ESFA Newsletter - Friday 28th January 2005
Message from the Chairman Mr. Steve Abson
A happy new year to everyone!
The dark days of winter are now disappearing fast and, as the lighter nights return, football can awake from its Christmas slumber into promises for exciting action for the new term.
One particular item is certainly new. February will see the re-launch of our in-house magazine, formerly known as "Schools-Talk", now called "KICKS". Look out for the delivery to every school in England, addressed to the "Teacher i/c Football". Included will be details of the new Award Scheme, kindly sponsored by "California Raisins". The Award Scheme is open to all young players with the initial entry level simply for 'taking part in a schools' football activity'. Full details will be enclosed in the mailing. Don't miss out!
The spring term is, of course, a busy time as many of our national competitions move up a gear. Under 16 boys and girls competitions, sponsored by The Royal Air Force, move into national rounds. The under 13 Coca Cola competitions move into their regional rounds whilst, at primary level, the four under 11 competitions, sponsored by Sainsbury's bring the county champions together for the regional finals.
Many associations took advantage of the dark evenings to complete the local finals of the under 12 Nutella indoor five-a-side competitions for boys and girls. The various regional finals are now being arranged with Council Members spending many hours making the necessary arrangements.
Council held its usual Council Meeting over the weekend of 8th/ 9th January, with a busy programme as ever. One item took a fair proportion of time - a competitions review. In many ways the review is always on-going, but just occasionally it needs extra time (but no penalties!) to pause and if necessary reflect and rethink. One item highlighted by the Primary Committee was the progression into under 12 (Y7) football at secondary school. Is this progression smooth? Are secondary schools taking advantage of the team-building that occurs in their feeder primary schools? Continued debate necessary here.
In mid January I was delighted to attend the final trial for the England under 18 schoolboy team at Lilleshall (even to the extent of acting as assistant referee). Obviously there were some disappointed players, but generally, I was pleased to see the enthusiasm and commitment from the squad. The final 16 players have now been chosen and will be issued with their official England playing kit, courtesy of sponsors PUMA, at Lilleshall, next weekend. This weekend also sees a dinner being hosted to welcome and officially recognise the help given by a variety of sponsors. ESFA is grateful to Sainsbury's, Nutella, Coca Cola, 4Aces, The National Union of Teachers, The Royal Air Force, the FA Premier League and, of course Puma, for their tremendous help in progressing the work of the Association. Please do all you can to mention sponsors names when dealing with the local media?
The programme for this year's international team has been finalised with Witton Albion F.C. agreeing to stage the home game against N. Ireland on Friday 4th March.
To look ahead, Council is always keen to hear from associations around the country that are willing to help to stage one of our home internationals. If your association is willing to help, please contact the Chief Executive at Stafford.
The end of January sees two meetings with The Football Association. Tuesday 25th January is the date for the "Whole Sport" meeting when the outcome of discussions with the Government should be known. I know that John will be covering these results in his section. Six days later is our regular Business Plan update meeting, when items within the plan are discussed and, where necessary, progressed. Business Plan funding was an item that kept our Finance Officer busy during December. Over 200 Associations benefited from funds allocated from this source. For information, applications for next season will open in September.
Finally, may I offer congratulations to Ray Carter (ESFA Chairman 1990-91) on the award of O. B. E. in the New Year's Honours?
Keep up the good work, Ray!
Also, my thanks to all those in membership for their efforts and enthusiasm in supporting schools' football.
Best wishes for 2005.
Steve Abson
DIARY DATES
-
12th - 19th February
England u18 tour to Jamaica -
22nd February
FA launch Primary Schools Football Programme (Loughborough) -
25th February
Scotland v England u18
Centenary Shield - Dunfermline -
4th March
England v N. Ireland
Centenary Shield - Witton Albion F.C. -
12th / 13th March
Council Meeting - Stafford -
18th March
Republic of Ireland v England
Centenary Shield - Cork F.C. -
26th March - 1st April
U11 Jersey Festival -
29th March - 1st April
U11 North Tyneside Festival
U13 Durham Festival
U19 Pakefield Festival -
1st April
The final date for associations to submit items for Annual General Meeting -
4th April - 7th April
U14 Isle of Wight Festival -
6th April
England v Finland u18
Newport F.C. I. O. W. -
16th April
U12 Nutella Finals - Derby -
27th April - 1st May
England u18 tour to China -
14th / 15th May
Council Meeting - Stafford -
18th June
U11 Sainsbury's finals
Keele University -
2nd July
A. G. M. Loughborough
NOTICEBOARD
- Charter Standard Schools - visit the FA website to see how this may benefit your school
- Grants for kit and equipment - visit the Football Foundation website
- For competition updates, saleable items and much more about schools football - visit the ESFA website www.esfa.co.uk
- The national football museum at Deepdale, Preston is well worth a visit.
