Blues named community kings

Evo-Stik Northern Premier League Leek Town have won the Staffordshire FA's Charter Standard Development Club of the Year Award for the second year running.

The First Division South's Blues are celebrating the success of their community work again after being named this week among eight winners by the Staffordshire County FA in their 2013 FA Community Awards, presented by The Football Association and its Community Partner, McDonald's.

Along with the other seven individuals and clubs to be honoured, they'll now be shortlisted for 2013 West Midlands Regional FA Community Awards and could go on to the FA's national finals.

The winners were recognised for their commitment to grassroots football by a panel of local County FA representatives following a seven week public nomination period. Leek Town Chairman Andy Wain hailed the club's volunteers and officials for coming out on top again in Staffordshire to win the accolade in successive seasons.

The Blues Chairman said: "The club is very proud to have won this award for the second year in a row. Great credit needs to be given to every one of the teams under the Leek Town umbrella and all of their managers, coaches, secretaries and volunteers."

He added: "I would also like to mention the hard work put in by Steve Kell, Dennis Bates and Tracy Reynolds to make this award possible. We are very fortunate to have such a great team of people working at the club which I am very proud to be Chairman of."

Staffordshire FA's Football Development Officer Gareth Thomas said: "The grassroots awards are a chance for the County FA to recognise those volunteers, coaches and clubs that sacrifice so much throughout the year and say thank you to them.

"Without them we wouldn't have safe and structured environments where youngsters and adults can develop their footballing talent. We are delighted that The FA and McDonald’s have provided us the opportunity to recognise them through The FA Community Awards and we wish them all the best at regional and hopefully national stages of the awards."

To find out more about the awards, visit: www.TheFA.com/YourGame