The season is now well under way on the field with all our representative sides having played at least five games with a mixed set of results.

Firstly I must apologise unreservedly to those teams, players and parents who have been penalised through some administrative errors which has seen several of our teams lose points and been hit with fines for playing "ineligible" players in matches, whilst it was never deliberate, it is inexcusable and we will make sure we have correct procedures in place going forward to eliminate any chance of this happening again in any other season. We must however move on and I am extremely pleased that our fighting spirit is showing through and I can assure everybody we will do all that we can to make this another successful season at the Club.

This year we are running teams from under 8's to under 13's only as we lost too many players at the older age groups to operate in the league, however, having made a shaky start on numbers at under 8's, under 9's and under 11's we now have enough registered players to complete our fixtures commitment and numbers are growing all the time. The younger age group of 5 years old to 7 years old is massively over-subscribed having started with only five players six weeks ago, there is now 30 players if they all train together.

The under 13's continue to lead the way on the pitch and you can read all about their latest match on the front page of this website, all our other teams are having mixed results but there has been no lack of effort at training or at match days, if you want to see goals then a visit to watch the under 12's is a must as they have been involved in some high scoring games, whilst the under 11's are the pluckiest side we have as they have been playing regularly with less than the required numbers, due to various reasons and delivering some good performances. The under 10's are playing some good football without getting the results their play would expect, whilst the under 9's are still finding their feet under a new management team, the under 8's are developing as a side and playing well together.

The Club are still awaiting new kit for the under 9's and under 11's and hopefully this should be with the teams by the 16th October. The under 12's have taken delivery of their great new away kit sponsored by Cafe Riva, Southbourne and we thank them for their support.

There will be a fund-raising quiz night on Saturday 19th November 2011 at Hurn Bridge, commencing at 7:30pm, tickets will be on sale shortly, please ask your team rep for more details.

If you have not received your Hurn Bridge admission cards please see your team rep or contact me. The card allows free access to all the children registered with the Club when accompanied by a paying adult, for any game, the adult will only pay a concession admission of £3 for First team games and £1.50 for Reserve team games.

Keep up to date with all that is happening at the Club via this website, if you have any feedback please do not hesitate to contact me.

Mark Duffy

07505 370906

Welcome to the start of another season’s football in the Bournemouth Youth Football League, the close season has been extremely difficult for the Club as we have been battling dwindling player numbers within our youth section and the age old problem of the older players falling out of love with the game for a variety of reasons and players positioning themselves at different clubs in the hope that they might “get picked up by one of the professional clubs”. This has severely affected our two older teams and has led the club to make the difficult decision not to run teams at both under 16 and under 15 level this year, even more disappointing as the under 16’s were runners in the league last year whilst the under 15’s were runaway winners of their league, combine this with the fact that the club did not have an under 14 team already, means that we have a massive gap this season within the older aged ranks. Unfortunately this also means that we have let a number of boys down as they still want to play for the Club but we are not able to offer competitive football, however, we are trying to work with the Under 18’s management team to offer a short term solution, we will keep you informed.

The Club will be running teams at all other age groups from 8 years to 13 years and have a strong number of players in the younger age groups. The players will look extremely smart in their new kits this year though some of our other ambitions around professional coaching will have to be placed on hold for now.

The youth section are actively looking for players and helpers alike so if you are enthusiastic, can complete a CRB check and willing to give some of your time to our younger players for their development and enjoyment then please contact me.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Mark Duffy
07505 370906

