Lurgan Town Football Club are proud to announce the arrival of a senior ladies football team. Dromore Amateurs Ladies have decided to join LTFC with immediate effect. With the launch of our girls' section in the summer, Lurgan Town are excited with the newest development, which will give the girls something to aim for. The new team will be known as Lurgan Town Amateurs. Last season, the ladies' team finished third in the NIWFA Championship division, and striker Kerry Taggart was awarded Championship Player of the Year. Colette Young says the girls are delighted to be able to benefit from the facilities a support that Lurgan Town can offer. Chairman Nigel Johnston is very pleased with this newest development in the Lurgan Town drive to provide the best football facilities for all the community. Pre-season training will start in January and details will be published nearer the time on our website and social media sites. Continued Page 6 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Here Comes The Girls News In Brief Badger Hits The Big 60 Has Rivaldo Scored? Donard Done Parents Corner The Month In Numbers Captains Corner The Best I Ever Played With Subway Sponsorship Unwanted Christmas Decorations Needed Robert Meets Michael Norn Iron Delight Team Bonding Lurgan Town Arena, 83 Glenavon Lane, Lurgan, Co Armagh, BT66 8TN
NEWS IN BRIEF NATIONAL LEAGUE BOYS MEET SIR DAVID Three of our National League U13 boys where star struck recently when they bumped into Sir David Healy of Northern Ireland fame. Michael McConville, Rhys Emerson and Niall Dummigan picked up few tips from the local hero and they NEW U16 KIT must have worked as not long after the boys A big thank you to picked up their 1st win of the season. Subway who have sponsored the new National UNWANTED CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS League U16 away kit. You will have noticed that our new clubhouse is This is the first of the quite large - much bigger than our last one. With new all black Uhlsport that in mind, we are appealing for any unwanted away kits set to be Christmas decorations that you might have. released this season. Lights, baubles, tinsel or even a tree. Whatever you have please bring it to the clubhouse for us. Very smart we think. TEAM BONDING Members of the two U15 squads pictured at a recent team bonding session to the new Craigavon Omniplex cinema. The boys presented Simon Wilson with voucher for the new Uhlsport training pack after he broke his second wrist in two months. Got a news snippet? Email us to info@lurgantownfc.com BADGER TURNS 60 He kept this quiet but we couldn't let it pass without a mention. Happy Birthday to Ade Reed who turned 60 this month. He doesn't look a day over 59. NORN IRON DELIGHT We don't know who is having more fun here, coach William or the boys from our U10 side at the recent Northern Ireland v Greece game. #GAWA HAS RIVALDO SCORED YET? YES (Hallelujah)
NEWS IN BRIEF CONTINUED OUR OUI COUNTRY Robert Davidson from the National League U16 side congratulates Northern Ireland manager Michael O Neill on their qualification for the European Championships in the summer in France. Did someone say Road Trip???? DONARD DONE The U11 Predators Squad climbed to the top of Slieve Donard on Sunday 11th October as part of their Fundraising for their Upcoming trip to Barcelona. A fantastic achievement for this group of young men. Fair play to them for dragging parents and coaches William Martin and Paul Heasley up to the top with them. Especially with Paul s dodgey knee. Photos show the lads before the trip and at the summit. CAPTAINS CORNER DARRAGH GRAY In the second instalment of this season s captains corner we spoke with Darragh Gray from the U16 National League squad. The Portadown man has only been with the club since December 2014 but he has quickly made an impact by being made skipper in this his second full season. WIE: Who is the best trainer? DG: Ben Davison WIE: Who is the worst trainer? DG: Andy McIvor WIE: Who is the quickest player in the team? DG: Ryan Finlay WIE: Who is the slowest player in the team? DG: Sam Tuxworth WIE: Who is the most skilful player? DG: Ryan Finlay WIE: Who is the best passer of the ball. DG: Sammy Davidson WIE: Who is best in the air. DG: Ross McMorris WIE: Who thinks he's better than he actually is? DG: Nathan Hamilton WIE: Who takes the longest to get ready before a match? DG: Tyler Boyce WIE: What is the managers favourite saying? DG: Discipline. Press. Work hard and enjoy it. WIE: What is your favourite game this season so far? DG: Beating Ballinamallard Youth 3-2 in September WIE: What are your dreams for the season? DG: To finish well in the league and play good football
THE BEST I EVER PLAYED WITH... Here at Winning Isn t Everything we love reminiscing about the good old days. Games that we have won, players that have worn the shirt. That kind of thing. We asked a number of players and coaches still involved with the club who have played with the seniors who the best XI they have played with. Here s what they said. Lee Dickson 1st Team Goalkeeper Steven Beattie 2nd Team Manager Geoff Greenaway Club Captain Matt Irvine Senior Team Striker As you can see from the image above. Geoff Greenaway found it difficult to pick just 11. No surprise having played in the senior teams for close to two decades. He s done well to pick a team from all of those players.
