future of village football

[fenman]

Probably only Dave Deacon will respond to this post , which is a bit sad .Until  5 years ago I was the secretary of , what I term a village football team  ie. the old Duchy / Trelawney leagues type of standard  , the leagues that the media insultingly refer to as " pub leagues ". I did the usual things that most club secretaries do ,  administration , mark the pitch out , cut it ( not in that order  ) turn the showers on , pay the ref , play the players fines sometimes , beg for the match fees , ran the line , refereed ( badly ) on occasions , listened to advice from cocky , arrogant 17 / 18 year old etc . etc . As I approached 80 , 40 years of doing that the novelty wore off . ( don't praise me 1000's of people do the same ) . Being involved with the County FA at the moment  I look at the added  requirements now being put on club secretaries such as club welfare officer , qualified first aider , CRB  checks and certificate , referee liason officer and so on . I wonder what sort of idiot will want to take on this job in the future . In the league I'm involved in we have enough difficulty assisting club secretaries as it is . Shockingly some of them are barely literate and don't read the rules regarding transfers , league rules on player qualifications and completing the Full time system . But one has to admire them for taking the job on . On the subject of Full Time I must say what a great tool , no more posting result sheets off , availability to check opposition team sheets etc etc .

My question is  , if more work and responsibility is piled onto club secretaries , who lets face it are volunteers  trying to provide football  for others . how many are going to want to do it  and when the current ones retire who will want to take the job on ?

[Dave Deacon]

56 minutes ago, fenman said:

Probably only Dave Deacon will respond to this post ,

So as to not disappoint you fenman, I thought I would reply and the first of many hopefully! Although I doubt if many others will post a reply as they can't be bothered, relying on others and unfortunately that is probably the same attitude at clubs!

Going to various different games, at varying levels, I do wonder if the game has got too serious for anyone to actually enjoy it much any more! 

[JonColenzo]

Ive done the same for many years @fenman, and like you, I don’t want a medal, but i feel the amount of work expected from very few volunteers is getting out of hand. And if the work isn’t done, you can expect a fine from already stretched bank accounts. To run a club now is almost a full time (voluntary) job, on top of trying to stay afloat with usual family life and paid jobs. Not sure what the answer is, would be interested to hear other peoples opinions though.

[Luke Gibbons]

Those in the "background" are key to keeping all Clubs and teams running. It's becoming harder and harder to find volunteers to step in, or players to appreciate the work that goes on behind the scenes. That's not limited to committee members as I'm sure the majority don't appreciate what their managers go through to ensure they have a competitive side at the weekend. Interesting that you note the first aider and Club assistants in the St Piran League Premier and Division One. I know the argument will be that they only have to be qualified through an online course, however it's hard enough to get players these days for recreational football, let alone additional personnel to fulfil those roles. 

I tip my cap to all volunteers within local football and good to see so many putting back in. It still surprises me that we're so reliant on that older generation that feel that they can't step away through fear of having no-one step in to fill the vacant role.

[Martin Eddy]

Have mentioned this before, most of the volunteers are longstanding or the older generation. When they stop for whatever reason, it is highly unlikely they will be replaced. You only have to walk into any local game to see who said volunteers are, they invariably find you, be it for admission. 50/50. etc. or putting out kit or attending to the pitch.

Also most players and some managers don't realise what goes on behind the scenes during the week.  The only time they find out is when moaning if something has not been done. I'm afraid that a lot of people today cannot even be bothered, and if asked for help would say. Why should I or how much. Little things like taking off the tape from their socks and chucking it on the pitch, banging muddy boots in changing rooms, leaving rubbish in dugouts. All jobs that a volunteer has to do.

 

[fenman]

I was wrong , I've been double crossed , loads of response . On a serious note , your comment Postman reminds me of something that occurred last  season in our league . A large seaside town team had a young lady as secretary , sadly she suffers from a few illness that means she is not very mobile and needs a wheelchair some of the time . At this particular home match , 3 friends of mine in the away team arrived early and saw her struggling to put the nets up , standing on a chair and trying to balance with her wheelchair . As they were giving her some help , 4 members of her team turned up . One of them said " hey Jemma where's the keys to the changing room ?" She rummaged in her pocket and gave the keys to them and they left to get changed .My friends were appalled at this and put the nets up . At the end of the game they even took the nets down for her . They were absolutely disgusted with this and asked why she did the job , she broke down in tears and said that no one else would do the job , but she wanted to see a football club in the town . The poor girl resigned  near the end of the season and the club folded  with 2 or 3 players owing  fines . Now the annoying thing is that these players weren't young they were in their 30's .The story is true  and I've heard similar stories from other teams who played there . Speake volumes for the attitude of some people .

[Dave Deacon]

1 hour ago, fenman said:

The story is true  and I've heard similar stories from other teams who played there .

That really is horrendously shameful!

[Brianmooreshead]

Like others on here - Been there, done that. There are times when you have such a great day out it's all worth it, others when you think " Why do I bother ". I suspect that many of the clubs at the level we're discussing rely on one or two devoted individuals who are only really appreciated when they're gone, and as mentioned it appears that pool of devotees get thinner by the year.

