A County level amateur player in his youth, Rawding turned out for Ancaster FC and RAF Hemswell in Lincolnshire, then Haltemprice AFC and Ainthorpe Old Boys in Yorkshire.
During this period he was also selected for the East Riding County Football Association (ERCFA) at senior representative level.
[4] Martin Reagan was appointed the next manager of England women, while Rawding returned to the role of coaching Hull City's Under–16 team which he had taken up the previous year.
He performed the job with distinction until 1985, to the extent that Hull City's youth development department later established an annual Mike Rawding Memorial Trophy.
[5] After rising through the ranks of the schools and local football authorities, Rawding was appointed as the East Riding representative to the FA in 1989.