FA Youth Review Update From CEO John Read

Wednesday 04 July 2012By ESFA Office

Last Updated:
10/02/2021 10:49:18

John Read, English Schools' FA Chief Executive Officer

John Read

“The results of the Football Association Youth Review have been widely published in the media and on the FA website, but how do they affect schools’ football in particular? I hope the following will help in the organising of matches, festivals and competitions in 2012-2013 season.

1. All competitions up to and including under 14 age group can now be mixed. Competitions need not change their name to reflect this but must allow both genders to take part.[ESFA advice: where possible traditional girls competitions and festivals should not include boys as this might hinder the development of girls’ football at grassroots level]

2. 9 v 9 football is the recommended style of football up until the under 12 age group. This will come into force in season 2013-2014. [ESFA advice is that where possible the early introduction of 9 v 9 might facilitate the purchase of goals before the main rush after the end of the coming season. Details of how to apply for a 50% grant towards the purchase of new goalposts will appear in the September E-Zine]

3. Youth Leagues and competitions must now be organised in small parts not exceeding 6 weeks each. Therefore in a season teams will play in 3 competitions. Festival type football may be played in between league programmes [Further advice on the recommended structure will be available in the September E-Zine]

4. UEFA Age Grouping [January to December] WILL NOT be employed in youth or schools football.

ESFA County and District Associations will have the option to have all their disciplinary matters taken over centrally by the ESFA HQ. Youth football has been placed in a number of different categories where discipline is not shared by other categories. Schools’ football is a category on its own, so any discipline in schools’ football will not affect youth football played outside of the ESFA. However, within ESFA football the sub categories are merged so that a player disciplined in a school match will be held against him or her at District and County level as well.

A schools’ county or district opting for ESFA to run their discipline will have the fine money that has been accrued reimbursed at the end of the season.

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