Rochdale St. Clement’s Football Club

FOUNDED IN 1905

MEMBERS OF THE LANCASHIRE AMATEUR LEAGUE, LANCASHIRE F.A.

AND THE ROCHDALE AND OLDHAM YOUTH LEAGUE.

13 March 2005

Rochdale St.Clement’s have been awarded the prestigious CHARTER STANDARD in their centenary year.

The first soccer club St. Clement’s AFC was formed in 1905 as one of the original members of the Rochdale & District Sunday Schools League. The Club was re-formed in 1923 and became one of the leading local amateur teams winning many honours. In 1948/49 season, after winning the Sunday Schools title, the Club became Rochdale St. Clement’s and competed in the Lancashire Amateur Cup in the semi-final played on Manchester United’s Old Trafford ground.

The Club played on Firgrove Playing Fields for 40 years before achieving a long standing ambition in 1991 to have it’s own ground on Sandy Brow off Bury Road. The ground was recently re-named in memory of the late Colin (Mr St Clement’s) Burton.

Rochdale St. Clement’s is now probably the biggest amateur club in the borough running a total of twelve teams each weekend from under 10’s through to four ‘open age’ teams in the Lancashire Amateur League.

The current Club Chairman Simon Lord told the Observer that Clement’s had achieved the prestigious Charter Status from The F.A. One of very few in the North West. The award involved developing the required number of trained coaches for the teams, establishing codes of conduct, having child protection processes in place, and demonstrating efficient club management to meet the nationally recognised standard.

Paul McKeown (responsible for Club Development) put in a great deal of time and effort into this on behalf of the Club, in order that young players can develop through the teams to a high standard.

The Lancashire FA will present the award to the Club at half time during Rochdale’s next home match.