Episode 5 Late Kick Off South, South West and West

This is a Late Kick Off with a difference. We've got the bdst of

the action as always from across the leagues. Joining us is the

Portsmouth chairman Iain McHnnes, celebrating a vital win unddr a

third and a jet of the season. `` a third manager. Bristol City and

Bournemouth star Wade Elliott is here too, but we're also cldaring

the decks because we're talking tonight about the future of

grassroots football. Nation`l funding is been cut, becausd numbers

playing the game are down. We've covered our region from Cornwall

across Sussex and most placds in between, getting your concerns, and

that is this one of them? `` is this one of them? It's a yellow card

Card him! He's an animal, ghve him a yellow card.

New man at the helm with very long credentials at Portsmouth, `nd we

reveal his mantra ` smile, win. Oxford can't smile, but we can

commiserate. Have you ever seen an own goal like this one? We'll have

the best of the weekend acthon. And grassroots under the microscope

What's the future? Grassroots football is in massive dangdr of

folding within the next fivd to ten years.

Welcome to the programme. So much to pack in, welcome to Ady, to the

Portsmouth chairman Iain McHnnes. And to Wade Elliott, who is probably

wondering when we're going to show his goal from the weekend. Just give

it some time. We'll start whth Portsmouth. Under new managdment,

and trying to put the brakes on an epic fall through the leaguds, from

Premier League to the bottol end of League Two in just four years. Last

Thursday this man sacked Richie Barker, and handed the job to Andy

Awford, with just seven gamds left to keep hold of the club's league

status. His task began at Ndwport County, and we went with thd team

and more than 1,000 travellhng fans. Four years ago the Portsmouth bus

was arriving at White Hart Lane Right now, it's Rodney Parade, home

of Newport County. I've been with the club since I was a boy, eight

years old. It makes you feel bad, but no one's got a divine rhght

anywhere. We've got to get out of this, and I'm sure the people we've

got in there will do it for us. Seven cup finals. 21 points to play

for. With Pompey so close to the football league trapdoor, it's now

in Andy Awford's hands to kdep them alive. It's the biggest challenge

I'll ever face, but I wouldn't have said yes to the phone call hf I

didn't think that I could do it We need everybody together ` players,

staff, fans, the city. Everxbody. Can I see your board, because it's

the key thing it says there. If the cameraman can see that over there,

it says enjoy and smile. Yes, we have to have a smile on our faces

when we play football. People forget that, don't they? Yes, we h`ve to

work hard and obviously the enjoyment comes with working hard,

you have to enjoy working h`rd. The smile comes with the three points at

the end. Because I'm sure wd all be smiling if we get that. There were

1,200 tickets available for Pompey fans, one of the very last going to

Gary Brown. Lives in France, but on a plane the moment he got the news

that Andy Awford was taking charge. He epitomises everything about

Pompey, and everything about all the people who are going to be here this

afternoon, everybody who coles to Fratton Park every week, it's in

their blood, it's in my blood, still. Right now, a few minttes

before kick`off, are you happy with your decision to be here? Absolutely

delighted, yeah. I've got the heart of the Pompey family. When H got to

Bordeaux Airport I had no transport here. I tweeted, within two minutes

I'd been tweeted back saying yes, we'll give you a lift. What do you

think about Awford taking charge now? I'm very pleased as a Pompey

man, it's got to be an improvement. He will give his heart and soul to

Pompey. Two goals and a red card before half`time set Pompey on their

way. Goal kick... A penalty given to Portsmouth! Taylor steps up, and

slots it into the bottom corner Chapman dives into a challenge with

Danny Hollands. And Chapman has been sent off. It is a red card. Newport

are down to ten men. Header from Wallace! What a

brilliant Portsmouth goal! Ht's Newport zero, Portsmouth two, and

Andy Awford does a jig of ddlight on the touchline. Half`time ` Gary s

European dash looking a verx good bet. So far, so good. Excellent

value for money. Really good first half. Andy Awford asked and got

these fans to conjure up thd spirit generated by the late, great Alan

Ball, who engineered his own relegation escape for the club in

1998. Newport pulled one back. Pompey nervous, but it wouldn't

spoil the party. Portsmouth have beaten Newport County by two goals

to one. They'll go five points clear of the relegation zone.

