Northampton Electronic Collection of Theses and Research

The impact of New Labour's modernisation agenda on the English grass-roots football workforce

Lusted, J. and O'Gorman, J. (2010) The impact of New Labour's modernisation agenda on the English grass-roots football workforce. Managing Leisure. 15(1-2), pp. 140-154. 1360-6719.

Item Type: Article
Abstract: Since the late 1990s, the grass-roots sporting workforce in England has been subjected to increasing policy intervention, primarily due to Government desire to use the private and voluntary sector to deliver a range of political objectives. English grass-roots football is arguably the most important site for this policy delivery given its huge popularity – providing the largest numbers of volunteers for any leisure pursuit in the UK [Sport England (2003)]. Despite this popularity, little is known about the grass-roots football workforce, made up of a large pool of volunteers, some governance staff and football development professionals – less still about the impact that such incipient policy interventions have had on their roles. This article draws on the data collected during separate PhD research undertaken by the authors to illustrate the impact that such policy interventions have had on the grass-roots workforce. Two recent strategies – The English Football Association's Charter Standard Scheme and The Equity Strategy – provide the focus. The data collected from interviews across a broad spectrum of grass-roots football personnel suggest a general uneasiness around the imposition of modernisation at this level.
Uncontrolled Keywords: Grass-roots football, volunteers, New Labour, modernisation, The Football Association
Subjects: G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GV Recreation. Leisure > GV861 Ball games: Baseball, football, golf, etc. > GV943.9 Soccer
G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GV Recreation. Leisure > GV181 Recreation leadership. Administration of recreation services
Creators: Lusted, Jim and O'Gorman, J
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Northamptonshire and East Midlands: Health
Faculties, Divisions and Institutes: University Faculties, Divisions and Research Centres - OLD > Faculty of Health & Society > Sports, Exercise & Life Sciences
Faculties > Faculty of Health & Society > Sports, Exercise & Life Sciences
Date: 26 February 2010
Date Type: Publication
Page Range: pp. 140-154
Journal or Publication Title: Managing Leisure
Volume: 15
Number: 1-2
Language: English
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13606710903448236
ISSN: 1360-6719
Status: Published / Disseminated
URI: http://nectar.northampton.ac.uk/id/eprint/5206

Actions (login required)

Edit Item Edit Item