It's a bit of a general statement but on the whole, players at that level are so selfish it's embarrassing at times. I've seen players drive into the ground, see me carrying the nets and flags out, and drive back out, hoping that someone else will be forced to help.

Getting any of them to clean changing rooms, knock mud off boots outside, pay subs - Don't even get me started on fines - just grinds you down.

I suppose at the end of the day it's all about balancing that with the plus points, the fresh air, the banter, meeting new people, going to new towns / grounds. And winning of course !

A health scare put an end to my managerial / coaching days but when you get to a certain age I think that looking back the good times outweigh the bad 

[St Darren]

This is an issue for I reckon 90% of the teams in Cornwall.  They’re relying on 1 or 2 to get things done. Everything else is expected to happen. 
 

being a manager is hard enough now with lack of commitment from players. It’s easy when you’re at the top of the league though. What most players don’t realise is the amount of work that good on behind the scenes to get a match on. 

[Foul Throw 3]

19 hours ago, Postman Pat said:

Also most players and some managers don't realise what goes on behind the scenes during the week.  The only time they find out is when moaning if something has not been done. 

 

Have you been spying on my group chats? 🤣

Honestly, on a regular basis I wonder why we all bother. Only one team can win (or neither) and a motto I've had with most things in my life if you're not getting out what you put in, then it's time to resign. At some point the dying breed will all disappear and the lazy or ignorant will wonder why "their team" has folded. Laughable really the levels of laziness and ignorance we all have to tolerate.

[Martin Eddy]

I'm not mad just worried for the future of our game. Most of it is driven by the greed of the premier league. It's far easier to go down the pub with your mates for a few beers. I have had over 40 years of enjoyment and disappointment from sport and desperately hope that my grandchildren get the same chance 

[Foul Throw 3]

I'm more worried for the future of our society! Local football is just a reflection of it. Immediate results (think next day delivery, google, internet, etc) without doing anything to earn it has lead to an entitled yet offended nation. Bring back national service.

[fenman]

I'm pleased to say , firstly youv'e all double crossed me in your response , secondly its sad to see that you all agree with my view .

One other thing and I apologise for slightly digressing from the subject , you know things are getting bad in the game when a Norwich based youth team club are suspended  from  playing following an assault on a referee during a game by a parent ( great example ) . The referee received serious head injuries  as a result of the attack .

reading your responses you have to say " how has it come to this , as you say Foul Throw it's a sad reflection of society .

[Ieuan Gregory]

Only to put my contribution, over 50 years in local football nothing has changed .When I was a groundsman once when preparing the main pitch for Saturday afternoon 

game it was suggested that I needed a CRB check because kids were playing on the adjoining pitch. That got a short sharp response, the people that impose all these rules have never been anywhere near the sharp end and that is the most frustrating thing about the whole system ! Trouble is the more you do the more people will walk away and let you do it as the saying goes always give the job to a busy person .After all that if I had my time again I would do it all over again

 

[Luke Gibbons]

21 hours ago, Postman Pat said:

Also most players and some managers don't realise what goes on behind the scenes during the week. 

I was once asked by a manager why the kit hadn't been hung out... I had to explain the nicety of these things an that it was always a volunteer or another manager that did so. Reminds me of the video circulating social media of the husband trying to explain to his wife that if she leaves the house a s***hole, it will be clean by magic.

[Devils@Dusk]

This would've been back in the early 1980s (before I was born), but my father was manager of a team at that sort of level. He did everything that you used to do (and more). He even refereed matches - Although he wasn't biased when it came to making decisions. My Mum was the kit washer. 

My father had a sponsor lined up for their kit. But it fell through because none of the team could be bothered to show up for the meeting.

I'd say they were a "motley crew", but from what my father has told me, that description is beyond generous. They played dirty, argued with each other, they never wanted to wear the home kit (black and red).... And were just useless.

Don't get me wrong, I love football. But if I had to put up with the same as what my father had to put up with, it would probably kill my love for the sport completely.

[Cola]

I don’t normally write anything on these forums, this is due to me thinking what do ppl want to hear from me attitude, but on this occasion I read this post and feel compelled to write. So after and still being involved in playing football for over 32 years the shift in village teams folding is scary- Five teams locally where I live are no longer. But I find myself much older now helping the club in what needs to be done in order to help others, I think that’s what we generally do as we get older to put something back into what we got out of it, or maybe we want to be part of something and not wanting to let go of our past, but pointers which may help others- we have a WhatsApp group amongst the older players to talk and sort problems amongst ourselves, apart from the helping and support the manager we have fines for the last player to respond to a message to say they are available and from only getting previously two answers and then having to chase we now have 15 in the first hour of said message going out, at least we know what we have for Saturday, it all sounds silly but makes huge differences.  But also we keep the nucleus of local players with only the added two to three players who live half hour away so as to keep the team local, locals to support their club, (been there with larger clubs, new manager with payment and these local clubs losing all there local players for mercenaries coming in and then leaving a club with no players as they all leave) and this season we brought in a second team, not the greatest team but most importantly they are playing and be part of a club they can call their own, but also to have a game every Saturday at home to bring in money for the clubhouse. I understand though this takes years to set up and the many young players today may not realise how good it is/was until you don’t have it anymore. But for all the hard work we all do, it may change someone’s life/smile on their face to play if only for a little bit we just may not know it.