daniel Goodman (Colchester) and Pierce Campbell (Colchester)

Fourth Official: Rasmus Adamah (Thurrock)

Essex Under 12s Cup

Sunday 28th April 2024, Kick-Off 11:00am, Hullbridge Sports FC

Referee: Etanas Sapezinskas (Havering)

Assistant Referees: Giles Norbury (Castle Point) and Kian Mason (Colchester)

Fourth Official: TBC

Essex Under 12s Girls Cup

Sunday 28th April 2024, Kick-Off 2:30pm, Hullbridge Sports FC

Referee: Aurelia Janus (Southend-on-Sea)

Assistant Referees: Emma Parkinson (Southend-onSea) and Lily Jones (Southend-on-Sea)

Fourth Official: Lawrence Jones (Southend-on-Sea)

Essex Women's Trophy

Wednesday 1st May 2024, Kick-Off 7:45pm, Billericay Town FC

Referee: David Dice (Redbridge)

Assistant Referees: Billy Stevens (Basildon) and Amaan Ramzan (Havering)

Fourth Official: Daniel Axente (Colchester)

Essex Cordell Under 13s Cup

Sunday 5th May 2024, Kick-Off 10:00am, Aveley FC

Referee: Daniel Carpel (Thurrock)

Assistant Referees: Daniel Falvey (Castle Point) and Loui Motley (Chelmsford)

Fourth Official: Jonathan Dalton (Colchester)

Essex Under 13s Trophy

Sunday 5th May 2024, Kick-Off 1:00pm, Aveley FC

Referee: MD Sahedul Islam (Redbridge)

Assistant Referees: Jake Osbourn (Rochford) and TBC

Fourth Official: TBC

Essex Andrews Under 14s Cup

Sunday 5th May 2024, Kick-Off 4:00pm, Aveley FC

Referee: Stephen Hull (Chelmsford)

Assistant Referees: Reuben Blanc (Havering) and Isaac Islam (Chelmsford)

Fourth Official: Gerald Tyler (Barking & Dagenham)

Essex Pelly Under 18s Cup

Wednesday 8th May 2024, Kick-Off 7:45pm, Billericay Town FC

Referee: Matthew Pointer (Castle Point)

Assistant Referees: Joseph Greenleaf (Colchester) and Simon Brickwood (Castle Point)

Fourth Official: Stephen Vieira (Braintree)

Tolleshunt D'Arcy Memorial Cup

Date, Kick-Off Time and Venue TBC

Referee: Craig Charles (Harlow)

Assistant Referees: Adekola Adeyemi (Chelmsford) and George Lowe (Colchester)

Fourth Official: Steve Tovey (Colchester)

Essex Thames-Side Trophy

Date, Kick-Off Time and Venue TBC

Referee: Fabio Roque (Redbridge)

Assistant Referees: Matthew Rowling (Harlow) and Benjamin Horne (Castle Point)

Fourth Official: Craig Wood (Thurrock)

ESSEX COUNTY FA CELEBRATE NEW PARSLOES PARK OPENING

England Heroes Honoured with £13m Sports Hub in Dagenham

The Bobby Moore Sports Hub, featuring football pitches named after Sir Trevor Brooking, Paul Ince and Chloe Kelly, has opened in Dagenham, thanks to the largest ever grant from the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation, plus strategic support from the Essex County FA.

Located in Parsloes Park, the hub features 16 grass sports pitches and three 3G pitches - one of which is an impressive FA National League System stadia pitch with spectator seating used by local club May & Baker Eastbrook Community FC. The opening event on Thursday 29th February was featured on Sky Sports News, and BBC London also ran a feature.

These multi-million-pound facilities have been funded by a £6.2 million grant from the Football Foundation - the largest ever grant awarded by the charity. This investment adds to the more than £1 billion grant funding awarded by the Foundation over the last 23 years to improve grassroots facilities across the country.

