Paul Kirton
@PaulKirton_
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▪️Founder & MD @teamgrassroots_ ▪️Instagram Paulkirton_ #grassrootsfootball
UK
Joined May 2012
I spoke to a young ref today who was close to tears. He told me he was quitting after today, he said the players were amazing, but for 40 mins he felt bullied and intimidated by the adults. This was an U7 game. No where else in society is this acceptable. This has to STOP NOW.
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Another grassroots weekend goes by where I have a to deal with a 14 year old female ref on her first day in floods of tears due to the behaviour of adults. Fortunately, and to her credit she dusted herself down and finished the day. I hope she decides to continue reffing.
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🗣️Another weekend and another distressed child!. For the 2nd week running my 15yr old son had been shouted at by adults at an U9 game for making decisions which were against their team - even if correct, for not blowing his whistle quick enough, he was shouted at for.
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Spoke to 2 scouts today who said they were disappointed at the standard of coaching in grassroots compared to academies. I said your coaches are paid staff, with top facilities, equipment, time & qualifications and Kev from Asda has a team 1 hour a week and is a level 1 coach.
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The word "Academy" is being used increasingly in grassroots & causing alot of confusion. Parents paying signing on £, mthly £, £ for academy tracksuits but then ultimately playing in grassroots leagues. To help clear up the confusion Cat 1,2,3 academies don't charge any fees.
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It costs £0.00 to ask a grassroots volunteer if they need a hand, to put up a net, to collect in the cones at the end of a session, to collect the subs, taking one small job away helps so much, they’ll most likely say no but the offer will mean the world to them. Just saying. .
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Disappointing to hear of leagues being criticised for cancelling games based on predicted temps of -5. These temps will freeze the ground and will be like playing on concrete. They’re calling early for welfare reasons and so people can enjoy Xmas activities, not to annoy anyone.
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£815 million spent in Jan transfer window. A record amount of money. How much went back to the Grassroots clubs that made these players. I can tell you. £0. If there is so much money, why can't some of it be distributed to Grassroots. I can tell you. GREED! Rant over.
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After 10 years of running boys teams I'm absolutely buzzing to be running a girls team, 6mths ago most hadn't kicked a ball and tomorrow morning we have a our first game. I've fell in love with the game again watching these girls fall in love with it. Feels like Xmas eve.
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#Throwback . 25 fellas given 2 hrs of escape because of this man, I think he’s 84? Our game was the only game to have a ref allocated due to shortages. Thanked him afterward and he replied. “I’ll make mistakes son and I can’t run, but I’ll keep going”. 📸 courtesy @pohanlon23
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I am absolutely delighted to say that as of January 2023 I will have my own Grassroots Football column in the Daily Mirror Online. An unbelievable opportunity to shine more light on the sport via a national news outlet. Thank you Santa 😉.
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I also said if you're so disappointed about it what have you, your academy or your club done to provide support or CPD to our volunteer coaches. NOTHING was their answer it's not our job. The only thing disappointing was THEIR attitude towards grassroots coaching.
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I always cringe a little when I see posts for teams looking for experienced high level u7s players. 6 & 7 yr olds are still using crayons and learning to tie laces and still believe in Santa. They don’t have a 4 year playing CV from Madrid or Man City. Just saying.
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In grassroots football. The coaches true legacy is having a positive impact on young players lives, the greatest achievement is not changing a game, but helping to change a life. This is worth more than any medal or cup.
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Listen, there is cold, but then there is grassroots football cold. Grassroots football cold is were your cheeks are paralysed and a tiny icicle hangs from the end of your nose. Your feet feel like there submerged in wet concrete and you’ve lost feeling in your toes. Just saying.
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There seems to be a growing trend of moving between grassroots clubs, of constantly looking for the nxt best thing or instant success. Sometimes the next best thing is where you are, if your child's coach is treating them fairly & their happy you've already found the best place.
