Linthwaite FC - Club of the Year 2025

As a club made up of volunteers, who lend their time to learn valuable life skills learning football and making friends for life, they plant the seed for children to strive at what they do and pursue a career where the pinnacle of anyone’s football journey would be to play on the hallowed turf at Wembley. It just so happens that our club secretary, James Carter has the opportunity to represent our club as part of a special recognition award for his services and contribution to grassroots football. He will join a select few of other volunteers who have been selected by their County FA’s, and will take his place on the pitch this evening, under the lights for a once-in-a-lifetime match opportunity. In the last 6 years with the club, he has: Brought the club ‘back home’ to the village of Linthwaite. Fought Planning Permission Battles. Secured us further Facilities: Thornton & Ross / Slaithwaite Two Gates to provide football for all of our teams. ⁠Gained us the Highest Accreditation with the FA (3 Star/Thriving Community Club) Tripled the size of the club. ⁠Being nominated for Three FA Awards over the last Two Years, coming away with two ‘Highly Recommended’ and the ‘Club of the Year’ Being instrumental in winning ‘Club Of The Year’. Introduced and sustainably grown Disability football at our club and helped and assisted other clubs to set up their own disability sections. Lastly, and not at least - his community work as Colne Valley Running Santa for the last 6 years, raising money and the various food collections for our local food banks; Colne Valley Help & Storth House CIC, helping to provide for those who really need it. People like him don’t come along very often and we’re so lucky to have him so involved within our club. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, he’s an absolute diamond and will do anything for anybody. Enjoy your day James, you so richly deserve this. Simon Vice-Secretary P.s. James isn’t actually there yet, he is on his way - it’s photoshopped

This weekend, we proudly hosted Silent Support Weekend. We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all parents and spectators for honouring the initiative by staying quiet on the sidelines and showing your encouragement through applause. It was truly wonderful to watch our players enjoy the game free from sideline pressure. The calm atmosphere allowed the children’s voices, teamwork, and joy to shine through. Seeing them communicate, express themselves, and simply play the sport they love was both peaceful and inspiring. 

As we move forward into a new chapter, we’re excited to announce our New Kit Supplier Partnership with Surridge Sport . As a club, we feel Surridge Sport fits directly in with our Values & Ethos. Our new club shop will include sizing for both Male & Female Players. All of our 24 Teams will transition over to Surridge Sport with our New Club Crest, once their current Sponsorship deals expire. We can’t wait to see our teams in their new kits. Take a look at our New Club Shop :

Would you like to get into Coaching as a volunteer? We are currently looking for a Lead Coach & Session Helpers to deliver our weekly Wildcats Session. The Sessions are held on Wednesday Evenings between 18:00-19:00 for girls aged between 6-11 years old. You could be part of building girls' confidence, enabling them to make new social circles & growing girls football in the Colne Valley Area. What will our club do for you? Fund & Provide you with a DBS Check. Fund FA Introduction to Safeguarding Training. Fund FA Introduction to First-Aid Training. Fund FA Introduction to Football Training. Support you where & when required. Give you freedom to manage your own sessions. Help you to be influential for local girls. Lead Coaches would need to be 18+, however, we are happy to have helpers under the age of 18, assisting them with experience for their future work & development. If this is something of interest to you, please contact our Club Secretary: secretary@linthwaitefootballclub.co.uk If you are reading this, please help with a share.

Our club returned back to Linthwaite over 4 years ago and in this time we have worked frantically to rebuild our club organically, ensuring whatever we do is with our players in mind. This has seen our club triple in size, with additional sections added, such as the Girls teams & Pan-Disability Football. This evening we hit another Huge Milestone, seeing us hold our first Open Age training session in over 7 years, with over 20 attendees. Former junior player, Eesa Ahmed has remained with the club as an assistant coach & next season he will be stepping up to manage our new open age team in The Calder Valley Sunday League. This addition to our current offering, will see the club have a pathway from Tots all the way up to Adult Football. If you are interested in lacing them boots up and joining us, please visit here

We are Extremly Proud to be one of the eleven, 3 Star Accredited Clubs in the whole of the West Riding FA . When you look at The FA Accreditation Statistics: 486 Accredited Club 11 - 3 Star Accredited Clubs To be 1 of 11, out of 486 Clubs is an Absolutely Amazing Achievement. Linthwaite Football Clubs is the ONLY 3 Star Accredited Club within The Whole of Kirklees. (96 Football Clubs within the Kirklees area) It just goes to show the way we conduct ourselves on and off the pitch, is represented by achieving the FA’s Highest Grassroots Accreditation. Did we tell you we were a 3 STAR ACCREDITED CLUB? If you want to be part of the highest accredited club in Kirklees, please contact our Club Secretary 

To celebrate Linthwaite Football Club reaching 40 years of providing football in the area, we will be holding a Race Night at the Broad Oak Bowling Club on Saturday 22nd March 2025, with the first race off at 8.00pm! Open to all our Teams & Families Family Fun Children Welcome Celebrating our 40th Year Cash Bets Only The bar will be open (Card & Cash) We would love to see you there 🏇

It’s lovely seeing our Girl’s Teams Enjoying Football in the Sunshine, this morning. CAN YOU HELP US GROW OUR FEMALE SECTION, ENHANCING OUR FEMALE PATHWAY FURTHER NEXT SEASON We are heavily focused on boosting our Girls Section for next season, we really want to increase the number of Girls Teams from U7 all the way up to Open Age. If you are: Currently running a Girls Teams & fancy a change. Coaching Girls & want to start a Team. You're a Young Female/Male Player who would like to begin Coaching & gain your Level One in Coaching. We would love to have you help ensure Female Football is a Key Priority & Develop the Female Game at Linthwaite & Support the Local Community. Please contact our Club Secretary via email

We all know there is a significant shortage for referees nationwide, meaning games are delayed or rescheduled on a weekly basis as we have seen over social media. In my role as fixture & referee Secretary (amongst other roles), I have a great team of people who are willing to cross that line to get games on every week. It has been brought to my attention that in recent weeks, these people have become the target of derogatory comments for their decisions made during a game & I need this to stop. Without these people stepping up to take the games, your children would not be playing football. The comments made this weekend, were aimed towards a child (under 18) again. Think about it this way - who would want to go into a job where you're insulted, abused & in some cases, assaulted? I'm sure you wouldn't put up with this, so why should they? Referees makes mistakes & don't always get the decisions, neither do the professionals with VAR. You wouldn't aim abusive comments towards your child or another player if they made a mistake. Every time a referee officiates, they are learning, just like all our coaches and players are. Shouting at them won't change the referees' decision. It will just make them think twice about stepping on a pitch again, which in the last few years, has occurred on more than one occasion. Leagues across the country are crying out for referees, so just think; you’re the role models to these players, they always look up to adults so why not teach them respect & how to behave? These skills they learn won't just stay on the pitch, they will also take them into their futures. Should I hear of this occurring again in the future, I will be suggesting to the club that these people (and children) are removed from the club. Your coaches are all volunteers, they give up their time for free, to provide safe environments for your children to learn. Please think again before you speak in future. We as a club are continuously striving to be the best in the area, working hard behind the scenes to be at the forefront of everything we do. We need your support to help us. Kind regards, Simon Hagerty Vice Secretary Linthwaite Football Club