Oldham Athletic Community Trust would today like to welcome two local teams to SportsDirect.com Park who will be today’s J D Williams Teams Of The Week.
Both Saddleworth Strikers u8s and Springhead Juniors u7s are todays teams. First up let’s find out more about Saddleworth Strikers.
Saddleworth Strikers
Saddleworth Strikers is the name for the community football club based in Dobcross, Saddleworth. As a club they employ a modern, child-focussed approach to youth football, challenging the win-at-all-costs mentality that is stifling development and enjoyment for young people.
Working together with a proactive attitude, adults can help develop a better learning environment for young people that puts their needs at the centre of the process.
Football is about fun, making friends, learning, teamwork, sharing the highs, the lows, the hope, the dreams, the failure, and the development of children.
Saddleworth Strikers are members of the Manchester Respect Football League promoting positive play, coaching and support. It is not about the winning, but the kids enjoyment.
Saddleworth Strikers U8s train Saturdays 9am - 10am at Saddleworth school, Uppermill, on the all-weather outdoor pitch. They have a team in the Manchester Respect League, which is also on Saturday mornings with matches held at Gorton Educational Village, Wembley Road, Gorton, Manchester. M18 7WF
The squad are coached by Matt Cocking and Damian Flood:
James Akroyd, Liam Brophy, Jack Clark, George Cocking, Malachi Cooke, Joshua Cowley, Seb Daw, Orran Flood, Ptolemy Gladwin, Findlay Holland, Harry Jump, Noah Kershaw, Ethan Lancaster, Bobby Nash, Daniel Strazceck, George Whetham, Harry Platt, James Sleight, Joseph Rutter.
Springhead A.F.C
Springhead A.F.C. was formed in 1922 (94 years old this year) 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, male team to speak of, the Club, through the hard work of its members, has grown into the community, which exists today.
Grassroots Football
Springhead A.F.C. currently operates 18 Football Teams and Soccer School from its small clubhouse premises off St John Street, Lees, Oldham.
In addition to the 2 open age, male sides currently playing in the Manchester Football League Premier Division, Second Division and Fourth Division, the club runs 13 junior teams from under 15s through to under 7s currently plying their trade various local Leagues. For our older players, our veterans’ side continues to play “non-competitive” and charity matches against other over 35 teams. Finally, for our 4-8 years of age we run our Soccer School on Saturday mornings.
As you can see 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.
About the Team:
• Springhead Under 7s were formed in 2015, they have two teams the Reds and the Blacks, both are here today.
• They have 8 players in each squad and are coached by Lee Tuite, Dean Fallows, Farhan Shahid and Chris Leach, Steve Saville and Danny Smith
• They train at Waterhead Academy on Saturday mornings at the Springhead Soccer School.
• They play in the East Manchester Junior Football League at Curzon Ashton on Sunday mornings.
The Reds squad comprises of:
Joshua Williams, Riley Croft, Ewan Milner, Billy Coates, Harrison Mayall, Montel Jones and Harry Dearsley, Saarem Quamar
The Blacks squad comprises of:
Frankie Tuite, Jack Saville, Zaydan Shahid, Charlie Fallows, Sam Leach, Caspian Batley, Jake Hacking and Thomas Ashton.
The teams are sponsored by:
The Dog & Partridge in Springhead, Jungle Grill, Val Sedgewick and Spaw Engineering