Eastern Junior Alliance
Vision, Mission & Values

League Vision

The EJA League sees itself as providing the development pathway for players to work towards the member club’s first team and beyond starting at U13. This is to include professional academy level standards at grassroots level: development opportunities of playing other teams with their best players at the age group, dress codes, match hospitality and respect for everyone in the game.

League Mission

To have a rigorous criteria for entry to the League and to expect our Member Clubs to adhere to the vision and rules laid down. This to mean that the best players at the club for the relevant age group to allow all players to develop with a good amount of playing time and fixtures every weekend with similar level players to provide good competition match days.

To introduce the correct match day environments for players which will include dress codes, changing facilities, club house hospitality after the fixtures, etc to replicate how the professional academies operate and to guide the expectations of players into the professional game.

To hold our standards at a higher level both of match day environments and behaviour of all participants, be they players, coaches, match officials or supporters.

League Values

League Officers to hold positions for which they are qualified and able to adhere to the role and responsibilities laid down and to have a succession plan to ensure that the league continues to provide the vision and mission set down.

Member Clubs who adhere to the vision and mission of the League and to provide the correct match day environment at their club.

Players to play at the best of their abilities, be willing to play every weekend during the playing season and to develop towards their Club’s First Team and beyond by using the matches in the League system as their stepping stones to that aim.

For respect and discipline to be shown at a higher level and for everyone to look at being the best teachers and examples of holding themselves to a high standard in this regard. For the matches to be competitive to develop players in behaviours that will stand them in good stead for and even higher level of football and for life in general but not to resort to a ‘win at all cost’ mentality.

To ensure everyone involved enjoys being part of the EJA League and wants to uphold our vision, our mission and our values to the highest standard possible.

The Eastern Junior Alliance League (or EJA as it’s abbreviated to) is the South East Of England’s leading youth development football league. Established in 1987 at just Under 18 level it has now progressed to age levels U13 to U18, with 5 age levels in total now. Success has been great at each level, with some players achieving success at professional level.

High standards

Our league is the stepping stone between the academy levels of the professional ranks and the regular youth level in all counties. Spread over 10 counties in the South of England with approximately 88 clubs and 284 teams, the Eastern Junior Alliance gives youth players the chance to progress their game to a better level on and off the pitch. The higher standards of coaching, behaviour and conduct, teaches youth players what to expect, and what will be expected of them in their future football careers.

Youth Development

Generally the Eastern Junior Alliance is seen as the higher standard youth league, only clubs of step 7 and above qualify to compete in this league. Statistics show that those sides who use the Eastern Junior Alliance league in their own development plan progress better and many players eventually progress into first team squads and quite often a lot higher too.

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