Five become one to create Cambourne Town

A new powerhouse football club has been created in Cambourne.

Five have become one as Cambourne FC, Cambourne Rovers, Cambourne Eagles, Cambourne United and Cambourne Spartans have merged to become Cambourne Town for the 2021/22 campaign.

It has become the biggest club in Cambridgeshire FA, with 41 teams, and a pathway from mini to adult football, for girls and boys.

The idea came about after a meeting with Cambs FA in August 2019 and will help the club in many ways, including for access to funding to upgrade facilities.

“I have to take my hat off to all the committees and the town council because they have been incredible,” said Katie Critchley, Cambs FA football development manager.

“They pulled together as a community and did what was right with the community in mind, and pulled it off.

“They are currently our biggest club in Cambridgeshire now with 41 teams which means they will have a clear pathway with girls and boys football into adult football, all the way through, which is hugely beneficial.

“One of the things they have struggled with is the transition from under-17s and under-18s to adult football because it was disjointed. Now they are all part of the same club, there is that natural flow from mini soccer to colts for girls and boys and then through into the adult teams as well.

“I think they will find the engagement for people wanting to play for Cambourne Town will be a lot easier.

“For the community of Cambourne, where previously they might have had to have pulled in players from other areas to bolster teams, that probably won’t be the case any more either.”

Cambourne Town will also become one of the county FAs hub clubs, of which there are eight within their jurisdiction, and they deliver female, disability and Kickstart football schemes, and facility projects.

The club are holding a launch tournament on the weekend of September 4 and 5.

Richard Brown, the club secretary of Cambourne Town, said: “I want to say thank you to all of the committee members of the founding clubs and the council and Cambs FA for their support in getting us to the formation of the new club.

“Even though we are looking ahead, it is important to recognise the fantastic work that each club has done to establish a thriving football community in Cambourne that we have the responsibility to continue to develop and nurture.

“The effort put into getting us where we are by the various groups is testament to what can be achieved by working together.

“It is this spirit which will see the club prosper into a community asset for the town and the county.

“A club of this size takes a good deal of effort to maintain and operate, and wouldn’t succeed without our fantastic volunteers, in the form of managers, coaches, and club officials.

“We are always keen to hear from people who want to get involved in helping us.”

Cllr Greg Thompson, the chair of the Cambourne Town Council leisure and amenity committee, said: “The town council is delighted with the successful formation of Cambourne Town FC.

“This outcome was only achieved through the hard work and commitment of representatives from the founding clubs, Cambs FA and the council working in collaboration to achieve the goal of a single football club for Cambourne, with strong support from the Cambourne football community.

“We look forward to continuing this partnership to develop the club.”

For more details on the September tournament visit cambournetownfc.org.uk/news/tournament-news-released-2596046.html.