Football Focus 048

NOTTS COUNTYNOTTS COUNTYNotts County’s Football in engage people that perhaps other Challengesthe Community does some organisations can’t. Notts Countyfantastic work helping have an excellent reputation and we “One of the biggest challenges wepeople in the local area. benefit from the brand as people in have is fundraising so we haveFootball Focus Magazine Nottingham respect it.” to convince people to fund ourcaught up with their projects. Everything we do has toBusiness Develop Manager About Us be very business focused. AnotherTim Hatton to find out more challenge is recruiting people toabout the good work that “We’ve got about 35 staff here who take part in projects as we have tothey’ve been doing. are out every day and we work in the combat competition from cinemas, city. A lot of our work is in deprived computers, TV’s etc. It’s difficult andInvolvement areas and all the projects that we we have to be resilient and keep are delivering are based around offering people a stable serviceHe started by telling us about his local needs. Different areas in which they can become familiarinvolvement with the club, saying, Nottingham have different problems with.”“I’ve been here three and a half so we use sport and football toyears now. I relish being able to help resolve them, whether that is Current Workmake a difference to people using health, social inclusion education orsport and football in particular to sports participation and I think we “We’ve taken over the Portland have a really good impact on local Leisure Centre that the council communities.” haven’t been able to make any profit www.footballfocus.biz 51

NOTTS COUNTY from so they want us to run it. There was a competitive tendering process and we’ve been chosen because of the good record we have locally. We do a lot of work in the Meadows which was notorious for gang crime and had a lot of negative publicity and it is improving now. We feel by going into the area we can have a positive impact and at the Leisure Centre they have a swimming pool, sports hall, gym and squash courts. It is quite old but we’ve managed to attract £1.2m in funding to improve the centre. We’re going to introduce an Education Centre with 100 students who come in for their full time education and link in a lot of the other work that we do with the facility that we have. There are all sorts of things that we can bring to the area where as at the moment there are not a lot of activities being delivered to people there.” Ambitions “Over the next year we need to ensure that the Portland Leisure Centre is a success. We’ve got a number of new projects around different disabilities, local primaries and women’s/girls projects and it’s going to be important to attract funding for them. Our education project has taken off hugely and we want to keep developing that with more students getting involved so that we can have a really positive impact on people who are quite often hard to reach or marginalised. We want to be delivering sport but also providing activities which cross over in order to get more people coming along and engaging in opportunities that are exciting for them.”52 Issue 48

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SHORTWOOD UNITEDSHORTWOOD UNITEDShortwood United FC plays their home games at Meadowbank in Gloucestershire and theirfirst team currently competes in the Calor League Division One South and West. They areled by the team of President Richard Webb and Chairman Peter Webb and the club is lookingto progress under their guidance.Their first team put together a strong This certainly meant that any supporterscampaign last time around as they attending their matches were wellcompiled a record of having won 23, drawn entertained and should encourage more of9 and lost 10 of their 42 matches. This saw the community to get behind them in thethem finish near the top of the table with future. Playing with such style should also78 points on the board. help the team to attract/retain players.A particular highlight of the season was the The club’s attention will now have turnedattacking brand of football that the team towards the new season and they will bemanaged to produce. This is reflected confident of having another successfulby the fact that they were among the top campaign. So long as they are able toscorers in the league, finding the back of retain their current group of players andthe net 91 times at a rate of more than two perhaps make one or two quality additionsper match. they will have a good chance of mounting a title challenge. Shortwood United is a club that is committed to playing a vital role in their local community and this is reflected by the fact that they have an additional senior side. This allows them to give twice as many players a game every week and also provides young players with a chance to gain experience of adult level football. A major benefit of having more than one senior side is that it allows the first XI to benefit from far greater strength in depth. If they are ever left short on numbers through injury or suspension they have the option of calling players up with a limited amount of disruption. The promising campaign that Shortwood United had last season should provide them with a perfect platform from which to build. Their superb set-up off the field gives them a solid base to continue to progress and the club appears to have a bright future to look forwards to. Football Focus Magazine wishes them the best of luck.54 Issue 48

CRAMLINGTON JUNIORSCRAMLINGTONJUNIORSCramlington Juniors FC is a club that “At mini soccerhas done a fantastic job of producing we are hugelyquality young footballers over a number successful, withof years. Football Focus Magazinecaught up with club representative outstandingAdrian Farrar to find out what has been sides at U8, U9behind their success. and U10’s”InvolvementHe started by telling us about hisinvolvement, saying, “I started just over25 years ago at the start of the 1988-89season and although I had a couple ofseasons away with senior football I havebeen there ever since.While running coaching courses throughNorthumberland football association afellow coach called George Beeby asked ifI would be interested in running a team atCramlington Juniors. To be honest havingspent all my time running senior teamssuch as West Allotment and Seaton TerraceI had absolutely no idea what I was gettinginto or how long would last.”The Role“The most challenging thing about my roleis finding and producing top-notch juniorplayers. Getting a young lad at 5 years andseeing him develop into a player that mightplay the game professionally is reward initself, however it is equally rewarding to seeplayers that played at the juniors playingin all of the local leagues. I am alwaysdisappointed when I see young players giveup the game at 17 or 18. Nothing beatsbeing involved, I cannot imagine life withoutfootball.”Community“I would consider us to be a communityclub, we try to work with local schools inthe area to encourage the kids to come tous and have very strong relationships with www.footballfocus.biz 55

