How the beautiful game is helping bring communities together

After a summer of football, in the latest edition of Marketing Derby’s Innovate Magazine, we meet Derbyshire FA’s Liam Rooney to find out why the beautiful game is so important, particularly at grassroots level.

Derbyshire FA is one of England’s 50 County Football Associations, responsible for supporting more than 360 affiliated clubs and around 2,000 teams across the county.

According to chief executive Liam, football is about far more than the game itself – it is helping to create opportunities and galvanise communities across Derbyshire.

“Football can have incredible power,” he tells Innovate.

Liam believes grassroots football brings a myriad of benefits – improved health, increased confidence, new friendships, discovering purpose. And it brings community together.

One thing he is particularly passionate about is making the game inclusive and accessible for all.

For him, success is not defined by winning matches, it is about making sure people want to – and are able – to play the game.

He tells Innovate: “I want to see more people playing the game, regardless of their background or circumstances.

“Whoever you are, you should get equal access.”

According to Liam, football across Derbyshire is in “a very good place”.

Youth participation is continuing to grow. Girls’ football is flourishing. Walking football and disability football are creating opportunities for people who may never previously considered themselves part of the game.

But without people there is no game – and this is something Liam fully acknowledges.

In his interview, he repeatedly returns to one particular idea: team. His team. The Derbyshire FA team – the thousands of volunteers who organise matches every year.

This includes coaches, referees, even the parents helping to put up the goals and nets.

Liam tells Innovate: “Our customers – our clubs, our leagues, our referees and volunteers – they’re people that I care about.

“When you think about the number of hours they put into it. They’re volunteers. They’re not getting paid for this. They just want to see the enjoyment the game can bring.”

To read the feature in full, click here.