Is Grassroots Football Dying?

Bedfordshire based Sunday League team - Toddington Rovers

Grassroots football has always been important for its local communities in allowing children and young adults to express their love for the game, however there may be a sense that this is starting to fade away. With amateur players on the one hand prioritising work life on a weekend amongst other factors and others wanting to pursue a dream of playing professionally, this has had a major impact on overall participation which subsequently has made funding scarce for many clubs across the UK. So, this begs the question; What can be done to revive its spirit?

The current state of grassroots football is not in a good place with many local clubs struggling with factors such as funding, participation rates and coaching. Firstly, the lack of funding has a knock-on effect with clubs having fewer resources for training and less money to develop facilities, therefore, the attraction of players is declining due to standards not being up to scratch.

Community engagement is also diminishing as people become more focused on elite levels of the sport rather than the local teams. However, organisations are constantly promoting inclusivity and accessibility with the aim of attracting players and supporters to go beyond simply surviving as a club.

You have no option but to empathise with local clubs who do their best to offer children the opportunity to play the game they love every week either for fun or as a first step on their journey to making it in the professional game.

A major challenge facing grassroots football due to financial strains is the lack of qualified coaches who give up their time to develop these players. Chris Walsh from Sunday league side Toddington Rovers said: “I’ve been with these set of lads all the way from when they were seven years old to now being 18… nowadays it’s hard to find coaches willing to give up their time away from their everyday jobs.” Walsh went on to say: “The difficulty with grassroots football is that it’s amazing to give the lads the chance to play football in a competitive environment with their mates, but once they grow up things like full-time jobs, university, and apprenticeships stops any further progression for them, but also myself in a coaching sense.”

It’s essential to promote grassroots and keep the amateur game alive as it has proved to be the foundation of football, in nurturing young talent, and provide opportunities for players of all abilities to participate. This level of football promotes life skills on and off the pitch which young adults can benefit from such as teamwork and creating positive relationships. The sense of belonging that these clubs offer play a crucial role in local areas bringing people together encouraging inclusivity and diversity makes them not only skilled athletes but also well-rounded individuals.

Supporting the game at grassroots level is what makes the difference. In an article by The Mirror, a study found that Covid and the cost of living crisis saw 2,600 grassroots football clubs fold in 2022. This highlights the need for funding and participation to keep the game alive.