GrassRoots Magazine Feb 24 Issue 16 by Grassrootsmagonline

KITAID

Welcome Sir Mo Farah to help box kits for a great cause

FALSE 9

Chelmsford City Women & Girls FC tells us all about their exciting documentary

FEBRUARY 2024 ISSUE 16

This Months Content Autistic FC

Page 4

Kit Aid

Page 12

Goalkeeper Corner

Page 20

So here we are mid Feb, so many games off but we are all still hoping the weather will let play resume!

Adult Leagues

Page 24

Youth Leagues

Page 25

At this point I can’t say any more than thank you to all those that continue to contribute, for all of us this is the hardest time of the season, but the special point still stands just around the corner.

Essex FA

Page 26

Football Fitness

Page 28

Match Fit

Page 32

Final Whistle

Page 36

False 9

Page 42

Sunday League Day

Page 45

Team Message

Keep going & hopefully better times are just around the corner.

If you would like to feature your Club, please get in touch at grassrootsmag@btinternet. com.

Good Luck Grassroots Team Page 42

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Charlie’s dream for an Autistic League | ‘Every child deserves inclusion’

Autistic FC Dads came together to play their first match vs Hornchurch CC Thank you to everyone who make our club so unique, the Match was amazing and what AFC is all about, bringing people together and giving everyone a chance.

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We’re Now on

Fresh Sandwiches, Breakfast, Cakes & our famous Salad boxes made daily.

TEL: 01245 252999 6

Click Here to order

3 Tindal Street, Chelmsford CM1 1ER Open Mon – Sat 7am -3pm

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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 7

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Roaring into 2024 with KitAid After the success of 2023, and kit donations surging past 1 million, the New Year has brought renewed momentum to the KitAid cause - a selection of pictures back from Africa of earlier kit donations, new kit donations to be boxed up for shipping, news of a celebrated guest helping at the boxing up of kit and now KitAid is looking forward to being a part of the International Sports Convention in March. There is also additional news on Clubs taking the KitAid banner to display at their ground. Essex kit donations spreading Smiles for the love of the game

Springfield FC kit now with young players in Bulawayo YFSSA, Zimbabwe.

Tollesbury YFC kit with Insiza Youth, Zimbabwe.

Wilvale Rangers YFC kit with Kpiri Mposhi youth, Zambia

Hugely welcome quality kit donations in January from: Bealonians FC Terry Barlow (Chair)

Heybridge Swifts FC Steve Spreadbury (Chair) and Debbie Hill (YFC Sec & CWO)

All these kits went to the January 'Boxing Up', with December '23 kit donations from: Maldon & Tiptree FC

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January New Kit Donations

Rochford Town FC Tom Eede (Treas)

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Boxing Up' - Star Quality Kit donations from Essex and from across the UK are boxed up for shipping from Hatfield, Herts. It's a big job to get everything ready to go out to our Charity Partners, who are working directly with those communities around the world in most need.

Derrick Williams MBE, founder of KitAid welcomes Sir Mo Farah to Boxing Up at Hatfield

An extra pair of hands is always welcome and helping in January the multiple gold medal winning super star Sir Mo Farah.

At Hatfield, Herts, the 'Boxing Up' session organised 151 boxes & bags to go out to projects in Gambia, Kenya, Somaliland and Zimbabwe. We have now sent out 1,034,378 items since 1998.

Essex delivered up nearly 1,500 items for boxing up this time from donations made in December '23 & January '24. Nearly 900 items came in from Maldon & Tiptree, over 300 from Bealonians, nearly 200 from Heybridge Swifts and over 100 from Rochford Town plus some family donations. Massive thank you to our Clubs and community for coming through strong again - spreading smiles for the love of the game.

(ISC - 'X' @IscBiz)

KitAid is this year the Charity Partner of the International Sports Convention (20th-21st March - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium). The ISC convention is a meeting place for the business of sport. The ISC agenda is covering some of the biggest issues facing Sport Worldwide - agenda attached here https://internationalsportsconvention.com/wpcontent/uploads/2023/12/ISC-2024-Agenda-and-Programme-1.pdf KitAid greatly appreciate the promotion & financial support of the ISC for two of the KitAid partner projects - read more about them here Our International Sports Convention charity partner KitAid and chosen projects in Uganda and Malawi - International Sports Convention

KitAid Banner

Particular thanks to Runwell Sports FC and Bowers & Pitsea FC who have taken banners to display at their grounds, promoting the work of KitAid. Also, many thanks to Chelmer Print, Chelmsford to whom we are grateful for sponsoring four banners for display. One of which is seen here with Sir Mo Farah and our local KitAid Coordinator for Essex.

