Last season, we asked our local football family to nominate their Grassroots Heroes for the 2021 FA and McDonald's Grassroots Football Awards. 

AFC Henley – Club of the Year

AFC Henley aspire to being a model grassroots club; aiming to provide the widest possible participation with approximately 600 children on their books.

The club is noted for its welcoming attitude, running a Mini-Soccer Centre for U5s to U8s and organising school clubs and holiday camps.

Over the last year alone, the number of teams at AFC Henley has increased from 21 to 29, including a new women’s and U10 girls’ team.

The club has also made efforts to keep their pitches and irrigation systems at the highest standard, allowing for the club’s facilities to be used on a more regular basis to benefit the local community.

The positive impact of AFC Henley is felt widely around Henley, with 600 children, 70 volunteers and over 1000 parents involved in the club.

Mike Wheeler - Match Official of the Year

Mike is everything you would want in a referee – approachable and enthusiastic about the game.

He lets matches flow and his positive attitude throughout the 90 minutes encourages those around him.

Mike is firm but fair and is always on hand to explain his decisions to players. He also spends time after games providing feedback to both players and coaches, which is always highly appreciated.

Outside of his refereeing in adult football, Mike spends a large part of his free time helping out at youth tournaments and mentoring.