Well, the end of the competitive season is nearly upon us with many of our teams having only one game left and in the case of the under 9's and under 11's they have completed their fixtures.
It has been a successful season for the Club on and off the pitch with player numbers rising, the Club being financially stable, though that does not mean we are still not actively seeking additional sponsorship, no matter how small or large.
The under 15's have finished second in their league with only one game left to play, a credit to their young manager and the boys themselves, who have worked hard all year to improve their game.
The under 14's have won their league with three games still remaining and are in the final of the BYFL Cup for their age group, this team deserves a special mention as they almost folded last year due to lack of numbers and boys having other commitments, which made it difficult for the management team to put out 11 players some weeks but they have bounced back and with the addition of a couple of new players they fully deserve their ultimate reward.
The under 12's are still on course to win their league and are still unbeaten, with six games to go they are six points ahead of their nearest rivals having played the same number of games and with a superior goal difference. The team are also through to the BYFL Cup and reached the semi finals of the Hampshire Cup narrowly losing to a team from the Isle of Wight. This team have been the most consistent of performers over the last two seasons and again through the support of the parents and the dedication of the management team they thoroughly deserve all the rewards they are getting.
The under 11's have completed their games and finished comfortably mid table but their performances over the second half of the season have been fantastic and with their new manager this year they have grown in confidence and developed their play, if they can start next season as they finished this one they are surely title contenders next year.
The under 10's team have three games left but unfortunately look like they will be relegated for next season, it has been a difficult year for the players, parents and manager but there is a good team spirit and with some additional coaching there is no reason why they cannot bounce straight back.
The under 9's like the under 11's have finished their competitive matches and have finished comfortably mid table, the young management team have performed exceptionally well this year despite player numbers being erratic and the team finding it difficult to put out the same squad more than one week in a row.
The under 8's team have played some attractive football this year despite many players being a year younger than the age group, things have settled down well with a new manager and supportive parents, the outlook is bright for when they start playing competitive football next season. Two of the squad have been picked up by Bournemouth for the new season, so we would like to wish them well.
There are good numbers in the younger age groups and this should enable the Club to start next season in a much stringer position in this area than we were able too this season.

If you would like to support either the Under 12's or the under 14's in their pursuit of a cup final victory, matches are being played on Sunday March 27th at King George's Playing Fields in Ferndown, times do vary so please contact either the team manager, Club Secretary or myself on the number below.

The Club's celebration and presentation evening is to be held on Saturday 21st May at Poole Stadium, commencing at 5:30pm for the mini section and 6:30pm for the 11-a-side section, tickets will be on sale shortly, please see your team manager or any of the committee for more details. we will be holding a raffle on the night so if you have any suitable prizes you may be willing to donate please let either Mary Cameron or myself know.

I would also like to inform parents and any interested parties that the Club AGM (Youth section ) will be held on Monday 11th April at 19:30 hrs at the Bournemouth East Liberal Working Men's Club on Holdenhurst Road, Bournemouth. All are welcome, so please come along and support your Club, volunteers always required and greatly appreciated.

Lastly I would like to thank our sponsor In-Excess for their generosity in supplying new training jackets for all our players and for their ongoing commitment to Christchurch Football Club, without their support and that of all our parents we would not be able to continue to move forward in a positive way.

Mark Duffy

07505 370906

A delayed Happy New Year to all players and parents of Christchurch Youth FC.

As we are all aware the weather has played havoc with playing matches and putting on training sessions, especially for the younger members of the Club, so I would like to to thank everybody for their understanding and patience during this difficult time. Please can parents ensure that all our younger players arrive suitably dressed to keep warm during this cold period, it is difficult for them to concentrate if they are feeling too cold.

The first thing I must do is celebrate success and say a MASSIVE WELL DONE TO THE UNDER 12'S AND THE UNDER 14'S who have reached their respective League Cup finals of the BYFL, a tremendous achievement for all the players, parents and coaches/managers. Both teams also remain unbeaten in their respective league's and have worked extremely hard to maintain the high standards they set themselves from last season. A special mention must go to the Under 14's who have come back from the brink of folding last season to dominate their league playing some superb attractive football and have given themselves every opportunity of being able to complete a league and cup double. The under 12's have delivered yet another stunning season despite losing some key players to professional acadamies during the last year and are still unbeaten in all competitions and are chasing another league and cup treble (including the Hampshire Cup), you are all a credit to the Club.

The Club is maintaining a strong player base despite the local decline in football participation and the demise of many teams and clubs across all age groups, I would like to think that this is down to the way we try and promote inclusion and respect across everything we do and the friendly and sportsmanlike way we approach our games and training. Due to our strong player base especially at under 10's age group and below we are actively seeking coaches and helpers who can spare some time on a Saturday and Sunday morning to keep these teams alive, so even if you don't have a detailed knowledge of football but are willing to help please contact either myself or the Club Secretary via the e mail address on this website, in the first instance.