CRAMLINGTON enough standard to play for CJFC and as a JUNIORS consequence we don’t get to take a look at them to make our own judgement. Cramlington High School and Astley High This has happend frequently when coaches School who have always supported our have to convince players they are and to training programmes. come along and see for themselves, but once we get them there the opportunities We have some excellent coaches at the they have could possibly give them a career club, some of whom are qualified to UEFA playing football. B standard. On top of that the lads that serve on the committee are extremely Our ambitions are to keep producing players proactive and are always looking for ways of the highest quality, to improve the standard to improve the club.” of the coaching, which is already the best but we want to get better and to provide a This Season facility where kids can come and express themselves on pitches that allow them to “At mini soccer we are hugely successful, show off there qualities.” with outstanding sides at U8, U9 and U10’s, which is due mainly to Jason “Producing Hodgson who oversee the minis. On a weekend he can be found coaching the good players kids at Astley High School from 9 in the morning till 6 at night so it is no wonder is always the we are doing well in this area. challenge” At the 11 a side we are generally one of the top 3 sides in the county. Staying at the top in this form has become very tricky due to the fact that a lot of our top end are in either Newcastle or Sunderland’s academies.” Progression “Any player that has come through the Cramlington Juniors system should able to adapt to playing senior football without too much of a problem. He should leave us with a good degree of ability but most importantly he should have very good discipline which he will need if he is to play senior football at a good level. Two of our U8s, Aiden Pogson and Sam Watts have just received academy places at Newcastle United. At present we have over 60 kids either in development or Academies from our club. Furthermore we have currently 3 players on scholarships Kyle Cameron and Macaulay Gillespie at Newcastle United and Nick Cassidy at Queen of the South. Added to this we also have a few players playing professionally namely Stephen Taylor at Newcastle, Jack Colback at Sunderland, Ben Pringle at Rotherham and Liam Noble at Carlisle.” Challenges/Ambitions “Producing good players is always the challenge, getting kids to come to our place is sometimes difficult. Some kids don’t think they are at a good56 Issue 48

STAMFORDSTAMFORDStamford AFC is based on Kettering Road in Stamford and their first team currentlycompetes in the Northern Premier League. They are led by the team of Chairman BobFeetham and President Vic Couzens and the team is looking to progress under theirguidance.Last time around the team put together one or two quality additions they will have asteady league campaign, compiling a record great chance of doing just that.of having won 17, drawn 7 and lost 22 oftheir 46 matches. This saw them finish in the One of the stand-out features of thebottom half of the table with 58 points on the Stamford set-up is the work that they do inboard. the local community and they have recently reached a deal with manufacturers CumminsOne of the main positives to be taken from Generator Technologies who will becomethe campaign was the attacking brand of their community partner.football that they managed to produce. Thiswas reflected by the fact that they were The deal will see Cummins giving yearlyone of the top scorers in the 2nd half of investment to help the club’s communitythe division, finding the back of the net an activities. It is a long term arrangement andimpressive 75 times. should greatly boost the club’s work in this area.This certainly meant that any supportersattending their matches were well Speaking of the agreement to the club’sentertained and should encourage more of official website Ian Evley, Chairman ofthe local community to get behind the team Stamford AFC Football Development Centre,in future. This would have the potential to said, “We are thrilled that a local companyprovide the club with a valuable additional with an international reputation for excellencesource of income. has chosen us to demonstrate their support of, and commitment to, the local community.Stamford’s attention will now have turnedtowards the new season and they will be We look forward with great enthusiasm tokeen to break into the top half of the league. working with Cummins in the future for theSo long as they are able to retain their benefit of our supporters, players, coachescurrent group of players and perhaps make and the local community in Stamford and Rutland. www.footballfocus.biz 57

STAMFORD This arrangement is rare in a sporting context as it perfectly demonstrates what can be achieved when different elements of the club’s activities are integrated for a common objective. It puts us in a great place ahead of our exciting move to Borderville Sports Stadium in October.” Stamford clearly does a lot of important work in their local community and their Committee deserves a tremendous amount of credit for this. With such a solid base off the field the first team at the club should be optimistic of having a bright and successful future. It will be exciting to see how they are able to progress over the coming years and everyone at Football Focus Magazine would like to wish them the best of luck for the new season.58 Issue 48