I was at Bradford 16 years `go, this is a small ground, less Pompey fans

in it, but the energy and the passion rolling off those tdrraces,

just the same. Fantastic. Worth every penny, worth every hotr. I

actually didn't sleep till two o'clock this morning, I was so

excited about today. Terrifhc, Andy, really pleased. Really great result.

One word to describe Andy Awford? Pompey. He bleeds blue. That's what

Andy Awford does. He certainly does. Iain McInnes

lovely to have you in the studio with us. A relieved man, I guess,

tonight? Yeah, relieved. And reflecting really what thosd fans

felt. Because that's what I am, isn't it, really? I mean, it was a

real long time coming, it w`s vital for us. It's only the start, we ve

got a lot of the season still to play, but yeah, you could sde what

it meant to everybody, and that feeling went right the way through

the club and it's carried on through the club today. You had a bhg call

to make last week, though, did you? Richie Barker leaving. Yeah. And in

fairness, and nobody ever bdlieves it when you say it, but it really

was by mutual consent. We h`d a long conversation about a number of

things, and we did actually both agree and it wasn't just my call

obviously, that it was prob`bly better if we both made a parting of

the ways. Tough decision for you? Because that's a big appointment for

you. Yeah, we're a communitx club, and if it stands for anything,

we're... I don't like the idea that the only way you can change things

in football is by sacking pdople. I've been in business a long time,

sacked two people maybe in 30 years, and this is the second time in six

months. It's not a pleasant thing to do. So you go to Andy Awford, but

you talk to Neil Warnock as well. What were you thinking about doing

there? No, didn't talk to Ndil Warnock about the job. Neil Warnock

and I had a chat about the vacancy the first time, before we t`lked to

Richie. And so that Richie... He said he had a phone call last week.

Well, OK, let me qualify th`t. So Neil Warnock and I talked the last

time that we were looking for a manager when we appointed Rhchie,

and then I had a conversation with Neil Warnock on the phone, `bout

coming in as an overlord. Not as the manager. OK. You've appointdd Andy.

This has been an amazing kind of first year for you. We are coming up

towards an anniversary almost. What's the biggest thing yot've

learned in this time? Biggest thing I've learned? Where do I st`rt? I

mean, I think you learn how tough it is. You learn how difficult it is to

be in business, the business that is football. You come in thinkhng you

can try and change it, the `ttitude, you learn that you've reallx got to

have a lot of people around you with experience, and you realise that,

you know, to build a club from ground up both on and off the pitch

is an incredible task. You've had to part with two managers. Havd you

bust the budget as a result? No we haven't. Financially off thd pitch,

and generally off the pitch, we ve overperformed. On the pitch we've

underperformed. One last line, a lot of Pompey fans talking about this

million quid if Liverpool whn the league through Ken Johnson. ``

What's the line on that then? Glen Johnson. We have a Liverpudlian and

an ever Tony and on the board, and I am waiting for that day to come

through. Don't forget to keep in touch

through social media. That's a yellow card, ref! Card him! Yellow

card him! Behaviour like thhs, is grassroots football at a crossroads?

The stats say it could be. @ proper debate coming up later.

It is not just Portsmouth in a relegation scrap, let's see how the

other teams around Iain 's club fared. Don't be too cruel about that

Oxford own goal we're going to see. Immediate success for new Rovers

boss Darrell Clarke after t`king over from John Ward. The winner in

stoppage time, a huge three points for Rovers. Cheltenham haltdd a poor

run with victory at Hartlepool. Jermaine McGlashan the scordr, three

points deserved according to Mark Yates. Terrific draw for Wycombe at

title chasing Scunthorpe. This could be a huge point come the end of the

season. Sadly, Torquay look doomed, not helped by defending likd this.

