Ipswich: Premier League theme for 2015 KBB Suffolk FA Grassroots Football Festival at Gainsborough Sports Centre
More than 4,500 people attended the KBB Suffolk FA Grassroots Festival at Gainsborough Sports Centre in May this year.
An annual football festival in Ipswich hoping to uncover a future England captain will benefit from a Premier League theme next year.
More than 4,500 people attended the KBB Suffolk FA Grassroots Festival at Gainsborough Sports Centre in May this year. A total of 140 teams featuring 1,500 players aged from under-seven to under-16 took part during the two-day extravaganza, which enjoyed a Brazilian World Cup theme.
Next year’s Grassroots Festival – the fifth to be organised by the Suffolk FA – will be held at Gainsborough Sports Centre during the weekend of May 23 and May 24.
Nathan French, football development manager at the Suffolk FA, who organised this year’s festival, expressed his ambition to have more age groups and up to 170 teams competing next year during the Premier League themed event.
He said: “I can remember our first Grassroots festival at Portman Road, which was a really enjoyable event.
“I can’t believe how quickly time has gone and we are now in to the fifth year of our annual festival.
“Weather permitting, next year we could be looking at around 5,000 people attending over the two days and over 170 teams participating, which highlights how much the festival has grown in a short space of time.
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“Everybody loves the Premier League, it’s such an exciting league and so many children and Youth footballers look up to these players.
“I don’t want to say too much about next year’s festival but what I will say is we have some very exciting plans in the pipeline.”
Roger Peck, director of sponsors KBB, added: “Last year was the first two-day event, and was always going to be a challenge for Suffolk FA.
“With our help and a lot of hard work over the year we managed to stage a great event.
“Seeing so many taking part with smiles on their faces, with some great feedback, showed us the event was a great success.
“We are proud to help support this event with the emphasis being on a fun day for Suffolk’s young football community, which we are part of.”
