The chair of Maccabi (Southern) GB Football League has received a prestigious award in recognition of his dedication to grasssroots football and his impact on community cohesion.

David Wolff, the league’s chairman since 1970, has been awarded the London FA’s Bobby Moore Award. It is one of the FA’s 2024 Grassroots Heroes Awards, sponsored by Panini.

The 79-year-old’s football journey began in the late 1950s as a member of the Ivri Maccabi Youth League. A passionate West Ham supporter, he even had the opportunity to manage the club's U16 team.

Looking back on his career, Wolff revealed that he was most proud of “sustaining the league during difficult times and keeping it as a Jewish league”.

His administrative career took off when he joined the MSFL management committee in December 1963 as assistant secretary.

By 1965, he had risen to vice chairman, and in 1970, he became chairman. Under his leadership, the league expanded from a single division, with just 12 teams.

At its peak, it consisted of 66 teams and facilitated countless matches for thousands of participants. 

Reflecting on his decades of service, Wolff acknowledged the challenges that had come with running the league, particularly in maintaining interest among younger players in a rapidly changing social landscape.

David Wolff at the European Maccabi Youth Games in London in the summer (Photo: Jamie Gordon Photography)

“The biggest challenge nowadays is the downturn in interest,” he notes. “We once had 66 teams focused solely on football, but now, there are many distractions.” Despite these challenges, Wolff has worked tirelessly to encourage participation and social integration through initiatives like the county cup and by arranging matches between Jewish and non-Jewish teams. 

He served on the national Maccabi football committee, first as secretary and later as chairman from 1976 to 2000, where he organised important competitions such as the Peter Morrisson Trophy and the national junior competitions for U11s, U13s and U16s.

Looking back, Wolff said he took pride in having sustained the league through difficult times. “We’ve faced attempts to uproot the league from within,” he recalled. “It’s been about preserving our identity as a Jewish league.”

Wolff was also sports director of Maccabi GB, and, in 2022, was appointed president of the London FA, having dedicated over 50 years to the county association.

He expressed hope that Maccabi could maintain its current form as it approached its 80th anniversary. “If we fundamentally change what we are, it could be detrimental,” he warned.

In a statement, London FA said: “David has touched the lives of the Jewish community through his involvement in Jewish sport and has been an integral member of the London FA for many years.

"David has an unmatched passion for grassroots football and always put that first, before any of his own personal interests. He is hugely balanced, calm and fair and brings vast experience to his role at London FA."