Latest News
Help the SFA celebrate UEFA Grassroots Week!
The wonder of grassroots football across Europe will be placed in the spotlight again next week, as the annual UEFA Grassroots Week returns.
This year, clubs across Scotland are encouraged to share the fantastic work going on within their club and across their communities throughout the week and in turn highlight the unsung heroes of grassroots football who make it all possible.
This year’s celebratory week runs from Monday, 23 through to Sunday, 29 September, and will help recognise some of the inspirational initiatives within Scottish grassroots football such as:
- The Scottish FA’s Learning Through Football programme, an educational online platform for young people that supports teaching and learning using the context of football – and which will also help participants celebrate Scotland’s Maths Week, which runs concurrently with UEFA Grassroots Week;
- The Cashback for Communities programme, an initiative that channels funds from the proceeds of crime into providing free activities and programmes for youngsters across Scotland, with a focus on underprivileged areas.
- The work of Scottish Para-Football, the world’s first Affiliated National Association dedicated to para-football, which ensures that everyone, regardless of age, ability, gender, or background, can play football in a safe environment.
- The increasing number of sustainability-focused work going on in clubs across Scotland will also be celebrated as part of Scotland’s Climate Week, with clubs encouraged to share the initiatives taking place in their local communities.
Scottish FA Head of Football Development Paul McNeill: “At the Scottish FA we regularly talk about the power of football – how football has the power to inspire, transform lives and generate tangible positive societal impact – and every year UEFA Grassroots Week acts as a deserved celebration of the hard work that goes on from thousands of people to ensure that our fantastic sport continues at all levels. Next week represents UEFA’s annual opportunity to recognise and encourage the grassroots game – without which we wouldn’t have the spectacle of the elite level. While very few of us will play for our national team, football is about so much more than that and this week will help to underscore the societal benefits our national game offers.”
Clubs are encouraged to participate to share the amazing activities within their clubs by downloading the toolkit and sharing images and stories on social media using the hashtag #UEFAgrassroots.
VEO CAMERAS
Don’t miss out on the last chance this year to get a great deal on your Veo Cam 2!
Veo, the renowned soccer technology company, has an incredible campaign in store for you.
By signing up early, you'll gain access to Veo's unbeatable offer before anyone else.
Don't miss out on this limited-time opportunity to enhance your soccer experience!
Act now to book your Black Friday call with the Veo team, and place your order before the Black Friday rush: go.veo.co/bf23/syfa
The offer does not apply to the Starter & Family subscriptions and cannot be combined with any other ongoing offers or promotions.
To receive 50% off the Veo Cam 2, an annual subscription and tripod are required.
The offer is valid until November 27th 2023, at midnight.
The first night will be for SYFA volunteers to attend and the second night will be for SYFA players within the 2008 age band.
Both workshops will begin at 7pm at a central location (final venue details TBC).
Clubs should ensure to nominate one registered official to attend the session on 28th and teams should nominate one player from their 2008 squad to attend the session on 29th (preferably the captain or vice-captain).
Booking details will be announced next Friday (20th), so please watch this space.
SYFA LAUNCH NEW PARTNERSHIP TO TACKLE HOMOPHOBIA IN THE GRASSROOTS GAME
The Scottish Youth Football Association (SYFA), together with Time for Inclusive Education (TIE), has launched a national programme of educational workshops to tackle an increase in the number of homophobic incidents at youth football matches in Scotland.
The newly launched partnership, the first of its kind in Scotland, will see educational workshops delivered to grassroots volunteers and players across Scotland by TIE staff. The workshops will aim to raise awareness of prejudice, explain where stereotypes come from, how unconscious bias develops and how tackling exclusion ensures there is always a safe and nurturing environment for anyone who wishes to play football in Scotland.
Workshops will also feature Zander Murray who, in September 2022, became the first senior Scottish footballer to come out as gay. Zander will talk about his personal experiences and encourage attendees to consider the language they use by helping them understand the impact homophobic language can have.
Find out more HERE
WEST LOTHIAN COLLEGE IS KICKING OFF A PILOT LEARNING INITIATIVE WITH SYFA
In partnership with the SYFA, the college will support the academic and football success of young people who are selected for the SYFA’s National Development Programme.
As education partner, the college will embed the Skills for Work Sport and Recreation qualification into the established National Development Programme, wrapping together education and player development.
Todd Lumsden, Sports Faculty Director at West Lothian College, said: “The SYFA National Development Programme is a well-established opportunity for players to gain representation at a national level. Players from all over Scotland take part in the year-long training and games programme. It is a privilege for West Lothian College to contribute to the player development strategy.”
The college will support the delivery and quality assurance of the qualification and the squad of 22 to 30 players will benefit from a blend of in-person and online learning.
