Johnstown FC to mark special year starting with underage tournament

Candystripes celebrate their 20th anniversary

In 2004 Arsenal won the Premier League title in fine style. Arsene Wenger's wonders wrapped up the title without losing a game, the first time any club had managed to achieve such a feat since Preston North End back in 1889 no less.

In 2004 also Longford Town won the FAI Cup final defeating Waterford 2-1 in the decider at the old Lansdowne Road.

Closer to home a new football club came into existence. Johnstown FC were formed and club teams have ever since being familiar sights on the playing fields of Meath with their distinctive Candystripe jerseys.

Now they are clearly determined to mark their 20 years on the road by staging a series of events this year.

The first of those is an underage tournament which they are staging this Saturday and Sunday.

Tomorrow morning the MDL will be a hive of activity as teams from all over Meath arrive at the Navan venue to play games at various levels in the pre-season tournament. The schedule includes games for players from u-7 up to u-11.

The tournament is something the Johnstown club have run for some years now but there is a sense that they are really pulling out all the stops this time around. It's a project that involves a lot of planning with teams from over 20 local clubs expected to take part.

Planning things with care and efficiency is clearly something those involved with Johnstown FC do very very well as recently the club was awarded with an FAI Club Mark award. It's an accolade presented to clubs by the governing body for running their affairs with diligence and efficiency.

"Winning the Club Mark is a big deal for the club and we are delighted to have received it. This is a big year for us and we have planned a series of events to mark our anniversary starting with the under-age tournament," said Johnstown FC PRO Justin Flynn.

"We intend to make a big effort for St Patrick's Day and we're looking at staging an all-girls tournament in Johnstown People's Park during the summer, then later in the year we'll have our 20th anniversary gala night in the Ardboyne Hotel.

"We want to highlight the good work the club has done in the community over the last 20 years."

There is little doubt that in an area where there are few public amenities, the local soccer club is indeed providing an essential service to the area; an amenity, where local youngsters can express themselves and find an outlet playing the beautiful game.

Johnstown FC, have in the region of 400 members. They field adult teams in the NEFL, at Div 1 and Div 3 levels. The club also runs an academy which caters for youngsters from under-five to about seven.

Those players then move into an underage structure that involves teams all the way up to u-18 grade. Along the way young players are coached and encouraged so that they are given every chance to fulfil their potential.

The club have survived and grown despite having no home ground. They base themselves in the MDL. They are, Justin Flynn adds, very grateful to Gerry Gorman and the NEFL for the facilities but it does involve hiring pitches for playing and training that over the course of a year can be costly, "in the region of €20,000."

Running a club like Johnstown involves considerable sums of money and the club PRO says without the support of local business outlets survival would be considerably more challenging. Their support, he adds, is greatly appreciated.

"Funds from the Capital Sports grants system has also helped, as has the support of local representatives such as Alan Lawes and Eddie Fennessy in dispensing discretionary funds," he adds.

While the quest to get a ground has been ongoing for years now talks with Meath Co Council are continuing and the hope is that something can be sorted out in the near future. One venue proposed over the years has been the People's Park in the area but there are complications there too.

"Each householder in all of the four estates has built into their deeds part ownership of the People's Park so all that makes it complicated from a conveyancing point of view," adds Flynn.

Johnstown FC's first team had something of a golden spell between 2014 and 2016 when they chalked up some notable triumphs. They won the Fitzsimons Cup and sealed a number of promotions. In the past they also had sustained runs in the Challenge Cup.

The club has overcome many challenges in its first 20 years but they remain undaunted out Johnstown way.

The club's committee clearly intend to mark their 20th anniversary in style starting with the underage tournament this weekend.