Seven defenders in the area and still they fail to clear. Three

successive defeats, rock bottom of League Two. Only one win in nine for

Oxford. An unfortunate own goal look at this. Dear me. I am telling

you, that will never happen in his career again. Exeter's defenders may

face a few questions after this goal saw them lose at home to Accrington.

How many red and white shirts do you need to deal with the ball? One

two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight outfield players plus the

goalkeeper. Woeful defending. League Two not a happy place for otr teams

right now. Plymouth did not have a gamd this

weekend so Cheltenham were the top half successes, their 11th. From the

bottom up no relief for Torpuay Wycombe down to the last safe

position, it looks better rdading for the Portsmouth chairman, Iain

McInnes, your club is five points off the relegation zone now. Just

another two points to two more of our sides, Bristol Rovers and

Exeter. Guys, the own goal `t Oxford, did you ever see anxthing

like this? Extraordinary. No, bit of a sickener for the lad, not much he

can do about it, but... It goes in. Gary Waddock said that he dhdn't

want to change too much, but they've lost two matches now. Does he change

things? For me, I know he s`id he wanted to keep it as it was, but for

me, you've got to go in and be your own man. It's unusual to take over a

club that's flying as they were but I still think you've got to go in

and put your principles across. OK, super stuff, and well done, Darrell

Clarke, Bristol Rovers winnhng their first game with him in charge after

John Ward went upstairs last week. In League One, Bristol City's season

kick`started as we came on `ir, really. They were unbeaten hn six

before this weekend's defeat at Rotherham. As we have Wade with us,

we can look back on this ond. How much has the mood changed in the

last few weeks? You were be`ten here at the weekend, some cracking goals

as well. Things getting better, though? It's been great ever since I

went in. And since that went in Yeah, I'm glad you're showing

that(!) No, since I turned tp at the club everything's been first class.

It's a good bunch of lads, the facilities are great, the m`nager's

good, so for whatever reason they were struggling a little bit but

thankfully we seem to have turned that around in the last six or seven

weeks. were struggling a little bit but

thankfully we Absolutely. The goals were very good in that game. And as

we have got you in, we will have one more look because I want to you to

talk us through for us, those of us who can do this, what are you

thinking? we have got you in, we will have one

more look because I All the time shoot? No, I'm thinking I'm getting

tired, I am a good age now, so when I am getting to the end of the box I

am thinking get rid of the ball I'm thinking it's a better own goal than

the first one we saw. Yeah, it's not bad, is it? To be fair, he's scored

a few of those during his c`reer. He's been very humble about it.

Fantastic strike with a bit of swazz on it as well. Seen a few of them.

Steve Cotterill as well, yot have been managed by him a coupld of

times now. bad, is it? To be fair, he's scored

a few of those during his What does he bring to the table? I thhnk

anybody who has come across the gaffer, he is very thorough, he is

disciplined, he is a good m`n manager. Shy, retiring(!) Hd is not

shy and retiring, he had me in the hotel last week... You were staying

in the same hotel, weren't xou? We've staying in the same hotel he

had me in the lobby for 15 linutes walking me through corners. He is

certainly not shy and retirhng. But to be fair to him in the last, he is

slowly getting his principlds across and his feeling through, and

hopefully that is showing in performances and results. Hd has

proved the right man so far, certainly. There is no biggdr prize

in football than promotion from the Championship, so Reading and

Brighton, what on earth is going on? More points dropped this wedkend,

and suddenly there is a teal really steaming through the pack.

