NEHYL Latest News

NEHYL Girls Sunday League will offer football to U12+

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 13:19:01 GMT

NEHYL Girls Sunday League Goes from Strength to Strength

Following the announcement in May 2024 when Hampshire FA gave the green light for North East Hants Youth League (NEHYL) to restart their all-girls league, the Sunday girls league has now grown from 0 to 83 teams in the development U7 to U11 age groups.

The current U11 girls’ teams asked the league to lobby Hampshire FA to continue into U12’s next season and they have once again been given the green light to continue playing with NEHYL.

Rob Harden, who will be the U12 Girls Divisional Secretary for NEHYL next season, said:

“We are very excited and pleased that Hampshire FA have supported the continuation of the NEHYL Girls Sunday league following its success thus far. It provides a wonderful opportunity to continue developing girls’ football beyond U11 and into competitive football, whilst still ensuring accessibility to local, sustainable football within the Area. I am excited to help the wider NEHYL team and grow the interest in the league over the coming seasons.”

The league is delighted to be able to announce this ahead of next season so that teams and clubs have time to plan their all-girls teams for next season.

NEHYL is a development league, and the fundamental goal is to encourage girls to play and develop at their pace. We also encourage the talented players to also play in the county leagues, and the girls also have a choice to play in Hampshire Girls Youth League on a Saturday and the Surrey County Women and Girls league on a Sunday. The key is playing at the right level and for the younger girls to consider the distances to travel for matches. NEHYL geographical footprint covers north Hampshire, Surrey and Berkshire borders building communities of clubs.

Suzanne Swan the lead divisional secretary for the NEHYL Girls League, added:

“We have an open-door policy throughout the season and welcome any girls who want to start to play to get in touch and we can connect you to our clubs. We run league groups for U7 to U12s, and we also have recreational fun flexi football for girls age 13+ who are starting or developing their game in a less competitive environment, and we welcome girls to play in our regular fun festivals. We piloted the new U7 3v3 FA scheme this year with incredibly positive feedback and will continue to grow football in this area.”

Girls' Teams at the 2024/25 Presentations

Next 3v3 Taster Event - Saturday 18th April

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 15:48:30 GMT

NEHYL is hosting another next 3v3 taster

18th April 2026 at 11am

Badshot Lea Youth FC, Weybourne Recreation Ground, Weybourne Lane, Weybourne, Farnham GU9 9HJ

All Parking at William Cobbett Primary School

Having parked up, please carefully cross the road & head towards the ground - see map below

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

Your own footballs – first named team provides the match ball
Bibs - so as to avoid kit clashes
Medical bag
Appropriate clothing & attire for the British weather

LET THE GAMES BEGIN…..

First kick off should be at around 11am, preceded by a briefing for all managers & pitch facilitators. Please arrive no later than 10:30am.

SCHEDULE

We’ll be running 25 teams across 5 pitches with games lasting 9 minutes with a 3 minute changeover interval. A match schedule will be circulated electronically the night before, please make sure it is widely distributed to your managers, coaches, parents etc.

PHOTOGRAPHS

Photographs may be taken at the event and some of these could end up on league or club social media. If anyone from your team(s) do not wish to be photographed, they must tell Trevor Norris, Nigel Welch or Phil Rush.

FURRY FRIENDS

Are permitted just so long as they are kept on a lead and that you remove anything they inadvertently leave behind!

AND TO ROUND THINGS OFF

There will be a little bag of Haribo for all players.

NEHYL Future Fit Events

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 12:17:45 GMT

Upcoming 3v3 Events with NEHYL

3v3 Festival & HFA Education event on 12th April 2026 at 8:45am at Cody Sports Club

In preparation for the roll out of changes to youth football, The FA & Hampshire FA are delivering this event where league and club officials can view 3v3 games in action, in partnership with NEHYL who are an early adopting league. We highly recommend you attend this event.

The event will:

Include a CPD element
Provide opportunities for a Q&A with Hampshire FA staff and early-adopting league officials
Demonstrate how to set up and deliver 3v3 matches
Show how teams can rotate from one game to another
Offer a live insight into how matchdays will look for Under7’s playing 3v3

Timings:

8:45am-9:00am – Participant arrival
9:00am – Classroom CPD
10:00am – View Pitch Setup/ Set up pitch
10:30am – View Fixtures & Observation Tasks
11:15am – Debrief & Q&A Inside
11:45am - 12pm – Close

BOOK YOUR PLACE HERE →

Other Events

18/04/2026 : 11am - Mixed 3v3 Taster Sessions - Badshot Lea FC, Weybourne Rec, Farnham, GU9 9HJ - All cars to park in William Cobbett School then cross at the crossing and walk down the alley way to the Rec. Sign up here .
26/04/2026 : All Day - Girls Festival & Finals Day- Eversley & California - contact girls@nehyl.org.uk
26/04/2026 : Timing TBC - HFA/FA 3v3 Showcase Event KG5, King George V Football Complex Portsmouth - sign up here .
27/04/2026 : Online - Future Fit Digital Conference for Coaches - more information here .
16/05/2026 : 3pm - Mixed 3v3 Festival - Fleet Spurs - Fleet Spurs 16th May - more information here .

FutureFit - March Update

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 15:41:11 GMT

Updates from The FA: Events & Funding for Goals

3v3 Showcase Events

In preparation for the roll out of changes to youth football, Hampshire FA are delivering a series of events where league and club officials can view 3v3 games in action, in partnership with our Early Adopting Leagues.

Each event will:

Include a CPD element
Provide opportunities for a Q&A with Hampshire FA staff and early-adopting league officials
Demonstrate how to set up and deliver 3v3 matches
Show how teams can rotate from one game to another
Offer a live insight into how matchdays will look for Under7’s playing 3v3

For more information and details of events near you, please click here .

3v3 Goals Funding

New funding for 3v3 goalposts is now integrated into the Football Foundation’s Small Grants scheme, covering up to 75% of costs for match-play activity. Goals funding will be available in two windows:

Window 1: Central Venue Leagues

Window 2: Eligible organisations participating in home and away format affiliated leagues.

Applications will need to be made on the Football Foundations website , with a minimum grant award of £400. Applications will open in April and will remain open until all available funding has been allocated.

Digital Clubs Conference

The FA delivered a digital clubs conference on Monday 16th, Tuesday 17th and Wednesday 18th March to equip clubs with all the information they need to deliver the changes to youth football next season, you can watch all of the sessions back in your own time here .

Under 6 Age Group Players

For clubs who are looking to skip the exciting new 3v3 format and play their Under 7’s in an Under 8’s division (to bypass 3v3 and play 5v5 format instead), there are some important considerations for club officials which will impact the ability to recruit players: When a player turns 6 years old (would be U6 for that season), they can play for the under 7s only in that season. If a club does not offer Under 7s these players cannot play until the following season. A player turning 6 cannot play in the Under 8s.

Club Survey

We are currently working closely with all of our youth leagues to support them with implementing the changes to youth football. In order to put us in the best position to support our leagues, we would like to hear from you about the upcoming changes.

Please fill out this short survey to tell us your challenges and where you need support with implementation.

Rise of Abuse

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 13:42:02 GMT

NEHYL has zero tolerance of verbal & physical abuse

Following a number of recent OTR reports received by the North East Hampshire Youth League Discipline Committee, we are writing to remind ALL CLUBS that this league will not tolerate any form of verbal or physical abuse towards ANY individual , at any level of the game.

This season, we have seen an unacceptable increase in incidents involving racism, homophobia and sexism, alongside multiple cases of both younger and older referees being subjected to abhorrent verbal and, in some cases, physical abuse. This behaviour has no place in football, and the League is now taking a firmer and more robust stance in response.

Please be advised that any OTR reports of this nature are automatically forwarded to The FA for investigation and, where appropriate, disciplinary sanctions.

The North East Hampshire Youth League has always prided itself on being a welcoming and inclusive league where football is open to everyone. However, it is clear that these incidents must stop. We therefore urge ALL CLUBS to take immediate steps to ensure that Managers, Players and Parents fully understand their responsibilities when representing their club and this League at all fixtures.

The message is clear - ANY Manager, Player, Team or Club found guilty by The FA of such offences may also face further sanctions imposed by the League . These sanctions may include, but are not limited to, suspension or expulsion from the League , whether applied at an individual, team or club level.

As a League, we have a duty to support and protect all those who uphold fair play, respect and decency week in and week out. This includes referees, coaches, players, volunteers and spectators alike.

We thank Club Officials for their continued support and ask that this message is shared widely across your clubs with immediate effect.

North East Hampshire Youth League

Discipline Committee

Luis Gabriel Guembes Testimonial Match

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 17:28:12 GMT

Churt U16 Vipers and Mytchett Athletic U16 Kestrels at Farnborough FC

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NEHYL Newsletter Snapshot #18

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 12:31:31 GMT

February 2026

Rain rain go away…it’s been a tough few months for playing football with the weather kyboshing so many games. If ever there was evidence that we need to have more 3G pitches available to support grassroots football.

Looking forward we can but hope that we get back to everyone being able to play every Saturday or Sunday going forwards – in the competitive age groups, Div Secs are trying their hardest to schedule games without going too far into May and being cognisant of school exams and other curricular activities. In many age groups there is little choice but to schedule Double Headers – if that’s your team then you can find out more about how Double headers work here . And remember you can ask to split the games out if both teams can agree to a midweek date to play.

At this time of year is important to flag that the deadline for new player registrations and player transfers is midnight on Sunday 1st March. And it is essential between now and then that you continue to flag any new registrations or transfers to the age group Div Sec – they don’t have a crystal ball (or receive any sort of system notification) to tell them when a player awaits their approval.

Please do take time to read through all the information in this newsletter – and, as ever, there is a wealth of information on this website, so if you are ever unsure about anything around the league then this should be your go to first port of call.

Silent Support Weekend

At NEHYL, we are fully behind the FA Silent Support Weekend initiative. This season’s second national weekend will be taking place on the 14th & 15th March 2026 - and the FA are reporting that they have record numbers taking part.

We ask all clubs and teams to help get behind the rationale of silent support weekend – with the key objective being to focus on the players, letting them play, and giving them a voice at their matches. It is NOT about the adults spectating – they are welcome to react positively to every player on the pitch as the game plays out, which is how they should be in every game. And it is a chance for coaches to consider how they deliver messages to their players before and during games.

The FA have published a wealth of supporting information for Clubs that can be accessed through our article here . And there is some great background to the initiative here .

Pass-Ins / Dribble-Ins – Guidance for Coaches and Referees

At North East Hants Youth League, we have been using pass-ins and dribble-ins for around three seasons. This approach minimises the risk of heading the ball and supports key player development outcomes, including:

Improved first touch and passing technique
Enhanced decision-making (e.g., when to pass versus dribble)
Quicker restarts that keep the game flowing

Long Kicks from Pass-Ins

Across the country — not just within NEHYL — we’re seeing an increasing trend where players or teams:

Kick the ball long and high downfield, treating the restart like a free kick
Use it to gain territory rather than build play
Undermine the core development goals of short, controlled, and thoughtful play

While this behaviour is not currently “illegal,” it goes against the developmental intent behind removing traditional throw-ins. Therefore, we ask all coaches not to encourage or accept this approach.

Referees and coaches are expected to use common sense. If a restart results in a long, high “launch” downfield, it should be retaken and treated as a teaching opportunity to reinforce what is expected. It’s vital that all coaches at development age groups (U7–U11) consistently encourage players to play short and purposeful passes or dribbles, rather than simply kicking long. We also expect coaches to support referees who ask for a restart to be retaken when this occurs.

Opposition Distance

When a pass-in or dribble-in is taken, the opposing team must be 4.5 metres away from the player restarting play (or 3 metres away in 3v3 matches). Encroachment has become increasingly common, so referees will be asked to be more vigilant in enforcing this rule. Coaches are expected to help by encouraging their players to move back promptly and respect the required distance.

Summary

Our shared aim is to ensure these restarts:

Encourage technical quality and decision-making
Support the developmental focus of the game
Promote respect for officials and opponents

Thank you to everyone supporting U7 to U11 football in helping us maintain the right environment for player development in NEHYL football.

Match Day & Discipline “Cheat Sheet”

Reporting Post-Match Incidents

Be clear & factual — no opinions, no drama. Make sure you include:
Offender (player, parent, spectator)
Exact words used (spell them out — no asterisks or “inappropriate language”. We have seen all the potential swear words before)
Time & clothing/appearance. Name if known to you.
Any footage of the actual incident.
Skip: match commentary, emotional statements, or “in my 50 years…” stories

Respect Handshakes

Mandatory before kick-off
Optional after the game if players want — don’t force it
Post-match handshakes = potential trouble hotspot

Managers & Referees

Only speak to refs for genuine encouragement (“well done, ref”) and to confirm name for the MRC.
Use official feedback forms for constructive comments
Remember: youth refs are learning, just like your players

Managing Supporters

You control your own spectators — Respect stewards manage your supporters, not the opposition’s
Respect Stewards should liaise before the game to agree communication in case of any incidents.
Spectators mirror the bench — so Managers and coaches lead by example

Coaching During Games

Stop shouting instructions all match
Players learn faster with focused feedback at half-time or substitutions
It is easy to get over emotional if you are kicking every ball on the pitch from the sideline. You may say things to the referee and opposition bench you may later regret.

** Quick Rule of Thumb **

Report clearly, behave respectfully on the management sideline, manage your club’s supporters only, and save the megaphone for halftime!

Postponed & Abandoned Matches

Both home and away teams are required to report their results after every fixture – and this includes abandoned and postponed matches.

For any postponed matches text 'P-P' with your team code – an MRC is NOT required to be completed.

If your match is abandoned , then text 'A-A' with your team code – you MUST submit an MRC with an 'A' in both the score fields and enter ‘Match Abandoned' and the amount of time the game that was played in the comments.

The FA brought in a new rule this season stipulating that all abandoned games must be reported to the League by both teams within 24 hours of the game. This should be done by e-mailing your divisional secretary, with the league secretary copied in.

View Div Sec Contact Details here and the information page on how to text results here .

Cup Finals

Well done to all our teams who make it to one of our Cup Finals. The dates for Cup Finals are now locked in for all age groups and published dates can be viewed here . Div Secs will confirm venue, dates and kick off times with teams.

For every Cup Final we will produce a printed programme as a souvenir of the occasion – so do make sure you have that team photo available to go into the programme !

Presentation Evenings

The season always has its finale with Presentation Evenings across all age groups at Princes Hall, Aldershot. The dates and times for each age group are published here – and this year we span three evenings from 16th to 19th June.

Our Presentation Evenings not only celebrate those who have won or finished as runners-up in their respective Divisions but the Fair Play winners for each age group. Div Secs will be in touch with more details nearer the time – and once all those invited to attend are known – and will be looking for that team photo again for each team represented.

Key Dates

We ask that clubs note that the NEHYL Annual General Meeting will be held on the 9th June ; and the Pre-Season meeting on the 27th August . It is vital that every club is represented on both occasions which will be held at Princes Hall, Aldershot.

All key dates can be found on the calendar here . Don't forget you can subscribe to the NEHYL google calendar dates and to reminders for submitting MRCs .

Laws of the Game – Changes

IFAB are the guardians of the Laws of the Game, comprising of four British football associations (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) and FIFA. This season’s main changes of relevance to NEHYL relate to Temporary Dismissals, Players Kit, Penalty Kicks and Handball. These new changes are to be applied for the new season.

The changes were briefed out to club representatives at the League Pre-Season meeting – an updated infographic summarising Temporary Dismissals can be found on our website here ; and you can view a summary of the changes to the Laws of the Game here .

Referee Availability

We have made several amendments to the referee allocation process over the course of the season in the hope that we can allocate a qualified referee to as many games as possible.

The latest update provided every registered referee with a personal link to update their availability for the rest of the season so that the Referee Secretary has up to date information to assign available referees to fixtures.

This replaces the weekly email out to all registered referees - should a referee ever need to update their availability then they can make changes instantly which will ensure the Referee Secretary is fully informed. We would stress that every referee needs to retain their personal link to ensure that it is quick and easy to provide updates.

FREE tickets to Aldershot Town FC for NEHYL Teams

Jamie MacAllister of Aldershot Town FC has reached out to let everyone know about their FREE ticket scheme that can benefit clubs competing in the NEHYL this season. They run a Community Stand Scheme where they invite community groups to ATFC fixtures for free, last season they distributed over 3,500 tickets to the local community, and amongst the beneficiaries were 52 grassroots u18 teams from 30 different clubs in the local area, many of whom compete in the NEHYL.

If this of interest to your club or team then click the link below.

Free Aldershot Town FC Tickets →

FA FutureFit

FutureFit is the set of changes that will be introduced into the youth game, marking the new direction for grassroots football from the beginning of the 2026/27 season . The changes are based on significant research across the grassroots community; consultation with the best minds in the game; and observing the positive impact the changes have already had in other countries. The results were clear - we need to give every child better opportunity to learn, develop and grow by putting their skills and playing experience first.

As part of the changes, U7 players will move to an exciting 3v3 format, designed to maximise touches, increase engagement, and accelerate player development in a fun, age-appropriate environment. To help clubs prepare for the upcoming change, Hampshire FA are delivering a series of Showcase Events across Hampshire. This includes the following dates:

7th March, Timings TBC | Winklebury Football Complex, Basingstoke
12th April, 09:30 start | Crookham Rovers, Cody Sports & Social Club, GU14 0LP

The FA has provided a link at which you can book your place on your preferred Showcase Event here .

