COMMUNITY-RUN football clubs around the world are making a difference in their local areas, often under the radar and without plaudits — which they don’t seek but deserve.

Due to the way they are structured, these clubs are often ideally situated to respond to events or even crises away from football that affect the communities in which they reside.

The work they do doesn’t happen automatically. It is the result of hours of volunteer work and community action, even during “quieter” periods, laying the groundwork for local social initiatives as well as activities and sporting development.