Price earns Saints’ first team chance
ROCHDALE St Clements FC are looking forward to the new season after consolidating their position in the Lancashire Amateur League last term.
Saints intend yet again to have four ‘open age’ teams and they will focus strongly on developing and promoting an enviable crop of very promising young players.
Chairman Simon Lord said: “The first team last year had a creditable finish, thanks to Will Ivatt and Michael Lord taking temporary charge.
“The second team supremo Matt Price topped Division 1 for long periods of the season and finished the highest placed second team in the league. Wayne Miles and Jason Jackson also steered Saints A team to finish as the highest placed third team.”
Pete Foster & Alex Challen did a great job ensuring the Club is one of only three maintaining four teams in the LAL.
It is perhaps no surprise that when last season’s two first team managers indicated that travelling (from Chester and South Manchester) was unsustainable in the medium to long term, the chairman and committee had no hesitation in appointing Matt Price after a quality job with the second team.
Matt said: “I was delighted to be appointed first team manager this season. Also, bringing Joel Murphy in as assistant/ head coach was an absolute ‘no brainer’.
“Joel’s enthusiasm, coaching ability and experience will be key for us this season.
“The lads have been great in the first few weeks of pre season, we have worked them very hard and got the desired response.
“We are delighted we have kept all our players together despite several approaches from North West Counties clubs looking for players. We all believe that with the lads we have here and with the additions we have made, we can have a very successful season. We still have a lot of work to do but we are very excited about the start we’ve made.”
Lord added: “Clements have always been about providing the best opportunities and facilities possible to encourage players to enjoy playing football.
“We are confident that Matt and Joel will take our training, coaching and player development to the next level during the coming season.
“We try to avoid players having to drift from club to club, too often they become disenchanted with football and stop playing. Attracting and retaining players are always good indicators that clubs like Clements are on the right track.”
Saints drew 2-2 at the weekend against Walshaw and have other pre-season games scheduled prior to the season opener, the Paul McKeown Memorial Trophy against Mostonians on 11th August at Burton Park.
As grassroots football continues to struggle for funding, Saints would like to thank Matthews Quality Meats, Venn Consulting, 3B Training and Bromak for their sponsorship during the coming season.