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Football in Crisis?


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Obviously I can't speak for Devon and Cornwall , but here in Norfolk  we are approaching a mini crisis . Clubs are folding almost at the rate of one a week , clubs with 80 + players for 2 teams are calling off because they can't field 22 players . I have mentioned on forums before  some teams are calling off because younger players don't want to play away games , this is now quite common . One other worrying thing that's started to happen is that some councils no longer want clubs playing on the parks because of the cost . The cost of groundstaff etc. is more that the pitch hire fees that they can realistically charge . I know we are alleged  to be backward  and living in the past in Norfolk but our situation can't be unique to us .

It's not just football , the ECB are showing concern in the falling number of cricket clubs in the country as well .

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11-a-side Saturday football is in decline, there's no doubt about that. I try and keep a record of all such leagues each season.

5 years ago, 2010-11, I had 11704 teams from 7323 clubs

This season, 9677 teams from 6219 clubs.

 

That's 2000 teams and 1000 clubs disappeared (nett) inside half a decade. That's before taking into account any teams that have given up the ghost partway through this season

 

I doubt the increase in "powerleagues" or futsal etc. will come close to making up for that.

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Blame 6-a-side midweek football.

Indoors, in the dry. Costs roughly the same as subs for Saturday football. More matey.

Play a game, watch 3-4 others, have another game, watch 3-4 again. Pint afterwards and the weekend is free to go drinking Friday or Saturday.

FA should ban all commercial 6-a-side leagues and only have FA sanctioned ones where players are registered with affiliated 11-a-side clubs. 

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Kids are started in competitive football to early. By the time they reach men's football, they've already been playing ten years.

They're fed up with it by then.

Plus, and a big plus - there's a hell of a lot more to do today.

In crisis - no. In decline - yes. It will reach its natural, sustainable level in the end, and that's where it will stay.

As a footnote. I went down to watch Porthleven a few years ago, in a top cup game. Good crowd I thought on the way down.

Nope, poor crowd.

There were more kids in the skate park, than watching the game.....other things to do.

We never had the options they have today.

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ive been trying to encourage my 8 year old to play football, he goes school football training but doesnt want to do it outside of school unless i nag him.

he wants to do bmxing up blackwater which is fine but you do one lap which takes 50 seconds boring if u ask me.

on another note in falmouth area 10 years ago in junior football you had falmouth albion 1st and 2nds, falmouth athletic 1st and 2nds falmouth town 3rds constantine 1st and 2nds

mawnan 1st and 2nds penryn 3rds and 4ths thats 11 teams now there are 5 of those named remaining.

i use to love those games back in the day playing for albion agaisnt athletic was like celtic and rangers. 

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18 hours ago, Richard Rundle said:

That's 2000 teams and 1000 clubs disappeared (nett) inside half a decade. That's before taking into account any teams that have given up the ghost partway through this season

Some scary numbers above and it is a worrying decline in football teams and clubs. Do you think its going to continue? Are there any clubs at risk in Cornwall?

17 hours ago, cornishteddyboy said:

FA should ban all commercial 6-a-side leagues and only have FA sanctioned ones where players are registered with affiliated 11-a-side clubs.

I'm not sure a ban would work but I do believe that commercial leagues are killing the 11-a-side game. I think clubs need to fight back by offering things that the commercial leagues can't. Its the same as local leisure centres being taken over by private businesses (e.g. Tempus in Cornwall) all that has seen is increasing prices and poor facilities.

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