L&M Electrical are the current holders of the new GetIntoFootball Thurrock Business League after receiving their shield at a special presentation tournament at St Clere’s School in Stanford-le-Hope on Thursday 12th January – now organiser Faye Lambert wants others to follow them and generate a second division next season.
The Winter Season of the Business League came to its conclusion with a special one-off tournament where Lee Mosely’s overall winners, as well as runners-up Allport who are managed by Mark Johnson, were presented with their mementoes by Essex County FA Chief Executive Phil Sammons and Vice-Chairman Alec Berry.
Seven teams took part in the group stages and the winners of both divisions, L&M Electrical again alongside Grays All Stars, headed into a final. It was an end-to-end game as L&M took the lead, but Grays quickly equalized. Some neat football followed and L&M struck twice more, emerging as 3-1 winners to complete a league and tournament double.
The league restarts on Thursday 26th January, and Faye is seeking more teams to enjoy the weekly 30-minute six-a-side matches. They’re open to workmates in the Thurrock area and up to 15 players can register, allowing a great deal of flexibility. A £20 refundable deposit is required to sign-up, then it’s just £20 per team, per week. Balls, bibs and referees are provided.
She said: “I’m hoping to see growth and new teams, which must be from companies or offices in the Thurrock area. I’d like to run the league in two divisions so it would be great to get new companies on board. St Clere’s is an excellent facility which will soon be the host for Stanford-le-Hope’s first ever female-only Mars Just Play centre.”
Thursday 19th January also sees the Winter Season of Faye’s Veterans League draw to a close with its own tournament and presentation. Aveley Coaches were triumphant in this category, followed by Cosmos Colts, and now applications are being welcomed for a new term from the 26th, particularly targeting squads aged 35 and over looking to get back into the game.
The costs, match arrangements and facilities are the same as for the Business League, although up to 20 players can register for each team, and Faye would like to see some new blood come through next time, explaining: “These leagues have been a great success so far, with ten teams taking part in the Business League and six in the Veterans League.”
“Several teams were formed through the Just Play sessions I ran across the summer, which was a fantastic progression for those players,” Faye continued. “The winners were formed through ‘Turn-Up and Play’ sessions and they’ve gone on to have a great first season. Some are looking at weekend vets teams now they’ve found their boots again!”
“I always try to provide information on local teams and leagues so participants have access to exit routes and the majority are re-registering for the new season. Of course, we’re still looking for sponsorship! There will be medals and shields for the winners and medals for the runners-up in both the leagues and the shields will be engraved as we record the winners.”
GetIntoFootball is The FA’s campaign aimed at promoting development initiatives to children and parents. Thurrock was selected to benefit from a specific officer in late 2010 for various reasons, including the network of local clubs and strong partnership support from Thurrock Council and the Thurrock Association Sunday League, who are both key partners.
Thinking of forming a squad? For a registration form and further details, contact Faye on (01245) 393099 or E-Mail faye.lambert@essexfa.com. Full details on all the GetIntoFootball projects and sessions can be found in ‘GetIntoFootball’. Faye is also looking for potential sponsors to come forward to help support the league and benefit from coverage on the Essex County FA and www.yourthurrock.com websites.
