Chairman's Speech Presentation Night Season 2024/2025

Hello Everyone,

As we reflect on the 2024/25 season, I want to take a moment to sincerely thank each and every one of you for being part of the Shamrock FC community. Your support and involvement have been instrumental in allowing us to deliver high-quality football sessions to girls in our local area.

Women’s football is undergoing a remarkable period of growth. As of February 2024, there are now 12,150 registered women’s and girls' teams across England and the Channel Islands—up from 5,632 in the 2016–17 season (source: 31 County Football Associations). We’re proud to be part of this exciting journey and to play a role in the development of the women’s game.

Since our establishment in 2022, I’ve been incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished together. With three thriving teams, we’ve built something truly special. I’d like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to our players, parents, volunteers, and sponsors—your dedication and generosity are the heart of Shamrock FC.

This season, we welcomed the Emeralds and our new U10s team—it's fantastic to see the club growing and introducing even more young players to the game. Our training base at Bablake continues to serve our U13 and U15 squads, along with the Emeralds and U10/11s, providing a positive, safe, and nurturing environment.

A special thank you goes to our amazing volunteers and coaches. Your time, energy, and passion make a real difference. You help instill values like teamwork, discipline, and resilience—lessons that extend far beyond football. You’re helping shape confident, capable young people, and we’re truly grateful.

To our committee members—thank you for your continued hard work and behind-the-scenes dedication. Your service ensures the smooth running of the club, and your contributions do not go unnoticed.

We also want to wish Julian, Karl, and Kelly B all the best as they move on. You’ve been valued members of the Shamrock family, and we wish you every success in the future.

A huge thank you to Martyn H, whose incredible fundraising efforts—including completing a marathon—raised £1,200 for the club. His support helped us provide training sweatshirts, boot bags for the U13s, and essential equipment.

I’m also pleased to share that towards the end of 2024, we secured a grant from Barclays. This funding has supported teamwear, equipment, and other key costs across all three of our teams. We’re continuing to work on more initiatives behind the scenes and will keep you updated.

If you’re interested in getting more involved with the club—whether that’s on the pitch, in a supporting role, or behind the scenes—now is a great time to step forward. Your involvement helps us continue to grow and thrive.

Looking ahead, we’ve already sent out electronic sign-on forms as we prepare for the 2025/26 season. I hope all our players will continue their journey with Shamrock, developing their skills and passion for the beautiful game.

Thank you again for being such an important part of Shamrock FC. Let’s celebrate all that we’ve achieved so far and look forward to another exciting and successful season ahead.

Warm regards,

Matt

Chairman

Shamrock FC