Prudhoe Youth Club F.C. Town Council Presentation 24 th September 2014

The Club Prudhoe Youth Club FC (“PYCFC”) is the largest Football Club in West Northumberland FA Community Club Charter Standard Status (Highest Available) (1 of only 16 in Northumberland) A Nike Partner Club

The Club 25 Teams from Under 7s to Under 19s & 1 Mens Team Over 350 playing members Over 30 FA Qualified Coaches

The Club Great track record for developing and producing top class footballers. Great relationships with NUFC and SAFC. Local scouts cover many of our games. Lots of kids at the Academy Development Centres at both NUFC and SAFC. Currently 3 former PYCFC members are professional footballers.

The Club For further information visit our website: Website: 2000 visitors per week Over 1000 followers.

Community Majority of players within 5 mile radius of Prudhoe. Heart beat of the local Community A community club. Run by People from Prudhoe for the young people of Prudhoe. 40+ unpaid volunteers Keep kids off streets, helping to reduce juvenile crime and antisocial behaviour. Players, Parents and Grandparents – 2500 people in Prudhoe.

Community Club Philosophy – as many kids playing football as possible, training at least once a week with matches at weekends. Develop youngsters as footballers but also as people with a sense of discipline and teamwork.

Community Each team sponsored by various local businesses and organisations See website for further detailswww.prudhoeycfc.com

Threats LACK of FACILITIES - Biggest single threat to club’s growth and retention and ability to develop players, indeed a threat to the Club’s very existence as volunteers who run the club and the teams become disillusioned as they see investment being poured into other clubs and sports and local schools in the area whilst we battle on with basic facilities.

Threats NO facilities or base of our own. The Club currently exists as “gypsies” with no home of our own, using inadequate local authority facilities within and outside Prudhoe.

Threats In Prudhoe insatiable demand from young people for football. Hugely increased demand expected due to some 600+ new houses to be built in Prudhoe area. Severely restrained by lack of suitable facilities. Only 2 full size grass pitches at Mickley and Eastwoods Park run by local authorities. Poor condition / ageing changing facilities. Overuse of pitches leading to deterioration of playing surfaces.

Threats Big danger and fear that if we can’t provide the facilities for the Club in or close to Prudhoe, young people will stop training and playing football. Knock on effects could include increased unsociable behavior and juvenile crime locally and lead to health & fitness issues.

Vision CLUB Vision – to establish a base in the Prudhoe locality with changing and social facilities and pitches on the same site to enable us to sustain and grow the work we do with young people.

Opportunity £500K (Half Million Pounds) of potential funding identified by PYCFC & Northumberland Football Association (“NFA”) to build Clubhouse for Prudhoe YCFC with changing rooms and social area. (Basic Facility) As a Charter Standard Community Club we will work with the NFA to achieve our goals.

Enhanced Opportunity With additional funding we could potentially build an even better facility which could also serve as a Community Centre (Youth Club?) to hold functions, coffee mornings, kids & adult parties, receptions etc.

Proposal Put the Pride back in the Park Establish a Clubhouse facility at Eastwoods Park to serve Eastwoods School and Park football fields, which could also be used by other sports (e.g. cricket) and for wider community activities. Future potential for other sports facilities e.g. develop Multi-Use games area (tennis, small sided football and / or other sports).

Proposal We propose that PYCFC take responsibility for managing, operating & maintaining Eastwoods Park and School sites. This would allow us to pursue & secure £500K funding to establish Clubhouse and secure the future of the Club. 16 PYCFC teams currently using these two sites alone.

Proposal Maintenance – self maintain & significantly reduce current maintenance costs. Currently planning to invest money to obtain grass cutting and pitch marking equipment under an NFA assisted scheme.

Conclusion If NCC & Town council (“PTC”) can help provide us the location we’ll vigorously pursue the funding opportunities to establish a Clubhouse & community facility. PYCFC can manage the site(s) and take on the maintenance costs.