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Wouldn’t it be great to have a “grassroots football day”. A day all pro players current and retired go back to their grassroots clubs and leagues, give back to the roots of the game, coaches also could go back to their roots and give CPD to grassroots coaches. Imagine that.
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So many people in grassroots need to hear this but rarely do so I’m gona say it to whoever needs to hear this. You’re doing amazing, we appreciate what you do, thank you for your dedication, your time, and giving back to the game. Thank you every single grassroots volunteer.
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My team had their first game this morning. They loved it. Can I introduce you to the Whiteleas Diamonds. ❤️❤️
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Just come off the phone to a club struggling due to rising prices, on top of this their local council are putting pitch fees up, sponsors have dried up and cash reserves are lower than ever. I then turn on Sky Sports and hear that football is richer than ever. Now that's irony!!.
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I will never get tired of saying "Thank you" to grassroots football volunteers. You never ask for it but you all deserve it a million times over. So here's another on, thank you to every single volunteer in grassroots football for all that you do and the time that you give.
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I have no idea what people do on a weekend who aren’t involved in grassroots football.
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Any adult abusing/harassing/bullying a child referee today over a game of footy, stop immediately as you’re being a complete ____________. I will let you fill in the blank.
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Here's to all the grassroots volunteers doing their best every week, putting smiles on others despite personal struggles & battles of their own, come rain, hail or shine, often missing meals & family time, even when it's tough always know you're smashing it.
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My football hero isn’t on sky sports or in magazines, they’re quietly filling in whole game after work and on lunch breaks, they’re getting soaked putting nets up after nightshifts, they’re coaching sessions after rushing back from work & missing meals. These people are my heroes.
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Another weekend goes by where we receive 2 messages, one of a 14 yr old boy abandoning a game due to being threatened & the other a 15 yr old girl in floods of tears due to the behaviour of coaches and parents on the sidelines. When did this become OK, it didn't. So STOP it.
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They’re too small and/or not strong enough are the 2 things I hear scouts feeding back on junior players. And yet the biggest game in the world is billed as the Messi v Mbappe match. Who are 5.7” & 5.10” respectively. Message to scouts, maybe they’re not too small!!.
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Not everyone will agree but… .When a child’s team don’t win a match, I don’t always think of it as a negative. As the game ends, they have either won the game or will learn from it, quite often more learning is found in a loss and this learning can never be considered a negative.
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There will always come a time when your child stops playing, so while they're playing enjoy every bit of mud, wind, cold, rain, win, loss, draw, tournament, burger van, enjoy every moment, you will miss washing the muddy kits when there isn't one to wash. Just saying.
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Anyone who guarantees to get young players pro contracts if they play for the new “elite pro academy/type club” can only be talking about one type of contract…. A Direct Debit contract!!!!.
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Coaching a team means so much more to me than what happens on the pitch, as much as I want them to be great players, I equally want them to be great people, coaching the person aswell as the player and seeing both blossom is the greatest reward for a coach IMO.
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If ever there was a time to press the reset button on what’s acceptable and what isn’t in grassroots football it’s right now. A deep breath is needed and a reminder that the game is for the kids (that often includes the refs), it’s for them to enjoy.
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Randomly walking up to coaches and saying thank you. What an amazing night of thank yous we had. This is how we roll….
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Amazing how many times those who don’t coach, and are not prepared to coach know how to do every aspect of coaching, and running teams clubs better than anyone else. Just saying😉 PK.
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Also worth noting that U14's coach Carl who volunteered to get up early after his backshift yesterday to go & check the pitch for this afternoon's match isn't a meteorologist he works the checkouts at Asda. The people who check are almost always volunteers too. Just saying. PK.
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I think it's a great step the FA have taken to trial Body cams on refs. But it saddens me to think we live in a world where we need to rig up grassroots refs with body cams due to the level of abuse they receive. How about people take personal responsibility and STOP abusing them.