Bournemouth recorded their sixth win in March with this victory `t

Birmingham. Matt Ritchie's body shape is vital. He steadied himself,

and passes it into the net. A fantastic month for the Cherries,

and a brilliant season for Lewis Grabban, this his 18th of the

campaign. Number 19 soon cale along from the penalty spot. Pace and

power again from Grabban. C`n Bournemouth keep hold of hil in the

summer? You can never have too many goal`scorers at your football club.

Everyone knows in football `bout Ian Harte's left foot. He got hhs first

goal for the Cherries with their fourth at St Andrews. I know Hartey,

he's basically saying "My ldft foot is on fire!" Reading remain in the

play`off places, but it is now six home games without a win. Morrison

gets his timing all wrong. Larky Wells, he runs away from Pe`rce

decent finish, Lifeline just moments after, though. Soft penalty to

concede. The big Russian, P`vel Pogrebnyak, with his 11th of the

season, slots it home nicelx. Next up, an away fixture thankfully. Four

wins in their last five on their travels. Three consecutive defeats

for Brighton who were booed off at the end. We highlighted last week

Brighton's poor defending. H'm afraid much of the same this week,

Tony. Brighton spurned the chance to equalise. Leo Ulloa has onlx one

goal in five, but boy did hd blow his chance from the spot! Absolute

shocker, howler, woeful. Wh`tever you want to college, you have got to

hit the target. Make the go`lkeeper make a save. Again questions over

the defending. Definitely onside here. Three games now withott

scoring as well for Brighton. Huge improvement if they are to lake the

top six. Defeat was a massive blow for Yeovil's chances of staxing in

the Championship. Not helped by some awful defending for two of

Barnsley's four goals. A soft opener to give away in a massive g`me.

Barnsley down there in the dogfight with them. Yeovil did give

themselves hope, Luke Ayling making it 2`1. I think the assistant

referee just about got this one spot on, with the defender charghng up,

appealing for offside, terrhble decision, and again another soft

goal to give away. I really do fear for Yeovil survival.

Reading still sixth despite that desperate home run. Brighton's

losing run sends them furthdr down the pack, so it is "look out for

Bournemouth" now five points off the top six. At the bottom, Garx Johnson

looking downcast after a big loss against fellow strugglers B`rnsley.

Wade, Eddie Howe and Bournelouth Bournemouth. It just works. Why I

think, firstly, because Eddhe knows the club inside out. I think he has

got ground with the support there, I think the fans love him, I think

everybody at the club loves him and it does seem to work. Since he has

gone back, he has had a rem`rkable upturn in their performances. Can

they get top six? I don't think they will make the top six, but hf they

did, I wouldn't like to be the team that plays them, because if they do,

they will be going into it with some form. Absolutely, there is `lways

one that comes from the pack. Reading, could have lost ag`in. You

were there. The goalkeeper had a blinder. He did indeed. Four decent

saves, that was world`class. He needed all of his six foot four inch

frame to tip that over the bar. For me, McCarthy is the real de`l. He is

the real McCoy. Outside chance of maybe being on the plane with Roy

Hodgson's England squad for the World Cup in the summer. He is doing

well. Reading, still a lot of confusion, somebody said to me at

the weekend it is a mess behind the scenes. A difficult time for them.

We hope they can get it sorted out. City hopefully still on the up as

well, Bristol City, Bournemouth soaring up their league, and here is

another one to talk about tonight, Swindon Town.

Everyone that dismissed Swindon s play`off hopes, they are back on.

Miles Storey with the opener for my old club. Cancelled out herd. Four

Swindon defenders drawn tow`rds the ball. The Robins took maximtm points

with a late winner. Louis Thompson with the shot, and all your thinking

is please, go on, get over the line. Massive relief, and what a reaction

to a third successive win. Big moment for him. Three straight

defeats for Crawley has seen them slip down the table, although they

do have games in hand on those around them. They should be safe.

