Under 17 youth team - Slough Town

[Guest chris-sliski]

This week end will see the under 17 Slough Juniors FC

involved in 2 cup finals and would be nice for some support for them !

 

Sunday 4th May at 5pm at Windsor Stag meadow

 

Monday 5th May at 1pm at Beaconsfield FC

 

***** also for Slough Supporters with the help of the Slough Town Supporters Trust ..have made application for this team to enter next season the Allied counties foootball league and subject to approval by th ACYL will be acting as parent club for the under 18 side next season ..home matches will be played at Beaconsfield SYOB mid week and for Slough Town FC this will be a great honour and our first step to re introduce youth football asparasions for Slough Youngsters to move upwards into the first team...with this new adventure we hope that our supporters will suport this team and help STFC to finance this team for next season... (we will require about 3000 pounds to support this team for the season so it will be doubly important we rally behind the youth team)

 

Its real good news for STFC...

 

cheers chris sliski

 

 

[Chris]

Yep, that's awesome news having our own youth team. Hopefully we can bring some players through into the first team.

[Tom]

Not wanting to be cynical but you say they will require

[Guest chris-sliski]

Tom...

 

it takes money to run any football team ?

 

ACFL ( application fees)

ACFL ( plus membership fees)

Player Registration fees

kit and footballs

rental to Beaconsfield in floodlight use.

referee's fees

medical equipment

petrol money for expenses (away games)

refreshments for away team / referee

 

we have worked out a budget of around 3000 to cover all these costs for one season...of course we are hopful to off set this by some sponsorship some donations and some gate money for the home games..

 

Football is all about money even at this early stage ...

 

hope that answers your request

 

cheers chris sliski

 

 

[Guest Anonymous]

Surely it will be struggle enough to get good gates and income for the 1st team, whilst playing in the Spartan South Midlands?.

 

All for supporting grass-roots and youth football, but surely thats something for when the club is on a better footing?.

 

A case of cart before the horse, maybe?.

[A Rebel and a Saint]

I think that provided we can afford the funding without taking anything away from the first team this is a good idea. Starting with an under 17 side is a good way of getting players for the future first team and the youth system can be built on with younger teams as the club (hopefully) moves back up the pyramid.

[Guest Anonymous]

Yes a decent youth system is always a good idea for any team, as is a decent reserve team and back-up systems as a whole. This is particularly so for a club like Slough who want to promote themselves as and genuinely be a community club.

 

But surely, at this stage, all efforts & any extra income have to be focused towards getting a strong enough 1st team together. After all it's whose results will finally be what pushes the club back up the pyramid?.

 

Then when this is achieved, together with the ultimate goal of a base back in Slough - their own ground etc., youth and community football should then be allowed to, no positively must then return.

 

No fees then would be needed, of any kind, for ground sharing and the extra use of other teams pitches and facilities. All income generated going solely towards Slough Town F.C. and its community clubs.

 

The other reality of youth systems, is that players generated from them, particularly those of a decent standard rarely stay with the parent club and usually aim higher. That is not to say that a club like Slough should no aspire to having such a system, just that it should be done when everything is in place to properly support it and more from the community aspect.

 

 

[Tom]

Originally Posted By: **DONOTDELETE**

Surely it will be struggle enough to get good gates and income for the 1st team, whilst playing in the Spartan South Midlands?.

Was what I was hinting at. Fair enough if its through money generated from sponsorship (or even the money the club is supposedly getting from the builders of the new ground) but taking it away from the first team may not be a good idea when I would assume the budget is already pretty thin.

To make it clear I am completely FOR the idea of having the Under 17s, just I think IF money is being taken away from the 1st teams playing budget to fund it that it might not be a wise choice.

[Ted]

Originally Posted By: Anonymous

....and the extra use of other teams pitches and facilities. All income generated going solely towards Slough Town F.C. and its community clubs.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong but wont the income from use of facilities go to the trust/body that runs the ground for upkeep, with any profit being shared between the football club and other community users (boxing club, West wing etc). It may well not be the cash cow that anonymous (a name would be so much better) supposes, though it would undoubtadley bring in some income.

That aside, an under 17 team is a good idea.

[Guest Anonymous]

I never said or inferred that it would be a "cash cow"?!. It is a non-league football club after all.

 

Even if the income is to be shared, it is still far preferable to the current situation the club finds itself in.

 

The fact is the club cannot continue on the downward spiral of the last 10 years.