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My first column for @DailyMirror. "What kind of world are we living in when a schoolgirl is reduced to tears by adults on a Sunday morning? We can bury our head in the sand and pretend this doesn't happen. But this is exactly what is happening and. ". ⤵️.
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Next time you think of putting £ into the pockets of billionaire clubs via shirt sales, merch, PPV etc maybe buy a raffle ticket, balls, some bibs etc 4 a grassroots club instead, catch a non league game, you can really make a huge difference to this part of the game this way.
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Grassroots Football made millions this weekend, millions of people happy, millions of smiles, millions of miles ran, millions of families as teams came together. And those millions came be valued because they’re priceless. We’re sooo pleased it’s back ad hope you all are too.
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Warm ups when I was a kid🤣🤣. Lap of the pitch.Smash a couple shots at keeper.Last minute pee in bush.Game. Warm ups Now. Stretches.Ball work.Plyometrics.Explosive sprints.Long pass.Short pass.Rondo.Shuttles.Positional play.Box play.Zone work.Cone work.Game.
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One of the hardest things to get in grassroots football is funding, however it costs £0.00 to offer a helping hand, to put a net up, collect cones in at the end of training, put corner flags out etc. You might be surprised how welcome a small offer of help will be. Just saying. .
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My daughter had her first league game today. She absolutely loved it. So proud of her. My little Lioness Cub. @EnglandFootball @UEFA @Lionesses
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In grassroots football wanting to win isn’t a bad thing, neither is Iosing & it being ok. These 2 aren’t mutually exclusive. What is wrong is when the desire to win sucks the last ounce of fun and anything else is deemed failure.
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My daughter's first ever football presentation, I'm so proud of her. She even wanted to wear green eye shadow. I've fallen in love again with our game watching my beautiful daughter fall in love with it. #proudcoach #prouddad
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My Mam made plans for yrs for retirement and she would tell me of her plans. Sadly I lost her a few years back at 57. She told me tomorrow is not promised, follow your dreams and do what you love. Never chase money, chase happiness. I did and give thanks everyday for her advice.
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Our grassroots volunteers up and down the country were up early this weekend, most of them standing in the rain, putting up nets, getting pitches ready, clearing dog 💩 off pitches, all for one thing, to give the opportunity to play to others. Big thank you to you all 🙌🏻🙌🏽🙌🏿.
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Messages that need to be seen & heard, parent of a 14 yo Ref . “Please treat my child the way you would want someone to treat your child, if my child missed something in a game at U9 level please respond to this the way you would want another adult to respond to your child”.
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Calling all girls teams, clubs, leagues, coaches, refs, club and league officials/volunteers. I'm looking to feature your stories in a new mthly Women's Football News magazine. I'm looking to shine a light on the women's grassroots game and the people involved. DM me your stories.
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My Grassroots Confession . Not everyone will agree, but I love a top class save just as much as a top class goal.
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Here's to the coaches coming to the end of their final season of junior football, possibly coaching the last few games over the next few weeks with your team before they head off to college & jobs etc. Enjoy your last few games and respect to you for being part of their journey.
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Kid on my previous team took all the corners on the right. Every corner he would either put 1 or 2 arms in the air like a training ground move. Only thing is, we never actually practiced this at any point so no one had a clue where he was gona put the ball, he did it for yrs🤣.
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Every single coach, club, league official and groundsmen are fully aware people want to know if game is on/off. Also worth knowing they don't have crystal balls and can't predict weather patterns. Sometimes the "wait till last minute" option is used if they think it's close.
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I would love to have a weekend were zero refs are abused. With that in mind any adult abusing/harassing/bullying a child or adult referee today over a game of footy, stop immediately as you’re being a complete ____________. I will let you fill in the blank.
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Whenever you behave in an aggressive & abusive manner at a grassroots game giving the ref verbal S**t, it doesn't encourage them to change their minds it discourages them from continuing to be a referee. Let's stop pretending it's passion, it isn't. #EnoughIsEnough.