FutureFit makes changes across all age groups up to and including U13 – we will be briefing clubs and teams further in the weeks ahead, but you can find out more here . You can also register for the FA online conference where you can join officials from other clubs; those involved in running clubs; and others in the grassroots football community, to learn all about the changes and what they mean to you, your players and your club.

There will be an additional NEHYL event where all current U6 & U7 players will be invited as follows:

21st March, Timings TBC | Mixed U6 / U7 3v3 session | Crookham Rovers, GU14 0LP

Girls U7 3x3 Festivals

We have seen positive take up by clubs for their U7 Girls Teams where we have been playing the new 3x3 format this season. There is still time for Clubs to sign up U7 Girls Teams and get first hand insight into how 3x3 football works and the significant positives that this format has at this age. The remaining Girls U7 3x3 Festivals will be held as follows:

Sunday 1st March: Festival venue Frimley Lodge from 9am to 10.30am
Sunday 15th March: Festival venue Ash tbc
Sunday 29th March: Festival venue Hawley tbc
Sunday 12th April: Festival venue Crookham Rovers tbc
Sunday 26th April: Festival venue Eversley & California (alongside Girls’ finals day)

If you are interested, then please contact girls@nehyl.org.uk

USEFUL LINKS
Match Admin | FAQ's | Dates | Texting Results | MRC's | Resources | News | Referees

Let us know what you think...

If you have any ideas of information you would like to see in these newsletters or on our website, please email web@nehyl.org.uk

Silent Support Weekend - 14th & 15th March

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 13:21:09 GMT

Down goes your noise, up goes their game!

7 in 10 people said Silent Support improves bad behaviour on the sidelines. And helps young players to enjoy their game without distraction from the sidelines.

Silent Support Weekend is a national initiative to help young players find their voice on the pitch, make their own decisions and enjoy their game … with no distracting noise from spectators on the sidelines. During Silent Support Weekend, applause from spectators for good play – and quiet encouragement from coaches – is welcome.

Below are some social assets for clubs to use - you can find the full club asset pack from The FA here and learn more here .

Free tickets to ATFC

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 15:31:30 GMT

Shots Foundation Free Tickets for selected fixtures up to April

Their objective is to give an opportunity for the local community to come and enjoy live football from the comfort of our dedicated Community Stand (seats 250 people).

Please contact admin@shotsfoundation.org if you have any questions.

Fixtures are for:

vs Scunthorpe (Sat 21 Feb 15:00)
vs Rochdale (Sat 28 Feb 15:00)
vs Carlisle (Tue 10 Mar 19:45)
vs York City (Sat 14 Mar 15:00) GIRLS GROUPS ONLY
vs Boreham Wood (Tue 24 Mar 19:45)
vs Sutton United (Fri 3 Apr 15:00)
vs Gateshead (Sat 11 Apr 15:00)
vs Truro City (Sat 25 Apr 15:00)

Take Action. Protect The Game.

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 17:55:29 GMT

This month, The FA are running a national campaign that shows grassroots football Reporting Hate Protects the Game.

Educate your clubs and yourself on how to protect the game and reduce hate and discrimination as well as reporting it when it happens here .

Click the images below for more resources and information. Enough is enough!

NEHYL Newsletter Snapshot #17

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 14:54:14 GMT

November 2025

The clocks have gone back, Autumn is well and truly here, and the season underway – this is always a good time to provide updates on key issues that are being spotted during games across all age groups – as well as let you know more about what is happening in general. As ever, there is a wealth of information on our League website – so if you are ever unsure about anything around the league then this should be your go to first port of call.

Our last newsletter highlighted the Football Association announcing an updated set of measures to help improve behaviour and combat misconduct in grassroots football . These interventions are aimed at driving a positive culture across grassroots football and act as a clear deterrent against unacceptable behaviours. They also form part of the ‘Love Football. Protect The Game’ campaign to introduce enhanced measures and tougher sanctions so that everyone can enjoy the game in a positive and enjoyable environment.

So, why repeat that message?

Simply put, we are not seeing any uptick in behaviour at matches; in fact, it is getting worse .

Every single person reading this newsletter has a role in helping to stamp out misconduct of any kind at grassroots football matches. We will do all we can as a league – and some sanctions that we could reasonably take may not be popular, but they will be necessary. Likewise, Clubs have a role in acting before we need to as a league – and we will back you all the way in taking positive action to remove those exhibiting unacceptable behaviour from grassroots football – be that on the pitch; team coaches and managers; or spectators.

Silent Support Weekend

Keep it positive. Enjoy the game. And above all else, let the players enjoy their game.

Silent Support Weekend is on the 15th & 16th November and is all about positive support. Quiet encouragement and applause for good play are welcome. But everything else can have the weekend off.

During Silent Support Weekend, let’s all respect our players by giving them a space where they can all enjoy the game; and an opportunity for their voices to be heard. Silent Support Weekend is not optional – ALL NEHYL fixtures will embrace this initiative.

FA FutureFit – U7 Football

NEHYL U7 Girls’ 3v3 festivals kick started on Sunday 5th October with Crookham Rovers kindly hosting the first two festivals and the FA Future Fit team providing new mini goals.

“High Fives” and “Rock Paper Scissors” start each game; and we are pleased to share that we are adding more teams at each Festival. This is proving a fantastic opportunity to understand the FutureFit for junior football – and we encourage all clubs to consider joining in the fun and, importantly, the learning around how 3x3 football is played. Feedback to date has been hugely positive. The next festival is Sunday 9th November and fortnightly thereafter; to find out more please contact girls@nehyl.org.uk .

Hampshire FA have confirmed they will be hosting a FutureFit coaching session for NEHYL team coaches, managers, and admins on the morning of Sunday 30th November. This will be open to anyone currently on the U7 girls 3v3 program; those thinking of joining the U7 girls this season; and, space permitting, those looking to learn more ahead of next season when all U7 teams (boys and girls) will be playing in the new FA FutureFit 3v3; again, to find out more please contact girls@nehyl.org.uk

Match Day Administration

As a reminder, the Match Day Admin Process is laid out clearly with everything you need to know here .

Remember, you must exchange Match Day Team Sheets with your opposition. They must name your Manager & Coaches; and they must have players listed with their (unique) shirt numbers.

You MUST have your Photo Squad List with you for every match and let your opposition know that you have it – importantly, the manager and coaches can only stand with your team if they are on the Photo Squad List, complete with their photo .

Communication has recently gone to all Team and Club Officials around the Match Result Card (MRC). Both teams need to complete an MRC after every game and this needs to be done within 5 days of the match taking place. Charges are issued for late MRCs on a sliding scale of fines dependant on how many late MRCs that a particular team has had: 1st time = £10, 2nd time = £20 & any subsequent occurrences = £30. It is not for your Divisional Secretary to remind you – although many do take time out to do this. It is for you to make sure this happens on time - and accurately.

It is never acceptable to publish the scores of development fixtures (U7 to U11); and care should be taken if sharing match reports on Club Pages or across Social Media.

DBS, Safeguarding & Coaches

The League have had several questions from Clubs around safeguarding that we have worked with Hampshire FA to clarify. The following provides guidance for Clubs and Teams – whilst not mandatory, we should all be aiming to ‘do football’ to the highest standard with ‘good practice’ as a cornerstone benchmark.

Question 1:

If a coach has obtained the FA accepted DBS and completed Safeguarding and First Aid but have yet to complete an Introduction to Coaching course, are they able to take a team, or do they need to have someone present who has done the Intro to Coaching until the course is completed?

Answer 1:

The FA requirements for affiliation and Safeguarding are that an NEHYL coach must hold an in-date and accepted FA DBS and Safeguarding for Children qualification.

It’s not a requirement for a coach to hold First Aid and/or coaching qualifications; however, we do ask that at least one coach per team holds First Aid and is present at all training sessions/matches, and that at least one coach per team holds the introduction to football or higher as best practice.

Question 2:

A team only has one coach available with DBS & Safeguarding; can the fixture go ahead?

Answer 2:

Regarding the number of coaches per team, the best practice is that there are at least two coaches per team, and we ask that clubs try and maintain that as much as they can throughout the season. The FA document here - provides guidance, and it is the Club's responsibility to follow this; we would expect that to be followed as much as possible by them, and that they understand their liability and responsibilities in following the guidance.

Kick-off Times, Venues & Referee Allocations

Can all managers and team admins take time to look at your home fixtures a couple of weeks out - and make sure you have updated your kick-off time and check the venue for the game is correct. If you aren’t sure how to do this there is a section on our very useful match admin page on our website here .

League kick off times should be between 9.30am and 1.00pm unless agreed with the opposition and clubs need to consider the distance/time the opposition needs to travel.

This will help not only your opposition but also the Referee Secretary when it comes to assigning a referee to your fixture. Referee allocations are also now easier to search to find out if you have an allocated referee here . League allocated officials must be used unless communicated with the Referee Secretary to ensure they are qualified. A reminder of the referee process can be found here .

Referees & Club Assistants

It is never acceptable for anyone to bawl or shout at a referee or an assistant referee. Ever. Full stop.

The league, our clubs and our referees really appreciate anyone who volunteers to step up as a Club Assistant on a matchday – as a reminder the basic instructions for of a club assistant are simply:

To be to be positioned on the 'left back touchline' of their team, always keeping in line with the 2nd rearmost defender
To assist the referee by indicating when the ball is out of play
To assist the referee by indicating when play should be stopped, following an offside offence.

At all times, it is the referee who is in charge - It is important that the Club Assistant offers assistance to the referee in line with the instructions above but NOT interference to the referee.

Key Dates

All key dates can be found on the calendar here . Don't forget you can subscribe to the NEHYL google calendar dates and to reminders for submitting MRCs .

Laws of the Game – Changes

FREE tickets to Aldershot Town FC for NEHYL Teams

If this of interest to your club or team then click the link below.

Free Aldershot Town FC Tickets →

USEFUL LINKS
Match Admin | FAQ's | Dates | Texting Results | MRC's | Resources | News | Referees

Let us know what you think...

If you have any ideas of information you would like to see in these newsletters or on our website, please email web@nehyl.org.uk

Silent Support Weekends

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 13:57:01 GMT

Silent Support Weekend Dates for Season 2025/26

Keep it positive. Enjoy the game!

This season, Silent Support Weekend is all about positive support. Quiet encouragement and applause for good play are welcome. But everything else can have the weekend off. During Silent Support Weekend, let’s all respect our players by giving them a space where they can all enjoy the game.

The NEHYL have signed up to the Silent Support Weekend for this season for the following dates:

15th & 16th November

14th & 15th March

Click here for resources and images to share with your club, managers and parents

Girls Flexi Festival on Sunday 19 October

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 14:14:06 GMT

Join NEHYL Girls for a fun, friendly festival!

Charlie's Promise Fundraiser

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 13:51:50 GMT

The Big Cycle - London to Paris by Don Brayshaw, Milford Pumas YFC

On the 1st October, a number of industry colleagues and I are cycling from London to Paris to raise money for individual charities of our choice.

I’m raising money for Charlie’s Promise whose mission is to educate young people about knife crime and its consequences . The charity was started by Charlie’s Dad, Martin Cosser, after 17 year old Charlie (a Milford Pumas Player), went to a house party in a Sussex village and was stabbed multiple times. Heartbreakingly, Charlie succumbed to his injuries 3 days later (though harrowing, I really recommend you read the account of events on the website).

The charity started in Charlie’s name is dedicated to helping the fight against the rising issue of knife crime in the UK by raising awareness of the dangers of both carrying and using a knife. If it’s possible, it’s made even more poignant from me, as Charlie played football for and his family were involved with, Milford Pumas YFC, a club at which I’ve coached at for almost 20 years.

If you could help this very worthy cause in any small way, Charlie’s Promise and I would be immensely grateful. Updates on our progress will be on my Instagram account and messages of support and encouragement will, I am sure, help us along the way.

Instagram @donniebrayshaw.

To donate: www.justgiving.com/page/don-brayshaw-1

Thank you for your support.

Don Brayshaw

Milford Pumas Coach

NEHYL Newsletter Snapshot #16

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 12:50:24 GMT

September 2025

Welcome everyone to the 2025-26 season – at North East Hants Youth League we are all looking forward to getting football back underway, and with everyone either playing, coaching or spectating doing so with Respect .

As is the case at the start of every season, we want to use this newsletter to draw everyone’s attention to some key pointers before we really get going so that everyone has chance to become familiar with any changes. We say it every time – but this website, should always be the go-to place to initially try and find answers to any questions you may have.

This season, the Football Association has announced an updated set of measures to help improve behaviour and combat misconduct in grassroots football. These interventions are aimed at driving a positive culture across grassroots football and act as a clear deterrent against unacceptable behaviours. They also form part of the ‘ Love Football. Protect The Game ’ campaign to introduce enhanced measures and tougher sanctions so that everyone can enjoy the game in a positive and enjoyable environment.

It’s always good to remind ourselves that everyone associated with NEHYL - be that league committee, club committees and volunteers, or team managers, coaches & admins – give up their time voluntarily to allow boys and girls to enjoy playing football. Let’s all embrace the mindset that ‘We only do positive’ .

Match Day Administration

There are several changes to the match day process. If you want a refresher to the overall Admin Process then everything is laid out clearly on our Match Admin page - but the key changes are as follows:

Team Sheets

The most important rule change is around Match Day Team Sheets and ID parades – Rule 8D refers:

Match Day Team Sheets MUST have players listed with their (unique) shirt numbers
Manager/Coaches MUST be named
You MUST have your Photo Squad List with you for every match – it’s available on line, or can be downloaded beforehand, so surely there can be no excuses…
A photo ID parade is no longer mandatory – but if a team so wishes then they can request to do an ID parade before kick-off, which cannot be refused
If a name AND photo are not on the Photo Squad list, then a player cannot play, and a coach cannot stand on the side of the pitch with the teams.

Our advice is that when you greet your opposing manager you show that you have the Photo Squad List, highlight who your coaches are (named & pictured), agree whether you are going to have an ID parade, and then start your match preparations.

The updated Match Day Team Sheets available on the Information page on this website in three formats (pdf, xls, & doc). We also ask that clubs check that all your coaches are not just named but also have a current photo provided – there are several officials who do not currently have a photo across all the age groups.

Players Kit

And, as a reminder to all, NEHYL Rule 19 has two important points relating to players kit for all our clubs and teams:

Names of Youth Players shall not appear on the shirts.
No Player, including the goalkeeper, shall be permitted to wear black or very dark shirts.

Laws of the Game – Changes

IFAB are the guardians of the Laws of the Game, comprising of four British football associations (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) and FIFA. The key changes for the 2025/26 season include a new eight-second rule for goalkeepers; the "captains only" protocol; and around dropped ball restarts – and you can view a summary of the changes to the Laws of the Game here: Changes of Laws of the Game 2025/26 .

Goalkeeper Eight-Second Rule

 The Rule:

A goalkeeper controlling the ball with their hand(s)/arm(s) within their penalty area must release it within eight seconds. A goalkeeper cannot be challenged by an opponent when in control of the ball.

The Penalty:

If the goalkeeper holds the ball for longer than eight seconds, a corner kick is awarded to the opposing team.

The Process:

From the five-second mark, referees will visually count down with a raised hand to signal the time limit. Please give referees time to get used to doing this!

Captains Only Protocol

The Rule:

Only the designated captain(s) of a team are permitted to approach the referee to discuss decisions. Read more about the rule HERE.

The Purpose:

To instil greater fairness and mutual respect in the game by reducing confrontations and potential intimidation.

The Captain's Role:

Captains must ensure their teammates maintain a reasonable distance and do not interfere in the interaction with the referee. They must be wearing a Captain’s Armband.

Note: For NEHYL, the Captains Only Protocol only applies to Competitive football (U12 and above).

Dropped Ball Restarts

New rules clarify how dropped ball restarts are conducted based on possession and location.

Play always resumes by dropping the ball for the defending team's goalkeeper where play stopped within their penalty area.

When outside the penalty area, the ball is dropped to a player from the team that would gain possession, unless this is unclear, in which case it goes to the last team to touch the ball.

All other players must stay at least 4 meters away, and the ball is in play once it touches the ground.

NEHYL Girls’ Football

Girls’ football continues to go from strength to strength in NEHYL, with matches played on Sunday mornings. We will be running U7 through to U11 age groups – plus girls’ flexi football for girls who just want to play from U12 upwards; more information on flexi football can be found here .

It’s really exciting to share that our Girls’ Sunday League has been approved by the FA as an early adopter for the new 3v3 format a year ahead of its full rollout in 26-27 season for ALL U7s. We will be piloting the new FA initiative this season for all girls’ teams playing in U7 in our Sunday league – which gives all of us a great opportunity to learn more about this initiative.

For more information on NEHYL Girls’ Football click here or email girls@nehyl.org.uk . And if you are ready to join, you can register your club here or if you are already a member club, email girls@nehyl.org.uk to add a team.

