FRANK PATTISON: 25 YEARS AS PRESIDENT OF DURHAM COUNTY FA
On 29 February 1984 Frank Pattison was appointed as President of the Durham County Football Association following the decision of Arthur Askew to retire from the position. At the time of his appointment the Association was based in small offices in Durham and had limited assets. Frank has overseen the development of the Association to such an extent that on 18 February 2005 it was necessary to move to a custom built office block at the Riverside, Chester le Street. Currently the Association has assets in excess of £1.8 million and is one of the most successful and respected Counties in the country. From 1989 until 2003 Frank represented the County on The FA Council and he was elected a member of the main FA Board of Directors and later as Vice Chairman of The FA. He was also responsible for the creation of the National Game Board ( the body responsible for all football outside the Premier and Football Leagues) and was its first Chairman. Frank was and still is highly respected by many FA Councillors who believed that one day he would take over as Chairman of The FA. During the period of his office the Association has benefited from Frank’s experience as a Solicitor both in disciplinary and legal matters none more so than when his advice and guidance assisted the Association in becoming a Limited Company in September, 2001. Frank has always been anxious to support Youth football in the County and it is no coincidence that during his term of office Durham have won The FA County Youth Cup on four occasions and contested the final on two further occasions, a record unequalled by any other County. After 25 years Frank’s enthusiasm remains undiminished and apart from chairing all Directors and Council meetings he is a regular attendee at all Youth teamfixtures and County Cup Finals as well as local football matches.
 
Introducing FA Members’ Services
Club secretaries, chairmen and treasurers can access the following
Members’ Services is a new online facility being offered by County Football Associations and The
Football Association. It’s free to all affiliated leagues, clubs, referees and coaches. Our aim is to provide online information to leagues, clubs, referees and coaches, giving them access to their football, reducing the administrative burden and giving them up-to-date information instantly, whenever they need it.
Members’ Services is available from any County FA website, via the Members link. You’ll need to know
your FA Number (FAN, which used to be referred to as an NPD) and you’ll need to get a password, which
can be obtained automatically from the The FA systems.

At present Members’ Services is available to the following people:
• Leagues: Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer
• Clubs: Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer
• Referees: All registered referees
• Coaches: All coaches

When you first request access, the system will check your details(cross-referencing with the FA/ County records), and once you have a password, you can login
and access your information.information through their County website: View your Club Information online
• Update your contact information
• View your FA accreditations
• Keep up to date with your latest club discipline
• Check which players you have registered (County registered only)
• Football Pages – Find a Referee tool
• Keep up to date with your County FA financial records for your club
• Feedback on what other services you would like.

League secretaries, chairmen and treasurers can access the following information through their County website:
• View your League Information online
• Update your contact information
• View your FA accreditations
• Weekly Discipline Statement online – keep up to date with discipline
• Link Full-Time information to County Team information
• Football Pages – Find a Club and Find a Referee
• Keep up to date with your County FA financial records
• Feedback on what other services you would like.

Referees can access the following information through their County website:
• Check your contact details
• Update your contact information
• View your FA accreditations
• Maintain availability
• Enter Weekly Behaviour marks for Full-Time fixtures you officiate
• Feedback on what other services you would like.

Coaches can access the following information through their County website:
• Check your contact details
• Update your Contact Information
• View your FA accreditations
• Display yourself on the Find a Coach tool
• Download The FA Learning Coaching tool
• Feedback on what other services you would like.
 
FA Charter Standard criteria changes
 
The criteria for The FA Charter Standard Club programme has been slightly modified to reflect
the views of over 37,000 people who were consulted on the development of The FA’s National
Game Strategy 2008-12. Many of the changes also replicate examples of good practice that
have been implemented by FA Charter Standard clubs and as a result The FA’s Charter Standard
Club programme is further raising standards ad supporting the needs of grassroots football. From July 2009 all new clubs will have to adhere to the new criteria together with those existing FA Charter Standard Clubs renewing their status in season 2009-10. However for existing FA Charter Standard clubs a transitional
period has been allowed to provide sufficient time and support. Following the Goals and Enablers of The FA National Game Strategy  the additions made to the criteria are as follows:

Goal 1: Growth and retention
• Clubs to have a link with a local school, FE college or university to recruit new players.

Goal 2: Raising standards
• First Aid equipment to be present on match days and training sessions.
• Clubs to implement the Respect programme codes of conduct.
• Clubs to host a briefing for players, parents/carers, spectators, coaches and managers to discuss on- and off-field behaviour.
• Community Clubs to run a workshop on why and how to address poor behaviour and improve standards.

Goal 3: Better players
• One coach to attend The FA Age Appropriate Introductory Module by July 2010.
• Development and Community Clubs: one coach to attend The FA Youth Award (L3) Module 1 by July 2010.
• Community Clubs: one coach to attend The FA Youth Award (L3) Module 2 by July 2011.
• No more than 1:16 coaching ratio and two adults present at all sessions/games.

Goal 4: Running the Game
• Development and Community Clubs to have a development plan based on the National Game Strategy template. Enabler: Workforce
• A volunteer co-ordinator is nominated and roles identified for volunteers in the club.
• Development and Community Clubs: head coach identified with L2 and Youth Award (L3) Module 1 by July 2010.
• Community Clubs: one coach to attend FA Mentoring course by July 2011. A great deal of support is available from your County Football Association and this includes:
• An Application and Support Resource CD-ROM that has the new criteria and many documents that include the Respect programme codes of conduct and development plans.
• Accessing FA Age Appropriate Introductory Module and Youth Award (L3) coaching courses.
• Guidance on developing your club through the Football Development workforce and accessing funding.
• Guidance from the County Welfare Officer on how to address poor behaviour.