IT'S an exciting time - the eve of a new season! All of us at Chorley FC are particularly looking forward to the 2024-25 season. There has been significant development at the club during an exceptionally successful off-season and I want to take a moment to highlight some of what’s been going on and to express my gratitude to everyone involved.
We have organised and completed an eye-catching fixture schedule that has not only tested our newly assembled squad but also provided exciting opportunities for our supporters and the local community to experience the new developments and watch some high profile players at Victory Park. We hope that some of these visitors will become new supporters of Chorley FC. Our links with local league clubs and even those in the Premier League demonstrate our ambition and desire to work with clubs at the highest levels.
This pre-season, you’ve undoubtedly noticed the significant improvements at the Grant Store Victory Park Stadium, which are a testament to the commitment of James Waldie and our team of investors. These upgrades have been made possible through the hard work and dedication of many, including our investors (particularly Shiloh Surfacing and DP Cold Planing), other local companies/sponsors and our incredible volunteers, who have generously given their time to bring about these changes.
Although we may have started our home fixtures a week or two earlier than ideal, with our first game against Bradford City in early July, I’m pleased to say that the pitch has held up remarkably well and has only improved since. With the addition of over 7,000 meters of drainage, a state-of-the-art irrigation system, and an all-around enhanced appearance, I believe our pitch and ground are in the best condition they’ve ever been; certainly during my time at the club. More importantly, the improved systems provide us with the tools to maintain the high standards we’ve seen during our recent fixtures. A special thank you goes to Paul Eckersley and his team from LFP Environmental for their instrumental role in these upgrades, which have been the talk of both fans and visiting teams alike. A mention as well to Gary Whittingham, who has voluntarily helped and assisted Paul throughout the process.
The new perimeter fence (which will be furnished with sponsorship boards) and the tarmac path around the pitch have given the ground a more modern look while maintaining the authentic feel that we all cherish at Victory Park. This transformation (and there’s more to come) is the result of countless hours of hard work by many individuals at the club, including external contractors and volunteers who continue to dedicate their time to Chorley FC. A special thank you to Lostock Skip Hire who have continually provided skips - we’ve had a lot to move! And also to Gary at Sanctum Garden Studios who has helped immensely with transformations. We are deeply grateful for all contributions.
Recently, we launched our exciting new kits in collaboration with Hope and Glory, and I’m delighted to report that sales are going well. Our club shop is in the process of relocating inside the ground to make it more accessible to all our supporters, further enhancing your matchday experience.
As you’re probably aware, there have been some welcome additions in other areas of the club over the last few months. Craig Dootson, our Chief Operating Officer, has settled into his role and made many positive contributions during his short time in this position. He is working closely with Terry Robinson, our CEO to ensure initiatives and changes continue to have momentum. Both have been integral to the day to day operations at the club and have supported other key staff to make many strides.
We have also welcomed Harriet Jamieson, who will support our media team assembled by Pete Tscherewik. We know that our communications are a vital part of our club. Pete will now be assisted by our club photographer, David Airey, and Harriet, who will focus on videography to help enhance the overall social media and communication package offered by the club. Craig Thompson joins us from Lancaster City;his voice will be heard over the tannoy on Matchday. Again, another welcome addition (thank you to Griff, who has supported us as our PA announcer on Matchdays but is unable to commit this season). A mention also to our man from Belfast, Oran Willis, who continues to assist the media department and with other roles on matchday.
We’ve offered even more experiences in the social club and hosted more events, particularly during the EURO 2024. Sue Gautrey, our hospitality manager, and her team have dedicated so much time and effort to improve our overall offer as a football club. This season, you will see this grow even further with many events already scheduled.
Jeff Clarke has continued to push our commercial offer, enticing existing and new partners to support our club and contribute to its growth and sustainability. Thank you to everyone who has decided to support Chorley Football Club in whatever capacity.
Darren Jenkinson and his Community Foundation Team have made massive strides in their development through the off-season. There’s more to the Foundation than the Soccer Schools and matchday mascots; their new partnership with the Deaf Village North West and their commitment to Walking Football are just two initiatives that have garnered attention recently. I am also pleased to announce that I’ve joined the Community Foundation as a Trustee and look forward to helping them support the community of Chorley. Much more can be found by viewing their website: https://chorleyfcfoundation.co.uk/
John Moore is now leading our fantastic team of stewards as well as the Health and Safety aspect of our match day experience. He is supported by a team who have implemented new, welcomed procedures. Cath Still is a part of this team and she will continue to lead on match day First Aid, supported of course by our Head Physio, Robbie Harrison who continues to oversee our physio department.
The Girls’ team (who had a particularly successful season winning the South Manchester Girls Football League and a Cup) have now moved up as an Under 18 team and will continue to be led by Craig (who has also given up so much of his time to make improvements to the ground) John and James.
Our under-age teams are geared up and prepared with some new additions to the squads and also the coaching teams. Gary Donoghue will have oversight of the under age teams and lead our academy supported by an excellent team of coaches who have conducted a host of trials and formed some new teams. We will provide more information about the teams and structures for the coming season.
John Clarke is our named Welfare Officer and will lead the our team of coaches and players to ensure the full implementation of stringent safeguarding procedures.
There’s been a lot of change at the club - I would like to thank everyone who has worked so hard during the off-season, which is arguably the busiest time at a football club. There are so many unsung heroes at a football club. There is much more to come this season as we continue to build our club.
On the pitch, Preecy has worked tirelessly to assemble a competitive squad that is as hungry as ever to make its mark this season. He has successfully retained the core of last season’s team and the new players have quickly embraced the hard-working mentality that has long been a hallmark of Chorley FC. The pre-season trip to Alicante has helped foster strong relationships within the group, and like last season, we hope these bonds will translate into success on the field. It was of course a successful season for Jack Hazlehurst who recently completed a move to League One’s Burton Albion with our best wishes.
Of course, the team has a lot to live up to after the successes of last season, but I know that Preecy and Ando are ensuring that our standards and targets remain as ambitious as ever. Supported again by Steven Drench (Goalkeeping Coach), Christian Hughes (Strength and Conditioning) and Robbie (Head Physio) who all do a fantastic job in their respective areas. Owen Pope and Matt Swift will continue to lead match day filming and analysis.
Two new additions to our back room team include Kyle Preece and Stephen Cowley. Kyle Preece has been appointed as Head of Recruitment. For the first time ever, we have someone dedicated solely to player recruitment. With a team of volunteers, he will assist Preecy and Ando by offering information about players who we could potentially be a part of our club. He’s already contributed to many of the first team signings so far, and I’m sure his input will be most welcomed.
Stephen Cowley is our very enthusiastic and organised kit man! He brings years of experience and winning mentality - he informs me he has Championship Experience! He’s been a great addition to the group bringing so much positivity and personality to the role - an integral member of our team!
As you can see, there’s been lots of positive changes in all aspects of the club and I for one, am excited!
I urge all of our supporters to get behind Preecy and the team as we embark on what we hope will be an exciting and eventful 2024-25 season. With Andy Preece in charge, we have one of the most formidable and well-respected managers in non-league, and I know he’s worked harder than ever to prepare the team for the coming season.
I am looking forward to seeing many of our supporters spurring our team on tomorrow at Peterborough Sports and if you can’t make the long journey, I hope to see you at an upcoming fixture.
Here’s to an exciting season!
Up the Magpies!
Jamie Vermiglio
