Football Focus Issue 81 | Page 21

Ellington who joined as physio, a position he once held at Ashington CFC. Scott Appelby a young coach has also joined to take over the training side of things and has settled in nicely. Our plans for the rest of the year are to continue in our current form and keep the morale at the good place it is. Hopefully it would be good to promote some of our younger lads in the Reserve side to let them experience Alliance football.” Youth “Youth football is crucial as we rely on good players feeding through the younger age groups to eventually progress into the first team. We hope to progress the First team up the leagues and give youngsters the ambition of playing for the First Team. We have started off a reserve side in the league we previously won in the expectation of giving juniors the opportunity to experience senior football. There has to be enjoyment within every age group, which helps with transition throughout the years. Maintaining retention is crucial to having a consistent supply of players to ensure regular competition in the senior leagues.” Community “We consider ourselves a community club and have put a lot of effort into the development in the heart of Ellington. We are hoping this brings the community together and we make them proud as a football club. Eventually the clubhouse will become a hub for Ellington.” Challenges/Ambitions “The biggest challenge as for most teams starting up is the financial aspect. The cost of football is always on the rise and it is affecting many clubs. The club’s ambitions are to move into our new development and to see a successful link made between the juniors and our senior team. It would be nice to win some more silverware and to establish ourselves within the Northern Football Alliance. We aim to be the main goal for all junior footballers within the club, so that we are their aspiration to one-day play for Ellington FC.” family orientated country pub We’re a family orientated country pub, just 7 miles from Morpeth, 8 miles from the idyllic Druridge Bay and just 15 mins from the beautiful Northumberland town of Warkworth (See how you can find us). We’d love to welcome you along for a light bite, a special Sunday lunch, an evening meal or just for a cosy drink. Selection of Tasty Real Ales | Restaurant | Free Wi-Fi Large beer garden | Car Park | Easy Access | Sky TV Telephone: 01670 760260 Website: www.thewiddringtoninn.co.uk Email: [email protected] www.footballfocusmag.com 21