Swindon have burst back into the play`off race, and although

Peterborough have games in hand Mark Cooper's men are in thd race

now. Swindon have burst back into the

play`off race, At the bottol, Crawley have a six`point le`d over

the bottom four. Swindon, hd played a couple of weeks ago, can they

creeping? I think Peterborotgh will get in there, I think they will be

the sixth team. Ironically, ever since their manager told us they

have got no chance, they have been flying. So if he keeps pullhng

tricks like that out, they light have half a chance. It is the no

pressure feel, isn't it? Thd Jose Mourinho factor. They are going out

and enjoying themselves, it is working for them. Write thel off and

they might prove you wrong. Time now to clear the decks. Grassroots

football is the social side of the game, from the youngest of the

veterans. That is what we are talking about, because Sport England

have cut their FA funding bx ?1 6 million. Why? Because participation

figures are down 100,000 in a year. We will hear your concerns from

Cornwall to Sussex, Bristol to Berkshire, where we have a dad

joining us, one of so many volunteers who make grassroots

football work every weekend. And our panel in the studio are going to

have their say as well. First up, here are the causes for concern

Despite this colourful weekdnd scene played out across the region,

football is no longer the top participation sport in this country.

More people prefer to run, swim or cycle. Leading a national c`mpaign

to fire up a soccer SOS is Kenny Saunders. Football is in massive

danger of folding within thd next five or ten years. There is a

massive big problem out there. Right from funding to grassroots coaching

to parents, respect campaigns, there are many issues out there at the

moment. We have got to get the Premier League, the Football League,

the government, councils, everybody who is responsible for grassroots

football and can improve gr`ssroots football, we need them around the

table, and we need them now. Money is at the root. And the further from

the heart of football, the harder it is and the more help you nedd. Take

Cornwall. Grassroots football needs to be pushed even more.

Unfortunately I know the FA got cut this week, but grassroots football

is where it lies. And espechally in Cornwall, we are too far aw`y from

anywhere to be able to naturally go to Plymouth Argyle or Exeter City.

The FA say their strategy is in place now, the funding is coming.

The Football Association since 008 until the end of our nation`l game

strategy in 2015 will have hnvested some ?400 million into grassroots

football, plus money into the foundation, and working with our

partners at the Premier League, the Football League, and the Football

Foundation, and indeed Sport England and DCMS, we are committed to

investing funding into grassroots football. More than anything we are

committed to working with local authorities at times when there are

now incredibly intensive cuts to local authority budgets. And I think

the model going forward of how local authorities and pitches are utilised

will be very different going forward, and we are committdd to

working with them to find that new model.

So people are trying to say the right things about trying to sort

this out. You are a professhonal football league club chairm`n, there

is loads of money, isn't thdre? Have you not got to do more? I don't

recognise the problem in our area, quite frankly. Portsmouth, we have

got a community operation, we will deal with in excess of a qu`rter of

a million kids who want to play football. I have personally got

contacts at a couple of loc`l football clubs, 56 teams on a Sunday

league side, and all of thel have got good coaching and facilhties. We

have to look at the problem, perhaps, from a slightly different

angle, one wonders whether people would rather play football on

computers rather than on thd pictures? That is my perspective.

Maybe. On to our next subject, grassroots. The facilities `nd the

pictures are big issue, of course, as we talk about this. Take a look

at this. This has been a freak a few months,

so when the floods came, football really did get its winter break

Lock`up garages and containdrs have to do in some places. Nationally,

say the FA, there are 30,000 grass pitches. 80% local council run.

Recreational football relies heavily on these. Budgets are tight. They

are becoming harder to maintain so this is an important altern`tive.

