Volunteer gives instructions to players

Volunteers' Week 2021

Find out about some of the great volunteers within the Amateur FA!

This week (1st to 7th June) is Volunteers' Week 2021!

Volunteers' Week is a time to say thank you to the millions of people across England who make football possible, and to recognise the fantastic contribution they make.

Each day during the week, we will be highlighting some of the great volunteers from Amateur FA football. Find out more about them below from members of their own clubs.

To find out more about Volunteers' Week, click here


Sooty Singh - Rajputs del Mundo FC

Sooty is the chairman of the fastest growing adult men's team in London, we started in the 19/20 season with him and a dream. Sooty is in charge of 3 teams and often assists with admin of other clubs in the leagues, he has amazing connections and has found us a fantastic sponsor aswell as arranging a massive order of personalised kits. It is incredible at how he takes on soo much.

Sooty has made soo many players come together in London and play for the badge of "Rajputs del Mundo FC" without him many of us wouldn't know each other, now we socialise together off the pitch and banter on it. Players come as far as Essex to play for a team in the lowest division of amateur football in West London.

In 2 seasons paused by a pandemic we have grown from 1 squad to 3 with over 100 players actively part of the training, tournaments and leagues we participate in. We are even thinking about expanding into running a women's team and possibly a full youth academy.

Roger Philo - Southgate Olympic FC

Roger Philo from Southgate Olympic FC


Roger has been with the club since 1969, and has held a variety of roles from player to manager of the first team. He is now the clubs match and referee secretary and makes sure each team is aware of their fixtures every week, he also liaises with each manager to make sure they enough players to fulfil the matches and also communicates with the referee to make sure they are aware of the fixtures and that they get a team-sheet and payment for the match.

Roger makes sure that we have enough players for each team every week as well as making sure that each team knows where they are playing, he also liases with the referees and opposition to make sure they know where the games are and what time. He is also a member of our joint committee with the cricket club and has been looking at ways we can improve the facilities at our club.

Roger always makes sure we are aware of where we are playing every week as well as informing the opposition of future games. Roger also makes sure we have the right equipment at the start of the season, including first aid kits and footballs etc.

Eddie O'Brien - Clapham Old Xaverians FC

Eddie from Clapham Old Xaverians FC

Eddie performs a number of roles for the club. All unpaid.

Eddie never complains or asks for help. He volunteers his time. He no longer plays and does this for the love of the club. He has done this for over 30 years and is in his twighlight years.  I only wonder how his wife has had the patients all these years with his commitment to clapham.  If you cut his arm it would bleed yellow and green (the clubs colours). I am in personal awe of him and without him the club would have folded many times over. He is the spirit of grass roots and even a nomination would be enough for this modest and unassuming man.

Eddie O'Brien embodies the unsung hero. Eddie is the clubs secretary for everything  monthly association meeting. Taking minutes and regular actions. Eddie stocks and runs the bar every week for the club. Eddie lines the pitch every week before every game.  When there is a shortage of referees Eddie steps in and refs our games. 

Eddie has helps maintain the pitch for our home ground.  Getting in specialist to help improve the pitch over a number of years and truly has improved the very grassroots themselves. He has done this for 30 years without special recognition.

Christine Walker - Globe Rangers FC

A genuine person who is always there to help out. This is very hard to find these days and a rare quality. Among the post as treasurer and administration she a cook for the hospitality that has to be provided. Also helping me with the kit washing to keep the cost down for the club.

As in previous comments Christine Walker stands out because she's willing to help in anyway possible. She's been volunteering for our club for the past 24 years and thanks to her she's invaluable to our members. As often than not Christine will just go and do something without having to be asked or prompted. That's a very good standard to have.

As a treasurer and administrator of the club is invaluable to the running. Something that can go unrecognised but not to us. Christine is unquestionably a person who had a impact on a varied group of persons with in this football club (old and young).

Steve Martin-Lawrence - The Warren FC and Southern Amateur League

Steve does the registration officer and discipline officer roles for the Southern Amateur League. I'm nominating him as he has done a huge amount of work in his own time with the FA Grassroots Tech team testing the new player registration portal and feeding back problems and suggestions.

Steve takes on a massive amount of work for the league and the county and does it all with patience and humour. He's a pleasure to work with and has helped me with my role too.

I believe he has been instrumental in helping make the roll out of the new player registration club portal so successful.

Nick Newell - Bealonians FC

Nick Newell from Bealonians FC

Nick has stepped recognising the step change with the club progressing as a CIO to take on a number of roles, including Team Secretary, Results Secretary and Social Media co-ordinator. As Team Secretary he chairs the weekly team selection meeting, coordinating changes resulting in the club always for filling their fixtures. He coordinates the information from Team Captains to ensure our Full Time information is completed accurately and timely, no fines!

He has taught himself how to create meaningful messages for social media, and expended the clubs profile across a number of platforms. He listens, seeks feedback on his ideas sharing thoughts in WhatsApp groups before going public and gets things done promptly without fuss. The work he has completed demonstrates him as a trusted volunteer acting in the best interest of the overall club.

He remains calm under the pressure of player unavailability/call offs and communicates effectively with the Team Captains. The clubs presence across social media has increased, with over 800 followers on Instagram since the start of this season as an example. He presents a consistent look and feel, that helps promote the brand of #BealsFC and it makes a difference to the level of engagement with senior players and youth team parents.

Volunteering for club roles, as oppose to a team role, is a big step and doesn't always make you too popular with peers etc. Nick has taken on these roles with enthusiasm and the feedback from members, particularly on the social media side is very positive.

Andy MacRae - Bealonians FC

Andy MacRae from Bealonians FC

His drive and commitment to make Bealonians FC ' The Best They Can Be' is immense. His main list role is the General Secretary to the football club, which in its own right is a huge job as we have combined adult/youth teams totalling 34.

Commitment is the word. He does everything correctly and in professional manner, ensuring everything is the best for the club. Additionally he is not afraid to do the 'simple' jobs around the club, litter picking, kit washing all this goes to show he is a complete volunteer.

The club would be lost without Andrew's input, his impact is really off the scale! Bealonians fc is now a Charity which was organised and completed by him. We are now far more professional off the field for which he has organised. He is pushing the club to become successful.

Andrew has the respect of the club members for his efforts and work.