• Limited ball control
• Limited mobility and fitness
• Limited team play
• Limited understanding of attack & defence.
• Controlled environment (enclosed sportshall etc)

• Ability to control & pass over short distances
• Limited mobility/fitness
• Some evidence of team play
• Some understanding of attack & defence.
• None contact game (indoor or outdoor)

• Competent range of passing, dribbling/turning & shooting
• Fitness & mobility to participate on a 70x50 yard pitch
• Understanding of positional play & role in game
• Some understanding of tactics & system of play
• Contact allowed. Relevant laws of the game

• Full range of techniques and skills
• Fitness and mobility relevant to 11-a-side football
• Good knowledge of teamplay & positional play
• Good understanding of attack & defence
• Full laws of the game applied

Very limited mobility & fitness.

For those player who have less experience of playing football, are less familiar with the team situation, who don't show any sophistication in their football skill and who may well have impaired mobility

Aimed at those players whose level of aptitude falls somewhere between that required for the Novice Section above and the Advanced Section below, i.e. those who have a knowledge of the requirements of the game but who do not possess the same level of skill of co-ordination as those in the advanced section.

For those players who are experienced in the team situation, play regularly, possess identifiable football skills, co-ordination, and have unrestricted mobility.

Players that have restrictive physical and or severe understanding imparement.

Players that have either a limited mobility or skill problem that is compensated by the other.

Players that are physically fully mobile and with good understanding skills.

• Low level of ball control
• Low level of spacial awareness
• Little teamwork or integration between players & No use of game tactics
• Goalkeepers - sruggle to distribute the ball where intended, slow reactions

• Moderate individual skills but strugles under pressure. Lacks power & direction
• Better spacial awareness & level of integration between players
• Strugles to work as a team in defensive situations
• Goalkeepers - Better awareness, saves by blocking the ball, lacks strength when distributing the ball

• Certain ball skills advanced but effected by pressure
• Uses physical pressure in defence and attack
• Good spacial awareness & high level of interaction between players
• Works as a team in defensive plays & uses game tactics at set pieces
• Goalkeepers - Saves by blocking & catching, good timing and coordination under pressure, distributes the ball well both phisically and tactically

• Excellent ball skills in all areas of the game, combining skills under pressure
• Able to provide a strong defence when tackled
• Very good spacial awareness and uses entire playing area
• Good team work in attack and defence, adapts set pieces & tactics as required
• Goalkeepers - Very good match awareness & organises defence, saves by catching & blocking under pressure, distribues ball with power and high level of precision

Ability Counts teams do not routineley play in ability banded groups like the systems described above. Most leagues have adopted a three tier system which encourages teams to play their strongest team in the top division.

• Premier League
• Championship
• Division One

In some cases a club's "B" team could be as strong as their "Premier League" team, but will still play in the "Championship" section.