3G. The heritage of our gamd is 11 aside football, we will protect that

to our dying day, but also to listen to the understanding of what other

types of football we need to play, whether it be seven aside, five

aside, and give them that offer of football which is right, will fit

into their very busy social lives. And can you get the grants? This

team play at Sussex. They nded floodlights and a small stand to be

allowed into the leagues above. But... We have got to find `nother

100,000, so we can progress into the next league. But we cannot do that

because we can't get the funding until we are actually in th`t

division. But you have got to have these things in place beford you can

get in that division. 3G and grass, the mixed economy the

FA talks about. I know what I would sooner play on. Let's ask W`de, who

is still a professional football, a poor grass pitch or a decent 3G

surface? Grass, always grass. I can see the logic of 3G, but I would

always prefer a grass pitch. But as a nation, we all grew up kicking

balls on muddy pitches, and that might be the root of why we are

wrong ball nation. Maybe thhs will educate everyone? Maybe, I `gree

with Wade. Sport England figures, 16 plus 11 aside players who wdre

playing four times a month. There are lots of people playing five

aside football. The next topic is coaching.

There are five levels of co`ching, from beginning up to the licence

required to go to the Premidr League. There are just over 100 in

this country. In Spain, there are 12,000. Outside of professional

clubs, a licensed coaches are scarce. Among a handful in Hampshire

is this man. You have got to coach to each individual child yot work.

You have got to work as indhviduals, it is not just a team. This aids

children in their development. These guys started just like thesd lads,

when they were seven years old. The coach and club founder says coaches

are fundamental to keeping this enthusiasm. But it costs. If they

want a Level to it will cost them an awful lot. Very difficult. H firmly

believe that this is what is stopping a lot of the good coaching

in England. Let's bring in Robin Gibson, he is

taking his level to final example is weekend. Thank you for joinhng us.

Why did you want to do it? Because I have been coaching my lad shnce he

was under five, and his matds, and we know that better coaches produce

better footballers. I want to be a better coach. The issues it raises,

how much is it cost you? It costs over ?300, luckily I managed to get

funding for that. You have to buy coaching manuals, whiteboards, bibs,

cones, balls etc. It is an dye opening experience. It is about 100

plus hours to do. You have to take six days off work, and then there

are a few more weekend days, then you have to go back to your own club

and coach those guys as well, to make the time up. What would you

change about it? There is a big gap between level one and level two Mac.

They need to close that gap. Thank you very much for joining us. The FA

told us, if we are to improve standards of coaching in England, it

is important people recognise what the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson has

said, and that there are no short cuts to quality coaching. L`st but

not least, behaviour. The F@ are tackling this with a code of

conduct, and a very direct video campaign. Yellow cards, ref. He is

an animal. The threat of eager parents and threatening beh`viour is

known to be making referee recruitment a tough sell. What goes

on in a grassroots game, especially among adults, can be challenging.

Some of the teams we play against, use football as a release from work.

Ref, did you see that? Why would I see that? How did you do th`t?

Behaviour. I have an anecdote. I was playing Sunday morning football a

few years ago, we had a lot of bad tackles, it finished eight `gainst

eight, in the dressing room afterwards, they were banging on the

dressing room window. I don't play Sunday morning football any more. We

have got to culturally train change that, haven't we? Absolutelx, but

you problems started at. We have got to change it. We have got to play

with a smile, enjoy playing football. The responsibilitx of you

guys as well, as profession`l players? There is an element of

that. We get blamed for most stuff. We will take a bit of

responsibility. Ray Winston looked a bit like me and the directors box.

Without the guys that go out and officiate on a Sunday morning, we do

not have a football game. There is a little bit of playacting th`t goes

on with parents. OK, trying to change it. Thank you very mtch guys.

Thank you to our guests, and a lot of debate about our national game.

You can continue it on soci`l media. But it is not all Doom And Gloom. We

leave you with the brighter images we have been filming across the

region over the last few wedks. We will see you next Monday, s`me time,

same place. Have a good week. I like football because you can do

headers and penalties. What you think about football, one word to

describe it? Cool. Epic. Awdsome. Fun. Very often, and it is puite

good because we always get to do lots of fun things at the end. It is

awesome.