The Bournemouth Youth Football League have now adopted fully for next season the RESPECT initiative launched by the FA and this will mean all matches will have to have marked out a respect line for any spectators to stand behind and that all spectators will have to watch games on the same side of the pitch whilst coaches and players involved with the games will be positioned on the other side of the pitch, older age group players will also line up and shake opponents hands at the start of the match, similar to professional games. This will not make a great deal of difference to our Club but it will streamline the RESPECT practice across all Clubs.

Thank you for your support over the course of the season so far especially in relation to the collection of subs, without these our Club could not survive and provide all our players with full match kit, training kit, training jackets and hats, as well maintaining good levels of equipment.

Have a great month and I look forward to seeing you all at matches and training in the near future, if there are any issues you wish to discuss or have any concerns please do not hesitate to contact me.

Mark Duffy

07505 370906

A massive well done to the Under 12's and Under14's who have both been successful in reaching the semi-finals of their age group in the BYFL Cup, the under 12's are carrying on where they left off last year as under 11's and still remain unbeaten in the league and all cup competitions and a special mention to the under 14's who last year came close to folding due to player shortages and other commitments as they also remain unbeaten in the league as well as progressing to these cup semi-finals.

This last month has been very positive month for the Club with player numbers increasing each week especially within the younger age groups, it is nice to have players join on recommendation to their parents from others, we have seen the under 10's break their losing game streak and then follow it up a week later with their second win of the season, a testament to the players determination. The under 11's are playing some great football and winning games with plenty of skill and loads of effort, the under 15's have set off on a winning streak that has seen them climb the table steadily to be within touching distance of the top, the under 9's are playing some great football but without having the luck that you sometimes need to win the game, but they sit comfortably mid table.

The weather has started to turn very cold and with it we are starting to get some cancellations so please keep close to your manager for updates, training will carry on regardless unless we feel it will endanger the child then we will take the necessary decision to postpone or shorten the sessions, the safety and well-being of the child has to be paramount.

Please remember that the Club will be holding its Christmas Party, primarily for the younger children on December 10th, if you want to book your place please see Kerrie Gough (under 10's).

On a more serious note CYFC have been inspired to try and raise some monies to support a local boy who has been diagnosed with a life threatening illness, James Boobier of the under 11's has put together a raffle supported by donations of gifts and services from within his own team's parents, if you would like to support the raffle please see James at training each Saturday at Kings Park or contact me and I will pass on your messages. The Club will also be entering four teams in a tournament at Two Riversmeet Leisure Centre towards the end of December with all profits also going to the family of this young boy.

I would like to wish all players and parents a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year

Mark Duffy

A little late posting this month, apologies for this.

All the boys now have their training and wet weather jackets and they look great, many thanks to our sponsor In-Excess who has provided the bulk of the money for these, the boys from the under 12's are pictured on the site wearing these.

On the field the players are working hard in training and delivering some great results, the under 12's and under 14's are still unbeaten this year, the under 11's are starting to find their form and making winning a habit, the under 10's have won their first match this weekend in the league and the under 9's are still maintaining their form even if the results have not always gone their way, the under 15's are also starting to hit their form now and sit comfortably mid table.

At training we are seeing new players each week attending sessions from recommendations of other clubs and from within our own parents, this is particularly satisfying as it gives confidence to us all that what we are trying to do, in creating a safe and respectful club is paying off and we now have record numbers turning up each week especially within the younger age groups for some fun but developing training.

I want to thank all the players, parents, managers and supporters for helping so manfully at the recent Bonfire Night event at Stanpit, it was a great success and spread the name of the Club to many people and we did gain some new players that night from this event, it just shows that when we all pull together we can be very successful. Whilst we also raised some extra funds that night, it was more important that people connected wit their home town club.

Following on from a recent meeting of the BYFL management committee and the issue of respect and child protection being witnessed at other clubs it is important that all our players, parents, managers and supporters abide by the Code of Conducts that we as a Charter Standard Club has in place, they are about respect, sportsmanship and playing in a fair way as well as being about ambassadors for the Club wherever we play. I am proud of what we achieve at the Club and I want this Club to set the standards for local youth football, too often at the moment we are hearing about blatant cheating in matches, poor supporter behaviour, un-sportsmanlike behaviour from players and abuse of officials and opposing teams, we should not and cannot be part of this. When you hear of managers taking their players off the pitch because of the abuse they are receiving from the opposing playing team and their spectators and of the police being called to a match because of crowd trouble between parents, you know that this is wrong and has no place in the game and certainly no place in youth football.

