Every member of the Football Youth Leadership Ecosystem is fantastic. We all make a brilliant impact on the game, leading others to ensure all experiences are meaningful.

This blog has been written to celebrate two incredible individuals who have been celebrated as part of the Football Blacklist 2025. ‘The Football Blacklist has become the most respected celebration of African and Caribbean achievement in the British game’ and is a fantastic achievement recognising the leadership those on the list show to inspiring future generations in the game.

Taken directly from the Football Blacklist webpage, the list exists as ‘according to the Black Footballers partnership, 43% of professional players in the Premier League are Black, and in the EFL the 34% are from Black communities. Despite this level of representation on the pitch in the men’s game – there is a worrying lack of representation in decision making positions across all areas of the game. In the women’s game representation on the pitch is significantly lower but the issues of under-representation off the pitch are similar.’

Both Charlotte Akester and Esther Elias have been included on this year’s Football Blacklist. Charlotte, a former member and Vice Chair of the FA National Youth Council has been celebrated in the Ugo Ehiogu's Ones to Watch. Esther a FA Leadership Academy Graduate, current FA Youth Mentoring Participant and member of the FA Leadership Academy Delivery Team is celebrated as part of the Barclays Community & Grassroots section.

Both are incredible role models to all young people across the country and as a FANYC and the Football Youth Leadership Ecosystem, we are extremely proud of them.

Recently, current FANYC Chairperson Joel Moore spent some time with both Charlotte and Esther speaking about their achievements and the role Youth Leadership has played on their journey.

Charlotte, currently Sport and Inclusion Manager at Notts County Foundation, found a desire to create opportunities for young people who didn’t always have the opportunity to take part in football following a time coaching at University. following graduation at University, Charlotte moved to work for Lincoln County FA and in a College, growing her love for Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) work aiming to create accessible opportunities for everyone in sport and physical activity. This led to Charlotte’s position now with Notts County Foundation combining both her love for sport, football and EDI.

Charlotte journey in Youth Leadership started on the British Universities & Colleges Sport Women’s Leadership Programme before Charlotte became a member of the FANYC as the EDI Lead. She then became a Vice Chair of the FANYC the following season. Charlotte reflected that Youth Leadership gave her the opportunity to develop skills relevant to the workplace in a supportive environment. It gave her a platform to grow and showcase planning & organisation, building her self confidence showing her success was not an accident.    

Esther, founder of the Effort over Environment (EOE) Collective, a community for women & girls from under-represented backgrounds in the game, began her journey as a player, suffering a severe injury at 15. She became the youngest and only female coach at Crystal Palace Women’s Academy, and the youngest member of the London FA Inclusion Advisory Board before moving to Nottingham Forest Academy as the youngest and only Black female coach. Esther attended the FA Leadership Academy (FALA) in 2022. Here she designed the EOE Collective as her FALA Project.

Esther stepped out of her comfort zone to attend FALA22 and found it ‘powerful to be with other likeminded people outside of her local community’ expanding her network enabling her to ‘dream bigger’. Youth leadership has given Esther confidence and a belief that her success hasn’t happened by chance.

Charlotte and Esther are fantastic role models to all and we are so proud of all they have achieved and will continue to achieve!