The Southern Combination Football League (SCFL) has become the first adult league in Sussex to achieve Charter Standard accreditation. 

The FA has a clear vision to educate, empower, enable and equip leagues and clubs to be the best places for people to play and enjoy football. The FA Charter Standard programme exists to positively improve people’s football experience through league and club accreditation.

The programme recognises and rewards leagues and clubs who own their game. Those who play their part in making their football environment safe, fun and inclusive by raising standards, raising awareness and taking action.

The SCFL which operates, across Sussex and southern Surrey, at steps 5-6 and as a feeder into the National League System which consists of 9 division, 54 clubs and 111 teams. The 2020-21 season marks 100 years since the league was first formed in 1920-21 and makes the Charter Standard achievement all the more poignant.

Nearly 100 of the teams that make-up the SCFL are now Charter Standard accredited and 20 of those clubs have achieved the Community Charter Standard accreditation, the highest possible award.

Michael Barnes who is the league’s Charter Standard coordinator, said: “All of us at the Southern Combination Football League are delighted to have achieved the Charter Standard accreditation, and we are very proud knowing that our clubs have the right personal in the right place to ensure the safety of all club members and visitors.

“To reach the quota of clubs having attained the Charter Standard accreditation needed for us as a League to qualify has taken us five years to achieve because of personnel changes within clubs. But, with the assistance of the County FA namely Keveena Mosen, Ollie Powell and Dan Bartlett and many evenings visiting clubs and attending meetings we final got to the required numbers!”

Sussex County FA Chief Executive, Ken Benham, said: “This is a fantastic achievement for the Southern Combination League to become the first Adult Charter Standard League in the county. The commitment and engagement shown from the league and it’s clubs is testament to them achieving this accreditation and we would like to congratulate everyone involved.”

For more information about the SCFL please contact: 

Southern Combination Football League
E: admin@scfl.org.uk