John has been coaching our inclusive Sunday football sessions for children aged 5–10 with SEND for just over a ayear now,and he has been fantastic with the children.

What really stands out is the way he makes every child feel welcome and included, whatever their ability or level of confidence. He understands that not every child will want to join in straight away, and there is never any pressure. He gives them the time and space they need, while gently encouraging them to take part.

We have children with a wide range of needs attending the sessions and John adapts what he is doing so that everyone can be involved and enjoy themselves. For some of our children, mainstream football just hasn’t worked, so having a coach who understands that football can be about enjoyment, confidence, friendships and belonging rather than competition makes such a difference.

The children really enjoy the sessions and we have seen their confidence grow. John is reliable, approachable and great with both the children and their parents. We are very pleased to have him coaching for Waltham Forest Parent Forum and would happily recommend him to other families and organisations.

Fantastic coach! My son is neurodivergent, and from the very beginning, Coach has taken the time to understand him, communicate with him in a way that works for him, and make him feel comfortable and included.

My son has become so attached to Coach because of the patience, encouragement and understanding he shows him. The way Coach engages him in the game, teaches him and gently supports him has given my son so much confidence.

Before joining the academy, my son had never really wanted to take part in sport or be physically active. Seeing him now enjoying football, getting involved and wanting to participate is honestly amazing for us as a family.

We are genuinely so pleased that we found Coach and his academy. It has made such a positive difference to my son, and we are incredibly grateful for the time, care and encouragement Coach gives him. ⚽️❤️

Thank you for believing in him and helping him find something he can enjoy and feel proud of.

My daughter started “footy in South Woody” with John from the very beginning and absolutely loves the sessions. I was a little worried at first that, because the groups were mixed, the boys might not want to pass to her. She’s also a slightly shy child, so I wasn’t sure whether she might feel intimidated.

But John was already on it. He made sure my daughter was fully involved, encouraging her to get stuck in, making sure she was passed to and cheering her on throughout. By the end of just the second session, the difference in her confidence was already noticeably huge.

John makes the sessions so much fun, while still making sure the children are always learning and developing. I genuinely couldn’t recommend him enough. My daughter absolutely loves going to football and is extremely fond of John too, which says it all!

John is a wonderful football coach who genuinely cares about the progress of his players. He runs structured, engaging sessions that have really helped my son build his confidence and footwork over the past few years. He is always professional, easy to work with, and offers great training at a very reasonable price. I highly recommend him to any parent.

Our son has been playing football wity John and Footy in South Woody for the past year. Every Saturday he checks to make sure we can definitely make it- the football kit is pre selected the evening before and on a Sunday morning, I’ve lost count of how many times I get asked ‘is it nearly time to go yet?’.

The football and the games are perfect for getting kids to learn, nothing is too strict or serious but the lessons are very clear and all the kids who turn up to play clearly have the best time - it’s evident in how they play and are gutted when the session ends.

We highly recommend John and his coaching to anyone looking to find a very friendly and welcoming football experience for their kid(s) 🙌🏻

My 2 year old daughter has regular sessions with John. Though at first I wasn’t sure if she was too young, she has clearly benefited from his patient and enthusiastic approach. With John you always get the feeling that he really cares about his clients and combined with his vast experience and expertise, makes him someone I’d highly recommend.

John’s positivity and constant encouragement have had such a meaningful impact on our son Arav’s growing love for football. Watching from the sidelines, it’s been genuinely heartwarming to see the patience, kindness, and belief John brings to every session.

What stands out most is the confidence he has helped build in Arav. Our son often comes home talking about how lucky he feels to have a coach who believes in him, motivates him, and encourages him to keep improving every single day. As parents, there’s nothing more special than seeing your child feel supported, valued, and excited to learn.

John has not only helped Arav grow as a player, but also as a more confident and happy child, and we are truly grateful for the positive influence he continues to have on him.

John has been a great coach to my 2 sons, not just football but also emotional coaching from John has been instrumental in their growth. I highly recommend his group sessions as well as 1 to 1s.