ELMOREELMORE group of players and perhaps make one or two quality additions they should be able to claim a higher league finish.First established in 1947, Elmore FC plays their homegames at Horsdon Park on Heathcoat Way in Devon and One of the standout features of the Elmore set-up is thetheir first team currently competes in the South West outstanding youth set-up that they have in place. This part ofPeninsula League Premier Division. They are led by the the club looks to provide young players from the local areateam of President Doug Glidden and Chairman Jed Hewitt with an opportunity to play the game in a safe and enjoyableand the club is looking to progress under their guidance. environment whilst helping them to reach their full potential.It would be fair to say that their first team did not perhaps It is important for any club to be able to produce their ownenjoy the season that they would have liked last time around talent, particularly in the current financial climate and this isas they put together a record of having won 6, drawn 8 and an area that Elmore appears to have covered. Coaching stafflost 24 of their 38 matches. This saw them finish near the overseeing their juniors are confident that they have a numberbottom of the table with 26 points on the board. of players involved with the potential to go on and have an exciting future within the game.There were some positives to take out of the season howeverand one of these was that they showed a considerable In order to help their youngsters to make the sometimesamount of goal scoring potential. This was reflected by the difficult transition into senior football Elmore also run afact that they outscored many of the teams that finished reserve side. This allows them to give players experience ofaround them in the league. adult competition even if they are not yet considered ready for first team action.Playing such an attacking brand of football ensured that anysupporters attending their matches were well entertained and Another benefit of having more than one team is that it allowsshould encourage more of the local community to get behind the first XI to benefit from far greater strength in depth. If theythe team in the future. are ever left short on numbers through injury or suspension they have the option of calling players up with a limited amount of disruption.Elmore’s attentions will now have turned towards the new Although Elmore did not perhaps enjoy the season they wouldcampaign and ensuring that they are well prepared for the have liked last time out, this should not take away from theseason ahead. As long as they are able to retain their current good work that they have been doing. If they can continue in the same manner off the field then good results are sure to follow on it. From Tradition And Integrity Comes Peace Of MindWALTER H. SQUIRES & SON3RD GENERATION FAMILY FUNERAL DIRECTORS, EST. 1933One of Devon’s most respected independent funeral directors, familyowned by Ryan and Melanie Squires, and trusted for eight decades.Proud supporters of Elmore Football ClubS 11 Wellbrook Street, Tiverton, Devon, EX16 5JW 01884 252556 27 Higher Street, Cullompton, Devon, EX15 1AJ 01884 839556 Offices also atwww.whsquires.co.uk 171 Pinhoe Road, Exeter, Devon, EX4 7HZ 01392 252556 www.footballfocus.biz 59

CRAWLEY GREENCRAWLEY GREENFirst established in 1992, Crawley was reflected by the fact that they scoredGreen FC plays their home games on 79 goals at a rate of more than 2 per matchSharpenhoe Road in Bedfordshire and which placed them amongst the top scorerstheir first team currently competes in the in the league.Spartan South Midlands Football LeagueDivision 1. They are led by the team of This certainly meant that any supportersChairman Alan Clark and President Reg attending their matches were wellFreeman and are looking to progress entertained and should encourage moreunder their guidance. of the local community to get behind the side in the future. Attracting more fans toTheir first team put together a strong the club has the added bonus of providingcampaign last time around, compiling a some vital additional income.league record of having won 22, drawn 7and lost 9 of their 38 league matches. This The club is now well into their preparationssaw them finish in the top half of the table for the new campaign and will be lookingwith 73 points on the board. to use last season’s performances as a platform from which to build. So long asA particular highlight of the team’s form they are able to retain their current grouplast time around was the attacking brand of of players and perhaps make one or twofootball that they managed to produce. This quality additions they should be able to mount a title challenge. Crawley Green is committed to providing as many players as possible from the local area with an opportunity to play the game and this is reflected by the fact that they have an additional side. This allows them to give twice as many players a chance to play each weekend. Another benefit of having an extra team is that it allows the first XI to benefit from far greater strength in depth. If they are ever left short on numbers through injury or suspension they have the option of calling players up with a limited amount of disruption. Crawley Green had a promising season last time around and they will be keen to push on from here. They appear to have everything in place to do so and it will be interesting to see how far they can go in the new campaign. Everyone at Football Focus Magazine wishes them the best of luck.60 Issue 48

