Football: FA's plan for the young: Reforms to be considered

CHARLES HUGHES, the Football Association's director of coaching and education, will present plans to reform grass roots football to the 90-strong FA Council at Lancaster Gate on Monday.

The FA has been concerned about youngsters playing too much and it also wants children to spend more time with qualified coaches. The Council will be asked to back a proposal restricting 2,000 of the nation's most promising players to 60 matches a season.

There will also be a change in the current agreement with the English Schools' FA which limits youngsters to one hour a week at the FA's nationwide Centres of Excellence.

Sheffield Wednesday yesterday rejected a request from Roland Nilsson, their Sweden right-back, to be allowed to leave. Nilsson's family have already returned to Sweden.