Who is your grassroots hero?
Are they a coach? A club secretary? A league official?
Have you ever told them how much of a difference they make to your experience of sport at a local level?
The chances are that you haven’t. You may have thanked them at the end of training or sent them a gift at Christmas as a token of your appreciation, but have their efforts ever been truly rewarded?
Grassroots football is built on those people. Those coaches and volunteers who give up their time on a daily basis to ensure that there is football for your players and clubs to play.
It can often prove a thankless task as for as successful as our game is here in Manchester, we’re not particularly good at shouting about it. As nominations for the FA Community Awards presented by McDonalds open, MCFA is intent on bucking that trend.
Last season, Ian Clarke of Moorside Rangers was amongst a handful of Manchester volunteers to be recognised for their voluntary efforts in one way or another.
So extensive is his work with the grassroots community that he received national recognition, yet Ian is just one of our many, many unsung heroes who work tirelessly to improve your experience of local football.
Without your nomination, it’s possible that these efforts will go overlooked for yet another season.
Whether it’s an inspirational club, league, coach or volunteer, we ask that you please nominate your grassroots hero this season by visiting www.manchesterfa.com today.