BRISTOL CITYBRISTOL CITYBristol City Community Trust’s (BCCT) Bristol region. BCCT is committed torole within the greater Bristol area is ensuring that it responds to local needsto use the power of football and other whilst working strategically in line withsporting activities to improve the lives regional and national agendas.of people through participation insport, exercise and education. BCCT Through the diverse range of programmesacknowledges with gratitude the support delivered by Bristol City Communityprovided to the charity in this work by Trust, we aim to get people active, raiseBristol City Football Club. attainment in schools, work closely with our communities and create a new paidBCCT recognises the positive role it can and volunteer workforce to increase futureplay within the community. We provide fun, capacity.safe and enjoyable activities whilst makingsure that quality counts in the services we The Trust currently runs activityprovide. With a dedicated, committed and programmes within Bristol, North Somerset,extremely passionate team of staff, the South Gloucestershire, Bath & North EastTrust is able to develop a wide range of Somerset and surrounding local authoritycreative projects whilst also delivering them areas. We are committed to furthering ourto the highest standards. reach and within the next four years will be taking our offer into Wiltshire, Devon,We recognise that football, and in Gloucestershire, Cornwall and Dorset.particular, Bristol City Football Club, hasthe ability to engage people, improve We currently provide opportunities tocommunity cohesion and raise the hopes 50,000 people of varied ages and abilitiesand aspirations of people from the greater to play sport. This primarily involves football www.footballfocus.biz 61

BRISTOL CITYrelated activity but does include other sports. The Charity has 6 key objectivesAlthough we are committed to providing sportand education ‘for all’ a large focus for the 1. Increase participation in Sport and developTrust is delivering provision to school aged talent pathwayschildren. 2. Promote wellbeing and healthy lifestylesThis includes curriculum delivery, breakfast, within local communitieslunch time and after school clubs. Breakfastclubs start the day off with a fun and active 3. Deliver an inclusive programme ofmulti-sport session which helps get children activities that involves and engages hard toready for the school. These sessions reach groups, improving community cohesiontypically start at 8am and last for 45 minutes.Lunchtime clubs keep pupils active and 4. Develop and empower leaders, coachesprovide meaningful activity and reduce and volunteersplayground tensions. These also typicallylast for 45 minutes. After school clubs help 5. Engage and inspire young people raisingto extend the school day and provide pupil, and celebrating educational achievementteacher and school development througha variety of fun activities designed to help 6. Govern the operations of BCCT efficientlydevelop confidence, skill, teamwork, social and effectivelyskills and healthy lifestyles. These typicallylast for 60 minutes. high quality coaching in addition to their grassroots environment. Talented childrenThe Bristol City Community Trust Player attending these centres go on to play at thePathway Centres take place every evening highest level at BCFC Academy.across the greater Bristol region. For someit provides an opportunity for young people At our Community Park we have over 350to play football in a fun, safe environment young people who attend sessions on awithout the pressure of joining a competitive Saturday and at Ashton Gate Stadium. Theteam. For others it is an opportunity to receive park presents a great introduction to football for children aged between 4 and 11. The club Ashton Park Sports Centre has become a major pathway for children into Affordable fun & fitness for the whole community... local grass roots charter standard clubs. NEW 3G 5-A-SIDE COURT Our After School Coaching Programme including PPC’s (Player ParticipationFITNESS SUITE HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES Centres), in partnership with our Academy, has delivered a programme throughout the2 SPORTS HALLS EXERCISE CLASSES greater Bristol area which offers a stepping stone from grass roots football into eliteDANCE STUDIO PLAYING FIELDS Academy football. We have over 100 talented players training each week within theFOOTBALL PITCHES NETBALL COURTS programme with the aspiration of signing for Bristol City FC’s Academy. www.ashtonparksports.com Information provided by Amy Kington, Director at Bristol City Community Trust0117 3773300 | [email protected] SportsCentre BlackmoorsLane BowerAshton Bristol BS32DN62 Issue 48

WOKINGWOKINGBased at the Kingfield Stadium in Surrey, Woking FC currently competes in the SkrillPremier League. They are led by Chairman Mike Smith whilst Gary Hill manages their firstteam and the club is looking to progress under their guidance. www.footballfocus.biz 63