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After mths of coaching my own daughter, today I gave her the player of the week trophy, not because she's my daughter but because she deserved it. When you coach your own child it's easy to avoid giving them too much praise or awards. Don't, they're also members of the team.
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This weekend there will be an army of kids on subs benches who always just get the last few mins of games, just remember they pay the same subs & have the same desire to play as everyone else. I know it's hard sometimes to be a coach but it's also hard to be that kid.
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Winning at life is being the middle home game, arrive and nets are up, leave and leave nets up for the last game. If you know, you know.🤣.
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It’s been a long year, it’s not been easy so a big shoutout to all those players, coaches, volunteers & parents who despite personal battles away from the pitch have got through it. Let me be the first to say well done, we know sometimes it’s not easy.
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Can't get my 10 year old daughter up all week for school, every day it's a last ditch rush to get her there on time. Saturday morning she's up at 6.50am, downstairs having her breakfast sitting proudly next to her kit ready for her game. We don't KO till 12.25 🤣🤣.
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When you bump into a player you coached years ago and they're all grown up and they come up to you unexpectedly, shake your hand and say "thanks coach" that will bring a lump to your throat. Guaranteed.
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This is my daughter Layla, a year ago she had never kicked a ball and yesterday she won her first tournament. I'm her dad and her coach and absolutely love being both. Watching her fall in love with the game is such a privilege for me. #grassrootsfootball
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Remember the old bucket of water and magic sponge that coaches had on a matchday. The water felt like it was extracted from the arctic and yet magically the sponge cured all known injuries. 🤣. When did we stop using the magic sponge?.
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My sons room has the stench of football. His footy boots give off a smell so pungent that I’m sure it could actually be weaponised. Decent lad, just has stinking boots. 😂😂.
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When we started @Teamgrassroots_ our goal was to create an independent grassroots football organisation to give a voice to the people. We were laughed at and treat like the Jamaican bobsled team, we let the laughter motivate us and built the UKs largest grassroots organisation.
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Let’s be honest, sometimes it can be tough, sometimes it feels like you can’t do right for doing wrong but the truth is grassroots football is absolutely worth every penny, headache, heartbreak, early morning and late night. Most importantly it’s worth every second. Just saying.
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One of the best and most underrated assets a player can have is to “be coachable”. This is so important for a players continued development. A coach can only take you on a journey you both want to go if your coachable.
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The single most priceless commodity on earth is not cash, gold or diamonds it is time. We can never get time back. Our grassroots volunteers choose to give us this precious commodity so we can all enjoy the game. Thank you for your time you're all amazing. Just saying. .
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If you wanna stay up to date with the most modern TiK ToK trends just coach an U9 girls team. I've learned to dance with my hands like Wednesday Adams, they want this as a goal celebration and also learned getting sturdy wasn't designed for my back.
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There will always come a time when your child stops playing, so while they're playing enjoy every bit of mud, wind, cold, rain, win, loss, draw, tournament, burger van, enjoy every moment, you will miss washing muddy kits when there isn't one to wash. Just saying.
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Not everyone will agree but for me coaching a team means so much more than what happens on the pitch, as much as I want them to be great players, I equally want them to be great people, coaching the person aswell as the player and seeing both blossom is the greatest reward.
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My 1st Grassroots column for the Daily Mirror Online will be end of Jan. I want to discuss the topics that you feel are important & feature YOU, the community, as much as possible. If there’s a topic or a story, important to you, that you would like me to consider, let me know.
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I have an U10 girls team. We did the hokey cokey as part of our warm up last week as it was a little cold. Did it for one reason, because it was fun. I laughed, they laughed and it was a great way to keep warm on a cold morning. Might do the cha cha slide next week. 😜.
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Wouldn't it be great to have a "grassroots football day". A day all pro players current and retired go back to their grassroots clubs and leagues, give back to the roots of the game, coaches also could go back to their roots and give CPD to grassroots coaches. Imagine that.
