The
Club was founded back in July 1995 when Bill Wheatley was
involved in children's training at Hampden Park Sports Centre.
As the sessions were finishing, a couple of the boys suggested
getting a match against another team. Trying to do this
did not prove as easy as one would have expected with the
lack of F.A. affiliation preventing the boys from playing
established teams. Consequently, Bill decided to take a
group of those same children for a game on Sunday Mornings
at the Five Acres field opposite Princes Park.
That first week saw over 20 children arrive and within a
few weeks, the numbers attending made it obvious that there
was a need to become more organised. Various parents (who
had just come along for a doze in the sun) soon found themselves
being promoted to the lofty heights of "coach"
with all being encouraged to join-in. Pretty soon, numbers
had swollen to over 40 and the first steps were taken to
form a new Club for the Langney Point area. Our first half
a dozen Committee meetings were held with up to 20 people
present (nothing to do with them being held at the Eastbourne
Fisherman's Club) and the level of support received was
unbelievable.
One of the parents was extremely generous and helped with
provision of training facilities at Park College where we
were fortunate to be able to train right through the winter,
inside when necessary. Footballs were purchased cheaply
and, courtesy of our very first sponsor, our first royal
blue strip was purchased for the Under 7's. By begging,
borrowing and stealing (only temporarily) we were able to
kit-out another two teams ready for our first couple of
friendly matches. By that Christmas, funds were sufficient
to hold a small party after training one Sunday, and present
each child with a small gift. We ran a "Design the
Club Logo" competition which resulted in the splendid
design you see above with the motto which will always be
our key-phrase; "Enjoyment is the game" During
this period the Committee was starting to get to grips with
the rapid growth of the Club.
We were extremely fortunate that all the parents who had
started coaching back in the Summer were able to carry on
and organise friendly matches and mini-tournaments for each
age group. Without their continued dedication, the Club
would never have attained the status which it enjoys today.
Many fund raising activities were organised last year which
enabled the continued purchase and manufacture of training
equipment, culminating in a Club Tournament for over 300
children. Continued sponsorship from other local companies
enabled additional kits to be obtained The generosity of
Tollgate Junior School resulted in the decision to bring
the Club back to "The Point". The decision to
come away from Park College was not taken lightly but gave
the Club a secure future with the scope to expand in years
to come. Plans were rapidly formulated to improve changing
facilities and secure storage on the site. The Club "came
of age" in June 1996 with the holding of its first
AGM. This set the first committee, constitution and a finance
plan designed to take it into the next few years with clear
visions and adequate funds to realize them.
The Club became affiliated to the Sussex County Football
Association with all policies and procedures in place to
allow the kids to play the widest range of football possible.
As the club expanded the need to find further facilities
to cater for our members saw the first contact with Bishop
Bell School and the provision of 11 a side pitches.
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In 2003 the most significant movement
in the club's history took place. Chairman Bill Wheatley
approached The Eastbourne Borough FC Senior Committee and
after some negotiation Langney Point FC became Eastbourne
Borough Youth FC. The club now enjoys close ties with the
one of the most successful non league teams the region has
ever known.
The culmination of over 10 years of fund raising was released
last year to support the re development of pitches at the
Senior site. Pitches that the youth section will utilize
and welcome teams from across the south.
Repeated vandalism at the Tollgate site prompted the Club
to withdraw from the site in 2006. This was a difficult
decision but the relocation to Bishop Bell was a natural
progression with the creation of small sided pitches along-side
the already established 11 a side pitches.
In 2007 The club lost its girls section after a number of
Girls coaches took the well established set up to create
their own club. EBYFC continues to provide quality football
coaching for a number of girls throughout the club and who
will benefit greatly from the change in FA rules allowing
them to play in mixed teams up to the age of 14.
As the 2008/09 season began
Bill Wheatley having given 13 years to the club he founded
moved on to work with the Senior Club while Andrew Edwards
a long serving committee member and coach stepped up to
the challenge of maitaining the high standards the club
has become know for.
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Today, the Club enjoys a membership
of nearly 300 children, both Boys and Girls. A dedicated
band of Coaches and supporters take our members all over
the South East to compete in league and friendly tournaments.
We have come a long way in the last four years, but we are
constantly striving to make the Club better than ever.
The way ahead is now taking shape as we look to enjoy a
deepening relationship with the Senior club, provide better
playing surfaces at the Priory Lane site and make use of
the planned 4G surface at Bishop Bell
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