Play Safe Weekend

Play Safe is a year-round campaign that champions the importance of safeguarding in football. It encourages leagues and clubs at every level of the game to play their part in making the game ever-safer, fun, and enjoyable for everyone, everywhere, every time. At NEHYL, we are encouraging all clubs to show their support for an ever-safer game and take part in Play Safe 2025, taking place over the weekend of 27 and 28 September 2025 . Club officials will already have received a link to this year’s invite from the FA – and there are further resources here .

We also ask that you mark the two National Silent Support Weekends in your football diaries - November 15th & 16th and March 14th & 15th . The aim of the National Silent Support Weekend is to reduce pressure on youth players and give them a better opportunity and environment to find their own voice, improve their on-pitch communications skills, develop their own game, and most importantly have fun. We also believe that it helps to promote good behaviour on touchlines across youth football. Check out the England Football page for resources and future updates for the next Silent Support weekend.

Key Dates

All key dates can be found on the calendar here . Don't forget you can subscribe to the NEHYL google calendar dates and to reminders for submitting MRCs .

The FA Player Dispensation Process

Player Dispensation enables children with a disability, Significant Physical Development Delay (SPDD), or who are schooled no more than one year behind the age group prescribed by their date of birth (their “prescribed age group”) to play football outside of their prescribed age group.

The latest information on Player Dispensation and how to apply can be found on our website here .

Laws of the Game – Changes

Hampshire Sports Club Conference

Eastleigh Borough Council and Test Valley Borough Council are working in partnership to proudly present the biannual Hampshire Club Conference 2025 – and which is being promoted by Hampshire FA.

Tickets are £10 and will provide you with a delegate pack, including a quality Hampshire Sports Club Conference notebook, pen and lanyard. You will also have access to tea and coffee on arrival, alongside light refreshments during the networking session. You can find out more about this event on our website here .

FREE tickets to Aldershot Town FC for NEHYL Teams

If this of interest to your club or team then click the link below.

Free Aldershot Town FC Tickets →

Hampshire FA Discipline

Hampshire FA is now using The FA’s County FA Discipline Service – which means that there are key changes as to how disciplinary matters will be handled. In short, all disciplinary administration will now be managed centrally by The FA’s County FA Discipline Service team, who will be responsible for:

All disciplinary investigations
Preparing case files
Raising charges
Arranging hearings
Liaising with victims
Administering suspensions
Delivering discipline services that meet the needs of customers

Surrey FA will continue to handle and manage all their own disciplinary matters.

USEFUL LINKS
Match Admin | FAQ's | Dates | Texting Results | MRC's | Resources | News | Referees

Let us know what you think...

If you have any ideas of information you would like to see in these newsletters or on our website, please email web@nehyl.org.uk

The FA Player Dispensation Process

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 07:52:30 GMT

Latest information on Player Dispensation & how to apply

What is the dispensation application policy?

The Policy enables children with a disability, Significant Physical Development Delay (SPDD),Mental Health, Chronic illness, Issues with availability, special individual circumstances or who are schooled no more than one year behind the age group prescribed by their date of birth (their “prescribed age group”) to play football outside of their prescribed age group.

Why is this policy needed?

The FA’s Rules prescribe age groups for children to play in which are designed to ensure that they compete with peers of similar size and development. For some children however, playing in the prescribed age group would put them at a substantial disadvantage to their teammates, discouraging them from being involved or making it impossible for them to access football.

To apply for dispensation for your child to play outside of their prescribed age group, please fill out our dispensation application form along with supporting evidence to support the rationale for your application.

Who is covered by the policy?

Any child who:

Has a disability
Has significant physical development delay ( SPDD)
Has mental health or Chronic illness
Is schooled no more then one year behind their prescribed age group and would be be at a disadvantage if required to play to in their prescribed age group
Availability of Opportunity; Those who have no available opportunity within their permitted age group and chosen pathway (male, female, mixed, disability). You can find out more information around this new category along with further examples of who is eligible under availability of opportunity
Talent Development; Those who have individual and specific needs, to play outside of their permitted age group provides them with the best opportunity to develop as a player that is within the talent system (girls) or has been recently released (boys). You can find out more information around the new individual needs category along with who is eligible – Click here

Hampshire Sports Club Conference

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 07:44:02 GMT

Monday 24th November at Ganger Farm Sports Park, Romsey

Eastleigh Borough Council and Test Valley Borough Council are working in partnership to proudly present the biannual Hampshire Club Conference 2025.

The evening is designed to empower local sports clubs with the tools, insights, and connections needed to grow and develop.

The event will consist of an expert panel discussion with:

Andy Ferrier - Chief Executive at Test Valley Borough Council
Jessica Capelli Beavan - Equity, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Manager at UK Coaching
Sacha Nicholas - Facilities & Investment Manager at Hampshire FA
Sarah Goddard and Sue Forber - Sports Welfare Officers at Energise Me
Getting Investment Ready with Richard Wood - Leisure Services Manager at Eastleigh Borough Council
Marketing and Social Media with Wates Residential

Tickets are on sale from 15th September.

U12+ Girls’ Flexi Matches From 28th Sep 2025

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 08:17:48 GMT

Open to all clubs and communities to start a new girls flexi football team

Teams can play when they want in a friendly fun format and can be run by a parent or teacher if the team isn’t part of an existing club and support will be given.

Aimed at girls teams and players

New to football and who are not experienced enough to play competitive football in Hampshire and Surrey leagues.

Not suitable for

Teams who are confident and strong enough to play competitive football but are struggling for players.

Reasons to enter a team

Opening the door for local girls to learn football in a supportive environment.
Perfect entry level football for girls who are new to the game, as an alternative to having to play 9 or 11 aside matches with offside.
We want to break down the barriers and encourage everyone to simply have a go and have some fun with friends.

Format: Easy – Flexible – Fun

For players starting football or who are looking to build confidence.
Festivals every 3 weeks
Option for friendlies as well
Teams choose how many games a month they want to play.
Non-competitive 7 aside matches, with no offside.
Teams can start by playing 5 or 6 aside matches while they increase their squad size.

We can also help girls to find a club that champions girls’ football.

For more information please contact Andrew Hall 07355 006716 or email GirlsFlexiLeague@nehyl.org.uk .

Learn more about Girls Football at NEHYL →

The FA behaviour and combat misconduct measures

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 10:43:10 GMT

The Football Association has announced an updated set of measures for the 2025-26 season to help improve behaviour and combat misconduct in grassroots football.

These interventions, introduced for the 2025-26 season, are aimed at driving a positive culture across grassroots football and act as a clear deterrent against unacceptable behaviours. They also form part of the ‘Love Football. Protect The Game’ campaign to introduce enhanced measures and tougher sanctions so that everyone can enjoy the game in a positive and enjoyable environment.

Key updates for the 2025-26 season include:

Captains Only protocol
Cooling off periods
Bodycams
Under-18 Referee Armbands
Penalty points accumulations to continue
Continued league points deductions
Grassroots Code of Conduct
Rewarding Positive Behaviour
Mandatory minimum fine
Behaviour Improvement Programme

Read the full article here →

The FA's Play Safe & Bib Voting

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 09:44:31 GMT

Play Safe Weekend Sept 27th to 28th - Supporting Safeguarding & Getting Feedback

What is Play Safe?

Small Talk is Bigger Than You Think

For Play Safe 2025, The FA asking adults in football to give young people a voice. To create open conversations, ask questions, and actively listen to children. When children have space to talk, they feel safe to share. Small but vital moments build trust in the long run.

How to get your club involved

Here’s three simple things you can do:

1. Sign up and enter the free prize draw

The FA are keen to know which clubs are supporting Play Safe 2025 and what you are planning to do. So please sign up and let us know – you get the chance to enter the free prize draw with the chance of your club receiving one of the 100 prizes! Sign up here

2. Spread the word

Talk to people at your club about Play Safe. Make sure members know what it is, what this year’s campaign is all about, how they can get involved, and what their individual safeguarding roles are. In this letter, The FA have provided a Play Safe kick-off pack , full of useful resources for you to share online or put up around your club. It includes:

Email headers and signatures – everyone who runs your club can use these as headers and footers in their club emails.
Social media assets – these can be used in social posts or stories on Instagram, Facebook and/or X. We’ve also attached guidance on how to upload them.
Editable social assets – you can include your own club badge on these, but if you use any pictures, it’s essential to make sure you have the right consents in place.
Website assets – we’ve included a web header and written text you can use on your club website.

Play Safe Activation Bib Voting

This year’s focus - Small Talk Is Bigger Than You Think - is about creating environments where children and young people feel empowered and listened to. Ahead of the Play Safe weekend try out ‘Bib Voting’ a simple activity to start the little conversations . This activity encourages children and young people to share their experiences in a safe, fun, and nonverbal way. It aims to help coaches listen and adapt sessions while building confidence in giving feedback.

Simply follow the steps for the age group(s) you are working with ( download 5-11 yrs or download 12-16 yrs ). We’d recommend doing this 3-4 times ahead of the Play Safe weekend, selecting different questions each time. There will be additional activities provided in September – so why not get started.

On 27/28 September, all of football will unite to celebrate our collective safeguarding effort throughout the season.

This year, The FA want as many leagues, clubs, and individuals as possible to show up for the weekend and celebrate everyone who plays a role in giving children a voice.

Visit: www.englandfootball.com/playsafe for more information and news.

Aviva Wellbeing Services

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 14:18:29 GMT

Offer for individuals who have purchased Aviva Personal Accident insurance through Club Portal

Hampshire FA have provided the below leaflet. All levels of the personal accident insurance include the wellbeing service and the leaflet gives details of the Aviva new fully enhanced wellbeing proposition which includes physical, financial and mental wellbeing add-ons such as gym discounts, dedicated counselling line and leaders’ mental health training.

HFA Online Discipline Meeting - 27th August 2025

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 13:41:24 GMT

The County are scheduling an online meeting with the FA Discipline Account Manager, Ollie Powell.

Please see below details of this meeting.

Wednesday 27th August 2025

6:30pm-8:30pm

Microsoft Teams - Teams link to be sent nearer the date to club/league secretaries who have confirmed their attendance.

Send any questions and register your attendance by email to Declan.Hellyer@hampshirefa.com by Wednesday 13th August 2025.

More information regarding the changes here .

HFA Partners with The FA's CFA Discipline Service Team

Mon, 28 Jul 2025 07:51:08 GMT

Changes for Season 2025/26

Here at Hampshire FA, we're always striving to enhance the services we provide to our grassroots football community. We are excited to announce a significant change to how discipline administration will be managed, designed to deliver a more efficient, consistent, and supportive experience for everyone involved.

From 1st August 2025, Hampshire FA will be outsourcing its discipline administration to a dedicated County FA Discipline Service Team within The FA. This strategic move will centralise key disciplinary functions, leveraging the expertise and resources of the national governing body to streamline processes and ensure the highest standards of service delivery.

This change is designed to benefit our clubs, leagues, and volunteers by ensuring a more consistent and expert approach to disciplinary matters. You will now be interacting directly with The FA's County FA Discipline Service Team for all discipline-related queries and processes.

Learn more about the new process here →

We believe this partnership with The FA's County FA Discipline Service Team will significantly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of our disciplinary processes, allowing us to focus more on the growth and development of football within Hampshire FA. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we implement this exciting new chapter.

Darren Parker

Hampshire FA

You can also read more about the NEHYL Discipline Panel here →

Presentation Gallery Published

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 11:45:06 GMT

NEHYL Presentations were a roaring success!

The sound of young players roaring with excitement as the curtains pulled back to reveal the trophies on the first night made all the hard work by the league officials worth it!

Massive thanks to Sue Barnes who organises a lot of the evening from picking up trophies to seat allocation - not an easy task!

The presentation galleries by day can be found here:

Thanks to Jake Ward at JW Media Online for taking hundreds of pictures over the four days.

"I wanted to say a massive thank you from Badshot Lea Hawks U9s for such a brilliant evening last week. Our boys had a fantastic time and enjoyed the presentation thoroughly. The trophies look great and the evening seemed to run like clockwork. Thanks again to all involved and hopefully we will be back next year!"

"Thank you what a brilliant evening"

"I attended the U13s - it was brilliant so thank you very much."

"Just wanted to say a massive thank you from me and Headley Hotspurs for putting on last night's presentation evening. Please pass this on to everyone who was involved in putting the event on. It was a superb evening and was brilliant to celebrate the success of all the local teams together. Enjoy your summer break and we look forward to next season."

"Thanks so much for a great awards evening. Our team is only in our second season and all the players only started playing in a team very recently, so it was lovely for them to have this experience."

JOIN NEHYL NEW ALL GIRLS’ U7 3V3 FORMAT

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 11:36:41 GMT

North East Hampshire Girls Sunday League has been approved by the FA as an early adopter for the new 3v3 format a year ahead of its rollout in 26-27 season.

NEHYL Girls League will be piloting the new FA initiative this season 25-26 for all girls’ teams playing in U7 in our Sunday league.

To get on board and find out more the FA are running a workshop for our member clubs on Sunday 13th of July at Fleet Town FC, Easy As HGV Stadium, Calthorpe Park, 8A Crookham Rd, Fleet GU51 5DZ. Registration 9am close 5pm.

This is a great opportunity to find out more and get some practical support and put the theory into practice.

Contact Suzanne Swan via email at girls@nehyl.org.uk or register directly using the following link Delegate (Coaches & Adult Facilitators) Registration Form .

Learn more and download resources on our 3v3 Format information page here .

NEHYL Club Registrations Open for Season 2025-26

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 13:46:20 GMT

Register or Renew Your Club with NEHYL

The Club Application for 2025/26 is now open. Here are a few notes:

You no longer need to upload the signed Rule 10 document - but you need to have the authority to tick the Rule 10 agreement digitally on behalf of the Chair and Club.
For renewing clubs - you will be able to pull up last season’s application by ticking ‘Yes’ on the Pre-fill form field (which appears after you enter your Club Name). Note this requires a code being entered to protect personal data and the code will be emailed to the Club Secretary registered for this season. So if a new Club Secretary is taking over you will need to send them the code. Please only get the new Club Sec to complete the form when they are in position as emails for the club will start going to them. They will also need to have registered on the NEHYL Contacts System and you should inform web@nehyl.org.uk of the change.
You will need the Membermojo Member Number (NEHYL Contacts System) for all four main committee roles (this will be saved from last year if you pre-fill the form but please check it is correct by viewing your directory here ).
You will need to know the number of teams per age group being registered with NEHYL for next season.

If you or your club are not continuing next season, please email web@nehyl.org.uk to let us know. If teams are not continuing please email you Divisional Secretary - contact info can be found here .

Please register or renew your club for Season 2025/26 here .

NEHYL Newsletter Snapshot #15

Fri, 21 Mar 2025 17:56:12 GMT

March 2025

This season is heading into its final stages with the majority of fixtures finishing at the end of April/Early May. That leaves May for cup finals and any league play off matches that may be required to determine first and second spots. With the lighter evenings there are several teams in the older age groups looking at organising midweek fixtures to help clear their fixture backlog – if you do look to bring a match forward or try to fit a previously postponed fixture into an evening slot then do keep your Divisional Secretary in the loop.

We’ve included a few housekeeping reminders in this newsletter – as well as some dates for diaries and pointers towards some important new initiatives that are soon to be introduced across junior football.

As ever, there is a wealth of information on this website – so if you are ever unsure about anything around the league then this should be your go to first port of call.

Match Day Reminders

It may be nearing the end of the season but it’s never too late to remind everyone of some key housekeeping before and after matches.

Referees

As a league who appoint referees to as many matches as possible, we have a panel of registered referees which is a County FA requirement. Once appointments are published it is the home team’s responsibility to contact the official as soon as possible to confirm their availability and share details of location and kick-off time.

However, if you do not have an appointed referee then there are several ways in which teams are able to source a referee. We do emphasise that you must check that the referee you source is qualified and, if over 16 years old, has a valid DBS and in-date FA Safeguarding – the league referee appointments secretary (Phil Rush) is able to help check if he is contacted by telephone before Friday.

If you are unable to source a qualified referee, then it is acceptable for a parent to occasionally take the whistle (with occasionally being no more than once a month).

Results

It is the responsibility of every team, whether home or away, to text in the result of your match as soon as practical after the final whistle (and at least on the day of the match). The MRC – Match Report Card – also needs completing within five days of the match. The level of non-compliance in this regard has risen this season to what is becoming unacceptable – serial offenders can start to expect to have their matches suspended on top of an increasing fine structure.

If you are playing a Double Header then you will need to complete two MRCs – one for each match, home & away – and it is strongly recommended that, as well as texting in the scores, you also drop your Div Sec a note of the results of each match.

Referees Kit & Timekeeping

We ask that all referees are recognisable as a referee with Black Shirt, Black Shorts and Black Socks. There’s no issue wearing black under clothing – but we do draw the line at puffer jackets and hoodies which are not considered suitable.

And finally, a referee should be ready at their match at least 20 minutes before kick-off to do the necessary pitch checks and team briefings. If a referee has a prior match – either refereeing or playing – then they must let the home team manager know when confirming their availability.

Cup Finals

Well done to all our teams who make it to one of our Cup Finals. The dates for Cup Finals are now locked in for all age groups and Div Secs will confirm venue, dates and kick off times with teams in due course.

For every Cup Final we will produce a printed programme as a souvenir of the occasion – so do make sure you have that team photo available to go into the programme !

