News

The Red Lion in Water End kicked off its sponsorship of the Berkhamsted Raiders U14 Blue with a pre-season event on Monday 5th September, which saw over 80 players and family members turn up to enjoy food and drink after the planned barbecue was rained off by heavy Autumnal showers.

With the team donning shirts emblazoned with The Red Lion logo, the Josper Oven barbecue was a roaring success despite the weather, and the atmosphere was electric with pre-season football fever.

Berkhamsted Raiders U14 Black also proudly showcased their shirt sponsorship by the Kings Arms Hotel in Berkhamsted, which, currently closed for extensive refurbishment and renovation, is due to open its doors in early December.
Oakman Inns & Restaurants who own both the Red Lion and the Kings Arms is looking forward to supporting Berkhamsted Raiders CFC through team sponsorship and the organisation of some exciting events in the near future.

Forget about the disappointing performance of the England team in the World Cup..... Berkhamsted Raiders and Ashlyns School are celebrating after accepting the offer of funding from the Football Foundation for BerkoAstro. The new facility will provide a 3G floodlit football pitch for the town at Ashlyns School. (3G is state of the art artificial grass.)

The Football Foundation has approved a grant to a maximum of £255,000, supplemented by a grant of £45,000 from the Football Association. The grant funding will provide a total of £300,000, around half the total cost of BerkoAstro.  The remainder has been generated through the combined fundraising efforts of the school and Raiders.

Thanks...

The Club would like to thank everyone who has worked so hard to raise funds for the project – the 324 who completed the Fun Run, and all the parents and children who have helped out or participated in various fund raising activities.
And thanks in particular to:

• Paul Taylor, an U10 parent who has done a great job of project managing the bid and tender process.
• Paul Russell, Club Development Officer, who has been key to our success in winning the support of the Herts FA and the Football Foundation.
• It’s probably fair to say that the Chairman’s done his bit as well.

If everything runs to schedule, BerkoAstro will open in October/November this year and will be run by a Management Committee with representatives from Raiders, Ashlyns School and the Herts FA.

What does it mean for Raiders?
Raiders will have priority usage of the facility and all training will be held there. The pitch can also be used for mini-soccer games and for 11 a side matches on the full size pitch.
It will mean some changes (for the better!) in the way that we do things at Raiders. You don’t get a grant of £300,000 without having to fulfil some conditions..... we had to submit a comprehensive football development plan to support our bid. And the development plan means changes in how we run the Club, how we coach players and in our overall approach to football development. For example:

• Some teams will experience changes in training times. We’re planning a Raiders Club Night when many of the younger 11 a side teams will train. This will enable us to develop an improved club ethos, and improve the way that we train our coaches and develop players.
• All teams will involve external coaches in their coaching sessions. (Many teams already do this.)
• There will be other changes to the “way we’ve always done things”. But they will be changes for the better and for the benefit of the children and the Club as a whole.

Do we need more cash?
Yes. We currently have a funding shortfall of around £40,000. We can plug this gap with funding from four Raiders managers who have generously offered interest free loans to the Club, but ideally we want to fully fund the project without any loans. We’re confident that the success of the Football Foundation bid will stimulate additional donations and funding. If you know of any local businesses and potential sponsors wishing to contribute to and support BerkoAstro, get them to contact Raiders.

Don’t forget how this all started...
BerkoAstro was the dream of Paul Beard, our former Chairman, who died suddenly last year. He was the original driving force behind the project and the great progress that the Club has made in the last few years.

Paul will be very happy that his BerkoAstro dream has become a reality.

Over 1,400 boys and girls took part in last week’s Annual Six a Side Soccer Tournament at Berkhamsted Raiders CFC. 145 teams from as far afield as Baldock, Marlow and Hillingdon competed in age groups from Under 7 to Under 14. Total attendance for the day was over 3,000.

Raiders Vice Chairman and Tournament Organiser, Steve Slater said: “The Raiders Tournament attracts the best teams from the local area. Some great football was played throughout the day in the right spirit. The Club raised around £5,000 which will help to support our activities in providing football for boys and girls in the local community.”

