EURO 2024 certainly didn’t disappoint; a tournament that saw England’s men’s team reach the final for the second time in a row. It was a collective effort and a strong team bond that propelled them to the top. A mix of youth and experience including a young Kobbie Mainoo who broke onto the scene after a stellar season at Manchester United, a captain in Harry Kane, 11 years his senior who led with composure, and not to mention an in-form Phil Foden.
Behind each of these players is an army of family, friends, volunteers, coaches (the list could go on), who have supported them in their journey to the England Senior Team. Our work with The FA was focused on spotlighting these stories and specifically, the inspiring volunteers from the players’ former grassroots clubs; from coaches to grounds people and club treasurers to kitmen – these are the people who give up their time to create opportunities for kids up and down the country to play football.
We linked up with volunteers from Mainoo, Kane and Foden’s former grassroots clubs; Cheadle & Gatley, Ridgeway Rovers and Reddish Vulcans, speaking with a range of volunteers across the three clubs. With each of them having been at their respective clubs for over 20 years, we heard about their memories of these England superstars and their roles in shaping the early careers of the elite footballers that we see on the pitch today.
Excitement started to build ahead of the tournament and the public and pundits alike were anticipating what this England team would look like./ We used this moment to offer some intel, spotlighting the volunteers from their former clubs who could shine a light on what to expect from the England players and the importance in their grassroots journey to get them to there. As the tournament progressed, the interest in these volunteers grew, fuelling what Cheadle & Gatley referred to as ‘Mainoo Mania’!
The likes of The Guardian, BBC Sport and Sky Sports News all took the opportunity to speak to the volunteers, showcasing the importance of volunteers not just in creating the next Harry Kane, Kobbie Mainoo or Phil Foden, but in providing opportunities to thousands of kids across the country to access and enjoy the game.
Whilst it was the England stars on the pitch this summer who inspired thousands to get involved in the sport, none of it would be possible without the work of these volunteers and it was heartwarming and rewarding to be able to provide them with a platform to tell their stories.
