FOOTBALL ICON, PETER CROUCH, VISITS BATH FOOTBALL CLUB to Tackle Nutrition Gap in Grassroots Football
PETER CROUCH & M&S SHOW THEIR SUPPORT FOR LARKHALL ATHLETIC YOUTH FC AND HELP FUEL FUTURE FOOTBALL TALENT
Monday 23rd March, Bath, United Kingdom: Crouch surprised players and volunteers at Larkhall Athletic Youth Football Club in Bath this week as part of a nationwide campaign to bring elite-level nutrition into grassroots football and encourage players to Eat Well and Play Well.
One in three grassroots football coaches (31%) say they would welcome training to offer nutritional advice to their players, with many lacking the confidence to do so, according to new research.
Former England and Liverpool striker, Peter Crouch, is backing a new initiative with M&S Food aimed at closing the gap in nutritional understanding, starting at community club level.
Crouch laced up his boots and joined a training session before hosting a Q&A, where young grassroots players quizzed the former England footballer on the standout moments from his playing career. Peter said: “I scored a bicycle kick, in the Champions League (in Europe) for Liverpool, it was one of my favourites.” He also named Brazilian legend, Ronaldo, as one of his favourite football players as well as pointing to former teammate Steven Gerrard as a standout talent among the players he shared a dressing room with.
Crouch then turned his attention to the club’s ‘snack-shack’ to show how simple nutrition can support young players. Swapping his boots for a blender, he helped prepare a high-protein smoothie designed to aid post-match recovery.
The visit also celebrated the people behind grassroots football, including club volunteer Doreen Gilbert, who has been feeding generations of players at Larkhall Athletic’s snack shack for more than 20 years. She reminisced that when she began working at the club, it was a tiny football field and has now grown to an incredible 4G pitch. Commenting on the community, she said: “The club has been here for as long as I can remember, it’s a wonderful community in a lovely village, with the sun always shining.”
Typically serving matchday favourites like burgers, hot dogs, chips and cheesy chips, Doreen is a much-loved part of the club. During the visit, she worked alongside Peter and M&S Senior Nutritionist, Sophia Thistlethwaite, to explore simple ways to introduce healthier options, showing how small changes can support players without losing the traditional spirit of matchdays.
The session gave staff and players the chance to meet one of England’s most recognisable footballers while learning practical ways to build healthier habits.
M&S Food is developing practical, affordable recipe ideas for clubs, helping coaches and volunteers introduce healthier approaches on a weekly basis with recipes available to download from the M&S website.
A nationwide survey of more than 200 grassroots coaches across the UK found that almost a third of coaches (31%) say they would welcome training to provide nutritional advice, with only around one in seven (15%) feeling comfortable offering guidance to parents or players when asked.
According to The FA’s Social Return on Investment Report 2024 report, the grassroots game is worth £15.9bn to society each year. This includes £3.2bn total healthcare savings due to supporting the health and wellbeing of the nation. Football-playing children deliver £110m in health savings for the NHS from 200k fewer cases of obesity and 60k fewer cases of anxiety and depression.
The “Eat Well, Play Well Grassroots Edition” campaign will continue to roll-out in partnership with grassroots clubs over the coming months, with the content series showcasing stories from selected clubs across the UK to help parents and coaches make healthier choices. The content series will be hosted across M&S social channels including YouTube, Facebook and Instagram weekly.
To find out more about the campaign visit https://www.marksandspencer.com/food/content/eat-well-grassroots-edition