A century-old football association for schools in the county is now officially part of the 4 All Foundation.

The charity has taken over the running of Shropshire Schools’ & Colleges Football Association (SSCFA), which was founded in 1924. Affiliated with the English Schools’ Football Association, the organisation provides young people with opportunities to represent their school throughout each season – culminating in annual finals recognising the best boys’ and girls’ teams at both primary and secondary level.

Alongside its extensive programme of competitions, SSCFA is proud to organise and deliver the county’s representative teams. These teams travel nationwide, proudly representing the county while competing against some of the best school and college football talent in national leagues and cup competitions. Over the years, SSCFA has had the privilege of seeing some outstanding footballers represent the Association on their journey through the game. Among them are former England goalkeeper Joe Hart, current Nottingham Forest captain Morgan Gibbs-White, former Aston Villa star Dalian Atkinson, and one of the greatest figures in English football history, former England captain Billy Wright CBE.

Having a core focus on increasing sports participation, and already running the North Shropshire District Association, 4 All has extensive experience overseeing football leagues and competitions. By uniting the two organisations, it is hoped SSCFA can continue running sustainably and successfully for many years to come. The existing operational and management team will remain in place – as well as honorary and life members – to ensure a smooth transition, and in recognition of the existing structure and long history of the association.

Chief Executive George Hounsell said: “The 4 All team is passionate about encouraging participation in sports, and many of our activities and programmes focus on enhancing the health and wellbeing of communities in the area. In addition, we already have close partnerships with many schools and colleges in Shropshire. So, when the opportunity arose for us to oversee SSCFA, it seemed like the ideal match.

“We look forward to delivering an exciting and engaging season of football in 2026/27 and for many years to come.”

4 All Foundation was formed by the Marches Multi-Academy Trust in 2022 and officially became a charity in its own right the following year. In addition to its footballing endeavours, the organisation runs a variety of programmes focusing on community engagement, health and wellbeing, and education and employability. For more information, visit www.4all.foundation or search 4 All Foundation on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.