Here in Manchester, which is true for everywhere in England, as the grassroots season ends, it is a time when player transfers start to take place in mass numbers.
This can cause disputes among grassroots clubs within the same league or friction between the different clubs in different divisions.
While the grassroots playing level may not seem like such a big thing to the wider general and those obsessed with the professional game, player transfers within the grassroots scene can make or break a team.
For example, my own U14 club.
A few seasons ago, our goalkeeper was scouted and invited to join Crewe Alexandra, ranked as the 9th best academy in England, even above the infamous Liverpool FC Academy, which has produced talents like Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, and Michael Owen.
However, this achievement didn't come easily. He started out as an outfield player, showing solid technical skills, but he soon realised that his pace wasn’t enough to keep up with the demands of his preferred winger position.
Determined to break into his school's starting eleven, he couldn't compete with the technically gifted wingers known for their sprinting prowess. But when he switched to playing in goal, he thrived.
After just two years as a goalkeeper, his skills skyrocketed. What made him stand out wasn't just his impressive dives but his vocal leadership and ability to command the team—an increasingly rare trait among grassroots keepers.
Soon, academies started to take notice of his exceptional goalkeeping and commanding presence in defence. Despite facing frequent rejections during weekly trials at various clubs, he kept improving. His dedication, coupled with specialised training at a goalkeeping school, sharpened his skills to the point where Crewe Alexandra couldn’t pass up the opportunity to sign him.
Some players within my club even moved from our league to the East Manchester League, known to offer tougher challenges and produce world-class players.
The East Manchester League is filled with more sought-after grassroots clubs that produce the likes of Kobbie Mainoo, Marcus Rashford and Danny Welbeck, all bred within that league.
Timperley F.C. the club I played for, is in the Timperley District League. This league is commonly known for a softer style of play compared to others. However, this doesn't mean it's a walk in the park.
Big, burly defenders see me as an easy target because of my small stature. Even though this league is considered easier than others, it's still tough when you're playing at the Division 1 level against players twice your size and bordering adulthood.
While the Timperley District League may be seen as soft, it's one of many leagues within Manchester, one of England's main cities—a nation known for the physical aspect of its football, much like how Brazil is known for their dancing feet and Spain for its tiki-taka style.
No matter which league or division you play in, you're bound to face injuries and rough tackles. For instance, my friend broke his collarbone in the Timperley District League. He was only 10 years old at the time, and it happened in Division 3.
When a team has won their division at the end of the season, depending on whether they are in the highest division within their district league or in the best league within their city, they can move up divisions within their league, or if they need a tougher challenge, move leagues to different districts which may provide better challenges for a grassroots team.
If a team experiences success at the end of the season they start to look for new players to strengthen the team, and the weaker players have to make way for this to happen.
More successful teams often scout and poach star players from other teams within their division, especially those from lower divisions. They may also look to recruit talent from different leagues, which often bustling with future stars. This practice can lead to drama, as losing key players can infuriate their original teams.
When a team aims to improve by recruiting new players, they must adhere to a player limit. This often necessitates difficult decisions, as the coach may have to drop current players to make room for stronger additions. These players might have been with the team for a long time, making the process even more challenging. The decision to drop players not only upsets the players themselves but also causes anger and frustration among their parents, who feel the impact of these changes deeply.
For example, if a team dominates their district, it would be inevitable for some of their best players to leave the grassroots scene, not for another grassroots club, but for them to be scouted to join an established academy.
On the other hand, clubs who face constant relegation and the backhand of 14-0 losses, may suffer greatly. When star players leave for other clubs, this only increases their downfall and worsens their situation.
The only players they receive are players on the same level as them, bringing no difference to the team as better players have already joined better clubs. And if they do fall upon the occasional decent player that joins their team, they won't be staying for long as better clubs always snatch up better players.
However if a team does experience a decline, it doesn't mean they cannot get better. A team may improve. Coaches, parents and the environment of the club all aid how the kids play, and if they all get better, so will the team.
When it comes to improving your game, the amount of time you are given on the pitch affects your development a lot. So those who strive to be better, join other clubs. This results in more game time. Lots more. This then helps them succeed by being granted multiple training sessions throughout the week with many matches on the weekends as well, as the teams can be on both Saturday and Sunday.
Within my club, at the end of the season, the coach always gives a speech, recapping the season and reviewing every single player. He highlights the positive and special attributes of each player, recognising their contributions and achievements. Additionally, the coach provides pointers and suggestions on how each player can improve for the coming season. He evaluates who will stay with the club, who the new players are, and who will be leaving. It's my dad's favourite part of the season. He always enjoys the insight into what the coaches think about how the season went.
The coach would always then hand out trophies (player's player, coaches player, most improved) and forever the end-of-season presentation ceremony holds a special place in my, and I guarantee others', hearts.
The end of the season can be a very special time, filled with congratulating players on their achievements and bidding farewell to those you have known almost your whole life. It's a cherished time in both grassroots and professional football.
Coming to the end of the season, many clubs begin to search for new players, wanting to further strengthen their team creating what is called “open trials”.
I would know this as I had been attending open trials myself, with Cheadle and Gatley Juniors (Kobbie Mainoo's old club) and recently seen more and more new kids trialling at Fletcher Moss (Rashford’s old club).
Open trials can be held by any club in the country and to attend one could be a massive deal for a grassroots player wanting a bigger challenge in a better league. You can see an advertisement on Facebook or you could hear about it through word of mouth.
I was able to get open trials with Cheadle through one of my mates who plays there, the same goes for Fletcher Moss. In the grassroots scene, you need to surround yourself with the right people who have connections as you can play that to your advantage when trying to get into clubs.
A coach is much more likely to select a player for trials by hearing about them from someone he knows and trusts, rather than a random Facebook DM.
This applies specifically to higher-ability teams which are more sought after. The better the club, the more players will be attracted to it. So when hundreds are attempting to message you as a coach, who do you pick? Of course, you would pick those recommended by people you trust.
Being a grassroots player myself, I have experienced the transition between clubs, leaving one, trialling for one and then eventually joining them, being granted the opportunity of playing with Cheadle and Gatley Juniors for a Sunday and Fletcher Moss for a Saturday.
My father and I are in the process of setting up G90L.com, a platform to level up grassroots players by incorporating the learnings and experiences I've gained. We have plenty of ideas but are aware of our limitations. Fortunately, we have an experienced developer to help us bring our ideas to reality.
Watch this space, as I will regularly update you with more news and developments about my footballing journey and stories from Manchester.
