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TOBY TO FYLDE Toby Coar is currently playing for Longridge Town Juniors Under 16's. Earlier this month he was offered a scholarship with AFC Fylde and we are pleased to confirm that Toby accepted this wonderful opportunity. Toby has played for Longridge Town Juniors from reception age and will finish this May at Under 16's.   Toby is a local boy and always gives absolutely everything on the pitch. Toby is very talented with great speed and wonderful football ability. He is a real team player and is very loyal to all his players. U16 manager Mark Cummings said "I am absolutely delighted that Toby future  is in football, He is a fantastic lad and with his work ethic he will go far. I am extremely proud of what he has achieved and we look forward to following his journey."

Our Under 7 Blacks are pleased to announce a new sponsorship with Holdens Estate Agents as training jacket sponsors. Holdens are a local estate agent based in Longridge. Holdens work hard to provide stress free house moves and the Under 7's are working hard as a team and showing some great moves on the pitch with their silky skills. It is hoped that the sponsorship will show the team move up the table.

Our Under 7 Reds will soon be producing the cream of the crop following sponsorship by local food suppliers Ribble Farm Fare. Ribble Farm Fare, based in Longridge are a wholesale catering and food supplier based in Longridge supplying local trade and major businesses in the area. Ribble Farm Fare have supported the club over the years and have shown a commitment to grassroots football and it is an honour to be able to have them as our U7 Red Jacket sponsor. Our Under 7 Reds are the new shoots of the club and it is hoped that this sponsorship will see them develop and grow.

Our Under 12 girls are moving in the right direction thanks to the sponsorship of Kris Blundell Training. Kris Blundell Training, based locally in Redscar, are a HGV driver training company and their support has been vital in the teams formation providing jackets for the girls. Kris himself is our female coaching lead and his enthusiasm has been instrumental in the growth of the womans pathway at the club making us one of the fastest growing female clubs in the area. If you are interested in getting involved in girls football, please contact the club for further details.

English football is set to unite again over the above weekend to promote Play Safe – a countrywide campaign to focus attention of the vital importance of safeguarding in our national game. Led by The Football Association, the Play Safe campaign is endorsed by the NSPCC and will be supported this weekend across every level of English football, including the Premier League, EFL, Barclays Women’s Super League and Barclays Women’s Championship, and across the grassroots game. This season we are asking EVERYONE, EVERYWHERE – clubs and leagues at every level of the game, (and individuals if they wish) – to tell us what they are planning to do to make a difference over the Play Safe weekend and to share this via an online Play Safe Pledge . This year’s Play Safe weekend focuses on the safeguarding role EVERYONE has to play – coach, player, parent/carer, spectator or volunteer – to keep children and young people safe, no matter what the football setting. EVERYONE, EVERYWHERE, EVERYTIME is encouraged to WATCH, LISTEN, TALK and ACT if they have any safeguarding concerns. The FA’s Survivor Support and Safeguarding Advisory Group (FASSSAG) continues to support Play Safe: “Creating safe environments in every football setting is a collective responsibility. It’s really important that every single person in football – no matter if they’re actively involved or on the sidelines – understands that they have an ongoing role to play. Knowing how to act on any concerns is vital and Play Safe is a key way to raise awareness so that everyone is vigilant and knows what to do if they become aware of any inappropriate behaviour.” Parents and guardians can also take a free Play Safe safeguarding awareness course here . The online course takes 25-30 minutes to complete. The course is designed to help parents and guardians make an informed decision about the football setting they enrol a child in, explaining the importance of safeguarding in football and ensuring they are asking the right questions to clubs.

It also highlights signs that should be of a safeguarding concern, as well as explaining how to report these concerns.

Clubs, leagues and individuals have been invited to share what they will be doing to make a difference over the Play Safe weekend by filling out The FA’s online Play Safe pledge .

The campaign focuses on the safeguarding role that everyone has to play to keep children and young people safe in football, no matter what the setting is. Ultimately, everyone involved in grassroots football has a responsibility to ensure safeguarding procedure is properly followed. Coaches should ensure DBS checks and relevant FA safeguarding children courses are up to date.

Check-ins with players to help them feel safe to share their thoughts and speak up about any concerns are also encouraged. Board or committee members at clubs should look at whether their club has a formal welcome process for new players and their parents or guardians and also ensure the club's welfare officer's contact details are widely available. Alongside this, club's safeguarding procedures and policies should be up to date, with the topic a consistent item on meeting agendas.

Everyone everywhere is encouraged to watch, listen, talk and act if they have any safeguarding concerns.

For more information on The FA's safeguarding framework, click here.

Our Under 12 Reds have acquired a sponsorship deal with Gresham to supply training jackets for the next 2 seasons. Gresham are a Bolton based firm supplying bespoke office furniture across many sectors and industries both at home and the US. Gresham are a great match for the club, its values matching the clubs whose desire is to provide a club for the local community and build a club that is proud of the identity that it develops with its players and members and keeping these values at the forefront of how we are run to make sure we are sustainable for the future. Further information can be found at www.gof.co.uk

Longridge Town Juniors are pleased to confirm Plumbs as our Under 12 Black's sponsors for the forthcoming season. Plumbs are a family-run upholstery business based in Preston who place tradition and quality at the heart of every project they undertake. The have over 60 years' experience in design, producing and fitting high-quality, made-to-measure curtains , blinds, loose covers and full reupholstery for furniture with the passion and expertise to completely transform your home in Preston. Our Under 12's coached by Kieron McDermott took on a transformation of their own last season, from early season struggles to a quality side and it is hoped that with the sponsorship of Plumbs they can take some of this passion and produce greater things this season.

We are pleased to confirm the announcement of D.N.A. Construction as our Under 13 Reds training jacket sponsors for the 23/24 season. The sponsorship is an evolvement of the relationship between club and D.N.A. Construction who currently sponsor our under 8 Red's. D.N.A. Construction are one of the leading joinery companies in the North West and it is hoped that their success will rub off on the Under 13 Reds. D.N.A. Construction can be contacted at dnaconstruction@tiscali.co.uk

Following a league AGM, the club have upon request been admitted to the Poulton and District Primary League. The admission into the league will allow the introduction of girls teams at the club and allow them to compete in league football. The league has established competitions for girls football and many teams from the local area hold membership within the league. The admission is a positive step as we work towards the introduction of the female pathway and we hope the it may bring many opportunities for the club to develop female talent of the future.

Our club presentation will take place on Sunday 16h July at The Recycling Lives ground.
The event will kick off at 12 noon with fun and activities for the players. All players will be receiving their awards of achievement while the players of the year will be awarded to those that have excelled in their age group. The day will conclude with the annual parents v coaches match which is always fun to watch. If you are able to provide a raffle prize for the day then please get in touch with the club.

Rogers of Brock have agreed a sponsorship extension for the Under 9 reds ahead of the 23/24 season. It has been a succesful season for our Under 9 Reds and the have formed a great little team and are truly bonding as a team. Sarah Turnbull of Rogers Brock said of the deal "We are more than happy to sponsor the team again. They have had a great season and Sam has done a fantastic job with them and I cant wait to see them move up to 7 a side next season." Lets hope this deal drives the teams to success.

Our Under 11 Blacks will be looking to light up the pitch and play electrifying football next season with a sponsorship extension by Edmundson Electrical. The deal is a massive coup for the team and it is hoped that the sponsorship will give the team the spark to a successful season. Under 11 Blacks assistant manager Mick Young was the instigator of this deal "it is good to be able to help grassroots football and support the team"

The club are pleased to announce that McDonalds (Asda Fulwood) have extended their club sponsorship of the Under 11 Reds for another two years. Mc Donalds have shown a massive commitment to grassroots football across the country and to have their support is a massive boost to the team. The club have been rewarded throughout their sponsorship with club equipment and man of the match initiatives and the players have enjoyed their association and have excelled under their sponsorship. We look forward to another exciting two years ahead.

Main club sponsors, Steel Work Construction have agreed to extend their kit sponsorship by an extra year taking their current deal with the club to the conclusion of the 24/25 season. The deal comes as the Juniors begin negotiations with several kit suppliers to launch a brand-new kit for the 23-24 season. The sponsorship extension will allow the club to introduce the kit throughout the whole club and bring the 2-year cycles in line with all teams giving the club more flexibility over future kit designs and suppliers. SWC were happy to renew their sponsorship, and this is a massive boost for the club to be associated with them. The commitment that SWC show to the club and the local community cannot be measured and it it a pleasure to benefit from this association. Speaking to managing director Ben Lee on the sponsorship, you speak with a man with a love of the club, a passion for the sport and a commitment to improve and support the local community. The club are fortunate to have a sponsor who matches their desire for success.

