JUNIOR football coaches from across the region may get the chance to have their work acknowledged on a national stage after the unveiling of a new FA award last week.

The inaugural FA Learning Grass Roots Coach of the Year award has been introduced to reward the often unrecognised contribution grass roots coaches make to football up and down the country, and boasts a thrilling first place prize.

The unique award has been formed in conjunction with McDonald's, the FA's official community partner. Any junior football coach in the country can win it, and players, friends, fellow coaches and even parents can nominate a coach simply by going online at www.TheFA.com/FALearning and following the nomination procedure.

The winner of the award will be the FA's chief guest at the FA Community Shield match in 2005, and will also win an opportunity to watch an exclusive England training session alongside England head coach Sven-Goran Eriksson as well as coaching equipment worth over £5,000.

As well as an overall national winner, 43 FA county and nine FA regional coaches will also be recognised for their commitment to English football as a part of the award. These coaches will win, among other things, tickets to this year's Community Shield match, coaching equipment and bursaries for additional coaching qualifications.

The overall winner will be chosen by a special panel of some of the biggest names in English football, including Sir Trevor Brooking, the FA's director of football development, Sir Geoff Hurst, the McDonald's director of football, and Eric Harrison, the McDonald's head coach and former Manchester United junior coach who nurtured the talents of David Beckham.

Harrison, who has been a major influence in the careers of Beckham, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and Gary and Phil Neville, has spearheaded the search for the ultimate junior coach by touring the country and attending training sessions at all levels. His view on junior coaching is simple, as he said at the launch of the award: "Good coaches are like good teachers, you never forget them."

Legendary 1966 World Cup winner Hurst added: "Both myself and McDonald's are delighted to be working with the FA in recognising the tireless work grass roots coaches put into local teams and communities.

"Eric Harrison and I have toured the country over the last three years visiting local training sessions to see at first hand the professionalism and commitment of these great coaches."