Asian coach Qasim Akhtar making his mark in Bradford

Sunday 05 Oct 2014
Qasim Akhtar is undertaking a Futsal & Education programme at Bradford City

The FA's Asians in Football consultation forums have spanned some of the country's British Asian heartlands from Luton to Leicester.

Eight events in total have been delivered with County FAs, professional clubs and local community groups and amateur teams, from east London to west Yorkshire, where the series concluded last week in Bradford. 

Among the attendees at Valley Parade was local teenager Qasim Akhtar who, as a 15-year-old, raised a remarkable £3,500 to set up his own football club, is making his mark on the local grassroots scene. 

He said: "It all started with a bunch of lads coming together every Saturday at our local community centre to play indoor football.

"There was between 12-15 young people aged between 13-16 attending on a weekly basis, with no set outcomes. However, we then decided to take this 'knockabout' to a further level therefore I took the lead on a project where we would create our own 11-a-side junior football club, BD7 United."

Akhtar researched the resources and facilities that were required in order to do this, as well as filling roles such as welfare officer, manager, coaches and a secretary. Finding no willing volunteers to undertake these roles, it became clear there was only one option.

He added: "It was up to me to take the lead role in and I managed to organise a friendly game against Myrtle Park Juniors followed by another against BD3 United, both local teams to us."

With the money raised he bought kit, equipment, hired facilities and took a Level 2 coaching course, along with a year's training in the local centre with various coaches. 

Akhtar is now running a youth project called 'BD7 Lounge' with a further £7,000 secured. The sessions take place at the Khidmat Centre in West Bradford.

He is also undertaking the Futsal & Education programme at Bradford City FC, coaching for Soccer Elite Academy, and will be attending Wembley later this month for England's Euro qualifier against San Marino.

By FA Staff