Read the full story here: https://www.west-lothian.ac.uk/news-events/latest-news/college-kicks-off-pilot-learning-initiative-with-the-scottish-youth-football-association/
KICKABOUT NEWSLETTER
The Scottish Cup edition of our newsletter 'Kickabout' has now been published and can be viewed HERE
SCOTTISH YOUTH FA & SHOW RACISM THE RED CARD - ANTI- RACISM WORKSHOP - EAST REGION
Following the launch of our national programme of anti-racism workshops last year we are pleased to confirm the details of the next workshop.
This will be held on Wednesday 8th February at Maryfield FC North End Social Club, Fairmuir Street, Dundee DD3 8HU 7.00pm- 9pm and is open to registered Child Wellbeing & Protection Officers from SYFA clubs. Workshops are free to attend, however advance booking is mandatory. We would strongly encourage all CWPOs in the EAST Region to attend.
The session will focus on the causes and consequences of racism, the various forms it can take and how to safely challenge discrimination both in the football community and across wider society. It will also help participants understand how to report hate incidents to the relevant authorities.
Booking Information
To book a space, Child Wellbeing & Protection Officers should email the following details to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Name
ID
Club Name
Email Address
Please use ‘SYFA & SRtRC Workshop’ as the subject.
Places on the course will be limited so we would ask volunteers to email as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
Further courses will be confirmed and announced for more locations in the coming weeks, along with booking information, so please watch this space.
KICKABOUT NEWSLETTER
The 2022 festive edition of our newsletter can be found here:
All SYFA Board members and office staff wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
SYFA & VEO PARTNERSHIP ANNOUNCEMENT
Veo and The Scottish Youth FA are delighted to announce that they have entered into a 2 year partnership.
Veo aims to aid SYFA in their mission to lead the way in growing grassroots football in Scotland, encouraging all boys and girls to play organised football and enabling every child to develop and flourish as a player.
Veo’s cameras have been used throughout Scottish Football and Scottish Youth Football. But with an official collaboration between the Scottish Youth FA and Veo, the SYFA National Development Programme will now also use Veo’s portable camera solution. This will help them to develop players’ and coaches’ performance on the pitch.
“Video analysis is vital in supporting young players and giving them the opportunity to self-analyse. We are proud to support The Scottish Youth FA with their mission in enabling every child with developing their game.” (Sioned Ramsay, Strategic Partnership Manager, Veo)
“We believe the services available from Veo have the potential to benefit our member clubs greatly and look forward to working collaboratively to share these benefits with teams across the country.” (Florence Witherow, Chief Operating Officer, SYFA)
Our partnership with Veo gives Scottish Youth FA members a £200 discount on Veo cameras, however stay tuned as of Monday 14 November we will be announcing a Black Friday offer to which SYFA members will have early access.
The Scottish Youth Football Association partners with Show Racism the Red Card to launch national education programme
The Scottish Youth Football Association (SYFA) is delighted to announce that together with Show Racism the Red Card, we have launched a national programme of anti-racism workshops for grassroots volunteers across Scotland. The project, which will deliver education workshops to 700 volunteers across Scotland, is funded by the Scottish Football Partnership Trust.
Workshops will be held at venues up and down the country and will initially be accessible to all Child Wellbeing and Protection Officers (CWPOs) registered with the SYFA.
Sessions will focus on the causes and consequences of racism, the various forms it can take and how to safely challenge discrimination both in the football community and across wider society. It will also help participants understand how to report hate incidents to the relevant authorities.
Florence Witherow from SYFA said: “As an organisation, we wholeheartedly believe in the power that football has to break down barriers and foster inclusion across society. We see examples of this every week when young people from different backgrounds come together to train and play together on pitches all over Scotland.
“Unfortunately, amongst the positive, inspiring stories, we are seeing a distinct rise in the number of racist incidents at games involving our member clubs. These incidents are occurring both on and off the pitch. As such we recognise the importance of taking action and believe that education is the first step in tackling discrimination, wherever and however it manifests itself. We are extremely grateful for both the Scottish Football Partnership Trust and Show Racism the Red Card for their support on this project.
“As well as gaining key skills to foster respectful relationships and club cultures we hope that those who participate in these workshops will become champions withing their community. We hope that they will feel empowered to help welcome and include all people regardless of their ethnicity, faith, culture, or nationality.”
Chris Priestley from Show Racism the Red Card said: “We are absolutely delighted to be involved in this project with the SYFA and share their belief in the importance of active anti-racism. We’re also very encouraged that so many club officials will have this opportunity to improve their awareness and expertise.
“As the UK’s leading anti-racism education charity, we are in no doubt that lifelong learning on this subject is essential to creating and maintaining an inclusive culture at clubs, within the game as a whole, and throughout Scotland. We are all eager and excited for the project to begin and would encourage all CWPOs to sign up to a workshop near them.