The opportunity to develop the scheme was identified by a strategic partnership held between the Essex County FA and Barking & DagenhamCouncil, who worked with the Football Foundation and other partners to deliver the hub. The Essex County FA will be using the site to host coach/referee education and development opportunities.

Brendan Walshe, Essex County FA Chief Executive, was delighted with the opening of the new facility, commenting: “We are delighted to have been able to work strategically with Barking & DagenhamCouncil to enable a significant grant from the Football Foundation. We worked closely with the council throughout the project timeline and seconded an Essex County FA employee to undertake critical community engagement and feasibility work.”

“We congratulate all the partners on the ambition to deliver this high-quality hub and the opportunity it provides to the local community to continue to enhance the rich football history and talent that this local area has.”

“We also warmly thank all the volunteers from the local grassroots community, whose commitment and dedication to providing local participation opportunities, through clubs and leagues, have made the vision of this hub a reality. We look forward to working with all the partners and the grassroots community to enhance participation across all areas of the game for the future.”

The project has also been supported by an additional £6.1 million investment from Barking & Dagenham Council and a further £1 million contribution from the Greater London Authority and the London Marathon Foundation.

As well as World Cup-winning England captain and West Ham United legend, Bobby Moore, the hub pays homage to several local football legends, with pitches named after Paul Ince and Sir Trevor Brooking, both of whom grew up within a stone’s throw of the site. The hub was opened by several past and present West Ham players, including WSL defender Hawa Cissoko, academy graduateAnton Ferdinand and Barking-born Bobby Zamora.

Councillor Darren Rodwell, Leader of Barking & Dagenham Council, was also enthusiasticabout the project: “I’m so proud to see this multi-million-pound project come to life for the benefit of local people. Barking & Dagenham has a rich, historic connection to football. As we celebrate the opening of this brilliant state-of-the-art facility, it’s important we remember the achievements of our borough’s homegrown sporting legends.”

“We’re the birthplace of England’s only World Cup-winning manager and captain, Sir Alf Ramsey, and the one and only Bobby Moore. The Dagenham Invincibles were the greatest women’s football team of World War One… they never lost a single match!”

“Jack Leslie started his remarkable career at Barking FC and broke boundaries as the first ever black player to be called up for England. The list goes on. I hope this fantastic space provides the opportunity to break down barriers and unlock even more sporting successes for generations to come - right here in the borough.”

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “London is the sporting capital of the world and it’s great to see the Bobby Moore Sports Hub open its doors in Dagenham. Bobby Moore is one of London’s greatest sportsmen, so it is truly fitting to see him remembered in a space where generations of young talent will come to hone their skills and communities can come together, as we continue to build a better London for everyone.”

Browse the menus above more information on local grassroots football, or click here to find out more about the Bobby Moore Sports Hub. You can also interact with the Essex County FA via the @EssexCountyFA account on Twitter/X, or by searching for ‘EssexFootball’ on Facebook.

Football Fitness Club

The Importance of Physical Fitness in Football

Introduction: Football, known as the beautiful game, is a sport that demands a unique blend of skills, strategy, and athleticism. While technique and tactical awareness are undoubtedly crucial components of success on the pitch, one cannot underestimate the significance of physical fitness in football. A fit and well-conditioned player not only enhances individual performance but also contributes significantly to the overall success of the team.

Endurance: Football is a high-intensitysport that requires players to cover large distances throughout a match. Whether it's making sprints, engaging in quick changes of direction, or maintaining a steady jog, players must have exceptional endurance to keep up with the dynamic nature of the game. Endurance training helps players sustain their energy levels, ensuring they remain effective from the first whistle to the last.

Speed and Agility: In football, split-second decisions and rapid movements can be the difference between success and failure. Players with superior speed and agility, have the ability to outmanoeuvre opponents, break through defensive lines, and recover defensively. Fitness training that focuses on improving sprinting speed, acceleration, and agility enhances a player's on-field mobility and can be a game-changer.

