THE decision to stop the Hereford boys development football teams was as depressing as it was predictable (FA ends Boy’s Centre, February 29).

The lack of enthusiasm for the game from those employed to develop the sport in the county is known by many of those who give up their time to run sides in Herefordshire.

ALSO READ:

Having volunteered as a junior coach for almost 10 years, the lack of support and empathy for those helping children to get into football has been a common theme.

Instead of being thanked and appreciated for our efforts, volunteers are made to feel like a nuisance and inconvenience by those administering the sport.

So it came as little surprise that apathy won the day when the decision was made to suddenly stop running the development teams with little explanation given to those involved.

What are your thoughts?

You can send a letter to the editor to have your say by clicking here.

Letters should not exceed 250 words and local issues take precedence.

It would be much appreciated if the Herefordshire Football Association (HFA) could break down the financial reasons for closing the centre.

I ask this as “financial challenges” were given as the reason behind the decision to shut the Boys Development Centre.

This claim seems to carry little weight when each boy has to pay £50 a month to play, in addition to buying their own kit, and parents pay travel costs for the away matches.

The many volunteer coaches running grassroots sides would argue that these costs would be more than enough to run a junior side each season.

IAN MORRIS

Hereford