GRASS ROOTS CRUCIAL TO OUR GAME
Pearce fronts multi-million pound scheme
NON-LEAGUE legend Stuart Pearce believes the multi-million pound Pitching In initiative will build a legacy to make sure stars of the future don’t miss out.
Pearce has been signed up as an ambassador for the partnership with the three leagues at Steps 3 and 4.
They will be known as the Pitching In leagues with backers GVC, who own betting brands Ladbrokes and Coral, aiming to put money back into football and continue their pledge to keep their branding out of the sport.
Pearce, now first-team coach at West Ham United, famously began his playing days at Wealdstone, where he won the Southern League title and made nearly 200 league appearances in a fiveyear stint.
It was there he was spotted by Coventry City and a professional career that led to more than 500 games in English football’s top flight and 78 England caps.
Speaking at the Pitching In launch at Thame United, Pearce hailed the idea that will aim to support community efforts and encourage volunteers to get involved at Non-League clubs.
Pearce said: “When I left school – and I use my career to mirror exactly how I see this improving the life of Thame United – I had nowhere to go and play my football as a 16-year-old but I eventually ended up being an international England captain.
“How sad would it have been if I slipped through the net? That can be said for a lot of other people as well – I was fortunate that I went on a long journey in football and am still on that journey, but I was so fortunate that people put a of time and effort in at Wealdstone FC to give me the opportunity to turn up and play a game that I love.
“The same will apply at this place – there are people here who give their time and effort that gives the opportunity to people like myself, and the next generation, to go and play and enjoy a sport that has been so rewarding for me.
“The important thing is that we need to put something down now that can enhances facilities everywhere, and then from there, you’re building a community around the hub which is these Non-League grounds.
“The Non-League system is fantastic – but it needs funding. It’s desperate for funding, especially when there’s no catering at the moment, the fans are not in the stadium – and we know the importance of fans because of the impact it’s had now.
Pride
“The important thing is facilities for fans and pushing that volunteers situation and giving them the opportunity to come in, as it’s quite rewarding, they’ll find.
“Having the opportunity to be an ambassador for Pitching In is fantastic for me and I’ve got great pride in it – it didn’t need to be sold on me.
“I’ve come from there – I’ve had that journey for five and a half years in the grassroots situation, and without the grass roots and the NonLeague opportunity for myself, I would have never got on the international stage, played at Wembley and had the life I’ve had in football.”
Pearce spoke to The NLP back in April about how indebted he was to Wealdstone – and boss Allen Batsford – for giving him the platform to succeed.
And he says Steps 3 and 4 will play a vital role in launching the careers of many young footballers yet.
“I’m beholden to grassroots football and beholden to Non-League football, and to be fair, it wasn’t just a short period in my life – it was five and a half years and some 250 matches.
“It’s 100 per cent (still a path players can take – from the Non-League game to professional level) – I think the scouting systems at pro level are so defined that they do get a lot of players in, so there’s not as many that make that journey like I did.
“But there are a lot of late developers as well and we’ve got to be very careful we don’t write young players off, and they need to come to places like this, Thame United, to get their love of the game.”