Presentation Evenings

The season always has its finale with Presentation Evenings across all age groups at Princes Hall, Aldershot. The dates and times for each age group are published here and this year we span four evenings from 17th to 20th June.

Key League Meeting Dates

Whilst on the subject of dates, we ask that clubs note that the NEHYL Annual General Meeting will be held on the 10th June; and the pre-season meeting on the 29th August . It is vital that every club is represented on both occasions which will be held at Princes Hall, Aldershot.

Tournament Listings

The league maintains a list of future tournaments in date order – if you want your tournament to be listed then submit your request to the league using the Tournament Request form . Once a submission is approved, the published tournament can be found here .

IMPORTANT - League & Cup Competitions will run into May – ALL league/cup fixtures take precedence over club trips and tournaments. Any team who enters a tournament and then does not fulfil a scheduled league or cup fixture will face a charge and a fine for failing to fulfil a fixture.

Laws of the Game – Changes

Looking ahead to 2025/26 Season

As one season draws to a close, significant planning starts for the next season. As a league we always aim to ensure that teams are playing at their correct level. A starting point for this is ensuring that Div Secs are aware of any major changes impacting teams. It may be that a club is merging one or more teams together; that a team is not returning next season; or there is significant player churn.

Please, if any of these situations apply to your team then let your Div Sec know – for competitive age groups this will help ensure Divisional structures are correct from the start and could signal the need for initial InterDiv or Seeding games to be scheduled.

FREE tickets to Aldershot Town FC for NEHYL Teams

If this of interest to your club or team then click the link below.

Free Aldershot Town FC Tickets →

FA Future Fit

From the start of the 2026-27 season, The FA will be launching a new progressive framework for grassroots youth football in England, which aims to further improve the experience for young players across the country – giving them more time on the ball, more time on the pitch and increasing their physical activity levels. The changes being implemented can be found here .

As a league we are fully supportive of this new framework and will be working with clubs in the season ahead to ensure we are best placed to hit the ground running with the changes.

Grassroots Football Awards

It would be great to see more of our football volunteers from North East Hampshire nominated for the FA Grassroots Awards – now is the time to make nominations here .

It is important to remember that it’s not the number of nominations per category for a person or an organisation that matter – the judges are looking for good robust nominations that follow the key points highlighted in each category.

There are 12 categories in the awards – why not take a look if you believe someone at your club or who you know associated with grassroots football is deserving of a nomination?

DBS Process Changes

The FA have changed the way Clubs add DBS to individuals – Clubs now need to add a DBS Applicant via the Club Portal which initiates the start of a DBS check. There’s more information here .

USEFUL LINKS
Match Admin | FAQ's | Dates | Texting Results | MRC's | Resources | News | Referees

Let us know what you think...

If you have any ideas of information you would like to see in these newsletters or on our website, please email web@nehyl.org.uk

The FA Future Fit: County FA Roadshow Hampshire

Thu, 13 Mar 2025 17:54:39 GMT

March 21st 7 to 8:30pm in Winchester

A new 3v3 entry format for the youngest players in the pathway at U7s level, fielding three players on each side, to maximise engagement and provide the best introduction to football.
Each format will be played one year later as players transition through the pathway, including 11v11 which will move from U13s to U14s level.
Greater alignment with schools with children playing smaller formats with simplified rules throughout primary school, before progressing to 9v9 and more complex rules at secondary school.
Evolved Laws of the Game that are age-appropriate and best support the overall development of the young player. For example, amendments have already been made to game restarts for U7s-U9s to increase ball in play time

In the coming weeks The FA are hosting 46 events across the country providing stakeholders with the opportunity to learn more about the recently announced changes. Hampshire FA’s event details are below:

Future Fit: County FA Roadshow (Hampshire)

Venue : Voco Winchester Hotel and Spa, Telegraph Way, Winchester, Hampshire, SO21 1HZ

Date & Time : March 21st from 7.00-8.30pm

Sign Up Link : https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/b0fdc02637ef4fd1b0c2137557c6860b

Other Useful Information:

Future Fit: Online Event – Watch the Future Fit Online event here (or below) where Paul Kirton from Team Grassroots discusses with Clare, John and Lawrence from The FA, the upcoming changes being made to Youth Football across England in the 2026/27 season. The FA encourage you to share this with your members to help in their understanding of the upcoming changes.

Future Fit: Early Adopter Webinar – There will be a follow up webinar on Wednesday April 9th at 7.30pm which will provide further information for those who wish to be considered for early adoption. This will provide more detail on what will be required and what support will be made available ahead of expression of interest then going live. You can register to attend here .

SILENT SUPPORT WEEKEND 15-16 MARCH

Tue, 18 Feb 2025 13:09:43 GMT

Silent Support Weekend is back

Once again, we’re asking spectators to dial down the noise from the sidelines and dial up the positivity. Let’s cut out the confusing and distracting shouting from the sidelines. Instead, let’s respect our players by helping them find their voices, make their own choices, and enjoy their game.

Silent Support is positive support

During Silent Support Weekend, applause from spectators for good play – and quiet encouragement from coaches – is welcome. Everything else can have the weekend off.

View the resources below to help you share information about silent support at your fixture.

Changes to DBS Process

Tue, 04 Feb 2025 13:47:19 GMT

The FA have changed the way Clubs add DBS to individuals

Step 1:

This process now needs to be completed through the Club portal by the club admin - Adding a DBS Applicant in the Club Portal - Initiating a DBS check : Grassroots Technology

Step 2:

Once the club admin has added the DBS tab to the FAN, the individual needs to carry out the below process:

Log on to the Whole Game System https://wholegame.thefa.com
Scroll down to 'My DBS tab' (left hand side)
Click green 'Select' button next to the club name.
You should then receive an email (check spam) to start the process, once the application has been completed you need to contact the Welfare officer to meet with them to verify the DBS face to face.

Troubleshooting: Reasons why the coach cannot start the process:

More than one FAN – contact your county FA Safeguarding Administrator with the coaches name, DOB, email and address so they can check and if need be merge the FANs.
No email on the FAN – contact your county FA Safeguarding Administrator to add if you cannot add this on their FAN on the club portal
Not attached to your club on the club portal

NEHYL Newsletter Snapshot #14

Thu, 09 Jan 2025 17:37:55 GMT

January 2025

Happy New Year!

And 2025 has brought a very wintry start to playing football with frozen pitches and sub-zero temperatures – and very little football able to be played…so it’s a good time to remind everyone that it is really important to make sure when matches are postponed due to weather that we need to let everyone know of the decision as soon as possible – opposition, referee and Div Sec – and both teams must reply to the FA FullTime SMS text with simply P-P for any postponed match.

January is also the time when the League are looking for last season’s trophies to be gathered up and safely returned to Sue Barnes by 31st January at the latest. Club Secretaries have all the necessary details as to how to return the trophies – so, if you do have a trophy proudly displayed from last season then please liaise with your Club Secretary to agree logistics of getting it safely returned.

Whilst still a couple of months away, now is a good time to flag that the deadline for new player registrations and player transfers is midnight on Saturday 1st March. And it is essential between now and then that you continue to flag any new registrations or transfers to the age group Div Sec – they don’t have a crystal ball (or receive any sort of system notification) to tell them when a player awaits their approval.

As ever, there is a wealth of information on our website – so if you are ever unsure about anything around the league then this should be your go to first port of call.

Missing Match Day Information

The League has been aware of several incidents this season where teams have needed vital information to be available on match day. Many clubs provide excellent match day information – much more than just kick-off time and pitch location – but there is more some clubs and their teams can do.

We strongly urge all clubs and teams to look at the match day information you provide to your opposition (as well as to your own team players and supporters). Best practice is to include the nearest A&E department; location of the nearest defibrillator; and how to always get hold of gate keys and/or codes. Ensure the postcode is sufficient to find the pitch in an emergency – or better still provide a What3Words location.

If there is an emergency of any sort at your match, do you have all the correct information to hand to be able to quickly deal with it and ensure prompt – possibly lifesaving - action can be taken?

(Re)-Introducing Saturday / Sunday Club Representatives

Did you know at NEHYL, our clubs & teams are represented at all monthly league committee meetings? If not, the following will introduce (or re-introduce) you to the role of ‘Club Representative’ and what they do, and can do, for you.

There are currently five Club Representatives; Paul Reynolds, Rhys Culverhouse, Darryl Taylor, Polly Roberts and Andrew Hall. Paul, Rhys & Darryl all represent the Saturday mixed teams; Polly & Andrew the Sunday girls’ teams.

The backgrounds of our Club Representatives are varied but they all come from club or footballing backgrounds having played the game; coached or managed teams; have held committee positions within a club; or referee across differing age groups. With this mix of experience and backgrounds they are well equipped to understand the challenges faced by our members during the year. Ultimately, the Club Representatives are here to represent the needs of the clubs, ensuring you have a voice into the League Committee and age group Divisional Secretaries.

A Club Representative can influence and shape a wide range of relevant topics including input into rule changes, discipline, supporting referees, helping Divisional Secretary in times of increased workload, supporting festivals/competitions/cup finals, mentoring and being at the end of a call or email should a club (or team) wish to check or discuss anything, including providing a second opinion.

Club representatives are here to support, help, guide and advise as required – and their profiles can be found on the contact page here .

Mini-Soccer Update

For the U7 to U10 age groups we have been following the new “No Deliberate Heading” laws since the start of the season – this was covered in the England Football link back in May 2024 (ref: new rule to be introduced to phase out heading in grassroots youth football matches ) and on our website here .

As part of this initiative throw-ins were replaced with either a Dribble-In or Pass-In – as is the case for any free-kicks for mini-soccer, the opposition must be 5 yards/4.5 metres away from where the Dribble-In or Pass-In is to be taken.

A pass-in is not a big kick up field; it should be to another player – so, if this is not followed do expect the Referee to ask the player to retake the Pass-In.

The following resources from the England Football helps explain further:

Girls’ Football

Girls’ football is continuing to thrive here at NEHYL – we have recently welcomed several new U7, U8 and U9 teams. And we are looking for more of our clubs to consider entering girls’ teams in our Sunday morning Flexi league. It is aimed at teams and players that are new to football and not experienced enough to play 11 a-side fixtures in the competitive Hampshire and Surrey leagues.

For U12s and U13s, the matches are non-competitive 7 aside games with no offside. Teams play in the monthly Festivals and have additional friendlies as required. The next girls’ U12 and U13 Festival will take place on Sunday 2 February. Please contact Andrew Hall on 07355 006716 or email girlsflexileague@nehyl.org.uk if you are interested in taking part.

Laws of the Game – Changes

U8 to U11 Development Festivals

Festival Competitions are held for all Under 8 to Under 11 age groups. This season we have two different Festival formats – the Festival Cup Competition and the Festival Divisional Competition. To help teams better understand the key differences between the two formats an explanatory note has been drafted and can be found here on our website .

In short, there will be one Festival Cup Competition per U8 to U11 age group this season (For both Mixed & Girls teams) – these will be held in the Spring. And, new for this season, there is a Festival Divisional Competition for Mixed U9 to U11 teams – this has already started, is held across the season, with generally one match played per month.

FREE tickets to Aldershot Town FC for NEHYL Teams

If this of interest to your club or team then click the link below.

Free Aldershot Town FC Tickets →

U23 Football

This season has seen the successful start of an U23 Development League, run by the Aldershot & District Football League (ADFL) with support from NEHYL – the majority of the teams playing in this league were formed from NEHYL U18 teams & players who want to continue to play Saturday football.

The ADFL is actively seeking U23 teams to join next season to grow the U23 Development League and help U18 to U23 players on their pathway to adult football. Are you a qualified coach or manager looking for a new challenge? Do you know U18 players who want to continue playing football? Aldershot & District Football League can help – if you want to find out more then click here or email u23@adfl.org.uk

USEFUL LINKS
Match Admin | FAQ's | Dates | Texting Results | MRC's | Resources | News | Referees

Let us know what you think...

If you have any ideas of information you would like to see in these newsletters or on our website, please email web@nehyl.org.uk

NEHYL Newsletter Snapshot #13

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 12:48:25 GMT

November 2024

Autumn is well and truly here and the season underway – we want to use this newsletter to share news but also to provide updates on key issues that are being spotted during games. As ever, there is a wealth of information on this website – so if you are ever unsure about anything around the league then this should be your go to first port of call.

It's always worth remembering that everyone associated with making NEHYL a successful and well-run league is a volunteer – from League & Club Committees; to Team coaches, managers and admins. We do it to give over 11,000 players the opportunity to play football in one of 850 teams in a safe environment – let’s never forget it's not about us, it’s all about the players.

This coming weekend – 9th & 10th November – is when we ask every match to start with a minute’s silence in remembrance of those who lost their lives fighting for their country. It’s great that many clubs have embraced the work of Poppies4Kits who are in their eleventh year of supporting the Royal British Legion (RBL). Poppies4Kits allows clubs to show their support for the Armed Forces community by wearing self-adhesive poppy patches, commemorative armbands, and bespoke corner flags.

Playing Kit

First up is the wearing of bibs for matches – simply put, bibs may not be worn in any matches in the Under 11 age group or above . And when they are worn for mini soccer (U7 to U10) then they must be uniquely numbered and only used when:

the home and away outfield kits clash to the extent that the referee requires one team to change, or
goalkeeper tops are deemed (by the referee) to be insufficiently different to outfield players.

Over time, most teams will know when they are likely to have a kit clash for fixtures – and match joining instructions are a great way to highlight the home team colours and raise that here may be a potential clash.

We have also been made aware of instances where replica kit is being worn by players; black tops are a definite no for any players including goalkeepers; and no team should have players names on the back of their shirts.

Discipline

At the League kick off meeting the NEHYL Discipline Secretary talked through the work of the discipline panel and the lessons learnt after the panel’s first year. Across the thousands of games played last year, we received over 200 OTRs of which around 80 were escalated to Hampshire FA to review.

7 weeks into the new season and as a discipline committee we are delighted and concerned in equal measure by the number of Opposition Team Reports (OTR) that have already been received. For those clubs and teams who have taken time to raise issues via the additional online form, even if difficult and time consuming, we thank you.

This season there have been numerous allegations of parents and coaches entering the field of play without permission to often confront referees (many who are minors), assistant referees coaching whilst running the line, comments of cheating/bias towards match officials, violent behaviours of players or coaches and homophobic/racist language being used - so a difficult start with a lot of poor behaviour to stamp out.

Through the information provided by you we and County FAs will take strong action towards any club &/or manager, coaches or players who are unable to play in a sporting manner. Football in the NEHYL should continue to be a safe environment for children to enjoy their games and for match officials to feel safe. We implore every club to help continue to address this with their teams; to help promote positive encouragement; to coach and develop children to enjoy the game; and to stop thinking every game is a must win.

Fixture Postponements – A New Form

Fixture postponements always need reporting to your Divisional Secretary – we have found that the way this is done varies from team to team and so; to help streamline the process, we have launched a Fixture Postponement Request Form . This applies to all age groups and all League arranged fixtures.

We ask that teams use this form where you wish to request a postponement of an upcoming fixture. That request will be sent to the Divisional Secretary for review as well as your Club Secretary.

It is important to understand that submission of this form DOES NOT mean that your request will be granted.

Postponement & Cancellation Policy →

Player Transfers – An Existing Form

If a player is leaving a club and moving to a new team then clubs should not look to cancel the player registration – you are asked to use the Player Transfer Form that can be found here (which includes transfers between teams within a club).

Player Tranfer Form →

Laws of the Game – Changes

Girls Football

We continue to grow the number of Girls Teams playing football on Sundays under the NEHYL banner – back on the 6th October we held a day-long festival of football at Frimley Lodge where 46 teams and around 300 girls enjoyed playing football. Feedback has been super positive – and since then we have several new teams forming and entering the league.

Girls Football Information →

FREE tickets to Aldershot Town FC for NEHYL Teams

If this of interest to your club or team then click the link below.

Free Aldershot Town FC Tickets →

USEFUL LINKS
Match Admin | FAQ's | Dates | Texting Results | MRC's | Resources | News | Referees

Let us know what you think...

If you have any ideas of information you would like to see in these newsletters or on our website, please email web@nehyl.org.uk

Aldershot Town - Remembrance Fixture

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 15:10:13 GMT

Saturday 9th November, 12:30pm KO

Aldershot Town are holding a special Remembrance Fixture which we would very much like to give our full support to – tickets are free and ATFC have a separate google form set up just for NEHYL for this fixture – link is https://forms.gle/82abAvt4LHLyRGeE6 .

We are of course completely aware that the match’s kick off time (12.30pm) will make attendance ‘complicated’ for some teams, but we feel that we should be supporting this event as strongly as we can.

New Grassroots Code from The FA

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 11:37:33 GMT

Introducing the new Standards of Behaviour

Good news for all our clubs. The Grassroots Code is here to bring improved behaviour across the grassroots game.

Created following conversations with grassroots clubs across England, The Grassroots Code shares Standards of Behaviour we can all get behind, and hope to see across the NEHYL’s games.

Enjoy The Game We’re here to enjoy ourselves…win, lose or draw.
Give Respect We always treat others as we’d like to be treated.
Be Inclusive We embrace our differences…football is a game for everyone.
Work Together We’re a team, on and off the pitch.
Play Safe We all have a role in safeguarding children.

What next?

You can read more about the Standards of Behaviour in The Grassroots Code . These apply to all players and adults in youth football.

