Events
Events

Presentation Evening 2008

This was held on Saturday 31st May in the function suite at The Dolphin, and was a joint evening with the junior team and seniors collecting awards. It was a great evening enjoyed by all, many thanks to The Dolphin staff, to Mark Kendall our resident 'DJ' and to David Parknison for sponsoring the junior awards and for expertly compering the evening. I have included below some extracts from my speech on the evening;

''The season started with some apprehension as the boys switched from mini football to the full 11 a-side game, but I needn’t have worried too much as we finished second in our qualifying group to be then promoted to the Central Lancs u-11 south division, 18 games later we finished the season in a very creditable 4th place. In total this season we played 24 games, winning 15, losing 7 and drawing 2. The standard of football produced has at times been excellent, it has been a steep learning curve, bigger pitches, offsides, big goals but I couldn’t be happier with the way they have acquitted themselves this season. In total we scored 105 goals this season with Cameron top scorer,  followed by Aaron.

 

But it is not all about who scores the goals as it has been very much a squad effort, and I pay great tribute to the fact that at most games and indeed each training session the full squad were there showing their complete commitment and enthusiasm, even on  wet and cold winter evenings at Preston Sports arena.

 

Early in the season the idea was floated about taking the boys on an end of season tour, and Cork was settled on, but it came at a cost! Not a problem as the fundraising ideas soon started. First off was a busy Saturday for the boys bag packing at Booths, were nearly a £1000 was raised, and more followed, the Christmas raffle, sponsored walk plus many more individual efforts such as selling football cards, Elaine Dalgleish doing really well, a new company has now been formed called ‘Terry Wilson Can recycling’ or Tin Tin as he has been affectionally nicknamed, and the great efforts by the two Claires - Crowther and Banks and all the mums selling cakes and drinks on matchdays. The money was raised and it was off to Cork last Friday and what a weekend we had….

 

There are quite a few people I would like to thank, who without their help we would not have achieved all we have this season.

 

Dave Parkinson – joined me on the club committee and has been actively involved in everything all season and taken a lot of pressure off me looking after different issues, likewise Dave Crowther who again joined the committee and with Dave has been a great source of assistance.

 

To Joe Goggin, Gary Sanderson and the rest of the committee, firstly for welcoming us to the club and giving us the opportunity, and your ongoing support throughout the season.

 

To Mark for his help and assistance throughout the season, it can be difficult looking after 15 highly strung 11 year olds and Mark has been great in sharing the load, and more recently to Steve who has helped out a lot, and I look forward to working with him jointly next season.

 

To my other half Nicky, who has looked after the finances all season, but also had to put up with me as football seems to dominate our lives at times, and also I am like a bear with a sore head when things don’t go to plan.

 

To all the mums who have provided home made cakes and drinks at each of our home games.

 

To all the parents, it makes my job so much easier having such supportive and interested parents, I have yet to see any other team with comparable parents.

 

And lastly to the boys, I have managed most of them since they were 7, and I sincerely hope I carry on for the next 5 years, they are a real pleasure to train and manage. Like every team I guess, we have individual characters, some loud and some quiet but they have really developed a close bond over the years and get on with each other extremely well, this was in real evidence over the recent weekend in Ireland. I am already looking forward to next season, they have achieved a lot this season and I am sure next season will be even better''

The first award was for 'Clubman of the season' and below is the testimony read out at the awards;

The first award is for clubman of the year and this award goes to a smashing lad, well liked by all the players and parents alike, he lives and breathes football. A switch in position at the start of the season has seen him steadily develop, it is his commitment and dedication to the club and his fellow players that sees him getting this award. He sold by far the most raffle tickets for the Christmas raffle raising funds for the Ireland trip, all his own doing, the £20 prize award to the top ticket seller was put back into team funds at his own request, during school holidays he regularly flies back from his holiday home in Spain to play and train, not because he is made to but because he wants to, misses games at his beloved Liverpool because we are training, the list goes on. A great lad, a pleasure to manage, Club man of the year is Adam Crowther.

 

 

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A special award was then presented to Charlie, although not having featured in many games this past season, he has been very committed and keen to be involved, always at training and always willing to listen and learn.

 

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The next award was the 'Parents Player of the Year' and again the testimony is below;

 

The first of the player of the year awards is voted for by the parents, as I have already said the boys are very fortunate that they get tremendous support from all the parents, relations and friends and they are very well placed to choose having seen many players do well this season. The player that has won this award has made outstanding progress this year, in many games he has stood out with many opposing managers passing comment after the game on how well he played. For an eleven year old lad he reads the game with great maturity, tackles hard and uses the ball very well. The player of the year chosen by the parents is Elliot Breakell.

