From Derby Glory to New Beginnings

I hope this weeks blog pot finds you all well and in good spirits. While we only witnessed two games for our teams this week, it has undeniably been a fantastic week for our first team. The highlight was undoubtedly our first teams clash against our local rivals Hallam FC at Oxford Street, where we hosted a crowd of over 250+ passionate supporters. The match was a roller-coaster of emotions, as we found ourselves 0-1 down within the first 8 minutes. However, our team's resilience shone through, and we came fighting back to secure a thrilling 4-2 victory. It was a display of breath-taking football, and I couldn't be prouder of our team's performance. At times, I found myself in awe of the football on display.

Sunday brought our open-aged ladies back into action against the league leaders Kiveton FC, under the watchful guidance of our U18s manager. Following our recent parting of ways with the previous manager and his backroom team, however it was a tough day at the office falling to a heavy 7-1 loss. As we navigate through these changes, I believe in the strength and potential of our ladies' team, and I am confident in finding the right leadership to guide them forward.

Off the field, this week has seen me immersed in club business. After the festive break, I dedicated time to address key matters, including the recruitment of a new ladies' head coach. I've compiled a shortlist of names and reached out to potential candidates to discuss the opportunity. Additionally, I had to tackle financial considerations, examining both expenditure and income opportunities. Recent postponements and challenging weather conditions have impacted our cash flow, but early indicators from the big Derby game on Saturday suggest a positive turn.

This week we also bid farewell to a squad player from our first team who was seeking more playing time. It's always a tough decision, but we are pleased to support his desire to play by allowing him to join another local club. Player movements are a natural part of the football journey, and we wish him success in his future endeavors.

Our U18s girls enjoyed a professional photo shoot on Saturday morning at the ground, courtesy of our training gear sponsor, Harron Homes. The images, soon to be featured on Harron Homes' website, capture the spirit and enthusiasm of this team.

In other news our Volunteers continued to make remarkable progress on the new cafe build, with the space now painted and a kitchen plan in place. We're grateful for the donation of a kitchen from Howdens Kitchens last year, and this week, we aim to make further strides with the flooring and with starting the kitchen installation.

Looking ahead, this week promises more excitement as I attend the first team's league cup game against Pickering on Tuesday evening at home. Additionally, I'll be handling invoices, both processing payments and following up on outstanding amounts owed to the club for functions. Regular meetings with club and team officials are on the agenda, and I'm optimistic about concluding interviews for our new Ladies team manager by week's end.

Finally thank you as always for taking the time to read my updates and for being part of our club's journey. As we reflect on the progress made over the past two years, I'm filled with gratitude for the unwavering support from our members and fans. Together, we continue to build and strengthen the foundations of our shared vision.