What our players and children are meant to be involved with is meant to be the beautiful game of football, but it is only a game and we as parents and adults should be setting the example for them to follow, to enjoy and to stay part of for the longer term, lets not try and live out our own playing frustrations and expend our own pent up aggression whilst on the touchline supposedly supporting the team and the players. We should be as generous in defeat as we are when we win because it is right and proper to do so.

Mark Duffy

Well the season is truly upon us and the support and attitude of all the players is superb, it is really much appreciated by everyone concerned with running the Club.
I am sure the players will be delighted to hear that the new training jackets have now been delivered and we are working to get these distributed as soon as possible, I am sure that there will be some errors on sizing along the way, but I ask for your patience whilst we resolve these.
The star teams at the moment are the under 14's and the under 12's who remain unbeaten at the time of writing, though the energy and commitment of all those that play for the Club is fantastic. I hope that the 11-a-side teams are enjoying the change of scenery at Chapel Gate and the improved playing surface is contributing to some great football being played.
I would like to thank Michael Johnson and his under 12 team and parents for their tremendous support of the recent 'Fit Christchurch' event that was held on the quay, the weather was reasonably kind and the number of visitors was extraordinary, all helping to promote not just the Club but our chosen charity Julia's House. The Club is also involved with the Bonfire/Fireworks event being held at Stanpit in early November so if anybody can give some of their time on the evening to help with either the stall or the penalty shoot out, we would be very grateful.

On a serious note please can I ask all parents to be totally supportive of all the children that are playing football, including the opposition, whilst passions run high at times we must not lose sight of the fact that this is a game and for many of the children that is what it will always remain being. It is in our minds and bodies that we would all like to win all the time but this is unrealistic for the majority of us, so to ensure that we retain as many of our players as possible and so that all children can enjoy this wonderful game your unequivocal and objective but enthusiastic support is required. Remember your manager is running the team, they will decide the team and the tactics and they will direct the team whilst on the pitch, a spectator/parent/relative/friend is there to support their particular child and offer encouragement as required, we all respond better from positive comments and understanding, remember all officials and managers give their time willingly and free, please support them in the appropriate way.
If anybody has any concerns about anything to do with the Club or have any suggestions to improve the Club or help raise funding for the Club then please do not hesitate to contact me.

Enjoy October, see you in November for more updates.

Mark Duffy

Chairman

The season is now upon us and I hope that all our players, parents/guardians and all their relatives enjoy a successful and rewarding campaign with Christchurch Youth. Let's hope the weather continues in the same vein as recently so that we don't have to postpone too many games until the end of the season, all matches are played in the kind of spirit we would like to see and that we support all the teams, including our opponents, and treat everybody with Respect and without Prejudice. A full list of upcoming fixtures is available through the FA full-time link on the youth team part of this site. Although please check with your individual team manager for confirmation.

Our teams, once again will be wearing their shirts with pride in support of Julia's House (Dorset Children's Hospice) as we are hoping to raise monies again throughout the year for this worthy charity, if you can offer any support, make a donation or just help with fund-raising events, please contact me. I would like to thank our Club sponsor In-Excess for supporting the youth teams with this initiative. The support of In-Excess will also allow all our players, coaches and regular helpers to look smart, stay warm and dry with brand new training jackets this year and we are hoping to have these distributed by the end of September, they have already been ordered so we are just awaiting a delivery date.

I would like to inform everybody that all of our old kits going back many years will soon be arriving in Rwanda as part of an initiative with the Grange School in Christchurch and a charity working in Rwanda called Msaada, (in Swahili it means Help), founded by the BBC reporter Fergal Keane who reported on the appalling genocide that took place in the country in 1994. These kits will go to many children who have little or nothing in the way of sports equipment or sporting goods and will I am sure be gratefully received. The Grange School are going out with a view to helping build a classroom at a designated school and deliver a life changing experience to those that are involved. If you would like to help support the Grange School with donations or equipment support please contact the school direct on www.grange.dorset.sch.uk or to contact the charity Msaada who are at www.msaada.org


We are still looking for new players for some of our younger teams, under 6's, under 7's and under 8's as well as the under 14’s so if you know of anybody who might be interested in joining a friendly club please contact the Club Secretary (e mail address is on the Club website www.christchurchfc.co.uk If anybody wishes to help within the running of the Club or a particular team or just able to give lifts, erect goal nets or be an un-biased assistant referee running the line, please let me know, as volunteers are always welcome.

