Lincolnshire Football Association (FA) chair Professor Sir Jonathan Van-Tam has reported a growth in participation numbers across football in the county.
Van-Tam, who was the government’s deputy chief medical officer during the COVID-19 pandemic, also revealed that the number of referees in Lincolnshire has grown.
In the past three years, female participation has grown by 46.5%, disability participation has grown by 55.7%, and male participation has grown by 18.8%.
Meanwhile, the number of registered referees in the country has grown by 24.4%.
Other statistics show that Lincolnshire currently has 240 football pitches that are rated as being of ‘good’ quality.
Van-Tam has been the chair of the county’s FA for a year, after taking his first step into football governance last summer.
He is a childhood fan of Boston United, who were promoted in the National League with play-off success last season. The 60-year-old was even spotted dressed as a nun during a Pilgrims game towards the end of the most recent campaign.
In an update published on the Lincolnshire FA’s website, he said: “All of these achievements show the fantastic work being put in by the amazing volunteers across our football community who make it all happen in their area, as well as the brilliant work of Lincolnshire FA staff and volunteers, including our Board, Council, Youth Council, Inclusion Advisory Group, and Committees.”
Last month, the association announced a new fund to help develop men’s football in the county. The scheme, entitled the ‘Return to Football Fund’, provides grants to new club in the aim of helping them meet the essential needs of starting their teams.
A new four-year strategy will be announced in the coming weeks, with a focus placed on detailing how the Lincolnshire FA will reinvest money back into grassroots football.
Feature Image Credit: Ed Mayes Photography