History of Stone Dominoes FC
30 Nov -0001

Origins

Founded in 1987 at St. Dominics Catholic Church Scout, Cub, Beaver Group in Stone with a team of 8 year olds, by our Chairman, Bob Bowers, for his youngest son Daniel and his friends from St. Dominics, Stone and St. Josephs College, Trent Vale, Stoke on Trent.

The name was chosen by the boys, therefore Stone St. Dominics became Stone Dominoes F.C.

Early Years � Youth Football

1988-1992
Newcastle Lads and Dads built from 1 � 5 teams, originally won most sporting club awards and little else, but gradually dominated 9 � 13 football locally winning League Championships, League Cups, Area Cups and the 1st Keele Classic by beating Crewe Alex 2-0 (managed by Dario Gradi).

By now, the professional clubs� scouts were at every match with a stream of Stone Dominoes players joining Centres of Excellence at professional clubs.

In 1992 alone, 7 boys joined Stoke City, with others joining Port Vale, Crewe Alex, Everton, Tranmere, Coventry, Aston Villa and Sheffield Wednesday, to name but a few.

1992-1994
Lichfield League.

A professional coach joined from Crewe Alex and ex Manchester City, and accelerated development. Tours to the USA took place in 1993 and 1994 with great success.

5 Wedgwood Keele Classics were collected with several Championships and Cups as well.

Unfortunately the coach was dismissed by the Club in 1994 for gross misconduct and a review of the club�s situation undertaken.

1994
Chairman Bob Bowers and his best footballing friend Trevor Morrell, Madeley White Star F.C, merged their two clubs with the intention of focusing on 16-18 year olds with 2 teams in the County Minor Youth which the club has dominated for the last 7 years, picking up innumerable trophies including 3 prestigious Sentinel Cups and 1 Sentinel Shield as well as Staffordshire County Cups.

1995
The club opened its new ground at �Springbank Park�, Yarnfield after a significant effort by club members and players to build the current club house and pick a mountain of stones from the 3 pitches.

Mens Football:
1995 also saw the club enter the 1st team in open age Saturday football in the, then, 2nd Division of the Refuge Assurance Midland League (now the Springbank League)

1995 to 1998 saw promotion from Div II and cup success under home grown players, a lot of whom were only 16.

1999 saw the Springbank League Cup lifted against Nantwich Town.

2000 � clear Springbank League Champions by 14 points.

2001 � 3 months at the top of the North West Counties Div II before settling for a respectable 13th and 50 points. Many lessons learnt.

2002 � Missed promotion by only 3 points, coming 4th and finishing on 78 points

Internationals/Professionals:
Stone Dominoes FC�s Youth Development Programme, sponsored by leading vending specialist Springbank Industries, have achieved remarkable success � 30 young men have achieved YTS or at least semi-pro.

4 have represented England at U 16 level

1 has represented England at U19 level

1 has represented Wales at U 19 level

Kevin Nicholson (Notts County), Steven Gough (Coventry), Perry Taylor (Tranmere), Matthew Bullock (Stoke City), Dean Ashton (Crewe), Gareth Owen (Stoke City). Kevin and Steven attended the F.A.�s National School at Lilleshall as did another former Dominoes player � George Pilkington

Some of the ex-Stone Dominoes who graduated to other clubs are, Andy Wilkinson and Gareth Owen (Stoke City), as did Rob Heath, Ashley Woolliscroft and Steven Taaffe, Paul Taylor (Port Vale), Dean Ashton ( Crewe, West Ham & England) and Nicky Chadwick (Everton) Everton

The success of all our players is a great source of pride to our club and inspiration to our exiting players.

Community Club
Season 2002/03 was the most momentous in the Club�s History with Stone Dominoes becoming the first North Staffordshire Club to be awarded the prestigious F.A. Charter Standard Community Club Status, which is only given to Clubs with a minimum of 10 teams covering boys and girls, men and women. To achieve the standard a club has to have proven procedures to take care of the health and safety and development of its players, volunteers and spectators.

Season 2002/03
Achievements

North West Counties promotion to Division I (highest ever in Club�s and towns history half way up the pyramid)
North West Counties Division II Cup Winners
Fairplay Winners for NWCFL Division II
West Midlands Ladies League Runners Up
U18 Final of Staffs County Cup & CMYSL Subsidiary Cup Finalists
U16 Cheadle League Cup Winners & Champions
U14 Cheadle League Cup Finalists
U13 Cheadle League Cup Finalists
U14 Girls Cheshire Cup Winners (twice) and League Runners Up
U 12 Girls Cheshire Cup Winners
Groundsmen of the Year Award � Derek Trafford and his team John, Eric and Dean Winners Staffordshire, North West & West Midlands, final 5 nationally

Director of Coaching, Dean Glover legendary Captain of PVFC became our footballing leader in July 2002.
Steve Piggott won Goalkeeper of the month award in February 2003

Season 2003/04
Achievements

NWCFL � highly commendable 10th place beating local rivals Congleton & Nantwich.
Fairplay Winners for NWCFL Division I
NWCFL Team debut in the FA Cup at Solihull Borough;
Lat 9 of the FA Vase
Midland League, excellent 5th place
Ladies, Champions West Midlands League
U18�s League and Cup Double winners of CMYSL

Sentinel Cup Semi Finalists
Finalists County Cup
U15�s league Cup Winners coached by Gary Lawton
U12�s year of good and steady progress, coached by Jamie Cartwright
U10�s Red Commendable season under Dave Shaw and Chris Sumner
U10�s Black, much improved season under Paul Taylor
U9�s saw a steady improvement under Matt Walklate
U8�s Red, coached by Paul Donnelly came a very creditable 3rd
U8�s Black in only their first season finished 5th
Girls U16�s Cheshire League Championship Runners Up
Girls U14�s Cheshire League Champions & Cup Winners

Derek Trafford, Silver Medal in the National Groundsmen of the Year;
Planning Permission Granted for Stadium and new Clubhouse at Yarnfield
Chairman, Bob Bowers summoned to meet the Queen at Buckingham Palace;
Vicky Turner, Secretary nominated for �Un Sung Hero� for the BBC
Appointments made Season 2004/05

John Stephenson � Chief Executive
Martin Devaney � Board of Management
Appointments made Season 2005/06

U16's win Cheadle & District League Title
First Team win NWCFL "Fair Play" Award
8 Youth Development Programme members Represent Staffordshire at County Level. (16`s & 18`s)
1 Youth Development Programme member Represents Shropshire at County Level (18`s)

2005/06 was a traumatic one for the club. Chairman Bob Bowers decided to leave the club and it seamed for a time that the clun would fold. however a new board was formed and the club started the season with the majority of the previous season's reserve side making the step up. The club managed to avoid relegation and picked up the League's fair play award.

2006/07 was a disappointing season as the Dominoes could not stave off relegation to the second tier of the NWCL

2007/08 the 1st team returned to their spiritual home at Yarnfield with the completion of the new stadium.

2008/09 the club narrowly missed out onpromotion to the Premier Division with a creditable 3rd place under new manager Shaun Hollinshead.

2009/10 saw the reforming of the reserve team who were placed in the 1st division of the Staffordshire County Senior League. In their first season they achieved runners up spot and promotion to the Premier Divisiion. The first team won the 1st division of the Vodkat North West Counties League and gained promotion to the Premier Division at step 5 in the NLS. They also won the Staffordshire FA Vase beating Heath Hayes 3 - 0 in the final at Stafford Rangers FC. The under 18's secured 2nd place in Premier Division of the Staffordshire County Minor Youth League