The first workshop will take place on Tuesday 25th October at Hampden Park from 7.00pm till 9.00pm. Courses will be confirmed and announced for locations across the country in the coming weeks.
NSPCC - Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport Week
Office Closure
Office Closure
To allow staff to pay their respects to HM Queen Elizabeth II, we will be closed on Monday 19th September.
𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁scotland Young People's Sport Panel
Applications are now open for 2022 -2024!
Do you know someone who has got what it takes to speak up for sport? Do you know someone who wants to make a real difference in sport and physical activity? If so, then this is the opportunity is for them! We are now on the lookout for the sixth cohort of the Young People’s Sport Panel who will work with to help influence and shape sport across the country and be the voice of young people in Scottish sport.
Who can apply?
We are looking for young people who are:
- Aged between 14 - 23
- Passionate about sport
- Wanting to make a difference
- Able to commit an average of 3 hours a week on a voluntary - basis
We welcome applications from young people from a wide range of backgrounds and those with protected characteristics.
Applications will close at 10pm on Wednesday 28 September 2022.
About the Young People’s Sport Panel
The Young People’s Sport Panel (YPSP) is led by 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁scotland and supported by Young Scot and is a is a fantastic opportunity for aspiring young leaders. Over the years the experience has made a positive difference to the lives of past and present panel members, and they have made an important contribution to Scottish sport.
Panel members have been involved in a range of activities and work in project groups on topics they feel passionate about. They also represent 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁scotland at various conferences, workshops and events to influence decision making. They also create content for the web and social media to raise the profile of sport.
You can follow the work of the Young People's Sport Panel on social media using #sportpanel.
Application process & FAQs: https://sportscotland.org.uk/.../application-process-faqs/
Application guidance note: https://sportscotland.org.uk/.../application-guidance-note/
Promotional toolkit: https://sportscotland.org.uk/.../toolkit-for-promotion/
Get in touch
If you wish to speak to someone about the Young People’s Sport Panel, please contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Thank you in advance for your support in driving applications!
The SYFA National 16s squad travelled to Wolverhampton on Monday 28th March for their 4-day trip.
Twenty-two players and six staff set off from Hampden Park at 7.30am for the 6-hour voyage south, an enjoyable journey which included a quiz, a sing song and a ‘Name that Song’ competition, along with a couple of pit stops along the way.
The group received lunch on arrival before their scheduled tour of Wolverhampton Wanderers’ stadium to find out all about the club's history and the current set up. So much was packed in to the two-hour visit, with highlights including access to the changing rooms,
hospitality suites including a bird’s eye view from the Director's Box.
On completion of the tour, the group checked into their hotel, got settled in their rooms and headed downstairs for a delicious evening meal. The final activity of the day was an hour in the classroom for the coaches’ ‘Keys to Success’ presentation which was really beneficial to all the players.
Day two got off to an early start, as it was going to be a busy day culminating in a match against Walsall that evening.
Post- breakfast, the group took the short journey to Wolves Academy where they received a very warm welcome from International Projects Manager Joe Hunt. He facilitated a brief tour of the academy area and before showing the player to the changing rooms to prepare for the first training session. The session was excellent, with all players preparing well for their upcoming game.
After training it was straight over to the stadium for lunch; the SYFA players were given the Wolves Under 23 team’s menu, which went down a treat. An afternoon of important rest followed before the pre-match meal later in the afternoon.
The match kicked off at 6.30, on the astro pitch next to the stadium. The boys played some excellent football in what was a really enjoyable game for both sides. The match itself also went a long way in helping them develop their own game. It ended in a narrow 2-1 defeat to the SYFA 16s, however it was undoubtedly a very successful run out for everyone.
The group took time for some quick reflection on the game before tucking into pizzas, which as you would imagine, didn't last long at all.
Day three followed the same pattern as day two but with the morning training session focussed on a recovery morning after the previous night’s game. The original plan had been to play the Wolves Academy team however they had a cup tie away to Manchester United cast on them and so could not participate in the friendly. Instead, they arranged a game for against The New Saints (TNS), with use of their academy astro pitch.
Despite the cold weather and spine-chilling wind blowing straight across the pitch, the standard of football delivered by both teams was superb.
TNS were of a very high standard and caused big problems at the start of the game, however once the team settled down and introduced a change of shape, we found our way much better in a very entertaining end to end game. The match finished 1- 0 to TNS, however as with the previous night's game the SYFA boys more than held their own against and indeed with a bit more good fortune in front of goal, the result could have been different.
The group returned to the hotel for a heat and some more pizza and an extension on the usual ‘lights out’ time for everyone to sit, have a chat and reflect on two fantastic days.
