Middlesex FA Accredited Club of the Month
Congratulations to Northfields United, Middlesex FA Accredited Club of the Month for March 2022.
The club was founded in 2019 by Chris Webb-Butler, who from previous experiences playing and working in grassroots football wanted to create a club with a clear ethos and values. He was eager to create a structure within a club that allows all ability levels to engage in the beautiful game, but also giving an opportunity for players to develop and progress.
As a club, they have a core committee of parents, who are involved in decision making at every level throughout the club. They have a dedicated parent rep group who support with delivering weekly information and ensure on match days the FA Respect Code of Conduct is adhered to.
All of their coaches are qualified or working towards being qualified and take part in a coach development programme across the season. They are in the process of setting up a youth forum where players at the club can help shape and form decisions made at the club, as well as allowing players to have a voice at the club.
The club have worked with the council to offer our services at Blondin Park, and are part of a wider charitable group who now manage the facilities on site, which includes a brand new community pavilion building which is run and supported by volunteers of the club.
The club started out with just 4 teams in 2019, and have grown despite the pandemic to currently run 18 teams from U7-U16, and run girls only session with the aim of being in a position to register 2 or 3 new teams for the new season.
The FA Respect Programme is a critical part of what they do. They ask parents and players to enter an agreement with them every season as part of their membership to ensure they are all committed to enforcing and following the respect programme as a club. It is very important to them that visiting teams also uphold these values.
They deliver an Internal coach development programme, to ensure their coaches are always delivering fresh and exciting sessions and activities, and that they are ensuring best practice is always followed.
5 of their coaches have just completed the Intro to Coaching Qualification.
On being England Football Accredited Chris Webb-Butler said, “Being an England accredited club to us means we are delivering best practice to a gold standard, ensuring we are offering young football players the best possible experience in a safe and engaging environment.”
Chris went on to speak about what being the Middlesex FA Accredited Club of the Month meant to his club, “As a club we have worked very hard since 2019 to imbed a positive culture to ensure we are offering a safe, fun and engaging provision for all members across the club. This award will be celebrated by all of our players, parents, sponsors and others within the local community.”
Chris shared some details of the programmes they provide as good practice for others:
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Parent Committee
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Parent Rep Group
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Youth Forum
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Coach Development Programme
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Player mentors, trainee coach mentors
“In addition to all of the above we pride ourselves on safeguarding being at the heart of everything that we do. This ethos has filtered down to all of our members regarding the importance that safeguarding is viewed as everyone’s responsibilities. Safeguarding is at the forefront of all committee meetings and monthly updates are shared across the club in the form of a newsletter.”
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