Chairman Chat SEPTEMBER

Hello again, we are officially back!!! 

Welcome to my first Chairman Chat of the 2022-23 season, in what looks to be another unbelievable year of growth at the club with 25 different teams over 11 age groups playing and training this year for the purple army.

With the league starting over the weekend for most of our teams, we say good bye to long days away all over Bristol and the South West.

Players love tournaments and I've been lucky enough to experience and see not just my teams taking part at these but many of our age groups along with their parents enjoying these 'away days'

Marc Newman has joined our committee to help source sponsorship and fundraising opportunities for the club, a role he is also doing for the Port of Bristol Sports & Community Hub.

Now the a club has grown to the size it has we needed something that would allow the volunteers who manage the account, spent less time on admin and simplifying the workload.

We have now roled out this software and once bedded in, it will allow us to run the club more smarter and faster, but importantly better. As with anything new, some parents have struggled with the membership process, but we can help you get signed up.

If you have had any issues then please drop Jason a WhatsApp or a text message (details above) and he will get back to you when on the computer as soon as he can.

We are proud that we were able to freeze monthly subs again this season with all the rising costs, hopefully this helps you as parents. As a club we want our players playing and attending as it is so important socially, however please contact a committee member if you are struggling financially as we may be able to help you short term.

Unfortunately this was not completed in time for the season and was held back because of a number of factors (which will all be brought up on completion) with one of them leading to myself to take on the project and doing over 100 hours since the initial test holes were made in June.

However, it is coming together and it is hoped seeding will start next week.

We will continue to provide players sausage and chips for all teams, including visiting clubs this season, although slightly different to how it was being done last year.

Unfortunately, it was being abused and people were taking advantage of the situation, so they will now be ordered by coaches and distributed in containers to the players.

Please come into the club and mingle with other parents when the players are eating. We are very lucky to have great facilities and the bar is open from 12pm and TV's showing the games.

This week will mark 1 year since I became Chairman of this amazing football club but it has came with its ups and down. The decisions I and my committee have made, have always had the best interest of the club at heart, but despite this I've lost friendships, had countless sleepless nights and missed alot of family time this past year.

With the latter in mind I've recently just came back from a 10 day stay in Cornwall with Miranda and our three children. It was amazing, much needed and we created some lasting family memories...but something was missing and it was Port of Bristol. This football club is an everyday part of my life, takes up hours of each day (and night) and I needed to recharge my batteries, but I really did missed the buzz I get from being busy here... although I did get little updates from people to keep in the loop, I couldn't switch off.

This weekend is what all the hard work is about. The committee, our coaches setting up and parents getting the players to games...we all pull together to allow our children to play this amazing sport. It really is exciting to be back for the start of the season and I hope everyone has a great year watching these children of ours... I know I will.

Together We Grow, Chris