Please share with your club officials and members and let's enjoy football without the behaviour issues.

WATCH THE VIDEO

NEHYL Newsletter Snapshot #12

Mon, 02 Sep 2024 09:02:47 GMT

September 2024

A warm welcome to the 2024-25 season – at NEHYL we are all looking forward to getting football back underway and have everything crossed that there will be far less weather disruption in the months ahead than last season!

We want to use this newsletter to draw everyone’s attention to some key pointers before we really get going so that everyone has chance to become familiar with any changes as well as to reinforce some key respect points.

Everyone associated with NEHYL - be that league committee, club committees and volunteers, or team managers, coaches & admins – give up their time voluntarily to allow boys and girls to enjoy playing football. Always, it is the players who we need to put first, to give our support and encouragement to, and from which we can all gain our pleasure and enjoyment at being part of the beautiful game.

Let’s all have a wonderful 2024-25 season – and be proud that NEHYL won the accolade of Hampshire FA Grassroots League of the Year for 2023-24 by working together for the good of the thousands of young footballers we support.

Play Safe’s biggest weekend yet is approaching

Play Safe Weekend is on 28-29th September 2024 and is a part of a year-round campaign that champions the importance of safeguarding in football. It encourages leagues and clubs at every level of the game to play their part in making the game safe, fun, and enjoyable for everyone, everywhere, every time. Help us make Play Safe 2024 matter.

This year, we’re asking everyone involved in football to know their role in safeguarding. This means whether you’re a Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO)/Club Welfare Officer (CWO), parent/carer, committee member, coach, referee/match official, spectator or player, you should know your responsibilities in keeping the game safe for all.

Play Safe Weekend Information →

No Deliberate Heading for Matches – U7 to U10 and for Training - U7 to U11

NEHYL were pioneers for no deliberate heading in development football. England Football has now introduced this as mandatory for U7 to U9 football for this season. Further, a majority of NEHYL Clubs voted for to continue No Deliberate Heading for all U10 matches.

For a Touchline Restart at U7 to U10, we want to clarify that a player cannot score from a pass-in; but you can score from a dribble in. Information and resources around Deliberate Headers and the Touchline Restart can be found here .

Whilst heading is now allowed for U11 and U12 age groups for matches, we would emphasize that there should be no heading in any training sessions for all ages between U7 and U11.

Match Day Administration

There are several areas of match day administration that we would like to emphasise ahead of the start of the season.

NEHYL Member Directory – it is essential that every team has a contact listed in the Member Directory to allow your opposition and referees to get in contact; the Member Directory also lists contact information for referees and key Club Committee members, including the CWO. Please can Club Secretaries check that their entries are fully up to date as soon as possible.

Photos for coaches – if you are the manager or coach of a team then you MUST be listed on your team photo sheet along with the players. This also requires your photo to be present. If you are not listed or you do not have a photo on the squad sheet, then you are not allowed to be with the players at a match.

Referee Name – it is mandatory to provide the name of the person who referees every match on the MRC (Match Report Card). Whether the referee is league appointed, a club appointment, or steps up on the day to take the whistle they MUST be named on the MRC return.

Respect Handshake and ID Parade – Every match MUST commence with the respect handshake between the two teams. It is also mandatory for there to be an ID parade where each manager checks the opposition players listed on the Match Day Team Sheet with the up-to-date Squad List.

Match Admin Page →

Referee Fees

Fees for referees have increased this season – please ensure that the referee has been paid BEFORE kick-off by cash or BACS transfer. The full set of referee fees can be found in the rules summary for each age group and Referees Page.

Referee Fees →

Laws of the Game – Changes

NEHYL Girls’ Football Sunday League

Girls’ football is going from strength to strength at NEHYL – at the time of writing we have 46 teams across U7 to U10 age groups plus further teams in our new Flexi League that will grow in the months ahead. Our first festival for Girls’ Football will be on Sunday 6th October playing in a 5 a-side format at Frimley Lodge – and which is open to all interested teams whether currently registered with NEHYL or not. We are happy to welcome new teams at any point during the season.

Girls Football Information →

FREE tickets to Aldershot Town FC for NEHYL Teams

If this of interest to your club or team then click the link below.

Free Aldershot Town FC Tickets →

USEFUL LINKS
Match Admin | FAQ's | Dates | Texting Results | MRC's | Resources | News | Referees

Let us know what you think...

If you have any ideas of information you would like to see in these newsletters or on our website, please email web@nehyl.org.uk

NEHYL Awarded League of the Year by Hampshire FA

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 08:13:27 GMT

North East Hampshire Youth League going from strength to strength

The Hampshire FA Grassroots Football Awards recognises and celebrates the people and organisations that have made outstanding contributions to grassroots football in Hampshire as nominated by their grassroots workforce and communities. North East Hampshire Youth league is delighted to attend this year’s awards at the Hilton Southampton on the 27th July to receive the coveted award, League of the Year from Hampshire FA .

Founded back in 1970 with teams in just three age groups, North East Hampshire Youth League has come a long way since and now offer a full football pathway for boys and girls aged U7 right the way through to U18's in the north east of Hampshire. They now support over 800 teams – and well over 10,000 football players. But they believe strongly that there is still more that they can and will be doing – including improving the transition from youth to adult football with the creation of an U23's division in a local Saturday League and maximising the opportunities for more girls to be playing football locally with the launch of a new Sunday Girls league.

In nominating NEHYL for Grassroots League of the Year, it was noted that they are a proactive England Football Accredited league who engage with, and lead on, a number of Hampshire FA/ FA initiatives (including “No Heading Trial” and “Play Safe & Silent Weekends”); they are always trying to innovate and do new things to improve the football on offer in their area; and their communication is always excellent, with divisional secretaries having regular constructive contact regarding both Hampshire cup fixtures, player registration queries, and areas around discipline.

“Everyone here at NEHYL is excited at our winning the Hampshire FA League of the Season award”, said Nigel Welch League Chair. “It’s testament to the hard work of our committee and the fantastic support we get from all our member clubs. They and our committee of volunteers make this League all that it is. Our members back what we are trying to do and together we just want our young players to be able to safely enjoy the beautiful game”.

North East Hampshire Youth League now go to the national grassroots awards which will be announced later this year at Wembley.

Nigel Welch, Phil Rush, Duncan and Suzanne Swan and Rhys Culverhouse will attend the awards evening for NEHYL

NEHYL Chair & Treasurer Awarded Service to Football Award by Hampshire FA

A Hampshire FA Service to Football Award is made for 25 years’ continuous or aggregated voluntary service to the county and each winner is nominated by their Local Divisional Football Association.

Our very own Nigel Welch has been involved in the NEHYL since 2004/5 and is currently the League Chair, Treasurer & IT Co-ordinator as well as holding several other voluntary roles including LWO & Manager at Wey Valley (since 1993) and Chair, Treasurer and LWO at ADFL . A well deserved award for Service to Football presented by Hampshire FA.

Read the full HFA awards article here →

Play Safe Weekend on 28-29th September 2024

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 10:29:27 GMT

What is Play Safe?

This year, we’re asking everyone involved in football to know their role in safeguarding . This means whether you’re a DSO/CWO, parent/carer, committee member, coach, referee/match official, spectator or player, you should know your responsibilities in keeping the game safe for all.

Well Deserved Recipients for EOS Awards

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 08:53:51 GMT

Three awards were presented on 20th July 2024

Congratulations and thank you for your commitment and contribution to youth football.

NEHYL Presentation 2024

Mon, 24 Jun 2024 15:28:12 GMT

The 2024 North East Hampshire Youth League Annual Awards at Princes Hall, Aldershot

6219 People & 159 Teams

2516 Trophies & 166 Awards

12 sessions over 3 evenings

And it’s a wrap! Thank you to everyone, especially the NEHYL league officials, for making this year’s presentations another huge success!

Congratulations to everyone who attended!

View the Gallery from each session here...

Some lovely feedback received from clubs...

"I just wanted to take a moment to pass on a huge personal thanks for all the efforts in the build up and on the nights of last week surrounding the NEHYL presentation evenings. Every session I attended was fantastic and all kids present just had the best time and are thrilled with their trophies. Thank you so much for making it all happen." - Many thanks from all at Hart Youth FC

"Just wanted to say a big thank you for organising such a brilliant event this evening. It was so incredibly well organised and the team felt really honoured be part of it. They will always remember going up on stage with their mates. I'm not sure if you have more still to do, but I hope you enjoy a well deserved rest when they're all finished." - Vicki and the CTYFC U12 Rebels

"Thank you for a great evening ☺️" - Headley Warriors

"Thanks again for your help in organising the presentations this evening. The boys loved it and I really appreciate all the hard work that goes into the event." - Graham, Bourne Blades

"Thanks for all your hard work in organising the presentation this evening.. the boys had a great time and parents/carers really enjoyed seeing their children up on stage. Please do pass on our thanks to those who also helped make tonight happen. Also an extended thanks to Duncan for the season and welcoming the Farncombe Youth U13 sides into the fold and your kind words about all our teams this evening. We’ve all thoroughly enjoyed being part of the set-up and are looking forward to another season in the NEHYL. Have a restful summer when the last round of presentations are complete. - Farncombe Youth

"Thanks to you and the team for all the hard work that went into tonight’s event it was a great evening" - Michelle, Demons

"On behalf of Binsted FC our players loved the awards and it was incredibly slick! Knowing even what I have to do as CS, I can appreciate the huge amount of work you all do for the league." - Nicky, Club Secretary, Binsted FC

Green Light to Extend Girls Football for North East Hampshire Youth League

Wed, 08 May 2024 09:35:48 GMT

Hampshire FA have given NEHYL the green light to continue to grow girls football in this region and deliver girls only football from u7 to u11 from next season 2024/25.

In addition to this exciting news, NEHYL will be launching a new recreational 7v7 program for Girls aged 12+ which will focus on encouraging girls into football at an entry level for fun, providing a non-competitive introduction to the game.

September 2023 saw the league launch girls only football on a Sunday. Within weeks of their first festival for 6-8 years old girls, several new teams had formed and signed up for the season, allowing players new to the game and who wanted to play locally on the Hampshire, Berkshire, and Surrey borders the opportunity to enjoy football. Many of the girls were kicking a ball for the first time – and as the season has progressed, they have grown with confidence and are loving their football. From a standing start, NEHYL now has 205 girls playing across 22 teams.

From September 2024 we will ‘roll over’ our current teams into the next age group – and we already have new teams and clubs wanting to join. Our aim is to sustain organic growth year on year. Given some clubs are just starting out on their female football journey, we will continue to deliver fun festivals across all the U7 to U11 age groups to help nurture those early development shoots. Online registration for season 2024/25 opens in the coming weeks - and when we know the level of interest and numbers of confirmed teams then we can agree the divisional structure for our new age groups.

As a league we want to provide girls the opportunity to play football locally and will be working closely with Hampshire FA to champion girl’s football in this corner of the three neighbouring counties for players, referees, coaches, and managers. NEHYL have also committed to working with Hampshire Girls Youth League so that, together with joint purpose, we will continue to grow girls’ football, encouraging girls to have a go and find their feet having fun along the way.

NEHYL are keen to ‘onboard’ new teams and nurture the pathway through the development age groups from U7 to U11, helping with the transition to the County girls leagues in competitive divisions for teams who are established and have played in regular league matches.

Chair of HGYL Graham Moores and Chair of NEHYL Nigel Welch, both agree their league’s underlying philosophy is to encourage girls to play football and support initiatives to enable teams to play locally. Both leagues look forward to being aligned in purpose and supporting the growth and development of girls’ football.

In the meantime, please do spread the word. Our League officers have a wealth of experience in starting girls’ teams and establishing FA Wildcats centres from scratch – so please don’t hesitate to call us should you need help setting up your first girls’ team.

More Information & Contacts:

U7 to U11 plus Festivals: Suzanne Swan and Polly Roberts - email girls@nehyl.org.uk

12+ and the new recreational 7v7 program: Andrew Hall - email GirlsFlexiLeague@nehyl.org.uk

Read more information on our Girls Football information page here .

April 2024 NEHYL Newsletter Snapshot #11

Fri, 12 Apr 2024 10:34:42 GMT

April 2024

This season is heading into its final stages – and in the older, competitive age groups there is still a fair amount of football to be played for many teams. With the lighter evenings there are several teams looking at organising midweek fixtures to help clear the fixture backlog – if you do look to bring a match forward or try to fit a previously postponed fixture into an evening slot then do keep your Div Sec in the loop. Whilst matches for the younger age groups will finish at the end of April/early May, the older age groups will in some case be playing into May. The playing season formally ends on May 31st.

There are a few dates for your diaries across the following activities.

League Presentation Evenings

The season always has its finale with Presentation Evenings across all age groups at Princes Hall, Aldershot. The dates and times for each age group are published here . Our Presentation Evenings not only celebrate those who have won or finished as runners-up in their respective Divisions but the Fair Play winners for each age group.

Div Secs will be in touch with more details nearer the time – and once all those invited to attend are known – and will be looking for a team photo for each team represented.

Presentation Schedule →

Cup Finals & Play-offs

Cup Final dates have also been announced for all age groups with Finals in April and May. Again, the details of dates and venues can be found here – this will be kept up to date as finalists secure their place in their respective final.

Where a division has teams who finish equal on points at the top then it may be necessary to have Play-off matches at the end of May to determine 1st and/or 2nd places. Where teams agree, there is the option for the position to be shared. Should play-off matches be necessary then your Div Sec will be in touch to co-ordinate logistics.

View Dates →

Girls Festival

Our first season back supporting Girls Football comes to a close on May 12th with a football festival at Frimley Lodge. There are more details about the event here – and we hope to be in a position to very soon confirm the details for NEHYL Girls Football for next season. Watch this space !

Read the article →

Tournaments

The League are happy to publicise Summer Tournaments for member clubs that have been sanctioned by the relevant County FA. You can find more information here .

Before entering a tournament, do remember that League and Cup fixtures take precedence over club trips and tournaments . Should a team who enters a tournament and then does not fulfil a scheduled league or cup fixture then they will face a charge and a fine for failing to fulfil a fixture. It’s also important to remember that on any given day that there is a maximum playing time for players that varies by age – there’s a full breakdown in the League Rules on pages 10 and 11 .

Tournament Listings →

AGM & Pre-season Meeting

The League AGM will be held on Tuesday 11th June at Princes Hall, Aldershot – more information will be circulated to Club Officials nearer the time. And the pre-season meeting will also be at Princes Hall on Friday August 30th .

It’s always appreciated if teams can signal their intent to continue playing next season to their Div Sec – this certainly helps with planning and making sure the age group Divisional Structure – or Constitution – is as accurate as possible as we head towards the start of the new season.

Discipline

And we finish this newsletter on the prickly subject of Discipline. Despite the lower number of games across March, the number of OTRs** received were higher than February. The vast number of OTRs being received in March have been noted in case future OTRs are received against the same teams; however, several OTRs received were escalated to county which has added to the 61 cases awaiting feedback from across this season.

As part of a wider review of discipline at the end of the season, NEHYL will be reviewing the processes undertaken in this first year of having the discipline panel and will be presenting findings/updates on discipline at the forthcoming end of season AGM. In the meantime, we continue to ask for Club Secretaries to review the OTRs being raised by managers as a triage prior to submitting to the league.

The League so far this season have sent out 6 first stage warning letters to clubs and have met now with 2 clubs in person to discuss their ongoing discipline problems (with some further meetings to be set up).

All that said, the total number of OTRs received across this season to date (182) is still low in comparison to the total number of games played.

** [An OTR, Opposition Team Report, is raised where any score of 4 or less is awarded on the Match Report Card (MRC)]

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NEHYL Girls Summer Festival Sunday 12 May

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 08:02:55 GMT

SUNDAY 12TH MAY KO 1PM

FRIMLEY LODGE ASTRO GU16 6HY

Informal fun festival of football for girls age 6-8 (U7 and U8)
18 Teams booked in so far and a couple of places are left
U7 register 12.30 for a 1pm start
U8 register 2.30pm
Building on the success of our September and December 2023 festivals
Open to NEHYL members, Wildcats centres and individual players
Since September over 204 girls have registered to play locally in this league
22 teams with most playing for the first time in new local teams
Qualified NEHYL junior referees allocated to each match.
£25 registration fee to help towards the referee fees
Come along to watch or take part - everyone welcome – KO times to be confirmed.

Simply, contact us, have a go, find your feet, have fun!

Email team name and contact details to girls@nehyl.org.uk to book the last few places!

Ash United Youth FA Referee Course

Thu, 21 Mar 2024 17:01:13 GMT

U15 & U16 Referee Course 9th-11th April 2024

Dear U15 and U16 football coaches, see below an excellent opportunity for your players to gain an FA referee qualification and begin earning good pocket money.

What : Ash United Youth FC FA Youth Referee course 09-10-11 April 24.

Where : Ash United Youth FC are delighted to offer out places on a FA Referee course they are hosting during the Easter half term school holidays. This course is being conducted with FA referee tutors over 09-10-11 Apr 23 at Ash United Football ground, Ash, GU12 6RB.

When : 09-10-11 Apr 24

How Much : cost of this course is £75 per learner, for this, students will receive an FA Ref qualification, referee strip, flags red/yellow cards whistle and notebook good to go for use on a youth football field.