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Their first team enjoyed a promising campaign last time WOKINGaround as they put together a record of having won 20,drawn 8 and lost 18 of their 46 matches. This saw them finish Call in for an exclusive viewingin the top half of the table with 68 points on the board. of the all-new JEEP CherokeeClub Representative John Moore told us how he felt that the in our showroom from Fridayseason had gone, stating, 20th to Sunday 22nd June“Woking were struggling up until the end of December; a lackof goals and very little confidence saw them at wrong end oftable.They brought Jack Marriott and Scott Rendell in on loanand both strikers have been in good form since the switchhelping Woking to climb the table well. Creative midfieldersJosh Payne and John Goddard have also been playing reallywell.”Having such a positive 2nd half to the season enabledWoking to go into the off-season on a high and theirpreparations ahead of the new campaign appear to havegone well. They will now be keen to start their 2014/15campaign positively and should have a good chance of atleast mounting a push for the play-offs.First established in 1889, the club is known as the Cardsfrom the Cardinal red of the red and white halves. One of themost famous times in their history came in the FA Cup in the1990/91 season. Entering at the 4th qualifying stage theyovercame 3 conference sides to set up a tie against WestBromwich Albion in the 3rd round who they defeated by 4goals to 2 with a hat-trick from Tim Buzaglo.You weren’t born to be a wallflower.To blend in. To go unnoticed.You weren’t born to march to someone else’s beat.And you definitely weren’t born to make up the numbers.Neither were we. We’re BUILT FREE.THE ALL-NEW JEEP CHEROKEE ®3YEARSAS STANDARD THERE’S ONLY ONE 0% APR REPRESENTATIVE FINANCE* WARRANTY (60,000 MILES) FREE SERVICING▲ (30,000 MILES) ROADSIDE ASSISTANCENow at: Bishops Guildford. 29 Moorfield Road, www.bishopsjeep.co.ukSlyfield Industrial Estate, Guildford, Surrey, GU1 1RU. Tel: 0844 247 5327Jeep with FUEL CONSUMPTION FIGURES FOR THE NEW JEEP® CHEROKEE DIESEL RANGE IN MPG (L/100KM): EXTRA URBAN 55.4 (5.1) – 61.4 (4.6), URBAN 39.8 (7.1) ® – 44.1 (6.4), COMBINED 48.7 (5.8) – 53.3 (5.3), CO2 EMISSIONS: 154 – 139 G/KM. Model shown: New Cherokee Limited £31,195 OTR. Promotion available on new Cherokee models registered before 30th June 2014. *0% APR Representative Hire Purchase available for a 3 year term with a minimum deposit of 10% required. Finance subject to status. Guarantees may 65 be required. Terms and conditions apply. We work with a number of creditors including Jeep Financial Services. Jeep Financial Services, PO BOX 4465, Slough SL1 ORW. New Cherokee will benefit from complimentary servicing to cover the car for 3 years or 30,000 miles including protection for the first MOT on all qualifying retail sales. At participating Dealers only. Fiat - Chrysler and CNH Industrial are Official Global Partners of the Expo Milano 2015. To find out more please visit jeep.co.uk. Prices and specifications correct at the time of going to print (06/14). Jeep is a registered trademark of Chrysler Group LLC. www.footballfocus.biz

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WOKINGThis saw them rewarded with a tie against Everton and the team didthemselves proud, only losing by 1 goal in front of a crowd of over30,000. The supporters remained behind after the fixture to give theplayers a rapturous standing ovation.The club is keen to add to their history over the coming years and theyhave an Academy in place which looks to develop young players that willeventually go on to represent the first team. Alongside this they also lookto provide them with an opportunity to further their academic studies.The scheme includes 6 hours of coaching a week with fully qualifiedUEFA ‘A’ and ‘B’ licenced coaches and a choice of academic studies.It is important for any club to be able to produce their own talent,particularly in the current financial climate and this is an area that theyappear to have covered.A standout feature of the Woking set-up is the superb work that they doin the local community. They are committed to helping as many peopleas possible from the local area and their approach is to be admired.The good work that they have been doing in regards to this has beenrecognised recently when Woking Football in the Community wasawarded the “Football Foundation Community Club of the Year” awardat the Non-League Paper National Game Awards. Jane Spong, ChrisSexton and Ryan Dent were present at Fulham FC’s Craven Cottage toreceive the award.There is much to admire about the work that Woking FC have beendoing both on and off the field in recent times and this is thanks to thesuperb set up that they have in place. Hopefully they will be able tocontinue in the same manner for many years to come. www.footballfocus.biz 67

CARSHALTONCARSHALTONATHLETICCarshalton Athletic FC plays their home games at the War Memorial Ground on ColstonAvenue in Blanchard and their first team currently competes in the Ryman Football LeagueSouth Division. They are led by Chairman Paul Dipre who is supported by Secretary ChrisBlanchard.One of their most notable successes with the ‘Surrey FA Community Club ofof recent years came in the 2011/12 the Year Award 2012.’season when they managed to make Last season it would be fair to say thatit to the 3rd round proper of the FA the club’s first team did not perhaps enjoyTrophy. The cup run saw them take the season that they would have liked asapart Bishops Stortford by 5 goals they put together a record of having wonto nil and overcome Conference 8, drawn 6 and lost 32 of their 46 leaguePremier side Lincoln City 3-1. They matches. This saw them finish near thewere eventually knocked out by bottom of the table with 30 points on theNewport County who went on to board.reach the Final at Wembley Stadium. The club has now had the off-seasonBy the end of that campaign the to recover from their disappointingclub had become one of the biggest performance and have had a positivecommunity clubs in the country with pre-season. So long as they are able43 senior, youth and junior teams to get off to a good start to build someas well as seven girls’ sides and two confidence they should be well positionedacademies. These efforts were rightly for a much better campaign this timerewarded when they were recognised around.68 Issue 48