Day four featured an early breakfast again before packing up and leaving the hotel. The players, led by the captain, ensured to thank all of the departments for looking after everyone during our stay , a nice touch which was massively appreciated by the staff. The final football activity was a session with the Wolves Pro Academy coaches, which the players absolutely loved. They had their final lunch at the stadium before a surprisingly enjoyable journey back to Scotland.
National Development Officer described the trip as ‘absolutely fantastic’, and one which he would not hesitate in recommending to member clubs. The application, desire and work rate of all the players throughout training and matches was exemplary and received compliments from both set of opposition officials. Feedback from players has been excellent, with many commenting on how much they enjoyed gaining an insight of how a professional club might structure a trip away.
Our thanks of course go to the trip organiser Jed McCabe and Inspiresport, who once again created an outstanding itinerary and unforgettable experience.
inspiresport Scottish Youth FA Cup Finals 2022
Best of luck to all teams for their upcoming matches!
Festive office closures
The SYFA (virtual) office will be closed for the Christmas Holidays from 1pm on Thursday 23rd December 2021 and will re-open at 9am on Wednesday 5th January 2022.
inspiresport Scottish Youth FA Cup
The draws have been made for rounds four and five of the competition!
View round four HERE
View round five HERE
(Posted 11/11/2021)
Club Registrations
When submitting forms, please ensure that the form ID is clearly visible within the scan/ image.
We are very excited to announce that the draw for round one of the inspiresport Scottish Youth FA Cup has been made and published on our website CLICK HERE
We would like to wish all participating teams the best of luck in their first round!
(Posted 01/09/2021)
Angus McConnell, 13th February 1931- 15th February 2021
Everyone at the Scottish Youth FA was deeply saddened by the news of Angus McConnell’s passing.
Angus was one of the founding members of the SYFA, and played a key role in its inception. He was the first Vice President of the Association, and after two years in this position, went on to become the Association’s second President.
A truly outstanding ambassador for Scottish football, Angus’ contribution across many organisations, including the Central Lanarkshire Youth Football Association and East Kilbride YM FC, was felt and appreciated by all.
Angus not only dedicated so much of his time and knowledge to grassroots football, he did so with grace, respect and humility. A gentleman through and through, he will be deeply missed, and our deepest sympathies are with his family at this difficult time.
An Update from Board of the Scottish Youth Football Association (Posted 21/04/2020)
The SYFA Board has today issued the following update regarding some of the key matters arising as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
2019/2020 Season
Following extensive discussions, the Board has made the decision that no further league fixtures should be played as part of the 2019/2020 season, therefore drawing the 2019/2020 season to a close.
The Coronavirus Joint Response Group’s update, issued on the 9th April, advised that the suspension of all football in Scotland had been extended until at least the 10th June 2020. Should football activities recommence on this date, this leaves less than three weeks of the standard season remaining. There is no feasible way of squeezing training and fixtures into this small window. We must also remember that this date signifies a best case scenario, and there is still a strong possibility that it may get pushed further back.
The Board also considered extending the 2019/20 season beyond the summer, however this doesn’t appear to be practicable. Not only would it raise issues with registrations and insurance, it would also result in problematic scheduling matters from a league perspective, in trying to hurry through one season (with a recommencement date still unknown), only to immediately restart the next. There is also the substantial likelihood that players may face an unnecessary overload of games at the beginning of the new season which would go against child wellbeing and player development best practice.
Football under the SYFA’s jurisdiction is age-specific, and each age level brings changes and challenges in terms of both development and match duration. We all must accept that the 2019/2020 season has been unexpectedly and irrefutably disrupted due to the current circumstances, however, by ending fixtures now, we stand the best chance of restarting the 2020/2021 with as little delay or disruption as possible.
It is at each league’s discretion how they choose to calculate final placings, and we would expect teams to give their full support and patience as their league works through this.
Referring back to the matter of the 2020/2021 season, we are pleased to inform you that league, club and team registrations will open in early May. We are finalising matters with the IT department and hope to announce the specific date on which the window will open in the coming days.
We would stress that members should only register if the relevant club and / or team secretary is already in a position to execute the task from home. Under no circumstances should officials be meeting up in order to prepare for their membership application. Teams unable to register at this stage will not be disadvantaged however those that are able to register will be assisting their fellow members in doing so.
Opening early helps to prevent an unmanageable number of applications being submitted within a very short space of time, which would likely be the case if we held-off opening registrations until an official restart date had been confirmed. This could lead to further delay and, ultimately prevent teams getting back to games at the earliest possible opportunity. It also allows leagues and clubs who are in a position to do so, to complete the administrative side of things well in advance, ensuring football itself can be their key priority down the line.
