It's the countdown to the New Year, but before we say hello to 2008, we look back at some of The FA's highlights of 2007.
Whilst there has been plenty of on-field activity to look back on over 2007, The FA has also overseen numerous projects within communities across the country.
With the launch of The FA’s HatTrick Programme, The FA Tesco Skills Programme and the first ever FA Roadshow all taking place over the last 12 months, there have been several events to look back on in which some of England’s biggest footballing figures took to the playing fields and training pitches with youngsters and members of the community.
The FA HatTrick Programme, which was formed after securing a £4.5million partnership with the Government and UEFA, saw 19 Community Workers appointed across the nation as part of a three year regeneration scheme, using football to tackle a wide range of social problems and there have been a number of events taking place, often away from the media spotlight, to get the scheme in motion.
Perhaps the most memorable was in October, when The FA’s President, Prince William, donned his boots and joined in with a mini five-a-side tournament at the West Gate Community College in Newcastle.
Prior to that, The Prince had joined in with a discussion on sporting behaviour in the classroom, as he saw first hand how the HatTrick project has helped 100s of youngsters between the age of seven and 16 with football opportunities in areas where there are poor housing, education and high instances of crime and drugs.
Joined by Newcastle United’s England Under-21 defender Steven Taylor and England Women’s World Cup star Jill Scott, as well as The FA’s Chief Executive Brian Barwick, it was an enjoyable day for all concerned.
“The FA has made huge strides in the development of grassroots football since the launch of a five-year strategy in 2001,” said Barwick.
“And the HatTrick programme provides more evidence of the wonderful benefits football can bring across society.”
Earlier in the year, just five days into January, then England Head Coach Steve McClaren was a visitor at Foredyke Primary School in Hull to witness first hand the hard work put in by FA Community Football Worker Graham Turner, again as part of the HatTrick Programme.
After watching the youngsters take part in a coaching session, he was then put on the spot and faced the youngsters in a question and answer session.
As Director Of Football Development for The FA, Sir Trevor Brooking hit the road to see the HatTrick programme in action in West Bromwich in April, visiting the Ryders Green Primary School to see how the scheme was working.
Later that month, England squad members Michael Dawson and Aaron Lennon were in Shoreditch, east London to see the pupils of Burbage Primary School from Hackney take part in a coaching session before they met the youngsters to answer their questions.
2007 also saw the introduction of The FA Tesco Skills programme, with England and Chelsea ace Frank Lampard launching the exciting new scheme at Wembley Stadium.
With 66 specialist skills coaches working across the country and going into schools to coach youngsters between the age of five and eleven the individual techniques and skills to improve their game, it is hoped that it can make a significant effect on player development.
“If we put people in the right direction at an early age we will naturally have more technically gifted players coming through and that has to be a good thing,” said Lampard.
"We need to get the coaches who are qualified enough to give kids the skills they need to improve.
"We're in a position where we need to get more English talent into the Premiership and the leagues below and this scheme will help in future."
The three year project began in the summer and is now well underway throughout the nation. In October, prior to the England Under-21 team's game with Montenegro at Leicester City’s Walkers Stadium, coach Stuart Pearce and players Matt Derbyshire, Steven Taylor and Michael Kightley all saw four local schools taking part in the programme.
October also saw the first ever FA Roadshow, which took place in the West Midlands. With several of the local Skills Coaches present to take a session at the West Bromwich Albion Academy, the watching trio of McClaren, Brooking and Barwick were mightily impressed by the work taking place.
After that, it was on to the Hawthorns and the chance for around 300 football fans from seven Midlands based clubs to fire in their questions to an FA panel of McClaren, Barwick and Brooking and they spoke on a variety of matters such as cheating, foreign managers, ticketing, Wembley and future plans for the organisation.
“We always want to listen to the fans, and whilst we’re a London based organisation, our work covers the entire country,” said Barwick.
“There are seven million people who play football and we want to hear what people think about football.”
It proved to be a popular event, and with more Roadshows planned in the New Year, there will be the chance for more football fans to see what The FA do.
