Sale United founded 1975
04 Aug 2008

Hello and welcome to the Sale United club history.
Sale United F.C.
1975 to 2006
(updated Mar 2006)
Sale United was first formed in 1975, being the brainchild of Ken Wilkinson. His idea was to start a junior football team to provide lads in Sale with the opportunity to play football, not just the good footballers, but everyone.

The committee included two ex-professional footballers, Harry Dowd and Derek Partridge. A charity match between a Manchester City All Stars team and a Merseyside All Stars team provided the much needed funds to start the Club off and gain entry to the Timperley & District League.
That first year the Club was able to field three teams, Under 11, Under 12 & Under 13.
Over the course of our 30 years, that original concept by Ken has never changed, only extended. We still invite lads to join, regardless of their ability, but 2000 saw the introduction of a girls section.
The Football Association introduced Mini-Soccer in the late 90s, the theory being that with teams consisting of only 7 players, the children would increase their skills quicker because they would have more touches of the ball. It is not until boys are Under 11 that they play the full 11-a-side game. Nationally, with the Girls game still in its infancy, this comes slightly later.
The Club entered the 2006/7season with 29 junior boys squads, 5 junior girls squads, an Open Age Male and Youth Male Under 21 side. The Club has a playing membership now close to 550 in total.
The Club also started a new initiative in May 2004 called “Gimme 5s” aimed at giving local children up to the age of five years and introduction to ball skills.
Over 70 adult volunteers are involved with running these teams, who have all gained minimum qualifications recognised by the Football Association. The Club supports any of its coaching volunteers to gain higher accreditation and currently has three coaches who have gained their Level 3 UEFA ‘B’ coaching licence. For two years in succession the Club has had volunteers who have been awarded Trafford’s “Sports Coach of the Year”.
In 2001 we started a project whereby each year we offer our Under 13s boys the opportunity to play football in Holland during Whit week. Over the years, 85 boys have benefited from this experience. In 2007 we are planning to extend this opportunity to our Girl players.
In May 2002 the Club was awarded the Football Association Charter Standard Development Club. This is in recognition that the Club operates in a quality way, has a total social inclusion policy for its members, and has a mechanism to provide players with the opportunity to play football from a very young age right through to adulthood. The Club was recognised as Trafford’s Sports Club of the Year in 2004 and continues to be nominated for this award.
The Club’s main base is the Crossford Bridge site which it shares with the Old Alts Football Club and Sale Harriers. Unfortunately the site is not big enough to service games for all the teams, and we have a number of ‘satellite’ sites.
Currently the Club is working hard, through the Crossford Bridge Management Association to develop the Crossford Bridge site as a Centre for Sporting Excellence. A new extension to the ‘Trackside’ Pavilion will shortly house a new Club room, where Sale United will be the prime user, with extra changing facilities, as well as a new Club “Office”.