The Football Association (FA) has requested pitch information from its affiliated clubs to discover areas of under-investment and playing spaces threatened by outside developments.
A call from the governing body has gone out to 21,000 administrators at the clubs to provide the data that will paint a picture of pitch provision in the country.
“This [data] will help us work together to nurture these facilities not just for today’s players now but those of future generations,” said FA national facilities and investment manager Mark Pover.
“Improving grassroots facilities is at the forefront of the FA’s agenda and this information is vital in helping us maintain and improve the environment in which teams play.”
Information is being gathered by the Whole Game System portal, the online resource portal used by all FA-affiliated clubs to manage their administration.
According to the FA, four in five pitches in England are controlled by local authorities or educational establishments, with local government funding cuts resulting in fewer resources for those facilities.
The data generated by the FA will present a “fuller picture” of where there is under-provision or threat of development. Clubs will be pointed to grants available via the £12m (US$17m, €15.6m) FA Facilities Fund.
