TEAM GRYPHON FC OFFICIAL HISTORY - Season 2008/09

For the clubs third season, a number of new players joined the club, as well as gained twenty plus U18's players from Compton Rovers, Gillingham Town, and Yetminster Utd to play for the club in the Dorset County Youth League, Division Two as TGFC U18's!

At the BVFL AGM TGFC were awarded for the Harold Wisdom Fair Play Cup, as well as being confirmed as a Division One club for the third season in a row. The newly formed U18's are given a place in Division Two of the Dorset County Youth League,

The McDonalds sponsored Level One Certificate in Coaching Football at Hamworthy in June, again aimed at players aged between 16-18 years old and this time the club sent Marcus Partridge and Martyn Shaw in partnership with PAMFA as both players had started to work for them.

Pre-Season was made more competitive with the introduction of the St Aldhelm’s Cup contested between Pen Mill, Stalbridge, Bishops Caundle and Team Gryphon, the four team round robin tournament was won by Bishops Caundle on goal difference. TGFC finished in fourth place. The new season started for the Men’s side and the newly formed TGFC U18’s who started their league campaign beating Twynham Rangers of Christchurch 9-3.

Darren Rowe and Dominic Mason were picked for the Blackmore Vale Football League, Pick of the League team against the Frome & District League in the Somerset FA’s Mavis Tate Cup in the November, the game was played at Radstock FC, Darren Rowe played the full 90-minutes and Dominic Mason came on as a second half substitute.

TGFC and the GLC increased its links with DCFA, becoming a training base for the north of the county. DCFA held a Level 1 Certificate in Coaching, which John Haynes and Dominic Mason attended. In October the club played host to a round of fixtures in the South West Ability Counts Regional League and in November the centre hosted A Basic Referee Training course with Dave Torrance attended on behalf of the club. The FA came to TGFC, Tuesday 9th December 2008 - Team Gryphon FC and DCFA teamed up, to offer the club the services of Alan Gillett (South West FA Regional Coach Development Manager, and ex-Wimbledon player) who ran a session for TGFC and Dorset County Coaches Association. DCFA also held a Level 2 Certificate in Coaching Football course at the centre with Dave Atkinson, Marcus Partridge and Dominic Mason attending the week intensive course. And the club also hosts the FA Disability Centre’s of Excellence South West round of fixtures. The DCFA held their third Level 1 Certificate in Coaching Football’ course in April with U18’s player Chris Hole and Gryphon School student Lottie Napier attending the course on behalf of the club.

The main highlight for the club of the field of play was that TGFC were awarded the FA Charter Standard Adult Club of the Year 2008/09 by DCFA, Peter Diffey attends the awards night at Hamworthy, plus the club are awarded by DCFA Charter Standard Working Party & Umbro, as one of a number of Charter Standard Clubs who use the best practice guide, that sets the standards of coaching, administration and child protection as a benchmark for quality, thus improving the playing experience for all.

TGFC Men’s team reach the clubs first ever domestic semi-final losing 4-1 to eventual winners Sturminster Rovers in the BVFL McCreery Division One Cup, but after beating South Cheriton Utd 2-0 in its second semi-final, they reach the final of the BVFL Challenge Cup. The Final is an all Sherborne affair as TGFC lose 2-1 to Sherborne West End, the leagues runners up.

TGFC Men’s finish the 2008/09 BVFL season in 8th place, with four wins and four draws from the 16 league fixtures. Its the cup games that TGFC excel in, the quarterfinal of the Dorset Sunday Junior Cup losing to the eventual winners The Tudor Rose of the Bournemouth Sunday League, the semi-final of the Division One Cup again losing to the eventual winners Sturminster Rovers, and the final of the BVFL Challenge Cup, plus success in winning the Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance Charity Cup.

TGFC U18’s finish in 5th place in Division Two of the Dorset County Youth League, with 14 wins from 23 league and cup games going out of the Dorset County Youth Cup in Round Two.