We are pleased to confirm that we have successfully renewed our Kick it Out Charter Standard and are now officially a Kick It Out Chartered Club. This certificate remains in place until 2024. The award shows our commitment to celebrate diversity and kick discrimination out of our game. It is a commitment to make sure everyone, everywhere can turn up on a Saturday or Sunday knowing they will be welcomed and respected. Whatever their background. Whatever their race, ethnicity, sexuality, gender, age. Working closely with Kick it out , we aim to put an end to all forms of discrimination. The club have produced it's equality policy which is provided upon registration and all players are expected to abide by it. If anyone experiences discrimination then this can be reported through the club welfare officer or at www.kickitout.org

Wednesday night saw our first Under 12 girls' session at Longridge Recreation Ground in what is a commitment by the club to develop the womens game over the next five years. Coached by Kris Blundell, our Under 12's kicked their first balls as a team ahead of their entry into the Poulton and District Primary Football League for the 23/24 season. The rise of the womens game has been phenomenal since Englands Euro's success and many young girls will watch in anticipation next month as the lionesses kick off their world cup campaign in Australia and New Zealand all dreaming of becoming the next Chloe Kelly or Keira Walsh. The Juniors have seen many talented girls progress through the club with those dreams of playing for England, many leaving the club to join professional clubs. Those where the dreams of Grace and Kate Cronshaw who joined the club back in 2013 in our development classes eventually leaving the club to join Blackburn Rovers before moving over to PNE. Grace always showed ability right from Day 1 and would show skills far superior to her peers, she was a natural on the ball and her goals made her stand out from the crowd. Kate, a year younger was equally as good and would often play a year up competing with and outshining the boys, her talent was easy to spot. It was a sad day when both left to join Blackburn Rovers, but they stayed in touch, and we followed their journey with pride. The success has continued for the girls and Grace was voted this season as League Player of the Year in the North Valley & Burnley Unity League Under 16s Red representing PNE Womans (u16) while Kate was player of the year for the team. It is now hoped that Grace will join the PNE Open age team next season while Kate will remain with the Under 16's. The girls drive and determination comes from their father Damian, a former coach at the Juniors who has watched three of his girls follow their dreams of playing for PNE. The club want to show this same drive and determination as they meet the demands for the woman's game. The club formed its ladies' team last season, the team is a recreational team allowing club mums, friends, and the local community to enjoy football without the need for commitment. We will look to extend it this season to "Just play" where participants just turn up and play while making new friends and socialising. The Under 12's will become the foundation stone for our girl's pathway with the emphasis on development and match experience as we try to develop the players of the future. We will also be working towards the introduction of Under 7's in the early part of the season as we visit local schools promoting the female game and working towards league entry in the 24/25 season. We will also be looking towards incentives around the woman's games with match day trips to England internationals and tickets to Womans Super League games as part of prize packages for girls' tournaments. These are exciting time for the woman's game, and we want to be part of that pathway. We want you to get involved. If you are interested in participation as a player or coach, then we ask you to contact the club at secretary@longridgetownjuniors.co.uk

It is a proud day in the Bigg's household as our very own Under 9 Red Charlie Biggs has signed for Blackburn Rovers on an initial 12 month contract following an 8 week trial with the club. Charlie has been with us since he started with the development group and this is a major coup for the club to have one of our own scouted and signed by a professional club. It is also a credit to his father Mark Biggs who coaches the Under 9's with Mark Stephenson for all the hard work that they have put in to his development. Blackburn were not the only club who had shown an interest but Mark said "it was Charlie's choice to sign for Blackburn which I was fully on board with due to their record with academy players in the first team." We wish Charlie all the best and will be keeping a keen eye on his progress.

Longridge Town Juniors are pleased to announce Dewhurst Homes as our development squad sponsors for the 22/23 season. We are pleased to be able to welcome Dewhurst Homes back on board after a few years absence and are excited that they have chosen to sponsor the future of Longridge. The work that Dewhurst do in the local area and within the footballing arena are second to none and we are pleased to be associated with them. If you have a child in reception or year1 who would like to come and try out our taster sessions on a Monday night then get in touch with us through our website.

It was a proud moment for the club as we hear that Daniel Mills who plays for the Under 11 Reds under JP and Paul was this week selected to play for the Preston Schools U11’s as the goalkeeper. He made his debut at a competition at Blackburn Rovers Training Ground against Blackpool, Blackburn, Kirby and ATG narrowly losing out to Blackpool on goal difference although only letting in 3 goals in 4 matches. These are exciting times at the club as we experience unprecedented success within the school team set up at all age groups and shows the progression that the club is making, further proof that anyone can succeed if they put the time and effort in. We wish Daniel much success and hope that this will be the first on many call ups.

It was a proud day today as former junior Finlay Cross-Adair made his professional debut for his boyhood club Preston North End. 17-year-old Finn, was picked up by PNE as a Longridge player before progressing through the club’s Academy ranks and came off the bench today against Stoke City at Deepdale to make his professional debut. We are proud to have had Finn at our club and it is proof that dreams can come true if you believe in yourself and put the work in.
Jeremy Riding, who coached Finn as an under 10 said "Its unbelievable, he played for me for 5 years. I always played him in defence or midfield. His greatest assett though was his pace" Finn has kept in touch with the juniors for which his younger brother still plays and was on hand at this year's presentation to present trophies. Well done Finn, you truly deserve this.

Our Under 12 Blacks will be protected against the elements during training following a deal which will see Designed Roof Systems Ltd become their rain jacket and training tops sponsor for the forthcoming season. Designed Roof Systems Ltd are award winning installers of quality roofing systems based locally in Preston and it is an honour to be associated with such a prestigious company. Contracts manager, Daniel Devlin said of the deal, " I am glad to hear of the positive impact grassroots football has especially within our local community benefiting such a large number of youngsters. It would be a privilege to sponsor the U12 Longridge Town Juniors knowing how much dedication and hard work goes into making not just this team, but all the Longridge Town teams work on and off the pitch." These are exciting times for the club and it is hoped that this deal will take the 12's straight to the top.

Our Under 7's D.N.A. will be constructed as they embark on their footballing journey following a deal with D.N.A. Construction to become training jacket sponsors for the forthcoming season. As the under 7's kick their first balls on their footballing experience, they will do it with the support of DNA Construction. It is every youngsters dream of emulating their idols and the support offered by DNA will help us make that dream a little bit more special. Their first game this Saturday will provide the first strands of their footballing DNA that will hopefully one day take them right to the top of the game.

A sudden cardiac arrest can happen to anyone without warning. A sudden cardiac arrest in children is rare but it can happen.
We will all have seen the events of the 2020 UEFA Championships when Christian Ericksen collapsed on the pitch after suffering a cardiac arrest and will have seen his rapid return to the game. This would not have been possible without the quick response of the medical team and the use of CPR and defibrillation. At Longridge Town Juniors, all our coaches complete The FA Sudden Cardiac Arrest course as part of their training. The course teaches coaches how to spot signs and how to respond should a Sudden Cardiac Arrest happen. We also have access to a defibrillator which increases the chances of saving a life. Unfortunately, sudden cardiac arrests do not give warning and a coach may not be at the scene, how would you react, what action would you take? We ask that you may consider taking the short course set up by the Football Associationby which can be found at The FA Medical Courses Having access to a defib can save lives and we are pleased to announce that working with the FA Premier League Defibrillator Fund we have been able to secure funding for an outdoor cabinet to be placed at the ground. Linked to The Circuti , the British Heart Foundations national defibrillator network, this will give players, dog walkers and the local community access to lifesaving equipment should the need require. Mardale Road, Longridge is a public playing field and this vital life saving equipment is accessible by all. We are committed as a club to provide the best possible care to our players and will continue to invest to provide this care.

We are pleased to announce that Foss Monks Installations have agreed to renew the sponsorship of our current Under 9's. Foss Monks Installations first came on board 2 years ago and in that time have seen unprecedented success with both the Reds and Blacks reacihing cup finals this season. The success of the group has seen a 3rd team formed this season which will give more exposure to the sponsorship and is a sign of things to come at that age group. Owner Ste Monks was on hand to present his teams awards at this seasons presentation and expressed his excitement of the team and the sponsorship and was only too glad to renew his deal.

