Staffordshire Football Association (FA) is excited to announce that it has approved a radical new structure which will provide members of the grassroots football community with the opportunity to have a say on how the game is run within the county.

The new structure and change of working ethos was unanimously agreed by county members at a recent general meeting, which will open up the membership to the County FA to the wider football community and encourage inclusivity across the whole game. 

The Staffordshire FA Council voted in favour of widening the reach of representation to become more inclusive and to ensure that all areas of the modern grassroots game are represented, so that they have their say on the way football is run in the county.

As a result, the structure of the County FA Council will now be more reflective of the modern game. For the first time, it will include representation from players, coaches, community clubs, flexible formats, the women’s football pyramid, the Inclusion Advisory Group, independent representatives and independent non-executive board members.

With over 30,000 players and 1,800 teams currently members, officials at Staffordshire FA wanted to ensure that more of those directly involved in the game are part of the decision-making process. Opening up the process to non-council members means that they can now get involved through working and focus groups.

A number of working groups will be established, directly reporting into the three standing committees: Participation, Workforce and Regulation. These have been established as part of Staffordshire FA’s ambitious new strategy: “Untying the Knot”. In addition, there has been a restructure of the executive workforce, meaning that both the paid and voluntary workforce will now work cohesively towards a shared vision for the local game.

Adam Evans, Chief Executive Officer at Staffordshire FA, said: “We have listened to our members and the overriding view was that the majority felt detached from the process and workings of the Staffordshire FA. These changes will provide inclusivity, so that the whole game can have its say and help shape the future of football within Staffordshire.

“We are lucky enough to have a dedicated council of volunteers who work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure the game runs effectively and efficiently, however they have recognised that fresh ideas and input from those at the coalface will benefit the game going forward.

“Good corporate governance is imperative for a governing body, with transparency for its stakeholders becoming key. Staffordshire FA belongs to the members and they are the ones at the forefront of the game.”

The changes to the Staffordshire FA structure come into immediate effect. The Board of Directors will now be the sole decision-making body, which comes into line with the Sport England code. 

For any further information, or to get involved with Staffordshire FA, please email support@staffordshirefa.com