Republic of Ireland Under-21s Head Coach Jim Crawford has called on the football community to support the FAI’s Football For All (FFA) Programme, with figures showing more than 4,000 players are now participating nationwide.

Crawford attended an INTERSPORT Elverys FAI Summer Soccer School camp at Carrigaline United AFC in Carrigaline, Co. Cork to launch the recruitment drive for Football For All - the club scheme has been in place since 2010 and facilitates football for those with additional needs.

Carrigaline United were the one of the first clubs in the country to form an FFA team 10 years ago this summer and went on to win the FAI Club of the Year in 2017. The club is currently running a specialised Summer Soccer School camp shaped to cater for children in the FFA bracket.

There are currently 48 FFA clubs throughout the country providing footballing opportunities for children and adults of all ages and abilities.

Two of those clubs are Sacred Heart FC and Tallaght Town FC, who Crawford helped establish making Football For All a subject close to the Under-21s Head Coach’s heart.

Crawford said: “When I started in the Association many years ago, Football For All was a programme I warmed to and it inspired me as a coach. It was one of first things I thought about when I got the Under-21 Head Coach role was how can the Under-21s could align ourselves with the programme and support it.

“Football For All is a fantastic programme, fantastic for kids and has fantastic clubs. You see the amazing work that Carrigaline United has done in the community and this is only enhanced by their Football For All club.

"I urge people to go and find out about their local club and how they get involved."

Nick Harrison, Football For All Development Officer for Munster, added: “The vision for Football For All is to enable every person in Ireland to participate in the game of football and to reach their full potential, whatever that level may be.

“Football For All brings together so many people in our game who work to provide opportunities for people to get involved in formats of the game such as Amputee, Powerchair, Blind/Vison Impaired, Frame, Cerebral Palsy, Deaf and Homeless.

“It’s everyone’s game.”

For more information on Football For All and how they can get involved they can visit www.fai.ie/domestic/football-for-all/football-for-all-programme or email [email protected]

Bookings are still open for the INTERSPORT Elverys FAI Summer Soccer Schools. Secure a place at a camp in your local now by visiting www.summersoccerschools.ie/bookings