🎙️ Go Football Podcast – Episode 42: Disaster in Grassroots

In Episode 42 of the Go Football Podcast, host Steve takes a hard look at the growing disaster facing grassroots football across the UK.

Using “The Grassroots Crisis: Pitches, Costs & Cancellations” as a guide, this episode explores how rising costs, poor pitch conditions, weather-related postponements, and limited access to facilities are putting huge pressure on clubs, coaches, parents, and—most importantly—young players.

From constant cancellations and late-night training slots to families being priced out of the game, Steve breaks down why grassroots football feels closer than ever to breaking point—and what needs to change if the game is to survive and thrive at community level.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone involved in grassroots football who wants honest discussion, real experiences, and practical insight into the challenges facing the game right now.

📩 Get in Touch

We’d love to hear your experiences and opinions.

📧 Email: GoFootballPod@gmail.com

📱 Follow & connect with us on social media:

Go Football Podcast

Go Football Coaching

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🎙️ Go Football Podcast Episode 41 – Ringers, Age Cheating & Wrong Divisions: The Win-At-All-Costs Problem

In this powerful episode, Steve dives into one of grassroots football’s biggest and most damaging issues: coaches signing ringers, playing overage players, and even deliberately entering their teams into weaker divisions just to win trophies.

We unpack why these behaviours are becoming more common, how they harm children’s development, and why fairness, honesty, challenge, and player wellbeing must always come before results.

Steve also looks at how these decisions affect confidence, enjoyment, league integrity, and the long-term future of young players in the sport.

Have a story or opinion to share?

📧 Email: GoFootballPod@gmail.com

📱 Follow on socials: Go Football Coaching & Go Football Podcast

Let’s protect the game. Let’s protect the kids.

Keep it honest, keep it fair, keep it football. ⚽

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Go Football Podcast Episode 40 – Fairness in Football

In Episode 40 of the Go Football Podcast, host Steve takes a deep dive into one of the most important and often debated areas of youth sport: fairness in grassroots football.

From equal playing time to inclusive environments, rotations, positive sideline behaviour, and the role of parents, this episode breaks down how coaches and clubs can create environments where EVERY young player feels valued, supported, and motivated to keep playing the beautiful game.

Steve explores why fairness matters more than results, how development trumps trophies, and the impact that a truly positive environment can have on a player’s long-term love of football. Whether you’re a coach, parent, club volunteer, or simply passionate about grassroots sport — this episode will challenge, inspire, and encourage you to reflect on what fairness really looks like.

We also talk about the responsibilities coaches carry, how to communicate fairness clearly to parents, and the importance of modelling respect, inclusion, and equal opportunity.

💬 Get In Touch

We’d love to hear your thoughts, experiences, challenges, and stories around fairness in grassroots football.

📧 Email: GoFootballPod@gmail.com

📱 Instagram/Facebook/TikTok: Go Football Coaching

🎙️ Podcast socials: Go Football Podcast

⚽ Special Thanks to Laceeze

A big thank you to our episode supporters Laceeze — making boot prep and pitchside organisation easier for players of all ages.

Use promo code “GoFootballPod” for 10% off at checkout.

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In Episode 39 of the Go Football Podcast, host Steve dives into one of the most crucial aspects of grassroots coaching, Effective Session Planning.

From setting clear objectives to adapting for mixed-ability groups, this episode unpacks the why and how behind building training sessions that truly develop players. Steve walks through the core principles of good coaching practice of how to structure your session, use guided discovery, communicate with young players, and make every activity purposeful and fun.

You’ll also hear practical advice on using video analysis, setting player goals, and the importance of reflecting on your own coaching journey. Whether you’re new to coaching or working toward your next qualification, this episode will give you simple, proven ideas you can apply right away on the pitch.

👉 Tune in for insights, ideas, and inspiration to make your next training session your best yet.

🎯 Key Topics Covered

• Planning and structuring effective training sessions

• The role of guided discovery and effective questioning

• Communicating with players at different age levels

• Managing mixed-ability groups fairly and effectively

• Bringing video analysis to the grassroots level

• Setting short- and long-term goals for players

• Reflecting to improve as a coach

• Building your own coaching philosophy

• Continuous professional development (CPD)

📩 Contact Us

Got feedback, topic ideas, or want to share your own coaching story?

