English Schools' Football Association

Your guide to how the FA Chairman's Commission works - and how to get involved

In September 2013, The FA Chairman, Greg Dyke, set out what he described as the biggest single challenge facing the English game: the need to increase the number of English players playing at the highest level of club football.

Since the 1992/3 season to this year the percentage of English players making the starting line-ups of Premier League clubs has fallen from 69 per centto 32 per cent.

Dyke said: “The issue, quite simply, is this: In the future it’s quite possible we won’t have enough players qualified to play for England who are playing regularly at the highest level in this country or elsewhere in the world. As a result, it could well mean England’s teams are unable to compete seriously on the world stage.”

To address this issue anFA Chairman’s England Commission has been established to bring together experience and knowledge from across the game.

The Commission members will work with the FA Chairman to assess a wide range of evidence that is already being gathered by experts working within English football, at every age, every level and in every community. They will report their findings and recommendations in 2014.

As part of this extensive evidence gathering the Commission members also want to hear from you.

The FA would like to hear from anyone involved or interested in the game who have views on the way young players are developed, from the earliest ages in the grassroots, right through the professional club environment and into the international set up.

Please submit your evidence to the Commission here
Alongside your views the Commission aims to reflect and represent all parts of the men’s game and is seeking evidence from individuals with specific knowledge and experience.

This will include leading and experienced players, coaches and club officials in the elite end of the game; right through to coaches, teachers, parents and administrators in the grassroots. Beyond football, evidence will also be sought from leading player development experts across other sports.

The Commission’s main aim is to improve the fortunes of the England men’s senior team and therefore it will not consider the women’s game or other issues such as the development of disability football.

These important challenges are part of The FA’s wider commitment to the whole of English football and more information can be found out about all parts of the game at TheFA.com.

The evidence gathering is already underway and includes statistical analysis, data collection, focus groups and one-to-one interviews with a range of subject matter experts. Your evidence will form part of this gathering.

The Commission is already meeting frequently as a group, and on an individual basis, to be presented with this range of evidence.

Following the completion of evidence gathering and analysis the Commission will make initial recommendations to The FA Board in early 2014.

Read more here