Who We Are
Ground: Belmont Pitches, Hereford, HR2 7BF
Club Colours: Red & Black shirts, Black shorts and socks
In 2010 a team was formed by a group of friends who were keen to play football together, due to being signed on for various 11 aside teams at youth level. This then encouraged them to create a 6 aside team with a tongue in cheek name Norfolk-In-Chance. This 6 aside team was extremely successful competing in senior 6 aside with the team consisting fully of players aged 16. They went on to play great football leading them to a 3rd place finish in their 1st season.
The following season in 2011 saw the boys progress to college where they were keen to start a Sunday league side to play together due to the high demand to join the 6 aside team. At the time they were very keen to keep it within their friendship group and they entered the Herefordshire Sunday League as Norfolk Athletic to carry on the original name they started with. Quickly the boys found it a challenge playing 11v11 against adults and it took a season to adapt seeing in a 10th place finish. They did however reach the quarter final of the Sunday cup which was seen as a great achievement by all.
2013 saw the club re-branded to Belmont Wanderers due to a solid 2 years of playing and learning the game, Daniel Pitt was keen to expand and take the club on to another level and start to put in place foundations to build a sustainable club for the benefit of local people of all ages. The senior team thrived and managed a 5th place league finish and were slowly getting to the level they wanted to be. The year also saw the club get a Grow The Game grant of £5000 spread over the course of 3 years to help the club grow in terms of teams and coaches.
2014 was the biggest year to date in terms of progress for the club. Peter Wilson came on board from local rivals Toros and he brought with him the current Under 14s team. The under 10s were also created from scratch to add to the current senior side. Due to the profile of the club increasing the club knew the senior team needed to be playing a higher level therefore they formed a new Saturday Football League side to compete in Division 3. Due to the high demand of players Neil Marshall, a former player decided he would take on a Sunday league, reserve type side to help form a bridge for young players at the club to get into senior football instead of looking elsewhere. In May 2014 the club also gained its Charter Standard award which was a huge compliment to the solid foundations Daniel Pitt had put in place to build the club from.
To date the club now has 1 senior (ladies) sides and 15 junior sides girls and boys, 3 senior sides and is very much looking to expand further. We have 14 level 1 coaches currently with us along with 2 coaches that have gained their Youth Module 1 Award.
We train at The Hereford Academy on Tuesday 5-6pm for boys and Wednesday 6-7pm for the girls during the winter period (October – Feb).
The club is always looking for new players and coaches, so why not come along.
The club has operated with unincorporated status since its inception. In January 2015 a group of local people joined the committee and incorporated the business into Belmont Wanders FC. The Directors are:
Mick Jennings
Les Burgess
Trevor Hill
The Directors see the following benefits accruing from the creation of the Company:
- Financial sustainability, providing security for the long-term future of the Club
- Real community benefit, meaning the Club will work more closely and in partnership with the local community
- Access to community grants, giving a potential source of funding for one-off schemes
- An increase in volunteers, reducing ongoing costs and increasing community involvement
- Increased attendance, resulting from increased community ‘buy in
- Increased transparency of the club’s operations
- Attractiveness to sponsors, with increased prestige from involvement in a real community club.
However, the club’s ambitions are not just for major items and big projects, but also for lots of small steps which in themselves will bring about positive change.
