Sgt Howard Webb – from World Cup to force footy work

TOP Premier League referee Howard Webb has returned to South Yorkshire Police to continue his work as a part-time police sergeant, leading a football initiative for young people.

Sgt Webb returned to the police force in April last year after a five-year career break, which saw him referee the 2010 World Cup Final in Johannesburg, South Africa, and the Champions League Final in the same year. 

He is now putting his football contacts and experience on the pitch to good use, with a football initiative for young people.

The project, SportFX South Yorkshire, provides free football coaching sessions for boys and girls aged between ten-years-old and nineteen-years-old across the force area.

His team works in partnership with local schools, the Sheffield and Hallamshire County FA and South Yorkshire police and crime commissioner Shaun Wright.

Funding for the project comes from the Sheffield and Hallamshire County FA, which provides a fully qualified FA coach for the sessions.

There are nearly 400 young people taking part in one of the six sessions held each week and Sgt Webb hopes to increase numbers to 1,000 this year.

Sgt Webb is contracted to work for the force ten hours a week and spends the majority of this time promoting the initiative.

“Feedback from the schools is excellent,” he says, “with reports of better behaviour from the kids already. All of the youngsters involved look forward all week to the sessions. They are motivated and incentivised to improve their behaviour with the reward of football one night a week.”

South Yorkshire community support officers and volunteers have also been providing coaching and support for the young people who could otherwise be on the streets.

The officers involved are on first name terms with the young people, said Sgt Webb, and are getting to know them at a young age so that they can