2006 The start of a new team .By Jeff Sharp
13 May 2008

I became involved with Redditch United (for my sins) after meeting the youth development Director Pete Finnegan and Club Chairman Steve Rossiter.Their vision for the future and youth set up impressed me so much I wanted to help, Pete was running a Saturday morning training group and my son Adam was invited to attend - he did. It was at one of these sessions, as I have the required CRB and child protection certification and experience managing open age football teams, Pete asked me if I would manage the under 8s team he was trying to assemble, I had no hesitation in agreeing to this.

The team was already registered in the league and all we needed was seven players Pete had four and the telephone numbers of some more, anyway to cut a long story short and with the help of my wife Sal, the team was formed in August two weeks prior to the start of the season.
We soon learn't we were not ready with high scores being recorded against us, but although they were disapointed it was nice to look around and see the children were actually enjoying it and regardless of the scores still left the pitch smiling. At this time my main aim was to keep them together to teach them the value of teamwork, respect and discipline. I was very lucky that I was joined by someone who felt the same way and he agreed to help out with a little coaching, with his help we soon started playing better. Ten games into the season we found we could score. This lead to our first point a 1 - 1 draw.The next week saw us playing a local derby against Redditch Athletic, which we won.

A couple of new signings and a second coach saw us improve no end and the teams that had put high scores against us were struggling to beat us indeed the final games of the season saw us draw with the league runners up and lose 1 - 0 to the champions.
The close of the season brought in more new players and sadly we lost some of the ones who had started with us even our coach moved on to pastures new.
As they say every cloud has a silver lining, the moving saw the coming together of the three amigos; Myself, Paul Wesley and Jamie Power. We entered a few closed season tournaments and actually came runners up in the Redditch United competition, a great achievement for the team.

The squad increased in size so much we had little option but split up into two teams with my Assistant Manager Adi Vaughan, taking one and me the other I was determind to keep the original players I had left together and build on that, this is what we did, unfortunately due to illness we lost Paul & his Son Dalglish prior to the start of the season. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Paul for all his help and send the best wishes of myself, the parents and team to Dalgie, get well soon son we all miss you.I would also like to thank the unsung hero's (the parents), who's support this season has been superb.

Season 2007/08.
Off we go into our second season together, as stated we have split in to two teams my team in the E Division and Adi taking his into H.
The whole season was great winning our first 6 matches then drawing against the team who were to become our biggest rivals North Birmingham celtic, with them always being a few point and games in front and due to successful cup runs us not being able to catch up in fixtures.
so on the last day of the season we were playing Maypole with our rivals up against Glades with them having the upper hand being a point in front, we kicked off at 10:30 winning 6 - 1 and expecting to be runners up, see the pictures on the home page of the team celibrating.
If only we could have known, Glades against all odds held North Birmingham Celtic to a draw giving us the title of Champions.
Well done everyone what a record.
In all comps we scored 123 goals whilst only conceding 25.
Double promotion followed seeing us starting the next season in division C.

2008/09
What happens in football is sometimes totally unexpected but isn’t that what makes it such a great game.
During the close season we lost four players one wanted to commit to karate, one to Aston Villa girls and two to teams in higher divisions.
I wish them all the best and hope they are happy with their new clubs or chosen sports, we will miss them between them they scored 75% of our goals why people break up a winning team I will never understand still onward and upward.
What followed can only be described as a very hard season with us spending a lot of time battling just to get results, but battle we did and ended the season 3rd from bottom, this due mainly to the hard work put in by a mix of old and new players well done lads at the end of the season taking 9 points from a possible 15 made it all worth while.
Lets hope we can keep the squad together for next year when we go to 11 aside.

2009 /10
Two weeks off after the end of the season then back together for training big year 1st time the lads have played 11 a side football.
News from the league is confusing even after our bad season they have put us into B division so in effect have promoted us again. I'll never understand the working of football committees
Looking forward to going into 11 aside football whatever league we are in.
We have worked hard to increase the size of the squad from 10 to 15 and had been working as hard as we could to get the lads ready.

Then just two weeks prior to the season starting I was hit with the worst possible news my coaches son, the team captain is leaving to join a team in a higher division, my coach through work commitments is also leaving, because of this I am also losing an experienced right winger.
Good job I have a never say die attitude, could be worse we will just have to do all we can and try to attract more players and I will have to work a bit harder to get everthing ready.
Fortunately after a few weeks a couple of the parents Leighton & Duanne came forward and volunteered to help with setting up, coaching and anything else they could, great news, gratefully received.

The season started with six new players not only new to the team but to football teams in general, havingl never played for one before,unfortunatly this showed in the games with lots of good football but no end results.
We moved players around and four games in were rewarded with our first win, this was followed by a draw but then we had to wait until our last away game before we secured any more points, we recorded 2 wins and a draw in the season and ended bottom of the league, no not a disaster but a massive learning curve for the manager, coaches and players. I can only say I am very proud of the way the players conducted themselves throughout the season never giving in playing with a smile and always trying.
I am also proud to say that the new coaches all gained level one FA coaching badges.
News for the next season is good. We have as a team all signed up and are looking forward to it, we have a squad of 15 good committed players and we are all raring to go.
I just hope when writing this next year we have had some success on the pitch.

2010 / 11Season kicks off 5th Sept with an away fixture against PS Boys. Couldn't get better, not knowing what to expect at this level we started confidently winning 9 - 1 this started a run of good results that took us to second in the table with six games gone. losing in extra time meant we had an early 1st round exit from the open cup, then a loss against the league leaders followed by draws against Rubery and Castle Bromwich saw the team drop to 4th place again no letting up was to see the team win the next 3 games scoring 20 goals whilst conceding 2 taking them back into 2nd place but with teams behind us having games in hand. The season continued in the same way with us finishing in second place the lads ended up only losing three games and drawing one, great season runners up and looking forward again to taking up the challenges of next year.

Season 2011/12

Strange old world this is, we end the season on a high gaining promotion for coming runners up, and lose players.

1st Will leaves to go and try his luck at Stratford Town, then Alex and Jordan go.
Unfortunately we also lose a coach with Leighton also looking for pastures new. 
What can you say except good luck, I hope you are all find what you are looking for and are happy with your new clubs. Thank you all for the time you spent at Redditch United it was a pleasure to work with you all.

This is football and their leaving opened the door for a couple of new signings, lets hope this improves the team and gives it yet another lift, one things for certain we have a great team spirit and a fabulous set of lads. 
End of season and well what a great season it was, from the outset we only had one thing on our minds; to stay in this division.
The 1st game saw us pit our wits against Wythall Juniors a team that have been in this league for years always in the top half, coming  away from there with a 3 - 3  draw sounded good but we had our chances and really should have won, just goes to show this was not going to be easy, the season went up and down win a couple then loose a couple but at the end we achieved what we set out to do ending up 4th from bottom which would have been 5th if Maypole hadnt dropped out. so on the whole a great season.
Next year we need to make an attempt to gain promotion just a couple more players and that will be achivable.

     

Presentation night 2009/10 Role of Honour
30 Aug 2010

Players Player (Shared) Ben Stokes & Tom Watkins.
Supporter's Player Ben Stokes.
Managers Player, Reiss Parker.
Most Improved Player. Will Kinseller.
Top Goal Scorer, Curtis Albright.
Most Man Of Match Awards (Shared) Adam Sharp & Tom Watkins.