A FOOTBALL festival has been set up for young female footballers to tackle the fact there is no longer an under-10s girls team in Oxford.

Last year there were nine under 10s teams from across the county registered in the Oxford Mail Girls’ League, but this season there are just five, and none in the city.

Vicky Bonham, the Oxfordshire FA’s women and girls’ football development officer, said the lack of opportunities for young female players could damage the quality of the league.

Miss Bonham said: “It’s very disappointing there isn’t a team in Oxford because it’s an area with a massive population that hasn’t got any provision for under-10s.

“The lack of teams will also have a massive knock-on effect for the older sides in future.

“The benefits of being in a side are huge from the point of view of keeping fit and healthy, but also making new friends, learning new skills, being part of a team and having fun.”

Girls playing for teams in Summertown, Carterton, Benson and Wantage last season are now playing in under-11s football and no sides have come through to replace them.

Now only under-10s teams in Kidlington, Witney, Banbury, Crowmarsh Gifford and Chinnor remain in the league.

The FA will hold four football festivals in Marston over the next six months to try and get more girls aged between six and 10 into the game.

The first festival starts next week and the FA are hopeful up to 50 girls will turn up The association can then feed those players into established clubs in Barton, Greater Leys, Marston and Summertown, which have all expressed interest in forming under-10s teams.

Jackie Parsons, manager of Marston Saints Angels, said an under-10s team was crucial for getting her 15-year-old daughter Zoe into the game six years ago.

She said: “Football helped her grow as a person and for confidence building and teamwork it’s important.

“Our boys have got age groups from under eights to two adult teams and now we’re looking for little girls to start the new generation because we’re hopefully going into ladies football next season.”

Girls can play in boys teams until they reach the under-13s, but Miss Bonham said there were just a handful of girls doing this.

Under-10s girls football matches are 20 minutes each way, seven-a-side and have roll-on, roll-off subs.

  • The first free football festival takes place at Court Place Farm, in Marsh Lane, Marston, on Saturday from noon to 2pm. For details, see the Oxfordshire FA website or contact Miss Bonham on 01993 894403 or email vicky.bonham@oxfordshirefa.com