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CARSHALTON Another benefit of having more than one side is that it allows the first XI to benefitOne of the features that really stands out from far greater strength in depth. If theyat Carshalton is the outstanding youth are ever left short on numbers throughset up that they have in place which is injury or suspension they have thea great example of how this section of a option of calling players up with a limitedclub should be run. The junior teams look amount of disruption.to provide young players from the localarea with an opportunity to play the game Off the field the club also has somein a safe and enjoyable environment. quality facilities including the Robins Nest, a clubhouse and a meeting roomIt is important for any club to be able to which they make available to the public.produce their own talent, particularly in This has the potential to provide themthe current financial climate and this is an with a valuable source of additionalarea that they appear to have covered. revenue.Now would seem like an ideal opportunityto blood some youngsters and it will Although Carshalton Athletic did notcertainly be exciting to watch to see how enjoy the season that they would havethey are able to develop over the coming liked this should not take away from theyears. fantastic work that has been carried out at the club. Hopefully they will be able toIn order to help their young players to continue in the same manner for manysuccessfully make the transition into years to come and everyone at Footballsenior level football Carshalton also Focus Magazine would like to wish themruns a reserve side. This allows them the best of luck.to give them experience of the adultgame even if they are not yet consideredready for first team action which can bean important step in the developmentprocess.70 Issue 48

CORPORATION CLUBCORPORATION CLUBCorporation Club FC formed a new team in 2012 and is now looking forwards to the newseason. Football Focus Magazine caught up with Club Captain Kane Hutchison to findout more about how they have been getting along.Involvement Last Season I know we will all be going out each to week to win every game and finishHe told us, “I’ve been playing for the “Last season we played in the as high in the league as possible.”Corpy Club for around 5 seasons Premier Division , and in all honestynow, and for the last 2 seasons I , we struggled. However, the tough Communityhave captained the team. My mother, games we played last season alongSharon, is the bar manageress and with the extra season’s experience “I would consider our club to be aalso our close family friends are part playing in the Premier Division has community club. The club itself is aof the committee, that’s how I initially definitely put us in good stead for the social club and welcomes anyone in.got involved with playing for the upcoming campaign.” We have a large Jewish communityteam.” in the area and they are welcomed This Season with open arms when coming in toThe Role the club, whether it be to watch the “My plans and expectations for this football , play pool or simply have a“I personally don’t find being the season could be completely different drink. The Corporation Club is thecaptain of the team a challenge; it’s to our managements! but personally, chosen venue for all league meetingssomething I look forward to doing I’d like to see us challenging the top for not only football, but also darts.”every weekend and something that 3 in the league and aiming for somegives me a boost when playing. The good cup runs. Challengesmost rewarding aspect of captaininga team is obviously when you win We have a young team, playing in a “With most clubs, finance is alwaysgames and see a good team spirit 16 team league and there is going the biggest challenge. However,and all the lads enjoying there to be lots of opportunities for us thanks to the support of E&Jfootball.” to win games and it’s down to the Electrics, ABCA Systems and the players on the pitch to perform and actual members of the social club,Atmosphere pick up the positive results we need. we don’t regard finance as one of our I know the new management have biggest challenges.“The mood at the club is fantastic discussed a 3 year plan with us, butat the moment , we’ve recently had as a representative from the players,a change in management with MalaPegg taking over the job, with thehelp of Hardy, Kev, and Tommy. Thelatter 3 have been involved withthe football team at the Corpy Clubfor over 10 years now and haveplayed a pivotal role in ensuring theCorporation Club has a football teamthroughout those years.There has been lots of comings andgoings with regards to players, butwe believe we will have a strongenough team this season to competein every game and our ultimate aim isto establish ourselves in this leagueand if we can manage to pick upsome silverware on the way, thatwould be fantastic.” www.footballfocus.biz 71

CORPORATION CLUB Personally, I think with there being so many pub teams within the Gateshead area, one of the biggest challenges will be maintaining the same squad of players for a long time, with a few new additions throughout the years. On top of that, I think with us having a young team and the temptations of the bright lights and night life of Newcastle City Centre on our doorstep , it’s always hard to get your best 11 out on the pitch on a Sunday morning.” Ambitions “The ambitions for the next 5 years will be to definitely keep the team running and to also ensure that we keep up with our charter standard status which is a must if you are to compete in our league. However, we are all looking forward to next season and hopefully it’s a successful one. It’s a fantastic club we play for and we certainly do get looked after. I’d finally like to thank Wayne Backhouse and the rest of the committee for their commitment and financial support to the football team, Sharon Galbraith for the food after every game, and finally the bar staff for ensuring our strips are clean and dried every week.”72 Issue 48

