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Pitching In And Trident Leagues Launch Foundation
 
The foundation will support non-league football clubs.

Northern Premier League clubs have faced a year like no other in 2020 but help could soon be at hand thanks to the Trident Community Foundation.
Pitching In Northern Premier League clubs now have the chance to apply for grants of up to £5,000 to help establish community-focused projects with the aim of developing young talent, promoting non-league football to a wider audience and attracting volunteers. The Trident Community Foundation has been founded by a combination of Entain’s grassroots sport investment programme, Pitching In, and the three Trident Leagues – The Isthmian, Northern Premier and Southern Leagues.

Entain, owner of Ladbrokes and Coral, has donated £150,000 to establish the TCF Fund for distribution over the remainder of the 2020/21 season and the project has the firm backing of Pitching In ambassador Stuart Pearce.

"Initiatives like this are close to my heart as I am proud of my non-league background,” said Pearce, who began his career with Wealdstone before going on to win 78 England caps."Non-league clubs are the hubs of their communities and people have connections to these clubs going back generations. Bringing people together, especially in these fractured times, is vitally important and initiatives such as this will help do that.

"The timing is absolutely spot on. The true mark of help is when people really need it – and the football community at this level really needs it.

"I look forward to seeing the projects that get off the ground as a result of the Trident Community Foundation. ”Following a simple application process, potential projects will be reviewed by the TCF board – which will be chaired by David Emery, editor-in-chief of The Non-League Paper and consists of three Trident League chairmen and two Entain representatives.

Pitching in Northern Premier League chairman Mark Harris is part of the TCF board and hailed “a hugely welcome piece of good news’ in a year like no other."

We are delighted and extremely grateful to Entain for helping us get this off the ground," Harris said. "It is unique and it will make a real difference to our clubs.

"A number of our clubs have been doing fabulous work in their local communities this year. Some have been involved in supporting food banks and picked up on Marcus Rashford’s initiative to feed children. That just shows what our level of the game is about.

"Challenging doesn’t even begin to describe this year. But the key thing is that through sticking together, and through initiatives such as the TCF Fund, there can be a bright future.

"Our non-league system is unique. We must protect it and cherish it, and initiatives like this help do just that. "With a mission statement of ‘no project too small’, grants will be capped at £5,000 in the first year of the TCF Fund but there are hopes this could rise in the future with the aid of additional investment.Pitching In spokesperson Simon Clare said: "We are thrilled that Pitching In is to be a founding partner of the Trident Community Foundation, along with the Trident leagues.

"We put this money in place to support the dreams, visions and plans of many clubs. We are open to all ideas and we can’t wait to see their plans. "Trident Community Foundation chairman David Emery said: "I am very honoured and proud to have been asked to chair the TCF board. "I started covering non-league football at my local paper when I was 17 and it is the bedrock of our sport." The timing is perfect and we hope the leagues will start kicking off again very soon. Once they do so, the clubs can look forward with some optimism and these grants will help that."

Entain – owner of Ladbrokes – has launched a multi-million pound investment programme, Pitching In, designed to support and promote grassroots sports. The programme includes a flagship partnership with The Isthmian, Northern Premier and Southern Leagues - collectively known as The Trident League, as well as a partnership with the UK sports charity SportsAid.   

The Programme

Entain’s Pitching In is a major new multi-million-pound investment programme designed to support and promote grassroots sports. The programme launches at a time when football clubs and sporting organisations are facing the unprecedented impact on their finances of the COVID-19 pandemic. Launched in September 2020 by the Entain Foundation (formerly the GVC Global Foundation) the multi-million-pound, multi-year, investment programme kicked-off  with a flagship partnership with The Isthmian, Northern Premier and Southern Leagues – collectively known as The Trident Leagues – which make-up levels seven and eight of the English football league pyramid. 

Pitching In Trident Leagues

The Trident Leagues, which trace their roots back to the nineteenth century, are at the heart of the national game, with 226 clubs (rising to 240 Clubs in 2021) and 15,000 players registered across the three leagues in the many villages, towns, and cities of England and Wales, bridging the gap between the professional and recreational football worlds.

The partnership, which sees each of the leagues take the Pitching In title, will deliver vitally needed financial support, as the leagues seek to cope with the consequences of the COVID-19 lockdown, which saw the null and voiding of the 2019-20 season. In addition to financial support, a key focus of the partnership is to facilitate and encourage community volunteers to do some pitching in of their own, and contribute their time and effort. A Pitching In volunteering scheme will be established to link UK based Entain colleagues with their local clubs to further strengthen community ties. 

Perspectives on Pitching In Stuart Pearce, Pitching In Ambassador

“I am delighted to be taking up the role of ambassador for Pitching In, as I’m passionate about the importance of investing in grassroots sports and in developing young talent. I started out playing for Wealdstone FC before joining Coventry City so I understand how important funding is to the non-league game. Grassroots football is facing huge challenges at the moment and many clubs are struggling to stay afloat. Entain’s Pitching In investment will help make a big difference to hundreds of clubs and thousands of players across the country.”

 Shay Segev, CEO of Entain

“In a world where local and grassroots sports are under increasing financial pressure, we believe our Pitching In Investment Programme will play a pivotal role in supporting the next generation of British sporting heroes. Today’s partnership announcement with The Trident Leagues is a hugely positive step in this direction and underlines our commitment to support both grassroots sport, and the communities in which we operate.” 

Nick Robinson (Chairman, Isthmian), Mark Harris (Chairman, Northern Premier) and Anthony Hughes (Vice Chairman, Southern League)

“Community is at the heart of non-league football, so the Pitching In partnership is a perfect fit for us. Entain’s commitment to grassroots sport is clear from their previous work, and this investment shows huge belief in the importance of grassroots sport.” 

Pitching In and Responsibility

In line with the decision taken by Entain (formerly GVC) in 2019, to unilaterally pull-out of sponsorship of football in the UK, the Pitching In partnership will not promote any of the Group’s betting or gaming brands and no branding will be used at any of the leagues’ grounds. Where Entain will contribute its expertise to deliver extensive educational programmes on responsible gambling and sports integrity to all of the leagues’ clubs.  

The Trident Leagues:

The Pitching In Isthmian League

• The Isthmian League was founded in 1905 and covers London, the East and South East of England with 82 Clubs across 4 divisions at Steps 3 and 4 of the FA National League System
• There are 22 clubs in the Isthmian Premiership and the champions of the 2018/2019 season were Dorking Wanderers
• Worthing were in first position when the 2019/20 season was terminated on 26 March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic; however, they were not officially recognised as champions

• The Northern Premier League was founded in 1968 and covers all Northern England and the northern/central areas of the Midlands.
• There are 61 clubs across the Premier Division (Division One North West and Division One South East which make up the Northern Premier League
• The Premier Division champions for the 2018/19 season were Farsley Celtic with South Shields top of the league when the 2019/20 season was terminated on 26 March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic

• The Southern League was founded in 1894 and covers the Midlands and South of England and Wales
• There are 84 clubs which are divided into four divisions; Premier Division Central, Premier Division South, Division One Central and Division One South
• The Premier Division central champions for the 2018/19 season were Kettering Town with Weymouth champions of the Premier Division South. Peterborough Sports were top of the Central Premier and Truro City top of the South Premier when the 2019/20 season was terminated on 26 March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic

Last edited by Matchman (11/12/2020 10:06 PM)