Academy Pre-season Trials

With pre-season underway for our first team, the Academy is set to follow suit in August.

Runcorn Linnets FC are partners with the Education and Semi-Professional Football Academy (ESPFA) who provide education and football study programmes at non-league clubs across the UK for 16-18 year olds as an alternative to traditional college education. Together with Witton Albion FC, the programme forms part of ESPFA Cheshire, one of 12 regions in the national programme.

Based at the football club, students joining the full-time programme will study for a BTEC in Sport Level 3 Extended Diploma, train three times a week with UEFA qualified coaches and represent Runcorn Linnets FC in the ESPFA league and cup competitions with all games being filmed and taking place at the main stadia of all clubs involved.

Students also have the opportunity to experience the world of sport with coaching, teaching, photography, filming, media editing, business, hospitality, journalism, physiotherapy and podcasting with the football club and the ESPFA.

There are a number of pathways available on the football side with 63 ESPFA students having made their first team debut since 2014 and over 200 ESPFA students graduating to higher education such as university, us scholarship and the programme's own bespoke degree course.

There are a LIMITED number of places left for school leavers (Year 11) or first year college students who have just finished (Year 12) and a number of trials are taking place over pre-season ready for the September 2021 start.

Wednesday 4th August | 10am - 12pm

Wednesday 11th August | 10am - 12pm

Wednesday 18th August | 10am - 12pm

Wednesday 25th August | 10am - 12pm

at Runcorn Linnets FC, Linnets Stadium, Runcorn, WA7 6GJ

Interested applicants should register their details at ESPFA Register and attend one of the sessions listed.

Below are a number of information videos on what the ESPFA programme is about.

ESPFA Awards Show 2021

ESPFA Pre-season 2021

STUDY at the ESPFA

TRAIN at the ESPFA

PLAY at the ESPFA

MEDIA EXPERIENCE at the ESPFA

For more information on the ESPFA programme, please follow the following links:

ESPFA

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

YouTube

Men's Pre Season Games

Whilst the result was obviously not what we wanted, it was great to see nearly 500 people at the Linnets for a pre-season game and gives me great hope for the season ahead. The result also can't change the fact that we took the lead against a League side. A lot of people had some very kind words to say about the club and the ground and I got to meet Joe Parkinson, so it wasn't all that bad!

It was also great to see nearly 200 people at the Linnets for a midweek pre-season friendly and the number of kids there was really heartening. One of the things I knew we needed to do when I became Chairman was attract the next generation of Linnets fans, so I am glad to see that is already bearing fruit. The performance and result against Pilkington was very encouraging, it does not matter who you are playing, an 8-0 win is always great and there were some really well worked goals in there as well. It was good to see Ryan Brooke continue his goal scoring form in pre-season with a first half hat trick and it was great to see local lad Eden Gumbs getting a brace.

We just have one more home pre-season friendly before the league starts and our games against Witton are always entertaining, hopefully we can continue the trend of good crowds. The game is on Saturday 31st July at 3pm.

Men's League Fixtures

The Men's First Team league fixtures were finally released and what a way to start, with a home derby against Widnes, that promises to be a really good game in the summer sun and hopefully we can look to start breaking some league attendance records with our returning and newly found fans.

As the saying goes you play every team home and away, so does it really matter what order you play them in, however I am overall pretty happy with how they have fallen for us and we have avoided a midweek trip to Workington (fingers crossed there is no postponement!).

We have kept our bank holiday derby games against Cables as we always enjoy playing those games and we are delighted to have added bank holiday games against our old friends at 1874 Northwich.

I really cannot wait to get going now, bring on Widnes!

Ladies Pre Season Games

The Linnets Ladies have already started their pre-season games with a 6-1 win against FC St Helens Women and a hard fought 3-2 victory against local rivals Runcorn Sports Women.

They play their first pre-season game back on the hallowed turf of the Linnets Stadium on Sunday 25th July as they take on Cheadle Town Stingers. It is free entry and the tea bar and bar will be open, so why not come down to show the Linnets Ladies some support?

Season Tickets

Thank you to everyone who has purchased a season ticket so far, the response has been quite overwhelming. A few people have asked if we will be sending them out, so I thought it would be easier to give you all a little update here.

Once we have the tickets back from the printers, we will contact everyone who has purchased one and arrange for them to be collected or delivered.

If you have not yet purchased a season ticket but would like to, then please see the link below. Thank you once again for all your great support.

Purchase Season Tickets

Thank you for reading and I'll see you soon.

Dave Jones

Runcorn Linnets FC - Chairman

Men's Pre Season Games

After so long it was great to finally welcome you all back to the Linnets. I was absolutely overwhelmed by the amount of people who came to the game against Euxton. Even though the game was free admission to get over 400 fans for a pre-season game was amazing. To then follow that with over 300 fans for a midweek friendly was equally impressive. I am really looking forward to seeing how many fans are in attendance for the Hartlepool game, the tickets are selling well.

The games themselves were very entertaining with goals from Joe Lynch and Ryan Brooke securing a 2-0 win against Euxton and that man Brooke again grabbing the only Linnets goal in a narrow 2-1 defeat against Southport. Both games produced good performances for the Linnets and I certainly did not think it looked like there were two divisions between us and Southport.

Now onto Hartlepool and what an occasion that promises to be. The opportunity for a club at our level to pit themselves against a league club does not come along very often. I would also like to add that we are not playing just a league club XI, it will be as close to a full strength starting 11 that Dave Challinor can put out.

