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Woodingdean Wanderers FC
Est 1994 |
Woodingdean Wanderers Football Club, formerly Woodingdean Youth Football Club was founded in 1994 by Chris and Vanessa Childs to ensure that their son and his friends could play regulated football.
The club not only produced good teams but also spawned some very talented players who play professionally and semi professionally now.
Woodingdean Youth Football Club has survived the passing years through the goodwill of the management, especially the club's second chairman John Harvey, the parents and of course the players.
With eternal gratitude to the Nuffield Hospital our club has the use of a fantastic piece of land which is situated behind the Nuffield Hospital (formerly Fitzherbert School’s playing fields). These pitches are solely maintained by the club. The club had no other facilities. Because of this lack of facilities Woodingdean Youth Football Club had always found it difficult to attract new players and coaches, who can easily travel to the neighbouring boroughs to find clubs with much larger infrastructures.
In March 2010, and down to only 3 teams, Woodingdean Youth Football Club took a good look at itself and wondered if Woodingdean, a huge catchment area, really wanted (or needed) a junior football club. The club went onto the front foot and began by canvassing Woodingdean residents, including a lot of young people. Although the findings were extremely positive it was slightly disconcerting that a lot of adults questioned did not know that there was an affiliated junior football club in the area. There were girls who were travelling miles to play football, if at all, and boys who said that they would love to play locally, “if you had a team in our age group.”
It was decided that the club would change direction and a five year plan (maybe slightly ambitious for an organisation run by volunteers!) was drawn up.
The aims of the plan was are as follows:
To play a major part in the Woodingdean community and to form partnerships with other community groups (youth and adult), schools and local businesses.
Offer football, whether in teams or just ‘turn up and play’ to all young people in Woodingdean and the surrounding areas.
To achieve a FA Charter Standard, ultimately with community status.
To work with their friends at The Nuffield Hospital and Brighton and Hove City Council to house a temporary building on the playing field that will be in a position to suit everyone. As well as providing storage, warmth, sanitation, changing facilities and hot and cold refreshments on match days the club are looking to use it for indoor education.
To provide free coaching/ refereeing/ training and certification through the FA for any adults wishing to run one of the teams.
To provide coaching, refereeing and leadership opportunities to young people from the area.
Prior to the start of season 2016 we changed our name to Woodingdean Wanderers FC.
We are very proud to announce that we were granted FA Charter Standard in 2016.
The club not only produced good teams but also spawned some very talented players who play professionally and semi professionally now.
Woodingdean Youth Football Club has survived the passing years through the goodwill of the management, especially the club's second chairman John Harvey, the parents and of course the players.
With eternal gratitude to the Nuffield Hospital our club has the use of a fantastic piece of land which is situated behind the Nuffield Hospital (formerly Fitzherbert School’s playing fields). These pitches are solely maintained by the club. The club had no other facilities. Because of this lack of facilities Woodingdean Youth Football Club had always found it difficult to attract new players and coaches, who can easily travel to the neighbouring boroughs to find clubs with much larger infrastructures.
In March 2010, and down to only 3 teams, Woodingdean Youth Football Club took a good look at itself and wondered if Woodingdean, a huge catchment area, really wanted (or needed) a junior football club. The club went onto the front foot and began by canvassing Woodingdean residents, including a lot of young people. Although the findings were extremely positive it was slightly disconcerting that a lot of adults questioned did not know that there was an affiliated junior football club in the area. There were girls who were travelling miles to play football, if at all, and boys who said that they would love to play locally, “if you had a team in our age group.”
It was decided that the club would change direction and a five year plan (maybe slightly ambitious for an organisation run by volunteers!) was drawn up.
The aims of the plan was are as follows:
To play a major part in the Woodingdean community and to form partnerships with other community groups (youth and adult), schools and local businesses.
Offer football, whether in teams or just ‘turn up and play’ to all young people in Woodingdean and the surrounding areas.
To achieve a FA Charter Standard, ultimately with community status.
To work with their friends at The Nuffield Hospital and Brighton and Hove City Council to house a temporary building on the playing field that will be in a position to suit everyone. As well as providing storage, warmth, sanitation, changing facilities and hot and cold refreshments on match days the club are looking to use it for indoor education.
To provide free coaching/ refereeing/ training and certification through the FA for any adults wishing to run one of the teams.
To provide coaching, refereeing and leadership opportunities to young people from the area.
Prior to the start of season 2016 we changed our name to Woodingdean Wanderers FC.
We are very proud to announce that we were granted FA Charter Standard in 2016.
