The Professional Footballer's Association is the world's longest established professional sportsmen's union. The PFA has continued to develop and expand since its formation in 1907.

The PFA employs over 250 people in key areas such as education and training for post-football careers, accident, medical insurance and benevolent grants, coaching, financial management, contract advice and pension management for all 4,000 current and 50,000 former members both here and abroad. They are also, in partnership with the other bodies in football, the managing agent for the Football Scholarship Programme and the Football in the Community Programme which has been existence
since 1986.

The PFA has also initiated and developed its own anti racism campaign and drug awareness programme whilst working with other professional sportsmen's Associations in the Institute of Professional Sport and global football involvement in FIFPro - the confederation of international football players' unions comprising over 30 countries, the President of which is Gordon Taylor, Chief Executive of the PFA.

Reading The Game is working with the PFA to establish a Reading Champion at every professional club. Chief Executive Gordon Taylor launched RTG (see RTG Launch for more information) alongside Reading Champion Peter Schmeichel in September 2002.

Football in the Community (FITC)
The Football in the Community scheme was established to bring the opportunity for young people to enjoy football under the hand of professional coaching. Nearly every club has a FITC scheme, and although many choose to focus on grass roots training, many choose to use the power of football to motivate children and to work on educational areas as well.

Like Playing for Success, FITC provides an excellent foundation for Reading The Game projects. To see how RTG is working with FITC go to RTG Projects.

To find out more about FITC, visit the Professional Footballers' Association (the PFA) website www.givemefootball.com. To Contact the PFA Head Office; Tel. 0161 236 0575 fax. 0161 228 7229 or email info@thepfa.co.uk