We are delighted to have three new teams starting with the club next season.

Two boys teams have come out of the club’s Mini Marauders development sessions, so we will have Dragons playing at under-nines and Rockets (pictured) under-sevens will be our first ever team playing 3v3, the FA’s brand new format. 

Rockets made their home debut at St Mary’s Park last weekend, and the kids all seemed to have a great time while they made history as Marauders hosted their first ever 3v3 match day. A fun season lies ahead for Ste and Daz’s team.

We also welcome Tigers and coach Sean to the club. They are a new boys under-13s side. 

The committee met recently to set a date for the AGM and go through the club’s finances and other pressing matters.

The AGM will be on Thursday 13 August, from 7pm at Icons on Bury New Road.

Fees for the forthcoming season will be decided on the night, as well as several updates for members. 

All those whose kids play for the club, or volunteer in any capacity, are welcome to attend. 

All the cabins at our sites were cleared out and tidied by volunteers during July. Thanks to all those who helped out.

Some coaches from the club kindly gave up a Saturday to help repair the pitches on St Mary’s Park following the wear and tear caused by Prestwich Carnvial. Thanks again to those who levelled out dips and filled holes to ensure the pitches are safe for the kids.

Further work will be done to ensure the pitches are in tip-top shape for the start of the season, which is a challenge given the ongoing heat wave.

Four teams will use SMP next season - Phoenix girls under-12s (nine-aside), Hurricanes girls under-10s (seven-aside), Dragons (five-aside) and Rockets (3v3).

At Sandgate Road, we worked alongside our partners Prestwich Heys AFC on a new gate for the site and a barrier to help protect the playing fields that contain our pitches. The club’s badge now proudly adorns the gates.

We are in talks to have some water drinking trees planted at Sandgate soon, as we investigate several options for improved drainage.

Both Sandgate and Sparks Field were recently ‘vertidrained’ to help with drainage and pitch aeration. Sparks also underwent reseeding and other pitch maintenance. Next season two of our under-14s boys teams, Raptors and Warriors, will play home games there.

We recently hosted our final Mini Marauders session, before the summer break. A mini-tournament was held and kids received medals and a little treat each. The sessions, which have ran at SMP since the start of May, have attracted more than 50 different kids over the months and we have regularly seen 25 to 30 turn up each week.

Some of our players have also been helping the coaches. Thanks to Adalind (Phoenix), Blake (Phoenix), Hudson (Panthers), Lois (Diamonds) and Violet (Hurricanes), who have been invaluable.

We will be contacting parents/guardians imminently about the new sessions that will begin in September.

The sight of so many youngsters playing football on SMP on a Wednesday night has been a joy to behold, as Rockets, Dragons, Diamonds girls under-13s, Cheetahs under-14s girls and Emeralds under-16s girls, have also trained on the same evening.