Starting a Football Team

Starting a Football Team and Joining the League Starting a Football Team So you and your friends think you're ready to tackle being part of a League. Good ... but be careful. It's not as easy as it sounds and you must be aware of all the pitfalls before you take the leap. Organisation An essential must before you do anything else. You need at least two or three people to take some responsibility. Being part of any League carries a heavy burden for one newcomer. From these people, elect a secretary, a treasurer (oh yes, it all costs money) and a manager. Of course one person can do several roles, but it's a lot for a newbie to take on alone. Unless you're a strong individual, your club won't last long. Registration Now you need to register yourselves with the Durham County Football Association. They are the governing body for all football within your area. You cannot even play a friendly against another team unless you're registered. Remember, football isn't all sweetness and light and sometimes unsavoury incidents happen. Your local football association are there to deal with such matters, among other things. If you are not registered and something goes wrong, you could find you or your players on a civil charge with the chance of a heavy fine or even jail (that's not to say you get away scot free if you're registered, more on that later). Usually county football associations (and local leagues) will only deal with the club secretary; this is standard practice. When you register, you will need a name for your team. Be prepared for a disappointment. Your name may already be in use and your application will then need modifying before you are accepted. TIP - Sometimes county boundaries overlap and if your name is refused with one, you may be able to register with the other, although some leagues insist on which county you are registered with. For example, the Stepy’s Coaches Durham Sunday Football League insist that all clubs are registered with Durham County Football Association. Where do I Register? You need to find out the headquarters for the Durham County Football Association. One way to find out is to ask a team on a local pitch. But pick your moment carefully - if things aren't going well on the pitch you may be politely asked to go elsewhere! You can contact the Football Association at Soho and they should point you in the right direction. Durham County Football Association ‘’Codeslaw’’ Ferens Park. Durham City DH1 1JZ 01919848653 You Need the Dosh OK now let's talk money. This is where some of you can be put off. I won't mince my words - it's bloody expensive to get a new team off the ground. Firstly, registering with your local county FA has set you back £30. And that's just for starters, but at least you've got a name and a structure. Now you need to apply to a League. You will find a list of the leagues in your area in your county FA handbook. You'll be lucky to see any change from £50 and it could be much higher. These two fees are renewable yearly. Before any League worth its salt will accept you, they will probably interview you to see how organised you are. The more details you can give, the better. So far you've paid out the best part of £100 and you're still no nearer a football pitch. Are you still with me? Good, now let's get to the nitty gritty. Pitch Fees This will be the highest annual expense you will have to find each season. Having a piece of turf to call your own is serious business - and very expensive! Fees range from £300 to £1000+! It all depends on your criteria, your local area and what's available. *UPDATE* - Pitch fees have risen dramatically in the last two years as local authorities squeeze every last drop out of football teams. Why such a difference? Well, it largely depends on what you want from a pitch. Most teams will play on local park pitches and these are available by contacting the local council. They will tend to be the cheapest, but beware - conditions can range from pretty poor to goddam awful! Often these pitches are very uneven and poorly maintained (not always) and conditions vary. You should get basic changing facilities and showers (if they work) but find out what else is included. It should include posts and crossbars supplied, but nets, corner-flags, bolts and pegs are the club's responsibility as a rule. Where else can I find a Pitch? Some schools have better facilities and these pitches don't always come under the local authority. You have to contact the school yourself. Again find out what's included and what isn't. Private sports facilities are usually the best around and therefore the most expensive. Facilities again will vary, but the general rule is the better the ground, the more you'll pay. If you have to buy the pitch 'furniture' you'll have to find money for nets (starting around £55 per pair), corner-flags (£30), bolts (£3), pegs (not a lot) and net clips or ties (£10). If you're responsible for posts and crossbars, get ready for a shock - these start at about £500! What do I Look Like! Right, you've registered with county, joined a League and found a pitch. The bank manager's on your case and you're standing out there starkers! Oh dear, we need a kit! This is proving very expensive agreed? As you must be aware, kits are available from many sources. Prices generally start from around £250 for a full adult kit, but without naming names, it's true to say the more you pay, the better you get and this is worth remembering if you want the kit to last more than one season. Don't get sucked into the 'replica kit' market. Just because you look like Man United it won't make you play like them. And more fool you if you're prepared to see little change out of £700 for the privilege of advertising Vodaphone. As a rule of thumb most teams supply the kit, the players supply their own shinpads and boots (usually caked in last season's mud). OK, the cupboards now bare but