Happy New Year and welcome to the Club House - the monthly e-newsletter from Club Website, the home of grassroots football. Each and every month we keep you informed of the major developments occurring in the real game of grassroots football, providing you with news, stories and interviews from around the UK football community.

Always an informative read that should stimulate the taste buds of players, managers and committee members alike, this month's edition of the Club House is our biggest and best yet... happy reading!

Back to my roots - Ray Wilkins

Ray Wilkins has been a big name in English football since his career began at Chelsea in the 1970s. A mainstay in the England side over the next decade, he earned 84 international caps while enjoying success for clubs including Manchester United, AC Milan, Rangers and Queens Park Rangers.

Now Luis Felipe Scolari's assistant manager at Chelsea, Wilkins is back at the club where his football journey began, as Club Website found out recently when we took Wilkins back to his roots.

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Homeless World Cup a huge success

Afghanistan won the sixth Homeless World Cup in Melbourne last month, with Zambia taking the inaugural women's tournament. The real winner, however, was the tournament itself, which was played out in front of packed crowds and helped tackle the issue of homelessness around the globe.

We bring you the success story of the 2008 tournament and get the inside track on Team Ghana, Club Website's adopted team for the tournament. Plus, news on how you can get involved and help such a worthy cause.

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Premier League 'Creating Chances' for communities

'Creating Chances' is the name given to the substantial body of community work carried out by the Premier League and its 20 member clubs. Club Website recently met with the Premier League and will now be helping to promote the good work done in the community under the 'Creating Chances' banner.

We will be keeping you up to date with future initiatives but, to kick things off, we bring you an overview of last season's inaugural 'Places for Players' initiative, launched with 200 Premier League stars getting out into the community over the course of the season to highlight the good work being carried out.

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Graham Poll answers your refereeing queries

Club Website has teamed up with Graham Poll to answer your grassroots refereeing queries. If you have a query over a refereeing decision or have a question on the Laws of the Game, email grahampoll@clubwebsite.co.uk.

Graham will answer the best questions each month here in The Club House, while the top question wins a signed copy of his bestselling book, 'Seeing Red'. Thanks to all of you who sent in your questions to Graham this month. Click the link below to find out which questions were selected and read Graham's answers.

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Frustrated by injury? Train smart and stay fully fit in 2009

No footballer likes to be in the physio room or see their season disrupted by injury. It is therefore important to understand what you can do to keep yourself match-fit and a permanent name on the team-sheet.

This month Tottenham Hotspur first team coach Sam Erith offers expert advice on the type of training that can help you steer clear of the treatment table.

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Win the 'Almanack of World Football 2009'

What better way to kick of Club Website's competitions in 2009 than the definitive guide to the global game for the year ahead!

The 'Almanack of World Football' provides in-depth coverage of the international matches, league and cup competitions of all 208 national football associations, plus detailed coverage of all international tournaments from around the world.

Unrivalled by any other publication for the depth of global football information it provides, the Almanack includes a vast range of fascinating facts, figures and records for every football fan. Click the link below for full details of how to enter.

Enter here

Competition winners

Our big Christmas giveaway for two tickets to a Barclays Premier League Boxing Day game was won by Richard Thorne of Bull and Badger FC in the Chesterfield Sunday League. Richard took his uncle to see the thrilling 2-2 draw between Aston Villa and Arsenal at Villa Park.

In December we also gave away five copies of the 2008/09 Sky Sports Football Yearbook. The lucky names out of the hat for this prize were David Broadhurst, Tom Sadler, Paul Austin, Lee Whitelock and John Pearce.

Thanks to all those of you who entered and congratulations to all our winners. Keep checking out the home of grassroots football for more top competitions!

Club Website monthly round-up

Despite the traditional Christmas break in the grassroots football programme, there's still been plenty going on at Club Website since the last edition of The Club House. We've brought you all the latest grassroots football news, including the following (click the links to read more):

- Club Website in the news!

- Score for a cure with Action Duchenne

- Soccer Sevens Coaching and Challenge Cup updates from the SYFA
- Beware of overplay
- News from Sport England of their funding sport in the community and more people playing sport
- Updates from the Homeless World Cup

You continue to respond in your thousands to our Club Website polls, which this month asked the following questions (click the links to read a summary of the results):

- Is the grassroots football winter break long enough?

- Does female football get the publicity it deserves?

- Should 'sin bins' be trialled in 11-a-side football instead of bookings?

Our competitions keep coming thick and fast - see above - and you continue to have "Your Shout" on what's happening at grassroots level. There's something for everyone at Club Website, so keep checking out the home of grassroots football as we move headlong into 2009!