We are pleased to announce that Devil Gaming have agreed a deal to become the Under 14 Training Jacket sponsors for the 22-23 season. Devil Gaming, are a local business supplying gaming equipment to the entertainment industry. The deal will see the logo on the Under 14 training jackets for the next 2 seasons and it is hoped that the team will strike fear within opposition defences.

Football finally came home as the England Ladies lifted the Euros trophy at Wembley last night. From our club visit to that first game Old Trafford on the 6th July, we truly believed. At Longridge Town Juniors we have been a strong advocate for the woman’s game and this season introduced our own pride of lionesses with the introduction of our ladies team. We cannot let the legacy created by the current England team pass and with this in mind we set the focus on creating our own future generation. Longridge Town Juniors with the help of its sponsors have set aside 2022 pounds for the creation of an under 7 team for the 23/24 season, a team that will hopefully create the start of the future of girls football at Longridge. This money will go towards free subs for each player in their first season, funding for coaching and equipment for players. This is a long term development to promote the woman’s game and build on this legacy.
If you have a girl who is interested in football and would like to be part of a bright new future, please contact David Ellis at david.ellis@outlook.com. We are also looking for new coaches who would like to be part of this journey. If you are interested in joining our current ladies team, we welcome new players of all abilities.

We are pleased to confirm that Cleggs Chilled Foods have extended their sponsorship of the Under 13's into the 2022/23 season. The sponsorship will see the Under 13's training jackets being sponsored by Cleggs for the 7th successive season but the support from Mark Clegg at the football club goes way beyond that having at one stage being a home ground to the club. The sponsorship provided by local companies is vital to the survival of grassroots football clubs and provides a real buzz within the local community. Mark having spent his time within grassroots club is well aware of the demands placed on grassroots football and his love of football meant this sponsorship was a no brainer. Mark also enjoys watching his grandchildren play for the club and it is a proud day for him when he sees his grandson donning the company logo. We thank him for his support.

We are delighted to announce that SWC have extended their sponsorship of the club home kit for a further 2 years. We are proud to continue working with SWC and are extremely thankful for their continued support. The support that SWC have provided to the club in the last four years has been phenomenal and has really helped us to expand the club to levels we could never have dreamed of. The club has grown during their sponsorship from just on 100 players to over 250 players and without their support this could never have happened. Managing director Ben Lee was keen to renew the deal, having a son and nephew at the club he has watched with pride as they have developed and is only keen to support both the club and the local community. These are exciting times at the club and this sponsorship deal will benefit every child and will provide the opportunity for football for all within the local area. All home kits and training tops will feature the SWC logo and will be worn with pride.

Every junior dream;s of one day becoming professional but one ex junior is certainly on his way to fulfilling that dream as Finlay Cross Adair helped Preston North End Under 19's lift the Youth Alliance Cup beating Luton Town in the Final. For Finlay, it is just another step on a boyhood dream of becoming professional for his hometown team, one that started right here at the Juniors and proof that any one of our players with dedication and commitment can achieve their dreams. Finlay scored the second goal in a 4-1 win to clinch the cup which was added to the league title a few weeks back. He will return next year as a second yearer and hope he can secure professional contracts. To show how close he is to this dream, teammate Mikey O'Neill has already made his first team debut this season.

With the first day of sunshine this year, it was a fantastic morning for our Under 8's as they took part in their respective cup competitions. Both teams faced daunting groups, but expectations were high for both teams. The matches were played in a competitive spirit and both teams were up for the challenge. Undefeated in the groups, both teams faced quarter final slots, our Blacks against Astley and Buckshaw and our Reds faced Ribble Valley rivals Chipping. While the reds eased comfortably past Chipping, our Blacks faced the nail-biting scenario of penalties and ultimately the dreaded sudden death, but with no parent able to watch, they finished the game winners and will head to finals day. Finals day will take place on Saturday 14th May at Penwortham Holme and we hope that you can all get down and show your support on this exciting day.

Our Under 8's Reds received a visit at training this evening from England Amputee footballer and GB Para climber Martin Heald. Martin from Preston is a current England international playing in defence and has represented his country in World Cups and Euro championships. The kids were fascinated by his tales of playing in major tournaments and his sheer ability on the ball. They also bombarded Martin with plenty of questions of their own which he took time to answer each and every one of them. Thank you Martin for taking time out to put a smile on the children's faces.

Our Under 14's are proud to announce that SWC have agreed a deal to become training jacket sponsors until the end of the 2022/23 season. Steel is known for its hardness, toughness and strength much like the characteristics of our Under 14's and the two seem like a perfect fit. There is an immense pride to be associated with SWC and for the support that we receive from them as our main shirt sponsors and it should never be underestimated the benefit that they bring to the community of Longridge by allowing children to play and enjoy grassroots football.

Three of our young under 14's recently donned the shirts of the town team. Reuben Ssenyonga, Liam Sharples and Toby Coar donned the famous white jerseys to join a list of many famous players past and present that have played for the school team. It has been an exciting time for the club as these latest three, join eight players at the club currently playing for their respective age groups. It shows the reputation that the club now has and shows that people are watching us. We wish all our players the success that they deserve.

Our Under 11 Reds are pleased to announce that Grimsargh Carpets have agreed to renew their deal as training jacket sponsors to take them to the end of the 2022/23 season. Dane Leeming of Grimsargh Carpets has shown tremendous loyalty in renewing the sponsorship and it is hoped that our Under 10 Reds can repay this loyalty by wearing the training jackets with pride. The team are showing some tidy football with neat finishes much like Dane leaves a room once he has carpeted it. The two make a great partnership.

We are pleased to announce the recruitment of Zeus Personnel as our Under 10 jackets sponsors. The Under 10's coached by John Pickard have recruited a fine bunch of players and the results on the pitch are improving weekly. It is hoped that working in partnership with Zeus Personnel, they can only go on to higher levels. We thank Zeus Personnel for their support in these difficult times.

We are pleased to announce that Carefoot PLC are the new jacket sponsor for our Under 7 Whites. The deal is a massive one for the club as it brings the return of one of the club's oldest sponsors and shows the changing times at the club and the exciting times that lie ahead. The deal is based on trust and loyalty, and it is hoped that our under 7 reds can take these values on for future life. Our U7 Whites under the leadership of Leonard Sharple have constructed a close-knit team and the results on the pitch are beginning to show. We hope with the care of one of Longridge's biggest companies they can go right to the top.

Santa Claus made a surprise drop off this week as our U9 Red jacket sponsors had one last present for the team. McDonalds (Fulwood) have supplied the Under 9 Reds with a bundle of training equipment to turn them into little Ronaldo McDonalds. We are very grateful for the support shown by McDonalds and for the efforts put in globally towards grassroots football. The training bundle compised of cones, training bibs, balls, speed ladders, flat hurdles and kit bags.

There was festive fun to be had by all at the Longridge Town Juniors Christmas party held this weekend. All our juniors were treated to hot dogs, sweets, fun and games and of course a special appearance from the big man himself. With a wonderful set of parents in tow, we were also treated to some frosty receptions as they dressed up as snowmen to re-enact Olaf from Frozen. The highlight of the night though had to be the visit from the big man himself, who despite his heavy schedule managed to spend a couple of hours with us, meeting and speaking to the children and handing out presents to each and every one. A special thanks to Longridge Town Cricket Club for the use of their fantastic facilities for which it is hope will be used again and also to our wonderful elves who prepared the food and made sure everyone was suitably entertained. The night was finally made when Santa got back to the North Pole and sent this message "be proud of your players, they all behaved impeccably and are a credit to you all. Just want to say thank you to all my little elfers tonight. You are all on my good list. Gotta go, Im doing the same thing in half an hour in Russia. See you on the 25th" Now I believe in Christmas..........

Our U9 Blacks this week received their new training jackets following a sponsorship deal with Edmundson Electricals. Edmundson Electricals is the largest electrical distributor in the country, and it is a fantastic opportunity for the club to be associated with such a major company. The deal was negotiated by Mick Young who is U9 Blacks assistant manager. It is hoped that the deal will inspire the blacks to play electrifying football, lighting up the pitch with their distribution.

We are proud to announce that our U13's will have three representatives in the upcoming Town team squad. Ben Robertshaw, Jack Greaves and Louis Pacey-Blezard are the latest names who are set to join up with Preston Schools Under 13's team. The team is selected at trials from players put forward from secondary schools across Preston and to have three players from one team is a tremendous achievement and unheard of at the club. Club manager, Tony Smalley said "it's great news for the club and the lads fully deserve it. It shows the strength of the team we have when we had a few who narrowly missed out. The club is really moving in the right direction." The latest three names brings the total to five players that we currently have playing for town teams and this is a record for the club, it shows that the dedication and commitment from the players helped by our coaching is really paying off and it gives our younger players something to aspire to. Good luck lads, you deserve your reward.