📧 Email: GoFootballPod@gmail.com

💬 Follow and message us on social media: @ Go Football Podcast and @ Go Football Coaching

We’d love to hear from coaches, players, parents, and anyone passionate about growing the grassroots game.

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🎙️ Go Football Podcast – Episode 38: The Mental Game 🧠⚽

Welcome to Episode 38 of the Go Football Podcast with your host Steve, where we dive into one of the most important — and often overlooked — areas of player development: the mental side of grassroots football.

While coaching sessions often focus on passing, shooting, or tactical shape, the truth is that mindset plays a massive role in how players grow, perform, and enjoy the game. In this episode, we explore how confidence, resilience, and maturity can shape a player’s journey just as much as physical or technical ability.

🧠 Mindset Matters More Than You Think

From the first time a child pulls on a kit to their teenage years, grassroots football is as much about personal growth as it is about skill. Some players thrive on pressure, while others need time and encouragement to express themselves.

We break down how mental development isn’t linear, how chronological and emotional ages differ, and why coaches and parents need to nurture patience, resilience, and positivity as part of the player pathway.

🧍‍♂️ Building Resilience Through Coaching

Great coaches don’t just create good footballers — they help shape confident young people. Steve shares practical tips for creating training environments where mistakes are celebrated as learning opportunities, not punished.

We look at session design, realistic challenges, and self-reflection methods that help players become more mentally adaptable on the pitch.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Parents’ Role in the Mental Game

Parents are often the biggest influence in how children experience the game. From sideline behaviour to post-match conversations, the way parents support their children can either build confidence or unintentionally add pressure.

This episode gives real examples of how small changes in language and attitude can make a huge difference in a child’s enjoyment and development.

⚽ On the Pitch: Where Mindset Shows Itself

Mindset doesn’t just happen in theory — it plays out every weekend on pitches up and down the country. Here’s my run down of the last 2 weeks, with a coaches mindset and how that might have influenced a referee to self reflection of players doing much better than they think.

🫣 Looking at mental side of the game

• ​The player who keeps their head up after a mistake.
• ​The quiet child who suddenly grows in confidence after being encouraged to lead.
• ​The team that doesn’t crumble when they concede early.
• ​The parent who stays calm and positive when things don’t go their child’s way.

These are the real signs of strong mental development. Whether it’s bouncing back from a missed chance, taking on feedback positively, or showing leadership in tricky moments — this is where the mental game meets match day reality.

🧭 Growth Mindset vs Results Mindset

Grassroots football should be about long-term development, not short-term domination. We unpack the difference between focusing on winning now vs growing players for the future — and why a growth mindset sets players up for success both on and off the pitch.

📣 Get Involved

We’d love to hear your stories about mindset and development in grassroots football. Have you seen a young player grow mentally over a season? Or maybe you’ve had to work on your own coaching approach to support different personalities?

📧 Email us: gofootballpod@gmail.com

📲 Follow & message us on socials: (TikTok | Instagram | X | Facebook)

🎧 Listen now on:

• ​ Spotify
• ​ Amazon Music
• ​ Castbox
• ​ YouTube

Big thanks to Laceeze for supporting the podcast. Don’t forget, you can use code GoFootballPod for 10% off at laceeze.co.uk.

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🎙️ Go Football Podcast – Episode 37: The Scouting Game (with Chris from The Scouting Game) ⚽

In Episode 37 of the Go Football Podcast, Steve is joined by a very special guest – Chris from The Scouting Game – to lift the lid on what scouting really looks like in grassroots and academy football.

We dive deep into how scouts identify talent, what they should do before making an approach to players or parents, and the unseen parts of scouting that most people don’t get to see. From ethics and communication to the importance of development over recruitment, this episode is full of insights for coaches, parents, and players who want to understand the scouting world.

🔥 In This Episode We Cover:

• What a scout should ALWAYS do before approaching a player or parent.

• The key traits scouts actually look for beyond skills.

• Why character, mindset, and attitude matter as much as ability.

• The unseen side of scouting: the travel, the notes, the long hours, and the follow-up process.

• Misconceptions about scouts and what they don’t do.

• Real advice for grassroots players dreaming of making the next step.

