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The 2024 Grassroots Football Awards have been launched and organisers are seeking the public to nominate local people or clubs for the awards.
The annual McDonald’s Irish FA Grassroots Football Awards recognise the incredible work and commitment of football clubs and volunteers who give up their time and make a long-lasting impact on young people and communities across Northern Ireland.
In this year’s awards there are nine categories: Young Volunteer of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, Wes Gregg Coach of the Year, Amateur Club of the Year, Junior Club of the Year, the Futsal Award, the Football Restaurant of the Year, the Football for All Award and the People’s Award.
Nominations for the awards are now open via the Irish FA website and will close on 31 July. Regional award winners will be announced in September.
The official awards ceremony will take place in Belfast City Hall in October ahead of Northern Ireland’s UEFA Nations League fixtures against Belarus and Luxembourg.
Northern Ireland legend Pat Jennings said that it was hugely important to acknowledge the work that grassroots football volunteers undertake year on year.
He pointed out: “It’s great that a brand like McDonald’s is backing grassroots football, and the work it is doing along with the Irish FA in communities across Northern Ireland is really brilliant to see.
“I’ve been involved with these awards for almost two decades and it always amazes me the work that volunteers put in on and off the pitch to give children and young people an opportunity to play football in a safe and inclusive environment.
“It’s so important we celebrate them and I look forward to meeting this year’s winners and finalists later in the year.”
John McCollum, franchisee at McDonald’s, said: “Football is at the heart of communities across Northern Ireland and, after over 20 years as a major supporter of the grassroots game, nobody understands that better than McDonald’s.
“The annual awards give us an excellent excuse to celebrate the amazing volunteers on the ground that make it all happen. Without them programmes like Fun Football simply couldn’t run.”
To nominate your local grassroots football hero in this year’s McDonald’s Irish FA Grassroots Football Awards, visit irishfa.com