THE BEST I EVER PLAYED WITH... Current 1st Team manager Chris Kelly found it equally as difficult to pick his XI. His team and notes are above. Dixie Heasley Senior Defender Stuart Gordon All Time Leading Club Goal Scorer Phil McKinley Former Senior Striker Current U16 MU Manager Michael Shilliday Current Reserve Manager
HERE COME THE GIRLS CONTINUED Some of the ladies team came down to meet the girls academy (pictured above) at a recent training night and all of the young girls where in awe of the ladies that they will hopefully one day become. The ladies team will continue to be coached by Davy Welshman and Davy Hodgens and both men were obviously delighted to be on board at the club where they both once played. With the facilities and support from the club, hopefully the ladies can push on from their impressive finish to last season. Girls Academy Head Coach Trudi Harbinson was delighted with the news that the ladies where now on board. She took to facebook to show her delight. Does this mean we will see her in a Town shirt once again?
Due to the popularity of the last Parents Corner instalment we thought it necessary to run another edition. We put the parents of the players on the spot. This time it s the turn of Mark Bleakey Bleaks and his son William. William plays for our Mid Ulster U11 side. WIE: Describe a normal Saturday morning routine in your house. MB: Im usually wakened early on a Saturday morning. A give William a shake and then it s a light breakfast and a few games of FIFA 16 on the X-BOX One. Then its time to get his Lurgan Town kit on. WIE: How do you mange to cope with the demands of having a young teenager? MB: I don't find it a problem. William likes doing the things I like to do. We both love FIFA and kick abouts in the park. It s always very competitive and this can lead to arguments but that s all part and parcel of learning. WIE: What does it mean to your and your son to be a part of the Lurgan Town family? MB: Its very important to us. I feel very proud when I see him out on the pitch, scoring and playing with a smile on his face. WIE: What is the reaction like (win, lose or draw) in your house after a game? MB: Even if they get beaten, he would still be talking about his goals or his assist for a goal. That s what strikers do isn't it? lol WIE: How do you think your boy s team could improve on the pitch? MB: In my opinion the one main issue is concentration. I can see all of the boys switching off too easy. They can be too static at times so moving off the ball could be worked on. But they are still only young and this will improve with age. WIE: Have you got a most memorable moment at Lurgan Town? MB: We have a few. Being picked for Minstrel (Paul Heasley) and Willie Martin s squad to go to the Barcelona Cup and his 2nd goal against Dromore when he waltzed around 3 defenders before slamming it in at an angle. WIE: You are well known for being a Moira Albion legend. If you had to pick between Town and Albion who would it be and why? MB: It would have to be Lurgan Town as William is the future for me and its not as if I ll be putting the boots back on anytime. Plus the refreshments are great in the afternoon which I sampled last week. Hard to turn that down. WIE: And of course, the most important question of all. Which is better: Badger s Soup or Brian s Burgers? MB: That would have to be Brian s burgers. At least he serves with a smile on his face (haha). PARENTS CORNER MARK AND WILLIAM BLEAKES
