The Middlesex Schools’ FA is looking for outstanding footballers from around the County to form the Association’s Representative Squads for the 2022-23 season.
To be eligible, students must attend school in one of the following boroughs: Barnet, Brent, Ealing, Enfield, Haringey, Harrow, Hillingdon or Hounslow.
We are inviting nominations for the following squads.
- U14 Boys
- U14 Girls
- U15 Boys
- U16 Boys
- U16 Girls
Please bear in mind that nominations are for the new academic year starting in September, so someone playing at U14 at the moment (i.e. a Year 9 student going into Year 10) should be nominated for selection at U15. They can be made by completing the Nomination Form which you can access by clicking here.
The deadline for nominations is 5:00pm on Friday 27th May.
All teams will compete in competitions organised by the South-East England Schools’ FA against other County squads from around the region, including Kent, Sussex and Surrey. There may also be opportunities for the teams to play in national competitions; we’re awaiting clarification on this from the English Schools’ FA.
Nominations can be made by a responsible adult, such as a Teacher, a Coach who knows the player well (either through club football or Inter-District football) or a Parent / Carer. Students can’t nominate themselves.
Representing your County is the highest level of schools’ football; please bear this in mind when putting players forward.
Once the dates and venues of the trials for each squad have been confirmed, parents/carers will be emailed to invite their child to attend the relevant session and asked to complete an online consent form.
Trials will take place for all teams before the summer holidays begin, so schools are encouraged to put their students forward without delay. We’re grateful to everyone who has already nominated players.
Further nominations are warmly welcomed and can be made by completing the Nomination Form which you can access by clicking here by 5:00pm on Friday 27th May..
Below are some of the questions we get asked most about our Representative Teams:
My child lives in one of the boroughs covered by the MSFA, but goes to school somewhere else. Can they play for Middlesex?
Unfortunately, no. Residency isn’t a factor in eligibility. In order to play for the Middlesex Schools’ Football Association, students must be at a school which is located within our catchment area.
My child goes to school in an area that doesn’t have District Teams. Do they have any chance of reaching the squad?
Of course. Our coaches will judge players on how they perform in trials, not based on whether they play Inter-District football. The whole point of our Representative Squads is that they should cover the whole County and be picked on ability.
My child plays in an Academy / Regional Talent Club. Are they eligible?
Yes. There are rules in place that enable players attached to both Academies and FA Regional Talent Clubs to represent their County within schools’ football and certain circumstances under which playing for the County takes priority. We always seek to work closely with clubs to ensure that playing for Middlesex enhances the development of players and gives them additional opportunities to test themselves.
My child plays in the JPL. Are they eligible?
Yes, in the same way that any student attending school in the County is eligible. As the JPL falls outside the Elite Player Performance Plan, County Representative Matches are considered by the FA to take priority over JPL fixtures and – unlike in our Inter-District Leagues, which are arranged around County matches – it may not be possible to avoid fixture clashes. There are fewer Representative matches than JPL games and a relatively small number of players are called up to play for Middlesex; those who do become part of a tradition which stretches back for more than a century.
How do I put my child forward for selection?
Simply click here, then complete the Nomination Form before 5:00pm on Friday 27th May.. They can also be nominated by a teacher, or a coach who knows them well.