Have a great season and I look forward to meeting as many people as possible throughout the coming months.


Mark Duffy

Chairman (07505 370906)

Welcome to the start of the new season, I hope that all our players, parents/guardians and all their relatives enjoy a successful season with Christchurch Youth. Let's hope the weather is kind to us (we don't have to postpone too many games until the end of the season), all matches are played in the kind of spirit we would like to see and that we support all the teams, including our opponents, and treat everybody with Respect and without Prejudice.

Our teams, once again will be wearing their shirts with pride in support of Julia's House (Dorset Children's Hospice) as we are hoping to raise monies again throughout the year for this worthy charity, if you can offer any support, make a donation or just help with fund-raising events, please contact me. I would like to thank our Club sponsor In-Excess for supporting the youth teams with this initiative. The support of In-Excess will also allow all our players, coaches and regular helpers to look smart, stay warm and dry with brand new training jackets this year and we are hoping to have these distributed by the end of September. Please look after these as they need to last for two seasons and we hope that after this time we will be able to deliver these to a charity that works with disadvantaged children in Africa.

I would like to inform everybody that all of our old kits going back many years will soon be arriving in Rwanda as part of an initiative with the Grange School in Christchurch and a charity working in Rwanda called Msaada, (in Swahili it means help), founded by the BBC reporter Fergal Keane who reported on the appalling genocide that took place in the country in 1994. These kits will go to many children who have little or nothing in the way of sports equipment or sporting goods and will I am sure be gratefully received. The Grange School are going out with a view to helping build a classroom at a designated school and deliver a life changing experience to those that are involved. If you would like to help support the Grange School with donations or equipment support please contact the school direct on www.grange.dorset.sch.uk or to contact the charity Msaada who are at www.msaada.org

Please note that the first matches for the Youth teams will be Sunday September 5th and that there will be a midweek game on the 7th September (Tuesday) with some of our teams playing away, please help us by getting your child to the agreed meeting point or football ground on time.

We are still looking for new players for some of our younger teams, under 6's, under 7's and under 8's as well as the under 14’s so if you know of anybody who might be interested in joining a friendly club please contact the Club Secretary (e mail address is on the Club website www.christchurchfc.co.uk If anybody wishes to help within the running of the Club or a particular team or just able to give lifts, erect goal nets or be an un-biased assistant referee running the line, please let me know, as volunteers are always welcome.

Have a great season and I look forward to meeting as many people as possible throughout the coming months.


Mark Duffy

Chairman (07505 370906)

The end of the season is finally here and all that is left to do is celebrate the success of the Club this season and show our support for the players and our appreciation to all the parents and families that have supported the teams over the course of the season.
I look forward to seeing many of you as possible at Poole Stadium on Saturday 15th May, tickets are available from the managers and the secretary and include entrance, free race card and a free drink, so please come along and show your support.

To all the players who have turned up regularly for training and made themselves available for matches, a massive THANK YOU, to all the parents and families who have brought their children to training and matches, a massive THANK YOU and to the players themselves keep enjoying your football, keep playing with enthusiasm and commitment and most importantly enjoy the game and I look forward to welcoming you all back for another season in a few months, THANK YOU.

FINALLY

A special mention to the Under 11's team who have been crowned champions of their league and reached two cup finals this season, the parents and coaches should be rightly proud of what they done and the way that they have conducted themselves on and off the pitch, you are truly a credit to the whole Club.

MARK DUFFY

Welcome to the business end of the season our teams have performed to the best of their ability so far and for some the potential of winning a trophy or two is tantalisingly close. The Under 11's play on Sunday 29th March at Ferndown for the right to be crowned BYFL Cup champions and they also play on the 18th April at Basingstoke for the chance to be Hampshire Cup champions, if you are able to support them I am sure they would be very grateful, please contact Michael Johnson for more details. The Under 11's, Under 12's and Under 13's and Under 14's all sit in the top six of their leagues with the under 11's having the best chance to be crowned champions.

