FAQ'S

Why not? The S&EBWFL is a ‘Fair Play’ League and tackling is therefore outlawed.

We sought the advice of the Walking Football Leagues Alliance (‘WFLA’) and the FA and from the FA’s perspective they view walking football as a mixed format of football so in that respect we have not recommended implementing any restrictions as to the number of female player’s eligible to play. As long as the game is played properly and within the spirit intended there should be no issue with an all-female team playing against an all-male team. One thing we have considered is that the age profile of female walking football players being lower on average, i.e. Over 40’s for women and Over 50’s for men. It should be noted that having received several requests from clubs the League’s intends to create a Women’s only walking football league from Season 2022.

Where is the fun in not being able to play some ‘home’ games, on a pitch which is owned by your club?

The S&EBWFL is recommending that there are to be no restrictions on the playing surface apart from concrete or tarmac. There is also the subject of travelling distances to a central location. Based upon the experiences gained with the EWFL players seem to get more pleasure going to different grounds…caveat being, within a reasonable travelling distance but more importantly fees and hospitality revenue are not going to just one location. As indicated under the proposal to form the league, each S&EBWFL tournament can be ‘hosted’ by one or more S&EBWFL clubs. This can ensure there are more than one team that is sharing costs and profits are split proportionally should they so wish.

A conduct according to the spirit of ‘Fair Play’ is essential for the successful promotion and development of and involvement of any sport.

The objective of ‘Fair Play’ is to foster a sporting spirit, as well as the sporting behaviour of all League, Club and Team Officials, players and supporters, thereby increasing the enjoyment of all those involved in the game. In order that clubs may address the behaviour of supporters in a meaningful way, consideration must be given to the actions and activities of four integral parts of those associated with the league, its clubs and teams; its League, Club and Team Officials, club players and club officials. The League has therefore introduced it’s own ‘Fair Play’ Charter and if it feels relevant a ‘Fair Play’ League that has a system for competing teams of awarding ‘Fair Play’ points. Whilst, the league should expect a degree of competitiveness the league does not tolerate a ‘win at all costs’ mentality, any degree of overzealousness from players or teams or bad behaviour. Good sportsmanship is expected from all involved. Please go to the ‘Fair Play’ page.

Walking Football is seen as a social, recreational and community sport. The league’s aims and objectives will be:

• To promote help and support walking football along the Suffolk and Essex borders and within the Counties of Suffolk and Essex.
• To provide competitive opportunities with no contact between players.
• Not to promote a ‘win at all costs’ attitude.
• To cultivate an all-inclusive environment in, which players of any gender can enjoy themselves.
• To help others to become more mobile and physically fit and to expand their social circles.
• To play its fixtures at centres/venues, which must be based in the Counties of Suffolk and Essex.
• To promote good sportsmanship and it should have a zero tolerance policy with regards to physical contact that can cause injury, dissent, abuse argumentative behaviour, swearing, and sarcasm towards match officials.
• To play matches under such ‘competition’ rules as to ensure that physical contact is not made in order to win the ball or gain an advantage without taking the ball cleanly and thereby ensuring all game play is fair.

A common opinion seems that the future of national walking football tournaments will be almost universally be three-touch with multiple touch play restricted just to kick-about games and local tournaments. Spain, France, Netherlands and Scotland are several examples . The arguments against three-touch have included: It stifles the more skillful players in so much as dribbling with the ball is out of the question; The less skilled panic and have no enjoyment; Players rush in for challenges knowing someone has had two touches; A lot of the time, when three-touch has been introduced it’s by those who want to stop the skillful players; In three-touch games are much faster and it doesn’t cut down on the physical stuff; It’s hard for match day Referees to control.

OK, we all know it’s great for training and if you watch a good team play they probably play three-touch without thinking. Everybody has an opinion. The upshot is it we have found by trial and in competitive games: that it’s more inclusive of any ability; there is an increased mental alertness as the counting is easy when players have been playing three-touch for a long time (they count themselves!); teams with good movement and a level of fitness are winning out over the others because their awareness, organisation and movement tends to be better.

There are more benefits being affiliated to the Football Association than there is by not being affiliated, these include having the use of the FA’s Whole Game (‘WGS’) and Full-Time systems.

The FA are the National Governing Body for football, which includes ‘walking football’. The S&EBWFL should be expected to work with the Football Association and both County FA’s in promoting walking football in Suffolk and Essex.

It is through affiliation that the family of football is brought together and the league have the correct standards and disciplines are maintained. Affiliation will ensure:

• There is quality assurance and there is a safety net available to help protect players, clubs, officials and administrators throughout the game.
• There is a process by, which clubs can “register” with their County FA’s, allowing them to play affiliated football.
• There are records, which teams you’ll be running, as well as the key officers and team officials involved in running of your club.
• Up until recently your local FA was able to provide all Clubs with free Public Liability insurance as this was included as part of a Club Affiliation fee. Please note it is mandatory for all age groups and formats of football to have Personal Accident Insurance. If players get injured whilst participating in football, financial loss can occur as a result. Personal Accident insurance provides cover to players and can help to offset this potential loss or unexpected expenses. Both local FA’s have long standing partnerships with grassroots sport teams insurance providers and are able to help source this for you.
• The development of clubs and the support in promoting best practice as well as encouraging the growth of Walking Football in general.

The link to the Essex FA is here. The link to the Suffolk FA is here.

There is no charge for the use of both systems as they are included in the club/team/league affiliation fee. But, both are administered by the league and its clubs. These are the FA’s online administration systems for Club affiliation, County Cups, League sanctioning, Fixtures and results, League tables, Referee’s registration and player Discipline records.

The reason WGS was brought into the EWFL was twofold; one was because two teams had been accused of having played individuals that were already ‘signed’ by other clubs without the other clubs’ knowledge; and two it was because several teams wanted a disciplinary recording process put in place. In the long term we should be consider moving to the FA’s Matchday App here.

As the competition or tournament would not be affiliated to any local FA and the reporting of any offence would therefore have no impact on a club’s or a player’s disciplinary records held by the FA even though the club and the player are FA affiliated. Unfortunately this is one of the current shortcomings with the so-called NGB’s and non-FA affiliated leagues that they do not have the infrastructure to record disciplinary matters or enforce bans etc.

Yes, but Clubs playing in multiple leagues would need to affiliate separate clubs/teams in each league, even if the same players were participating in both teams and your players may be dual-registered and play for the same, or different clubs, in different leagues.

Should your club have a team in both the EWFL and S&EBWFL, we will speak with the organisers of the EWFL to ensure there is no conflict in dates of fixtures of both leagues, but we cannot guarantee that the S&BWFL will or will not be given preference over the EWFL.