Re: Youth football - who's set up a team from scratch?

Its true is a red tape nightmare just running one team let along setting up a club but then I can understand why you would try and do it. A lot depends upon the ethos of the club that your'e looking at. Most clubs would be happy to support you to set up a new team you just have to be strong in terms of how you want to run it. But even then if you don't go full out competitive you'll get grief from parents and the kids when they get stuffed every week.

Its also worth looking at which league you want to go in. Most leagues dont print results or a league table up to around u11. A couple of the leagues that I've been involved in will only report an 8 goal result (if its 10-0 it goers down as 8-0) . But if you look at some others there are 13,14,15's and beyond. Doesn't do a lot for the kids morale or do a lot for the team that wins really. Im not suggesting that reporting makes a difference but it gives an idea of the ethos of the league. My personal favourite being teams that win everything but then refuse to be promoted because they know they won't win every game. Or worse those teams that know theyre way above the standard of the league but refuse to move.

I could go on and on (I do) but your better off finding a club that will let you run a team the way that you want to. Unless you fancy DBS checking everyone withion 200 yards and having to have all of the qualifications.