Wolviston
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Wolviston
FOOTBALL CLUB
Wolviston FC has been enjoying a fantastic season so far this time
around and will be working hard to continue their good form in 2019.
Football Focus Magazine recently caught up with Club President to
gain an insight into what has been behind their success.
He told us, “I am now in my 50th year at
the Club and was attracted to Wolviston
Football Club in 1969 when they asked
me to transfer from South Thornaby FC,
telling me how good a goalkeeper I was
and that I would be the missing link for
them to get promoted. I was obviously
flattered and duly signed on for them.”
“I played for the 1st team for eight
seasons, then as my form waned, I was
dropped to the Reserves where I finished
my playing career after suffering a back
injury (although saving a penalty in my
final competitive game, winning the
match 1-0 against Darlington WBSM)
I then became Secretary for 27 years
in between managing the Reserves,
maintaining the ground and facilities
before being elected as President in 2009.
“The rest of the Committee is also made
up of long serving officials. Treasurer
Brian Jones has served 64 years along
with Chairman Derek Stockton now
in his 48th year (that’s 162 years’
service between three officials). The
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final member of the Committee is Paul
Larkin who is also the club’s Under 23’s
Manager having served five years.
“The most challenging aspect of my role
at present is to keep the Club financially
sound which is proving more difficult
each coming season as sponsorship is
so hard to find these days. The most
rewarding aspect of my role is to see the
satisfaction and pleasure on players faces
from the Junior Section through to the
Senior Team on match days. It gives me
great personal pleasure to be able to pay
back to the Club some of the good times
they gave me when I was a player.”
Manager Steve Cook also took the time
to speak with us, saying, “The mood
around the squad is buoyant! The lads
are enjoying their football and the whole
Club is a very positive environment for
everyone to work. It has taken a long
time to get the ‘feel’ in the dressing room
right and we have done that by bringing
in not only good players but good
characters too.”
“We have a host of players that either
have or certainly could play at a higher
level but Wolviston is a bit special, it
gets under your skin. On the pitch we
try to play the game in the right way and
off the pitch there is an honesty and a
warmth that isn’t present at many clubs.
“The season has been tremendous to
date. We have shown unbelievable
quality as a team to blow other teams
away at times and also, and arguably
more importantly, the character to dig
wins out when not at our fluid best. We
are currently finding ways to win and
long may it continue.
“The foundations were laid last season
but the combination of retaining all the
key figures from that campaign, coupled
with the addition of four key individuals
(McGee, Drazdauskas, Jaques and
Gaffney) has resulted in us being top of
the league as we enter the New Year–
that’s unchartered water for Wolviston
FC.