 

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The final award was to the 'Players Player of the Year', testimony to follow; 

The award that most players value most is being awarded player of the year by their team mates, quite often many vote for their best mate and it can throw up some surprises, not this time as I think the boys have got it spot on. This boy has had an outstanding season, he is one of the original team that I stated with 5 years ago and it has been a real pleasure to watch him develop over that time and coach him along the way. He has a natural ability to read the game with great maturity, and always appears in the right place at the right time. Not the biggest of players but he plays with great determination and guts and is constantly in the wars as a result, but in the position he plays it requires a cool head and thought which he has demonstrated week in week out. He was the parents choice and also mine, the players have also agreed in voting Elliot Breakell as their player of the year.

Once again my congratulations to the award winners, but also to all the squad for the efforts this season.

 

Gary 

 

Christmas Party

The Christmas Party was held in the Function Suite at The Dolphin after our game against Gillibrand on Sunday 16th December. After a good win that morning the mood was very bouyant as we all met at the function suite, the mums had done a brilliiant job setting up the buffet, the bar was open and Mark's disco was up and running. Keeping the boys back from the buffet proved an impossible task and the great choice of food provided by all the families went down a treat, as below

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Then a surprise visitor came armed with gifts for the boys and their brothers and sisters

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Then it was time for the big match, Liverpool v Man Utd, the big screen was rolled down and we all settled down to watch a Liverpool win ( the writer being very biased!!) but it wasn't to be and the Manager and the minority of Liverpool supporters took plenty of stick from the Man Utd supporters.

At half time the Christmas raffle was drawn, there are many to thank for all their efforts in making the raffle a huge success, to Dave Crowther and Dave Parkinson for organising it all, to all those who provided prizes, to all the parents, friends etc who sold and bought tickets, to Gary Sanderson and those in the senior teams who assisted.

A big thank you to everyone who contributed to making the party an enjoyable afternoon, and many thanks to the Dolphin for letting us have the room for the afternoon. 

The winning tickets and prizes are below


 

PRIZE                                                             WINNING TICKET    

 

£100 CASH                                                              2664                                       I HAYTHORN THWAITE

PORTABLE TV                                                       3411                                       I COUNSELL

CHRISTMAS MINI HAMPER                                2661                                       I HAYTHORN THWAITE

SILVER DOUBLE METAL BED                            2764                                       M BYRNE

CHROME & GLASS COFFEE TABLE                 2946                                       L BANKS

£30 SALVATORES VOUCHER                             3880                                       A RATTIGAN

TURKEY                                                                     3492                                       B VAN HOLSBERGE

TURKEY                                                                     3525                                       M PEARSON

TURKEY                                                                     2835                                       SIMON

BOTTLE VODKA                                                      3189                                       JEN LIVESLEY

BOTTLE CHAMPAGNE                                          2763                                       M BYRNE

BOTTLE PORT                                                         3597                                       S GINGER

BOTTLE RED & WHITE WINE                               3197                                       M HALLIWELL

BOX CHOCOLATES                                               2625                                       J PRESTON

TIN OF ROSES                                                         2631                                       TERRY – MATALAN

TINE OF QUALITY STREET                                    1176                                       GARY S

BOTTLE OF BAILEYS                                              3909                                       M DOYLE

BOTTLE OF TIA MARIA                                          3017                                       JIM URGHART

2 BOTTLES OF WINE         (RED & ROSE)         2999                                       A CROWTHER

ARCHERS                                                                 3611                                       S CORNWELL

GEORGE FOREMAN GRILL                                  2513                                       JOANNE

WHISKEY                                                                   3575                                       T DUNN

BOTTLE BERENTZEN                                             3187                                       J LIVESLEY

BOTTLE BRANDY                                                    1008                                       BANNI

TIN CHOCOLATES                                                  3619                                       CHERYL GERRARD

 

 

WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT

 

 

The Cork Cup

On 24th/25th May 2008 our boys will be travelling to Cork, to participate in the premier junior international football tournament in the Republic of Ireland.

Taking place on the pitches of the University College Cork, and staying at Irelands number one holiday village, Trabolgan we are looking forward to a wonderful weekend break both for the boys and families.

More details can be found on the official (Cork Cup website).