At Fairford Youth Football Club our number 1 priority is the safety of all the children playing football for FYFC. 

Over the past few seasons, the Club has noticed an increase in popularity of micro or mini shin pads, worn by the likes of Jack Grealish and Conor Gallager.  Following discussions by the Club’s committee and a review of FA guidance, the Club has opted to ban mini/micro shinpads from all FYFC matches and training session, effective from January 1st 2025. 

FA guidance states:

“Safety is a key consideration for our game and the Laws of the Game state that shin guards/pads are a compulsory piece of equipment.

Shin pads play an important role in injury prevention as they are intended to protect the shin from injury. The amount of shin physically covered is an important consideration as any part of the shin that is not covered is not as well protected.  “Micro” or “Mini” shin pads may therefore increase the risk of injury due to the smaller amount of shin covered compared to larger sized shin pads. We advise that when considering the protection offered by shin pads, safety is prioritised by ensuring a good proportion of the shin area is covered and therefore protected.  The materials used are also an important factor.  Always look for a CE mark which means the shin pads achieve minimum standards.  We suggest that shin pads not carrying such a mark should not be worn as they may present an increased risk of injury to players.

Please give these protection levels serious consideration when deciding what is the right shin pad for you or for your child.”

A broken leg is a serious injury and one that can have genuine repercussions, with the potential end a child’s ability to play football or worse and it is the Club’s duty to protect players as much as possible during their games and session. Plenty of light-weight, comfortable shin pads that provide appropriate protection are available for minimal cost, often times more affordable than micro/mini shin pads.