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Late yesterday weather warning was lifted, bad weather passed & it wasn't as bad as forecast. Moral of the story, sometimes it's not an exact science, decisions are made with the info available at the time & forecasts at the time. Sometimes it will be right/sometimes wrong.
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Lots of amazing things to celebrate in our game, but please spare a moment for our heroes who do the things that aren't on TV or celebrated. Like the men/women in grassroots, quietly going about their heroics day in, day out, whilst working FT. These are my football heroes.
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Where do all the lost balls actually go??? We start the season with 10, end with 3 and 1 of them is never yours, and you have no idea who's it is or where it's came from. Science can't even explain this mystery.🤣.
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When you send a message to the WhatsApp group with full details of the game, times, kit, location & postcode and the first reply back is…. Whats the postcode.
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I am your Referee today. Please watch and show your support to all referees everywhere by giving a LIKE and RT.
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There will always come a time when your child stops playing, so while they're playing enjoy every bit of mud, wind, cold, rain, win, loss, draw, tournament, burger van, enjoy every moment, you will miss washing their muddy kits when there isn't one to wash. Just saying.
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Please RT. Grassroots Respect. Giving the game back to the kids.
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Still hits true every time. ⤵️.
Message from an Unknown Coach. Today I heard a comment made about me behind my back, I started to turn around and look but decided better of it, I know I make mistakes.
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Listen, there is cold, but then there is grassroots football cold. This is an elite level of coldness where your cheeks are paralysed & tiny icicles hangs from the end of your nose. Your feet feel like they're submerged in wet concrete and you have zero feelings in your toes.
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As we draw to a close Grassroots 2022 we take a moment to reflect on the laughs, tears, wins & losses, these moments never disappear, they become our memories and are ours forever. We raise our glasses and say goodbye to Grassroots22 & look forward excitedly to Grassroots 2023 🥂.
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I will never get tired of saying "Thank You" to grassroots football volunteers. You never ask for it but you all deserve it a million times over, so here's another one, thank you to every single grassroots volunteer for all that you do and the time that you give. PK.
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Next time you think of putting money into the pockets of a billionaire via shirt sales, merch, PPV etc, instead maybe pop to your local grassroots club & buy a raffle ticket, cup of tea or a few balls, you can make a huge difference to part of the game who don’t get billions.
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Might not sound like much, but this week I was moving business premises, 2 players I coached for years (now adults) found out & rang me asking if I needed a hand. Both came & helped us move. This meant more than any win or trophy, the fact they wanted to give a little back to me.
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Looks like another cancelled weekend for most of us. Normally I’m gutted, this weekend if they’re off I won’t be too gutted. I will be too busy sledging, pelting someone with a snowball, visiting Santa with my daughter, & most likely eating and drinking slightly more than usual.
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Can't remember a grassroots season with as much rainfall as we've had this season. Every time pitches have drained and dried & are ready to be played on again the rain just mugs us off and hammers down again.
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I was made to feel “different” before I was old enough to even know what “different” meant. Football changed that, the place I wasn’t different, a team, a club, a home and where the only colour that matters is the colour of your shirt. Now my “difference” is my greatest strength
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It 100% always rains on the days I coach and it starts raining at virtually the exact time my training starts. I’ve tried changing days and times but the rain just follows me. Its scientific now I’m sure. Anyone else or just me. 😂😂.
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Next time you think of putting money into the pockets of a billionaire via shirts, merch, PPV etc maybe buy a raffle ticket, balls, bibs for a local grassroots/non league club instead, you can really make a difference to the part of the game who don’t get billions already.
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I can sometimes be guilty of not always planning every session, Why? Lots of reasons, work, family, other committments & sometimes i'm organising the session as i'm getting out the car. Sometimes life comes before planning a session. I just wanted to say, sometimes this is OK.
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Coaching after Xmas on a frosty night, under the lights. No drills, lines or 400 cones out. Simply yellow bibs v orange bibs….play and see who can burn off Xmas Turkey and selection boxes. Simply perfect, simply grassroots football.
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