Marc has been part of ladies football for nearly twelve years joining Woodley United Ladies FC in 2011, when it was formed to provide a dedicate club for the provision of female football in Woodley.

Initially he was the u16 girls’ manager and has progressed to today managing the club’s Ladies team.

During his time Marc has been instrumental in managing significant change in personnel within the Ladies team as older players have retired or departed to be replaced by younger ones, some of who he first coached in the club. In addition to managing the transition of youth to open age football, Marc has been able to maintain the quality of football the team plays which is attracting others to want to join the team.

Currently the Ladies team is challenging for promotion from their division and have reached the semi-final stage of both Southern Region Women’s Football League cup and Berks & Bucks FA Women’s Senior cup. This season saw the team progress the furthest it ever has in the SSE FA Women’s cup.

In addition to managing, Marc supports the club’s development of girls football as witnessed by his attendance and support at the Girls Football Festival the club held during July 2017.

As is common with managing, it is not just the time given to manager but all the “other” tasks that go with the role which Marc undertakes to provide football for the team and includes:

• Putting goal nets up on home match days
• Planning and delivering training sessions twice a week in the close season and once a week in the season
• Ensuring there is sufficient kit and equipment for training and match days
• Arranging fixtures with the opposition and match referees
• Selecting a team and ensuring they have directions for away matches
• Being part of the clubs wider management group working with other team managers
• Officiating at the club’s annual small a side tournament
• Securing team sponsorship

During his time with Woodley United, Marc has managed teams to the following successes:

• Berks & Bucks FA u16 Girls cup – first time in history that any female team from Woodley has won a county cup competition
• Berks & Bucks FA u18 Girls cup – twice
• Thames Valley Counties Football League Division Two South champions
• Thames Valley Counties Football League Division One runners up

He is held in high regard by the team who support this nomination by saying

“As well as being a manager and talking about tactics and formations, Marc is always open to listening to the team’s queries and questions, sees when he needs to have a chat with players about how they’re playing, is always giving advice on ways to improve and is never short of a compliment for the team. We have definitely been lucky to have a manager like this for so long.”

In light of Marc’s commitment to the development and growth of female football in Woodley, I consider him to be a worthy nominee for a Woodley Town Council Citizen award.