Nottingham City of Football: Former Notts County player inspires a generation

Michael Johnson Nottingham City Football ambassador

As part of a series of reports looking at Nottingham’s status as City of Football, Notts TV is looking back some of the key developments which have come since the title was awarded in 2014. In July 2015 a Meadow Lane hero spoke about efforts to get more black and Asian players into the game.


 

Former Notts County defender Michael Johnson has returned to Nottingham to help inspire the next generation of black and Asian football coaches.

Johnson is part of a team working closely with ethnic minority youngsters in an attempt to inspire them due to the lack of role models already in the coaching business.

“If you look at the top level there’s a lack of black and Asian coaches, and that only filters down”, said Johnson, who is currently working at Birmingham City.

“People at grass roots probably think what’s the point to it, I can’t strive to be anybody, there’s no role models.”

                              Video: Michael Johnson, Nottingham City of Football ambassador 

Nottingham City Football and Notts FA are also working closely to inspire young women to get involved in the sport. With women’s football being put into the spotlight and recently coming third in the World Cup it hopes that more people from the county will want to follow in their footsteps.

One of those inspired by the ladies England team Rhyiannea Anderson, has been playing football for as long as she can remember.

“I think women’s football is going to be amazing, how the women did in the world cup, it was great, it was passion, I loved it. The next five years, hopefully if I do well I want to be coaching or playing professionally,” she said.

                                                              Video: Rhyiannea Anderson, coaching hopeful

The group of football enthusiasts have been training for the past few months and are now completing their FA level 1 coaching course. The scheme now hopes to keep encouraging young football enthusiasts for many years to come.