Crewe United have announced that French side AS Cannes will visit Crewe park in June as part of the clubs 50th Anniversary celebrations. The year of events to mark the occasion was kicked off last week with Lisburn Mayor Paul Porter hosting a reception for Crewe at Lagan Valley Island.
50th ANNIVERSARY – EVENTS SCHEDULE
Wednesday 26 January 2011
Launch of 50th Anniversary at Lagan Valley Island by the Right Worshipful Mayor Alderman Paul Porter and Councillor David Archer
Saturday 19 March 2011
Club’s Invitational Reception at the Park Plaza Hotel including past Mayors and Representatives of Lisburn City Council
Saturday 30 April 2011
Charity Match at Crewe Park in support of the Mayor’s Charity (Carers Forum)
Friday 10 June 2011
Game against AS Cannes, French Championat Side at Crewe Park
Saturday 6 August 2011
Annual Peace Cup Fixture against Warrington Town FC at Crewe Park
Saturday 15 October 2011
Annual Formal Dinner Dance – Park Plaza Hotel
CREWE UNITED – 1961 TO 2011
Crewe United were formed in 1961 and started their early games playing at Woodvale Park. In 1963 they moved to their present Crewe Park abode courtesy of the late Mr. Joe Shephard who became President of the Club. He was succeeded in the early 1980’s by his son, Denis, who has carried on his mantle in a very positive and progressive manner.
Initially Crewe played their football in the West Belfast/South Belfast Leagues, then on to the Lisburn League, Amateur League, the Irish League for a short two years, the NI Intermediate League and finally to their present participation in the Mid-Ulster League.
In 1967 they won the North-South Junior Cup – the only Northern Ireland team to win that trophy – three successive McCarter Cup triumphs in 1967-68-69 and in 1973 won the 1st Divison title in the Lisburn Amateur League. The 1980’s saw the Club step up to Intermediate football, winning two Amateur League titles and also the Prestigious IFA Junior Cup in 1983. In 1987 they won the Lisburn Charity Friendship Cup.
Over the years the Club has played all over Europe – in Spain, France and Holland, as well as the numerous visits to Glasgow, London and Dublin. Some of Soccer’s biggest names have played at Crewe Park, notably Pat Jennings, Sammy McIlroy, Jimmy Nicholl, Gerry Armstrong and George Best, who played for Crewe in his last ever game in a Charity Match in 1995. The Club organised a George Best Tribute Night in June 2006 and raised £10,000 for Liver Research and presented this to Professor Williams who had been Georges Consultant, and indeed close friend, in his final days.
Over the past 30 years the Club has raised over £65,000 for various charities such as Action Cancer, Save The Children, Lisburn Branch of Alzheimer’s, Derriaghy Day Centre, Suicide Watch, and only last August hosted a charity football match to support a young soldier, Craig Wood, who had been badly wounded in Afghanistan.
The Club also invested a lot of time in working with local community projects. Parkview Special Care School and Lisburn Adult training Centre were closely associated with the Club for many years and their young people often accompanied the Club on their trips to London and Spain. Over the years Parenting sessions, organised by Down Lisburn Health & Social Services, ICT training for men and women wishing to return to employment arranged by Atlas, Music groups and Line Dancing Classes have all availed of Crewe’s new and modern facilities.
Crewe’s willingness to support and organise charity events has always been recognised and as a result they have always been able to attract admiring sponsors. BMI, Britannia Airways, Stenna Line, P&O Ferries, Park Plaza Hotel, Robinson Cleaning Services, The Auction Yard, Doorfix Ring-Gard and Bespoke Facilities are just some of the companies who have sponsored the Club over the years.
In 1993 after the bomb explosion in Warrington that killed two young boys, Crewe, with the support of Lisburn Council, initiated the ‘Torch of Hope’ project to promote a more positive image of Northern Ireland through the medium of sport. A group of young people from Lisburn, representative of all the sections of the community, took the Torch initially around Ireland, then on throughout Britain and eventually to America and Canada. The Warrington association with the Club and Lisburn Council is now stronger than ever and in 2009 ‘The Peace Cup’ was inaugurated – an annual game between Crewe and Warrington Town FC, with the aim to offer some financial support to the Peace Centre in Warrington, which was the brainchild of Colin Parry whose son was killed in the bomb explosion.
In 1999 Crewe, again supported by Lisburn Council, initiated an innovative Coaching Project which involved Dutch Coaches completing their Coaching Course by working for three months, on a cross community basis, in Lisburn schools. This project was very successful and some of the coaches involved are now coaching young people in different parts of the world such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi, enriched by their experiences in Lisburn.
One of the best stories told about Crewe United concerns the BBC Broadcaster, Paddy O’Flaherty. On his morning request show some years ago he got a call from an address at ‘Crewe’, Glenavy. He made reference to the fact that he had never heard of the place. No sooner had he made the comment than an irate female from Glenavy had phoned the BBC to point out the exact location and added “We have a very famous football team”!
Fifty years is a long time but it is the Club’s hope that the people who are here now, and the facilities that have been provided, will forever be a monument to vision, hope, enthusiasm, determination and true kindness.
