Centenary celebrations are up and running (From Stroud News and Journal)

Centenary celebrations are up and running

AFTER months of hard work the final preparations of organising the Stroud and District Football League centenary season are nearly there and a feast of football is on the agenda along with many other events.

The league was formed in 1902 and has grown from being a small league with only a few members to an organisation that can boast having 105 teams and a registered playing membership of nearly 3,000 footballers.

One event that the league has arranged is a Centenary football competition that will consist of representative teams from all seven divisions.

Every team manager from last season's division sides was asked to nominate two players to go into the Division's team.

The intention is that every team in the league will be represented in the Divisional sides, and all players, divisional team managers and organisers and the officials will all receive a commemorative award.

The first match of the tournament is on Tuesday September 3 and this will be between Division Two and Division Four at Tetbury Town's ground, kick-off 6.15pm.

Division One will play Division Three at Slimbridge FC on Thursday, September 5, kick-off 6.15.

And at Chalford FC on September 10, Division Five will face Division Seven. Division Six will get a bye to the semi-finals.

The semis will be played on Tuesday 17 and Thursday 19 and the final will be played at Shortwood United on Thursday September 26.

All the games are free for spectators and everyone on the league committee is looking forward to the feast of football.

League chairman Clifford Knights said: "The tournament should be excellent. We think we have got some quite good footballers playing in the Stroud league.

"We want people to come and see what the league has on offer."

Other events that the league has organised is a friendly challenge match against one of the league's founder members Forest Green Rovers and a centenary dinner.

Both of these events will be held in October and more details will appear in the News and Journal nearer the time.

The league would like to remind all clubs to get their players signed on as soon as possible.