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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. |
