Football - SFC Juniors

Reports

please email at
football@southportfcjuniors.org

For many seasons, Southport YMCA had teams from Under 10 to Under 16, playing in the local Craven Minor league. With the resurgence of football and its impact upon young boys, both locally and nationwide, the age groups lowered until, in 1998, an Under 8s was formed. This progression continued with a new U8s following the subsequent season and, within the training parameters, demand became so great that Under 7 and Under 6 teams were formed.

Because of this influx of new blood, both young, the players, and old, new and existing age group managers, and the need to improve both facilities and club profiles, the managers decided to approach Southport FC, with a view to affiliating with them to form a Juniors Football Club.

One of the underlying reasons being that, in the Craven League, all youth football ceases on completion of the U16 year group, the lads, in order to continue to play, having to enter adult leagues. To this end, Southport FC, realising the need to have a Youth Feeder operation in place for their own reserves, and, ideally, their first team eventually, it was a double edged coin insomuch as all of the nations higher teams, including Premiership, look to Under 7s and 8s for the early spotting of talent and the Junior section would, in one way or another, fulfill both roles with all of the players, effectively being signed on as Southport FC players, with regards to new and developing talent through the age groups, whilst the best players in the District from all teams could amalgamate under the Under 17 Youth Squad for the SFC feeder team.

In addition, the club felt that they were both short of facilities and the general whipping posts for the local teams as the name, although respected, was insufficient to attract new players to the area and furthermore being unfair on local boys, some of whom had been with the club since they were 8 years of age.

With these criteria established, Southport FC subsequently agreed to the scenario and Southport Football Club Juniors were born.

To facilitate a natural training programme, all age group managers and / or, assistants, have taken the Football Association Coaching Certificate Course to ensure maximum impartation of knowledge to their charges, the results of such a move already being gained, especially with younger age groups as the U11s have beaten all but one opponent in their age group (with that match being drawn) and reached the finals of both age group cups. Both the U9s and U8s have match winning core teams and promise to be a real force to be reckoned with as the years develop.

The U16s have historically, since coming under the wing of senior manager, Ray Stafford, been a strong side, who are also in their age group cup final, and promise, when players from other teams join up this summer, to be a very strong Youth team to feed Southport FC.

The impact of such a venture has not been lost upon the world of football as Southport FC are now considered, by the official non-league paper, to have attained the rank of a Pyramid club catering both to the needs of upcoming talent, local youth, and, by ramification, the local community.

This outlook will further be bolstered in the forthcoming season 2001-2002, when a ladies football club, hitherto the highly successful Real Maghull, will become Southport FC Ladies, another further identification by Southport with the massive interest in Ladies Soccer, not just domestically, but internationally and fully approved by the Football Association.

Return to Football

Return to www.southportsports.com