After our recent announcement about our sponsorship with the Essex and Suffolk Border Walking Football League I asked Derek, Promoter and current Chairman of the newly-formed league as to why he feels there is a need for a further walking football League in Essex and few other walking football related topics? Here are some of his replies.
“If you mean a League that is for teams along the Essex and Suffolk border then yes. If you mean Essex overall then No. There are several reasons, as to why I believe an Essex and Suffolk Border Walking Football League should be formed, they are.”
“One: That depends on whether you think I’m either an altruist or a masochist, I suppose. I am always keen to help (some would say too keen!) others enjoy themselves. I take a lot of personal pleasure from it – well most of the time.”
“Two: The idea behind the Essex and Suffolk Border Walking Football League was based upon a fleeting remark I made to Darren Scoulding previously of the Suffolk County FA when we met up during a FA Walking Football rules review meeting at Cambridgeshire FA headquarters in Histon a few years back.”
“Three: Walking Football has continuously developed across Essex and Suffolk over the last 5 years or so. This can be judged by the increase in the numbers participating in ‘friendly’ walking football competitions across both Counties.”
“Four: With no active walking football during the intervention of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown and the Essex Walking Football League has not able to attract or retain teams from the North of Essex I thought it was the next obvious step.”
“Five: Essex is a large County and within the Essex Walking Football League some clubs have experienced a lot of travelling to and from venues in the South of the region. So I was looking to put in place a more ‘local’ league.”
Asked as to why he felt the League should be of mixed-gender? Derek’s reply was, “Why not? The League is expected to be a ‘Fair Play’ League. I sought the advice of both, the Walking Football Leagues Alliance and the Football Association. There are several Leagues that are affiliated to both that are of mixed-gender and to paraphrase the advice given to me, ‘From a FA’s perspective we view walking football as a mixed format of football so in that respect we would not recommend any restrictions as to the number of female player’s eligible to play. As long as the game is played properly and within the spirit intended there should be no issue with an all-female team playing against an all-male team’. Derek goes on to say, “A couple of things we have to consider is that the age profile of female walking football players and their teams being slightly lower than on average for men and possible problems due to changing facilities on match days. I am already aware that we have already seen same-gender walking football Leagues setup across the UK. So who knows?”
Derek is proposing that all League tournament venues are to be based within an agreed geographical area and he is expecting these venues to be situated mostly in towns (or city) of Clacton, Colchester, Felixstowe, Harwich, Ipswich, Sudbury and Woodbridge.
When asked to why it is that the League fixtures cannot be played a ‘Central’ venue like Goals in Ipswich or PlayFootball in Colchester?
Derek said, “Where is the fun in not being able to play some of your ‘home’ games, on a pitch which is owned by your club? All clubs that are signing up to the League are being asked whether they would like to host a League tournament. With a very few exceptions, most have agreed. I believe this is because the League is recommending that there is to be no restrictions on the playing surfaces apart from on concrete or tarmac. There is also the subject of travelling distances to a central location. Based upon my experiences in the EWFL players seem to get more pleasure going to different grounds, the only caveat being as long as it is within a reasonable travel distance. More importantly fees and hospitality revenue are not going to just one location.”
The League is expected to be managed by a committee of at least six members, a Chairman, a League Secretary, a League Fixtures and a Results Secretary, a Treasurer and a Referees Appointments Secretary. Derek has insisted this is the minimum required to run any League. So from day one the League will be looking for volunteers to feel these roles.
Derek was asked about on what the club/teams would be expected to pay and would this include any League membership and/or player’s registration fees and how much would it cost to run the League each Season?
Derek answered, “Like most other leagues it should be Membership and Competition fees based, but this is down to the League members to agree upon at a General Meeting. I am expecting the League to be a not-for-profit community-based organisation. It should not be dependent upon donations, sponsorships etc. to be able to pay for administrative expenses, tournament costs, cups, medals, website costs etc. Having a guaranteed income stream will ensure that there continues to be a League with a solid foundation and structure and most importantly it removes any ongoing indebtedness or control to any one individual, club or creditor.”
“The best answer as to how much it costs to run a walking football league is to have a look at the incomes and expenditures of the EWFL over the last three years, the detail of which, is provided on the EWFL website and I provide in detail as and when clubs sign up to the League through an Expression of Interest form.”
On the subject of Referees appointments, Derek said, “Referees are expected to be appointed by either Suffolk County FA or Essex County FA or by a League Referee Appointments Secretary. I would expect Referees to be either FA qualified (or have understanding of walking football LOTG’s) or be accredited by Essex Walking Football League or by the Walking Football Referee’s Association. I would like to get the WFA on board but I do not know what their current stance is. All of the League’s Referees would be expected to have attended a County FA’s workshop that is specifically designed for Walking Football. Currently, Suffolk County FA were due to organise a workshop for the 30th June 2020. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 lockdown it was not advertised. They are planning to reschedule it once it is safe to do so.”
