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Becoming The Shiplu FC (Part 1) |
The idea club of starting the club happened in August 2005, the conversation came up between Phill Selby & Garry Cooper one evening travelling home from work.
Garry managed to get their employer, Sellens French, to sponsor the team, and their colleague Steve Gibbs took on the job of player recruitment.
All the players were fathers of the players, who played for Steve’s kids team 'Hastings Gunners'.
The night of the first game was also the first time most of thrm had met, this added to the suspense of the match they ahead of them.
Sellens French FC played Senate FC and won 7-1, playing some very good football. When the ball hit the back of the net for the first time, they could all tell that it was the start of a good thing.
Half way through the season problems started with players coming and going, or not paying their fees, and the club was starting to get in trouble with the organisers, but the club still managed to finish 3rd having only missed out by conceding crucial goals at the end of games (nice one Smithers).
The second season would be their last and worst season. Sellens French FC were missing players throughout the season, and players rarely made three games in a row. Fees still weren't getting paid. The season started with 9 first team players and 3 reserves, but ended with 4 players in total. It was at this point Garry & Phill decided to call it a day and dissolve the club...
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Becoming The Shiplu FC (Part 2) |
On the final night of the clubs second season (Summer 2006) the team played with 5 players, and finished very close to the foot of the table.
This defeat and the dismal attendances of players led to Garry & Phill deciding to hold a meeting with the players, they thanked them for their loyalty and broke the news of the club dissolving, because they could not take any further responsibility for the financial problems and player attendance issues.
A week later Garry & Phill received a phone call from Goalkeeper Steve Smithers asking if we would like a game of indoor 5-a-side. When they arrived at the venue, Steve's first words were "Good to see you both again, meet your new team mates?”. He continued “I'm the manager of a new team, The Shiplu FC, and you’re playing for us next season", and so it was, the club was re-born, and with its reincarnation came a new sponsor, The Shiplu St Leonard’s-on-sea…
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TEAM CREST
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SPONSORED BY:
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