Founded in 1999, Faversham Strike Force Football Club are a registered charity and FA Charter Standard Community Club who provide a safe, enjoyable learning environment for all children and adults.
Faversham Strike Force Football Club offer training sessions and matches for all ages and abilities and teams compete in countywide and local leagues, including the Southern Counties East Football League, South-East Counties Women’s League, East-Kent Youth League and Faversham & District Youth League.
With 26 teams, from Under-7’s through to men’s & women’s teams, they also offer sessions for their Mini Bolts (Year R & 1 pupils), Wildcats (Girl’s sessions), Walking Football, two ‘Turn Up and Play’ sessions, social inclusion sessions and Kent Police staff kick-about; all supported by their 94 incredible volunteers!
CommunityAd spoke to Faversham Strike Force about the past year and hopes for the future.
How have you navigated through the past tough year?
The structure of the club allowed us to remain calm and manage our way through the restrictions and lack of activity but the main disappointment for us all was everyone being inactive. Not being able to train or play matches with your group of friends was a real heartache for many of our players.
However, while on the pitch activities were paused, we seized the opportunity to improve our off the field processes and facilities. We improved our home at The Mount by investing in both the grass pitch and our 3G as well as our pavilion. We have new storage rooms, new changing facilities, new kitchen and a replacement roof – investing over £25,000 of funding in the process.
Our First Team were recently promoted to Step 6 of the National Football pyramid and will play in the Southern Counties East Football League next season – the highest level the club has played.
What realistic hopes do you have for the season?
We just want to get back to some routine where we can play, train and support each other without a question mark over restrictions or lockdown. We have surpassed over 500 registered members and we are ever growing with on average a new member every day since our return to football at the end of March.
We want to see our Southern Counties East Football League side establish themselves and look to ensure we have a pathway at all levels and age groups for everyone in the community.
We are, however, getting to our limit of player numbers and unless the Town Councils and Swale Borough Councils help find us more green spaces and pitches, we will have to start turning young boys and girls away. Not because of our structure but the housing growth and lack of green space for them to play.
As a registered charity and community club how important is support and how can our readers support you?
Our community is everything from players, supporters, volunteers through to local businesses. Without our community we are nothing – people stepping up and saying “yes, I will volunteer” is fundamental to the running of the club. Our community can help by volunteering to support the development of the club but alternately we need everyone to keep the message going that we need more pitches and green space for everyone to fall in love with the beautiful game.