The League is recommending to clubs/teams that the League should use the ‘three-touch only’ rule. Why?
Derek’s response to this was, “Everybody has an opinion on this. The upshot is it has been found by trial and in competitive games: that it’s more inclusive of any ability; there is an increased mental alertness as the counting is easy when players have been playing three-touch for a long time (they count themselves!); teams with good movement and a level of fitness are winning out over the others because their awareness, organisation and movement tends to be much better. But I am only proposing this, once the league is formed it is up to the clubs themselves to agree or not to my recommendations. I would add that for the walking football sessions I have been involved in most players, when asked, prefer it. Too quote….”it seems more like a level playing field for the lesser skilled players.”
As to why should a club should be affiliated to a County FA and how much does it cost? Derek said, “It is through affiliation that the family of football is brought together and the league have the correct standards and disciplines are maintained.”
He feels that affiliation to the Football Association through a County FA ensures:
There is quality assurance and there is a safety net available to help protect players, clubs, officials and administrators throughout the game.
There is a process by, which clubs can “register” with their County FA’s, allowing them to play affiliated football.
There are records, which teams you’ll be running, as well as the key officers and team officials involved in running of your club.
The local FA’s were until recently were able to provide all Clubs with free Public Liability insurance. This was included as part of a Club Affiliation fee, which means you did not have to purchase this separately. Pease note it is mandatory for all age groups and formats of football to have Personal Accident Insurance. If players get injured whilst participating in football, financial loss can occur as a result. Personal Accident insurance provides cover to players and can help to offset this potential loss or unexpected expenses. All local FA’s have long standing partnerships with grassroots sport teams insurance providers and are able to help source this for you.
The development of clubs and the support in promoting best practice as well as encouraging the growth of Walking Football in general.
So how much does it cost to be affiliated to my local FA? The link to the Essex FA is here. The link to the Suffolk FA is here.
Derek was asked as to what happens when a club has completed an Expression of Interest via the website?
His reply was, “I am to have a meeting with both the Essex County and the Suffolk County FA at the beginning of September 2020. It had to be moved from early June 2020 because several of each County FA teams were furloughed until the end of July 2020 and my contact at the Suffolk FA has moved on. Once I have had this meeting there will be some movement from both local FA’s regarding the promotion of this new League; a deadline will be agreed for all interested clubs to sign up to and a General Meeting will then be called. Once this has been agreed an email will be sent out by either of the two FA’s NB: The League’s affiliation is subject to how many of either County signs up. If the majority is Essex clubs it will be Essex FA that will be involved likewise the Suffolk FA. To be realistic, with all that is going on about COVID lockdowns and the return to active competition, I can’t see the league starting until March 2021 anyway.”
With the news of having Walking Football Limited as the league’s main sponsor Derek said, “….and having the Walking Football organisation on board right from the start, hopefully now shows all those teams that have not signed up to the E&SBWFL the intent and direction of this League. I could not have found a better partner than Walking Football Limited. There is a lot of synergy between the two of us and we both acknowledge the importance of walking football is to help others to become more mobile and physically fit and to expand their social circles.”
Derek did stress everything he has talked about here are just proposals and are provided for guidance purposes only. All rules etc. has to be agreed by League members at a General Meeting.
Want to know more about the League? You will need to go to their website https://essexandsuffolkborderwalkingfootballleague.org/ and you will also need to have a look at their ‘FAQ’s’.
If you have a club/team that would like to play in the League you will need to complete an Expression of Interest form, which can be completed at the League’s website https://essexandsuffolkborderwalkingfootballleague.org/?page_id=192
We asked Derek if he had any opinion on other organisations involved in walking football.
Derek’s response was, “Each organisation that includes the FA, which can be a bit of dinosaur at times, has a major part to play in the development of walking football and they are all making sizeable contributions to its future. These organisations appear to have the same motives but and it is a big BUT, there still has to be some joined up thinking. I can see this only coming via the Football Association myself with the help and guidance of a partnership with an organisation with like-minded ambitions that has a vision and commitment to move walking football on to the next level. Having been involved in a decision on a disciplinary matter about a non-FA affiliated competition last season it shows how important that organisations that promote walking football events should ensure they have the infrastructure to record disciplinary matters or more importantly enforce bans if needed etc. Don’t get me wrong, I am not being critical, of the teams involved or the event organiser or any non-affiliated FA organisation. It is everybody’s choice at the end of the day.”
Author: The Walking Football
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