Your chance to shape future of grassroots football

The Big Grassroots Football Survey will run from 14 March to 31 March 2011 and results of the census will provide the basis for fresh investment by the game’s Governing Body for the next four year period. To take part in the survey simply go to www.critical.co.uk/cfasurvey.

Everyone taking part in the survey will have their chance to shape the future of the grassroots game, by declaring where The FA should focus its investment in the nation’s favourite sport.

Big issues, such as football for all, facilities, the Respect campaign, refereeing, Charter Standard Clubs, coaching and education are all on the agenda and The FA want your thoughts NOW.

Since 2008 and through to 2012 The FA – a not for profit body – will have directly invested over £200m in to grassroots football in England through its National Game Strategy (NGS).

This money has seen rapid progression in the women’s and girl’s game, a rise in the number of referees throughout England and a marked improvement in levels of Respect shown in youth football – but there’s still more to be done, such as turning the arrest in decline in male adult football into an increase in the coming years.

With many of the initial NGS targets already met The FA see this as an ideal time to extend the strategy and ensure that The FA continues to improve the game at its widest base.

Speaking of the survey launch, FA chairman David Bernstein said: “Everyone in the grassroots of our game should take this opportunity to have their say on how we spend their money in the game.

“We have achieved great levels of success through our existing National Game Strategy, and we want to ask the public now about how they want the game to look in the future, because many of the initial targets have been met, or will have been met by the time we reshape the Strategy.”

Head of national game at The FA, Kelly Simmons, added: “We need to encourage everyone to have their say; young and old, male and female, players, referee and administrators. It’s everybody’s game at grassroots level and it’s important that it is shaped by the people who play and run it.”

Bernstein was speaking from a brand new facility, the ARK Academy in Brent, which features a brand-new floodlit 3G pitch, with related facilities. The venue was funded by the Football Foundation – a joint initiative between The FA, Premier League and government.