Last season

The Foundation for the Club.

The Academy opened on 6th November 2006. Over 300 players have graduated to a team, a remarkable statistic and one we are all extremely proud of. The Academy goes from strength to strength and over 85% of the boys signed to the teams came through our Academy development programme. We are giving boys, who previously would have had little chance of joining a Club such as ours, a real chance to play in an organized Club environment. They are encouraged to develop their skills under team managers and the benefits are there for everyone to see. Since it opened, this programme has probably enabled 500 kids to join Hampstead FC, in some capacity. It fits alongside our motto perfectly.

The 2009/10 Season review.

The 2009/10 season will be remembered for the appalling weather conditions, with games called off several weeks running.

A glaring example is demonstrated by our Under 14 side in the Harrow League, just one match fulfilled during a 3 month period November 2009 – Feb 2010.

In the Camden and Islington League the astro turf held up better, but unusually this surface too fell foul of the extreme cold and froze, making play unsafe. This also affected the winter training venues and many teams had barren patches, with no training during the first few weeks of 2010.

The players remained positive and turned up when asked, and never grumbled when games were called off. Often last minute when pitches, which had almost dried out, suffered with sub zero temperatures and became rock hard overnight. We went from waterlogged, to snow bound, to frozen and full cycle back to waterlogged.

In between we had some great football if that’s what we still call it, as the nature of the pitches does not add style to the beautiful game. The long ball tactic is almost a given, as cloying mud dampens the skilful players appetite for the game.

 This is bad for the future of English football and needs an urgent review to move the Youth football season timetable away from dark winter days. More parents would attend in better weather, more siblings would come to enjoy the day, Grand parents would venture out without the worry of catching pneumonia. Not only would the support be improved, the atmosphere would change, with family orientated groups, as opposed to frozen lone parent, who no doubt spends his/her time worrying how much mud is going to be smeared across the seats and carpet of their car?

The results looked favourable as we approached Christmas with several Harrow League sides in strong positions. As we near seasons end the most successful are still there fighting for honours. The U15 squad, now in a play-off for the Div 1 Championship and still in the Challenge Trophy series. Our gallant U11’s, who only faltered when the fixtures clashed with family holidays and valuable points were dropped. Their aim still remains of promotion to the Premier Division. The Under 12’s, 13’s and 16’s had mixed seasons, whilst the Under 14’s are currently in a strong charge towards the top slots, as their season lingers on. In the Harrow Soccer 7’s our Under 8 side gained promotion to the top flight at the Xmas break, this proved a step too far for the new team as they came up against some powerful opposition, but will benefit from the experience. Our U10 B side was only formed at Xmas and surprised everyone finishing in 3rd place in their group. The top dogs were the U10 A team who displayed their superb teamwork and took the honours in Div 2.

The Regents Park teams had a torrid time with waterlogged pitches ruining the seasons match plans and most sides ended mid table, no honours, but no disgrace, and players learning all the time.

The Girls are still playing in the Home Counties Girls League and there has been a marked improvement in results this season. Both of the fledgling sides, the Under 10’s and Under 11’s look set to finish in the top 3 in their respective leagues and it is important to note they face strong opposition from the likes of big Clubs such as Tottenham Hotspurs, QPR and Luton Town FC. The U13 and U12 have also excelled at times but fall short at school holiday times, when fixtures are still scheduled.

In the Camden and Islington League we have not had the most favourable season with mid table looking likely for 3 of the 4 teams. An exciting style of football remains our ethos and sometimes we are victims of negative 1970’s attitudes.

The Academy Programme has had another excellent year with players graduating to teams all season. With many in the quest for places, as we enter the trials period for next season’s teams, the future of the Club looks as bright as ever. Like the teams the Academy “lost” 4 weeks this season, but unlike a League, whereby the games are rescheduled, lost sessions for the Academy are consigned to history.

In November 2010 the Academy will celebrate 4 years as a development centre for the Club. From humble beginnings, of just 16 recruits, the Academy now boasts 200 plus members each season, from the very tender age of 3 upwards.

 84% of all new players signed by our 36 teams come through the Academy programme this season.

 It is a talent pool others envy.