ALL OF THE STATS FOR THE MONTH OCTOBER RESULTS Remember you can keep fully up to date with all the fixtures on our club website www.lurgantownfc.com 31st October 2015 1st Team 1-0 Tullyvallen (Jack McNally) 2nd Team 4-3 Laurelvale Res (Simon Freeburn x2, Scott Wiltshire, Adam Wing) U19 MU 8-0 Bourneview Mill (Harvey Joyce x3, Matthew Hagan x3, Scott Wiltshire, OG) U16 NL 3-2 Carniny Rangers (Darragh Gray, Marc Lucas, Robbie McAteer) U16 MU 2-4 Draperstown Celtic (Lewis McKinley, Brett Smyth) U15 LL 0-2 Hillsborough Boys U15 MU 3-3 Banbridge Rangers (Niall McBride x2, Stuart Bell) U14 MU 10-0 Tandragee Rovers (Alex Wheelan x3, Andrew McCallion x3, Nicholas Hamilton x2, Peter Millen, Matthew Wells) U13 NL 3-3 Cliftonville (Rhys Emeson, Niall Dummigan, Ross Hawthorne) 30th October 2015 U13 MU 0-3 Armagh City 24th October 2015 1st Team 3-3 Rathcoole (2-3 Pens) (Kyle Cousins x2, Luke Parry) 2nd Team 1-5 Killeavy Utd (Matt Irvine) U19 MU 4-9 Hillsborough Boys (Sidney Tavares x2, Scott Wiltshire, Matthew Hagan) U16 MU 3-3 Windmill Stars (Aaron Winters x2, Lewis McKinley) U15 LL 5-0 North End (Jack Hogg, Cain McConville, Daniel Johansen, Jamie McNeill) U15 MU 2-4 Tandragee Rovers (Niall McBride x2) U13 NL 1-5 Crusaders (Nathan Bell) U13 MU 2-2 Dungannon Youth (Ross McIlwaine, Calum Gordon) 17th October 2015 1st Team 0-4 Dungannon Rovers 2nd Team 10-1 Laurelvale Res (Andrew Houston x4, Matt Irvine x3, Scott Wiltshire, Jordan Wilson, Simon Freeburn) U19 MU 5-0 Lurgan BBOB (Scott Wiltshire x3, Harvey Joyce, Sidney Tavares) U15 LL 6-1 Lisburn Distillery (Jack Hogg x4, Alex Woods, Arai Da Silva) U15 MU 2-8 Dungannon Youth (Martin Loughran, Rivaldo Teggart) U14 MU 1-2 Midway Utd (Andrew McCallion) U13 NL 2-2 Glenavon Academy (Michael McConville, Craig McCorry) 16th October 2015 U16 NL 1-2 Linfield Youth (Mark Lucas) U13 MU 0-5 Banbridge Town Juniors 10th October 2015 1st Team 0-1 Richhill 2nd Team 7-1 Portadown BBOB (Andrew Houston x2, Matt Irvine, Adam Scorah, Jonny Turkington, Scott McBride, OG) U19 MU 4-2 Tandragee Rovers (Ran Cousins x2, Jordan Wilson, Tom Brown) OCTOBER RESULTS CONTINUED 10th October 2015 U16 NL 1-3 Glentoran Academy (Adam Loughran) U16 MU 2-1 Craigavon City (Nathan Stewart x2) U15 LL P-P Portadown Youth U14 MU 5-1 Craigavon City Colts (Alex Wheelan, Conor Lavery, Peter Millen, Nicholas Hamilton, James McCoy) U13 MU 1-4 Dungannon Youth (Dylan McKerr) 3rd October 2015 1st Team 0-2 Windmill Stars 2nd Team 3-2 Markethill Swifts (Cameron Burke, Alan Stokes, Matt Irvine) U19 MU P-P Ashgrove U16 NL P-P Limavady Youth U16 MU 8-0 Dergview (Lewis McKinley x4, Nathan Stewart, Mark Boyd, Jonny Russell, Daniel McCallen) U15 LL 1-4 Downpatrick (Jack Hogg) U14 MU 1-4 St Marys YC (Conor Lavery) U13 NL 3-2 Bangor (Rhys Emerson x2, Ross Hawthorne) U13 MU 7-0 TTBS Juniors (David McNally x2, Lewis Kennedy x2, Callum Gordon x3) 2nd October 2015 U15 MU 0-4 Dungannon Youth THE RACE FOR THE GOLDEN BOOT Totals for games played up to and including: Saturday 31st October 2015 1. Philip Bingham - 11 goals - Under 19 2. Matt Irvine - 10 goals - Senior 2nd Team 3. David McNally - 9 goals - Under 13 MU 4= Andrew Houston - 8 goals - Senior 2nd Team 4= Nathan Stewart - 8 goals - Under 16 MU 4= Jack Hogg - 8 goals - Under 15 LL 4= Callum Gordon - 8 goals - Under 13 MU 4= Niall McBride - 8 goals - Under 15 MU THE MONTH IN NUMBERS - OCTOBER Games Played = 42 Games Won = 17 Games Drawn = 5 Games Lost = 20 Goals Scored = 125 Goals Conceded = 104 Top Scoring Player = Matt Irvine, Andrew Houston, Lewis McKinley, Jack Hogg (6 Goals Each) Top Scoring Team = Reserves (25 Goals) Highest Scoring Win = Reserves 10-1 v Laurelvale Res; U14 MU 10-1 Tandragee Rovers MU14