Unsung heroes

If you think a football game is made up of 22 people, a referee and a couple of goalposts you'd be wrong.

Every match played on a Saturday afternoon - whether it's Walton Casuals or Hackney under-nines - relies on an army of volunteers, unseen and unsung, working behind the scenes to make sure everything is all right at kick-off.

Unpaid helpers assist with coaching in clubs all over the country, all because they love the game and want to put something back into it.

But clubs are continually crying out for more assistants, and for a willing participant, there is always a job to do.

And it's not just in coaching that football clubs need support. There are many administrative roles that need filling, from arranging match-day transport to collecting membership fees and raising funds.

And it's easy to get involved. Simply phone your local club, or even visit the nearest school and ask if they need assistance.

If you are keen on volunteering, do not be shy in coming forward about your strengths - if you have done a book-keeping course then tell the club. If you played centre-half for Burnley under-14s back in the 1970s, let them know.

While it is easy to tell a club you are willing to help, make no mistake - you will work hard.

For example, the coach will not only pick the team and ensure it is competitive, but he also needs to organise transport, write up monthly accounts for the team and delegate who is to wash the kit every week.

But possibly the busiest member of a club's staff is the volunteer coordinator - who is more often than not a volunteer themselves.

Just recruiting volunteers can be hard enough in itself, and the coordinator needs to constantly 'sell' the club to prospective helpers.

The FA knows how difficult it can be in recruiting volunteers, even for something as attractive as helping to run a football club.

And even if the club manages to recruit enough volunteers, it is important to tell the helpers exactly what their role is. It is all very well to print a badge saying 'club secretary' if you do not tell the recipient of the badge what they are actually in charge of doing.

To help with organising volunteers within a club structure, the FA has produced a booklet, entitled The Football Workforce, available for download here.

The booklet details how volunteers should be organised and how their roles should be clearly defined - essential when the club could need up to 20 people to help with various tasks.

But the key thing for both volunteers and coordinators is to enjoy themselves - and remember that while recognition may not be immediate, the rewards will definitely come their way.

GET INVOLVED - YOUR GUIDE

The FA is responsible for the governance and development of football in England, and core to its work is the belief that everyone should have the chance to be involved in the national game.

In 2001, The FA launched a five-year Football Development Strategy to develop our national game, seeking to shape and develop innovative programmes to support and develop young people, teachers, coaches, leaders and parents.

The FA also recognises that sedentary lifestyles and obesity are a problem for this country, and is committed to working with the government and other partners to promote healthy lifestyles, and to use the power of football to achieve this wherever possible.

GET INVOLVED - Your guide on how to play your part