Who can attend : 14–16-year-olds, Ash United Youth U15-16 s have a number of players already signed up, with spaces left we would like to offer them out to U15 U16 teams within NEHYL.

How to apply : email to express an interest for this course is to be sent to: ashunitedyouthfc@gmail.com spaces are limited and on a first come first basis.

What youth referees can earn once qualified: youth referees can earn between £18 and £35 for NEHYL games.

Ash United Youth Committee look forward to hearing from you soon.

NEHYL GIRLS FOOTBALL FESTIVAL

Thu, 29 Feb 2024 14:56:12 GMT

HOLD THE DATE SUNDAY 12TH MAY

FRIMLEY LODGE ASTRO GU16 6HY

Informal fun festival of football for girls age 6-8 (U7 and U8)
Building on the success of our September and December 2023 festivals
Open to NEHYL members, Wildcats centres and individual players
Since September over 190 girls have registered to play locally in this league
22 teams with most playing for the first time in new local teams
Qualified NEHYL junior referees allocated to each match.
£25 registration fee to help towards the referee fees
Come along to watch or take part - everyone welcome – KO times to be confirmed.

Simply, contact us, have a go, find your feet, have fun!

Email team name and contact details to girls@nehyl.org.uk to hold a place.

NEHYL Newsletter Snapshot #10

Mon, 19 Feb 2024 17:48:41 GMT

February 2024

As we finish half term and head towards Easter, there’s a few key items to share with everyone – please do take a few minutes to read through.

The weather has really paid havoc with our competitive age groups this season – Divisional Secretaries are doing their very best to get all matches scheduled by the end of April and only going on into May as a last resort (the season formally finishes on 31 May). There will be the need for some fixtures to be played as Double Headers – if you do have a Double Header then make sure that you are up to speed with protocol by looking at our website . And teams can always look to play midweek fixtures as evenings get lighter if this suits all – just let your Divisional Secretary know once agreed.

Silent Support Weekend 2nd & 3rd March

The weekend of the 2nd & 3rd March is Silent Support Weekend. Players often say too much noise from the sidelines can be confusing and distracting. Younger players say the only voice they want to hear is their coach. Youth players say they want the chance to find their voice and develop their own game. It’s why we’re bringing Silent Support games into our league. Silent Support works by:

Players keep talking on the pitch.
Spectators support good play through applause only.
Coaches support the players as they need to.

From a coaching perspective we all recognise that the younger age groups will benefit from calmer, reassuring, support. From the U11 age groups and above, we expect coaches will be quiet for the most part.

Read resources to support this FA initiative on our website here →

Registration & Transfer Deadline

For U12s and above, the deadline for the registration of any new players or the transfer of players between teams is midnight on the 1st March .

We strongly recommend letting your Divisional Secretary know if you are planning any last-minute signings so that they can be approved in good time.

Mini Shin Pads

Several member clubs have taken decisive action to either ban or recommend in the strongest possible terms that players do not use mini shin pads for either training or matches. England Football has also just released some guidance about this matter here – and have advised that it will be the decision of the match official on the day to confirm if they are happy with the shin pads that any players are wearing and that they provide sufficient protection in line with the FA regulations.

Mini shin pads simply do not provide sufficient protection for players. The materials used in shin pads are also an important factor - always look for a CE mark which means the shin guards achieve minimum standards. We would welcome more clubs following suit and having the debate that will help promote a safer playing environment – and as a League we will be considering our next steps.

Pre-Match Protocols

We are constantly reminded that teams are simply not following pre-match protocols. As a reminder:

Match day team sheets must be either emailed by the day before the match or handed over as a paper copy before kick-off
An ID check MUST be done before kick-off – the ID check MUST use the photo sheet downloaded from, or viewed on, the FA Whole Game website. It is NOT acceptable to just print out a sheet of photos from club registration.
Only coaches who appear on the photo sheet are permitted to coach and be with the players during a match
If your opposition is unable to show you’re their photo team sheet, then you must email or text your divisional secretary prior to kick-off.
EVERY NEHYL game MUST start with the Respect handshake – this is an FA initiative.
It is best practice that spectators should NOT stand behind the club assistant referee – respect barriers must ensure spectators clearly recognise where they are allowed to stand

Read detailed Match Admin info here →

Important Dates

Divisional Secretaries are still finalising dates for their Cup Finals – these will be shared with teams in good time and, when confirmed, will be posted on the website on our Events page .

Presentation Evenings will be the 19, 20 & 21st June at Princes Hall Aldershot ; more details will be shared nearer the time.

And the League AGM will be held at Princes Hall Aldershot on Tuesday 11th June starting at 7.30pm .

Wearing Bibs

Bibs may only be worn for Mini-Soccer matches (i.e. U7-U10) as a last resort if:

The home and away outfield kits clash to the extent that the referee requires one team to change; or
Goalkeeper tops are deemed (by the referee) to be insufficiently different to outfield players.

In all cases, bibs worn by players/goalkeepers must be uniquely numbered.

Bibs CANNOT be worn in any matches in the Under 11 age group or above.

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Silent Support Weekend National 2/3 March

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 10:07:19 GMT

What is Silent Support Weekend

For players, your silence is golden

Players often say too much noise from the sidelines can be confusing and distracting. Younger players say the only voice they want to hear is their coach. Youth players say they want the chance to find their voice and develop their own game. It’s why we’re bringing Silent Support games into our league.

Silent Support helps create a more positive space for players, coaches and spectators. The idea is to cut down on unnecessary distraction from the sidelines. It works by:

Players keep talking on the pitch.
Coaches support the players as they need to.
Spectators support good play through applause only.

It’s true for every player. When you cut out the noise, your silence speak volumes!

How does Silent Support work?

Instead of confusing shouts and rebukes from spectators, players are encouraged by their applause only. Rather than hearing lots of voices offering conflicting instructions, players might only hear the voice of their coach – or from no-one at all if that’s the way you want to play it.

Always remember the Respect Code of Conduct and keep sharing to remind everyone that participates in football.

Download posters and social media assets to share with your players and coaches here .

NEHYL Newsletter Snapshot #9

Fri, 05 Jan 2024 12:42:42 GMT

January 2024

As we enter 2024 everyone at NEHYL wishes you a very Happy New Year! Please do take a few minutes to read through this newsletter as we try to cover off some of the common issues raised.

For many, the season thus far has had several weekends with poor weather rendering grass pitches unplayable – there’s little we can do about this other than ensure that we give visiting teams and allocated referees reasonable notice of postponements. Never assume a text or an email has been read – ask for confirmation or, better still phone so that you have immediate confirmation that the message has been received and is understood. Remember to let your Divisional Secretary know so that they are aware - and for competitive fixtures work with your opposition and Divisional Secretary to find an alternative date to play.

Talking about contacting fellow managers, coaches, and club officials, then it is important that contact details and roles are kept up to date in the NEHYL Club & Team Contacts System – to remove people who are no longer associated with your clubs and teams, the Club Secretary must email web@nehyl.org.uk to archive their record.

It’s also important to keep your FA Qualifications up to date – several team and club officials have expiring and, worse still, expired qualifications. Safeguarding and DBS are essential for anyone working with young players. If your qualification has expired, you simply cannot stand on the managers side of the pitch or help run the team.

Return of Trophies

It’s that time of year when Trophies awarded at the end of last season are due to be returned to the League – Club Secretaries will be asked to coordinate with their team managers but keep an eye out for more information around where to drop off any trophies and note that the deadline is 31st January. Please remember to get the trophy engraved before returning it – team name and season are all that are required.

New Team Sheet & Taking Images

During the pre-season meeting back in August, we highlighted changes to the Match Day Team Sheet that includes a new section around consent for the taking of images at matches. Firstly, we urge all clubs to ensure that teams are now using the latest Match Day Team Sheet which is available on the Information page.

We have been asked to clarify our position in relation to the taking of images – and how we expect teams to notify the opposition when they highlight that they do not have consent from all parents/guardians for images to be taken. Read the full information on taking images of players and referees here →

Discipline Update

The pre-season meeting also outlined that the League were setting up a new discipline panel. With club secretaries receiving the latest MRC scores in December then it is timely to share observations so far from the panel:

Over 90 Opposition Team Reports (OTRs) have been raised since start of season – an OTR is raised where one or more categories on the MRC score 4 or less (out of 10).
Each OTR received is assessed by the Discipline Panel at a weekly meeting
Around 25% have been escalated immediately to the relevant County FA for serious discipline offences
First stage warnings for conduct have been issued to 4 teams
Seven teams have had 2 or more OTRs raised against them – this is not good!
The U15, U12 & U10 age groups are the worst thus far for OTRs being raised
We all very much hope that the second half of the season will see a marked reduction of OTRs being raised

We ask all managers, coaches, players, and spectators to remember that the FA Respect Codes of Conduct spell out our expectations – as well as those of all our clubs – on how the game should be played. There is NEVER a valid reason as to why any of these Codes of Conduct can be broken.

Girls’ Football in North East Hampshire

Girls’ football continues to go from strength to strength for the U7 and U8 teams – we are pleased to report that we have just passed our 25th girls team registering to play.

If your club wants to get involved, for more information go to NEHYL Girls Football or drop an email to girls@nehyl.org.uk .

Read about Suzannes award and watch the video →

No League Allocated Referee?

If you have no allocated referee by Thursday, it is unlikely the League will be able to provide one. The Home team should endeavour to provide one in the first place, but if unsuccessful then after that it will need to be a parent or coach that will act as a Referee. Please remember that Individuals under the age of 16 must not participate either as a referee or assistant referee unless they are an FA registered referee and in full kit.

Where a person who is not a registered Match Official steps in as the Referee then in these circumstances the unregistered and/or unqualified Match Official will carry the same status, powers, and duties of an appointed registered Match Official for the purpose of that match. Back in 2022, all NEHYL teams were issued with a referee’s kit (flags, whistle, note pad & cards) - and so should have the basic equipment to allow a match to be refereed.

An unregistered and/or unqualified Match Official is fully entitled, as prescribed by the Laws of the Game, to issue cautions, use the sin bin for temporary dismissals, or send a player off. Where this happens then this should be reported by the referee to the League using the Report for Referees form .

Not receiving FA Fixture Emails or Texts?

Every Sunday at 5pm fixtures for the next 7 days are sent out by email from FA Full-Time – these are sent to all nominated Team Admins. If you are not receiving these emails, then either:

You have not been set up as a Team Administrator: Your Club Secretary can sort this and get you added via the Club Portal; or
You are one of around 250 Team Admins who have not responded to a verification email previously sent by the FA. This can be resolved by phoning Phil Rush on 07921 781746

It’s worth being aware that clubs can have a nominated Club Fixture Secretary who will receive ALL the fixtures for ALL the teams at the Club – this is a roll that can also be added via the Club Portal.

Finally, if you are not receiving an SMS on your match day to respond back to with the match result then anyone with access to FA Full Time for your team can help resolve this.

How to update FA Full Time for primary SMS contacts →

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England Football National November Volunteer of the Month Award

Thu, 04 Jan 2024 12:41:20 GMT

Girls’ football continues to go from strength to strength for the U7 and U8 teams

Starting from nothing in September, we are pleased to report that we have just passed our 25th girls team registering to play. All of these are new teams to football; and the vast majority of the players are also new to playing in teams. We are already working with County FA to understand our mandate for next season so that we can continue to build on the foundations that have been put in place this season.

Testament to the work that the league – and in particular Suzanne Swan who leads this initiative – has achieved in such a short space of time was the decision by England Football to award their National November Volunteer of the Month accolade to Suzanne. The award was presented during the hugely successful Girls’ festival held at Weydon School, Farnham, in early December where 20 teams took part comprising around 150 players supported by several of our promising young female referees. Watch the video below.

If your club wants to get involved, then do get in contact – there’s more information here or drop an email to girls@nehyl.org.uk

NEHYL Newsletter Snapshot #8

Fri, 20 Oct 2023 09:14:23 GMT

Welcome to Season 2023/24

We hope you have had a good summer and enjoyed the first few weeks of youth football this season. As always, our goal is to provide safe, fun and competitive football across the youth age groups and we can only do this with our members support. It's great to see so many clubs have returned to us and continue to do so year on year. Our latest club list is here , so you can see what a fantastic network of clubs you are part of.

We've got a lot to cover in this newsletter, so please read through it carefully and share with others in your clubs and teams who are involved in fixtures.

Have a great season!

NEHYL Committee

Match Day Process

It's really important that all teams, from U7 up to U18, understand and follow our match day process . This ensures allocated referees and visiting teams turn up at the right place at the right time; that we follow the Respect principles that we have all signed up to; and that we report results and submit post-match reports in a timely manner. From coaches to club committee members, Divisional Secretaries to league officials, we are all volunteers – and anything to help kids football run smoothly has to be good. There’s a whole stack of useful information on this website – but key steps are summarised in this article →

New Digital Player Transfer

This is designed to make the process simpler and easier to follow for everyone; new club, old club, players parents/guardians, and the League! The form includes an automated workflow so that the relevant party receives an email to approve the transfer or take the next action on the Club Portal. Note Divisional Secretaries do not detach players during the active season and can only act upon a transfer request in the portal once approvals have taken place.

If you need to transfer a player, the receiving club must use the player transfer form to start the process →

Discipline Process & Panel

At our pre-season meeting, the league outlined that we are introducing the NEHYL Discipline Panel which is now in place and unfortunately, we are already receiving lots of reports of misconduct through our new Opposition Team Report via MRCs. Divisional Secretaries will be in contact if MRC scores for players/coaches/spectators are falling below expectations.

In an ideal world the Discipline Panel would have nothing to do – it is in all our interests to try and help significantly reduce cases of ill-discipline at all of our NEHYL games.

Read the information about what will not be tolerated at matches and how reports will be actioned →

Update on Girls Football

We had a fantastic festival and have around 15 clubs fully committed to supporting teams playing U7 & U8 football with NEHYL on Sundays this season – and a few more who are still firming up coaches, teams and numbers. Having girls football played locally = especially at the younger ages – removes the need for significant travel to fixtures and we are seeing clubs embracing our initiative who previously haven’t been able to support girls football.

To find out more, to find a team email girls@nehyl.org.uk and Andrew, Polly or Suzanne will get back to you #LetGirlsPlayLocally

Read the festival feedback and view images here →

Hampshire Cup

Congratulations to all of our teams who made it through to Hampshire County Cup Round 2 – and good luck with your games on 11th November! The round dates are below – please work with your Divisional Secretary and Opposition Manager to rearrange any fixtures postponed due to County Cup commitments.

ROUND DATES

1st Round | Saturday 7 & Sunday 8 October 2023

2nd Round | Saturday 11 & Sunday 12 November 2023

3rd Round | Saturday 9 & Sunday 10 December 2023

4th Round | Saturday 13 & Sunday 14 January 2024

5th Round | Saturday 10 & Sunday 11 February 2024

6th Round | Saturday 9 & Sunday 10 March 2024

Finals | Dates & Venues TBC (late April & May)

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Match Day Process

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 10:34:51 GMT

A few essential tips to get the season off to a great start...

It's really important that all teams, from u7 up to U18, understand and follow our match day process . This ensures allocated referees and visiting teams turn up at the right place at the right time; that we follow the Respect principles that we have all signed up to; and that we report results and submit post-match reports in a timely manner. From coaches to club committee members, Divisional Secretaries to league officials, we are all volunteers – and anything to help kids football run smoothly has to be good. There’s a whole stack of useful information on this website – but key steps can be summarised as follows:

PRE-MATCH CHECKLIST

Fixtures Changes

If you need to change a fixture then let you divisional secretary and opposition know as soon as possible – and preferably more than 14 days before the fixture. It always helps for both teams to agree an alternative date and let your divisional secretary know.

KO Time

The home team should make sure that the kick off time and venue are set correctly on FA FullTime. Not sure how to do this? Login to FullTime where you will then be able to select your team from the dropdown and click 'Fixture Wizard' or you can use the The FA's Matchday App.

Referee

Contact your referee and opposition manager by the Wednesday before the match at the latest – always ask for positive confirmation that they have received and understood your message. Opposition and referee contact details can be found in the NEHYL Member System .

Team Sheet

Both teams should swap the match day team sheet before kick-off – either by email or paper copy – and don’t forget to use the new team sheet documents that can be downloaded here . These new documents include some important changes – in particular around the taking of images during the fixture.

DURING & AFTER MATCH CHECKLIST

Respect

Set out your respect barrier or line when setting up the pitch – remember spectators must be on the opposite of the pitch to coaches and substitutes and MUST NOT stand behind the linesperson. And both teams must have a Respect Steward .

Squad List

Before kick off you must complete a photo ID parade that confirms your players are registered with your team – this can be using a recently printed paper copy from the FA Club Portal or showing the team photo ID page on your mobile device. More information of the Club Portal can be found here .

Handshake

The respect handshake takes place between the teams before kick-off for EVERY game.

Match Result

And once the game has finished your nominated contact must text in the match result in response to the text from FA Fulltime as soon as possible; and complete the online MRC within 5 days.

