A mum has claimed her five-year-old son has been turfed out of his Saturday football school – for not being good enough.
Lindsey Toyne, 38, signed up Archie Russon-Toyne to the weekly soccer school at Deeping Rangers FC in Deeping St. James, Lincolnshire, last year, and the little lad loved having a kick about with his pals.
But she was horrified when coaches told her he couldn’t attend the kick about anymore – because he ‘wasn’t good enough,’ she claimed.
Baffled mum Lindsey said Archie and two other little pals were deemed ‘not sufficiently talented enough’ to be part of the sport for Year One children.
She had to break the news to a heartbroken Archie, and said the club’s decision was a disgrace, and was afraid of the repercussions it would have on her son’s self-esteem.
The club has said it doesn’t have the capacity to run more than two teams of under-sevens and said they understood the decision was hard on the parents and the players.
Lindsey Toyne, 38, signed up Archie Russon-Toyne, five, pictured, to the weekly soccer school at Deeping Rangers FC in Deeping St. James, Lincolnshire, last year, but has now been told he couldn’t train at the club because he ‘wasn’t good enough’
Lindsey, a single mum studying psychology, said five-year-olds shouldn’t be experience rejection that young, and was worried of the repercussion the club’s decision would have on Archie’s social life, because some of his friends had made the team when he hadn’t (pictured together)
Lindsey claims not only won’t Archie and the other boys be allowed to play in the five-a-side matches, but they also aren’t allowed to attend the weekly training sessions.
Little Archie had tears in his eyes when Lindsey broke the news, but hasn’t given up on his beloved sport, she said.
It comes despite Deeping Rangers FC being in United Counties League Premier Division North – EIGHT leagues beneath the Premier League.
The club said facilities are limited and staff ‘understand that it is disappointing for a parent and a child not to make a team.’
Football fan Archie, pictured with a ascot at a professional football match, cried when his mother broke the news to him that he wouldn’t be playing with the club anymore
Psychology student Lindsey, from Deeping St. James, Lincolnshire, said: ‘It’s disgusting to stream them at this age.
‘They’re five and it’s supposed to be fun.
‘Archie is a good football player, but they only have two teams of ten, so now he thinks he’s not good enough.
‘Why not just keep them on and rotate them.
‘A lot can change after five.
‘I don’t think you can pick out football talent this young.
‘Plus we’re all talking about kids sitting in front of computers and how we need to get them out playing sports and eating well.
‘Then a kids football club reject five-year-olds and tell them they aren’t good enough – what impact will that have?’
Archie joined the Deeping Rangers Soccer School in September after he grew too old for a nearby local toddler football club.
Lindsey said the club;s decision to onl leave three children out of the team was a ‘disgrace’ and claimed Archie, pictured, won’t get the chance to play with the club until he is nine
In November 2020 Lindsey heard coaches would be ‘talent spotting” at the weekly Saturday morning sessions – which cost £2.50 – but thought nothing of it.
She was shocked when she received a text message from the team organiser on June 8 which said: ‘Thank you for your support.
‘As you are aware we’ve been assessing the children to see who will form the claret team for next season.
‘Unfortunately your child hasn’t made it.
‘if you have any queries please contact the club.’
She said of the 25 kids who attended the sessions, three – including Archie – were dropped and two left before selection.
She said she believes they were trying to whittle it down to two five-a-side teams, each with ten members who switch over every ten minutes.
The rejected footy lovers won’t get another shot at being in the club until they are nine, Lindsey believes.
Archie now passes the 2,000 seater stadium where he used to train twice daily on his way to and from school.
Lindsey said she worried Archie, pictured kicking the ball, would feel left out of his friends’ football club talk
She said three of his close pals made the cut – leaving the lad feeling left out and rejected.
‘I worry more about the social aspect,’ said single-mum Lindsey, who added, ‘he’s going to feel left out of all the football club talk.
‘Why would they leave out three? It’s disgraceful.
‘I’d understand more if there were 50 and the club just didn’t have the facilities for that number.
‘Archie loves football and goes out with his ball after school every day.
‘You shouldn’t have to suffer rejection at five.’
A spokesperson from Deeping Rangers FC said: ‘Soccer School for Year 1 children is a drop-in session open to all children regardless of abilities for the first year of training.
‘We send clear messaging from the start to ask for parent volunteers to run a maximum of two under-seven age squads for the following season.
‘The club currently only have enough facilities for 2 teams at U7 per season.
‘Each squad can only have ten per team when they go to play in the local league.
‘Past experience has shown that non registered players (and parents) lose interest in being around the playing squad and are advised to find another local club to keep their interest and involvement in local junior football.
‘The lack of a local artificial grass pitch impedes DRFC from offering season round football for non-squad players.
The distraught mother said her son, pictured, hadn’t given up on his favourite sport. He has to pass the stadium where he used to train everyday on his way to and from school
‘Details of other local clubs are sent out.
‘Following FA coaching directives, the coaches have difficult decisions to make when choosing the set number of players.
‘We consider a number of factors including social, psychological, physical and technical elements of each player.
‘Ability is a factor during the selection process, and also where the kids go to school.
‘This is a very difficult situation for the new volunteer coaches to handle, and it is done with long discussions with experienced and qualified coaches.
The Deeping Changers FC, who refused Archie, pictured, said they considered several factors when selecting players for their squad, including ‘social, psychological, physical and technical elements of each player
The club said they understood their decision was disappointing for parents and children who didn’t make the team. Archie, pictured, still hopes to find a team
‘Without volunteers, normally parents, willing to step forward and undertake the coaching roles we would not be able to offer any football to the young players.
‘The coaches are then required to obtain the required coaching accreditation from the FA.
‘We pride ourselves at the club for our clear and constructive communication so parents are as informed as they can be.
‘We understand that it is disappointing for a parent and a child not to make a team and have sympathy for them.’