- Schools and Associations are reminded that they should not play football against unaffiliated organisations - insurance is a very relevant issue here.
- Misconduct forms received in the office for ESFA matches will incur an administration charge of £8. Late payment will incur a further £10 fine!
Chief Executive's Comments
May I join the Chairman and pass on my best wishes to you all for a very happy New Year (even though we are nearly 1/12th of the way to 2006!
Since Christmas we have been very busy with 2 under 18 trial weekends at Lilleshall, a Council meeting and an International Schools' Board meeting. The latter being held in Bratislava, the capital city of Slovakia. Bratislava is a beautiful city on the north bank of the Danube, but with total contrast on the south bank where the old Soviet masters had built a Legoland of flats and high rise buildings. We were royally treated by the Slovakians who were very interested in our progress with child protection and cross border matters. The feeling now is that SAFIB should be taking a wider responsibility within FIFA for school and youth players and that the membership should be expanded. There are currently 17 nations signed up with a further 3 on the sidelines deciding what is best for them.
Whilst on the subject of international cooperation, I am happy to say the under 18 team management are quietly confident of having a good season both here and abroad. The Squad for the season is:
E.S.F.A U18 FINAL 16 2004-2005
- Dan Barker - Somerset
- Ricky Wiseman - Essex
- Phil Brierley - Lancs
- Robert Hodge - Glos
- Scott Brice - Glos
- Carl Martin - Midsex.
- Kyle Ingham - Lancs
- Charlie Rich - Glos
- Frannie Collin - Kent
- Yan Klukowski - Wilts
- Darren Mullings - Glos
- Douglas Loft - Kent
- Chris Whelpdale - Essex
- Matthew Green - Glos
- Callum Martin - Midsex
- Tom Smith - Sussex
Reserves
- Stephen Jackson - W.Midlands
- Tom Davey - Kent
- Matthew McKay - Humberside
- Johnnie Dyer - Berks
Alan Thomson, a Scot teaching in Preston has become the new under 18 Goalkeeper Coach. Alan will take up his post at the next AGM.
I am pleased to announce that we have managed to get a new sponsorship agreement that will clothe the international team for some years to come. Marks & Spencer have agreed to supply the team and officials with their official uniforms and we will be negotiating other initiatives with Marks and Spencer, but in the meantime we are proud to have the Company within our Sponsorship portfolio.
The other exiting development is to welcome California Raisins as our new award scheme sponsors. The scheme is being revamped and re-launched using California Raisins and the Dept of Health's 5 a day Campaign. A starter pack will be available from this office in the very near future, but some preliminary details are included in this mailing.
I must reiterate the Chairman's remarks about support for these sponsors, please acknowledge them wherever you can. If you would like copies of logos (for pre-agreed use) please contact me.
We are considering changes to the format of the AGM because a number of members have made some interesting suggestions, mainly involving more seminars or key note speeches. Please let me know your thoughts and suggestions so that they can be considered by Council before being brought forward at the AGM
The Disciplinary Department would like to remind all teachers in charge of school teams, district and county secretaries that ESFA, in line with the FA Counties charge an £8 administration fee for all cautions and red carded offences. A £10 fine is levied if the initial fine is not paid on time. Local schools' match referee reports should be sent to the relevant District Secretary, but District, County and National Competitions' reports should be sent to the main office in Stafford.
As mentioned by the Chairman, the FA have on the request of Sport England produced a 'Whole Sport Plan' under the title 'Football United'. Thirty three NGBs have been asked to prepare these 'Whole Sports Plans' for presentation to the Government to seek extra exchequer funding for the nation's sporting enhancement. 'Football United', so called because it is the first time that all the 7 football authorities in England had ever sat at a meeting together. Chaired by Sir Trevor Brooking and attend by the FA, the FA Premier League, the Football Foundation, the English Schools' Football Association, Football in the Community and the PFA, the partners put together a football funding plan to benefit the nation. Although not likely to be benefactors in this, both the Premier League and the Football League stated that they would endorse the plan. I was able to include a substantial bid for schools' football within the overall football funding plan. As you can imagine football's bid was way and above the largest and indeed the overall request from the 33 NGBs was well outside the Government's budget. However, we are expecting an answer on 31st January 2005. Keep your fingers crossed.
