Bootle
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Bootle
FOOTBALL CLUB
Bootle FC is a fine example of the important role that a club can play
in their local community. Football Focus Magazine recently caught up
with Club Representative Chris de Asha to find out more about the
good work that they’ve been doing lately.
FF: How long have you been
involved and what first attracted you
to the club?
CdA: I’ve only been at the club for
a year, we moved on masse along with
25 teams from another grassroots club
due to wanting a clearer pathway for
our youth to go into adult football
which this club is determined on
providing.
FF: What are the most challenging
and rewarding aspects of your role?
CdA: The most challenging for
me personally as an U15 manager is
keeping lads interested in playing
football and to start the transition
of youth aspects of football to adult
to prepare the lads rather than it
happen overnight. I am also the vice
chair of the Youth section of our club
and a challenging aspect is to keep
the momentum going through the
age groups and making sure that all
teams have support and feel included
in our club.
22 Issue 85
The whole grassroots programme
is so rewarding, I have been doing
my U15 team since U6 and I have ex-
players at academy’s and at district
football, with two stand outs, one is
currently England girls U16 goalie
and the other has been notified of
his scholarship eighteen months
early. When you hear of these stories
it is so rewarding to think that you
have played a part in their progress.
The rewarding part of being on
the committee is playing a part in
providing football for nearly 500 boys
and girls.
FF: How’s the general mood down at
the club at the moment?
CdA: No matter what happens this
season, the club has had a fantastic
year. As well as the first team having
an excellent season, the youth teams
are thriving and that’s been shown
with the players who have stepped
up - Johnny Foy and Jack Goodwin
being two excellent examples.
FF: How would you say the season
has gone for the club?
CdA: The season is going
unbelievable for the club right
through from our first team who are
on a fifteen game winning streak
at the time of writing, to a hugely
successful U21 team - then with two
highly impressive U17 and U18 teams
right down from U6-U16. Our partner
club, Bootle Bucks Inclusion, which
is a club for special needs is gaining
more and more exposure and players
each week. They held their own
successful tournament recently which
was a massive success. Added to that
our girls section is growing by the day
making it the fastest growing sport in
the UK; and we also have our Bootle
only Goalkeepers sessions on a Friday
night.
FF: What are your plans for the rest
of the campaign?
CdA: With the season nearing an
end, our aim is to keep the momentum