👀 Why Listen?

If you’re a parent with a talented player, a grassroots coach, or a young footballer dreaming of being spotted – this episode gives you honest insight from someone working in the game. Chris shares experience from The Scouting Game that cuts through the myths and focuses on what really matters.

⸻

📺 Watch on YouTube: [Insert Link]

🎧 Listen on:

Spotify

Amazon Music

Castbox

💬 Got a question about scouting or a story about being approached by a scout? We’d love to hear from you! Email us at gofootballpod@gmail.com or message us on socials

Again a big thanks to Chris from the scouting game for his time to join the Go Football Podcast. Check out and order his book with all the information you need to know about scouting by using the link below

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Scouting-Game-Insiders-Spotting-Footballs/dp/1801509247

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• Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | X

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Big thanks as always to Rush Sportswear and Laceeze (use code GoFootballPod for 10% off at laceeze.co.uk) for supporting the show!

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🎙️ Go Football Podcast – Episode 36: Children Grow & Develop Differently ⚽

Welcome back to the Go Football Podcast with your host Steve! In Episode 36, we’re tackling one of the most important – and often misunderstood – topics in youth and grassroots football: how children grow and develop at different ages and stages.

We explore:

✅ Chronological Age vs Biological Age – why two 12-year-olds can look and play very differently.

✅ Maturation & Growth Spurts – how physical changes affect confidence, coordination, and performance.

✅ Relative Age Effect – the challenges faced by kids born later in the registration year.

✅ Practical Advice for Coaches & Parents – adapting training, managing expectations, and supporting children positively.

This episode is packed with insights drawn from FA Learning and England Football resources, giving grassroots coaches, parents, and players the tools to support development the right way.

And a special shoutout to my U14 boys team – who’ve finally found the podcast! Big thanks for tuning in and being part of the grassroots journey.

📧 Get Involved!

We’d love to hear your stories about growth spurts, confidence dips, or relative age challenges:

✉️ Email: gofootballpod@gmail.com

📲 Follow & message us on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook & X – @GoFootballPod

🎧 Listen on Your Favourite Platform

📺 YouTube video edit

🎧 Spotify

🎧 Amazon Music

🎧 Castbox

🙌 Thanks to Our Partners

Huge thanks to Rush Sportswear and Laceeze for supporting the show.

👉 Remember: get 10% off at laceeze.co.uk with discount code GoFootballPod.

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🎙️ Go Football Podcast – Episode 35: Grassroots Football is Back! (Part 2) ⚽

The new 2025/26 grassroots football season is finally underway – and in Episode 35 of the Go Football Podcast, host Steve takes a deeper look at how the first few weeks of the season have really gone.

From the excitement of opening games to fixture chaos, referee shortages, and parents back on the touchline, this episode is all about the real-life highs and lows of grassroots football in the UK.

Whether you’re a coach, player, or parent, this is the perfect listen to kick off the season.

🔥 What’s Inside Episode 35:

⚽ The buzz of the first matches back – wins, losses, and everything in between.

⚽ Early-season challenges: cancellations, referee shortages, and touchline tension.

⚽ Listener stories – real grassroots experiences from clubs across the UK.

⚽ Tips for coaches, parents, and players on how to keep things positive this season.

⚽ Why September isn’t about winning the league, but about setting the right habits.

🎧 Listen Now on Your Favourite Platform

📺 YouTube

🎧 Spotify

🎧 Amazon Music

🎧 Castbox

📧 Get Involved

We’d love to hear your stories about the start of the season – good, bad, or funny!

✉️ Email: gofootballpod@gmail.com

📲 Socials: Instagram, TikTok, Facebook & X – @GoFootballPod & @gofootballcoaching

🙌 Thanks to Our Partners

A big thank you to Rush Sportswear and Laceeze for supporting the podcast.

👉 Don’t forget – you can get 10% off at laceeze.co.uk with code GoFootballPod.

Support and help fundraising the Wellingborough U13 Lions on the line below.

https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/support-a-good-cause/step-1/?char=396822&invite=rg5pv3&referral-campaign=c2s&utm_source=easyfundraising-app&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=copy-link

👀 Coming Next Week

In Episode 36, we’re tackling “why are so many kids different sizes?

Don’t miss it!

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