Ringwood U18s up as Manager of Hampshire U18s and squad coach .
It was an incredible challenge as 1st year U18s as the physicality is very different along with the intensity in games compared to what we were used to ! Both teams had success and frustration but kept working hard and at the end of the Dorset season then combined forces in the Hampshire League to beat superb opposition including Winchester Castle , Petersfield and Eastleigh .
Present
We now have teams in Division One and Two of Dorset Youth U18 leagues – again working together as a squad of 30 + - it was a shame to leave the Hants league but at this age , with lads driving themselves to games ; every mile in fuel is suddenly a consideration that it never was when parents did it !
Ringwood Town FC as a club could see this strength in development of young lads and so took the stance to dissolve the then Reserves team in the Wyvern League in favour of having the U18s as the direct route into senior football . It was also agreed that the U18s Division One team could play their games on the main pitch at Ringwood – which is one of the best in the area without doubt !
The U18s have had players involved in the 1st team along the way , and one of our stars , Laurie Smith , is now a regular at centre back for the senior team and has potential to be picked up by a local club to an even higher level .
We have secured shirt sponsorship from local companies – Coverworld , who are in industrial roofing and more recently , DealBuyer , who is an independent online retailer of computer and electrical goods – without them we could not afford our contributions to the increasing costs of ground maintenance to keep the quality of the main pitch high .
It is this investment on-going that troubles us most – we need more volunteers to help with lifting divots from the pitch and to help with us being able to open up the clubhouse for home games which we cannot do at the moment ; and to have more local businesses take on the pitch side advertising boards at just £ 250 a season .
Grassroots football gets some help financially , as we have had , however the help to keep such a great thing going comes from actual hands-on time investment by volunteers , not always just the money … we are now having the U18 team also help with this – which is great for my tennis elbow from divoting !
We are currently in the top three in Division One and top four in Division Two , we have a Hampshire Cup quarter final coming up and are in the semi-final of the Charity Bankes Cup – which we support every year and have won in the past .
If we keep working through the training and match day process – who knows – we could do really well by the end of the season !
The Future
It is what we do next that is exciting – we are now working with the current U16 team during our combined training sessions and with their league being so small and games now coming to an end we are integrating them into the Division 2 league games . We have worked hard this year with some super 1st year U18 players who will become the backbone of the U18s next year ; including Sam , Joe , Aidan , Sammy , Ben , Jamie and others !
We are looking at how we bridge the gap again between the U18s and 1st team with possibly an U21 team . We also need to ensure we can keep the U18s on the main pitch along with U21s – that will take a massive investment in time and money .
We shall be holding trials for fresh U18s and also U21s so watch out for detaila on the www . ringwoodtownfc . co . uk website – or register interest with me now by emailing ctill @ greysestateagents . co . uk
I am passionate about where Ringwood Town FC is heading as Vice Chairman for three seasons now ; I am convinced we have the right balance here and the best route into senior football for miles around and the aspiration is for the 1st team to push higher up the leagues .
In addition to grants from the FA , what I would love is that more local business can support us in sponsorship e . g . advertising opportunities around the pitch , and what I would love even more is that more of the 15,000 Ringwood Town local people come and watch and support their U18s team on a Sunday afternoon as this really is the future !
As a football club , a Community Development Charter Standard Club , we need local support and we want the Town to be proud of what we are doing and how we are doing it .
Article provided by Chris Till , Vice Chairman www . footballfocus . biz 37