My two boys have tried a few clubs before and usually get very anxious about leaving us. When we first arrived, they were nervous about going onto the pitch, but John was absolutely amazing with them. He encouraged them gently, spoke to them like friends, and really engaged with them. By the end of the session, they couldn’t wait to go back.

John is incredibly patient and makes everything so much fun. Every child leaves feeling proud of what they’ve achieved. I would highly recommend his club – it’s fun, rewarding, and has been fantastic for building my boys’ confidence.

John’s sessions are consistently well-structured, engaging, and relevant to player development. My son’s enthusiasm to return each week is a strong indication of the quality of the sessions.

Training is primarily based on small-sided games, enabling players to receive more touches of the ball and develop effective decision-making skills in confined spaces.

John works exceptionally well with young players, providing them with the freedom to express themselves while maintaining a supportive and encouraging environment. He also delivers clear and valuable instruction when appropriate, helping players develop a strong understanding of the game.

We've tried other football sessions without much luck but my boys have really taken to this. The sessions have helped my sons develop their self confidence, self esteem and communication skills. They have got much better at football as a result of the sessions but John makes the training much more than that, developing the players as people as well as footballers. The sessions are fun, very appropriately pitched and very affordable. The flexibility that is enables with the weekly booking system is very understanding of busy family life. Well worth a try.

Fun, engaging, educational and hosted by the neighbourhood legend John. It’s thoroughly enjoyable to have your kid learn from someone who clearly loves doing it. My son always looks forward to it and is learning something new every Sunday. Highly recommended

Took our son and he loved it. Johns really good at making all levels of player feel welcomed and included. Exactly what you want for your kids first introduction to footy

My son has been with the group for about 4 weeks and has really enjoyed it. I have seen him really gain confidence after these weeks as he hadn't had a good experience before at another football group. John's approach with the youngsters really engaging and supportive.

My son really enjoys the group sessions.  John has a natural rapport with the kids and he structures the classes really well.  The kids have such a fun time and also learn core football skills

We highly recommend DB Football Coaching! We booked an two-child session - John is brilliant at training the kids whilst making it lots of fun for them. They both learned and practised new skills to add to their game and really enjoyed the session.

Just a fantastic set up- my son can’t wait for this session each week, and he sleeps like a log after an hour of training with John! He’s also learning new skills every week as well which he can’t stop talking about! Highly recommend!!

John was outstanding with my son's birthday party, the kids had a great time while learning a bit more about football, and getting lots of exercise too. It couldn't have gone better for my sons birthday, thank you so much

My son joined FISW and has absolutely loved these mini 5 a side matches. John's style of coaching is calm ,friendly, and encouraging and the whole group thoroughly enjoyed themselves. My child's confidence grew enough to score his very first match goal at FISW and before we left the session we had already booked in for the following week. I would highly recommend both John and FISW especially for children who need to build their confidence while playing football. Booking system is very user friendly, Prices are more than reasonable and we are looking forward to returning next week.

A Heartfelt Recommendation for John and DB Football Coaching

Our son, who has special needs, has been incredibly fortunate to receive football coaching from John at DB Football Coaching for the past two years. We cannot speak highly enough of John and the profound impact he has had on our son's development.

What truly sets John apart is his genuine passion for teaching. It's clear that for John, coaching is far more than just about developing football skills. He has a remarkable ability to integrate a holistic approach into his sessions, meticulously addressing a wide range of developmental domains. Through the engaging medium of football, John actively works on areas such as attention, overcoming barriers to learning, fostering social interaction, enhancing communication, managing repetitive behaviours, improving speech and language, strengthening working memory, facilitating sensory integration, and even supporting daily living skills and academics. His dedication to these areas, with the overarching goal of promoting independence, is truly exceptional.

John’s understanding and adaptiveness to individual needs are evident in every session. He creates an inclusive and supportive environment where every child can thrive, regardless of their neurotype.

We wholeheartedly recommend John and DB Football Coaching to any parents, whether their child is neurotypical or neurodivergent. John's unique blend of passion, expertise, and a truly child-centred approach makes him an outstanding coach who can unlock potential and foster growth in every child he teaches.

Thank you

Baranee from Ilford, East London