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International Sports Convention 2024

Let us know if you could add a KitAid banner to your ground, or if you are looking to extend the life of your unwanted kit with a kit donation to those people & communities who love the game, but whose participation is held back by a lack of access to kit & equipment. Contact: Barrie Neal, KitAid Volunteer, Regional Coordinator kitaidcharity@gmail.com - barrie.2014@yahoo.co.uk

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"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

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Goalkeeper Corner

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

In a series of articles to follow over the coming months Andy will offer views and comments on the life and times of a goalkeeper. In the first article Andy touches on several areas.

It’s understood that anyone who watches, plays, coaches or has an interest in football has a firmly held belief in every aspect of the game. I’d like to put forward some views and thoughts on the position and the life of the goalkeeper. At the CPKA we coach goalkeepers who come to us from numerous clubs in Essex and we’ve been working with keepers, up to pro level, for 12 years. Many of us have been coaching keepers for much longer than that. The coaching staff have well over 100 years of goalkeeping experience, playing up to Premier League and International level.

Here are some headings: • • • • • • • •

Different kit and rules Just save it Save everything A good shot stopper Pressure Panic Managers Let’s play like City Drop the young keeper

There’s a reason why keepers wear no1 on their shirts. The most important player on the pitch. First line of attack, last line of defence. We play by different rules to everyone else and we are there to stop what everyone else wants, goals. We wear different coloured kit to our teammates; we often train alone and away from the rest of the team, and we have a bond called “The Keepers Union.”

Most Managers just want the keeper to save everything, an unobtainable goal (funny word goal, something to strive for, but for a keeper, something to avoid). All teams train hard, and the focus is on trying to win the game, that’s achieved by scoring more goals than the opposition, so as hard as we keepers try to keep the ball out of the net, there are 10 opposition on field players trying to get the ball in the net. The worst compliment for a keeper, “A good shot stopper”. There is so much more to being a G.K than that and if you're only good at that part? Pressure, it’s well-known fact that a forward misses a chance “unlucky, you’ll get the next one”. A soft goal conceded and it ruins the keeper’s weekend. We know when we could do better, we don't need to be told. So how do we deal with pressure? Every goalkeeper is different, but every keeper needs the support of the team, management and parents and supporters, especially at youth levels. As you progress, yes, dealing with pressure is part of the role and confidence and belief can be coached and practiced.

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The keepers we work with want to make every save technically correct, but this is impossible, so we start with the basic premise of, “Just save it.” Of course, we’d like it to be a perfect catch or parry which goes out for a throw in, but again, unobtainable, so, just save it and deal with what comes next.

Panic Managers (PM), I’ve seen many and many who are not. A PM is happy when the ball is in the opposition’s 18-yard box. Slightly concerned when the ball is lost, and the opposition passes it into midfield. More concerned when the ball passes the halfway line. Starting to panic as the ball is played to the edge of our box. Fully panicking when a shot goes in. The result is often pressure on the keeper, who sees the manager shouting in his / her direction.

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Let’s play like City. Again, this expectation adds to the pressure on the keeper. Play from the back, drill it into midfield, go long, play short, overload. Bobbly pitches, training once a week, it’s unobtainable in most teams and we all see how often the professional players mess this part up. Drop the young keeper. Young keepers 17,18,19,20 often have the chance to play U18, U23 which of course is great education, but when young keepers step up into adult football and the senior levels, 5 or 6 defeats for a team, puts pressure on the manager. Irrespective of how well the young keeper has played they are an easy target to replace, “need more experience in goal!” well what about the forward line that doesn’t take chances which results in pressure on the defence and ultimately the keeper and sees the keeper replaced. These are just a few of the issues we deal with. We salute all the brilliant volunteers that work tirelessly in local football, and we understand how difficult it is. We know the pressure that keepers are under as they progress and it may be progress within local football and for some, senior football and for a few, into semi-pro and pro football, what we do is guide them all to the best level they can play. Next time you watch a game have a close look at the goalkeeper, it’s so much more than “just save it” but that’s a great place to start from. We’d love to welcome visiting coaches to our sessions to share ideas, see what we do and how we do it. As we always say - “It’s all about the keeper.”

