We’re incredibly proud to announce that Hythe & Dibden YFC have been awarded the Hampshire FA Grassroots Club of the Year 2023 award… again!

After receiving the same accolade in 2019 we weren’t sure how we would top such a high level of recognition from English football’s governing body. But to receive it twice in the space of four years is an incredible honour, for everyone involved at the club.

This award belongs to all of us. Players. Parents and spectators. Coaches. Helpers who run the line and referee, collect subs, man the kiosk, arrange socials and more. Your hard work and excellent conduct as well as belief and support in what the club is trying to do is fundamental to this success. And of course our incredible club committee, volunteers who put in a huge level of effort, consistently going above and beyond to keep the club operating at the highest possible standards.

A huge thanks also for our sponsors, MIMO Connect and Robertson ETOs. Their support makes a huge difference to the club’s ability to operate and provide excellent kits for the children and young people at the club.

It’s fantastic to hear that we were cited by Hampshire FA as being “incredibly inclusive“, as inclusivity is incredibly important to us. At Hythe & Dibden YFC it’s our mission to empower as many children and young people as possible with positive skills and values through football. Our club motto is ‘We All Can Play’. This comes from our belief that the benefits of football should be available to all.

Hampshire FA also informed us that one of the other reasons for the award was to do with the excellent learning experiences delivered by our volunteer coaches.

“The teaching and learning experience offered was of high quality, allowing all children the opportunity to shine and thrive in the environment and with a workforce that truly cares about its participants.”
Hampshire FA

This is particularly pleasing also, as many of our team of dedicated volunteer coaches put in so much effort behind the scenes attending education workshops and CPD events, researching practices, and working together and with the club mentors to develop their teaching skills and techniques.

We will not rest on this achievement, and are looking forward to pushing the club in the right direction for the coming 2023/24 season, with lots of exciting plans including coach mentoring, facilities improvements, and pathway. Watch this space.

The future is bright in green and white.

Wayne Harris – Club Chairman, Hythe & Dibden YFC

Well it seems like the season has flown past as just like that we enter Tournament season having completed another successful year at the club. It was great to finally have an undisrupted season following the 2 previous seasons with lockdowns.

Following COVID we were delighted to see the club grow even more with more teams then ever playing. The children were excited to be back playing with their friends and enjoying being outside again. It wascertainly a testing time for the club with new guidance and guidelines week on week but with the help from parents, players and coaches we made it work. Thank You.

Starting on the pitch we once again saw our number of local girls joining the club increase. By far one of the proudest achievements the club has had. From 2 girls 5 years ago, we now have over 100 girls within the club. A truly remarkable effort. A personal Thank you to the coaches who have inspired and driven girls’ football to a new level on the waterside. #weallcanplay

Once again there were multiple teams in every age group representing and this will grow again next season following another remarkable mini’s programme of futsal and soccer school. This really is the future of the club and remains a hugely important part of our continued success. Well done to Josh and the team.

Off the pitch saw us secure our long-term future with Applemore School and the wonderful playing facility, a partnership we are very proud of. Moving forward further investment into the facility will see the clubs home go from strength to strength.

We are also delighted to announce that for the first time in 3 years we can host an annual tournament and presentation evening. Both events have been sorely missed so we can’t wait for the summer to arrive.

On a personal note, this will be my last year with the club. My football journey has always followed my eldest son’s team as the team coach and now that team are beginning to enter senior football it seems the right time to say goodbye.

I joined the club in 2013 and have spent 8 of those years on the committee, 4 of them as chairman and I’ve loved every minute. I was lucky enough to work alongside Phil, Paul and Terry as previous Chairmen and learnt a lot from them and I feel I’ve been able to continue the growth and excellence of the standards set before me. When I look back at our development plan we have certainly achieved a lot in the last 4 years together.

Obviously, the strength behind any voluntary organisation is the people and this club has been blessed with an amazingly dedicated group of committee members, some of the most hard working, loyal, wonderful people I’ve ever met and I really can’t Thank you enough.

A personal Thanks to Steve, John, Kati & Paul who have been there from the beginning of my time on the committee, you truly are the reason this club is so great. Thank you.

I can’t name every coach who has been a part of the club but to you all Thank you and well done for giving up your time to volunteer. True heroes of the local community.

Lastly, Thank you the children and parents. You are the reason the volunteers are so dedicated. You are their inspiration.

A good friend of mine told me when I took the role, “buddy, remember you can’t please all of the people all of the time” and he was right, but I promise it never stopped me trying!

Best Wishes

Wayne Harris – Club Chairman, Hythe & Dibden YFC

Well, as the start of the season is almost here I’m surely not the only one wondering how quickly the summer holidays went. It all started off with the country being bought together with the incredible performance of our national team who came so close to making history. In doing so it’s clear another generation has been inspired, our ever increasing soccer school numbers back that up.

It’s been a strange year for our football club, another stop start season, another year without a tournament or presentation. I really hope our children and parents get to enjoy an un disrupted season and next year we can all look forward to a fantastic tournament and presentation.

We welcome new teams and volunteers to the club who I’m sure will have lots of fun along the way and make lots of new friends.

It’s also another success for our growth of girls football in the area. 6 years ago we had 2 girls participating within the club but after a successful girls festival followed by a hugely effective Wildcats program we now have almost 90 girls within the club which includes 6 girls teams as well as many girls who play in mixed teams. Outstanding achievement by our dedicated volunteers.

I’d like to use this opportunity to thank the club committee, with the season stopping and starting this has brought lots of extra meetings, discussions and difficult decisions. Often guidance and risk assessments being worked on late into the night to ensure everyone was kept up to date. It’s this work that people don’t see but is vital to keep the club running and more importantly to keep everyone as safe as can be. Guys, thank you.

I’d also like to thank New Forest Care and particularly Rich White as we enter our last year of sponsorship with them. NFC and Rich have supported the club for a number of years and have played a huge part in our growth. They’ve not only offered financial support but also have been hugely important at our tournaments. NFC and its staff always went above and beyond to ensure we could deliver the best tournament possible. Thank you Rich and the team at NFC.

Lastly, a message to our players and parents. thank you for your support, patience and understanding during the last year as well as your co operation during some really testing times. We hope things are in place now to ensure you all have a fantastic season in Green & White.

Play well, play fair but above all have fun.

Best Wishes

Wayne Harris
Chairman – Hythe & Dibden YFC