At a time when football has become a huge global industry, its millionaire players cramming our TV screens and newspapers with their on and off-field exploits, it’s easy to forget the essential joys of the national game. Horsham Crusaders is a local youth football club founded in 1999, which focuses on the basics that are so easy for kids to overlook as they watch the behaviour of some professional players on television.

The Crusaders was originally established by a group of dads who wanted to organise a football team for their young sons. From the word go, the emphasis was on helping the kids to learn the game and how to play to win in the right spirit. The club aimed to offer a high standard of coaching to enhance players’ skills along with their understanding of the game and its rules. Most importantly, though, they wanted all the young players to have fun - whatever their ability.

A few years down the line and Horsham Crusaders has flourished. From a playing roster of 7 boys between the ages of 6 and 8 playing in a single mixed group team, the club now has 8 teams providing football for over 100 boys. Founding fathers, Peter Beck, John Batchelor and Andrew Giacommelli are now the managers of the under-15 and under-14 teams respectively, while more parents have volunteered to coach the younger age groups as a new one is introduced each year.

Club chairman, Andrew Green began coaching the under 8s a few months after the club was founded and he has watched the growth first hand: “We’ve always had the ambition to keep the club moving forward by improving the quality of training, equipment and kits, but most importantly to provide a safe and fun environment to learn and enjoy football.”

Paul Scott has been the driving force behind the club’s fund-raising, appealing to the generosity of local businesses for sponsorship and organising events to swell the coffers. Today, Horsham Crusaders have a level 1 qualified F.A coach for each age group and this has translated into success on the field. There are trophies for summer five-a-side tournaments and four cup final appearances in the last three years safely stowed in the club’s cabinet.

It’s a far cry from the packed stadia and million-Pound salaries of the professional game but local league youth football is the heartbeat of the sport in this country. Clubs like Horsham Crusaders providing a platform for children learning to play together, play fair and love football.

Club Secretary – Jane Cox
Tel: 01403 267308 Mobile: 07759 690335
E-mail address: janecox210@btinternet.com

Steve Greening – Club Chairman
Tel: 01403 733447 Mobile 07752 372599
E-mail address stephengreening@btopenworld.com