IF ever there was the complete journey from playing youth football for your local club to progressing to the first-team and scooping three major awards, then Billy Wales epitomises that journey to perfection following his success at the sixth FC Clacton Awards evening last Friday night.

For any player to win one award, it has to be deemed a satisfying end to the season, two is an unbelievable achievement, but in winning all three major trophies - the Supporters Player of the Year, the Manager's Player of the Year and the Players' Player of the Year, Wales followed in the footsteps of Paul Rutherford (2010/11), Chris Ribchester (2009/10) and Matt Waters (2007/08) in hitting the jackpot and the player himself could not hide his delight with such an achievement.

"I was totally surprised to win all three and still can't believe it.  It is only my second full season in the first-team and although we've finished bottom of the league, I've been pleased with my consistent performances - but did not think it would lead to this.

"You look at players like Tom Austin and Kyelan Marvell who have been top drawer with their consistency too and to think that I've won awards ahead of them, it's unbelievable" Wales told the club website.

He has certainly enjoyed his time playing for The Seasiders at a number of levels dating back to the 2004/05 season when he first started out in the Clacton Town Whites Under 12's side that won their league (Colchester and District Youth League D Division) and secured a double that season by winning the R&T Tours youth tournament.

Then in the 2009/10 season aged 16 years and 73 days, he became FC Clacton's youngest-ever player and still holds this record today.

The following season he was part of the FC Clacton Under 18's side that won the Ridgeons Youth League South Championship before becoming a regular in the first-team last season.  Now at the age of just 19, he will go into the 2013/14 season needing just five more appearances to notch up 100 for the club and firmly establish himself in the senior ranks of the side.

Wales was sure in his own mind as to why more players did not follow his path into the first-team as many fell by the wayside. "Of that Under 18's side a couple of years ago, there is only Tom Moore who came back to us from Wivenhoe towards the end of the season and Jamie Duffus who played for the Reserves and has had one or two games in the first-team that came through.  The rest just seem to be happy to play elsewhere at a level or two below ours to stay in their comfort zone which is a shame as we have a decent side in the making here.

"Some don't want to play away from the level their mates are at but for me, it's great to play in stadiums in front of more people than say on a park pitch.  The game is more physical and it's a better test to challenge yourself against.  I've pushed myself by knuckling down and developing an attitude to want to succeed at this level and if you have the ability and and the right attitude, then anyone can do it.  I went to a Football college five days a week to develop myself and hone my skills, so I like to think that where I'm at now has paid off that hard work"

A chance to leave Clacton for Stanway presented itself earlier in the season as a seven-day approach was made for Wales but he was quick to turn that down proving that loyalty also pays.

"I was not interested in leaving.  I'm not in it for the money so was not bothered about turning a bit extra down and when you play for Clacton's superb supporters, why leave them to go and play for one man and a dog?  Winning these three trophies beats any extra money that could be earned by playing elsewhere too!

"The fans here are really dedicated and provide a really good atmosphere in games and even when you play away, there are at least twenty Clacton fans there and in some cases, that's half the crowd.  We have a great atmosphere in the squad too despite where we finished and it's just a great club to play for."

The popular utility player also had good words for his Manager as well as a special group of supporters.  "We'll be fine under Ray next season, he is a good Manager and will get it right. I'd also like to say a special thank you to the Pole Barn Crew who came forward to sponsor me.  It doesn't go unnoticed and I am pleased they see enough in me to want to sponsor me so I am extremely grateful to them."

A long Clacton career lays ahead of Billy and if he enjoys as much success along the way that he has seen so far, then it should prove to be a career of many good times.  

Today has been a proud day for the club as our Girls Under 12's side won the Essex County Girls Football League (Under 12's North Division) in their very first season.

The girls played what was effectively a title decider at home to fellow title hopefuls and reigning Champions Colchester Town who themselves were looking for a hat-trick of titles.

We ran out 4-0 winners to cap a great first season and many congratulations go to Manager Steve Oakes, his coaching staff and of course the girls themselves - well done to all involved.

The current league table showing our girls sitting proudly at the top can be found here whilst the results of a wonderful season can be found here.