Full details of the registration process, including player registrations, will be confirmed once finalised with both the IT and Registrations departments at the Scottish FA.
Cup Competitions
Rule 84 of the Supplementary and Playing Rules allows for special permission to be granted to complete unfinished cup ties:
Exceptionally, in the case of unfinished Cup Competitions, special permission may be granted by the SYFA for delayed Cup ties to be played on or after 1 August in the following season. Only players who were eligible to play for the teams involved in a delayed Cup tie at 15 June in the preceding season may play in such Cup tie for which special permission has been granted.
Whether or not it is possible to complete cup ties will depend entirely on when football activities can resume. If it is possible to complete cup competitions by Sunday 6th September then we will grant approval to complete competitions, giving priority to the inspiresport Scottish Youth FA Cup, followed by regional competitions and then league cup competitions.
There is a strong possibility that even if we can resume activities in June, league cup competitions will not be completed due to time and facility restrictions. Again we expect teams to fully support their league in whatever decision is reached.
If football has not resumed before August, 2019/2020 cup competitions, including the inspiresport SYFA cup, will not be completed.
AGM
Extensive work has also been carried out in relation to the AGM which is due to take place in June. We have still to receive further clarification from our legal advisors regarding the meeting itself, and will provide you all with a further update on this in due course.
Rule 11 of the Supplementary and Playing rules outlines the process for members to submit resolutions for the AGM:
Notice from a member of any proposed addition or alteration to the Supplementary & Playing Rules to be put forward for consideration at the Annual General Meeting must be sent by Recorded Signed for or Special Delivery by the proposer and seconder in separate letters, signed by the respective secretary of the member club, league or association proposing and seconding, to the SYFA c/o National Secretary, before the 30th day of April in the then current year. Notice from a member of any other Resolution to be brought before an Annual General Meeting must be sent in like manner before the 30th day of April in the then current year.
Given the current situation, the Board has temporarily amended this rule. As we do not currently have access to our Hampden office, resolutions must be submitted via email to the National Secretary. The following process must be followed:
1. 1. Resolutions must be attached to emails in the form of a letter, and sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by 30th April 2020.
2. 2. Emails from both the proposer and seconder must be sent from the registered email address of the league or club secretary.
3. 3. Resolutions must be signed (either via verified electronic signature or scanned copy of signed letter)
4. 4. Hard copies of letters must be retained by the sender for retrospective verification.
5. 5. National Secretary will confirm receipt of resolution.
We would ask that any members who have submitted resolutions via postal delivery on or after 19th March 2020 resubmit these using the process above.
Summer Football
We also want to take this opportunity to raise the matter of summer football. Some of you will be aware of the petition regarding switching our 11 a side age groups from a winter season to a summer season. In addition to this petition we have also received three emails from club officials supporting this change.
Such a change would require extensive consultation and planning, and would be a huge undertaking for ourselves and our league volunteers. Our current structure, resources and IT provision are all currently set up for the dual- season system and implanting such a change at a national level is clearly a broad and complex undertaking. However, we have a duty to listen to our members and respond appropriately and responsibly to such suggestions and as such will be conducting an extensive consultation project, initially with our member leagues, in order to discuss the practicalities of this suggestion.
We sincerely hope that you are all well in these unprecedented times, and thank you for your ongoing efforts and commitment.
Suspend Hand Shaking (Posted 04/03/2020)
We are grateful for your co-operation on this matter as we take a common sense approach to the current situation.
Following on from the SFA announcement yesterday it has been agreed that with immediate effect the SYFA would seek to suspend the traditional practice of shaking hands between opponents and match officials prior to and following matches.
This is in keeping with the Scottish Government’s circulated guidance on appropriate steps to reduce person-to-person contact and the resultant spread of the infection, and will remain in effect until further notice.
We would request that you instruct all players, coaching staff and match officials on the latest guidance.
Kickabout Newsletter (Posted 23/12/2019)
Please CLICK HERE the link below to view our Christmas Edition of our newsletter
Festive Office Closure (Posted 23/12/2019)
The SYFA Office at Hampden Park will be closed for the Christmas Holidays from 2pm on Monday 23rd December 2019 until 9am Monday 6th January 2020
We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Small Sided player registrations (Posted 09/12/2019)
Reminder to all small sided teams!
Your players will become unregistered on 31st December - please make sure you register your team in order to re-register your players for the 2020 season.
It may be helpful if you take note of the Player ID numbers now before they drop off to make the registration process easier for you.
Office Closure (Posted 05/12/2019)
The SYFA office will be closed on Friday 6th December and will re-open at 9am on Monday 9th December
inspiresport U16 Development Squad Tour 2020(Posted 26/11/2019)
We are delighted to announce that this season our u16 development squad will be travelling with our official Scottish Cup sponsor inspiresport to their exclusive club Vitesse Arnhem in the Netherlands.