WORSBROUGH BRIDGE ATHLETICWORSBROUGHBRIDGE ATHLETICWorsbrough Bridge Athletic FC we can earn to keep the club going, A disappointing end to the seasonhas been making a lot of progress we are not a paying club but over saw us finishing 10th, but only 3in recent times and has recently the last few seasons have been up points away from 4th. The clubstarted up their first ladies team. there with clubs that pay which is a broke a record last season as theyClub Representative Jonathan tough job, but the way the club and went two years without losing aCotterill-Bolsover took the time community comes together season single home league game, a greatto tell us more about this exciting after season is inspiring. Everybody run saw us top for a period of timeperiod. does their bit and works hard to but a string of tough results towards keep us a high standard non-league the end of the season saw us slipHe started by telling us about his club. away from promotion places.involvement, saying, “I have beenat the club for two years, it was Ahead of the new campaign the It is a very exciting time for us as wegreat to step up to the challenge of mood is one of excitement and have introduced the first ever ladiesa semi pro club and the progression nervousness. We lost our manager side to the club, a great addition forsystem for the players was superb. A Chris Hilton to Stocksbridge Park us. We are all raring to go throughvery strong first team management Steels last month, he has done a the gruelling pre-season and hopingteam was in place as was the great job with us and attracted big for new success.development team for the 16 year players, it was sad to see him go butold plus players coming through. the move to such a higher club is a Our under 19’s play in the highly credit to his quality. We now have a regarded Northern Under 19’SWorsbrough has never been a ‘rich’ new manager in Dave Mace who is Alliance, we have a great pathwayclub and we fight for every penny looking to carry on the great work. for many released academy players www.footballfocus.biz 73

WORSBROUGH BRIDGE ATHLETIC from the local pro clubs such as Sheffield Wednesday, United, Barnsley and Rotherham. All in all over the past two seasons no less than 15 players have appeared for the first team which is exactly what we aim to do at the club. The transition from youth to first team is via our reserves who play in the local County Senior League, with a mix of younger players and 3/4 older players, this gives our youngsters a real experience of playing against ‘men’ as they prepare for that move up. We always involve the community where possible, we recently tagged on to a Sunday League side to offer them chance to be part of the club, they now train with us. We rely on members of the community for voluntary roles such as stewarding and café duties. As always money dominates, with ever increasing pitch maintenance and bills rising, our big challenge will be the financial side of the game. We want to gain promotion, ensure our youth system is stronger than ever and make major ground renovations over the coming years.”74 Issue 48

CHESTER NOMADSCHESTER NOMADSChester Nomads FC was first They play their home games on they go into their new season.established in the summer of Boughton Hall Avenue on Filkins As long as they are able to retain1902 when a group of friends Lane and their first team currently their current group of playersset up some friendly fixtures to competes in the 1st Division of and perhaps make one or twotake part in. The club began to the Carlsberg West Cheshire quality additions they will have adevelop and by 1904 had a well League. They are led by the team good chance of mounting a titleset-up fixture list but no name of President Phil Darlington and challenge.or ground. This was what led to Chairperson Steve Smith.them taking the name Nomads. Chester Nomads is not a club Last season the first team enjoyed to focus solely upon their seniorSince then the club has put a promising campaign as they put section however and they also havetogether a history of which they together a league record of having a thriving youth set-up in place. Thishave every right to be proud and won 13, drawn 5 and lost 12 of their part of the club looks to providethey now play a vital role in their 30 matches. This saw them finish young players from the local arealocal community. Their current in 5th position with 44 points on the with an opportunity to play thegroup of players will be keen to board. game in a safe and enjoyableadd to this history over the coming This should provide the team with a environment whilst helping them toyears. strong base upon which to build as reach their full potential. www.footballfocus.biz 75

CHESTERNOMADSPictured L-R; Simon Whittle, Co-Chairman of Westgrove, Chester FC defender Michael Kay, Chester FC Manager Steve Burr, Steve Fives, Co-Chairman of Westgrove, and Chester FC Chairman Tony Durkin.It is important for any club to be able to produce The award-winning Westgrove Group are a successfultheir own talent, particularly in the current financial national provider of bespoke dual-service security andclimate and this is an area that they appear to have cleaning solutions, specialising in high profile corporatecovered. Coaching staff overseeing their juniors are offices, commercial premises, shopping centres, hotels &confident that a number of them have the potentialto have a bright future. leisure and football stadia.In order to help their youngsters to successfully What makes us different?make the transition into senior level footballChester Nomads also has a number of additional •Industry leading Senior Management Teamsides running. This allows them to give players •Strong CSR valuesexperience of the adult game even if they are notyet considered ready for first team action which can •Colleague-centric principles of businessbe an important step in the development process. •Football Stadia pedigree & consultantsAnother benefit of having so many teams is that •Specialised Portfolio Managementit allows the first XI to benefit from far greater •15 years of ‘quality-orientated’ sustained growthstrength in depth. If they are ever left short onnumbers through injury or suspension they have •Prestigious partner portfoliothe option of calling players up with a limited •Innovative and refreshingly bespokeamount of disruption. •Unparalleled contract retention levels & partnerChester Nomads is clearly a club that has come a testimonialslong way since their rather humble beginnings. Thework that they do in their local is there for all to see “Westgrove - a compelling place to work, a compellingand their Committee deserve a tremendous amount company to partner”of credit. Hopefully they will be able to continue inthe same manner for many years to come. www.westgrove.co.uk76 Issue 48

