Joining in a game of football in Tower Hamlets need no longer be a case of pitching up at a park and hoping for the best.

To encourage participation in the sport, the council has created a new handbook, available online, featuring all the teams playing in the borough at all levels and in all competitions.

It includes a roll of honour for the 2009/10 season featuring winning teams like Milwall Albion FC who took home the borough’s Unity Cup.

It then lists amateur teams in a simple A to Z format with a guide to the many leagues holding games in the borough including the East London Sunday League and the Tower Hamlets Youth League.

Bethnal Green United and Sporting Bengal United both get special mentions in a feature on senior football - they both play at level five of England’s non-league football “pyramid.”

Tower Hamlets Women’s FC and East London Ladies FC also represent the borough in the FA Women’s equvialent.

There is a guide to the football partnership, made up of local clubs, council officers and the Met Police among others groups and you can read about the anti-racism sports charter.

Mayor Lutfur Rahman said: “The council is going to great lengths to develop the game.

To view and download the handbook visit towerhamlets.gov.uk/lgsl/851-900/887_football/whats_new.aspx or to find out more call Derek Bennett, the senior football development officer on 020 7364 2681.