The new training kit has finally arrived from the supplier in the Far East and will shortly be ready for distribution, please see your team manager for more details, as it is important that we give each player the correct kit, as they will carry their initials.

The Club AGM will be announced shortly so if you would like to attend and make a contribution to the running of CYFC then please look out for the notices at Hurn Bridge and on the website and come along and have your say, share your ideas and possibly get involved with supporting the great work that goes on to help deliver training and matches for over 90 children each week.

The Club presentation event will be held on May 15th 2010 at Poole Stadium, so please put the date in your diary as it would be great to see all our players and parents celebrate the success of all the children, look out for more details to be published soon.

A reminder that I shall be doing 500ft abseil down Guys Hospital in London on the 24th April and I am seeking sponsorship to raise at least one pound for every foot for our chosen charity this year Julia's House, if you feel you could make a donation or sponsor me, please see your team manager for the relevant forms. Enjoy the rest of this month and I look forward to seeing you all soon.

Mark Duffy

Firstly, apologies for the lateness of this update but as we all know the weather has played havoc with the fixtures over the last 4 - 6 weeks and is only now just starting to get back to normal. we must be prepared for an elongated season, especially when it comes to midweek games which will come into play late March and early April, so your support is extremely important.

On a Club front we have now ordered a training kit for every player and we are now awaiting delivery, which should be by the end of the month. It is hoped that this will give the children a Club identity and promote team spirit and togetherness on and off the pitch. Shortly your team manager will be sorting out sizes so that each child's initials can be placed on their shirts, so when asked please respond quickly so that this can be sorted.

On a playing front the under 11's have reached the semi final of the Hampshire Cup, a superb effort by all those associated with the team, whilst our under 12's have gone on a hot streak after an indifferent start and are now lying third in the table, even beating their nemesis side Redhill Rangers, 2 -1 recently. The under 13's remain extremely competitive despite losing a number of players to academy teams, great for the Club and the players, but hard on a successful team, however, we know that success brings success of another kind and this is what youth football is all about.

All our other teams are performing very well at the moment if not a little inconsistently but this game can be like that and as long as we are all giving of our best and enjoying it, this will make it all worthwhile.

Keep enjoying the game and I hope to see you all very soon.

Mark

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL PLAYERS AND SUPPORTERS

I hope that everybody has had a restful festive period and are fighting fit for the latter half of the football season. As a Club we have had no option but to be restful as the weather has played havoc with the fixtures for many of our teams with some only having achieved one match in the month and with the current cold snap it doesn't look like this matter will improve in the short term.

With no matches being played and with the frosty weather also affecting training it has been a quiet time for the Club, for those that turned out for the Christmas Party on the 18th December, thank you for your support, it is greatly appreciated.

In case you are not aware the Club are in the process of ordering a training kit for all the boys/girls which we hope they will use as intended at their training sessions, it would be great to see everybody turn out in the same kit, this is bright orange with a white side flash (think of the Holland kit and you will have a pretty good idea of what it may look like) so you can be sure we will definitely get noticed. it is also hoped that we can get the children's initials on each kit to personalise each one. This kit will be a gift from the Club and not something we wish to make a charge for so please support the managers by asking your child to wear this at their training sessions.

It won't be long before we have to think about our presentation event, which is planned to take place, once again, at Poole Stadium, more details to follow next month.

Lets hope the weather improves soon and then we can celebrate success on the pitch with our teams in the next newsletter.

Mark Duffy

Well the weather is now starting to play an integral part in the matches of the youth teams, we have lost a large number of games over the last few weeks as the weather has turned extremely wet and windy, though we have been very lucky that we have not had to endure some of the problems that the people in Cumbria and other parts of Britain have had to face. Please keep an eye on the website for updates to fixtures as those teams that are still in the cup competitions will almost certainly have their fixtures re-arranged as the cup games take precedent over the league matches. Please link with your individual team manager regarding the training arrangements over the festive period as I am sure everybody will want to have a break from football at this time.

The Christmas Party for the younger players takes place on Friday 18th December at the Bournemouth East Liberal Club, Holdenhurst Road, if you require tickets please see either Mary (secretary) or Kerrie (Under 9's) for tickets, there will be a buffet, disco, raffle and a visit by Father Christmas, only limited tickets available so get yours early to avoid disappointment.