MATTERS ARISING FROM THE ESFA COUNCIL MEETING
Stafford, 8/9 January 2005
Adults other than Teachers in schools football.
Following agreement at the AGM, and after consultation with the RSPCC and the FA the rule regarding the control of teams includes:
A person who has the direct approval in writing from the local or county schools football association who is a licensed member of FACA (giving a first aid and coaching qualification, plus a CRB check and attendance at a Child Protection) and is registered with the ESFA Head Office.
All appropriate application forms are available from ESFA You can apply by using email or the normal postal route
The above, repeated from my Newsletter in September, has not caused the sudden rush of applications that we had expected and in fact only two AOTTs have been registered this season. Either we are not as badly off for schoolteacher volunteers or we are operating our teams illegally. Please note that one school has been asked to withdraw from a competition because they broke the AOTTs rule.
All Association Secretaries are reminded that the FA policy for referees and match officials is for them to have attended a Child Protection Course and had a CRB undertaken. Not all referees will have complied with this, but it is important that if officials wish to officiate in Schools' matches they should adhere to that policy.
In the next few months Council will be formulating a policy for retired teachers in respect of their Child Protection Training and CRB checking. However, if any retired teacher wishes to get the ball rolling he/she should request a CRB form and information sheet from the office. This will need to be filled in and returned to the office (under Special Delivery) for processing through the Criminal Records Bureau. We will be announcing a start date for these checks to be completed after our next Council Meeting in March. From that date ESFA will offer to pay the £7 administration fee for each application, but only for 3 months. After 3 months individuals or associations will be required to pay the administrative fee.
Reciprocal Discipline
The new County Administrative System (CAS) introduced by the FA still has a number of problems, one of which is the identifying of school children playing out of school club football. A number of County Schools' FAs have reported this problem and we are endeavouring to sort the problem with the CAS management at Soho Square.
Competitions
County Secretaries and Council members receive regular updates and news of all our competitions. My only comment now is that all ESFA Members should encourage their teams to make sure that they adhere to the dates of the competitions. Although there are often good reasons for seeking an extension when the deadline is due, this could be alleviated if thought were given at an earlier stage. When dealing with thousands of matches in each competition it is very difficult for the Competitions Department to have a flexible attitude to extensions.
Web Site - www.esfa.co.uk
The web site is now updated on a very regular basis and at least once a week. Dial it up, look at the football results and stories. You can also buy ESFA memorabilia at the on-line shop, set up links with our sponsor's website.
Girls' Football - Easter Festival
ESFA are committed to improving girls' football in our schools and as part of that initiative it has been suggested that we organise an Easter Festival on the lines of Isle of Wight, Jersey or Pakefield. If anyone out there has some good ideas it would be nice to hear from them. What is the best format? At what level (school, district, county)? At what age? Etc etc.
Isle of Wight Festival
The organising committee for the Isle of Wight Festival have asked me to remind associations that there are a number of spare places and late application for entry WILL BE ACCEPTED. Any association interested in taking part will find the dates listed earlier in this Newsletter. They should contact Gerry Smith on 01793 822284 (School) or the ESFA Office without delay. 01785 251142
ESFA and the Tax Man
Investigations have been started into the payment of 'gift aid' and 'VAT'. Our accountants are aware that there is a problem and will be reporting back to me shortly.
Under 16s in Adult Football
The debate continues to rage within the FA, mostly because it was envisaged that the academies would be given dispensation. The FA were willing to give schools' football the chance to be out with the rules in that they would be allowed to play an under 15 in a school first team game. The issues of child protection must be observed so it is for individuals to decide whether or not it is safe for a thirteen/fourteen year old to be mixing in the dressing room culture of today's teams.
Saturday Morning Football
It has been repeatedly said that youth football (and training) should not encroach on the school's traditional Saturday morning. There is not much we can do about this except appeal to the clubs better side and hope they desist from this practise.
NOTICE BOARD
- Long Service Awards. A reminder that completed nomination forms must be returned to the office by 31st January 2005
- Funding Opportunities for schools and associations (kit etc.). This is available via The Football Foundation at www.footballfoundation.org.uk
- ESFA Business Plan Funding. Application forms will be issued shortly for the September 2005
- The next ESFA Council Meeting will be held at the Swan Hotel in Stafford over the weekend of 12th/13th March 2005. Long service Awards will be notified at this meeting.
- The 2005 Annual General Meeting will be on Saturday 2nd July in Loughborough.
- The ESFA Council voted, but not unanimously, to make a donation to the Asian Disaster Appeal, subject to the Honorary Auditors' agreement.