The tour will take place from Monday 23rd – Thursday 26th March 2020.
Here is what the squad will enjoy during the tour:
- Return flights to Holland
- 3 nights full board at Hotel Papendal (on site)
- 1 high quality training session with Vitesse Arnhem academy coach
- 2 SYFA lead high quality training sessions
- All training sessions take place at Vitesse Arnhem Academy
- 2 matches vs similar standard Dutch opposition
- Behind the scenes of GelreDome stadium tour and museum tour
- Cultural visit
- Watch Vitesse Arnhem first team and academy train
Here is a link to Papendal / hotel / complex which is home to as well as Vitesse Arnhem also the elite centre for Dutch athletes:
https://papendal.nl/
Here is a link to Vitesse on our website:
http://www.inspiresport.com/tours/football/europe/netherlands/vitesse-arnhem/
Training Ground and Hotel
The Papendal hotel is on site and a 5 minute walk to the academy.
Situated in the woods near Arnhem, the Papendal Sports Centre includes 6 full size football pitches of which one is artificial turf. Since the arrival of the new owner of Vitesse the Papendal football facilities have been upgraded to the highest level in Dutch football. One of the pitches has a small stadium which has a 500 people capacity. The reserve squad and academy teams all play their matches here. The training ground is used regularly by the 1st team for training sessions.
Guidelines for 2020 registration (Posted 05/11/2019)
A post box has now been installed at the main reception so that any members wishing to drop off paperwork with the SYFA can simply post it via our dedicated mailbox, which we’ll be checking twice a day. Letters, player registration forms, cheques, and any other relevant paperwork can be posted in here, though we ask that no cash payments are left in the post box. Visits to the office will be by appointment only to allow us to advise the main reception of who is coming and going. Hampden staff at the desk will be unable to give access for any unplanned visits, so please ensure to contact us before you come to Hampden.
The SYFA welcomes these access adjustments which provide a safer working environment for everyone based at the stadium. Please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any queries on how you may be affected.
inspiresport Scottish Youth FA Cup third round draw (Posted 09/10/2019)
Draws for the next round of the inspiresport Scottish Youth FA Cup will be made at Hampden tomorrow (Thursday 10th)!
You can watch the draws on Facebook from 5pm onwards and find out your team’s next stop on the road to Airdrie!
inspiresport Scottish Youth FA Cup first round draw results(Posted 16/08/2019)
The 2019/20 inspiresport Scottish Youth FA (SYFA) Cup first round draw has been completed!
This season’s competition will see more teams than ever before compete for the coveted trophies, with a record-breaking 1,615 taking part.
The prestigious tournament will see sides from across the country compete at U21, U19, U17, U16, U15, U14 & U13 levels with the competition ultimately culminating in seven cup finals over one weekend.
SYFA National Secretary, Florence Witherow, said:
“The first round of any national competition like this is always a special and exciting time with this year being no different. Teams from across the country will be dreaming of making the finals weekend and for 14 teams it is a dream that will become a reality.
“On behalf of the SYFA I would like to take this opportunity to thank inspiresport for their continued support of the competition. Jed and his team are fantastic to work with and the support they provide to us and the opportunities they offer to the young people in our national development squads through their sponsorship of this competition is absolutely fantastic.
“Last season’s competition saw some fantastic ties with all of the finals being played in the right spirit, with the coaches, players and volunteers all espousing the ideals of the association. Everyone involved with the association is looking forward to this season’s competition and I would like to personally wish all the teams the very best of luck as they set out on their 2019/20 Scottish Youth FA Cup journey.”
Jed McCabe, Inspiresport’s Head of Sales for Scotland said:
“It is a source of great pride for inspiresport to once against back this competition as part of our ongoing partnership with the SYFA. Some of the stories and positive messages to come out of the competition last season were absolutely fantastic and we’re looking forward to once again getting out and meeting as many of the teams involved as we possibly can.
“We are already looking forward to the finals weekend and, in consultation with Florence and the board at the SYFA, plans are already afoot to make the competition even bigger and better than ever before.”
So, without further ado, here are the draws for the first round of the Scottish Youth FA Cup.
https://www.scottishyouthfa.co.uk/index.php/round-1
Scottish Youth FA Cup Entry Deadline! (Posted 19/07/2019)
All teams wishing to take part in the 2019/20 Scottish Youth FA Cup must have completed their registration on ScottishFA Live by Friday 2nd August.
Teams registered after this date will not be eligible to participate in the competition.
Registrations information (Posted 01/07/2019)
As it is now past 30th June all teams need to re-register for season 2019/20 before they will be able to access the tournaments and player registrations
Office Closure (Posted 15/05/2019)
Due to the Cup Finals weekend taking place, the SYFA office will be closed Friday 17th and Monday 20th May.
