Before then, on July 23rd (9-10.30), we say adieu to this season (a cracking vintage) with an inter-Leopards friendly, Awards and [...]]]> In our first confirmed fixture of the new season, we travel to Whiteley Wanderers for our debut appearance in the U15 Hampshire Cup, Sat Sept 10th.  Full details to follow, but please mark in your diary.

Before then, on July 23rd (9-10.30), we say adieu to this season (a cracking vintage) with an inter-Leopards friendly, Awards and nibbles afterwards.

Ahead of this, please send me have your nomination for Players’ Player of the Season by Friday 22nd July.

thanks

Jim

THIS SEASON; we’re back at the Cage this Saturday, to continue the education that is the small sided game – while we have access to the pitch, and we’re having fun and learning, [...]]]> Before the Summer holidays hove into view, we need to seek closure on and celebrate this season, while preparing for the joys of next.

THIS SEASON; we’re back at the Cage this Saturday, to continue the education that is the small sided game – while we have access to the pitch, and we’re having fun and learning, we’ll keep going.   We’ve entered the Wyvern 6 a side tournament on July 9th; please let us know if you’d like to play.  And sometime, we need to gather to recognise the boys’ progress and achievements at an end of season Awards bash.  Damian will post voting options on the website shortly (Players’ Player, Trainer of Year, etc), but we are open to your suggestions for venue/format…

NEXT SEASON; as most of you know, we have entered the TESTWAY YOUTH LEAGUE (www.twyfl.co.uk), which plays 11 a side games on a Saturday morning.  We’ll train on TUESDAY evenings at Worthy Down (7.30-9), which we recognise breaks a 6 year routine/rhythm of Sat/Sun football, but frankly, it gives us old ‘uns the time/space to do things other than Leopards football on weekends (spend time with rest of family, enjoy carefree Saturday nights, have a lie-in or explore other cultural avenues on a Sunday), while giving more boys (a squad of up to 20) a stab at league football.  It offers us all a new challenge and some new road trips to new locations (Whitchurch, Shipton Bellinger, Stockbridge…adios, M3).

After wide consultation, the club has decided to deepen our relationship with the Saints Foundation by having their coaches run training sessions roughly fortnightly (in term-time).  The aim is to improve the boys’ (and coaches’) skills, develop our  teamwork  and help us all get more out of the beautiful game. While this means next season’s fees will go up (£90 full members; £60 associates), it comes after 3 years of flat fees, and the club running at a loss last season.  Feedback from parents and managers welcomed (indeed encouraged) the commitment to development, while suggesting even at new rates, Littleton football represents extraordinary value.  We hope you agree, and look forward to playing more football before we endure August’s rain, and to writing a new chapter together next season, for which we invite you to sign up via 2011/12 Club membership forms (posted on www.littletonjuniorfc.org.uk ).  (Sadly, space limitations mean we cannot accept new members).  We’d  appreciate receiving completed forms with payment by June 29th.

Finally, thank you for your support in electing Damian (webmeister), Chick (Treasurer) and me (chair) to the Club Committee at the recent AGM.  We look forward to working hard and having fun together in taking the club forward without diluting our commitment to the Leopards.    As ever, we welcome your feedback, comments and involvement.

Thanks,

Jim

Thanks to all for making today’s final training session and awards ceremony so enjoyable, especially to Bill for the industrial quantities of bacon butties, which were very sustaining, thank [...]]]> … to the 2008-9 season, and—for all the boys and girls—to primary school. The times, they are a-changin’, as George was always fond of saying to Ringo …

Thanks to all for making today’s final training session and awards ceremony so enjoyable, especially to Bill for the industrial quantities of bacon butties, which were very sustaining, thank you very much. A couple of things …

Some photographs of today’s awards ceremony: click here.

Registration forms for next season if you’ve not yawned your way through them already: click here. Back to some bloke called Jim asap please.

Boring admin. but with the admirable ambition to minimise bureaucracy: if you’ve not done so already, please click here to subscribe to news updates.

An omission from today’s ceremony: thanks, Jim, for your as-ever tremendous commitment—surely that should be “obsession” (Ed.)—and effort over the season – it is much appreciated!

Well done Leopards for an excellent season. Have a splendid summer everyone. Hasta luego …