August 13 – The English Football Association are investing an extra £60 million into the grassroots game over the next four years, bringing the total amount to £260 million.
The money will be used to improve facilities and coaching in the amateur game with new FA chief executive Martin Glenn commenting: “The FA has grown up doing a lot of things for a lot of people. What we want to do is focus more on football – there is an opportunity to put football projects first.”
The announcement comes amid continuing fears about the state of grassroots football in England and the need for a boost in the production of domestic talent. On the opening weekend of this season, only 73 of the 220 players who started for the 20 top-flight clubs were English, leading FA chairman Greg Dyke to suggest they were an “endangered species”.
Kelly Simmons MBE, FA Director for Participation and Development, said: “It is no secret that facilities need to get better – today we set out clearly and unequivocally how we can make that happen – not only through the creation of city hubs, but also investing in improving what already exists.”
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