Healing Hotspurs
Junior Football Club
Junior Football Club
1997 - 2010
Then Under 10's, the first ever HHFC line up.
Back (left to right): Jass Smith Shandu, Charlie McNally, Jake Fursman, Phil Tuffnell, Alistair Mills, Jonathan Overton, Jack Gifford. Front: Richard Simpson, Lewis Desforges, Kieran Palmer, Chris Curtiss, David Sweales.
WHERE WERE YOU IN 97?
A child's playground is today prominent but eight years ago football was the only activity local children were bothered about at Poplar Park.
What’s the phrase? "Tall oaks from little acorns grow." Well, in a way, that sums up the development to date of Healing Hotspurs.
In July of 1997 a few boys began playing football at Poplar Park (see picture above) with Steve Palmer, the clubs founder. Over that summer numbers continued to swell on an "Excuse me mister can I join in?" basis until twenty or so boys were training regularly.
This trend continued throughout 1998 and with numbers steadily rising Steve soon realized he needed some help and this materialized in the form of Nick Cutsforth and Tim Gifford. In 1999 Dave Topliss and Gavin McNally brought their support and not inconsiderable experience. The latter in fact appeared in the 1996 FA Vase Cup Final at Wembley with Brigg Town.
The club had grown so much in fact that by the autumn of 1999 Healing Hotspurs entered its first team in the Gradely League at under 10's level (see more pictures below)
Then Under 13's, another of the first Hotspurs line ups. Eight of those pictured stuck by the club, playing through to Under 16's level and since graduating to the Healing Senior teams.
Back (left to right): Robert Louth, James Cutsforth, Tom Lovett, Peter Simpson, Kyle Young, Andrew Sweales, Front: Zac Alzalam, Allan Flindall, Chris Mills, Kristan Hoskins, Tim Hubbold, Jamie Wallace, Paul Sparling.
Numbers continued to grow and by the summer of 2000 more coaches had volunteered their services, most notably, Keith Hoskins and Steve Wood. That summer an advertisement was placed in the Healing Village News asking for more volunteers. Mark Kingston, who had moved to the village in December 1999, answered the call.
Over the intervening years the club has gone from strength to strength, running teams from under seven's to under sixteen’s. Three boys have had spells at Grimsby Town, one at Sheffield Wednesday and two at Lincoln City. Not only has the playing side of the club developed but also the social dimension. We have a thriving FUN(D) raising committee, which organizes various social events throughout the year.
History