An FC Clacton XI recently played host to a Spurs Legends side that contained former favourite Stuart Nethercott.  We caught up with him and asked him how playing for the Legends came about:

How did you get involved with the Legends team?

When you hit the age of 35 and you’ve represented the club you get the phone call to ask if you want to be involved. I was still playing and managing at the time but then I started to play for the team and loved it, seeing all the players who were around the club when you were there and we have a good laugh.

What are you doing now? Are you still involved in football?

I’m currently out of football, I run Soccer Schools that take place in the holidays. We go into schools and take their clubs during the holidays or PE lessons. I really enjoy it and it gives me the chance to give back some of the chances that I had. But I’m still interested in getting back into management if something interesting came along.

You’ve got links with non-league football in this region with your connection to Heybridge Swifts and Wivenhoe Town, do you still follow their results and football in this area?

Yeah of course. More with Heybridge than Wivenhoe because my son was in the Heybridge youth teams  so I went to watch them a lot and as manager of Ware I was looking at the Ryman League anyway. Fair play to Heybridge they’ve cut their budget down and with a mix of youth and experience are giving it a real good go, as are Maldon (who Stuart also played for and managed), although they’re doing their best to throw it away at the moment! But it’s interesting times and it’d be good to see one or two of those teams get back into the Ryman Premier.

Looking back on your career, what was your best/favourite/proudest moment in a Spurs shirt?

There’s a couple. My debut was at the old Stamford Bridge before it was all seater, with lots of standing areas. I was told an hour before kick off that I’d be playing and there were three of us making our debut that day, Kevin Watson and Darren Caskey as well. I was up against the likes of Tony Cascarino and Denis Wise. I hit the post, got booked and we drew 1-1. The other one that sticks out is I was told I was playing an hour before kick off on New Years Day against Manchester United on TV and we thumped them 4-1. We were a really young side so to beat a side with Cantona, Cole, Giggs was very impressive. Sol Campbell was just coming through and he scored a goal that day.

Who was your toughest opponent?

Mark Hughes and also I played against a young Alan Shearer who was very mobile and very strong. Both were different players but very physical and a real challenge. They’d still terrorise defenders in today’s game.

And on the other side who was the best player that you played with?

Looking back while I was there I was lucky the club was bringing in Jurgen Klinsmann, the two Romanians, Dumitrescu and Popescu, Teddy Sheringham and Darren Anderton has to be up there. Also Garry Mabbutt, to play alongside him as a young player coming into the team and get good advice was very lucky. Each year I was there the players seemed to get better and the signings were good. David Ginola was probably the last big signing when I was there.

What do you think about the current Spurs team?

They’re excellent. The aim is to get back above Arsenal again and the big test is to get above them consistently and also win trophies which they haven’t done consistently for a while. I think Spurs have a heck of a chance in the Europa League and they’ve got some really exciting players and they’re so quick. Players are much quicker now and with the diet, physio treatment and operations there is no reason they can’t play until they’re 37 or 38 now.

Quick fire questions – just one word answers:

Messi or Ronaldo? Ronaldo

Rooney or Bale? I have to say Bale

Wine or Beer? Both!

Book or Film? Films

Strictly or X-Factor? (with neither as 3^rd option!) Strictly – I’m still waiting for the call to go on it!

Hoddle or Waddle? Hoddle

Chas or Dave? Chas

My Other Team

Which other team(s) do you support?

Supporting a team goes out of the window when you play for them but since I played for Spurs and Millwall I always follow them now.

When did you first start to support them?

After I’d played for them. I’ve never really been to other grounds since I stopped playing and it’s been a long while since I went back to Spurs. But I go to Millwall occasionally to do a bit of radio work or hospitality with them.

Was there a special reason that you started to follow that team?

They were paying my wages!

What was the last game that you saw your team play live?

I went to Millwall to see their FA Cup game against Luton this season, which they won.

What is your favourite/most memorable moment from supporting your team?