surely there's nothing else to pay out, is there? Sorry, think again! You need something to kick, other then the cat. Decent footballs will cost around £20-£40 each and you will need several. Most Leagues will insist on first aid kits and you'll need to keep these in shape. A corn plaster and eye-drops won't do. Then there's the man in black with the annoying whistle (no, you don't bring your own). Referees expenses range from £15-£30, depending on the League and the travel involved. With most Leagues and Counties the home club pays the ref, so you'll have to find this sum roughly every other week. These rules can change on Cup matches, check with your League. The kit will need washing and unless you own a greengrocers, you'll need those pieces of half-time orange (some players need considerably more than this!). TIP - Don't let each player take home their kit to wash it. Inevitably one or two will let you down one week and you'll be short of kit. Also let's just say people have different 'standards'. Surely you don't want some of your team looking like they're just about to start their second match when you walk out on the pitch. Better to find a reliable 'kit-washer' and pay them for the privilege. Behave yourselves Oh yes, those men with the whistle are there for a reason. One sure way to lose what little money you have remaining is to question their authority or take up arms against the opposition. Bookings (cautions) and dismissals all cost money. Your local FA will be only too pleased to metaphorically tip you upside down and empty your pockets of the last loose change you had, should you cross swords with the ref. And a well-earned break from the field of play will follow for the next few weeks. Know your League's Rules Most Leagues have officers, such as secretaries, chairmen, treasurers, results secretaries, etc. None that I know use the services of a clairvoyant and you will need to stay in touch with the League, otherwise they will extend your overdraft even further. The biggest complaint from the Leagues is that clubs either can't be bothered or they fail to listen. This leads to a communications problem. As the club secretary you will have responsibilities and duties to perform. Attending meetings, confirming fixtures, phoning in results. Remember the League has no duty to the club beyond their remit, that is the organisation of the League, not your club. Some clubs who are excellent on the field of play are let down by poor secretaries. This is the person who represents your team with the League and County and they could cause your downfall, should the League or County FA find this individual impossible to deal with. I've never been so skint; surely, that's it? Er, well, not necessarily! How serious are your team about this football thing? If you want to keep fit, time to dip in again. Running around a field becomes monotonous, not to mention cold and damp and dark during winter. Training facilities, ranging from school gyms to sports centre astroturf are there if your pockets are deep enough. Fees again will vary considerably. Injuries are another problem and insurance is essential for some to help cover loss of wages, should a serious injury occur. Clubs can arrange group cover or the individual players can take up their own policies. Many local authorities now insist upon teams having 'Public Liability insurance'. This is not the same as injury cover for players. As most teams play on public areas, injury can occur to spectators or passers-by and this is the purpose of Public Liability cover. Usually it is far cheaper than player's insurance cover. Other than bank robbing, where do I get all this money? Sponsorship is one good way. If you are a group of friends, you very likely use a local pub. Do they have a football team? If not, ask the landlord if he would like to back one. Point out the advantages. A team carrying his pub's name and guaranteed income from you and your players, who will surely frequent the premises, for team meetings, after-match analysis and tactic planning. With any luck he will buy the kit and maybe put in a bit more. That's one major expense out the way. Running raffles and the like helps meet expenses. Plus most teams charge players a signing-on fee of anything from £10 to £30 a head and weekly matchday subscriptions of £3-£5. Do your sums and things don't suddenly look so gloomy. But remember, organisation is the key. Don't Give Up! Very often, players who believe they posses the skills of Paul Gascoinge find in the real world they are more like Bamber Gascoinge (sorry Bamber, you might be a really good player). Moral can drop when faced with organised teams and a good hiding. Don't give up - things do improve. As your team become more organised and disciplined you tend to overcome these obstacles. And don't set yourself unrealistic targets. It's quite usual for new teams to struggle for form, even if the players have had some experience. Some Leagues allow you to choose which Division you want to start in, although they will always act in the interest of the League should your application be deemed unreasonable. Don't lie or exaggerate regarding your player's abilities. It seems everyman and his dog had a trial with a professional club "when he was younger". One sure way to lose players is to find yourself getting 'pasted' each week. P.S. - Bamber, where did you get that name from? Why do people do this? Don't ask me, I'm as mad as the rest! Well, this all sounds horrendous to me, where do I sign up? Presuming the men in the white coats haven't dragged you away screaming and you live in our part of Durham County then you can apply for application form to join the Stepy’s Coaches Durham Sunday Football League before the end of March each season. But be warned - All new clubs are screened and your application's success isn't guaranteed. Send an e-mail to durham.football@brinternet.com for an application form.