THE joint-managers of a girls football team have blasted the Football Association for causing the break up of their under-14 squad.

Husband and wife Dave and Nicola Cooter, from Northfleet, face seeing their hard work with the Gravesham Girls & Ladies side go up in smoke after the FA decreed youngsters who joined centres of excellence could no longer represent junior sides.

Their daughter, 13-year-old Jessica, is one of seven girls who has been forced to quit Gravesham and join a centre of excellence under the FA initiative, which they claim is designed to prevent girls playing too much competitive football.

Nicola said: "We only found out about it a month ago and it is so unfair on all of the girls.

"I've been having sleepless nights about this and I know I'm not the only one.

"There is nothing to say girls can't play other sports like cricket or rugby if they join an academy or centre of excellence, just so long as it isn't football.

"We've now got only five players for next season and there has to be a major question mark over whether we can carry on with the under-14s side."

Jessica has opted to join Gillingham, but her parents are sceptical about how much football she will get to play there.

Dave said: "The reality is Gillingham only play three times with a proposed reduction in their squad to 20, so sometimes they only get to play 20 or 30 minutes a game.

"Jessica has been with the Gills for a three seasons as well as playing for us and in that time I think she has only played four or five full games for them."

Dave and Nicola say they can understand why girls would choose a centre of excellence over a club because of the higher level of training and coaching available there.

Nicola explained: "The FA say this rule has always existed, but it is only now girls' football has become so big they have decided to start applying it.

"I think it would be more acceptable if the FA had enforced the ruling gradually, say at under-10 level to start off with, rather than going in like a bulldozer and forcing girls to make head over heart choices.

"They are being forced to make this tough decision at a young age, especially when the girls have built up friendships and playing abilities over a number of years for their club."

Liz Symons, women and girls development officer with the Kent FA, said she understood the frustrations from those affected by the rule but added there will be no change in policy.

She explained: "The rule is in place in the best interest of all players I certainly plan to continue to work closely with everyone committed to the women's and girls game in Kent to ensure all girls get the opportunity to play at all levels.

"I appreciate for those players being offered a place at a centre of excellence may have a difficult decision to choose between the centre and the club.

"Clearly this remains the player's and parents' decision to decide what is best for them."

She added: "The centres will be required to have smaller squad sizes ensuring girls get more playing time at the weekend. I will work with the clubs to try and introduce more girls to the clubs.

"I will also be setting up school club links in the areas most affected and would be happy to speak to any club which would like support in generating new players and developing their team."

Ms Symons also confirmed she would be discussing with the Kent girls league next week the possibility of introducing either a seven-a-side or nine-a-side format to save squads within clubs like Gravesham.

She added: "This would give the girls not at the centres of excellence an opportunity to still play competitive football and hopefully prevent clubs from folding due to the lack of players."