For Spurs my debut was at the old Stamford Bridge before it was all seater, with lots of standing areas. I was told an hour before kick off that I’d be playing and there were three of us making our debut that day, Kevin Watson and Darren Caskey as well. I was up against the likes of Tony Cascarino and Denis Wise. I hit the post, got booked and we drew 1-1. The other one that sticks out is I was told I was playing an hour before kick off on New Years Day against Manchester United on TV and we thumped them 4-1. We were a really young side so to beat a side with Cantona, Cole, Giggs was very impressive. Sol Campbell was just coming through and he scored a goal that day. 

For Millwall we had a good side. I captained the side when we got promoted out of League One and into the Championship and led them out at Wembley in the Auto Windscreens Final. But most memorable was clinching the title on your own ground which we did when we beat Oldham 5-0 in the last game of the 2000-1 season. 

What has been the worst moment supporting your team?

For Millwall we got very close to the play-off final the first season in the Championship. We got to the play-offs and in the two legged semi final we drew away at Birmingham and then lost to a goal in the last minute at home. That led to riots after the game and it probably set the club back two or three years after that defeat.

Who is your favourite player (or players) either past and present?

Alan Hansen. As a kid being a defender I thought he was just top class. And Gazza as well. To be around him was massive as a trainee just coming through. When him and Gary Lineker came back from Italia 90 the training ground was buzzing with two or three thousand supporters coming along, it was unbelievable. It was amazing to be around Gazza and see him every Saturday.

Many thanks to Stuart for his time in talking to us.

We are pleased to announce that Little Clacton based business Austin Heating Services Ltd have renewed their sponsorship of our website and forum for another year.

Austin Heating are a family run business that been providing plumbing & heating services since 2004. 

They cover postcodes in the CO, CM and IP areas (Chelmsford, Colchester and Ipswich), and have established a large base of existing clients who benefit from the high quality service that they provide. 

Maintaining Gas, Oil and LPG central heating systems, they can ensure your heating system is kept in prime condition to ensure minimal disruption when you need it most. 

They are registered with all the relevant governing bodies for the trade (Gas Safe Register, OFTEC, NICEIC) and have recently been awarded Microgeneration Certification which enables their trained engineers to install renewable energy equipment such as Solar Photovoltaic (P.V) panels. 

They have also installed central heating systems under the governments Warm Front Scheme and we can provide many other services such as Landlord Gas Safety Certificates, installation and maintenance of Un-Vented Cylinders and Bathroom installations including tiling.

 If you would like any more information about the services they provide, please website address at the top of this page and then select the 'Contact us' page.

Steve Austin, whose son Tom is the current FC Clacton Captain was delighted to renew the deal as he told our website: "I am thoroughly pleased to sponsor the clubs' website again.  FC Clacton puts so much into the community and does a tremendous amount for the local kids and I am pleased to maintain a relationship with the club for another year."

FCC Webmaster Karl Fuller thanked Steve on behalf of the club stating "Without Steve's generous sponsorship, the club would have to find the three-figured sum itself to run the site for another year and I'm sure it's a cost that the club appreciates being met.  I hope our supporters will continue to enjoy the website and its coverage of the club."

Former FC Clacton/Clacton Town player and Assistant Manager Ray Turner has been appointed as the new Manager of The Seasiders.

Razor, as he is affectionately known, left the club just over a year ago along with the then departing FCC Manager Steve Pitt as the duo spearheaded the management set up at Stanway Rovers.

However, Razor left the Essex side recently and has now returned to The Bowl for a third time to take over the reigns from Taylor.

FCC co-owner Stephen Andrews has released the following statement just a short while ago this evening:

"David and I have been talking to Andy Taylor for a while now and it was obvious he wanted to hand over management to someone else.  Unless involved in management at this level themselves, people will not realise the commitment, time and effort that is required to manage the first-team of a Step 5 Club, and for a number of reasons, Andy felt the time was right to step down and for someone new to take over.

"We want to put on record our thanks to Andy for initially taking over at a difficult time in the wake of our previous manager leaving late in pre-season (2011/12 season) and for the fantastic job he has done since, working tirelessly on behalf of the Club and (almost!) always with a smile on his face as usual.

"On reluctantly accepting that Andy wanted to step down, the challenge for David and myself was then to find the right person to take over.  We needed someone with experience of this League, ideally who had played and already been involved in management at this level.  We have a young squad and it had to be someone who could coach them properly, develop them into players capable of making the huge step up from youth football and hopefully inspire them.  Any prospective manager also needed to be comfortable working to an extremely tight budget, capable of exciting our fantastic supporters and someone David and I could work with.