I would like to say a massive thank you to all those who supported the Bonfire night held at Stanpit, we raised £140 on the night from both the penalty shootout and the drinks and sweet stall, this was despite a smaller turnout than in previous years, probably not helped by the weather but a fantastic result all the same. Special mention to those children who gave up their time to help by being a goalkeeper or by helping serve on the stall as well as those parents who supported their children, hopefully we can get even more help next year.

I hope that we will have some news early next year regarding training jackets for the players and coaches but our ambition to provide these as soon as possible can be made easier if we can attract some sponsorship, either on a team basis or as a whole club, so if you know of anybody with an interest in football or has a child actively involved with the Club then please ask them to contact me, we will try and get them as much publicity as possible and hopefully they can then see their name at football match every weekend over the season.

I look forward to seeing all of you at a match very soon and wish you all seasons greetings from the whole of Christchurch Football Club.

Mark Duffy

I would like to say a massive THANK YOU to all parents, spectators, coaches, managers but most importantly the players for the fantastic support that you are giving the Club this season, there is a real feel good factor within the Club at this time which also translates itself onto the pitch and with it we are achieving some great results.

I would like to thank all the adults that are supporting the Club with collection of subs, transport to matches, officiating at matches, supporting events, writing match reports but more importantly encouraging our players to enjoy the game, play together as a team and work for each other to try and win the game, which at the end of the day is the object of the game, but doing it in a respectful and sporting manner. I have attended many games this season and it has been truly uplifting to see the children play with such skill and determination in order to win fully supported by very generous spectators, lets keep this going.

All our teams are doing well but special mention goes to our Under 10's, Under 11's and Under 13's who have had a really great start to the season, the Under 14's are now starting to win and are three games unbeaten, Under 12's have won their last two games, whilst the under 9's are battling in difficult circumstances with a shortage of players and our under 8's are now starting to convert their enthusiasm into some excellent football helped by more players now being signed.

YOUR SUPPORT IS NEEDED as the Club is running a sweet and drinks stall along with a penalty shoot out competition at the Bonfire Night event being held at Stanpit, Christchurch on the 7th November, if you can help on the night please contact either myself or Mary Cameron or Tristan Chapman (under 10's Manager), all profits to Julia's House or if you cannot help please come along and enjoy the fireworks and many other attractions and help raise much needed funds for this great local charity.

It is proposed that the Club will hold a Christmas Party for the children on either the 18th/19th December, more details will follow but please pencil these dates into your diaries as we would like to celebrate with this festive time with as many players and parents/guardians as possible.

A reminder that all subs need to be paid on time for the Club to meet its financial commitments and that it is very important that we have up to date contact details for all players and parents in case of an emergency.

A reminder also that any player who wishes to attend a Wessex Premier League match at Hurn Bridge can do so free of charge with a paying adult, come along and support our senior side who are also having a great start to the season.

See you all at a match soon.

Mark Duffy

Welcome to the latest news for the youth section of Christchurch Football Club.

What a great start to the season, the Under 13's, Under 11's and Under 10's teams still remain unbeaten in all competitions, the Under 14's have progressed to the second round of the BYFL Cup and our Under 12's and Under 9's have performed really well against some strong opposition. After a difficult start due to lack of players the Under8's are least able to play with a full team and showing some good understanding in such a short time that really augurs well for the rest of the season.
We still require players between the ages of 6 and 9 years so please encourage friends or relatives to come along on a Saturday morning at Kings Park, Bournemouth (contact the Club secretary for more details, mobile number 07816 660493).

If you are reading this then I hope you are also reading the match reports being placed on the website, though we are still waiting for the Under 14's to catch up and post their first report, they are really exciting and give the flavour of the match for all visitors to our site. We have also placed some team photos on the site, so take a look and see the players in their new strips which show the Club's support for Julia's House.

I would like to thank Michael Johnson, players and parents of the Under 11's team for their unstinting support of the Fit Christchurch event held on the quay recently, where they manned the football target shooting area. The weather was kind, the enthusiasm was fantastic and fun was the name of the game, we handed out leaflets, sweets and collected donations for our charity throughout the day as well as meeting lots of budding players, pictures are on the website. THANK YOU.

