Clitheroe at the heart of the community

The scheme builds upon the foundations of the Charter Standard scheme in placing clubs at the heart of their community.

It is the pinnacle of the club development pathway and is awarded to clubs that have a high quality, multi-team set up with excellent social, training and playing opportunities for all.

As such Community Club status is one of the truest measures of success for the FA Football Development strategy and is considered by the FA to be the ultimate goal for clubs at grassroots level.

Club chairwoman, Anne Barker, said: “Clitheroe can be proud that it has a junior club and a senior club which operate at this high level. The opportunity is there for any player with enough skill, ambition and commitment to move from one to the other.”

The move creates a pathway between Clitheroe Wolves juniors, the Under 21s and the first team.

Clitheroe finance director, Andrew Jackson, said: "I am very excited about finally getting an agreed link between ourselves and Clitheroe Wolves.

"It is something I have wanted for many years but it is only in the last few years that this has got nearer and a big thank you to Ross Hibbert and more recently Steven Entwistle for helping with this.

"This now gives a clear pathway for young footballers in the Clitheroe area to progress from youth football through to the Clitheroe FC U21s and then hopefully the Clitheroe FC first team.

"If we can build on this relationship and the players can continue to enjoy their football locally then those players that are good enough will get their chance and who knows. “