FA chairman David Bernstein is taking football to its grass roots

David Bernstein reclines in a padded wooden chair in a ramshackle old club-house.

The door swings open in the wind as the urn on the table is filled up by a series of trips to the kitchen.

The single-glazed windows just keep out the rain and December chill, while the ageing changing rooms offer little solace to those who have lost.

It's a scene the Football Association chairman has become familiar with – but one he wants to end.

As part of its National Game Strategy, the FA plan to pump £150million into grassroots facilities by 2015 under its Football Foundation wing.

More than £700,000 of that went to Boldmere Falcons – based at the area's sports and social club – as Bernstein, with Foundation chairman Gary Hoffman, opened their new 3G artificial pitch and changing rooms.

It's a drop in the relative ocean of the FA's pledge to revamp grassroots and, since 2000, the Football Foundation have handed out more than £420million in that cause.

But, in a time of cutbacks and cash-flow issues, it has become a battle to not only improve but also impose its importance.

Bernstein, though, insists the FA, who fund the Football Foundation with the Premier League and Government, are committed to their dream despite an age of austerity.

The softly-spoken 68-year-old said: "It's very difficult because there are not enough resources. The places where I often go are places where there are good things happening.

"There are a lot of fantastic developments but we know there are many areas of the country where there are just not enough resources.

"Local councils have so many different decisions to make with park facilities. They are cutting back on maintenance of pitches.

"They are not putting goalposts or nets up, they are not mowing the pitch or clearing dog mess – those sorts of things make life difficult and will put people off playing."

It has left Bernstein concerned – as the FA figurehead there is a growing degree of responsibility on his shoulders.

He said: "Not only as a football fan but as a member of society. I hear disturbing stories about facilities being allowed to fall away, or teams being disbanded, for what are sometimes relatively small amounts of money.

"£10,000 or £5,000 here or there can make a hell of a difference. I heard a terrible story in Liverpool about a pitch for over-18s which, for want of some fencing, wasn't able to be used and the team was abandoned.

"It's completely the reverse of what should be happening. Generally, in this country we have probably fallen behind other parts of the world in this area and we need to try to catch up – and this is a difficult time to catch up.

"The National Game Strategy and the Youth Development Review are absolutely critical for the way football in this country is going to go."

But bricks and mortar need players to cement the legacy and there is an on-going fight to improve the country's youngsters.

Led by national development manager Nick Levett, the FA want to stop children playing 11-a-side until under-13 level as they try to catch their European rivals.

Former Aston Villa defender Gareth Southgate was made head of elite development in January and the youth drive has filtered into Fabio Capello's senior side.

Debuts for Phil Jones, Danny Welbeck and Daniel Sturridge – all under 23 – highlight the shift.

It's an open goal for the FA after England's failure in last year's World Cup sparked an all-too-late outcry against the dearth of young talent.

Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas claimed after England's 1-0 win over Spain in November they were six years behind the world and European champions.

Indeed, such is the cynicism over the senior side, expectation for the Euro 2012 finals next summer is nowhere near usual levels.

Bernstein, ever the diplomat, avoids dates and targets and knows it will be a long and rocky road.

The former Manchester City chairman said: "There are so many imponderables that it's impossible to say how long it will take.

"All I can say is that I and all my colleagues at the FA are all committed to this, the FA board is, the FA Council and all the FA councillors are all putting tremendous effort into this.

"I'm very proud of the commitment through the grassroots and through the councillors to influence these things.

"The more resources we can find, or the more resources we can get from Government or anywhere else, the better.

"But it's definitely not an overnight fix."

By Nick Mashiter

Follow Nick Mashiter on Twitter @nickmashiter.