No studs please, we're British

What is happening to our country?

A school in Bexley, South-East London, has banned children from wearing football boots for football training because they are deemed to be too dangerous. Bedonwell Primary School have said that children who attend any of the Charlton Athletic run football courses must wear plimsolls.

Good grief.

I really feel for the children these days. Kids can no longer play conkers because they are deemed to be "dangerous weapons". Two schools have banned them because of the risk to nut allergy sufferers. Children in Blackburn cannot do backstroke in the local swimming pool less they crash into someone. A school in Manchester has banned the wearing of knotted ties because of the "safety risk". The school now sells clip on ties. Traditional games such as British Bulldog, Rounders and Football are slowly disappearing from our playgrounds.

It's not only children affected. The Red Arrows have been banned from displaying at the 2012 Olympics in London because they are "too British" and we might offend other nations. Firefighters were told that they could not remove bunting in Ampthill, Bedfordshire because - wait for it - it is unsafe for them to use ladders. Camden Council have banned barbecues from summer festivals.

I really think we've lost the plot.

So no more football studs at Bedonwell Primary School. Despite the fact that trying to play football in plimsolls is far more dangerous for the children.

Also in the news this week, England have been given the green light to bid for the 2018 World Cup. I really hope we get it, it will be a great spectacle. Footballers from all over the world competing for the biggest prize on our own doorstep.

The only problem is that they will all be asked to wear plimsolls.

Bromley FC

It's just under a week now to the FA Cup 3rd Qualifying Round game between Bromley and Dartford. This will be game number seven for me, and the fifth time I have seen Dartford. However, it will be my first ever visit to Bromley FC.

Bromley play at Hayes Lane and are in the Blue Square South League (previously known as the Conference South). At one level below the Conference, this will be the highest team in the pyramid that I will have seen in this season's competition. They are two levels above Dartford. Bromley are currently 8th in their league, having lost their unbeaten home record yesterday in a 3-1 reverse against Eastbourne Borough.

In the FA Cup this season they entered at the last round (2nd Qualifying) where they needed a replay and extra time to dispose of Aylesbury United. The first game at Aylesbury finished 1-1 and the replay at Hayes Lane ended 4-2 to Bromley (2-2 after 90 minutes).

Bromley have one of the best average attendances in the league (643), but still lower than Dartford's average. The omens look good for a big crowd. Dartford travel in numbers, both teams are geographically close, and some of the local league teams (e.g. Charlton Athletic) are not playing because of the England game. There is every chance that this game could attract the biggest crowd on this FA Cup journey so far.

This game will be an early (1pm) kick off which sets up the rest of the day nicely; a pie and a pint and then cheer on England against Estonia.

Bromley, Dartford, England and Estonia. What a heady mix.

Sensible money

Well, tomorrow's game has come around rather quickly for me, and I'm looking forward to it. Dartford start the game as favourites, and it looks as if the sensible money will be on the home team. But you never know in the FA Cup.

Camberley Town are planning to take the usual coach for players and staff, plus an extra coach for supporters, so this should boost an already large home crowd. Dartford are more than capable of getting a crowd of over 1000, as opposed to Camberley's average home gate of about 100. I'm still rather surprised that Dartford's attendance in the last round of this competition was the lowest ever at Princes Park, when you also consider it was against a Kent neighbour.

There is a debate going on at Dartford about the reason for the lower crowds in recent games. The consensus is that the youngsters are staying away (even though it is only £1 to get in for children). Dartford estimate that about 100 children no longer attend home games. Add on to that at least one accompanying parent and that is 200 no-shows. Pretty significant at this level.

How a club at this level markets itself, and attempts to attract local support, is critical to the success of the club. Camberley Town only this week have put out the call for ideas on how to attract paying customers, and again there seems to be an emphasis on youth.

But it is difficult these days when the kids have so many other choices. At the Dartford v Sittingbourne game, I lost count of the variety of different shirts that the youngsters were wearing. Chelsea, Charlton, West Ham, Arsenal and (most bizarrely) a Spurs shirt (poor child). The glitz and glamour is only around the corner for many, and the non-league clubs have this to compete against.

My son loves playing football, but he's not over keen on watching the game. He resists any of my attempts to take him to Chertsey Town. He has attended a few Fulham games. He has a variety of different kits (e.g. England, Barcelona, RC Lens, PSV Eindhoven) but no single favourite. He claims to support one of Chelsea, Fulham, Manchester United or Liverpool - depending which friend he saw last. He is only seven years old, and kids are fickle at the best of times. And I do not put any pressure on him to support any one particular team. He will make his own mind up in time, and chances are it will be based on who his friends and peers support.

And I would very much doubt that any of the sensible money would be on him choosing either Chertsey, Sittingbourne, Dartford or Camberley.