Griffins News

ANOTHER batch of photos from our 2018 presentation day. The event was a great celebration of our boys and girls’ teams, and the hard work and dedication of parent-coaches and other volunteers. This third set of photos includes some of our older teams and starts with our under-15 girls. Some of our coaches and other volunteers are pictured at the end.

Thanks again to all our players, volunteers, parents, families and friends who support Hough End Griffins Junior FC throughout the year. For more details about Hough End, see the contact information on this website.

MORE photos from Hough End Griffins’ 2018 presentation day.

HOUGH End Griffins’ annual end-of-season presentation day was a great event, celebrating the contributions and achievements of all the club’s boys and girls, parents, coaches and volunteers.

The celebration was held in the clubhouse of Broughton Park Rugby Club at Hough End Playing Fields, which is a great venue.

Pictured here and over the next few website posts are photos from the day. The first shows the under-5 Soccer School youngsters with coach Paul Evans, back right, and guest Shakeel Jones-Griffiths, a former Hough End youngster who is now with Bolton Wanderers.

Paul recalled coaching Shakeel as a boy at Hough End 10 years ago and was delighted to welcome him to our presentation day. Shakeel chatted to children and parents, and had his photo taken with youngsters.

Hough End has seen a number of players move on to professional clubs over the years including Bolton Wanderers, Manchester City and Manchester United.

WATCH children, parents and volunteer coaches from Hough End Griffins Junior FC on BBC Match of the Day and Radio 5 Live social media.

The Match of the Day Facebook video has been watched over 250,000 times so far – and the Radio 5 Live Twitter post is doing well too.

One of our coaches, dad Graeme McGilliard, pictured above, is interviewed by the BBC, explaining our club’s ethos of positive encouragement – which is mirrored by the Respect League for younger players and also by the FA.

The video also captures young Hough End players and parents at a Respect League match, see below,  held at the University of Manchester’s Armitage Centre in Fallowfield.

Hough End boys and girls’ teams play in a number of Greater Manchester leagues, with matches and training held in a range of locations including Hough End Playing Fields and the Platt Lane Complex.

Hough End Griffins offer football for boys and girls of all abilities. Young players of primary and high school ages join us from across south Manchester including Whalley Range, Moss Side, Hulme, Withington, Chorlton and Didsbury.

Check out the BBC videos on Facebook and Twitter, and share them with your friends and family. To learn more about Hough End Griffins, take a look around our website which also includes contacts details of the club’s volunteer officials.

HOUGH End Griffins’ brilliant U-15 Boys have won the 2018 Manchester FA U-15 Boys County Cup.

The south Manchester lads from Hough End, led by stalwart coach Jim Duffy, beat Eccles-based Park Wyddon 4-2 on penalties after a 3-3 draw in normal time at the cup final in Hyde on Sunday, May 20.

Manchester FA said the U-15 fixture was ‘arguably the best cup final of 2018’ and praised both teams for putting on a ‘terrific contest’.

Messages of congratulations have been sent to the U-15 boys from parents and volunteers across Hough End Griffins Junior FC including club secretary Ben Hamilton, chairman Graeme McGilliard, Ian Little, Paul Evans, Ralf Thiede, Anita Kistler, Cheryl Struckman and Tim Crabbe.

Mark Treacher, one of the volunteer team coaches, said: “Well done to Jim, all the lads and everyone who helps the U-15s team. It’s a brilliant achievement.”

Tim Crabbe added: “It was a fantastic occasion and great achievement to get to the Cup Final. Well done.”

U-15 team member Liam thanked everyone who has supported them over the season including the volunteers committee at Hough End Griffins.

To relive the action, see footage on Manchester FA Facebook page or Twitter @Manchester_FA

HOUGH End Griffins Under-13 Boys enjoyed a team-building trip to watch the Manchester City vs Manchester United U-23s game at the Etihad Academy Stadium.

It was a closely fought game, with City taking an early lead only for United to equalise on the stroke of half-time. Most of our Hough End lads missed the goal because they had already hit the refreshment queues!

No further goals in the second half meant that the spoils were shared, and all our lads, Blues and Reds alike, went home reasonably happy.

The highlight of the game had to be seeing Benjamin Mendy, City’s £50milllion left-back, storming up and down the wing at close quarters. He played the first half as part of his recuperation from a long-term injury.

Under-13s team manager Richard Webster said: “All the lads had a great night out and hopefully picked up a few tips from some of the best young players in the country. Only time will tell whether or not they learnt a lesson about seeking refreshment before the half-time whistle…”

Fore more details on Hough End Griffins, contact our club secretary or team coaches. Contact details are at the bottom of the home page on this website.

Manchester City v Lyon, Champions League semi-final first leg

Hough End Griffins’ U10s strengthening ties with Manchester City saw our boys back at the City Academy for the fourth time this season.

Following three highly competitive matches with the City U10 girls, this time we enjoyed the glamour of a Champions League semi final as City’s women took on Lyon.

We were delighted to be invited and took a group of 40 players and parents for a great Sunday afternoon out.

Ahead of kick-off, the boys enjoyed the City Family Fun Day at the Academy’s full-size indoor 3G facility. A variety of fun activities were set up by the City team, with everything from climbing to jumping, foot darts, football rodeo and even football zorbing.

Football zorbing – the best fun for our U10s

The League Cup trophy was given pride of place for photos and everyone – not just the City fans among our group – could not help but be impressed by the scale of the club’s community efforts on days like these.

Hough End Griffins was one of a handful of grassroots clubs to be invited to enjoy the day and it was fantastic to see our team bonding off the pitch just as well as they do on it every weekend.

Going for the bullseye in foot darts

The big match of the day was a tight contest as European champions Lyon were held to a goalless stalemate by City. Chances were few and far between, but the boys all enjoyed watching top level action close up and the atmosphere generated by the near 3,000 crowd.

Hopefully, the boys will be inspired by what they saw and it won’t be long before we return to the City Academy for another crack at our U10 counterparts.

Thanks to all parents and boys for attending – the experiences they have as part of the Hough End Griffins squad are ones we all want them to treasure for many years to come.

• To find out more about your child joining up at Hough End Griffins, see our website http://www.houghendgriffins.com/contact-details

Graeme McGilliard, coach U10s

HOUGH End Griffins U-13 boys had a fun and exciting night when they went on a Christmas team-building trip to see Manchester Storm ice hockey team play in Altrincham.

Storm took on the Cardiff Devils in a fast-flowing, closely fought game that saw Storm make the score 2-2 with 18 seconds left on the clock, before losing in overtime.

The Hough End boys’ team were able to get on the ice at the end of the game for a photo with a couple of the Storm players.

Richard Webster said: “Everyone had a great night. We’re hoping that the boys picked up some tips about how to stick up for your team mates when they are in a tight corner!”

Thanks to everyone at Manchester Storm for their hospitality, and to marketing and community manager Simon Bailey for help with the photograph.

Hope everyone has a great Christmas and New Year. Best wishes from everyone – boys and girls, parents and volunteers – at Hough End Griffins Junior FC.