The late Queen wouldn't wish to banish kids from playing fields, argues grassroots football chairman
12 September 2022, 17:05 | Updated: 12 September 2022, 17:06
Grassroots football club chairman speaks to LBC
A grassroots football club chairman told Shelagh Fogarty he can't "imagine the late Queen or current King would have wished for kids to be banished from the playing field for a weekend".
After the passing of Queen Elizabeth II many recreational activities were cancelled inline with the period of mourning.
Some argued that many of the cancellations were unnecessary.
A chairman of a grassroots football club, with around 400 players from aged four, called in to Shelagh Fogarty’s show to give his feelings on the many cancellations.
Reflecting the personal impact for his football club he said: “They have had such a turbulent time with the pandemic… and I think actually why keep them off the football field?”
The football chairman went on to highlight the importance of sport and more specifically group sport.
“As coaches we play a pastoral part [by creating a] relationship with the players and being with their friends can be a support for them.
“And they love football, they love playing sports,” he added.
He concluded, saying: “I can't imagine the late Queen or current King would have wished for kids to be banished from the playing field for a weekend, I don’t see the logic for that.”
Sean Ingle talks to Shelagh Fogarty about cancelling grassroots football
Earlier on in the show Shelagh Fogarty spoke to Sean Ingle, Chief sports reporter and columnist at the Guardian.
She said: “I think we are a nation confused on what national mourning should look like.”
Sean started: “We are indeed.
“You saw in cricket the national anthem being played and people coming together and rugby did the same. But football decided the best way to mourn the Queen was to cancel everything.”
He told Shelagh: “The FA and Premier League, in seeking to do the right thing, did the wrong thing… especially when it came to grassroots. People were scratching their heads and saying ‘what is going on here?’”