We are pleased to learn that two of our own have been called up to represent Preston Schools FA, affectionately known as the Town team. Declan Hardacre and Reegan Hartigan of our under 15's will join up with team in the next round of fixtures and will join a list of names such as Sir Tom Finney, Andy Lonergan, Kevin Kilbane, Alan Kelly and more recently Rhys William of Liverpool and Dion Charles of Accrington who have all represented their town.
The team is selected at trials from players put forward from 10 secondary schools across Preston and competition is fierce which only shows the standard that the two have achieved and it is a proud honour for us to have them at the club.
Club manager, Dave Ellis said of the lads "it is a privilege to coach the two of them, they have been with the club since they were 7 and its been an honour to follow their journey. Their dedication and commitment to the game is second to none. Each time they receive the ball, they light up the game and this call up is recompense for all their efforts."

Child abuse in sport has featured prominently in the media over the last year, football coach Barry Bennell was convicted after trial in July 2020 after abusing hundreds of children during his career as a football coach, the scale of his offending behavior is truly staggering and many of his victims are still struggling to cope in their adult life following this abuse. Recently many more former athletes have also been disclosing their abuse at the hands of coaches in a variety of other sports.
Safeguarding children and adults at risk is everyone’s business, NWG (formerly the National Working Group for sexually exploited children and young people) have launched the new Safe to Play campaign which has been designed specifically for the sports community to help raise awareness of how abuse can occur through sport. The campaign's efforts are aimed at parents, coaches and children in order to help them understand what to look out for and how to respond to concerns. The Safe to Play campaign utilises Augmented Reality (AR)technology as a new method of engaging parents whose children play sport. NWG have produced a short campaign video featuring a family scenario around sport and three short vignettes from a child, a parent and a sports coach relating to the story. The videos are embedded in a small credit card sized resource that can be viewed using a smart phone or other digital technologies. The augmented realty card is packed with information that will help parents, coaches, and children to be able to keep safe in sport and you can also access the Stop-CSE website for links to more free to download and share sports resources, all from the comfort of your smart phone or tablet. The campaign has had excellent feedback nationally from parents who value the unique nature of the technology and the ease of use and ability to view the resources with their children, they could relate to the central character Jamie who features in the video and felt more confident after using the AR card to raise concerns and just as importantly ask the right safeguarding questions about the club.

Referees are a vital part of the game that we play today, without referees the game cannot be played. Over the last few years, the drop in the number of available referees has been dramatic and it has often caused games to be cancelled or officiated by parents. At the club, we see the importance of the players we have and hope that we can utilise this talent to create referees now and for the future. Anyone over the age of 14 can take the FA Referee Course and start upon their refereeing career and potentially become a Premier League referee of the future. The FA Referees course is designed to equip new referees with the key skills and knowledge that they will need to be able to referee grassroots games safely and effectively. The cost of this course if £130 which Longridge Town Juniors will cover in return for newly qualified referees taking charge of club games in the future. If anyone is interested in taking the course or knows of anyone that may be interested, then we ask that you contact the club to make your interest known.

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Our new U7 reds will be on the road to success following an agreement with Rogers of Brock to sponsor the teams training jackets for the forthcoming season. The deal will see the return of a former sponsor and shows how the club is motoring ahead of others in its drive to bring the best football it can to the local community. Company Director of Rogers of Brock, Sarah Turnbull whose son will play for the team said "We are pleased to sponsor the Under 7's, it will be great to be back as one of your local sponsors and to see my youngest son wearing the kit." It is fantastic to see the return of former sponsors in these difficult times and to be associated with such a successful driven company is a massive boost for these youngsters. We look forward to exciting times ahead.

Our Under 9 Red's have secured a lucrative deal with McDonalds for sponsorship of their training jackets. The deal which was secured by a player parent will see the golden arches on the back of the training jackets for the next 2 years. McDonalds are synonymous for the work that they have done in grassroots football and this seemed like the perfect fit when we were approached. The sponsorship will include additional health benefits to the team and will provide social activities after matches which will compliment the four corner model.

Our Under 10 Blacks have announced a sponsorship deal with Card Outlet to sponsor their training jackets. Coach Rob Davis said “Our footballing policy aims to allow local children access to grassroots football at an affordable price. The club relies on sponsorship to provide kits for all, so we are grateful for Card Outlet's support. The players love their new tops. We are always on the lookout for new players and we would welcome any children who might be interested in joining the new team.”

We are delighted that this year we will have a full contingent of age groups playing football when we introduce our Under 16 team into the Co-op Central Lancs Junior Football League. The team we hope will be "one season wonders" and wow the league with their silky football, although we do hope that they will carry on into open age football. The team require training jackets, but with the possibility of only having 1 year together as a team, we cannot offer our usual 2 year sponsor package, so we thought it would be an ideal opportunity to offer some of our smaller businesses the opportunity to sponsor a team and win a sponsorship package. The club will run a football card competition. The prize for the winner is an Under 16 sponsorship package and all its privileges which will see your company logo on the back of the jackets and your name and logo on the club website. The football card is held by the club and the winner will be unveiled on Facebook. A copy of the card is replicated in the picture above. If you wish to enter the competition, then each team/entry will cost £10 and your chosen team will be confirmed upon payment of the fee. The team names and selections will be placed on Facebook and chosen by you on a first come/first served basis. You can request a team by emailing David.Ellis@outlook.com The competition will close when all slots have been filled or by the 1st September 2020. Sponsorship must comply with FA guidelines. Arsenal Liverpool Falkirk, Swindon, Coventry, Bournemouth, Ipswich, Blackburn, Airdrie, Chelsea, Blackpool, Aberdeen, Oldham, Swansea, Stirling, Milwall, Bolton, Burnley, Clydebank, West Ham, Celtic, Motherwell, Everton, Tottenham, Rangers, Norwich, Bristol City, Wolves, Manchester Utd, Manchester City, Morton, Southampton, Crewe, Stockport, Portsmouth, QPR, Reading, West Brom, Hamilton Charlton

Our under 12 Red's have secured a sponsorship deal with Northern Medical Ultrasound to become their club jacket sponsors for the next 2 years. The deal will see the reds receive training jackets and raincoats with the Northern Medical Ultrasound emblazoned on the back. Joanne Holgate, managing director of Northern Medical Ultrasound said of the deal "Grassroots football is very expensive but an absolute necessity for children as they grow up. Not only the health benefits but also the all the other ethics it provides. It fills me with absolute pleasure that we have been asked to provide sponsorship and support. I know how much it means for the children to play football and how important it is to their wider family, I would therefore not hesitate to provide sponsorship" If anyone wishes to get involved with sponsorship of the club, then please get in touch to discuss your needs.

We are pleased to announce that the Central Lancs Junior Football League have accepted our application to put a new under 16 team into the league for the 20/21 season. The teams entry culminates the hard work put in by coach Jeremy Riding to give the young lads one last swansong before they take the step into open age football. It is a major achievement for the club as we now have a team at every age group from our development squad up to under 16's, a first for the club and a sign of the growth at the club. The club is now one of the fastest growing teams in Preston. The club pride itself on being able to offer football for all and if anyone wishes to join any of our teams, then please email david.ellis@outlook.com for further information.

Following last nights AGM, the club have appointed Rachel Lancaster as the clubs welfare officer. Rachel brings with her a wealth of experience having previously coached and been club secretary at Chipping before coming to the club and knows the day to day running of a grassroots club. The mother of two young children, she also understands things from a childs perspective. Rachel said on her appointment " I am happy to join LTJFC as your new Club Welfare Officer. I have a lot of experience in working with children and families gained through my job and my various volunteer roles in the community. As the clubs CWO I have two key responsibilities which are: To be clear about the club’s responsibilities when running activities for children and young people and, To help club personnel (coaches, committee etc) understand what their ‘duty of care’ towards children and young people means and, what that will include on a day-to-day basis. My top priority is the wellbeing of our children and young people. I will always try to clearly communicate to you as a parent, coach, team manager. Should you have any questions at this stage then please do contact me via the club website or via your child’s team manager. Child welfare is of the utmost importance at the club and we are looking at various ventures in the future that will emphasise its importance. All parents, coaches and players are subject to codes of conduct and are reminded of their duties. If anyone has any child welfare concern, then they can contact Rachel on 07949 959551 or email at Longridgetownjuniors@outlook.com

The club are pleased to announce a deal with Premier Store in Grimsargh to become the club training jackets sponsor of our Under 12 Blacks for the next 2 seasons. Longridge Town Juniors strength is based on its community foundations and it is this close-nit support that makes it so successful. The Premier store in Grimsargh is that community store which serves many of our players. The partnership seemed like a Premier winning move. The club relies heavily on the support of our local businesses to provide football for the children of the local community. We understand that these are difficult times for all with the Coronavirus pandemic and many companies are struggling. If you are able to provide your support and sponsor a team, then we would be grateful to hear from you.