Please make sure all player registrations are emailed by 2pm on Thursday 16th May to enable us to process these on time.
Guidelines for 2019 Registrations; Small Sided Games (Posted 04/01/2019)
Please read this information carefully prior to starting your club/ team renewal.
• League registration for the 2019 season is now open.
• Club registration for the 2019 season opens on 22nd December 2018.
• Team registration for the 2019 season open on 3rd January 2019.
• Teams will not be able to register until their club has successfully completed their 2019 membership.
• All registrations must be completed via the SFA Live system
• Club membership is a simple process and is free of charge. Club secretaries should check their list of officials and admin contacts are up to date (removing anyone who is no longer with the club). They should then go to the Membership tab to read and acknowledge the rules of membership and finish their registration.
• On the 31st December 2018, all team officials will be removed from their respective teams and placed onto a list of club officials. It will then be the responsibility of the club secretary to place team secretaries into their respective teams and ensure they have full access to their team so that they in turn can select the required team officials.
• ‘Team Official’ is no longer an accepted role on the system and therefore anyone listed as such should be amended to an accepted role.
• A guide on how to check and change System User permissions has been sent to all club secretaries. They should consult this guide when altering officials’ permissions.
• It will not be possible to place any officials who do not have PVGs with the SYFA into teams.
• It will not be possible to place any officials who have not completed the e-learning course ‘Children's Wellbeing in Scottish Football’ or PVG into teams.
• Any individuals who have not completed the e-learning course and require help on how to do so should go to the Child Protection section of the SYFA website (www.scottishyouthfa.co.uk) and read the information under ‘SYFA Online Protection Training’.
• Any officials experiencing technical difficulties with the online course itself (i.e. password problems or issues on completion) should email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with their name, date of birth and a brief description of the problem.
Click Here for the Clubs and Teams Registration Process Help Guide
SYFA National Development Player Signs for Partick Thistle
One of Our National Development Player Cameron Crook signed with Partick Thistle Under 18s just before Christmas.
Cameron's Father stated:
'We’d like to put on record our appreciation and thanks for your time and support for Cameron since he was first selected at Under 14 level. It’s been an incredibly positive experience, culminating in the superb trip to Eindhoven last April. He has developed immensely as both a footballer and a person under your guidance and coaching – it’s been a big part of his life and he’s been so proud and privileged to be part of it.
Good luck for the rest of the season, and thank you once again for everything you’ve done for Cameron.'
SYFA are proud of the signing of this individual by Partick Thistle, wishing the player the best of luck in his achievement.
Guidelines for 2019 Registrations; Small Sided Games
Guidelines for the 2019 registration process can be found on the homepage of the Scottish Youth FA website.
Please read these carefully prior to starting your club/ team renewal.
Christmas Newsletter
The Christmas edition of our Kickabout Newsletter is now available online:
Festive Office Closures
The SYFA office will be closed on Friday 14th December 2018 for Training.
The shut down for our Christmas holidays is Friday 21st December 2018 and we will re-open on Thursday 3rd January 2019.
We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
National Sports First Aid Course
A National Sports First Aid (NSFA) course is being held on Saturday 12 January 2019 at Pittodrie Stadium in Aberdeen. This SYFA approved course costs £75 per person, however, funding is available for SYFA members to attend this training at the reduced cost of £25 per person (based on place per SYFA member club). To apply for a reduced place, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or to book a place at full price, contact Hampden Sports Clinic directly on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Florence Witherow Appointed as National Secretary
The Scottish Youth Football Association can today confirm that, after a thorough and exhaustive recruitment process, Florence Witherow has been appointed as the organisation’s new National Secretary.
A lifelong football fan, Florence joins the SYFA from SecuriGroup where she was a Senior Project Manager, a role that saw her take charge of a number of successful national events and contracts, managing hundreds of staff.
On making the appointment SYFA chairman, John McCrimmond, said:
“First and foremost we are extremely pleased to be welcoming Florence to the organisation. As a board of directors, we are confident that she is the right person to take the organisation forward as we continue to grow and provide greater access to safe, organised football for Scotland’s young people.
With a wealth of experience in administration, project management and communication we are excited to start working with Florence to move the SYFA forward during this challenging yet exciting time for youth football in Scotland.”
On being appointed to the role, Florence said:
“I’d like to thank the SYFA board of directors for giving me this incredible opportunity to work with the amazing staff and volunteers at the SYFA. I really can’t wait to get started and I’m very excited about the coming weeks, months and years.
