Author: Fergus Stevenson
Lymm RFC: A Community Club on Rugby’s National Stage
As the last remaining amateur team in rugby’s national leagues, Lymm Rugby are the last example of a community club competing at the top level. On a cold Tuesday evening, Lymm Rugby’s training facilities much resemble any other local sports club. A slightly weathered looking clubhouse with four tennis courts tacked to the side. The […]
The Magic of Macclesfield: Rob Smethurst on taking The Silkmen from ruin to Round Four
Ahead of Macclesfield’s mammoth Monday night FA Cup tie against Brentford, owner Rob Smethurst reflects on his club’s dramatic defeat of holders Crystal Palace, and how an impulse purchase helped him turn his life around. “I just couldn’t contain myself.” To the naked eye, Rob Smethurst taking over Macclesfield could have spelled disaster. A club […]
“She Was Just Passionate about Football:” Ella Toone, Grace Clinton and Women’s Football Development in the North West
With Ella Toone and Grace Clinton leading their respective Manchester clubs into a title race in the WSL, how has player development evolved over time in the women’s football pyramid? And what still needs to change as clubs look to optimise facilities for elite female athletes? “We didn’t have a girls’ team,” The Lionesses’ triumphs […]
“He Just Wanted to Play The Game:” Antoine Semenyo’s Rise from Non-League to Champions League
As Manchester City’s £62.5 million marquee January arrival, Antoine Semenyo arrives with the physical and technical profile of a player often seen emerging from one of the nation’s top academies. In reality, Semenyo’s story is very different. In Manchester City’s illustrious recent history, it is rare that a player arrives without an illustrious academy background […]