18 Mar 2008FA to increase grassroots spending

The FA has announced its strategy for the next five years, the highlight of which is its plan to invest £200 million in grassroots football.

The FA National Game Strategy 2008-2012 has been designed to accommodate the seven million players, 125,000 teams, 1,700 leagues and over 400,000 volunteers who are involved in the game of association football in England every week.

After a consultation process involving 37,000 people, the FA has decided to increase the amount it is investing every season by £10 million to £44 million, a figure which includes a £15 million contribution from the Football Foundation.

Money will be targeted at three main areas. Firstly, the FA plans to afford extra support to the aforementioned 400,000 volunteers who help run the game at a local level every week.

Secondly, English football's governing body will seek to crack down on the high number of referees who drop out of the game every year as a result of abuse by providing more training and attempting to improve the behaviour of both players and spectators.

Lastly, efforts will be made to improve the training of players regardless of age and ability.

"We will also put the policies and procedures in place to safeguard our young players," the FA said on its website.

The strategy will be officially launched by FA chief executive Brian Barwick, chairman Lord Triesman and director of football development Sir Trevor Brooking.

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