We have two events looming for your diaries, on Friday October 23rd 2009, we shall be holding a fund-raising event in conjunction with Poole Stadium, for a night of dog racing and general fun, all for just £5 (including racecard and a free drink) and to make it even better children are FREE. The second event is a bit further away but we shall be holding a Club Christmas Party at the Bournemouth East Liberal Club on Friday December 18th at 19:30, so hold the date in your diaries more details to follow next month.

Please remember that your Parent Representative is Mike Holmes (Under 13's) if there are any concerns regarding the Club or its players, including team selection, subscriptions or general conduct matters, please contact Mike, he is there to help.

Let's continue what we have started and if there are any comments or queries to make please do not hesitate to contact me. We value your support, time and commitment, without it we cannot operate.

Many Thanks

Mark Duffy

Welcome to the start of the new season, I hope that all our players, parents/guardians and all their relatives enjoy a successful season with Christchurch Youth. Let's hope the weather is kind to us (we don't have to postpone too many games until the end of the season), all matches are played in the kind of spirit we would like to see and that we support all the teams, including our opponents, and treat everybody with Respect and without Prejudice.

Our teams will look fantastic this year in their new classic kit, please look after it, you will notice that on the front of our shirts this year we are showing our support for Julia's House (Dorset Children's Hospice) as we are hoping to raise monies throughout the year for this worthy charity, if you can offer any support, make a donation or just help with fund-raising events, please contact me. I would like to thank our Club sponsor In-Excess for supporting the youth teams with this initiative.

We are now listing all the matches on the website for you to review along with weekly match reports and hopefully, in the future, pictures; you will also find the link to the FA website where competitive teams can view their league positions.

Please note that there is a midweek game on the 8th September (Tuesday) with some of our teams playing away, please help us by getting your child to the agreed meeting point or football ground on time.

We are still looking for new players for some of our younger teams, under 6's, under 7's and under 8's if you know of anybody who might be interested in joining a friendly club please contact the Club Secretary. If anybody wishes to help within the running of the Club or a particular team, please let me know as volunteers are always welcome.

Have a great season and I look forward to meeting as many people as possible throughout the coming months.


Mark Duffy

Welcome to the first newsletter on our dedicated section of Christchurch FC. I would like to welcome all players, parents and club officials to the new football season which will start in earnest competitively in September, but for many of our teams the season starts now with pre-season training though some of you will have taken part in some tournaments over the close season, I hope that you have enjoyed them whatever the results.

Over the seasonal break we have had our annual player/club awards, which were held at Poole Stadium and the attendance of so many players and parents made it a great success, though we will work hard to make it even better next year, many thanks to you all for supporting the teams. We have also had some changes at the club which sees myself taking over as Chairman and Elaine Dyas adopting the role of Child Welfare Officer, all committee members and their roles are on display on our home page, so please do not hesitate to contact the appropriate person should you have any matters to discuss, I would especially like to point parents and guardians in the direction of Mike Holmes who is your representative on the committee.

This new season brings about a new emphasis for the youth section of the Club, as we have adopted Julia's House, as our chosen charity this year and we are looking to fundraise through the Club to raise much needed monies for this deserving cause, all our players this year will have a brand new kit in which to play their games and we shall be wearing the name of our charity on the shirts in order to promote them wherever we play, however, we are also looking for partners within the local business community to help us with our mission and if there is anybody who would also like to have their names on the shirts as a partner (either by team or as the whole Club) then please contact me for details.

This season we will have regular match reports for all teams placed on the website by Tuesday of the following week, though I am sure the managers may be looking for contributors from within their own teams, we are also hoping to have at least every team featured twice in a season for action photos which can then be accessed through the Club site, our match reports and team features will also have a section within the main Christchurch football programme when they play at home in the Wessex League. At this point I would like to remind all players that they have free entry to any Wessex Premier League or Combination League (reserves) game at Hurn Bridge when accompanied by a paying adult (for up to date prices please see the relevant section on this site).

Please may I respectfully ask parents/guardians to pay their monthly subscriptions in timely fashion to enable the club to meet its financial commitments ongoing.

I look forward to catching up with many of you over the course of the season and if there are any comments you wish to make please do not hesitate to contact me.


Mark Duffy

Chairman CYFC