Lincolnshire football is “brighter than ever” according to county FA’s End of Year Report.
The Lincolnshire FA shared their 2023/24 report, highlighting a season of growth, success and development across all areas of the game.
One of the key statistics of the season was the involvement in equality and inclusion. They achieved the Equality Standard for Sport at Preliminary level, while also becoming signatories of the Muslim Athletes Charter.
Neurodiversity Awareness Programs were delivered for Coaches, and Club Welfare Officers, with seven LGBTQ+ accredited organisations, leading to a county FA Recognition Award finalist nomination.
Player growth and pathways were also shown to have increased in the past year. According to the report, the male pathway grew by 18.8% and the female pathway by a larger 46.6%. The disability pathway also increased greatly at 55.7%, with an overall player participation increase of 21.6%.
To combat the growing participation of football within the county, Lincolnshire FA states that over £645,000 was invested into grassroots projects. 240 ‘good-quality’ pitches were developed and two new 3G facilities were also opened.
The number of referees officiating games across Lincolnshire is also on the rise. Over the course of a year the FA recruited 187 referees and retained 494 existing officials. In addition to that, three Referee Support Leads were introduced to help enhance referee development.
Nick Hanson, the CEO of Lincolnshire FA, says the report shows the “hard work and dedication’’ of everyone involved in the county’s game.
He said: “We are immensely proud of the progress made throughout the 2023/24 season. From safeguarding and equality initiatives to the growth of grassroots football development, this report highlights the hard work and dedication of everyone involved in football across Lincolnshire.
“Our commitment to making football safe, inclusive and accessible for all continues to be our driving force, and I’d like to thank everyone who has contributed to these achievements.”
The organisation has released its Financial Report, including Income Statement and Balance Sheet as of June, 30 2024.
Read the full report here.