Player and Squad Photographs

This Saturday, the 14th November, we have a sports photography company visiting Bowood Sports Ground to take individual photos of every member and a team shot of each squad.

The photos will be sent to the Club with preview packs for each member and the opportunity to order photos in time for Christmas. You are under no obligation to purchase but if you choose to do so, not only will you be getting quality shots of your child playing football, but you will also help to raise funds for the Club. To see examples of the photographers work click here.

Here are a few tips to ensure your child is ready and equipped for the photo shoot.

With over 200 players and 14 squads to photograph, some of whom have away games that morning, we have had to allocate a time slot for each group to ensure the event runs as smoothly as possible. Lead coaches and team secretaries are aware of the schedule and will advise you what time you need to be at Bowood Sports Ground. The schedule is tight so there will be no opportunity for latecomers, teams or individuals, who miss their slot.

Players will only be photographed if they are wearing their Club kit. It needs to be clean and therefore if you have training before your scheduled photo time your child should wear alternative kit to train, and then change into their Club kit before the photo session. Goalkeepers should wear their keepers kit and goalie gloves. Players who forget their kit will not be able to take part in the team photo.

If you are a new member awaiting kit please let me know as soon as possible so I can try to find a spare shirt for you to wear for the photo. You will need to provide your own shorts and socks, if you can please wear blue ones.

Let's hope the weather is good for Saturday,

Fans Of The Future @ Swindon Town FC

Cheap Tickets to Swindon Town FC
Saturday 5th December
Take your child to see a League One match for just £1.50 under the "Fans Of The Future" programme. Watch the Swindon Town FC versus Leyton Orient game with your family, a cheap way to see your local professional team play.

I need to submit my ticket requests to Swindon by Tuesday 10th November please submit your requirements to me via the on-line form before this date.


Clubhouse Opening
Thank you to all turned up, I believe our sponsors were very happy with the result of their funding support and I am now looking forward to offering all our members access to the facilities at the new improved Bowood Sports Ground.

Unfortunately I have no photographic record of the event so can I ask that those of you who took photos of the day please pass them onto me. Appreciate your support with this.

Derry Hill United FC open New Clubhouse

The official opening of Derry Hill United FC’ s new Clubhouse took place at the end of October and local people in the Calne area were there to celebrate. The Club were delighted to welcome Wiltshire man and Swindon Town legend, John Trollope, to formally open the building, and unveil a plaque celebrating the occasion. Members were also treated to a display of best wishes and inspirational sporting advice sent to the Club by many of the Premiership and Football League’s top managers.

Eight years ago Derry Hill Boys FC was formed by a group of enthusiastic parents to provide local football opportunities for children. The growth of the Club has been phenomenal with current membership exceeding 200 players, both girls and boys between the ages of 6 and 17. The Club has generated a huge interest in girls’ football that led to a name change in 2004 to Derry Hill United FC. Now each weekend the Club is buzzing with the activity of its 15 teams.

Alan Crocker, Chair of the Club said, “When we first started we had limited facilities, no shelter or toilets. It was essentially just a field. However with only 18 members who all lived close, we managed to get by. We knew as we grew we would have to do something to provide the facilities required to support our players and volunteers.”

To meet the growth the Club needed to improve facilities at its home, Bowood Sports Ground. With the green light from Lord Lansdowne and the Bowood Estate they were able to start planning to develop facilities. The Wiltshire County Football Association also worked closely with the Club to support the project, which went from inception to completion in a staggeringly short 18 months.

Alan explains “Any new building costs a great deal of money and raising the funds required was made possible through the generous support of the Football Foundation, North Wilts District Council and and a Landfill Community Fund grant from Viridor Credits through Community First, the Communities Council for Wiltshire. The support and funding from these organizations gave us the motivation and confidence to get the job done, and done quickly, and now we’re here with a wonderful new facility for our members to use.”

Paul Thorogood, Chief Executive of the Football Foundation said: “We are thrilled that the Club and the local community will have access to these fantastic new facilities and commend the Club and the local FA for their hard work in making this happen.”

“Sport is playing a central role in helping people to stay fit, strengthen communities and promote responsibility amongst young people. This is the latest example of thousands of projects across the country that the Football Foundation is supporting with money provided by our funding partners the Premier League, The FA and Government.”

Derry Hill United plan to use the new Clubhouse to enhance what it offers to members. In addition to toilets and changing facilities the Clubhouse has a meeting room that will be used for training and education for the players and parents, coaches and officials.

After much hard work and with a smile on his face, Alan concluded, “I would like to say a huge thank you to all those involved in making this happen. I hope our young members and adult volunteers make full use of the Clubhouse and enjoy and take pride in this new facility for many years to come.”