Thanks Andy

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.

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LOCAL ADULT

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LEAGUES

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

LEAGUES

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

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ESSEX FA SANDON ROYALS FC VOLUNTEERS

RECEIVE FA 50-YEAR AWARDS Grassroots Heroes Nick Parsons and Tony Richardson Rewarded Nick Parsons and Tony Richardson, both of Sandon Royals FC, have been recognised with FA 50-Year Awards for their services and dedication to grassroots football. Co-founders of Great Baddow British Legion Royals FC in 1973, Nick and Tony both still play an active part today in what is now Sandon Royals FC, the club having re-located and changed their name in 1993. Their well-deserved mementoes were presented to them by Essex County FA Chairperson and FA Representative, Andy Chaplin. The club were founded when a group of friends, including Nick and Tony, graduated out of youth football and they decided to form a team, entering adult football through the Mid-Essex League. In his playing time with Royals, Nick appeared in 686 matches, scoring 382 goals, spanning over 28 years. After hanging up his boots in 2001, he became Treasurer, and he’s continued ever since. More recently, Nick has set up the Sandon Royals website. Tony played 230 times and became First Team Manager at the age of 26. He continued to manage for the next 15 seasons before taking on other roles in the club, and he’s now been Chairman for the last 20 years. During this time, Tony has also served on the Management Committee of the Mid-Essex League.

Sandon Royals almost folded in 2012, but Tony, Nick and other long-standing club members got together and managed to ensure they stayed in existence. Since then, Royals have started to rebuild themselves back to their former glory. Outside of their committee duties, Nick and Tony have also been involved in ground and clubhouse maintenance, looking for fresh players and seeking sponsors to assist with the development of the club. Congratulations to Nick and Tony for their awards! If you’d like to find out more about becoming a volunteer in grassroots Essex football, visit www.essexfa.com. You can also interact via the @EssexCountyFA account on Twitter/X or by searching for ‘EssexFootball’ on Facebook.

Essex County FA Host Practical Coaching Masterclass The Essex County FA have partnered-up with DW Goalkeeping Academy and Colchester United FC First Team Goalkeeper Coach, Yilmaz Aksoy, to deliver a practical ‘Goalkeeping Coaching Masterclass’ on Monday 19th February at Billericay Town FC’s New Lodge. The face-to-face CPD (Continuing Professional Development) workshop, which will run from 6:00-8:30pm, is aimed at coaches who want to develop their understanding of goalkeeping, to learn techniques for incorporating goalkeepers into team sessions and to explore ways of engaging and challenging them. Attendees can expect: o A showcase of fun, safe and engaging sessions to support goalkeepers within a team session. o Discussion and conversation with the current First Team Goalkeeping Coach at Colchester United FC, who also operates within the FA National Goalkeeping Department. Essex County FA Coach Development Officer, Thomas Sibthorpe, is looking forward to the interactive workshop, commenting: “We’re delighted to provide this Goalkeeping Coaching Masterclass event. Goalkeeping is a unique position on the pitch, which requires specific techniques and skills, and specific coaching support.” “Coaches can often be unsure of how best to integrate goalkeepers within their team sessions. We’re excited to provide Essex coaches with a goalkeeper-specific event to help them consider ways to support goalkeepers, practicing some of the techniques and skills required in that position.”

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WORKSHOP TO DEVELOP YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF GOALKEEPING

To book your place on the Goalkeeping Coaching Masterclass (which costs just £10), visit www.essexfa.com You can also interact with @EssexCountyFA and @EssexCoaches on Twitter/X and search for ‘EssexFootball’ on Facebook.

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Football Fitness Club In the world of football, the debate over the most effective training methods is a constant undercurrent. Two giants in this realm are High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and traditional Endurance Training. Both approaches have their merits, but understanding their implications for football requires a closer examination of their impact on performance, physiological adaptations, and practical applications.

HIIT Training: The Explosive Powerhouse High-Intensity Interval Training, known for its short bursts of intense effort followed by brief periods of rest or lower-intensity activity, has gained popularity in various sports, including football. HIIT is designed to improve anaerobic capacity, explosiveness, and recovery.