Tournament winners:

• ·         U7 – No Winners – everyone gets a medal
• ·         U8 – No Winners - everyone gets a medal
• ·         U9 – Park Street Village
• ·         U10 – Woburn Lions
• ·         U11 – Croxley Guild Sharks
• ·         U11 Girls – Garston Ladies
• ·         U12 – Hillingdon Borough FC
• ·         U13 – Alexandra Park Youth
• ·         U14 – Ruislip Rangers

Once again Raiders triumphed at the Hertfordshire FA County awards picking up three major awards at the ceremony held in the grounds of famous Knebworth House on Thursday night.

Raiders scooped up the Herts FA Community Club of the Year for the second year running and Club Coach Steve McHugh picked up Herts FA Community Coach of the Year and FA Eastern Region Community Coach of the Year. He now goes on to be shortlisted for the FA’s national awards later in the year.

“It was a fantastic night for Raiders and we’re thrilled to have been honoured as Community Club of the year for the second year running,” says BCRFC Chairman Keith Pollard. “Steve McHugh’s double award was richly deserved. His dedication and commitment to the development of children’s football at Raiders is second to none and he’s a brilliant ambassador for the club”.

“It feels great to be honoured by the FA as their Community Coach of the Year,” adds Steve McHugh. “But I couldn’t do what I do without the help of my family and the support of such a fantastically run football club”.

The prestigious Hertfordshire FA Awards took place at Knebworth House on Thursday 10^th June in front of an audience of 130 people from around the county including referees, coaches, administrators and young volunteers.

Berkhamsted Raiders is putting its weight behind the FA's England Football Day on 12th June by running a 4x4 Under 6s tournament at Ashlyn's School, Berkhamsted.  Created to encourage the nation to "play, coach and celebrate" and get behind the England team as the World Cup campaign starts, England Football Day is a celebration of the beautiful game in all its forms with festivals taking place across the country. 

Raiders 4x4 under 6s tournament kicks off at 10.30am on 12th June so get up to Ashlyns School, support your local England Day Football Festival and come together for England!

Eight-year-old Raiders star Isaac Pitblado is set for soccer success as he signs for Tottenham Hotspur FC’s Academy.  Midfield maestro Isaac, who currently plays for Raiders U8’s Reds, officially signed to become a Student of the Premier League on 16^th April and will now play for Tottenham’s Academy side against other academy teams in the UK and abroad.

The youngster who lives in Felden and attends Two Waters school in Hemel, will no longer be eligible to play for Raiders although he will remain closely involved with the club.

“We are incredibly proud of what Isaac has achieved at such a young age,” says Isaac’s father Craig Pitblado.  “Sadly he’ll no longer to be able to play for Raiders but he’s had a fantastic two years at the club and has made friends that I’m sure he’ll keep for a long time to come.  As he starts this new path in his life, we’d like to say a huge thank you to the management, coaches and supporters of Berkhamsted Raiders for all their support”.

“Isaac’s footballing talent was obvious the day he joined Berkhamsted Raiders at the age of six,” says Club Coach Steve McHugh.  “He’s been a pleasure to coach and has been a lynchpin of every Raiders team he’s played in.  We’re really going to miss his ferocious free kicks from midfield but the whole club wishes him every success at Spurs!”

Below: Isaac signs for Spurs with the Club's Academy Recruitment Officer Richard Allen   

The winners of the Super Sunday Easter Colouring competition have been announced.  In the 7s and under category, the winner was Joshua Maddison, with James Dawson runner up and in the 8s to 13s category the winner was George Burr with Jasmine Durrant runner up.

Below, James and Josh accept their prizes from Berkhamsted Arts and Crafts.  Congratulations to the winners and all those who took part.

The date of Super Sunday has changed to 11th April and will now feature the added bonus of the annual Raiders versus Berkhamsted Cricket Club football match. 

Please note that the closing date for the Easter Colouring Competition will now be 11th April.