Grassroots football is held together by the dedication of volunteers. However, with crumbling facilities, dwindling funds, and rising pressures, even their tireless efforts are being stretched to the limit. This is the story of a game fighting for survival at its foundation.
Despite being the foundation of the game that we all love, grassroots football is scandalously neglected. That is where future heroes begin their journeys, bonds are formed, and communities are unified. But hidden beneath the cheer and mud-splattered boots is a creeping war.
One of the greatest worries is the deplorable state of pitches across the country. The Football Foundation has estimated the number at one in three grassroots pitches out of action for at least two months each year. Parks turn into swamps following rain. Frost forms hard, dangerous surfaces. Training is more frequently cancelled than it takes place for most clubs.
I spoke to Ringmer committee member, Will Hugall, to ask him his views on the state of pitches at grassroots level:
“Historically, the state of facilities have been wholly dependent on the amount of money a committee can afford to put into them. For most non-league, grassroots clubs, this is a very minimal amount. Some clubs are blessed with wealthy benefactors, but from first-hand experience, I have seen that this investment can also be fleeting and therefore unsustainable.”
And the root of the problem is, cash. While top-flight football rakes in billions, amateur clubs struggle on tight budgets. They exist on fundraising raffles, bar sales, and, if they’re lucky, local business sponsorship.
They have been the unsung heroes for years. Not high-profiles and bookmaking giants plastered on local kits, but chippy owners, plumbers, and small builders. They sponsor kits, kit equipment, and even help pay for travel. But with the cost-of-living crisis biting small firms badly, many are being forced to withdraw.
Mark Hutchings, ex Ringmer AFC Chairman, shared his insight on how sponsorships helped him during his time in charge for the club:
“You make it worthwhile for a sponsor to put their logo up there and hopefully generate them a bit of business. Once you get that sponsor is how much more they can increase that firm’s profile and I think if you increase that firm’s profile and give them good brand awareness, then guess what? Two years later they’ll want to do more sponsorships.
“Danny at DC (construction company) has been unbelievable for us, I’ve known him for quite a while. He does the honours board; that’s a lifetime deal and he’s done the VEO for a couple of seasons.
“But yeah, it’s a key support for grassroots football. If you haven’t got the moneybags chairman, which I wasn’t, you need a good financial structure.”
Meanwhile, volunteers hold together grassroots football, and they are being driven to the point of collapse. Mums and dads turn manager, coach, groundsman, and medic with no protection or training. They give up their evenings, weekends, and holidays not for fame, but because they care.
But burnout exists. Volunteer figures are down, and recruitment is proving tough. Without fresh faces, many clubs have a bleak future. Leagues have already lost teams in the form of folding due to a lack of support.
I interviewed Ringmer AFC manager Tommy Haddon to find out about the volunteers that support his club and why they are so important in general to survive:
“Coming to Ringmer where it is a huge club, who have a big network of volunteers behind but it’s still not enough. There is a core of 10/15 of us on the committee and volunteers’ group that do lots and lots for the club.
“But anyone that would help turns up and just picks up a bit of litter, things like that go a long way and someone doesn’t have to do it. Volunteers in grassroots, not just here at this club, I’m sure at every club it’s really really hard to find, that want to give up their time. Because you are giving up your time at the end of the day.
“It’s easier for me because I’m the manager so I have to be here and I’m not getting paid I do this a voluntary myself but I’m here as a hobby as well because I enjoy managing.”
So how do we fix this?
The FA must go above and beyond to commit more long-term funding directly to grassroots clubs, not just in occasional grants, but through consistent investment. We need better facilities: more all-weather surfaces, more floodlights, more changing rooms which don’t resemble abandoned huts. New tax relief incentives could entice further sponsorships, as well as community involvement schemes that could bring corporate sponsors who would invest in youth and social welfare.
Most of all, volunteers must be assisted, trained, rewarded, and financed. Schemes like free coaching courses, provision of mental health, and administrative assistance could make the difference between a team carrying on or folding.
Mark was also strongly opinionated when it came to what he thinks the FA should do to help grassroots football out:
“I think the FA are in a difficult position because personally, I think the Premier League runs football in the UK, not the FA. The FA need to stand up to the Premier League a bit more because they are the football association.
“The FA need to help out with funding so they can help out with new pitches. You see some of the pitches kids play on, our kids are lucky at Ringmer Rovers. For me, it’s the fundings that is the key bit. Thats where I think the Premier League need to share more of the income with the FA and make it particularly grassroots football.”
Grassroots football is not about the game; it’s about everything that the game represents. Pride. Community. Opportunity. If we do not act now, we risk losing something far greater than points or medals. We risk losing the heartbeat of English football.
Picture captions:
Top: Ringmer AFC crowd coming down to support the game.
Middle: Ringmer AFC team in training.
Bottom: Manager Tommy Haddon celebrating after win.
Picture credits:
Top: Will Hugall
Middle: Josh Dawson-Christie
Bottom: GrizzlyPics
Videos: All by Josh Dawson-Christie