LTJFC are pleased to announce that SWC have agreed to renew their sponsorship of the club. The deal will see the SWC logo on the front of the club shirts for a further 2 years.
It is a massive commitment from SWC and shows the amount of support that SWC have for grassroots football in the Longridge area. The deal was a no-brainer for the club, Managing Director Ben Lee showing a real enthusiasm for the club and a knowledge of grassroots football that is second to none. He has a winning mentality and shows a commitment to drive the club forward. We are currently experiencing a global pandemic which has meant that all football has been suspended, but when we do return we want to provide to the children of Longridge, a club that they can use to get back to normality whatever that may be. Grassroots Football Clubs are vital parts of the local community, providing health and social benefits to the youngsters of the community and it will be vital to the children to have these activities. SWC's commitment ensures that this will happen bigger and better than before.

Longridge Town Juniors are hoping to find the coaches of the future by reaching out to their under 16's. The club discussed the need to retain these players and provide opportunities for them after football whether that be coaching or refereeing. It was realised that their was no support for the youngsters once they finished their footballing journey and it was a case of "thanks for the 10 years you have just given to us, but see you around." Every player that finishes their footballing with the club will now be offered the opportunities to turn their hand to coaching. In terms of coaching, what we would aim to do is bring the players in to our development coaching nights (u5-u7) and ask them to assist in a volunteer role. We would work with them to develop their coaching skills. If the player then showed a desire to continue their coaching, we would then look towards putting them forward for their Level 1 courses and eventually bring them in to take a team if this was their wish. Every enquiry would be dealt with on an individual basis, some players may just want to spend a few weeks coaching, some may want to make a career out of it. We would work to their needs. We feel that these skills look good on CV's when players enter the workforce and we could provide references for future employers.

It will be a proud moment for ex-player Finlay Cross-Adair today who has been selected for Preston North End's U18 fixture for todays game against Shrewsbury Town. Finlay started his footballing journey at Longridge Town Juniors and left the club in 2015 to join PNE academy. Today he will pull on the famous white shirt in what is a dream come true for many a footballer. This is a massive achievement and shows the potential that he has, in that Finlay is still only an u15 player and it all started at our club where his younger brother still plays. It is going to be a massively proud moment for his dad Mick, who is a massive PNE fan and also for his first coach Jeremy Riding who always predicted that he would make it, "He’s got all the necessary skills but I would say his biggest strength is his pace. He’s absolutely turbo charged" It is every youngsters dream to make it as a professional footballer and one that we are extremely proud at Longridge Town Juniors to be part of. Finlay joins one of a few players that have left the club to go on to play for professional teams and we hope he is one of many more to come. Good luck Finlay, wear that shirt with pride, and remember us when you score your first goal.

Our Under 11's enjoyed a recent social event courtesy of a grant donated by the Co-op foundation to the club. The event was the brainchild of Under 11 parent Jacqui Hulse who made contact with the co-op for funding. The grant provided by the Co-op paid for over 35 children to attend for a fantastic afternoon out at Level entertainment centre in Preston. The children firstly enjoyed running and playing around the obstacle course and this provided them with the opportunity to enjoy themselves, burn off some energy and bond with players from our other u11 teams. Following this, the children then enjoyed a meal with a drink and had great fun eating together, chatting, laughing and socialising. The children finished off with a game of bowling each and they enjoyed the competitive side of this, cheering each other on and showing great sportsmanship. These fun activities enabled the children to socialise away from modern technology, such a Xboxes and mobile phones and the children all left the event happy, contented and feeling good about themselves through the bonding/ laughing/ chatting with other children. This is a particularly important time for these children as many of them, who have never met before, will be going to the same high schools and therefore by having this event the children feel more confident about going to high school and their emotional well being has improved. It will also develop them as players as the social aspect is recognised in the FA's four corner model. None of this would have been possible without the support of the Co-op who also provided two members of their team, Sean and Liam, who were a great help and a credit to the Co-op. They were enthusiastic and helped to supervise the children throughout the afternoon as did many of the parent helpers. For further information on what the co-op foundation does, you can visit their website at https://www.coopfoundation.org.uk/

Longridge Town Juniors are pleased to reveal the 19/20 kit. The kit will see us move to a new blue goalkeeper kit which was requested by many players. Proudly displaying the SWC logo across the chest, the kit will sure be a firm favorite.

The FA cup will be paying a visit to Longridge this weekend as the Seniors will play in the Extra Preliminary round of the FA Cup. The seniors will welcome Barnoldswick Town to the Mike Riding Ground on Saturday 10th August 2019, in what will be the clubs first ever FA Cup game. Prior to kick-off, the trophy will be on display and there will be photo opportunities. This will surely be a once in a lifetime experience and a fantastic occasion for the Club and the town to have the trophy pay a visit. Admission for the game is Adults £6 Concessions £4 Under 16's Free

Our U12's finished their season with the match to end all matches with a dads v lads game. With a line up of just 7 parents (plus 2 coaches) and 12 lads, it was looking fairly obvious at to who was going to win this one, young, fit, able bodied lads against what could only be described as a team of has been's....... Within the first 5 minutes, the scene was set with one of the dads suffering a groin injury. The lads taking this opportunity to carve out three good chances to try and open the scoring, but it was the "dad's" who scored the opening goal and then went on to score two more to make the score 3-0. Shortly before half time though, the lads managed to score 3-2 (due to some obscure European rule that mean away goals counted double... try telling the lads it was their home pitch). It was now half time and all to play for. The second half saw some impressive football from both sides, but it was the "dads" who carved out 2 early goals making the score 5-2. It was end to end football after that and with both Englishby's on the score sheet, the pressure was truly mounting. It was the dads though, that began to show signs of fading and with injuries and aching bones, it was the lads who began the comeback, and brought the scores to 7-6, next goal certainly was the winner, but as the final whistle blew, the dads came out the winners. The lads though, clearly not to be beaten, decided that the game should be settled by a penalty shootout which they clearly won due to numerical advantage. It was smiles all round and a great way to end the season.

A set of Longridge Town Coaches became warriors this weekend as they trecked to Bramham Park in Leeds to take on Total Warrior - the great northern mud run. This character-building terrain was hallowed as the most testing ground for warriors and it was here that these warriors were born. The warriors, Sam Thurlow, Andrew Sidgreaves, Andy Davies, Stuart Bolton, Harry Bolton, Ashley Fletcher, Tony Smalley and Dave Ellis had accepted the challenge to raise funds for Miles for Mitchie and The Oliver Ashton appeal. The weather was glorious as the warriors placed on their customary headbands and set off on the 12k trek of mud, water and tears. The obstacles ahead were fabled in folklore, with such names as Cement mixer, High Jump, Trump tower, Hang Tough to name but a few and contained a mixture of mud, water, ice baths and electric shocks, what more could test a warrior? Our warriors completed the course in a commendable 2hrs 32mins, some of them overcoming fears and phobias. They raised over £2000 for the charities. Over the last nine months, these warriors have faced ups and downs while they trained making life changing journeys along the way. Friendships have been formed and the club will certainly benefit. The bruises are developing nicely and in time will fade, but the memories will last forever. Well done Warriors. There is still time to donate to our charities.

Last week was the latest in the Longridge under 10s (white) football social events. The aim of the events are to promote healthy relationships and improve emotional well being amongst the players. Their siblings and family members were also invited to promote community cohesion. There were 21 children who attended and 15 adults. They went to Francos Italian restaurant and all had a meal. The children completed competitions and won prizes, certificates were given out and chocolate goody bags at home time. Everyone had a fantastic time and the children were a credit to the team. Recent research has shown a clear link between social isolation and poor mental health.  The stronger our social links are, the more likely we are to stay happy and healthy for as long as possible. Therefore the social aspect of football is very important to keep our children happy and healthy which will be an excellent foundation for the eventual transition into adulthood.

