Hathern FC clinch title and plan for the future
Rothley Imps U15s celebrate another title success
ROTHLEY Imps U15s are celebrating after securing the LDSJL Division B title with a game to spare.
The team has been together for four seasons and has now secured four promotions and two titles.
The squad have all contributed with keepers George Evans and Olly Blyth conceding only one goal in the final six matches, all won by Rothley with five of these games being away from home.
The defensive unit of Ben Lewin, Dempsey Mayne, Connor Williams, Cameron Harrison-White, Sam Pilbeam, and Ryan Thomas collectively conceded only 28 league goals in 20 games this season.
The midfield of Luke Del Grosso, Harry Beaumont, Will Boot, Alex Duffield, Thomas Nicholson and Harvey Waites have performed excellently while the front line of Chris Yates and Reiss Vandra are the best pair in the HATHERN FC player manager Darrel Brookes has led the club he played at for six years to the highest level of football it has ever reached as they clinched the Leicestershire Senior League Everards Championship title in his first season in charge.
Darrel’s Hathern side now have sights set on launching a youth development side for the first time to help build on the title they clinched in a nervy last game of the season.
Hathern went to fifth placed County Hall in their final game and knew that a point would be enough to take them into the Everards Premiership for the first time in the club’s history.
The league leaders ground out a 0-0 draw at the Glenfield club which meant Hathern finished above second placed FC Khalsa only on goal difference.
Khalsa had taken all three points in a top of the table clash with Hathern only two weeks before which made for a tense final day.
Hathern are now preparing for life in the Everards Premiership and upgrades are being made around the ground to league, more recently backed up by Brodie Carr.
The team scored 65 league goals over the 20 games, with Yates and Vandra each with a goal ratio of a goal per game across the entire season!
At the final whistle of the last game of the season there were jubilant scenes and a great send off for Chris Lewin who is hanging up his managerial boots after being involved with the squad since 2011.
Mario Del Grosso, who joined as coach in 2013, said: “The lads have been fantastic and they deserve their success. We will now be able to move up to play at the top level of Sunday U16 football in the county, a great achievement for a village side.
“We will also be at our new home at Rothley Sports and Social Club, and with a couple of signings hopefully on the way it will be exciting to see what we can achieve next season.” give them the best possible chance of success.
These will include the relaying of the pitch, new pitch drainage improvements, and they are hoping to get new floodlights for the ground.
Hathern FC first team player manager Darrel Brookes told the Echo: “We have had a fantastic season and have a great bunch of lads here that we want to keep together for as long as possible.
“I promised results at the start of the season and look what we have achieved in one year.
“In five years I would love to see the club challenging with sides like Quorn and Barrow.
“Next season we want to establish ourselves in the league and we will also have a youth development squad that will hopefully bring in more young talent that we can add to the club.”
“Also with our improving status anyone who would like to challenge themselves and wants to join us at Hathern please get in touch.”
Darrel said that the youth development side would give younger talented players the opportunity to challenge themselves in a mens football side, and also to become part of Hathern’s “community” set up.
He said that the youth development side would be playing in the Midland Combination Reserve Division 1 next season and anyone interested in becoming part of the team or management of the team to contact himself on 07530 329833.
Darrel said that the club wouldn’t have been able to achieve the title without the help of the volunteers at the club, from the groundsman, the tea hut volunteers to those who help out with the general every day running of the club.
He said: “We have a great opportunity to build a real relationship with the local community and would love to get as many people from the local area down to watch us play next year and welcome anyone who wants to get involved in all areas of the club.”