The sponsorship deal was launched at RAF Cranwell on 27th September 2004 and attendees included both boys and girls from the winning schools of this year’s Under 16s Cup Finals (Shenfield School in Essex and Notre Dame Catholic College in Merseyside).

At the launch, Air Commodore Mike Barter, the RAF’s Director of Recruiting said: "We are delighted to be involved at grassroots level with such a high profile sport and look forward to assisting in the development of talent and teamwork within the ESFA Under 16s cup.

"The RAF, who also sponsor national youth basketball and hockey programmes, looks forward to providing support to a programme designed to significantly improve the quality of schools football. Within the RAF we are extremely supportive of personnel who pursue sporting interests whether they compete at local or international level.

"Through engagement in youth football we aim to raise general awareness of the RAF and the exciting and rewarding career opportunities within the Service."

The sponsorship has been given strong support by Sir Trevor Brooking: "Sponsorship is vital at this level of football. It’s an essential lifeline for many schools, clubs, teams and organisations in helping them invest in grassroots football, in order to create thriving competitions and quality sporting events"

The partnership between the RAF Careers and ESFA will provide essential financial support to 17,000 plus students who compete in the Under 16s Cup each year.

In addition to this, Royal Air Force Football Association (RAFFA) coaching staff will assist in providing coaching and team development via a series of football clinics to be held throughout this season at RAF bases across the UK.

This will build on the already excellent links the RAFFA has with the ESFA. Each year, the RAFFA Under 25s Representative Team play the ESFA Representative side and for the last 8 years the RAFFA Under 25s have hosted a fixture against the Lancashire Schools Representative Team at either RAF Cosford in the West Midlands or RAF Cranwell.

The theme of developing grassroots football is at the core of RAFFA’s plans for 2005. As well as implementing major structural changes to improve the delivery and management of RAF football at grassroots level, the Association hope to appoint their first full-time Football Development Officer (FDO).

The FDO will be charged with increasing RAFFA’s existing comprehensive Coaching and Refereeing training programmes as well as developing new programmes to use existing RAFFA expertise and facilities to help increase football opportunities in the communities that surround our Air Stations, both in the UK and overseas.