"Wet, Dark, Dismal", was the best way to summarise the performance of the coaches as the annual Parents v Coaches match concluded this weekend. It also describes the weather that presented itself to the both teams as they kicked off the end of season ritual.
The turnout was good as the parents looked for revenge for last seasons defeat and both teams fielded strong squads. The match kicked off and was fairly competitive and it took 20 mins for the deadlock to be broken with the parents capitalising on some dodgy defending . Both teams fought to gain the upper hand and it was the coaches that went in at half time 2-1 Team talks at half time for the coaches was more about injuries than tactics and the parents could sense that victory was in their grasp, but it was the coaches that came out stronger and momentum turned, the coaches hit back with star player Smalley making a mockery out of the keeper to level the scores. The coaches could sense a victory. Then Smalley would secure his hatrick as he netted from the spot. But at 3-2 up, injuries took their toll and ageing legs were to be seen in the coaches team, with nothing left on the bench the coaches had nothing left to give and the parents ran riot, the game finishing 7-3. The score did not do the coaches justice, in what was a very even game, but at the final whistle, handshakes were shared and smiles were placed on faces. The trophy was handed to the parents, but it will be back with the coaches next year....

It was a proud day for our Juniors as 3 of our teams were represented at the Central Lancs Junior Football League presentation day. Our U11's who won the sportsmanship award and both our U12's and U15's who were divisional runner ups attended at the Harrington Building, part of the UClan complex to collect their awards. Coupled with the successes of our U8 Whites who lifted their league cup and our U10 Blacks and U15's who were cup runner ups, it has been a mighty successful season for The Ridge.

Our Juniors braved the weather this weekend as they took part in the Longridge Field Day parade. It was a total washout this weekend as all the events of the field day were sent indoors, but it did not stop our brave little warriors from marching around. There were whistles blowing, players cheering and big smiles on faces as they all got into the spirit.

We are pleased to announce that our Under 11 have achieved the Central Lancs Junior Football league sportsmanship award for the season 2018-19. This is a massive achievement for the boys, and one that shows the respect that they have amongst their peers and is a credit to coaches Jeremy Riding and Andy Platt for the way that they have transformed the team over the last season. The award though is not solely down to the players, it is also down to the parents who turn up every week and for this, you help is appreciated in winning this award. Each week opposition managers mark the players, coaches and parents on the respect shown and these points are averaged out over a season to award this result, so it really is a team game. The players will now attend the league presentation on Saturday 8th June 2019 to collect their trophy. Well done all.

Sunday 12th May 2019, was a disappointing but ultimately a very proud day for our club as we saw our Under 10 White's and Under 15's take part in their respective cup competitions. The final result did not go our way, with both games going to the dreaded penalty shoot outs, but in both finals, watched by a strong contingent of parents and coaches, we certainly looked the better team and held leads right up until the end. Both our coaches, Tony Smalley (under 10's) and Andrew Sidgreaves/Ian Coupe (Under 15's) have worked miracles with the teams and surely will be back next year to challenge again. The facilities for the finals, Euxton Villa (Under 10s's) and Vernon Sangster (Under 15's) were exceptional and special thanks must be given to Mid Lancs Colts #mlcjfl and Central Lancs #cljfl for putting on an event that will really make the day one to remember for the boys. Although we lost on the day, the real winner was football.

Longridge Town U10 Whites had their 3rd fun activity day last weekend which went down very well. The idea is the brainchild of Jacqui Hulse, whose son plays for the team. Jacqui says that the aim of the session is "for the children to have fun and to promote healthy relationships which in turn improves mental health for the children." Mental health is an important subject, which often goes forgotten in children's sport, but it is an area that signs need to be spotted early and our coaches are given guidance on the signs to look for. It is something that Longridge Town cares greatly about and anything we can do to improve this should be taken seriously. The day involved the children attending Fulwood Leisure Centre and players and siblings were invited. The children played on the bouncy castle, had party games and joined in with football, badminton and jenga. There was also an Easter egg hunt, buffet for all and each child went home with an Easter egg. Prior to this, the children have been on activity days at Laser quest and Ten Pin bowling, and the response from the children has been "FANTASTIC". It is something that Jacqui has a strong interest in and something that we advocate more of at the club. We are very interested in setting up a parent committee to oversee these events and if you are interested, we ask that you please get in touch.

We are please to announce the signing of Longridge Timber who will be our new U12 Red sponsors for the forthcoming season. Longridge Timber are an independent family owned Timber Merchants and pride themselves on supplying great quality timber and associated products, and offering first class customer service, to the building and joinery trades, property developers and ambitious DIY enthusiasts across the North West of England. We are pleased to have the support of local business and we believe that the support of the team at Longridge Timber will bring great quality football to the U12 team.

Longridge Town Juniors are celebrating after our coaches secured a 2 year Sponsorship with Prospect Homes. Prospect Homes have been responsible for The Ridings development on Whittingham Lane and are proud to put their name to the stunning homes they build across the North West and Yorkshire. With a focus on quality and a passion for detail, they have received a growing reputation among both house builders and homebuyers. We look forward to developing our partnership.

Longridge Town Juniors showed that "its ok to be different" as the club embraced the Downs Syndrome odd sock initiative. The idea was put forward by Glenn Joyce (U13 coach) and by looking at the pictures of the players, they looked like they really enjoyed it. It really got out the message and showed that we are a community club and that football can be enjoyed by all.

Thursday 21st March 2019 was World Down's Syndrome Day and to show our support at the club, we will this weekend join the #lotsofsocks campaign. World Down Syndrome Day is a global awareness event and we plan to spread the work by wearing odd socks at all our games. But not just any old socks, the brighter, the better. We will then post photographs of our teams on facebook to spread the word. For those interested in the work of the Downs Syndrome Association, can visit and to see the work of others that have taken part, you can visit

Our under 13's reached Week 2 of their circuit sessions. The players are attending Infinity fitness in Longridge at their own cost to build on their fitness. The idea is the brainchild of Glenn Joyce and the feedback has been excellent and Glenn is seeing an improvement in fitness levels (as they’re recognising the importance of it and some are doing bits on their own) . He is proud of the boys for all signing up to it and wanting to do it 👍

It is with great excitement, that we announce that our under 12's coach, Nigel Stafford, has successfully completed his FA Level 1 qualification in coaching football. Nigel who has sons at under 8 and at development squad has spent the last few weeks dedicating his time to the course and his achievements in passing the course in such a short space of time are a credit to the detail that he puts in to every session. Nigel has become a firm favourite within the under 12 team that he coaches and has also integrated well within the club. Without the support of coaches and parents, the club would not be able to operate. We ask that anyone who may wish to follow in Nigel's footsteps to contact the club.

Robert Adamson was today selected for the U13 town joining George Bolton and Joseph Higham to bring the number of players who have played for Longridge to 3. The 3 boys all started off together with the Little Kickers squad and it shows that with hard work anything is possible for our boys. It is impressive that 3 lads from the same age group have made it through to that level of football. The team beat Wirral 4-2

On what is today, World Cancer Day, our coaches are proud to announce that they are set to become total warriors by raising money for two local charities. 10 coaches from Longridge Town Juniors Football Club have decided to raise money for two very worthy causes close to all our hearts. On the 22nd of June 2019, Sam Thurlow, Dave Ellis, Tony Smalley, Andy Sidgreaves, Andy Davis, Ashley Fletcher, Stuart Bolton, Harry Bolton, Johnathon Kenyon and Mac Willan will all take on the 12k obstacle race called “total warrior” based in Leeds. Our coaches are committed and currently training hard for the race. We are asking for your support in sponsorship. What are we raising money for? Our first charity is Miles for Mitchie. Mitchie is a lovely little boy who is currently training in our development squad. When Mitchie was just 3 years old he was diagnosed with Medulloblastoma (a type of cancer that affects the brain and spine). Mitchie needed 6 weeks of brain and spine radiotherapy at The Christie, 30 sessions of treatment each performed under general anaesthetic. Mitch was allowed a 6 week break to let his body rest before chemotherapy started. He was admitted back into the RMCH on the 21st April to begin chemo. He had 4 treatments of chemo, each lasting 4 weeks. With each treatment, Mitchie was neutropenic, meaning he had to be in isolation as his immune system was extremely poor. We are very pleased to hear that Mitchie rang the End of the Treatment Bell on the 3rd of August! This is not the end of his journey though. Tests and scans will be needed regularly for the rest of Mitchies life. Since then, his friends and family have all got together to raise money for Cancer Research UK, this idea snowballed and soon the whole village was wanting to get involved! They then started up Mitchies very own charity "Miles for Mitchie" and share all the funds raised between local, childhood cancer related, charities. Ward 84, Royal Manchester Childrens Hospital, The Brain Tumour Charity and Ronald McDonald House who have all helped Mitchie and his family. More info can be found at: Our second charitable cause is for the Oliver Ashton appeal. Oliver Ashton is the brother of one of our coaches- Andrew Sidgreaves. He was born on Christmas Day, and has just turned 19. Oliver was diagnosed with a rare life shortening condition called Coffin-Siris Syndrome. This affects Oliver in a number of ways. He has severe upper respiratory issues which means he requires oxygen at times and he is on a ventilator for upto 12 hours a night. Oliver is unable to eat and is fed by a gastrostomy tube in his tummy. Oliver can't sit up, crawl or walk and has no speech. He is an extremely happy child and our aim is to raise funds to support his ongoing care and provide him with additional equipment. Although Oliver is provided with a wheelchair this is becoming extremely difficult to push as he gets older so we would like to get him a powered chair and also improve his vehicle for taking him out and about. If anyone would like to help us raise money for these worthwile causes, they can donate by clicking below...

