HOMELESS FA: A CENTREPOINT

James Buckley is head of coaching at the Homeless Football Association, last year leading the English Homeless team to the Homeless World Cup tournament in Chile in 2014.

Once a talented footballing teenager at Crewe Alexandra, his life took various tricky turns and he dropped out of the team and the security of trying to earn a living through football, ending up on the streets. In the Foyer 189 hostel in Crewe he was encouraged to join the English Homeless Team trials and he succeeded in getting a place from over a 1,000 trialists, playing in Paris in 2011.

Buckley found himself recommended by the Liverpool FA to AFC Liverpool in the North west Counties League Premier.

He developed his coaching skills with help from Gareth Parker, the head of the Homeless FA, who included him in the coaching team of the Homeless Women's team at the 2012 World Cup in Mexico. He found himself working along side Fara Williams, who whilst moving from homeless shelter to hostel, managed to keep herself organised and disciplined as she featured in the national set up.

Buckley and colleague Joe Shaw were included in a training session at the Manchester City Academy where they worked with Joe Hart and David James. The City Academy is helping promote the Homeless scheme by expending a welcome to them as well as providing kit for the FA's training centre.

Sponsored by BT Sports' the Supporters Club, a grant enables Team England and the Training Centre programme exist along with the City in the Community Training Centre.

Research from the University of York, shows that 80,000 16-25 year olds experience homelessness in the UK each year. This initiative offers some of them a second chance. Prince William, as a patron of Centrepoint, welcomes its involvement to promote this footballing life line.