Tamarside F.C.

Tamarside Football Club is an amateur association football club based in Plymouth, Devon, in the United Kingdom. The club was formed initially as a Youth Club in 1991 and still operate teams from Under 9s through to Under 18s in the Devon Junior & Minor League while their First Team currently play in the Plymouth and West Devon Combination League, Division One.

The early years

In 1991 Tamarside Community College built a Sports Complex for its pupils and appointed Darren Stewart to its staff to promote a community programme. One of the activities was Under 10s football and from this session a 5-a-side team was entered into the Kitto Centre 5-a-side league on a Saturday morning. This side formed the basis of the club's first Devon Junior and Minor League team and entered the 11-a-side league the following season under the sponsor’s name of G Wyett Landscapes, managed by Bob Blagdon.

Since that date the club has never looked back and still adopts the same approach to community football as it did in 1991 with the majority of the players coming through the community sessions, soccer-tots and mini-soccer coaching programmes run by Darren Stewart at Tamarside Sports Complex to feed into the football club.

Tamarside Juniors & Tamarside Kings

Tamarside Juniors have now grown to become one of the most respected and succesful clubs in junior football locally. The club's approach to structured coaching and a 'professional' approach to standards ensure the trophy cabinet is never empty and the club has now won over 100 honours at Junior Level.

In addition to representing Tamarside many youngsters have achieved personal honours by representing League Representitive sides, Schoolboy Associations, South West Regional Squads and hundreds of players have passed through professional Centres of Excellence with Plymouth Argyle, Exeter City and Torquay United at a variety of ages.

The local demand to play for the club continued to grow and, as a result of this and restrictions on the number of teams the club could enter into each age group, a 'sister club' Tamarside Kings F.C. was founded in 2001 to ensure more youngsters had the opportunity to play for the club. "The Kings" now have teams at U9s, U10s, U11s, U12s and U13s and operates as a stand-alone organisation with its own experienced and dedicated committee, but share the facilities with the "Juniors".

Tamarside Juniors F.C. achieved FA Charter Club Status in 2007, while Tamarside Kings F.C. hope to achieve their award in 2010.

Mens teams

In 2000 the club, under the management of Jon Rosevear, entered their first men's team into Division 4 of the Plymouth and District Combination League. With a youthful squad, many of which are still connected to the club today, and a mix of more experienced players, they won the 2000/01 Division 4 title setting records for the number of goals scored, and conceded.

The club then enjoyed further successive promotions to take their place in the Premier Division of the newly restructured Plymouth and West Devon Combination League by the 2003/04 season, culminating in winning the Premier Cup, defeating Manstow F.C. 4-3 after extra time at Langsford Park, home of Tavistock F.C.

A Reserve Team was introduced for the 2002/03 season managed by Barry Greenway, while 2003/04 marked further progress with the club moving to the Parkway Sports & Social Club, Ernesettle Lane. "The Parkway" which boasted floodlights and substantial changing and spectator facilities had been vacated by the University of Plymouth and was the former home of Plymouth Parkway F.C. who played there in the former South Western League.

A further Premier Cup win followed in 2006 under the management of Darren Potter while the Reserve Team claimed both the Division One Title and the Challenge Cup in the same season under the guidance of former Plymouth Argyle and Blackburn Rovers professional Nicky Marker.

At the beginning of the 2006/07 the club transferred the First Team into the newly restructured East Cornwall League Division One and under the management of Darren Potter and Jon Rosevear won the title without defeat, reached the semi-final of the East Cornwall League Cup and the fourth round of the Devon Premier Cup, losing narrowly to South West Peninsula League side Newton Abbot F.C. That season also saw the emergence of prolific striker Adam Carter who scored an unprecedented 63 goals.

The following season saw Darren Potter guide them to the East Cornwall League Cup Final defeating League Champions Torpoint Athletic F.C. 1-0 at St Blazey F.C.'s Blaize Parc.

Unfortunately, Tamarside became victims of their own success as many of their players received offers from South West Peninsula League clubs for the 2008/09 season, so with the club's budgetary restrictions and unwillingness to hold back the players they developed, were unable to keep the side together. After much deliberation, the club withdrew from the East Cornwall Premier League and returned to operate one team in the Plymouth and West Devon Combination League.

Club officials & management history

League competition history

Club colours & crest

The club colours are traditionally Royal Blue and White, however there have been many variations of this over the years. The Junior Club generally wear all Blue with White trim, although a small number of sides wear White Shirts. Tamarside Kings are distinguished by their striking combination of White Shirts, Blue Shorts and Red Socks which was adopted by all 'Kings' teams in 2007.

The first mens team strip, in 2000/01 was a combination of blue and black. The mens teams have since worn all-white, blue and white stripes, white shirts with blue shorts, all-blue and have more recently returned to a predomenently blue and black strip.

Both the mens teams and junior teams have at times worn a blue and white striped kit and in 2004 it was intended that this would be the standard strip choice throughout the club. However, problems with identifying sponsors printing and logos and a lack of choice from manufacturers meant that the plan was scrapped and the club allowed any combination of blue and white.

The club crest incorporates an image of the Tamar Bridge and a football enclosed within a laurel design. This badge was adopted by the Junior Club in 1993 and was designed by then Club Secretary Noddy Phillips' son Clint who played for the club. To maintain the identity and connection between the two clubs, the same badge was adopted by Tamarside Kings, but in 2006 a Red Crown was added to distinguish the two clubs.

Senior honours

Plymouth & West Devon Combination League (formerly Plymouth & District):
Division Four Champions (1): 2000/01
Division One Champions (1): 2005/06 (Reserves)
Division One Runners Up (1): 2002/03
Premier Cup Winners (2): 2003/04, 2005/06
Challenge Cup Winners (1): 2005/06 (Reserves)

East Cornwall League:
Division One Champions (1): 2006/07
League Cup Winners (1): 2007/08

Notable players - past & present

Some players who have made a noteable contribution to the club in terms of appearances, goals or influence both on and off the field, or are just plain memorable for one reason or another:

• Mark Peard (2000-2002)

• Jon Libby (2000-2005)

• Dave Taylor (2000-2003)

• Lee Whitford (2000-2008)

• Craig Wassall (2002-2006, 2009-Present)

• Mark Dawson (2003-2008)

• Mark Stevenson (2001-2007, 2008-Present)

• Martin Piper (2003-2007)

• Iain Gloyne-Valentine (2001-2003)

• Darren Fifield (2003-Present)

• Steve Guy (2003-2006, 2008-Present)

• Steve Fifield (2000-2002)

• Akim Tyban (2003)

• Darren Baskott (2000-2005, 2006-Present)

• Wayne Gamble (2000-2004, 2007-Present)

• Guy Powney (2005-2008)

• Gregg Baldry (2003-2005)

• Carl Pender (2003-2006)

• Mark Wakeham (2001-2008)

• Adam Carter (2005-2007)

• Ben Davies (2005-2007)

• Adam Bance (2006-2008)

• Kevin Russell (2001-2004)

• Billy Allen (2003-2007, 2008-2009)

• Demitri Kanakh (2004-2008)

• Brendan Lightfoot (2002-2005)

• Tom Blackler (2003-2007)

External links

Club website Tamarside Football Network