THIS month Surrey FA development manager Caroline McRoyall hands over her column to Sam Perkins, who is completing a work placement as a media officer at the Surrey FA...

The beautiful game now sees the greatest sporting event on earth taking place, the FIFA World Cup. Did you know, the final will be the most watched event on television in the world?

Four years ago just under a billion people witnessed Zinedine Zidane shock the world and in 2010 it is expected more will tune in as England win the World Cup, we hope.

Is seeing Fabio Capello standing on the sidelines making you want to coach talented English footballers? How about witnessing Howard Webb award a penalty in a top level match? Who knows maybe you want to be the next Robert Green, actually let's make that David James.

If so, why not visit our website www.surreyfa.com for a full list of coaching and refereeing courses to get into football. Your local club would welcome enthusiastic and hard-working volunteers, coaches or referees. You could be producing the next line of England stars.

On Saturday, June 12 England kicked off their World Cup campaign against the USA and The FA created England Football Day, a campaign that fell on the same date to encourage everyone to get behind England and get into football nationwide.

England left-back Ashley Cole visited one of Surrey's FA Charter Standard Community Clubs, Abbey Rangers FC, in Addlestone, as part of the campaign before he left for South Africa to promote the new FA Youth Award Courses.

There were also a number of locations around Surrey that held festivals in honour of the big game.

Ashtead Football Club held a successful festival together with their village fete. Club secretary Richard Elphick estimated almost "10,000 people turned up for the fete and the England Football Day".

Ashtead FC ran fun events for kids before the big kick-off with inflatable goals set up and skittles ready to knock over. They also did their bit for England by selling official merchandise and running two bars for all the locals to enjoy. It was a massive triumph for the club and they recruited new members at the same time.

Prime Minister David Cameron also got into the spirit of the campaign, and had this to say: "I think it's a great way of encouraging people to get out there and play, or watch, or coach and take part in the beautiful game."

The Prime Minister's message is also backed by everyone in England.

We couldn't finish without giving our sorrows to Robert Green. We're all behind him in his confidence rebuilding and would love to offer him a place on the next Level One Goalkeeping Course. And thanks to Ashtead Football Club for accomplishing a great festival on the England Football Day.

Sam Perkins