In line with our current expansion plan, Longridge Town Juniors are seeking applications for an Under 18's coach for the 2019/20 season. Applicants will ideally be FA Level 1 qualified, although training will be given. We are also inviting new players to trial for the team as we seek to supplement the existing squad. For further information, please contact Dave Ellis on 07832 115831 or email david.ellis@outlook.com

Smokefree sidelines will be introduced at Central Venue from Saturday 12th January 2019. Longridge Town Juniors are fully supportive of the scheme and ask that all parents respect the leagues decision and co-operate fully. As a club, we are actively working towards bringing the scheme into the club and to enforce the initiative at all the clubs home grounds. We ask if you can respect our decision and support the scheme in the interim. The Mid Lancs Colts have sent the following press release. "Smokefree sidelines is aimed at Sports clubs and Leagues with the ambition to support all adults involved in sport and physical activity to understand their responsibility as positive role models. The Mid Lancs Colts Junior Football League is all about promoting a league as a healthy and inclusive place, where the well-being if all, but particularly children and young people is a priority. The Mid lancs Colts Junior Football League will work in association with the Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust Quit Squad on the Smokefree Sports Initiative with the vision to see the next generation of children born and raised in a place free from tobacco, where smoking is unusual. A key ambition of this work is to de-normalise smoking for children; children copy behaviour that they see. The initiative will also be supported by the Lancashire FA and will be promoted accordingly. Smokefree sidelines means that members and visitors to the Central Venue are asked to refrain from smoking or vaping on the sidelines and in sight of children at fixtures. Vaping is included in the Smokefree sidelines initiative to help guard against youth uptake of vaping. Vaping is not recommended for young people. In the UK, protection is in place via prohibitions on the sale of cigarettes to under 18's. It is anticipated that parents will recognise what the initiative is trying to achieve and adhere to the rule. The campaign will give parents the opportunity to report smoking or vaping on the sidelines or in the view of children, to League Committee Members."

It is with regret that the club announce that Michael Cookson has left as coach of the U13's team. Michael leaves the club due to family commitments following the recent birth of his daughter. Michael had been instrumental in the formation of the Under 13 team and had built a great team who were just starting to find their feet in the league. It is disappointing news, but the club wish to place on record their appreciation for the work and effort he has put in. The club have been quick to find a replacement having been approached by Glenn Joyce. Glenn is a FA Level 2 qualified coach, holds FA teaching certificates and is CRC checked. Glenn is a former semi pro having played in the north east for 15 years. After moving over to Lancashire with work he joined and played for Garstang FC and was part of the squad that won the Lancashire shield. He later coached and was assistant manager of the club. Glenn also played cricket for Garstang and one of his sons Matt still plays cricket for Longridge CC. His daughter Danielle is also a highly acclaimed personal trainer and owns her own fitness centre in Longridge. His middle son Andrew is a much watched and lauded player at Garstang and the youngest son Nathan plays for the under 13's. More recently (2012 - 2017). Glenn was the football coach for Garstang St Thomas school guiding the team to win multiple trophies through that period. He is always indebted to the support he receives from his partner Julie, which is the vital part in the making of a great coach. Glenn will be assisted by Steven Young and the two of them will be keen to start working immediately with the boys. The club are extremely grateful to them for accepting the role and look forward to exciting times for the boys.

The Juniors will be rolling into Christmas as we have taken over Rollerworld in Preston for a night of festive fun. We have managed to secure the rink on Tuesday 11th December from 6.30pm to 8pm and invite you all down to join us. The evening will cost just £2.50 per person and will include the cost of skate hire. If you are interested in joining us, then please register your interest by clicking here

We have been afforded a special offer as part of our involvement with Lancashire FA. For the European game - Man City v Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday 7th November - 8pm at the Etihad Stadium, we have been offered tickets priced at £17.50 for adults and £5 for children.
If you wish to take up this offer, then please let your club manager now by 19th October 2018.

We are pleased to announce that the club have secured a hat-trick of sponsorship deals. Goal ...... Its in the back of the net, Anwyl Homes have agreed sponsorship of our Under 10 White team Property developers Anwyl Homes are developing Inglewhite Meadows on Inglewhite Road. Anwyl Homes have over 85 years success behind them in the property development business and if we could only share half of their success as we develop our club, then good times lie ahead. GOAL ....... a screamer from the clubs latest prospect - Prospect Homes have secured sponsorship of the managers jackets. Prospect Homes are developing "The Ridings" on Whittingham Road. All homes are built with high specification and attention to detail, just like our coaches and we are proud to have a winning team behind us. GOAL ..... Completing a hattrick, Good Call hospitality will sponsor our U7 team. The club make a good call with the acquisition of Good Call Hospitality as our U7 sponsors. Good Call, a new name in the hospitality business are ideally suited to our new recruits as they begin their footballing journey. We will introduce our sponsors in more detail as we receive the jackets, but these latest sponsorship deals show the attraction of Longridge as a club and as a town and show that the club is developing and making itself hospitable to the whole community. The club could never survive without our sponsors and we are grateful to them all. The funding that they give us means that we can keep costs to a minimum to you. With all sponsorship deals though it is important that we promote our sponsors and it is stressed that club jackets must be worn at all times.

We are pleased to announce that our Under 8's Blacks coach, Rob Davis, has successfully completed the FA Level 1 in coaching football. Rob has proven to be a real winner and completing this course shows that all his determination has finally paid off. Having struggled to get a team for his son to play in, Rob went out and brought his own team in and the numbers now within his team is testament to the work he puts in. If you are interested in coaching in any form, then we want to hear from you.

As the long nights start to draw in, we ask as parents that you make sure that we know who is picking your child up at training and on matchdays.
We have had several incidents in the last few weeks involving children going home with other parents or being left waiting for a lift home.
As Coaches, unless informed otherwise by the parent, we can not let the player go home with older siblings, grandparents or family friends.
Our priority is the safety of your children, and we ask that you assist us in achieving this.

Our Under 14 sponsor Storefirst based at Millenium City Park have agreed a two year sponsorship renewal with the club. With the withdrawal this season of our U14 team, we thought that it may have been the end of the road for Storefirst sponsorship, but they have seen the strength of the club and the loyalty of our parents and have taken the decision to sponsor our new under 13 team for the next 2 seasons. As a club, we rely heavily on the sponsorship of local businesses to survive and without businesses like Storefirst helping out, then we would be forced to price children out of the game. Therefore, it is vital that we also show our support to them. Store First Self-Storage can make your storage experience as pleasant and easy as possible by providing clean affordable storage that’s convenient and secure. They always have fantastic deals, so get in touch now and see what they can do for you – call them on 01772 429429 or visit storefirst.com/price and see what they can do for you.

A coach will impact more young person in a year than the average person does in a lifetime. Are you ready to make an impact ? Coaching is a rewarding role and one that can bring great satisfaction, seeing your work rewarded by happy children. A coach will lead by example, be dedicated and determined, teach teamwork, motivate and listen, build character and be able to develop players both in football and as a person. Does this sound like you, then we want you as part of our team. We are looking for help and assistance at all age groups, whether you want to work with the children of the future developing them from the age of 7 or prefer to work in the 11 a side game, then we have a role suited to you. Are you ready to make a difference, then get in touch with us.