HARBOROUGH TOWNHARBOROUGH TOWNHarborough Town FC plays their home games at Bowdens Park on Northampton Roadin Leicestershire and their first team currently competes in the Chroma Sport andTrophies United Counties League Premier Division. They are led by Chairman AndrewWinston whilst Robert Dunion and Gordon Kyle manage the first team.They play a vital role in the local It would be fair to say that the first teamcommunity and have done for over 30 did not perhaps enjoy the campaign thatyears. They moved to their own facilities they would have liked last time aroundwhere they still dwell now in the early as they put together a record of having1990’s. They were recognised as an FA won 7, drawn 5 and lost 24 of their 36Charter Standard Community Club in matches. This saw them finish near the2004. bottom of the table with 26 points on the board.The club then gained the highestaccolade available when they were They will now be keen to move forwardsawarded FA Charter Standard and put last season behind them asCommunity Club Status. They are not quickly as possible. So long as theystanding still however and hope to are able to retain their current group offurther their community work, particularly players and perhaps make one or twoin regards to social and educational quality additions they should be in withservices. a good chance of pushing further up the table. www.footballfocus.biz 77

HARBOROUGH TOWN Harborough Town is not a club to focus solely upon their senior section however as they also have a number of youth sides in place. These teams look to provide young players from the local area with an opportunity to play the game in a safe and enjoyable environment whilst helping them to reach their full potential. It is vital for any club to be able to produce their own talent, particularly in the current financial climate and this is an area that they appear to have covered. It will certainly be exciting to see how their youngsters are able to develop over the coming years. In order to help their juniors to successfully make the transition into senior level football they also have a reserve side running. This allows them to give young players experience of the adult game even if they are not yet considered ready for first team action which can be an important step in the development process. Another advantage of having more than one team is that it allows the first XI to benefit from far greater strength in depth. If they are ever left short on numbers through injury or suspension they have the option of calling players up with a limited amount of disruption. Although Harborough Town did not enjoy the campaign they would have liked last time this should not take away from the good work that they have been doing at the club. Hopefully they will be able to continue in the same manner for many years to come.78 Issue 48

GATESHEAD SUPPORTERSGATESHEADSUPPORTERS Gateshead FC is fortunate enough to benefit from some superb support which was in full view at the Play-off Final at Wembley last season. Football Focus Magazine caught up with Tony Carter who has followed the club for 30 years. He started by telling us about the trip to Wembley, “There are so many great memories from my time following Gateshead but Wembley last year with 7,000 of us certainly stands out. I took my father and my daughter; it’s a family thing for me and was a great day. It’s a shame about the result of course but it was something that I never thought we’d get the chance to do. It was a strange year last year because we got off to a bad start after setting up a good squad at the start of the season. The Manager’s come in though and done a great job. He’ll be judged on this season because it’s his team now and I think that we’ll do well. Truthfully, I’d like to see us win the league this year. We’ve built a great squad so I think top 8 has got to be a minimum but I think we’re a good outside bet to win it. Two big sides in Cambridge and Luton have left the league which I think makes it a year where a number of teams will be thinking they’ve got a chance. Obviously we’ll have to do things right if we’re going to win it but I genuinely think we can. I’ve seen the club revolve many times over the years. The club’s fan base has come on amazingly as we’ve managed to attract a lot of younger supporters www.footballfocus.biz 79

GATESHEAD SUPPORTERS in recent years. There was a spell where we’d dropped down into the league above the Northern League and were only getting 50 or 60 supporters in to watch games. Thankfully we’ve moved on from that and if we can get on a good roll I think we can hit four figures for home fixtures. We’re a good cheap option because you can get in for a couple of quid. The club’s progressed well in recent years and if we can continue that that would be great. It’s important that we do gain success as it gives us a chance to establish ourselves at the higher level and until we hit that mark there’s always the danger we go the other way. Most teams that get promoted from this league are able to do well the following year. There’s not too much between the two leagues and I think we could do well if we do get promoted. As I’ve said I think we’ll be up there and if we are going to get promoted then this year will be as good a chance as any.”80 Issue 48