Benefits: •

Improved Anaerobic Capacity: HIIT focuses on short, intense efforts that mimic the demands of football, enhancing the player's ability to perform quick sprints, changes of direction, and explosive movements during a match.

•

Time Efficiency: HIIT workouts are typically shorter than traditional endurance sessions, making them attractive to busy football players. The efficiency of HIIT allows for intense training in less time, accommodating the demanding schedules of athletes.

•

Fat Loss: HIIT has been shown to be effective in burning calories and promoting fat loss, an added benefit for players looking to maintain optimal body composition.

Considerations:

•

Risk of Overtraining: The intensity of HIIT may increase the risk of overtraining, especially if not properly managed. Balancing workload and allowing for adequate recovery is crucial to prevent burnout and injuries.

•

Specificity of Adaptations: While HIIT enhances anaerobic capacity, its impact on aerobic endurance may not be as pronounced as with traditional endurance training. This could be a limitation in sports where prolonged aerobic efforts are crucial.

Endurance training, characterized by sustained, low to moderate-intensity efforts over an extended period, has long been a cornerstone of football conditioning. It primarily targets the aerobic system, aiming to enhance stamina and overall cardiovascular fitness.

Benefits: •

Enhanced Aerobic Capacity: Endurance training improves the body's ability to deliver oxygen to working muscles, supporting prolonged efforts during a match and aiding in recovery between intense bursts.

•

Injury Prevention: The consistent, lower-intensity nature of endurance training can contribute to injury prevention by promoting joint health, muscular endurance, and overall resilience.

•

Sport-Specific Adaptations: Football matches often involve a mix of high-intensity sprints and lower-intensity jogging. Endurance training helps players maintain performance levels throughout the entire game.

Considerations: •

Time-Consuming: Traditional endurance training sessions tend to be longer, potentially conflicting with the time constraints of footballers. Finding a balance between aerobic development and practical training needs is essential.

•

Limited Focus on Explosiveness: Endurance training may not sufficiently address the explosive, anaerobic demands of football, potentially leaving players less prepared for sudden, high-intensity actions on the field.

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Endurance Training: The Stamina Builder

Finding the Right Balance: The ideal training regimen for football likely involves a thoughtful combination of both HIIT and endurance training. Tailoring workouts to mimic the specific demands of football, incorporating sport-specific drills, and periodizing training cycles to balance intensity and recovery can optimize performance. In conclusion, the clash between HIIT and endurance training in football is not a winner-takes-all scenario. The key lies in understanding the unique benefits and considerations of each approach and integrating them strategically to create a comprehensive training program that prepares footballers for the diverse physical demands of the beautiful game.

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

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My story Hi I’m Jessy, if you know me great, but if you don’t here is a little about me. I am the youngest of 4 children. I have bright blue eyes, the biggest smile, a husky little voice, a heart of gold, and the cheekiest laugh you will ever hear. In May 2023 I was diagnosed with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Life is crazy but that’s how I like it I have decided to fundraise with my family for the National Autistic Society in a Colour Walk during World Autism Acceptance Week 2 - 8 April 2024.

Spectrum

I am walking to help raise awareness I am walking because it’s ok to be different I am walking for autism acceptance I am walking because I am proud of who I am Please donate if you can

To read more about the work of the National Autistic Society, visit www.autism.org.ukThank you

AVAILABLE NOW CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR PAPERBACK COPY TODAY FOR JUST £9.99

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Fundraiser by David Neill : Help Dave Beat His Cancer (gofundme.com)

