Clyde Supporters’ Summer Season Sevens
Stevie Morton has been involved in the Clyde Supporters Football Club for 20 years, after founding it in 1981. Now, as he explains, he’s moving on.
“We have came a long way in that time as we now organise the supporters’ bus from Glasgow to the majority of away matches and we usually organise Clyde Player of the Year nights at the end of each season.”
“In recent years, despite numerous adverts in the programme, we have had extreme difficulty in attracting new Clyde supporters to the team. Although it is still very much a Clyde team, in order that the club could continue this season it was necessary to introduce non-supporters to make up the numbers.”
Now, Stevie has decided to concentrate his efforts on other things and he has a great new idea to help bring Clyde fans together and hopefully attract new fans to the club. He is starting a weekly game of seven-a-side football for Bully Wee fans which he hopes will be successful and lead to other things.
“I decided that the time had come to take a back seat with the supporters’ team, let others run the team and involve myself in other Clyde activities. This in turn may even help the team recruit more supporters. The Sevens is just the first of several ideas I have to improve relationships amongst the supporters. I hope they will help but only time will tell.”
If you want a game of football in a friendly environment with other Clyde fans, Stevie wants to hear from you. Further details follow.
CLYDE SUPPORTERS SUMMER SOCCER SEVENS
COMMENCES WEDNESDAY 22ND MAY 2002
AT HAMILTON PALACE SPORTS COMPLEX (MOTEHILL ROAD, HAMILTON)
WE ARE LOOKING FOR SUPPORTERS AGED 16 AND UPWARD WHO ARE INTERESTED IN A GAME OF FOOTBALL OVER THE SUMMER MONTHS.
IF YOU ALREADY PLAY THE SMALL SIDED GAME OR JUST FANCY A KICK OF A BALL WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU.
FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR TO REGISTER YOU’RE INTEREST PLEASE
E-MAIL US AT clydefanssevens@aol.com
OR ALTERNATIVELY TEXT STEVIE ON 07773241933.
The Details
The idea of the Soccer Sevens is to bring supporters together in a common aim of having a game of football in an enjoyable environment on a regular basis, and through time to create a forum for discussion on how the support can help the Clyde Target 2K initiative to overcome the clubs problem of poor attendances, insufficient investment and the lack of atmosphere at Broadwood.
It will commence on Wednesday 22nd May at 8pm (subject to booking) for one hour (sometimes there is no 9pm booking which would give us an extension free of charge). It will be played on an Astroturf pitch a third of a full sized pitch with smaller goals than normal.
The venue will be Hamilton Palace Sports complex, Motehill Road, Hamilton, which is directly adjacent the retail park and Esporta Sports complex and is easy access for the M74 motorway. The complex has its own changing and showering facilities although if you prefer you can come ready without using the facilities. It’s entirely up to you.
There are some specific rules to seven-a-side; a kick- in replaces a shy, there is no offside and there is no need for referees. The standard of ability is irrelevant and there is no need to be super fit. Just come along and enjoy the kick about.
The pitch is capable of accommodating up to a maximum of 16 players and the cost to each person is only £2, payable on the night. If we attract in excess of 16 we will consider hiring two pitches even if that means reducing the four teams to only 5 players, to accommodate everyone. The actual cost of pitch hire is £17.00 and excess money collected will be used to purchase bibs and balls and to reduce the cost per person as we go on.
The intention is to play every week throughout the summer and maybe all year if there is a wish to do so. The success of the scheme will very much depend on the interest of supporters to attend and to come back again on a regular basis.
Still interested? If so let me know and I will notify you the week beforehand of the final arrangements.
Thanking you for your interest.
Stevie Morton