 

Obviously the actual financial set-up as to "who gets what" out of any new ground and facilities is only known to those "in the know", whoever they are?.

 

Everyone else can only speculate and hope that at least some of this information is made available for general consumption and becomes more transparent.

 

Let's hope the powers that be, on Slough Town FC's side, make sure that at least some of the income from any new facilities are made available to the club, not as currently, where due to the situation the club finds itself in whilst struggling to survive, a large proportion of income goes to the "host" club in a ground sharing situation.

 

Most would agree that getting back to Slough, with a "ground of it's own?", would be best for the club, both financially as well as for stability. Years of leading a nomadic existence hasn't improved anything?!.

 

It is logical to expect that a ground within the town, rather than out of the borough in Windsor,Beaconsfield or elsewhere would lead result in possibilities to, at least:

 

1) Provide some greater opportunities of attracting additional local home support, from within all ares of the local community, particularly for home matches.

 

2) A resultant increase in matchday attendances, should provide resultant additional income for the club.

 

3) A base of its own should create opportunities for other revenue streams, not available at present.

 

4) A proper community base for aspirations such as the creation of youth teams to THEN be realised.

 

and most importantly stopping the club from slowly drifting into oblivion.

 

[Guest chris-sliskii]

We are talking to put a youth side into a proper league with proper attachment for the first team ...look at this year we have used over 60 players ...surly we will get a good few players to sit on the bench from slough youth set up ? this is what is all about...and after some sponsorship and also those dedicated supporters who would like some more mid week games ...can help to offset that inital cost ...if we get about 50 - 70 for each game this will help offset the costs even more...

 

surley this is what we all want for the club...

 

cheers chris sliski

 

 

[Mr Rebel]

just looking at the local paper. hadnt realised what a bloody good team the Slough Juniors are. surely the squad contains a few potentially good enough for this type of level although i understand these budget fears

[Staines-upon-Thames Rebel]

Anon - the issue is we have a current youth team under Tony Thompson and they are NOW at the age where they can step up to senior level - would you like us to tell them to "go away, there is nothing for you now but come back in 2-3 years" - they will f-off to another club and what good will that do Slough Town?

 

It is correct to develop this team to the next level and then bring through more youth players to ensure there is a steady supply of local and loyal players for the first team.

[Matt]

Well personally I think the Juniors are a must next season. I know there will be costs but I would imagine a fair few will come to games, maybe as many as attended the Capital League reserve games - and for some of those we must have had over 50 attending, maybe more. At a few quid a time, it would go some way to covering costs.

[Ian]

Ted is right. The intention is for a Trust (or Committee if you prefer) to be set up that would oversee the running and upkeep of all the AV facilities. That would include the football ground, theatre (assuming WW are involved) the boxing club (likewise) etc.

 

Any revenue from the use of the stadium would go to the Trust/Committee who are responsible for the running, maintenance and upkeep. If sponsorship was gained directly by the club (or youth club) it would be retained by the club.

[Guest Anonymous]

Fair enough, if they are ready call them up now or put them in the reserves.

 

Do you know if they all sticking around or are some considering joining other teams, perhaps with parent clubs playing a higher level.

 

Having players in a youth set-up does not guarantee they'll stick around to play in the 1st team, I doubt they are contracted to the club?. Even clubs like Barcelona cannot even hang on to all their youth system prodigies.

 

Either way you are still going to need the cash for the proliferation of journeymen footballers who've made up the bulk of the team for the last few seasons. Read the programmes of other teams, most players at this level, with a few exceptions, do the rounds. How many were used this season, 60-odd players?.

 

My question is does anyone know how many teams can this clubs supposedly stretched finances, together with a potential fall in income next year due to relegation, support?.

 

What are the projected attendances estimated for Slough if they do indeed drop to the Hellenic or Spartan leagues?.

 

How much will tickets be priced at for adults & concessions?. What do teams currently operating at these levels currently charge?.

 

Looking at average attendances in those leagues,do you really expect more people will turn up to watch Sloughs youth team, than watch some of the others 1st teams?.

 

If thats the case, by all means, splash the cash!.

 

Otherwise, show some prudence, stabilise the situation and plan for the future. I'm sure there are a number of local clubs who would be happy to be linked to Slough Town, without such a large outlay.

 

Best of luck to the juniors, but the kudos of them doing well has no bearing on Slough Town F.C.'s mens team.

 

It's nice to support others, but only if you are in a position to afford it!.

