nBOLTON and Bury District Junior League aim to remain at the forefront of the FA’s intiative to revolutionise youth football by introducing its proposals a year ahead of schedule.

The FA Council voted in May to introduce smaller sided games for lower age groups of junior football in the 2013/14 season, changing under-7s and u8s to five-a-side, u9s and u10s to seven-a-side and u11s and u12 to nine-a-side.

BBDJL was credited by Nick Levett, the FA’s youth development manager, as a major inspiration behind the proposals – the league has doubled its number of participating teams over the past five years since introducing nine-a-side matches for u11s and u12s teams.

The league is now trailblazing again, bringing in five-a-side for u7s in September.

“I don’t know if any other league in the country will be following suit, but we will certainly be one of the first to do this,” said BBDJL chairman Warren Barlow.

“At the same time, we will be bringing in a new rule, forcing teams to retreat behind the half-way line when the opposition goalkeeper has the ball, and will also be changing throw-ins to roll-ins.

“The whole idea is to force teams to play the ball out from the back and put a stop to the kick and rush mentality, encouraging children to keep the ball on the deck.”