U8s league may be scrapped

Thursday, 13th February 2008

Crawley Green Lions U8s celebrate their cup final win - but could this be a thing of the past?

HUNDREDS of youngsters are set to miss out on the chance to play competitive football next season.

A decision by the English FA to ban knockout cup matches, league tables and the awarding of points in U8 matches means that the SKF Chiltern Junior Sevens League's U8 divisions have effectively been handed a death sentence.

Beds FA chief executive Peter Brown says the league should not have been running tables for U8s or cup competitions this season,
either.

But league secretary Andy Pigggins, branded the decision 'silly'.
He said: "It's in our rules and they sanction our rules - they obviously don't read them. I don't know why they've done it, they can't explain why.

"The children will be very disappointed because they love it.
Even the runners-up (in the League Cup final) on Saturday all got medals and we gave man-of-the-match trophies to both teams.
It's silly to stop it. "We've had a look and there's no way round it."

Mr Brown said the FA has held a number of forums on the issue and claim that 90 per cent of those attended agreed with their changes. He also said no representatives from the Junior Sevens had bothered to attend any of the meetings

But Mr Piggins dismissed their findings, saying: "They've talked a lot of nonsense and they've turned what people have been saying and discussing round to their way of thinking."

Mr Piggins helped set up the league in 2001 after 11-a-side games for UlOs were banned by the FA. He has had one child play at the U8 level and believes competitive football does not do the children any harm.
He said: "We've been doing U8s for six or seven seasons. It started off as an U10 league because they were who the FA stopped playing and it's gradually grown."

Children from as young as six have been allowed to play competitive football in recent seasons, but the enforced changes mean that ehildren must be aged eight and over if they are to take part next season.

Mr Piggins added: "Most clubs have nurseries and they are geared up for next season.

"I just can't see what they are playing at to be honest."

The News/Gazette contacted the Beds FA repeatedly this week but a promised statement had failed to reach us by the time we went to press yesterday evening.

Bill McGarry, Nursery Manager, adds his thoughts:

With reference to the article on the web this morning.

This rule about banning the U8s is, in my opinion, moving in the right direction because we need to take out the competitive nature of the newly formed teams. The only issue as I see it is the way the Beds FA have handled it.

This move will actually be beneficial to Crawley because we have the structure in the Nursery to cope with Yyear 2s staying for another year and then we can create teams while they are there and it gives us more time to develop.

We can then stop brining in Reception Year 1 children on a Tuesday and possible create a Saturday session for that age group.

Many European countries do not have competitive games untilU11s minimum whilst we are forced to coach babies in fear of losing them to other clubs instead of offering them the option.

Editor's Note: What is the difference between a friendly and a league game? Do the youngsters try less hard in friendlies - I don't think so! Are we in fear of them burning out? Most of us remember playing football until it was dark and our parents called us in!
Perhaps there is a somewhere in the middle to please everyone. The look of delight on youngsters winning their first trophy (and even our losing finalists just participating in a final) suggests there should be a form of competition - and it teaches youngsters how to compete, how to win and how to lose! All lessons for later on in life!