"We wanted a long-term appointment, big enough to take over at a time when results have not been great, take things by the scruff of the neck and get us back on track!

"We are delighted to announce that Ray Turner has today been appointed first-team manager with immediate effect.  Ray will need no introduction to our players and supporters and Dave and I had not forgotten how much he impressed us when assistant to Steve Pitt.  He more than ticked every one of the boxes above and when we found out he was available and interested, offering him the position was a very easy decision to make.

"Ray will take training this week and will be in charge for the home game against Walsham on Saturday.  We all hope as many of our supporters can make the game as possible, hopefully to cheer Ray and the team on to starting his time in charge with a win!"

Thank you.
Stephen and David

James Dunkley made his 200th Seasiders appearance in the 2-0 defeat at Wivenhoe Town on Tuesday 7 August 2012.

Dunkley, scorer of FCC's first-ever goal, made 49 of his appearances for Clacton Town and his 151 FC Clacton appearances makes him the second-highest FCC appearance maker.

His 200 appearances have seen him start 177 games and come off the bench 23 times.

FC Clacton Reserves won their first-ever piece of silverware on Thursday evening after a 4-1 win over Great Bentley at Bentley Green saw Glenn Eldridge's side bring the trophy home.

The final held over from last season was won with goals from Lloyd, Fitzsimmons and a brace from Lee Clowsley and this was the first time any side representing Clacton Town/FC Clacton have won the Harwich Charity Cup at any level since the dominating Clacton Town side of the fifties won it in 1953/54, 1954/55 and part-winners in 1955/56.

As for Eldridge himself, the trophy represents a hat-trick of success for the former Clacton Town player who saw his Under 18's side finish runners-up in the Ridgeons Youth League South Division in 2011/12 - a year after winning the title the season before.

Congratulations to Glenn and everyone connnected with the Reserves in winning this trophy.

FC Clacton Reserves fixtures for the 2012/13 season are now available to view on this website by clicking here.

Our Reserves are now part of the newly-formed Thurlow Nunn Reserves Premier Division where we will be up against some reserve sides of Ryman League clubs such as Leiston, Lowestoft Town and Needham Market.

Clacton Town legend Terry Ledgerton has become the fifth person to be inducted into The Seasiders website Hall of Fame.

Ledgerton joined Clacton in the early 1950's and after setting goalscoring records in his first two seasons, he became a pivotal figure in Roy Bicknell's Southern League First Division Championship squad of 1959/60.

To see Terry's entry in the Hall of Fame on our website, please click here.

FC Clacton now know who they will face in both the FA Cup and FA Vase for 2012/13 whilst our Under 18's also learnt their fate in the FA Youth Cup after the various draws were made by the FA.

In the Extra Preliminary Round of the FA Cup, we have been drawn at home to Halstead Town in a tie that will take place at The Rush Green Bowl on Saturday 11 August, kick-off 3.00pm.

It is our first meeting in the FA Cup since becoming FCC and the last time we met in any kind of cup competition was of course the 2009/10 First Division Knockout Cup Final when we ran out 2-1 winners.

The winners of this tie will then be at home to Brentwood Town a fortnight later.  More details of this and the FA Cup draw can be found via our forum by clicking here.

 In the FA Vase, we receive a bye in the First Qualifying Round and for the Second Qualifying Round, we were drawn away to Whitton United to take place on Saturday 15 September, kick-off 3.00pm.

The winners of this tie will play either Team Bury or Brightlingsea Regent at home on 13 October.

It is the second season running that we have faced Whitton United in the Vase after they won at The Bowl last season 4-2 after extra time. More details of this and the rest of the FA Vase draw can be found via our forum by clicking here.

Our Under 18's have been drawn away to Colney Heath in the Preliminary Round of the FA Youth Cup with the tie taking place in the week commencing Monday 3 September.  The winners will then be away to either Clapton or Stansted.  More details of this and the rest of the FA Youth Cup can be found via our forum by clicking here.