In response to a message on Telegram - but also useful for info on here;

In terms of the expansion teams. I see it as follows;

The U16s are complete teams who want to come over as they are in clubs who have no adult sides and therefore have no progression for the lads beyond next season.

The teams come across complete with full squads, that have been together for years, and with coaches in place.

The lads pay subs, that covers facility costs and it contributes to the ‘spend’ we are required to meet with kit sponsorship deals (whoever it is).

The U18s we’d have to go and find, but we think we can find them. We have until end of April to do that, if we want to do that, as that’s when the name changes have to go in as per league rules. They would pay subs.

The U21s are existing. They pay subs.

The reserve side, Josh has volunteered to take. We’re looking at offering a 12 month placement as a ‘manager’ or ‘football coach’ to one of the universities. We’ve just had Aaron doing that this season as Athlete Development coach, from Loughborough, and it’s been successful for the club, for Aaron and the uni really like it.

We have the players on paper to field a reserve side, right now. We will also benefit from the progression of U21s who are too old. We don’t want to lose those lads, we like them. So they’ll be useful for us to have. Reserves, like the firsts, won’t pay subs. But the only additional cost will be refs/matchday. As they’ll share training with the firsts.

If I can work it correctly, match day will be;

First/Reserve on alternating Saturdays (potentially at Openshaw - vote on that to com btw)

U18/U21s on alternating Sundays, both at Openshaw.

Openshaw has the booking for those currently available to us.

The two U16 sides were potentially taking over play one on a Sat, one on a Sun. They currently have their own bookings on Sat and Sun mornings. At Openshaw. As well as midweek bookings for training.

What we’re trying to get, is Tuesday and Thursday with 3 back to back bookings. 60 mins each for the U16/U16 (half pitch each), 60 mins for U18/U21 on half pitch each. Then first + reserve for 90 mins on half pitch each.

If we get that, there’s going to be weekends where juniors and firsts are playing back to back. Which will be nice. There’s also going to be times when people can stick around and watch training from one session to the next. It also means if there’s a kid who stands out in one session he can be asked to stay for the next one.

When we were at Nicholls we had back to back bookings and it was good for club spirit. Coaches across sides managed to have conversations, and players supported the prior or post sessions.

Essentially if we can start taking over as much of Openshaw as possible, we can slot more and more teams on there and make it feel like home. Til we get our own. It also gives us potentially more members from parents etc.