It promises to be a great occasion and if you would like to be there, you can secure your tickets using the link below.

Buy tickets

Kops n Kids Tournament

The weekend just gone was the final weekend of the Kops N Kids tournament. I was actually involved as a coach with my son Jack's team and although they did not progress through to the finals, all the players really enjoyed themselves and I was really impressed with the organisation of the tournament.

On the Sunday I got to watch a few of the games and a couple of the knockout games prepared me for what was to come for with the England game, as I watched a couple of tense penalty shoot-outs. I also watched one of our Linnets teams narrowly lose in their final and I have to say I found it as tense and exciting as any of the Men's first team games.

A massive well done to everyone involved in the tournament, we will definitely do it again next year.

Water Plus Update

We have finally had a breakthrough dealing with Water Plus. They sent an agent out to speak to us and although I was not there at the time, I was able to speak to him over the phone later on. He fully agreed with our position that the chargeable area on the outstanding invoice was incorrect. I agreed to make a payment based on a more accurate chargeable area until we can get a revaluation survey done.

We have never disputed that we needed to make a payment for the wastewater that drains into a public drain and we wanted to make a payment, we just needed them to listen to reason in regard to the chargeable area being wrong.

It is not completely resolved yet but at least we are headed in the right direction.

Volunteers

I am going to be honest; we are struggling for volunteers in certain areas. We have lots of people offering help in capacities where they still get to watch the games but we are struggling with roles like in the Tea Bar and Bar where you don't get to see the game. I completely understand why, I like to watch the game too and you are fans of the club so want to see your team play.

If you know of anyone who may not necessarily be a football fan but is interested in doing some volunteer work, then please send them our way.

Request to volunteer

Thank you for reading, see you Saturday.

Dave Jones

Runcorn Linnets FC - Chairman

Runcorn Linnets can confirm a managerial change in our rebranded men's Development set-up.

Formerly known as the club's Under 21s, the Development team competes in the West Division of the North West U21s Development League.

Despite the 2020-21 league season not being completed due to the effects of the Covid pandemic, the players enjoyed a fine run in the League Cup, ultimately exiting away to Premier Division outfit, Chorley.

Assuming control of team affairs this time around will be Robbie Gibbons.

Robbie was manager of last season's champion Under 18s side and is looking to continue working with many of his title winners at the higher age group.

Robbie succeeds Ste Chaney, who had been in charge of the Under 21s team throughout its debut season.

Club chairman, Dave Jones said: "The Development team is an important part of our structure and our future ambitions as can be seen from the landmark promotion of Eden Gumbs from last season's U21s to our senior men's squad for the coming season.

"We thank Ste Chaney for his contribution to that initial success and we are sure that Robbie will keep up his excellent work at U18s level with the Development team.

"We wish him and the  squad well for the 2021-22 campaign."

The club has meanwhile announced a slight change to arrangements released earlier regarding Development team trials.

These will still take place on Sunday, July 11th but on the Halton Sports pitches surrounding the Linnets Stadium and at the later time of 3pm.

Litherland REMYCA v Runcorn Linnets

The men's team played their second game of pre-season with a 4-2 win over Litherland REMYCA. Iwan Murray added two more goals to his pre-season tally including another penalty won by MJ Monaghan. Ryan Brooke bagged himself another pre-season goal with a towering header from just outside the six yard box and Joe Lynch completed the scoring for the Linnets with a tidy finish from the edge of the area. As with the St Helens game it was a good workout for the lads on a difficult pitch and I'm sure Calum was happy with the overall performance and it was more minutes in the legs of the players who appeared. I'm sure they can't wait to get back to playing on the carpet at the Linnets on Saturday and I can't wait to watch them, it's been too long.

Kops n Kids Tournament

I attended the Kops and Kids tournament at the weekend, and it was great to see so many children at the Linnets enjoying a weekend of football for free. I hope they all had a great time. The police, guests and all the visitors were very impressed with our facilities and I'm sure we've gained some new fans. I wanted to say a few personal thank yous. Many thanks to Grace Mantova, Josh Christian, Tina Box and Josh McCluskey for keeping everyone fed and watered, I know how any hours they all put in. Thanks to Nick Woods and the rest of the Juniors Section for organising a great event and thank you to Cheshire Police, all the PCSOs and Police Officers for putting on such a great event for the local kids.

Runcorn Linnets vs Hartlepool United

I was absolutely delighted when Calum called me and told me Hartlepool were interested in coming to the Linnets for a game. What a great opportunity for the lads to play against a league team and it's brilliant for the club to be hosting a league club. We will also be celebrating the 10th anniversary of our return to Runcorn. Even though it was actually last year, we were unable to celebrate it properly due to COVID restrictions. We will be inviting the Vice Presidents, former club officials and local dignitaries. It should be a great day of celebration and I hope as many of you as possible are able to attend.

Buy tickets

Volunteers

As I stated before, our volunteers were fantastic at the Kops N Kids event and our team of maintenance volunteers have transformed the ground over the last few months, but we are always on the lookout for new volunteers. Are you interested in helping out and making some new friends while you're at it? Do you have the passion and commitment to volunteer for your football club? Then click on the link below and let us know what you'd like to do. We're looking for Tea Bar staff, Bar staff and Stewards but if you're interested in getting involved in a different role, let us know.

Request to volunteer

Thank you for reading, see you Saturday.

Dave Jones

Chairman – Runcorn Linnets FC