Strength and Power: Physical strength is a vital asset in football, especially in duels for possession and aerial battles. Strength training not only aids in winning challenges but also helps prevent injuries by providing stability to joints and muscles. Additionally, power – the combination of strength and speed – is crucial for explosive movements, such as powerful shots, quick turns, and effective tackles.

Injury Prevention: The demands of football can place significant stress on a player's body, making them susceptible to injuries. A well-rounded fitness regimen, including strength training, flexibility exercises, and injury prevention drills, plays a pivotal role in reducing the risk of injuries. Strong muscles and flexible joints contribute to better body control and balance, reducing the likelihood of sprains, strains, and other injuries.

If you are interested in joining Football Fitness Clubs weekly session based in Chelmsford, Please contact: footballfitnessclub@btinternet.com

Lorem Ipsum dolor sit

MATCHFIT

ANSWER A FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION:

“Are there gender-specific strength and conditioning considerations for female footballers? And if so, what are they?"

“Are there gender-specific strength and conditioning considerations for female footballers? And if so, what are they?"

As with a lot of things with S&C training, context is key.

Whether you're male or female, to be a high-level footballer you still need to develop all areas of your athleticism i.e strength, power, speed, injury resilience and stamina...

...However, there are a few key things to keep top of mind when training a female player vs a male, let's break them down:

1. Muscle Fiber Composition

Research indicates that females generally have a higher percentage of type I muscle fibres (slow-twitch fibres) compared to males, meaning that males are naturally more explosive whilst females are naturally built more for endurance.

Of course there will be differences person to person, as well as genetics playing a part as well.

2. Hormonal Influences

Oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone levels fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle in females, impacting factors such as muscle strength, endurance and recovery.

Oestrogen, for instance, has been shown to affect collagen synthesis and joint laxity, potentially influencing injury risk. Progesterone may also affect neuromuscular control and stability.

3. Biomechanics

Differences in hip width, pelvic structure and lower limb alignment between males and females can influence movement patterns and biomechanics during activities like running, cutting and jumping.

For example, females tend to have a wider pelvis and greater Q-angle (the angle between the quadriceps muscle and the patellar tendon), which can increase the risk of knee injuries such as ACL tears.

Therefore, including exercises which target neuromuscular control, proprioception and proper movement mechanics is key, although male players will also greatly benefit from these exercises too.

4. Recovery and Regeneration

Female athletes may experience different responses to training stimuli and recovery strategies compared to males, partly due to hormonal variations.

Understanding the role of factors such as sleep, nutrition, hydration and stress management in recovery is essential for optimising performance and minimising the risk of overtraining and injury in female players.

Therefore, for female players it's even more important to actively monitor training load and be mindful of how they are feeling both physically and mentally week to week in response to their training.

5. Strength Training

Female soccer players typically have a lower muscle mass in their lower body compared to males. Therefore, emphasis should be placed on developing strength in the lower body, particularly in the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes and calves.

While not as critical as lower body strength, female players should still incorporate upper body strength training to enhance overall body strength and prevent muscle imbalances.

6. Flexibility and Mobility

Females tend to have greater flexibility than males due to differences in muscle and joint structure. However, this can also lead to an increased risk of injury if not properly managed.

Therefore, flexibility training should focus on maintaining an optimal range of motion while ensuring stability and joint integrity.

7. Injury Prevention

As mentioned, female players have a higher risk of certain injuries compared to males, such as ACL injuries.

Therefore, their training programmes should include exercises that target the muscles surrounding the knees and hips to help reduce the risk of ACL injuries.

Neuromuscular training, including balance, agility and proprioceptive exercises, can also help reduce the risk of common football-related injuries in female players.

But again, this is much of the same training that males will also be doing.

8. Bone Health

Female athletes, especially those involved in sports with high impact and weight-bearing activities like football, are at greater risk of developing conditions such as stress fractures and osteoporosis.