AND DON'T FORGET TO READ THE FULL MATCH ADMIN PAGE HERE FOR MORE DETAILS

NEHYL Girls football has kicked off on Sundays

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 09:18:55 GMT

Excited, shy and all the emotions in between were on show on Sunday 24th September when NEHYL hosted their first Girls festival

Girls age 6-8 years old playing across 16 teams with 6 wonderful FA registered female referees spent the morning at Frimley Lodge playing 48 mini matches and having an amazing time. All feedback points to doing more to help girls play more football in this area.

Some girls came on their own to join in a team , some teams had never played together before Sunday and some teams were a mix of Wildcats. The excitement the faces and even the screams at scoring their first ever penalty was rewarding for everyone involved.

All want to do this again and we cant wait to get more onboard and build on the success of this event for teams on the borders of Hampshire Berkshire and Surrey in the U7 to U8 age groups.

“ Absolutely loved it “

“ Brilliant brilliant brilliant ”

“Can’t thank you enough for doing this”

“ The team organising this at NEHYL are fab”

“ Thanks a lot for organising Suzanne. It was a great morning.”

“ A huge thanks from me, thank you “

“simply wonderful !”

“Thank you! Please do more so we can play locally”

“Just wanted to say a massive thanks again from Hart FC for the amazing efforts of Suzanne and your colleagues for a wonderful morning of girls football on Sunday”

“As a first time coach with U7 girls for whom it was their first experience of playing a match, it was a hugely positive experience. The refs were encouraging and personable, it ran seamlessly and it felt like a day to really celebrate and champion our girls”

“Thank you for the Haribo. Can I come and play again ?”

“Thank you so much for today! My U8 girls loved it so much that they all want to play next weekend now! “

“Thanks again so much for today, the girls, coaches, and parents all loved it”

To find out more, to find a team email girls@nehyl.org.uk and Andrew, Polly or Suzanne will get back to you #LetGirlsPlayLocally

Resources for the Play Safe Weekend

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 09:45:26 GMT

30th September - 1st October 2023

We hope that EVERYONE, EVERYWHERE has already started thinking about how you will support Play Safe this season, raising greater awareness of the safeguarding practice and culture.

PLAY SAFE CAPTAINS’ ARMBANDS AND PIN BADGES

We are providing clubs direct with Play Safe armbands for youth team captains to wear and a Play Safe pin badge for youth team coaches. These are being provided to every affiliated youth team. There are c90,000 on the way so clubs will be receiving them soon, if they haven’t already.

NEW! PLAY SAFE PLEDGE

This season we are asking clubs/leagues at every level of the game, (and individuals if they wish) to tell us what you are planning. Simply click on the link below to share what you will be doing to help make a difference this Play Safe weekend and beyond.

If you’ve not yet decided, why not check out the Play Safe Pledge link to see some examples of what you could do: MAKE YOUR PLEDGE

DIGITAL & PRINT ASSETS

Please click the link to find various assets you can use for print and digital purposes to promote safeguarding during the Play Safe weekend. It’s not too early to start raising awareness, so please get adding these to your social media channels and websites. DOWNLOAD ASSETS

If you want to include your own logo alongside Play Safe then please open the ‘Editable Assets’ folder as these will enable you to create bespoke materials.

There is also an editable Play Safe article should you wish to make use of it and/or add a quote of your own.

And finally, ahead of the weekend itself, we will send you a short film for use on your website and/or on social media.

Many thanks in advance for being an active part of the Play Safe weekend 2023 and helping create an ever-safer culture across every level of the game in England.

Click here for more information on The FA's site

More information

English football is set to unite again over the above weekend to promote Play Safe – a countrywide campaign to focus attention of the vital importance of safeguarding in our national game.

Led by The Football Association, the Play Safe campaign is endorsed by the NSPCC and will be supported this weekend across every level of English football, including the Premier League, EFL, Barclays Women’s Super League and Barclays Women’s Championship, and across the grassroots game.

This season we are asking EVERYONE, EVERYWHERE – clubs and leagues at every level of the game, (and individuals if they wish) – to tell us what they are planning to do to make a difference over the Play Safe weekend and to share this via an online Play Safe Pledge .

The FA’s Survivor Support and Safeguarding Advisory Group (FASSSAG) continues to support Play Safe: “Creating safe environments in every football setting is a collective responsibility. It’s really important that every single person in football – no matter if they’re actively involved or on the sidelines – understands that they have an ongoing role to play. Knowing how to act on any concerns is vital and Play Safe is a key way to raise awareness so that everyone is vigilant and knows what to do if they become aware of any inappropriate behaviour.”

This year’s Play Safe weekend focuses on the safeguarding role EVERYONE has to play – coach, player, parent/carer, spectator or volunteer – to keep children and young people safe, no matter what the football setting. EVERYONE, EVERYWHERE, EVERYTIME is encouraged to WATCH, LISTEN, TALK and ACT if they have any safeguarding concerns.

These messages are reflected in the visuals on this page, which are examples of the various digital and print resources being distributed to every County FA, league and club in England. Captain’s armbands will be worn at various levels of the game over the weekend. Head coaches/managers are also being asked to wear Play Safe pin badges to show their support.

It’s all part of football in England uniting to create an ever-safer culture across the game at every level.

New Respect Steward Guide

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 13:20:06 GMT

Hampshire FA - The Role and Responsibilities of a Respect Steward

To support the FA Respect programme Hampshire FA are continuing with the requirement for all teams Home & Away to provide an adult (this should not be the team manager or coach) steward for all youth football teams U16 and below ( as stated in the HFA guide, some leagues are applying this to all age groups).

NEHYL require a Respect Steward for ALL clubs, teams and age groups (not just U16 and below).

Read the latest guide on the information page here .

Free Aldershot Town FC tickets for local clubs

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 09:13:47 GMT

Apply for free tickets to an Aldershot Town FC home game in 2023/24

A great opportunity for local football teams to come to football for free!

Click here to apply for as many tickets as you need.

Girls Football Returns to NEHYL Sept 2023 for U7 & U8

Tue, 04 Jul 2023 12:16:39 GMT

Go back 11 years to 2002 and NEHYL first launched girls football in this part of Hampshire.

Our divisons initially grew year-on-year; but come 2015 the decision was taken to stop. In the intervening period interest in the women’s game has grown substantially and it’s fantastic to be able to confirm that NEHYL has been given the go head to restart girls only teams for this coming 2023-24 season.

Having listened to member clubs concerned over the distances our younger players are travelling across the Hampshire, Berkshire, Surrey borders we have successfully lobbied Hampshire FA to approve running U7 and U8 girls teams once again in this local area. NEHYL is perfectly positioned geographically and has a 50+ year history of successfully running grass roots football for children from U7 to U18 . During 2022-23 we organised approximately 370 fixtures each week for our boys and mixed teams, for over 9710 children across 764 teams. We have over 70 Member Clubs registered and still growing.

Interested but not sure where to start? Then simply email girls@nehyl.org.uk and arrange a call with one of the NEHYL team and we will do all that we can to help.

Ready to start your girls 5 aside team? Then all you need do is email us or complete the form here .

HOW YOU CAN HELP TO MARKET GIRLS TEAMS IN YOUR CLUB AND REGISTER WITH NEHYL - YOUR LOCAL LEAGUE

Share this support for local girls team with NEHYL (a local league) using the flyer below ( click here to download a PDF version ).

We have created a version for your Club that you can customise using this template (Canva is a free marketing tool which you may find useful for all your club marketing) - add your own club logo, insert your club name at the start and enter the contact details at the bottom). If you need help customising this contact girls@nehyl.org.uk.

NEHYL Presentations Feedback

Mon, 26 Jun 2023 16:18:24 GMT

Lovely feedback from our member clubs...

"I would like to thank you for tonight's presentation evening. The team, officials and parents are extremely grateful for all of the planning and organisation that goes into these events (the team particularly liked the medals this year!). We have been fortunate enough to have attended 4 of these events over the years so thank you."

"I just wanted to thank you for a great evening last night & I’m sure you will sleep well after this is all finished,

But thought it was very well organised ��"

"Just wanted to drop you a note to say Thankyou to everyone who organised our awards session last night.

I totally appreciate what goes into it all to make it a success."

"A massive thank you from Parents, officials and players. Really good event tonight."

"I was at the Divisional awards last night and it was a brilliant event to attend and I thank everyone involved for making it special for all of the players."

"Thanks for an amazing presentation, Sue and all your hard work! The boys loved the experience and enjoyed the recognition! It was an unbelievable evening. Please pass on my thanks to everyone else involved."

"Thanks for all your efforts arranging these presentation sessions. It was the first one we had attended, and was a great way to sign off at the end of the season. Great for the boys to get the recognition they deserved for winning the league! The only thing that could have been better was that it was very warm in the hall! (I know you did warn us about it!) It wasn’t even that warm a day when we were there, must be a real nightmare if it’s 30 degrees outside!"

"I would just like to say I think it was brilliant the set up was great, it wasn’t too long so the children didn’t get frustrated. it was just a great night and I think you and all the team should be very proud of what you achieved. Thank you. It was great to be a part of. "

"We all thought it was an a bsolutely brilliant event. So well organised & presented, the boys really felt special amongst all the other teams. Pretty flawless in my opinion. "

View the Gallery from the evening here...

The FA Grassroots Football Survey

Tue, 13 Jun 2023 17:14:53 GMT

And your chance to win Kitlocker vouchers...

The FA want to hear our views on grassroots football ��

Behaviours ⛔ Refereeing �� Playing ⚽ Watching �� Facilities �� Cost of living �� Communications and Technology ��

They want to hear what we think (and there's a chance to win a prize too!)

Please take a couple of minutes to complete the survey below ...

Club NEHYL Registration Open for Season 2023-24

Tue, 09 May 2023 13:57:45 GMT

Clubs can now renew or register for next season

Please note there are several mandatory requirements when completing the form to reduce chasing for information after the form is submitted. So please read through the notes and checklist at the top of the Club Reg page before completing the form to ensure you have everything to hand.

For existing clubs their is a new requirement to ensure the committee members state their member number which can be found on the member system:

If you are a Club Committee Member completing the form, you can find the Member Numbers for Committee Members on your directory here .
Alternatively, each member can find their own number on the NEHYL Contacts System on each individual's dashboard summary (see screenshot below) and send it to the person completing the form.

IMPORTANT: Any of the officials for existing clubs who are not currently registered on the contacts system need to do so before submitting the club’s application here .

Dates for Finals Published

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 09:50:26 GMT

Dates for finals and cup events

Dates for all age groups have been published under the Information section of this website.

Beacon Hill win HFA County Cup Final

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 08:29:56 GMT

Showcasing a strong commitment to the game...

The County Cup Final for Beacon Hill U18 Fire v Braishfield Bees Youth U18 was scheduled for 1st April after some of the players and manager had already booked a Easter break. There dedication to the game meant that some of them had to change their holiday plans to attend the match. Well, it was lucky they did as they ended up winning 3 - 1.

View the HFA Tweet & Images →

Presentation Dates Published

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 10:06:14 GMT

21st to 23rd June

League Presentations will be held at Princess Hall, Aldershot.

Click here to view presentation dates for all age groups.

Click here to subscribe to league calendar .

Subscribe to MRC Reminder

Mon, 20 Mar 2023 11:23:02 GMT

A Tool for Club Secretaries and Team Officials

We have created a second NEHYL Tasks Google Calendar to include a weekly reminder to check Outstanding MRC's to help clubs avoid fines.

Club Secretaries and Team Officials should subscribe to this calendar to receive a generic email notification every Wednesday to remind you to check Outstanding MRCs on our website so that you can follow up on any outstanding submissions with your managers,

Click here to view outstanding MRCs and subscribe to the reminder calendar .

Silent Support 25-26 Feb

Sat, 18 Feb 2023 14:18:14 GMT

New guidelines include Coach able to support the players

Let them Play. Let them Lead. Let them Learn.

Silent Support Weekend 25-26 February

1. Players keep talking on the pitch

2. Coaches support the players as they need to on the pitch

3. Spectators support good play through applause only

The purpose of Silent Support Weekend is to allow young players to find their voice, make their own decisions and take control of their game. Help us listen to young players to make our youth game the best place to play football.

Please download these assets so you can share them across your teams - https://we.tl/t-xfPWKJ82pX

After the first Silent Support Weekend our young players told us it allowed them to talk more as a team, with more chances to make decisions and overall, it was more enjoyable. However, they missed the support of their coach.

HFA are running the trial again, this time the coach will be able to coach through the match . We’re asking spectators to work together with coaches to provide a supportive and encouraging space for the players during the match. The coach can help the players where needed throughout the match. And everyone can applaud good play from either team . Then tell us what you thought via an online survey.

Here are some quotes from the first Silent Support weekend:

“It’s giving them space to find their own game.”

Under 12s coach

“They are talking to each other more, playing their own game, this was the best way to try it out.”

Under 10s coach

It was good as we got to make our own decisions, not the parents, not the coach, just the team.”

Under 12s player

“It can get confusing when lots of people are telling you what to do”

Under 14s player

The Importance of Pitch Inspections

Sun, 05 Feb 2023 15:53:10 GMT

Glass found on pitch

A broken glass bottle injured a player this weekend and luckily did not cause any fatal injuries, but it is a stark reminder that pitch inspections is part of safeguarding your players along with checking goals and flag poles.

Safeguarding & DBS - ACTION REQUIRED

Sat, 28 Jan 2023 16:05:51 GMT

Safeguarding Children Qualifications for ALL Coaches and Assistants

As discussed at our recent CWO meetings, for affiliation next season ALL coaches (coaches, assistants, managers and assistant managers) will need both an FA DBS check and Safeguarding Children qualification to be aligned to an affiliated team.

We are, therefore, encouraging clubs to ensure that coaches have completed this course before the end of the season in order to avoid delays in affiliating for next season. The course can be accessed via: https://learn.englandfootball.com/courses/safeguarding/safeguarding-children-course and costs £30, renewal is free.

We realise that clubs will be keen to spread the cost of these courses across the season, so please start to encourage course completion now. We will be starting to contact clubs individually to highlight coaches who have yet to complete the qualification.

DBS checks

We are aware of delays in the completion of DBS checks across the county so are again urging clubs to begin renewal of DBS’ as soon as possible. Renewals can be started up to 6 months before expiry with applicants receiving notification of the need to renew 3 months beforehand. Please keep an eye on your club officials’ DBS status and seek to start renewals asap to avoid disruption.

Once an applicant has received their DBS certificate, the club needs to ensure that the DBS is showing as green and accepted on the Club Portal before allowing that person to engage in coaching activity. We have seen an increase in club charges where coaches have been permitted to coach without a DBS check in place – this is something that we all want to avoid!

End of Season Dates

Thu, 26 Jan 2023 12:40:29 GMT

League Fixtures

Are to be completed by 30th April and where necessary double headers and/or evening fixtures will be arranged by the Divisional Secretary’s in order to facilitate competitive league games finishing on time.

Cup Finals including (where necessary) Divisional Play-Off games

The month of May has been reserved for the conclusion of cup competitions and, should become necessary any Divisional Play-Off matches.

Cup Finals will always take precedence over any league play-off games.

Match Postponement & Cancellation

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 09:29:12 GMT

New Policy Published

This is an update to the directives & outcomes covering clubs cancelling games to ensure fixtures are played whenever possible. However, the league appreciates that throughout the season there may be times when a team is unable to fulfil a competition match on the date set by the League.

As you are aware amending any competition match list(s) can be complex and time consuming; late notice of postponements adversely impacts referees and the opposition (and there may be pitch charges payable); and postponements and cancellations can, on occasion, be the cause of unnecessary friction between teams. This update to the rules is to help teams understand what may happen when they postpone or cancel a competition match – but all teams must remember that ALL postponements and cancellations MUST BE notified to, and approved by, the age group Divisional Secretary .

APPLIES TO ALL COMPETITIVE GAMES (Including Development Age Group Festival Games

Where possible teams should seek to cancel games 14 days or more ahead of the released competition match however in inside 14 days, clubs must take notice of the penalties that could now get applied for cancelling a game.

The outcome of any cancellation will include, but will not be limited to, one or more of the following:

a) agreement to rearrange competition match (it would be helpful if both teams have agreed a new competition match date in advance)

b) a charge may be issued to the defaulting club (depending upon circumstances)

c) game awarded to the non-cancelling team

d) warning issued to a club where there are multiple requests by a team to cancel at short notice

e) a charge is issued to a club for multiple cancellations.

In all cases of cancellations, the League Committee ruling will be final – and will be based upon the recommendation from the Divisional Secretary who will consider the reasons given by the team for cancellation, the number of times a team has cancelled competition match(s), or potentially how difficult a team has made it to rearrange postponed games.

The full updated policy can be found here and there are plans to introduce a web enabled bespoke notification form to accompany this policy – further detail on both these items will follow in due course.

Please ensure this is cascaded through your club to team managers & administrators and if you have any questions, in the first please contact your age group divisional secretary .

All fixtures postponed for 10th and 11th Dec

Fri, 09 Dec 2022 16:45:25 GMT

The league have held emergency talks this afternoon based on the amount of emails already being received for cancellation of fixtures due to the weather.

Therefore the league has decided with the current weather conditions with clubs closing their pitches under health and safety along with this weather there is the child welfare issue of kids (subs) standing in the cold and they can’t monitor their body temperature the same as an adult getting cold.

With the temperature dropping to -5 again tonight there will be a full NEHYL postponement of fixtures for this weekend.