MATCHFIT ANALYSE RONALDO’S

SPRINTING TECHNIQUE

ANALYSING RONALDO’S SPRINTING TECHNIQUE

In terms of sprinting technique, Cristiano Ronaldo doesn’t conform to the highknee, bent-arm image we’d expect to see in athletes competing in an Olympic 100m sprint final. In fact, his straight-arm running style goes against much of what would be considered optimal for both footballers and Olympic sprinters, but there can be no denying that he’s one of football’s fastest ever players. So, where does Ronaldo’s speed come from? ELITE SPRINTING TECHNIQUE When you sprint, opposite arms and legs work together to help stabilise your torso. With a stabilised trunk (mid-section from your waist to your neck) there’s a more efficient transfer of force from your body into the ground and back. It’s this transfer that propels you forwards. If you’re unable to stabilise your trunk well, it leads to a side-to-side swaying effect as you run and the transfer of force to propel you forwards is diminished. Working opposite arms and legs together in a coordinated and synchronised way is going to help you maximise the transfer of force required to move at greater speed, but your leg turnover speed is also highly influential, and this is limited by the speed of your arms. A common training technique to help with the positioning of your arms when sprinting is to think of moving your hand from your hip to your cheek, aggressively switching from one arm to the other. Try jogging on the spot without moving your arms, put your hands on your head to keep your arms out of the movement. Now bring your arms into the movement, aggressively pumping them hip to cheek as if sprinting and you’re going to notice that your legs are able to move faster. INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES Hip to cheek arm swings with an elbow bend of around 60 to 90 degrees can be considered optimal, but there are always going to be individual differences between players who have not been taught this technique from the moment that they started running and playing football. The way that Ronaldo moves his arms is different to the optimal technique which is taught, but it’s not a technique he has intentionally developed to get faster, it’s just his natural way of sprinting.

For this reason, attempting to imitate Ronaldo’s sprinting style is not a smart idea. Remember that although very important, sprinting technique is not the only thing which helps to produce great speed out on the pitch. Ronaldo is also one of the most reactive and powerful men in football. In a 2016 video, Ronaldo’s counter-jump (vertical jump with hands on hips from a standing position) was shown to be 44cms. This gives a measure of the amount of power he can produce from a standing start and it’s fair to say that a lot of athletes (even non-elites) could match his performance on this one. However, when he switches to a jump from just one leg, using his arms and with a brief run up, he achieves 78cms, a truly elite performance that very few can match. To put it into perspective, Ronaldo is 1.87m tall, but his vertical jump power would give him the same slam-dunking advantage as an NBA basketball player standing well over 2m tall. Yes, there’s a general set of rules that elite-level sprinters follow in terms of optimal sprint mechanics, but individual differences might see one sprinter use a slightly longer ground contact time compared to another with a springier style. Spending months making tiny technique adjustments that lead to straight line speed gains of only a fraction of a second can make the difference between a podium position in athletics, but in football, spending this much time focusing on trying to significantly alter your straight-line sprint style will take you away from other aspects of training which are just as important for elite performance. KEY POINT: Ronaldo probably could run even faster if he altered his sprinting technique, but spending time working on that one tiny aspect might negatively impact other areas of his game.

The energy Ronaldo can store in his Achilles tendon is largely responsible for the level of speed and agility that we see him perform week after week. He also has arguably some of the most powerful legs in the game, if he had a perfect sprinting technique but lacked these two qualities, then his speed capability would be significantly lower.

SPRINTING PRACTICE For those of us who can only dream of Ronaldo’s speed, sprint practice on the pitch and the development of strength, power and explosiveness in the gym holds the key. Of course, being mindful and practicing optimal sprinting mechanics whilst doing this is a smart idea and means you’re killing two birds with one stone. THE BOTTOM LINE To get faster at running, you need to sprint often, allow for full recovery between each sprint and practice using optimal sprint mechanics. The lesson we can learn from Ronaldo is that it’s extremely difficult not to allow for individual differences, as long as they aren’t significantly holding you back (they may even be helping you in other areas of your game) it makes sense to embrace them and focus your training time on the areas which will move the needle the most

GET YOUR COPY TODAY CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE 35

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FINAL

WHISTLE BY PAUL SMITH

Another month and more resistance from the premier league regarding sin bins, I have touched on this earlier in the magazine. The arguments as to one team slowing the game down when they have a player sent to the sin bin but if the offences were not committed and a sanction given would the game not run better? Referee abuse is the main reason why at our level we lose so many up-andcoming Referees we must curtail the behaviour towards them. I get the passion and the frustration when a decision goes against you, but did anyone witness the Scotland v France rugby match literally last minute a try not grounded by Scotland meaning they lost the match not a word to Officials by the players. The game must change I would encourage sessions by FA s all over the country to run workshops on the effect of aggression, threats of violence towards Referees let the clubs and players know what detrimental effects it can have on people at the game but outside of it too.

