The Suffolk FA Grassroots Football Photograph of the Season is returning with a new sponsor, writes Nick Garnham.

East Anglian Daily Times: Pictured at the competition launch are Lockdales staff (left to right) Carly Simmons-Sadler, who is general manager, Callum Sinclair, who is assistant photographer and plays for Woodbridge Town, and Liza Machan, who is head of photography. Picture: SUFFOLK FAPictured at the competition launch are Lockdales staff (left to right) Carly Simmons-Sadler, who is general manager, Callum Sinclair, who is assistant photographer and plays for Woodbridge Town, and Liza Machan, who is head of photography. Picture: SUFFOLK FA (Image: Archant)

Lockdales auctioneers of Martlesham, near Ipswich have agreed to sponsor the competition which is again being organised in conjunction with Archant Ltd, publishers of the East Anglian Daily Times and Ipswich Star.

Lockdales are renowned for their football memorabilia, and programmes in particular, and several of their staff are actively involved in grassroots football.

This will be the third time that the competition has been run – and the search is on to find the best photograph taken by an amateur photographer of grassroots football in the county during the 2017-18 season.

The photograph can be of any scenario in football – on match-day, a team shot or even a staged picture – providing it is a photograph depicting the grassroots and not the professional game.

A selection of entries submitted for the competition will be printed in the EADT and Ipswich Star between now and the end of the season.

Once all the entries have been received the judging panel, which will includes representatives from Suffolk FA, Lockdales and Archant Ltd, will then meet after the end of the season before announcing the winners.

The winner will receive a 600mm x 400mm canvas photograph of their winning entry.

The runner-up and third-placed entries will receive 450mm x 300mm canvas photographs of their winning entry.

East Anglian Daily Times: Lockdales are sponsoring this season's competition. Picture: SUFFOLK FALockdales are sponsoring this season's competition. Picture: SUFFOLK FA (Image: Archant)

All three winners will also receive a certificate.

Suffolk FA Marketing & Communications Officer Nick Garnham said: “The competition has grown in popularity in the last two years, and we are expecting a high standard of entries again this season.

“Last season’s winning photograph – Andy Pearce’s stunning rainbow that appeared over the ground during a Youth match in Ipswich – showed that anyone can take that winning photograph at any ground at any time.”

Lockdales Director Dan Daley, who also sponsors Thurlow Nunn League Division One side Woodbridge Town, said: “As a company we have strong connections with grassroots football, so are delighted to sponsor this competition.

“Many clubs across the county now have their own photographers who provide pictures for not only their own website and social media channels, but in some cases for the local media to use, and we are looking forward to judging all the entries.”

Competition Rules

The competition is open to all amateur photographers – ie those who do not either have a licence to cover Football League matches or whose main source of income is via payment for photographs printed in newspapers or via any other media outlet.

Only photographs taken between August 1st 2017 and May 31st 2018 will be eligible for entry. Entrants are limited to a maximum of five entries each.

Entries submitted as .jpg files should be emailed to nick.garnham@suffolkfa.com, while entries submitted as prints should be sent to Nick Garnham, Marketing & Communications Officer, Suffolk FA, Bill Steward House, The Buntings, Stowmarket IP14 5GZ.

All entries should be accompanied by the entrant’s full name, age, home address and phone number plus details explaining what the photograph is about.

Please note entries may be used for marketing and promotion purposes by Suffolk FA, Archant Ltd and DE Photo and by entering you consent for images to be used for this purpose.

Photographs containing people under the age of 18 should be submitted with the media consent form on the Suffolk FA website with the competition launch story.

Normal Archant Ltd competition rules apply and the editor’s decision is final.