As The FA’s recently appointed Director of Football Development, Brooking’s remit is wide, but one of his priorities is to increase the technical ability of England's young footballers, believing that children have to be taught skills of the game from the age of six, if England is to continue producing world-class talented players.

The Somerset FA have played their part in helping achieving this objective, by delivering one of The FA’s key education initiatives to 92% of all eligible schools in the County over the past three years.

Overall figures for the programme put the Somerset FA in the Premier League of County FAs. Out of a target of 324 schools to receive the training, 298 attended with 413 teachers trained.

FA TOP Sport Football (a partnership between The FA and The Youth Sport Trust) offered 7-11 year olds appropriate football opportunities as part of the school Physical Education curriculum. 

Offering training to teachers within Primary, Junior, First and Special Schools to deliver football as part of the National Curriculum for PE, FA Top Sport Football represented a £6million nationwide commitment by The FA. 

Responsibility for implementing the project in Somerset fell on Football Development Officer Kevin Hodges, who has swapped a playing and managing career for helping develop the next generation of players.

He said: “This project was one of my top priorities when I joined the Somerset FA three and a half years ago. With increasing reports detailing growing levels of obesity amongst children, I wanted to provide schools with the chance to receive some quality coaching.

“Schools had to make an initial commitment to take up training courses and allow teachers to get involved, but the benefits to the school have been two-fold; firstly in providing teachers with confidence and equipment to teach, and secondly seeing children reap the rewards of their teachers’ new knowledge.”

Sir Trevor said: “School is the obvious place to include sport and The FA TOP Sport programme was about giving teachers the skills, confidence and equipment to deliver football in a safe and enjoyable way.

“The Somerset FA have excelled in delivering the programme across the County, which has not only had such a positive impact on schools, but developed community links with local clubs, so that children, both boys and girls can extend their new-found love of the game.”

  • Kevin Hodges made 601 league appearances and scored 85 league goals for Plymouth Argyle and Torquay United between 1978 and 1997.
  • Schools were involved from across the County over the three years, from Bath, Bridgwater, Chard, Clevedon, Crewkerne, Frome, Midsomer Norton, Nailsea, Taunton, Wellington, Wells, Weston Super Mare and Yeovil.