Oldham Athletic Community Trust would today like to welcome Springhead U10s Owls, who are our J D Williams Team Of The Week for today’s fixture with Shrewsbury Town.
Here is a little more information about them:
Springhead AFC History
Springhead A.F.C. was formed in 1922 as Lees Amateurs changing its name in the early 1960s to more reflect the area it represented. From these early days of being purely an adult set up with only one open age, through the hard work of its members the club has grown into the community which exists today.
Grassroots Football
Springhead A.F.C. currently operates 19 football teams from its small clubhouse premises at St John Street, Lees, Oldham. Many of our age groups train locally at the Waterhead Academy facilities in the evenings and weekends.
In addition to the three open age male sides currently playing in the Manchester Football League (Premier Division, Second Division and Fourth Division) the club runs 14 junior teams from under 7s through to under 16s. For our older players our veterans’ sides continue to play in various non-competitive midweek fixtures and in the Manchester County FA Sunday veteran’s league.
Finally, for our 4-8 years of age we run our Excellent Development Soccer School Sessions each Saturday morning at Waterhead Academy between 9:30-11am. We are also currently in the process of developing our 6-10 years of age female section which will also move to Waterhead Academy from April on a Saturday morning.
Anyone interested in joining our football family please contact the clubhouse or come down and try us out.
We currently provide facilities for playing football “from cradle to grave” and Springhead A.F.C. is committed to providing sport at a grass roots level to all areas of its community.
Our latest estimates show that in excess of 1000 people every week are directly involved with the Club (players, members, volunteers, parents, etc.) not including those indirectly involved (spectators, local businesses, etc.) who benefit from our existence.
Accreditation
The club is recognised by the Football Association [FA] and has obtained the FA Charter Standard Award (Community Status). This is the highest endorsement, by the national governing body, and recognises that Springhead A.F.C. is committed to supporting football at grass roots level and possesses an infrastructure, organisation and facilities of a sufficient quality to support this.
It also ratifies that our coaches and volunteers are qualified to a required standard and have undergone the necessary Criminal Records Bureau checks.
Springhead U10’s Owls, Sponsored by EU Fire & Security Limited
As a newly formed team in 2012, most of the children had progressed together through our popular soccer school from the age of six. At this stage the team had no kit of any sort, until we acquired sponsorship from a local Fire Alarm Company, EU Fire & Security Limited based in Rochdale. This partnership is now running towards its fourth year and enables us to continuously keep our boys in new kit.
A difficult first season at Under 8 level where we played at Heywood Sports Village (Mini Soccer League) was followed by a phenominal second season in the East Manchester Junior Football League. As then Under 9s, we won a league and cup double resulting in a double promotion.
We now found ourselves up against a much quicker and physically stronger opponent which ultimately held our U10 season back somewhat as we struggled to adapt to higher league. We eventually succumbed and dropped back down a league at Christmas. Results and confidence soon picked up to finish the season strongly and just lose out by a single goal in our second successive cup final appearance.
All the children are very much looking forward to their day at Oldham Athletic and showcasing their talents on the pitch before a large crowd. Hopefully the boys who could not make it due to holidays will support us from afar.
Our squad coached by Gareth Leach includes:
Bailey Hilton, Stephen Leach, Zak Wareing, Alfie Clifford, Jake Fallon, Kian Wild, Mathew Maguire, Ben Smith, Sam Casella, George Barnes, Jack Howarth, Jamie McMurray, Harrison Leach, Finn Winterbottom and Harry Buckley.
Back Row (L to R): George Barnes, Kian Wild, Jack Howarth, Jamie McMurray, Zak Waring. Front Row (L to R): Ben Smith, Bailey Hilton, Stephen Leach, Jake Fallon.