Glossop North End Community Club are delighted to confirm exciting plans for the 2024/5 season beyond with the widest “Open Age” provision in the clubs history.
Last year they introduced their first open age men’s team who competed in the Manchester League Division 2 ( Step 8) and reached the Derbyshire Junior Cup Final North played out in front of 600 people at Surrey Street in March this year.
This young side learned lots during the season and after a tough start really found their way and enjoyed their first experience at this level. This season will see the introduction of an under 23’s team competing in the Manchester League Development Division ( 5) which will give even more players the opportunity to transition from junior football to open age and have their first taste of Saturday football.
There is also a strong Sunday football tradition in and around the town and we are delighted to be incorporating “Glossop Town” into the club who will play on Sundays in the Tameside League. This means players who may have work or other commitments on Saturday’s can play at a level that suits them on Sunday mornings. Open Team training for the 1st Team and 23’s is on Thursdays at Glossop Community Sports Hub 730pm whilst the Sunday team train Wednesday’s 8-9pm. The club will also have an under 18s team plating in the EMJFL on Sunday’s so there will be more football on offer for older players than ever before!
But the club is not stopping there. For the first time in 5 years the club will be reintroducing a Women’s 11 aside team who will play in the Greater Manchester Women’s League. Glossop North End AFC and then latterly Glossop Juniors and Ladies women’s team led by local women’s football legend Zoey Shaw were highly successful before finishing pre the Pandemic winning the Derbyshire County Cup and Derbyshire Women’s League back to back.
With a strong group of under 18 girls coming through and over 200 girls now playing at the club the time is right to offer Women’s football on Sunday’s playing in a high quality league. The under 18’s will continue to play Saturday’s and the Women’s Flexi League team who won their first trophy last season ( 9 aside on Fridays) complete the football offering for girls 16+ and women wanting to play football for their town. The new 11aside and 18s train on Tuesdays in season, Flexi Mondays and Fridays.
Football Development Officer Ben Mills said,” We are really pleased to see the club complete its pathway for Men and Women in advance of the 2024/25 season with our widest football offering yet. Giving younger players at the club opportunities to play open age football whilst also attracting new and enabling former “Glossop Juniors” the chance to play for their town is great to see. Playing sport ( and love of football) has so many benefits for people beyond playing the game. The benefits of physical exercise, camaraderie, mental health and belonging to a club are significant and help develop friendships that last a life time. Playing at the highest level you can is also one of our core values, being the best you can be, and we hope these teams will also provide a platform for success in the future at our new amazing home. Who knows what the future holds and how far we can go , but starting is always the most important thing!”
The club also offers Vets Men’s on Monday nights, Walking football on Wednesdays and will be offering Vets Ladies later this year.
If anyone is interested in joining the club or finding out more or you would be interested in supporting these teams through sponsorship then please do get in touch with footballdevelopment@glossopnorthendjuniors.co.uk
Women’s football is one of the fastest growing sports and has grown significantly in popularity year-on-year, from the Women’s Super League (WSL) turning fully professional in 2018, to the record-breaking viewing figures from the Women’s 2023 World Cup of which England’s Lionesses reached the final.