Chairman's Notes

I met a young man this year, he wanted to play on my team. He wasn’t a big man, he looked too small but he was such a lovely fellow I hadn’t the heart to turn him away, although I was wrecking my head trying to work out how I was going to let him down gently. He said he was a forward so I stuck him in. Instantly this slight, mild mannered chap transferred into a slick, strong and extremely talented super player. His touch was perfect, he was strong, fast and intelligent - a beautiful player, I simply couldn’t believe it. He became my first choice striker and my friend; he won games for me and made a real difference to the team spirit in our camp.

Had I had known when he bid me fair well on that Saturday that it would be the last time I saw his cheeky smile I honestly would have dragged him from the car in which he would meet his death in the following week and begged him to stay, but I didn’t know.

If only our match hadn’t been cancelled the following week, he wouldn’t have been out so late. I have so many if only's and what ifs, but none make any sense now. Crissy Shiels died and it affected me greatly, its make no sense and certainly isn’t fair, it’s a crime against nature but none the less it can’t be changed.

I’ve got a panel of 31 players left now, all good decent lads, all with their own strengths and weaknesses, traits and personalities.  What bonds us together is that we are a team.  Teams have highs and lows and it’s important to learn from both. Crissy's death has hit us all hard, he was that sort of fellow.  So my message to my remaining lads is this. Crissy can’t be with us on the field today but we can carry his spirit with us, let’s play this great game the way Crissy showed us. With style, compassion, committment and most of all with a smile on our face.  That was how Crissy Shiels did it, let's carry him on.

Finally a message to all Kells Blackwater players and friends, please if you're getting into a car be careful, your life and well being is precious to us. If you find yourself in trouble, you're not alone talk to your coach, we will help you. You are a vital part of our club and it would  break our hearts if we lost any one of you, like we did Crissy Shiels.  Ar Dhéis Dé go raibh a anam dilís.

2010 A Chance for You



The second half of the season is here, happy New Year to you all. In these troubled times its sometimes easy to loose sight of some very important things. Last week I had the senior lads out in the Grange their game was on pitch four which runs alongside the academy pitches .As per usual the academy was a hive of activity , excitement , laughter mixed with the innocent enthusiasm of the kids which always creates an air of pure magic. I took some time out to take in the spectacle during a lapse in our game, returning to the senior lads I looked around and it dawned on me that it only seems like yesterday since these men were scurrying around in the thick of it as kids, going through the same emotions and experiencing the same benefits that our wonderful academy gives to our children.

These young men on the senior reserve team which I now have the pleasure of managing epitomizes what Kells Blackwater Football Club is about. God knows we don t always get it right, but from our mistakes we try to improve our performance as a club, we have been very lucky to have attracted people of the highest caliber, people who are not necessarily soccer heads , but more importantly, parents and friends who want to be part of there children’s life .

You really don t need to know much about the game, the club will look after you, there are loads of courses that we can put you through. I guarantee, you will look back in years to come and know that you have been a contributing factor in the development of so many young people and in doing so you will make countless life long friends. Give it a try you won t regret it. Contact us today we need your input so do the kids and although you might not realize it, so do you.