I’ve been playing and watching football for as long as I can remember, and ever since my dad took me to my first ever game I have been hooked. This is an organisation filled with fantastic people and there is an enormous amount of potential here. I will be doing everything I can to unlock that potential and help get more young people playing football in Scotland.”
inspiresport
inspiresport are running a Teachers/Coaches inspection visit to Real Madrid, Valencia CF, Inter Milan and PSV Eindhoven over the next 6 months.
Please click the following link for more details:
https://www.inspiresport.com/tours/football/#1536918068853-803dfb8f-97e1
Please Note| Access to the main SYFA office will only be allowed from 10am – 4pm Monday to Friday
Player Registration
When sending in a player registration form where some players have still to sign, please score through these players and add them onto a new form with a NEW FORM NUMBER. We cannot process a form number more than once and there are a lot of players not being registered due to this problem.
SYFA and Teamer Partnership
We are delighted with our sponsorship with Teamer - owners of the FREE sports Club and Team management app.
Find out more information here: https://teamer.net/
We have recently had some artwork added to the new SYFA Development Van...
It is with great sadness that the Scottish Youth FA announce the passing of
JOHN MITCHELL
John was a long time administrator and friend of youth football in Scotland and sadly passed on the evening of 6th August 2018. He held many positions within the game and was a well-respected member of the SYFA since its formation, serving on various committees.
John, until recently, volunteered one day per week within the office at both Park Gardens and ultimately at Hampden and he will be sadly missed by his colleagues.
ALL TEAM SECRETARIES
Please Note| When Corresponding with the office by email, please make sure you include your Team ID Number.
Without the Team ID Number it is impossible for us to deal with your enquiry.
Emails received without a Team ID Number cannot be dealt with and will be deleted
Sponsorship Deal between Teamer and The Scottish Youth Football Association
The Scottish Youth Football Association (SYFA) are delighted to announce a 3 year Partnership Agreement with Teamer Group who operate a number of digital sports assets including teamer.net, leaguewebsite.net, clubwebsite.net and fixtureslive.net.
The 3-year partnership will see Teamer working closely with the SYFA to provide education on the digital platforms, on-boarding assistance and dedicated customer support to the 900 clubs associated with the organisation. Together, Teamer and SYFA aim to keep the game alive and grow youth football in Scotland by increasing participation, enhancing the organisation of coaches, volunteers, officials and parents, and make it more enjoyable for all involved.
Robert Mattar, CEO of Teamer, said “The Scottish Youth FA are a fantastic team working to grow youth football participation across Scotland. We’re excited to be partnering with them to help them achieve that vision by delivering Teamer’s suite of applications to the many youth teams, clubs and leagues throughout Scotland.”
John McCrimmond, Chairman of SYFA, added “We welcome the sponsorship with Teamer, as the Apps provided by Teamer can assist all our leagues, clubs and teams in the organisation of their football games.”
https://page.teamer.net/teamer-club-syfa
https://community.teamer.net/2018/06/27/teamer-scottish-youth-fa-announce-grassroots-partnership/
SPACES AVAILABLE
There are still spaces on the below Managing Children’s Wellbeing Courses:Hampden this 25th June 2018 – 9 places available
Dundee 26th June 2018 – 7 places available
For information on how to create an account and book a place please click the following link:
If you already have an account and know your login details please click on the following link:
(Posted 25/06/2018)
11 A-Side Teams PLEASE NOTE:
All 11 a side teams should print off their list of players with their SFA ID numbers.
These will disappear off of the system on 30th June 2018!
Urgent Child Wellbeing and Protection Training
Please be reminded that the Child Wellbeing and Protection Officer of ALL Clubs MUST complete the Managing Child Wellbeing Workshop by 30 June 2018. To book on this course please click here
Also, All SYFA member officials, regardless of their role, must complete the Children’s Wellbeing in Football e-learning online module by 30th June 2018. To access the e-learning course click here
Please read the following guidance for details on how to book:
For all Clubs and Members who have already completed this vital training
- Many Thanks!
(Posted 15/06/2018)
NEW and exclusive! ...inspiresport FC Internazionale Milano Football Tours
inspiresport have launched an exciting tour option with FC Internazionale Milano (Inter)
CLICK HERE for full details
COMING SOON... SPECIAL VIP OFFER FOR ALL INSPIRESPORT PREVIOUS TRAVELERS!
View the full inspiresport FC Internazionale Milano tour below:
For more information contact Jed McCabe on: 07841 143750 or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
(Posted 13/06/2018)
Pitch Finder from Community Sponsorship Partners Scotland
The CSP Pitch Finder application allows parents, guardians and supporters of youngsters playing youth football in Scotland to check on upcoming fixtures as well as locate the pitches where those fixtures are to be held.
The CSP Pitch Finder is now available for Android and iOS phones and tablets providing an intuitive and convenient mobile solution wherever you are, as long as you have a mobile data or wifi signal! More information: Pitch-Finder-App