The club are pleased to announce that Julia Draper has been appointed as Club Welfare Officer. Julia, a qualified solicitor, has recently completed her Club Safeguarding and Welfare Officer workshops with the Football Association allowing her to take on this important role. Julia has one child at Under 7 and husband Adam is also a club coach which will allow her to see things from the perspective of child, coach and parent. Safeguarding in football is our number one concern and if anyone has any concerns, then they should contact Julia via email at welfare.ltj@mail.com

As the dark nights draw in, it is time for us to make the move to Longridge High School for winter training. We will start winter training on 24th September 2018. Due to the increased number of teams at the club, we have had to alter some of the training times. The schedule will be Development Squad Monday 5.30pm - 6.30pm Indoors Under 7 Monday 6.30pm - 7.30pm Pitch 1/2/3 Under 8 Black Monday 6.30pm - 7.30pm Pitch 1/2/3 Under 8 White Monday 6.30pm - 7.30pm Pitch 1/2/3 Under 8 Red Monday 6.30pm - 7.30pm Pitch 1/2/3 Under 9 Thursday 6pm - 7pm Pitch 1 Under 10 Red Thursday 6pm - 7pm Pitch 2 Under 10 White Thursday 6pm - 7pm Pitch 3 Under 10 Black Wednesday 6pm - 7pm Pitch 1 Under 11 Red Thursday 7pm - 8pm Pitch 1 Under 11 White Thursday 7pm - 8pm Pitch 2 Under 12 Wednesday 6pm - 7pm Pitch 2 Under 13 Thursday 8pm - 9pm Pitch 2 Under 15 Thursday 7pm - 8pm Pitch 3 Under 16 Thursday 8pm - 9pm Pitch 1

We are pleased to announce that we have received the most generous donation of £650 from Waitrose as part of their Community Matters grant which works towards helping good causes in the Community. The donation was all through the hard work of Darren Fry whose son Oliver players for our newly formed Under 13 team and massive thanks go to him. The cheque was presented to the club at training on Thursday and will now be put towards buying goals for the Mardale pitch.

Our Under 15's were treated to a game of bowls this week as a treat from manager Andrew Sidgreaves to celebrate winning the league and to help with team bonding ahead of the new season. The team attended at the new Level bowling arcade in Preston and had a good laugh. All the team were on their best behaviour. Well done lads, same again this season.

The Football Association have launched their latest campaign in the Respect programme. The campaign is titled "we only do positive" and is targeted at coaches and parents within youth football. The respect campaign has been running since 2008 and aims to make the game more enjoyable for the children. You can read more about the campaign at http://www.thefa.com/get-involved/coach/respect/we-only-do-positive

We are pleased to announce that Geno's of Longridge have come on board to sponsor our newly formed under black team. The takeaway based on Berry Lane have agreed to support us for the next 2 years and it is hoped to be an exciting pairing. The Under 10 team have recently moved over to us from Chipping and if the team can take away a few wins this season, then it will be a successful partnership.

We are pleased to announce that Geno's of Longridge have come on board to sponsor our newly formed under black team. The takeaway based on Berry Lane have agreed to support us for the next 2 years and it is hoped to be an exciting pairing. The Under 10 team have recently moved over to us from Chipping and if the team can take away a few wins this season, then it will be a succesful partnership.

Longridge Town Juniors unveiled their new kit this week The new kit which is sponsored by SWC construction was officially launched this week. The kit retains the red and black colouring synonymous of Longridge and features the new club badge. The club have retained the Joma branding and the kit has been launched alongside the new black training top.

We are pleased to announce that we have been chosen to take part in Waitrose Community Matters. Waitrose, based at the Capitol Centre, each month donate £1000 between three local good causes and you have the power to choose how that is split. At the checkout, you will receive a token which you can then place in the box of the good cause that you would most like to support. The more tokens that we receive, the bigger donation we will receive, so get yourself down there over the next month and lets bring the money home. The participation is thanks to Darren Fry whose son Oliver plays for our Under 13 team.

Longridge Town Juniors were giving back to the community this week when Mark Cummings went out to Whitechapel Primary School to hand over footballs to the school. Mark said "A lot of our players currently play football at Whitechapel, and the more we can encourage our players to play football and the more opportunities we give them, then it can only benefit them in the long term. We have had a long affinity with Whitechapel and have had a lot of the children attend our training sessions, so we were happy to help them out with a supply of balls."

There can be no better way to start your footballing career than a local derby in the beautiful sunshine, and that's how it started for our new under 7's as they entertained Chipping.  There was a full crowd to watch the youngsters who played football with smiles on their faces. The crowd were entertained by both sides with football worthy of a World Cup final. All the player's were stars on the day and it will be wonderful to watch Adam and the team on their footballing journey.

30 years of hurt (ok, 12 months, but it felt just as long) came to an end on Sunday when the Parents beat the coaches 5-4 to reclaim the trophy. It was a massive turnout, from both players and spectators, as football came home to the hub that we call Mardale. The build up to the match on social media had centred around the eligibility of Jack English and this was soon to turn into the "Jack English Final", but having got around the red tape by the fact that he had played for the Coaches last season without objection, the game kicked off with anticipation high for both teams. The coaches had recruited heavily during the year and felt that this was their year. The parents, resembling a local boy band, had the biggest squad available to them for some years due to the high number of children at the club and selection had made sure that only the strongest had survived. The game kicked off, and the coaches were immediately down to ten men, when it was realised that the Mr Cummings as manager had left his abacus at home and had only selected ten players to start. This was soon rectified and battle commenced. The coaches took it to the parents and the pressure soon paid off, as they took a 1-0 lead through a sweet English strike into the top corner (ps. Sweet, English and strikes are never normally referred to in the same sentence.) The half carried on in much of the same vain and come half time, parents were 3-1 up and the trophy was being tied with red ribbons and the champagne was being ordered. Half time saw several changes from the parents, and they came out all guns blazing, the quickly pulled a goal back and the fight back was on. It was end to end stuff but with 5 mins to go, the score was 4-3 to the coaches and panic had set in as the parents looked like they were going to edge it and by now were surely the better side. It was now time for drastic measures, on came the rearguard, the brawn and muscle of the team to hold onto dear life. The parents continued to batter the goal, only kept out by the superb Coupe in goal. But suddenly a break, a flash of genius, a ball aiming for the top of the parents net and the crown celebrated. 5-3 to the parents, game over. A fantastic day for all and a big thank you to all the parents for giving us that one final moment of glory before we hang up those boots and also for coming out and spectation on the day. Football and the trophy have finally come home...... Just dont tell Mrs Davis that she's sleeping on the couch for another 12 months.

Our Under 14's today attended the Central Lancs Junior Football League presentation to collect their Division 2 title. The event which was held at UCLAN, saw all the league teams that had received honours, attend to collect their trophies. There was a real sense of achievement for a team that have come such a long way in just 12 months. This was a team that was having to play a year up last year due to lack of numbers and it was feared that they would not be playing football for the club again. In came Andrew Sidgreaves and Ian Coupe who have transformed the team and given them something to play for. The team will now move up to Division 1 next season and it is hope that we will see them back

With just over 3 weeks to go until the big game, the excitement is reaching fever pitch. The transfer merry go round has already started with parents attempting to become coaches for the day and birth certificates being falsified to be old enough to be a parent. As the coaches build an experienced side with a combined age of about 572, the parents look for youth, skill and bending the rules The latest line up for the coaches are... 1. Dave Ellis 2. Andy Marsden 3. Andy Davis 4. Tony Smalley 5. Rob Davis 6. Michael Cookson 7. Simon Gornall 8. Nick Woloszcuk 9. Mark Fisher 10. Leighton Fisher 11. Mark Cummings 12. Jack English 13. Tom Southworth 14. Jonathan Cronin The parents line up is:- 1. Tom Bamber 2. John Pickard 3. Simon Hindley 4. Lee Marginson 5. Mark Wilson 6. Matt Wilson 7. Dane Leeming 8. Andy Cook 9. Jon Atkinson 10. Andrew Watson 11. Jordan Wilson 12. Ricky Mercer If you still want to take part, then you can still enter by registering at Im in it to win it

We are pleased to announce that we have secured a deal with Steel Work Construction (SWC) to become our main club sponsor providing sponsorship of the club shirt for the next 2 years commencing on the 1st June 2018.
The sponsorship shows a massive investment by SWC in Grassroots football and will provide stability for the club enabling us to develop the club whilst keeping our subscriptions at the lowest we can whilst also promoting our ethos of providing football for all. SWC who are a Lancashire based steel erector are a major player in the construction industry working throughout the UK and match our ambitions to be a major player in the grassroots football arena. The club in the last couple of years has grown from strength to strength and the investment from SWC will allow us to continue that growth.