After a gap of 23 years, senior-level adult football is finally back in town. Stone Old Alleynians Football Club, founded in 1962, have returned to the facilities at Alleyne’s Sports Centre that they vacated in 1999.
On Wednesday 10th August 2022, the Reserve team fixture vs Cheadle Town marked the return of some of the club’s adult teams, albeit only the Reserves and ‘A’ team for now.
Both teams play in the Staffordshire County Senior League in divisions One and Two, respectively, with the first team remaining at Kings Park (Meir Heath) due to the facilities required to play in their Midland Football League Premier Division.
This season will see the club field in excess of thirty teams ranging from u6s to over 60s, boys and girls. The club is thriving on all fronts and all bar the first team playing at the Stone school facilities.
The club have also been awarded a long-term grant from the Football Foundation to invest in the quality of playing surfaces over a five-year period.
Community Development Officer Richard Jones said
“From the outset, a key stepping stone in the long-term vision and development of the club was to get an adult team back playing on-site.
In addition to the three veterans teams, we now have two adult senior teams playing competitive Saturday afternoon football at the school in the Staffordshire Senior League.
Every Saturday afternoon, there will now be an adult football fixture in the town. There has been no adult football in Stone whatsoever since 1999.
The crowds have been very encouraging too, with at least sixty spectators at every game so far. All that remains long-term now is for the men’s first team to be back on site, but that will take its time.
For now, to have over 600 club members spread across over thirty teams actively using the facilities is absolutely great to see. Another key point is that the club’s youngsters and parents are also now seeing a clear pathway into youth and adult football. To have six competitive adult teams within the club is unique within the county”.
Stone Old Alleynians FC have boys, girls and veterans teams. Anyone interested in joining the club as a player or volunteer can contact us on:
Facebook:
@StoneOldAlleynians1
@StoneOldAlleyniansgirls
Twitter:
@stone_OA
@soa_girls_women