If you have a County Cup fixture tomorrow these are currently still taking place unless you yourselves as hosts or your opponents as hosts have postponed the fixture due pitch and weather conditions, these postponements must be communicated to Cai at Hampshire FA

Silent Support Weekend

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 16:26:51 GMT

5th and 6th November 2022

On the weekend of the 5th & 6th November 2022 , NEHYL will be one of the Leagues around England piloting a Silent Support Weekend .

We need a reminder to make sure we put the players first. All the time, in every match.

Too often, there are too many voices from the touchline, too many opinions, and too much unnecessary distraction.

It’s why we’re trialling a Silent Support Weekend to promote Respect in Youth Football, and we want coaches and spectators to play an important role in our pilot programme.

This will involve coaches and spectators having minimal verbal contact throughout games. Praise good play by applauding and be supportive to both teams; but above all else let the players play and express themselves out on the pitch.

Our aim at NEHYL is simple : to raise awareness of the need to create a positive and pressure-free environment in which children can enjoy football and learn to love and develop their game, without an over-emphasis on winning at all costs.

Club & Team Resources for Silent Support Weekend

So what is Play Safe and how is this different?

Silent Support weekend is a separate initiative to the Play Safe Weekend that was held at the beginning of October. Play Safe is football’s national campaign to focus attention on the vital importance of safeguarding in our national game.

This year’s Play Safe focus remains on the key role of parents/carers in safeguarding, with two main messages being conveyed:

Are you aware of the vital safeguarding role you play in football?
Please take the new, short and free safeguarding course specifically developed for parents/carers, which can be accessed here .

Social Media Posts

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 13:26:27 GMT

Using Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat…

Most clubs and many teams have their own social media presence today – and it’s a great way to share what you are up to with friends, families, members, and those looking in to see whether you are the club or team for them.

But there are some very specific things that should not be posted by clubs, teams, or anyone involved with the club or team, including:

You must never publish a result for a development match – U7 to U11
Never criticise another team, player, or the match official(s)
Match photographs and videos need approval from both teams to be shared on social media
Post or host items which may be considered to be hurtful, insulting, offensive, abusive, threatening, racist or discriminatory or otherwise may cause offence or harm to another or might incite such behaviour in others.

Hampshire FA has a host of different resources to help clubs and teams make best use of Social Media which can be found here . The League do monitor content published and we will be in contact with clubs who breach social media guidance.

Pre-Match Checks

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 12:49:10 GMT

For all 9v9 & 11v11 games and mini soccer festivals

Match Day: Pre-Kick-off

There are a number of key activities that teams, managers and referees need to ensure happen before the start of every match – we set this out here on our website.

By way of reminder, the activities are:

Complete the NEHYL Team Sheet , populate with players, coaches/managers names, and First Aider with FAN (if Home team) and exchange with opposition. This can be exchanged before the match electronically or handed over as a paper copy before kick-off
Each team MUST present the FA's Club Portal Photo Squad List to the opposition and carry out an ID Parade; the Photo Squad List can be shown on a mobile device or as a printed copy. You should let the referee know when you are about to carry out the ID parade so that they can observe this happening.
The Home team must ensure Respect lines are in place; a Respect Steward is mandatory for each team for all NEHYL matches; and both teams must carry out the respect handshake (or fist bump) prior to kick off.
Only coaches or managers who are included on the Player's Photo Squad List (downloaded from The FA's Club Portal) are allowed to stand with the teams during the match.

NEHYL will be doing spot checks during the season, as well regularly checking in with referees, that each of these activities has taken place. If a player does not appear on the Photo Squad List for a fixture, it renders that player ineligible to play in that match.

Finally, you can contact your opposition as well as NEHYL registered referees via the Contact Opposition button on the website which takes you to our secure membership system – please use this when advising pre-match details. More information on this is here .

Support on how to download a squad list can be found here .

Play Safe Weekend 2022

Fri, 16 Sep 2022 08:27:30 GMT

Rescheduled to Saturday 1st & Sunday 2nd October 2022

Play safe is aimed at educating parents/carers on how to safeguard players with key messages to encourage them to take the free safeguarding course.

Are you aware of the vital safeguarding role parents/carers can play in football?
Take the new safeguarding course specifically developed for parents/carers, which can be accessed here .

We are pleased to confirm 1-2 October 2022 as the re-scheduled Play Safe weekend.

We trust that getting this weekend back on so quickly supports all County FAs, clubs and leagues across the game to maintain the momentum that had been built up. We have seen several excellent activations already, and together, lets re-energise our efforts to deliver even more up and down the country.

If you haven’t done so yet please download the assets shown below and use them to promote and celebrate Play Safe in and around the 1-2 October weekend. Where you can please make use of the campaign hashtag #PlaySafe.

Download ready-made assets here: https://we.tl/t-tsDSvRnWIq

The assets include a campaign video, an editorial template you can use for your website and to create social posts. It also includes a PowerPoint version of a social post and a poster into which you can embed your badge and/or imagery included. If you use any of your own pics to replace those we have supplied, please ensure you have the correct consents in place.

Download assets you can edit here: https://we.tl/t-MkkXiZ3jGY

Because it contains editable artwork files, this link takes a little while to download. There’s a guidance doc in there to explain to how make edits. If you use any of your own pics to replace those we have supplied, please ensure you have the correct consents in place.

And at the end of this link: https://The-FA.com/qarmHY are some tips on supporting the campaign and guidance on social media postings.

Whilst we fully respect it is the start of Black History Month, we trust that Play Safe can happily coexist with this at the start of October.

For more information, please refer to: www.TheFA.com/PlaySafe

Thank you for your continued efforts to keep children safe in football.

The FA

Fixtures return 17/18 - Play Safe Weekend Postponed

Mon, 12 Sep 2022 17:00:30 GMT

Update from The FA...

Announcement on the return of football matches

Last weekend, English football united together to honour and remember Her Majesty the Queen.

We would like to express our thanks and gratitude to everyone across our game for their support and understanding as we paid respect to our long-standing Patron of The Football Association, Queen Elizabeth II.

After a period of pause and reflection for our national game, we can confirm that fixtures will resume as scheduled, including matches from the Barclays Women’s Super League and Barclays Women’s Championship, the Emirates FA Cup Second Round Qualifying, Vitality Women’s FA Cup, the National League System [NLS], Steps 1-6, including the Vanarama National Leagues, the Women’s Football Pyramid [WFP], Tiers 3-7, and all matches across grassroots football in England. Isuzu FA Trophy and FA Youth Cup matches will return this evening.

All matches held at stadiums are subject to leagues and clubs working with the relevant authorities to stage these fixtures, as usual practice.

We will be recommending to clubs, leagues and competitions across the country that a minute’s silence is observed before matches are played, and that black armbands should be worn where possible. All flags at Wembley Stadium and St. George’s Park will continue to fly at half-mast this week and over the weekend.

The FA can also confirm that all scheduled football matches will be postponed on the day of Her Majesty the Queen’s funeral on Monday 19 September.

Our thoughts at this time remain with His Majesty King Charles III, our president, HRH The Prince of Wales, and the whole of the Royal Family.

Play Safe Weekend 17-18 September 2022

Thank you for all of your collective efforts regarding the planned Play Safe Weekend.

This will now be postponed as we understand that clubs and leagues may wish to focus on paying their respects as football resumes this week.

Re-scheduled dates for this important campaign will be agreed with stakeholders, and we will communicate them as soon as possible.

All fixtures postposed this weekend

Fri, 09 Sep 2022 07:40:49 GMT

In honour and memory of our Queen

The league is deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Her Majesty Queen, Elizabeth II. Our thoughts and condolences are with The Royal Family and everyone around the world and Commonwealth mourning the loss of Her Majesty.

Her Majesty led this country with honour, pride and stature for many years, Her devotion to her country and family is nothing short of admirable.

It is with this in mind and in honour of our Queen the league will be postponing all games this weekend (10th/11th Sept) in honour and memory of our Queen.

As it stands, next weekend's games (17th /18th Sept) are still scheduled to proceed as planned, with a minute's silence before all games in memory and respect of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II but this will be reviewed as more details become available.

UPDATE: The FA have cancelled all fixtures this weekend - read more here .

Pitches impacted by the dry weather

Mon, 29 Aug 2022 16:01:10 GMT

Pitch availability procedure

We are aware that some local authorities/pitch providers are not assessing the availability of their pitches available to clubs until after the scheduled season start date. The league has taken the decision to keep the season start date as it is to allow teams with access to suitable pitches (e.g. 3G) to play games as planned.

If you have a home game scheduled on 10th September, please can you check the availability of your pitch ASAP.

If your pitch is not available, your first action should be to ask your opposition if they have an available pitch to allow the game to go ahead.

Please ensure that you let your appropriate Divisional Secretary know about any reversal or cancellation of any fixtures.

FOOTBALL DESERVES BETTER. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

Wed, 24 Aug 2022 21:58:42 GMT

Harsher sanctions for those behaving inappropriately...

Football has a unique power to deliver amazing benefits to individuals and communities. Not only does it keep us physically and mentally healthy, but it also builds long lasting friendships, teaches leadership and resilience and inspires the nation.

However, for all the good that football can bring, sadly last season, at all levels of the game, there were too many examples of unacceptable behaviours that had the opposite impact. At the grassroots level, these included swearing, aggressive shouting and persistent arguing among spectators, players and officials. It is only a small minority of people that act in this way, but these individuals can spoil the game for everyone, causing children and young people to not want to play, referees and volunteers to drop out and spectators to stop supporting their team.

As The Football Association we are not going to stand by and allow this to happen.

We will take action against those that spoil the game for others.

For this coming season we will:

Promote our RESPECT message to encourage the right behaviours.
Consider harsher sanctions for those behaving inappropriately.
If necessary, we will continue to look at how we strengthen penalties and suspension periods so that we can effectively tackle behaviours that have no place in the game.
Trial different initiatives to help encourage the right behaviours, including piloting two silent side-lines weekends.

Please play your part and let's make this season a brilliant one for all.

2021/22 Presentation Season

websitebuilder@1and1.de — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 18:11:18 GMT

Updated 8th June

Space will be limited for supporters, particularly for the 10,11,13 & 15, but not much more so than in the past. The league will allocate supporter tickets pro-rata to the number of players attending.

Winners and runners up of each division of each age group U9 and up will be invited, plus the Fair Play winning team of each age group.

June 2023 and going forward, the presentations will be over 4 nights, allowing us to offer more supporter tickets.

Pre-Season Meeting

Tue, 17 Aug 2021 17:11:45 GMT

Princes Hall, Aldershot - 27th August at 7.30pm

Just to confirm that Princes Hall & Rushmoor Borough Council have significantly relaxed their guidance on attendance/numbers which means that our Pre-Season meeting can go ahead much in the same way as it has done in the past, i.e. there will be tables and chairs laid out in the main (big) hall with a few league officials on the stage.

DivSecs in attendance will set up camp on a table just in front of the stage so that anyone wishing to talk to them can have a chat either before or after the main meeting.

There will be a ‘soft’ limit of two persons per club and remember that as this is a General Meeting of the league at least 1 person from each should attend otherwise you may get a fine ☹

Some common sense guidance remains in place:

An attendance register will be taken on the night
Masks are not required unless anyone wishes to do so.
Social distancing rules will not apply
The bar will not be open (bring a bottle of water)
People should NOT turn up if they;
are self-isolating
have, in the last 7 days, have been in contact with anyone who has tested positive for Covid
have, in the last 7 days, received an NHS “Ping” to self-isolate
are generally not feeling well – don’t risk it !
ergo….. find someone else to come in your place !

Please arrive at 7:30pm for an 8pm start.

Any questions please email Nigel Welch .

Player Registrations Open

websitebuilder@1and1.de — Thu, 08 Jul 2021 10:27:40 GMT

New Club Portal is open but some key points...

The new Club Portal to register your players and submit to the league is now open.

However there are some key points to note:

If you are moving from U11 to U12 next season - ensure you select the correct league as it should be NEHYL Competitive League NOT NEHYL Development League.
Training guides are provided on the Grassroots Technology website .
You can submit a ticket for any issues here .
There were some known bugs that are being worked on including not being able to upload a player's photo.
You can search for known issues and updates here .

50th Anniversary

websitebuilder@1and1.de — Thu, 20 May 2021 08:58:16 GMT

NEHYL reaches it's 50th season...

It wasn't the anniversary celebration (or lack of) we planned due to Covid-19, but we are still feel very proud that the NEHYL has reached its 50th year, running from 1970-71 to 2020-21.

Thanks to not only the hard working league volunteers who have made this league what it is today but all the clubs and teams who have been members with us during those 50 years.

Our one aim is to provide safe grassroots football and we think we have all collectively achieved that and looking forward to the next 50...

Mini soccer and youth futsal handbook

183:709872732 (Alpa Cox) — Fri, 16 Oct 2020 15:18:45 GMT

Useful tips and summarised laws

The FA have produced a guide for mini soccer and youth futsal. Click below to view and download.

WGS - Parent FAN

websitebuilder@1and1.de — Thu, 30 Jul 2020 15:42:27 GMT

Attaching parents to players under 16 years old in WGS

From Season 2021/22 it will be mandatory for all players under the age of 16 to have a parent record attached. The NEHYL are making this mandatory for this coming season.

For club/team officials to attach a parent, the details required (for the parent) are shown in the screenshot below - a FAN is generated if none exists based on the search criteria shown. The FA have now created a new feature to add a parents email address to a player which sends them an email to confirm the player and attach the record. This avoids the need to request a parent's DOB. Click the link below for further details.

NEHYL Latest News

NEHYL Girls Sunday League will offer football to U12+

NEHYL Girls Sunday League Goes from Strength to Strength

Girls' Teams at the 2024/25 Presentations

Next 3v3 Taster Event - Saturday 18th April

NEHYL is hosting another next 3v3 taster

18th April 2026 at 11am

Badshot Lea Youth FC, Weybourne Recreation Ground, Weybourne Lane, Weybourne, Farnham GU9 9HJ

All Parking at William Cobbett Primary School

NEHYL Future Fit Events

Upcoming 3v3 Events with NEHYL

3v3 Festival & HFA Education event on 12th April 2026 at 8:45am at Cody Sports Club

Other Events

FutureFit - March Update

Updates from The FA: Events & Funding for Goals

3v3 Showcase Events

3v3 Goals Funding

Digital Clubs Conference

Under 6 Age Group Players

Club Survey

Rise of Abuse

NEHYL has zero tolerance of verbal & physical abuse

Luis Gabriel Guembes Testimonial Match

Churt U16 Vipers and Mytchett Athletic U16 Kestrels at Farnborough FC

NEHYL Newsletter Snapshot #18

February 2026

Silent Support Weekend

Pass-Ins / Dribble-Ins – Guidance for Coaches and Referees

Match Day & Discipline “Cheat Sheet”

Postponed & Abandoned Matches

Cup Finals

Presentation Evenings

Key Dates

Laws of the Game – Changes

Referee Availability

FREE tickets to Aldershot Town FC for NEHYL Teams

FA FutureFit

Girls U7 3x3 Festivals

USEFUL LINKS Match Admin | FAQ's | Dates | Texting Results | MRC's | Resources | News | Referees

Let us know what you think...

Silent Support Weekend - 14th & 15th March

Down goes your noise, up goes their game!

7 in 10 people said Silent Support improves bad behaviour on the sidelines. And helps young players to enjoy their game without distraction from the sidelines.

Free tickets to ATFC

Shots Foundation Free Tickets for selected fixtures up to April

Take Action. Protect The Game.

This month, The FA are running a national campaign that shows grassroots football Reporting Hate Protects the Game.

Educate your clubs and yourself on how to protect the game and reduce hate and discrimination as well as reporting it when it happens here .

Click the images below for more resources and information. Enough is enough!

NEHYL Newsletter Snapshot #17

November 2025

Silent Support Weekend

FA FutureFit – U7 Football

Match Day Administration

DBS, Safeguarding & Coaches

Kick-off Times, Venues & Referee Allocations

Referees & Club Assistants

Key Dates

Laws of the Game – Changes

FREE tickets to Aldershot Town FC for NEHYL Teams

USEFUL LINKS Match Admin | FAQ's | Dates | Texting Results | MRC's | Resources | News | Referees

Let us know what you think...

Silent Support Weekends

Silent Support Weekend Dates for Season 2025/26

Keep it positive. Enjoy the game!

Girls Flexi Festival on Sunday 19 October

Join NEHYL Girls for a fun, friendly festival!

Charlie's Promise Fundraiser

The Big Cycle - London to Paris by Don Brayshaw, Milford Pumas YFC

NEHYL Newsletter Snapshot #16

September 2025

Match Day Administration

Team Sheets

Players Kit

Laws of the Game – Changes

Goalkeeper Eight-Second Rule

Captains Only Protocol

Dropped Ball Restarts

NEHYL Girls’ Football

Play Safe Weekend

USEFUL LINKS
Match Admin | FAQ's | Dates | Texting Results | MRC's | Resources | News | Referees

USEFUL LINKS
Match Admin | FAQ's | Dates | Texting Results | MRC's | Resources | News | Referees

USEFUL LINKS
Match Admin | FAQ's | Dates | Texting Results | MRC's | Resources | News | Referees

USEFUL LINKS
Match Admin | FAQ's | Dates | Texting Results | MRC's | Resources | News | Referees