Sanctions should possibly be tougher some of the abuse goes online which is almost bordering on criminal activity. I have seen many a post /video over the years of Officials being named why ? Just because you did not agree with their decisions? It needs to be addressed and soon as they say without a Ref there is no game. Sorry I do not mean to moan, but you see so many young Officials giving the game up , I am passionate about Football, and it has always been a big part of my life let’s not destroy it. Enjoy the game

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This is a subject never really discussed we all leave the pitch and rarely even think about the match if you are a 15-year-old walking off the pitch to abuse you do not have the luxury of getting in your car and leaving you may have to wait to be picked up and suffer more abuse in the car park for instance.

Smithy

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The Noticeboard

grassroots magazine IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO OUR NOTICEBOARD, CALL 07752 178637. grassrootsmag@btinternet

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Emma Rushen from Chelmsford City Women & Girls FC tells us all about FALSE 9 a documentary about the reality of women’s football, the documentary is being screened on the 16th March 2024 at Chelmsford Civic Theatre and tickets are now on sale. What’s it all about: In the heart of Chelmsford, where dreams are born and battles are fought, the women of Chelmsford City Football Club find themselves on a journey that transcends the boundaries of the pitch. “False 9: The Reality of Women’s Football” takes you on an emotional rollercoaster, exploring 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. At the core of the film is the inspiring camaraderie among teammates, the indomitable spirit that fuels their pursuit, and the unspoken bond that makes Chelmsford Women’s Football Team a family. Ultimately the goal is to show case women’s football for what it really is at this level the struggles and battels we face every season along with getting to know the real people behind the players and how sport can play such an important role in our lives young or old. We would absolutely love to create more noise around the women’s game and encourage more local companies to sponsor or fund their local female football clubs and teams. Who knows how far this will go, but I massively believe if we could get more funding, we could make a massively positive impact with it in the game we all love! BOOK YOUR TICKETS HERE

www.chelmsfordcitywomenfc.co.uk

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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 website -

www.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!

The overall objective is simple: to raise the profile of Sunday League football and to get people out of their houses on a Sunday morning to go and watch their local grassroots football team. Teams usually play in public locations so it’s often free to watch, fresh air is great for physical and mental health, and clubs really value seeing spectators at their games. Getting more people interested and involved in Sunday League football will only help to grow the beautiful game in its purest form, and ultimately increase participation too. With entry to most Sunday League games free, we are keen to bring a charity element to the occasion and encourage spectators, as well as players, clubs and leagues alike, to raise money towards a good cause. For example, spectators could donate a notional “ticket price” to charity.

Another aim is to dispel some of the misconceptions of Sunday League football from a previous era. Pub teams are still a (great!) thing, and it’s good that people have an opportunity to play competitive, structured football. However, things have changed on a Sunday. The likes of Palmers, SE Dons and Hashtag United (who’ve now switched to storming up the Saturday pyramid), have brought Sunday League football to people’s attention through YouTube. Social Media has given clubs like Caversham United the opportunity to make a name for themselves outside of the local area. Sunday League is interesting to people - a purer form of the game - without VAR for a start. Another misconception is the quality of the football. The standard of the FA Sunday Cup teams would challenge the teams pushing up the Saturday pyramid.

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Sunday League Day is a new concept to promote Sunday League football across the UK, piggybacking on the success of Non-League Day in recent years.

The message to potential spectators is simple: turn up, watch some stripped back football, and enjoy! Sunday League football is way more accessible to potential spectators now, with fixtures online and a lot of clubs are on all the popular social media platforms and sharing fixture details.

Clubs can approach Sunday League Day with the freedom and creativity to mark the occasion however they want to. Sharing the #SundayLeagueDay and #SLD2024 hashtags on socials is a helpful start. Clubs should use the opportunity to try and attract spectators along, which can of course lead to many benefits as a result (more awareness, potential sponsors, etc). As an example, Reading-based side Caversham United have committed to getting involved and have suggested they will likely have a small programme available on the day and some form of refreshments (they are sponsored by a brewery…), whilst raising money for charity by “selling” tickets for a good cause. We hope that media will engage and give SLD and its teams some coverage too! There’s been a lot of frustration with the elite game in recent years, that extends further down the pyramid too (see recently Reading’s ongoing ownership battle and #SellBeforeWeDai movement). Sunday League has an opportunity to shine, and the time is now! We would like to encourage everyone to get involved! If there are any volunteers out there who would like to get involved and support the #SLD2024 (and beyond) campaigns, please send @SundayLeagueDay a DM on X (formerly Twitter) or an email to sundayleagueday@outlook.com

grassrootsmag@btinternet.com