Club proving that football is more than just a game, it is a force for good

FC EAGLE are celebrating their 30th anniversary and have laid out big plans for the future.

Founded in 1994 as Eagle JFC, the club provides opportunities for players aged five and above to develop their footballing talent and social skills.

Now, FC Eagle serves beyond 300 players across more than 30 teams, catering to a wide range of age groups and abilities while priding itself on inclusivity.

The club has used the 30th anniversary as an opportunity to rebrand, signalling its evolution beyond junior football to now include adult and veterans' teams.

It is a change which reflects FC Eagle’s ambition to become a club for the entire community.

Chairman Rich Winsor explained: “Football isn't just about what happens on the pitch.

“It's about bringing people together, building friendships, and contributing to the local community.”

The dedication of the club's volunteers is not restricted to during the season, with the FC Eagle tournament at Penketh High School in July attracting 144 teams and more than 1,400 children of primary school age. The 15th such event will take place next summer.

To mark their 30th anniversary, FC Eagle launched a new kit, with all players now having matching home and away strips along with training tops.

A key challenge faced by FC Eagle in the wake of their 30th-anniversary kit update was what to do with the previous season’s uniforms, many of which were still in excellent condition.

The solution came through a partnership with Mission Possible, a volunteer group of educators dedicated to improving the life chances for children in the slums of Dagoretti, Nairobi.

More than 300 FC Eagle kits suitable for youngsters age 6-18 have been handed over to Mission Possible to date, to be forwarded to community sports clubs in underprivileged areas.

Accompanying many of these kits is a letter from the player that wore it last season, explaining who they are, what team they support, who is their favourite player and more.

Each of the kits collected being prepared for handover to Mission Possible before starting their journey to Nairobi.

With a lack of artificial grass facilities in the Penketh area, FC Eagle are working with the council and assisting “where we can” to support the maintenance and improvement of local grass pitches.

One of FC Eagle's most innovative partnerships is with Vital Energi, helping them to reduce their carbon footprint through various projects as well as the delivery of environmental awareness training for FC Eagle’s members.

The impact of FC Eagle on the local community is well-recognised.

Penketh and Cuerdley councillor Geoff Fellows said: “FC Eagle have, for as long as I have known, been the only Penketh based club to provide the youth with football.

“But they go further than that when they can, and I am aware of schemes where they have had club members of varying ages taking part in community clean-ups alongside Clr Eunice Peters, taking the idea of teamwork and community spirit off the pitch and into society.”

As FC Eagle embarks on its next chapter, the club’s commitment to both sporting excellence and community impact remains at the forefront of its mission.

From expanding its football programmes to reducing its environmental footprint and supporting global charitable causes, FC Eagle are proving that football is more than just a game – it is a force for good! This article was originally shared in the Warrington Guardian as this article by Mike Parsons