“What Life Is All About.” – John Barnes On The Importance Of Grassroots Football & FA Volunteers | OneFootball

In the modern era of academies and wonderkids it’s becoming rarer and rarer to hear of Premier League footballers making their way up the pyramid before reaching the pinnacle of the game.

Similar tales of players emerging from local Non-League sides are equally sparse as the days of former South Liverpool striker John Aldridge going from the fields of Merseyside to Newport County right up to Anfield are seemingly a thing of the past.

However, every budding footballer has to start somewhere and more of them are starting their own journey at MSB Woolton than anywhere else in the country or even Europe.

Boasting in excess of 200 sides including senior men, women, boys and girls, the club maintains its position as the largest Grassroots Football Club in the country and looks to continue to grow and provides access to playing football for as many children across the city as possible.

A beating heart of the local community, MSB couldn’t do what it does and wouldn’t be where it is now without the tireless efforts and commitment of its volunteers.

One of those volunteers Kurtis Windrow has been involved at the club for 20 years and described the work done by those involved and being able to provide access to fun football as ‘a beautiful thing’ whilst dozens of kids got their sessions underway at Leisure United Simpson.

Whilst the football success stories of yesteryear may be few and far between, helping kids develop and grow not only as footballers is more than enough for the likes of Kurtis and fellow volunteer Chris Leahy, a veteran of 15 years from Under 8s to Under 17s.

In attendance as part of the FA volunteering project, we spoke to Liverpool legend John Barnes about the incredible facilities, set up and the importance of grassroots volunteers.

John said: “It’s always good to see kids having fun and playing football. Grassroots football isn’t about producing Steven Gerrard’s, or Robbie Fowler’s at best players but it’s about giving kids an opportunity to be a part of something special, part of a community, teaching the values of hard work, development, togetherness, team spirit. That’s what team sports are all about, that’s what life is all about.

“Of course now in grassroots, in the old days when I played if you were the best seven, eight, nine or 10 years old you’d be playing grassroots football until you were 13 or 14 before going to a club, so it was well supported because you were still getting the best players from it. Now if you’re six, seven or eight you’re going to academies, you’re not playing grassroots football, so what happens to the rest of the kids who aren’t going to be the best players? So they need support and they need to be given an opportunity and that’s what the FA does, they spend a lot of money as well. Look at the facilities here, for example, it shows the value that the FA puts on grassroots.

“The volunteers as well, they don’t get paid, they come from work to coach these kids. Football is about being together, determination, and belief and that’s what life is as well. Teaching them values in life so they can take them into whatever they want to do. Just to be part of the community. What brings it back to me is the kids enjoying themselves.”

Become an FA volunteer.

Find out more about MSB Woolton by visiting their website.

If you’d like to help out MSB Woolton by sponsoring one of the sides please email: enquiries@wooltonfc.org.uk