[Mr Rebel]

anon you would have a lot more respect for your comments if you named yourself. sounds like someone is bitter about something

[GarySTFC]

Originally Posted By: Anonymous

Fair enough, if they are ready call them up now or put them in the reserves.

We've already seen Stan Mugisha, Raj Gill and Luke Van Spall appearing in the first team this season at just 16.

Originally Posted By: Anonymous

Do you know if they all sticking around or are some considering joining other teams, perhaps with parent clubs playing a higher level.

The U17's will remain together and compete in the Allied Counties next season which will be a more challenging level of football for them and will show us all just what a good side Tony has formed.

Originally Posted By: Anonymous

Having players in a youth set-up does not guarantee they'll stick around to play in the 1st team, I doubt they are contracted to the club?. Even clubs like Barcelona cannot even hang on to all their youth system prodigies.

Either way you are still going to need the cash for the proliferation of journeymen footballers who've made up the bulk of the team for the last few seasons. Read the programmes of other teams, most players at this level, with a few exceptions, do the rounds. How many were used this season, 60-odd players?.

The benefit of having a local Slough lad in charge of the U18 setup is that he wants to see them do well first and foremost for Slough. I don't think we would deprive any player an opportunity of going pro.

The club are budgeting for both the first team and the incorporation of the youth setup into our figures for next season. In a few weeks time we will be sitting down with Derek to go over figures for next season once the outcome of the league restructuring is known and we can plan for the league we have been placed into.

With regards to players, with three managers this season all having their own ideas and players they could call on, there was always going to be a big turnover in playing staff. However, this is an item which will be addressed next season and we will have a more settled squad for the campaign, regardless of division. The incorporation of the youth side will mean increased inclusion into the first team and we will see more of them in first team action as the season progresses I'm sure.

Originally Posted By: Anonymous

My question is does anyone know how many teams can this clubs supposedly stretched finances, together with a potential fall in income next year due to relegation, support?.

Stretched finances? Maybe from previous seasons, but the club has never been in a better off-field position for many years now which allows us to do things such as the incorporation of the youth setup into the senior club.

Originally Posted By: Anonymous

What are the projected attendances estimated for Slough if they do indeed drop to the Hellenic or Spartan leagues?.

Support will come to watch a winning side, not only because the side are winning, but increased coverage, marketing, volunteers will all potentially be available to the club. Our average home attendance this season (league only) was 220, with a core of about 200 who have stuck with the club. In my personal opinion, I would hope that we have a core of 200 with the club at the start of next season, regardless of division, which we can build on with a successful side on the pitch.

Originally Posted By: Anonymous

How much will tickets be priced at for adults & concessions?. What do teams currently operating at these levels currently charge?.

Once the division is known, we will send out season ticket application forms priced accordingly to the level of football we are playing.

Originally Posted By: Anonymous

Looking at average attendances in those leagues,do you really expect more people will turn up to watch Sloughs youth team, than watch some of the others 1st teams?.

Looking back to the Capital League matches hosted at Windsor, I belive we had an attendance higher for a reserve game than many sides first teams. People will see that the incorporation of the youth side into the senior setup is a very positive step for the club and will support the decision, hopefully, by attending the matches. If we can get thirty to forty people per match, we would be going a long way to covering our costs. If not and we, as a club, have to cover the costs, so be it. The money is there for us to facilitate it.

Originally Posted By: Anonymous

Otherwise, show some prudence, stabilise the situation and plan for the future. I'm sure there are a number of local clubs who would be happy to be linked to Slough Town, without such a large outlay.

I would have thought the best way of planning for the future is to look to the youth? The outlay isn't that great and has been budgeted for in the 2008/9 season.

It is disappointing that an anonymous person gets such a response, but it is such that the situation must be clear for next season. We are in the best position off field for many years with an active board looking at many commercial opportunities which will only help our cause for the coming seasons.

[Staines-upon-Thames Rebel]

Anon

[Amber Rebel]

i dont want to stoke the backlash but the announcement of the youth team plans was something very positive for the future of slough town fc. I cant be the only one who would go to a game.

On the one hand the criticism has been that all we have is a first team and that you cant develop a club like that and yet when there is some positive news about the youth set up moving forward there is a lot of negativity.

 

Oh and the football manager that said young players dont win things was wrong.

Aldershot town have had their most successful season in their history winning the conference with 101 points all with the majority of players being very young.

 

Looking forward to seeing slough town youth next season!!!!!!!!!!!