At the beginning of the season the club saw a management change across all 4 senior sides from the Hellenic, via the Gloucestershire Northern Senior to the Stroud and District League.

With the clubs third team pushing for promotion in Stroud and District Division Two, with the inclusion of 5 players under the age of 18 and some of the same crop pushing for a place on the clubs 2nd team (Gloucestershire Northern Senior Division One) and 1st team (Hellenic Premier) it would be fair to assume that its “so far so good”.

This coming Sunday, a new chapter can be included in the “trust in the youth” era. The clubs under 17 side, which play in the Cheltenham Youth League are one win away from securing the league title. Beating Charlton Rovers (who are 2nd in the league) will secure the title and current manager Tom Shaw is relishing the occasion.

“Overall the season has gone well. Been very stop start because of weekends with no games but when we've had games all of the lads have been superb”

“Its our biggest game of the season and a chance to win the league with a game to spare. They’ve (Charlton Rovers) been the side we've been looking over our shoulder at all year, knowing that one slip up would have let them back in with a chance to win the league.

“They’re going to be well up for the game and will want to do everything they can to make to the league go down to the final game. Having played them twice already we are familiar with how they play so it is important we set up properly and earn the right to play because they’re a very good side and will punish us if we aren't performing”

In fitting with the clubs investment into the youth, a few of Shaws squad have also made their senior debuts, something which Shaw says is paying off “At a time when some of the team have started to play men's football, it has been easy to see who has and who hasn't because these players have added a physical side to their game they didn't have at the start of the year”

Shaw told us about some of his sides key players “Joe Garfield and Max Ellis. Both lads play in the Centre of Midfield. Break up play well and compliment each other's style of play. Max loves to win the headers and Joe likes to win the tackles. And they both have great engines. James Beck has been the tallisman and has scored some crucial goals this year but his work off the ball is what has most impressed me this year. Brandon Clarke has been a rock at the back. Brilliant in the air and reads the game very well”

Look out for some of these names in the clubs adult sides on years to come:
Calum Ashurst, Jamie Tsang, Will Emberson-Fluck, Max Ellis, Brandon Clarke, James Beck, Cody Dokic, Joe Tyler , Martin Butz, Joe Garfield, Jack Blackwell, Carter Tandy, Oliver Griffiths
Kymani Richardson, Sam Jones, Ben Jones, Troy Hailwood