The data will provide an authoritative view on the state of pitch provision in the country. Mark Pover, The FA National Facilities and Investment Manager said: "The club grounds data to be collected over the next month will provide us with tremendous insight into the current provision of football pitches up and down across the country. This will help us work together to protect and nurture these facilities not just for today's players now but those of future generations."

The information is being gathered via the Whole Game System Portal - the online resource used by all affiliated clubs to manage their administration. Over four in five pitches in England are under the control of local authorities or educational establishments. Funding cuts across local government has resulted in fewer resources being made available to support pitch provision. However the data gathered will give The FA a fuller picture of where there is an under-provision and enable it to lobby for important playing spaces to be protected from development.

There are also a range of grants that clubs can apply for which cover both small and large scale improvements to their facilities and the information will also enable The FA to identify opportunities that may exist for clubs to receive support. The FA commits £12 million per year into The Premier League & The FA Facilities Fund - which provides major grants for building or refurbishing grassroots facilities, but clubs also have access to smaller grants of up to £10,000 to support their infrastructure. In December an emergency £750,000 fund for grassroots clubs was setup to help clubs in the north of England affected by the recent spate of flooding. "Improving grassroots facilities is at the forefront of The FA's agenda and this information is vital in helping us maintain and improve the environment in which teams play." added Pover.

An online video has been produced to help respondents through the process of providing the information which is available here. There is also a telephone and email support on 07940 305971 and groundsandpitchdata@thefa.com.