WELCOME
Welcome to the official website of Bishop Auckland St Mary's Junior's FC, voted Durham FA Community Club of the Year 2008 and Durham County Junior Sports Club of the Year 2009. The club was formed in 1986, and since then has developed into a club that has now unquestionably emerged as Bishop Auckland's premier football club for children and young adults with over 300 players, ranging from 5 to 22.Our 21 teams are all coached by FA qualified volunteers, providing amongst the best grassroots coaching in the North East.
OUR SPONSORS
The club was founded in 1985 by Tommy Kelly after he watched a group of young lads kicking a ball about on Cockton Hill Recreation Ground, and organised them into a proper football team. It was termed St. Marys Soccer Squad , later changing to St. Marys Juniors. George Nicholson joined Tommy in 1988 and started managing the U14's in 1990 and is still with the club today. Renowned Club Secretary Fred Anderson joined in 1997 as the club moved to the Teeside Junior Football Alliance League (TJFA) after Tommy Kelly retired for personal reasons. Fred and George (as new Chairman) continued to develop the club and have played key roles in its history. The club has grown year on year to where it is today with 18 teams and over 350 players aged 5 to 22 years old with a dedicated volunteer support team of over 50 volunteers including officials, managers, coaches and secretaries.
Fred Anderson was Club Secretary of St. Marys Juniors F.C. for over 10 years, who sadly died in 2007, and was instrumental, along with Chairman Tony Davis, in guiding them from 1 to 16 teams. Rob Bowron took over at club secretary in 2008 until 2013. The club committee was again restructured in October 2013 with chairman Steve Coulthard & Club Secretary Catherine Pearson, with 6 Club Officials and a manager from each team. In 2006, the club achieved the FA Community Club Status, the pinnacle of the club development pathway. All FA Community Clubs are required to meet FA criteria, ensuring they provide opportunities for players irrespective of age, gender, religion, and ability. Since this time, the club has developed to an unrecognisable state and is now unquestionably one of the county’s premier football clubs for children and young people catering for all ages and genders.
In 2008, the club was delighted to be awarded Wear Valley Junior Sports Club of the Year as well as Regional and County FA Community Club of the Year Awards all in the same season. In 2009, the club was awarded Wear Valley Junior Sports Club of the Year, beating competition from many clubs of all sporting themes.
We now support 21 teams ranging from Little Stars Under 5s to Under 22 (both boys and girls) ensuring children of Bishop Auckland and its surrounding areas are catered for. We enjoy a successful and growing partnership with Bishop Auckland FC, ensuring we can provide a possible exit route from junior football into the senior game. The club is ambitious and are keen to continually progress the club further, with football coaching always at the heart of everything that is done. The club enjoys an excellent reputation for the delivery of quality football coaching and can boast what surely must be one of the largest grassroots football workforces in the county.
We play most of our home games next to Bishop Auckland College on Woodhouse Lane, Bishop Auckland. The postcode is DL14 6JZ. Parking should be in the College car park and not on the main road. Our pitches are located only a short walk after turning left from the main car park. We have a club house and changing/toilet facilties, serving hot and cold refreshments all day on a Sunday. All are welcome!