The good news is that strength training exercises such as squats and lunges will promote bone health and density, so with an S&C programme we're inherently covering that already.

WHISTLE

BY PAUL SMITH

Hello All

With the evenings ahead of us drawing out and evening fixtures without lights becoming more common, cup competitions reaching their end as well as leagues a couple of points to consider. Evening matches tend to kick off between 6.30 and 7.00 without lights ensure that if the Referee considers that the light may fade before the end of the allotted 90 minutes the game may be reduced but both halves must be identical time.

If a player is injured and the Physio is called onto the field of play there is no thirty second rule at Grassroots level the decision on when the player returns to the field of play is down to the Referee, however if the injured player has treatment inside the penalty box having won a penalty and no caution is issued the treated player if they are the designated penalty taker does not have to leave the pitch.

Regarding penalty kicks if in a shootout all eleven players left on the field at end of play take their penalties and the scores are even after twenty-two penalties, obviously players will have to take two penalties after the eleventh penalty the same order of penalty takers does not apply so in theory the person who takes the eleventh penalty can take the twelfth, something to consider.

Double Headers any disciplinary issues from match number one cannot be carried into match number two it is a league decision to discipline clubs or players at a later date. I would think the only cases that this may apply is if match one has been abandoned and Referee feels that issues may arise in match number two.

A Referee colleague of mine contacted me the other day after a match where they chased down a centre forward through on goal with only the goalkeeper to beat the forward took the shot hit the post at speed rebounded hit the Referee and went into goal que sheer chaos, The benches were claiming no goal Referee on their own no assistant referees . The Referee disallowed the goal which is WRONG in law regrettably if the ball does come off the Referee the goal stands , regrettably this match had to be replayed . This is extremely rare but something to remember.

I hope these lesser-known laws have helped you.

A lot of leagues are due to finish by early May so a lot of football to be played in the next few weeks.

Enjoy the Game

The Grassroots team met up with Emma Rushen & Chelmsford City Women team at the showing of False 9 at the Chelmsford Civic Theatre, False 9 is a documentary about the reality of women’s football, the documentary explores the triumphs and tribulations of a spirited team striving for promotion in the unforgiving world of the tier 7 county leagues. The film unveils a powerful narrative, fearlessly tackling themes of women in sports, mental health, and the poignant issue of suicide, painting an authentic picture of what football can mean to people. It is a must watch for anyone involved in women's football, if you would like to watch it, please follow the link below.

The Grassroots team with Kaci Crook from Chelmsford City who we have sponsored for this season

To watch the full movie, click HERE

www.chelmsfordcitywomenfc.co.uk

Grassroots is proud to be supporting Farleigh Hospice

Grassroots Magazine is delighted to be supporting local charity, Farleigh Hospice. In each edition, we will be sharing with you their latest news along with upcoming events that you can get involved in!

Farleigh Hospice has been a cornerstone of our local community since 1982 when, following the death of a lady called Audrey Appleton from cancer, her friends Glenda Lance and Dr Gill Collier launched an appeal to establish hospice services in and around Chelmsford.

Since its creation later that same year, Farleigh has provided hospice care to thousands of people affected by life-limiting illnesses and bereavement across mid Essex. The hospice, which is celebrating its 40th birthday this year, continues to help people to live as actively as possible from the point of diagnosis to the end of their lives, by providing physical and emotional care, free of charge.

As a charity, Farleigh relies on the generosity of the local community to raise the £6 million it needs every year to care and support those who rely on its services. One of the ways that Farleigh engages with the community is through the range of fundraising events it organises throughout the year, which are listed on its websitewww.farleighhospice.org/events

Here we take a look at some of the exciting events coming up… the Annual Quiz, Sponsored Doggy Walk and Autumn Shopping Extravaganza!

Grassroots gives back

Grassroots Magazine is committed to giving back to grassroots football and we are excited to sponsor a talented young player Kaci Crook & an equally talented youth team in Broomfield Lions U13’s for this season.