Accreditation Renewal is now open!

The new accreditation renewal process has been simplified for the 2022/23 season and is officially open for you and your club to continue committing to be one of the best places to play and enjoy football in Greater Manchester.

We’ve pulled together everything you need to renew your Clubs England Football Accreditation status. 

1. To start the process and begin renewing your accreditation visit the Clubs Portal 

2. For how to guides and help and guidance through the process visit the Knowledge base 

3. If you have coaches and volunteers that need to start or update their qualifications then visit England Learning. 

4. Not yet England Football Accredited but want to join the 180 clubs across Greater Manchester that create the ideal environments to nurture players, coaches and volunteers? Click here to find out how 

Grass Pitch Maintenance Fund! (GPMF)

The project is delivered by the Football Foundation, and provides eligible clubs, leagues, and organisations with a tapered six-year grant to help them sustain pitches already at a ‘good’ level and enhance pitches that are considered ‘poor’ or ‘basic’.

Funding falls into two categories – enhance or sustain. Your PitchPower pitch inspection (a requirement of the grant) will provide you with a Performance Quality Standard (PQS) per pitch - which will determine how much funding you'll be eligible for. The funding provided must be used to carry out the recommendations from your PitchPower Assessment Report. These can include:  

• Contractor works e.g. slitting, scarification or decompaction 

• Purchasing materials e.g. seed or fertiliser 

• Purchasing equipment e.g. Soil Sampler 

Routine maintenance work such as grass cutting and line marking aren't eligible!

Small Grants

In addition to the GPMF, the Football Foundation offers a range of smalls grants to support the whole grassroots game. The Foundation can provide a grant of up to £25,000 providing this doesn’t exceed 75% of the total project costs. The remaining 25% must be matched by the applicant. Funding can be used for: 

• Improving the quality of playing surfaces, both natural and artificial 

• Installing fencing 

• Purchasing pitch maintenance machinery 

• Replacing or buying new goalposts 

• Refurbishing or carrying out essential works to your changing rooms or clubhouse 

• Portable floodlights 

Both Curzon Ashton and Salford City earned replays against League 1 opposition. Despite a valiant effort, Curzon were defeated last night following a penalty shootout. Tonight Salford City play their FA Cup replay for a place in the second round at Moor Lane. 

In the Women's FA Cup, Cheadle Town progressed against York City following a shootout and will face Burnley in the second round.

This week, The Frank Hannah Premier Cup returned with Ashton United emerging 4-0 winners against Maine Road to secure their place in the semi-final. On Tuesday we will be streaming live from Wythenshawe AFC as they on FC United in our tie of the round.  

This Sunday, the Women’s Challenge Cup Quarter final ties will be played. We will be live on Sunday from Hyde United at 12:30pm as they take on Curzon Ashton for a place in the semi-finals.  

For information on how to watch the games and for live updates make sure you follow us on social media (@Manchester_fa)  

The Saturday Challenge Cup and Sunday Challenge Shield semi-final will be played this weekend with a place in the final up for grabs!

Good luck to all involved!

The Manchester FA County Cup Surveys – Complete for your chance to win £250 for your club or league!

Throughout the 2022/23 playing season, Manchester FA will, in conjunction with our Competitions Working Group, be completing the largest ever review of all of our current competition offers and this is where you come in! 

We are asking all club officials, league officials and players to provide their thoughts and opinions on our current competitions so we can ensure they remain fit for the future and an integral part of the Grassroots Football landscape across Greater Manchester. 

Simply complete the survey via the following link that is applicable to you, to not only provide this valuable feedback, but also for your chance to win £250 for your club or league!