Back to my roots - Zesh Rehman

Hundreds of thousands of young Asians play and watch football around the UK each and every weekend. However, despite this interest, there are currently only seven British Asian players in the professional game today.

One of those players is Zesh Rehman, the first British Asian to play in the Premier League. When Club Website caught up with Zesh, we took him back to his roots to find out about his early experiences of football, the challenges he faced as a young player and his thoughts on the large under-representation of the Asian community in British football.

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Graham Poll answers your grassroots refereeing decisions

Club Website's fount of refereeing knowledge, Graham Poll, is back for a second month to answer the best of your grassroots refereeing queries. Picking six of the best from your many entries this month, Graham sets the record straight once again right here in The Club House.

Click the link below to read the pick of the bunch and find out who has won a signed copy of Graham's bestselling book, 'Seeing Red'. If you have a query over a refereeing decision or have a question on the Laws of the Game that you would like answered, email grahampoll@clubwebsite.co.uk.

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Sir Trevor Brooking - grassroots football's last hope?

When it comes to individuals who influence grassroots football in England, they don't come much bigger than the FA's Head of Football Development, Sir Trevor Brooking.

Brooking, who was critical to the formation of the National Game Strategy, believes that quality grassroots participation and coaching are crucial to any hopes of future success that England carry.

FC Business interviewed Sir Trevor back in December on this topic and the obstacles he is facing in improving these areas.

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Creating Chances 'Places for Players' 2008/09

Last month The Club House introduced 'Creating Chances - Places for Players' - the Premier League's initiative launched last season which sees Premier League stars getting out into the community to highlight the good work being carried out by England's 20 top-flight clubs under the 'Creating Chances' banner.

Following our review of 'Place for Players' initiatives in 2007/08, this month we bring you some of the highlights from the current season, featuring such big stars as Theo Walcott, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Edwin van der Sar.

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Get the Edge - master your team tactics

Team tactics aren’t always a top priority for amateur teams. Sometimes just getting a fully fit starting XI is hard enough. But in the LSPL this month, Liverpool FC Academy Coach Stuart Gelling takes all players and coaches through simple training drills that can help grassroots sides hold their defensive shape and build dynamic, attacking patterns of play.

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Win a pair of Match annuals!

Our latest competition prize is a great combo for any football-mad family.  We're giving away five copies of the Match Annual 2009 - the essential annual from the nation's favourite footie mag is a must for fans of the beautiful game.

What's more, to stop any parents getting jealous, we're also throwing in a copy of Match: Best of the ’80s with each prize - dodgy taches, beards, mullets and all! To enter, simply click the link below to visit our competitions page.

Enter here

Competition winners

Last month club website gave away a couple of cracking prizes for football lovers.  We gave away five copies of both the Almanack of World Football - the definitive guide to world football - and Graham Poll's bestselling book, 'Seeing Red'.  Thanks to all our entrants and congratulations to our winners:

Almanack of World Football 2009 - John Nuttall (Elton Vale FC), Rick Marriott (Athletic United U14), Mesut Erzurumlu (Anatolia FC), Ewen Dyda (Rossi Rangers), Lisa Bishop

Seeing Red - Anthony Saynor (Masons Arms FC), David Macaskill (Hayling United Ladies FC), Eric Owen (Old Actonians FC), Pauline Dighton (AFC Bournemouth), Sarah Langton (Ekco Whitecaps)

Club Website monthly round-up

Mother nature may have played havoc with the football programme over recent weeks - with games falling foul of frozen and waterlogged pitches even before this week's blizzards - but there's still been plenty going on at the home of grassroots football. We've brought you all the latest news, including (click links to open):

- Scam warning for grassroots footballers

- Sport England asks 'Are you satisfied with sport?'

- Scottish Youth Football Association Challenge Cup latest

- English FA asks you to 'Have your say' and publish details of a funding boost

- News from the Welsh Football Trust including a dream job for Rahman and the key message from UEFA coaches conference

- Referee Howard Webb says the Respect progamme is 'making a difference' but a recent poll suggests that the majority of Club Website readers disagree

Our other opinion polls saw tons of you answering the following big questions:

- How should your FA seek to improve grassroots football in the year ahead?

- Should mixed football be allowed over the age of 12?

With "Your Shouts" continuing to fly in and our usual selection of top competitions - see above - there's always something for everyone at Club Website, so keep checking out the home of grassroots football!