It is with a sense of inevitability – and a very heavy heart – that the club has taken the decision to cancel the CCCFC Summer Festival of Football 2020, due to take place from June 26-28.
The coronavirus pandemic has robbed the sporting calendar of the Euros, the Olympics, Wimbledon and the rest of the grassroots football season and it seems certain social distancing measures will be in place for months to come.
The club’s committee wanted to delay a decision to give young footballers currently kicking their heels on the sidelines something to look forward to, but to do so any longer seems futile.
The Colts would like to place on record our thanks to all of the teams who had submitted entries for the tournament – as of the end of March we were well on course for yet another sell-out event.
We are also hugely grateful for the local businesses and groups who had generously stepped forward to support us and the parents who had volunteered to help out. A special mention too for tournament organisers Mandy Overfield and Katie Sheppard and treasurer Julie Armstrong, whose unstinting efforts have been in vain this time.
Any teams who paid their entry fee by bank transfer should email Julie at
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and a refund will be processed ASAP.
Needless to say, the tournament will be back – every bit as big and brilliant as ever – in the summer of 2021, when these dark days will hopefully be firmly behind us.
We wish everybody associated with our club and the wider grassroots football family a safe summer.
Stay at home, stay healthy and we will beat this together.
Last Updated on Tuesday, 07 April 2020 16:01
CCCFC FESTIVAL OF FOOTBALL 2019 LIVES UP TO ITS BILLING AS 'GREATEST SHOW ON TURF'
Castle Combe Colts' annual summer spectacular lived up to its proud reputation in Wiltshire and beyond as around 3,000 people savoured scintillating football in scorching temperatures at the club's picturesque HQ.
The tournament sells out every year and certainly didn't disappoint those who made sure their name was on the entry list. The event is unique in that it showcases the talents of young footballers right across the age spectrum, from 4 to 18.
There was joy and despair as teams battled it out for the honours, but the players deserve immense credit for making sure the values of respect and sportsmanship were upheld throughout the three days.
The club pays tribute to every single one of them for helping to create a wonderful spectacle, and would also like to say a big thank you to...
- The parents, friends and family who came along to cheer from the sidelines.
- Our superb team of referees and their guru, Julian Sattin.
- The army of volunteers from across the age groups, who flipped burgers, parked cars, served tea and refreshments, recorded results, set up pitches, packed them away afterwards and did everything else besides.
- Tireless tournament organisers Mandy Overfield and Katie Sheppard and grounds manager Bradley Milburn-Anderson, together with the rest of the Colts committee.
- The local businesses who helped with expertise and goods, including the Lysely family, Chippenham Pallet Company, MJ Church, Corsham Print, Practical and ByBrook Valley School.
- And, when it came to the one thing out of our control, the weather gods for ensuring the conditions matched the setting and the football on show.
It was a festival that showcased all that is brilliant about youth football but we really couldn’t have done it without the support of those listed above.
Thanks a million and we look forward to welcoming you all again in 12 months’ time.
IT'S OFFICIAL: CASTLE COMBE COLTS ARE THE BEST IN THE WEST
Castle Combe Colts topped the table of Charter Standard clubs across the entire region by scooping a hugely prestigious Football Association awards double. When Colts chairman David Lewis and secretary Trevor Newman accepted an invitation to annual Wiltshire FA Community Awards gala dinner, staged at Trowbridge’s Civil Hall on July 20, the height of their expectations was either an honourable mention or a repeat of the Highly Commended spot they earned at the same event in 2016. Following immensely deserved gongs for grassroots heroes including referees, groundsmen, and volunteers, the awards for individual clubs were saved until last. Then, as Lewis and Newman listened in, a citation began which kept ringing with familiarity… It included: "Formed in 1997, up to 300 players, 16 teams, highly successful Minikickers division, first club in Wiltshire to raise money specifically for and purchase a community defibrillator. And ended with: "The award for Best Charter Standard Club in Wiltshire 2016/17 goes to CASTLE COMBE COLTS FC.” But that piece of news was just the beginning, as the master of ceremonies continued …. "The Colts were further entered into the South West Regional competition and emerged victorious in that as well. The judges recognised the club for an all-inclusive style, respectful club ethos and an attention to detail, meaning that all Colts emerge from the process better equipped for life than when they started there.” After collecting the awards, a proud and delighted Newman said: “This is a truly amazing honour when you think of the numbers of clubs and all the fantastic volunteers driving those clubs forward. “I have to say the level of support we are given by the Wiltshire FA – particularly the likes of Tim Hall, Kate Foote and Jodie Jordan – is outstanding. These people also repeatedly go 'above and beyond' the call of duty - we thank them so much. “I say it often but never has it had a truer meaning - BE PROUD TO BE A COLT.”
YOUTH FOOTBALL THE WINNER AS CCCFC STAGE FANTASTIC 2017 FESTIVAL
Castle Combe Colts’ annual Festival of Football demonstrated that the beautiful game is alive and kicking as 200 teams showed off their skills in the sunshine. A wonderful weekend of action featured the full range of age groups, with Reception and Year 1 children from the Colts’ own MiniKickers section having their chance to shine on the same pitches that saw under-16s boys and girls teams battle it out for the silverware.
Teams and their armies of supporters came from across Wiltshire, Bath, Bristol and Gloucestershire and were able to savour an event that ran like clockwork across three days thanks to the tireless efforts of the Colts’ committee, parent volunteers who parked cars, flipped burgers and served tea and coffee, as well as a mightily impressive team of referees assembled by Julian Sattin. In all, 522 matches took place on immaculately prepared pitches and the increasingly-popular showpiece served up the usual mixture of cheers and tears from the participating teams. Respect – a word at the very heart of the Colts’ ethos – fantastic sportsmanship and fun were the real winners, however, and ensured all who visited the club’s picturesque headquarters enjoyed a day to remember.
The hosts came so close to grabbing the honours in two age groups, with the under-11 Whites and under-14 Whites edged out in close finals by Bishops Cannings and Bath City Blacks respectively. Trophies were largely shared across the board, with Bath Arsenal under-7s and FC Chippenham Jaguars under-8s collecting the two Fair Play Awards.
Proud Colts chairman David Lewis paid tribute to all who made the footballing feast possible, saying: “It was great to see so many different grassroots clubs represented across the weekend and we hope their experience was such that they will consider visiting us for many years to come.
“It takes a fantastic effort by many volunteers to ensure our tournament goes ahead, is run smoothly and this experience is an enjoyable one. I would like to personally thank every volunteer for their contribution to our tournament and extend and additional thank-you to our committee, who spend many hours in preparation and planning for the weekend.” The club also extended its thanks to key tournament supporters the Lysley Family, Colin Ward, Chippenham Lions Club, Chippenham Pallet Company, MJ Church, Practical Van Hire and By Brook Valley School for in helping to make the event such an enormous success.
ROLL OF HONOUR 2017 U7 Fair Play: Bath Arsenal U8 Fair Play: FC Chippenham Jaguars U9: Swindon Supermarine Giants 0 FC Abbeymeads Tigers 1 U10: AFC Corsham Jaguars 0 AFC Corsham Panthers 1 U11 Sunday:Bishops Cannings Corinthians 1 CCCFC Whites 0 U11 Friday: Bradford Town Mustangs 1 Stratton B 2 U12:Bishops Cannings 3 Malmesbury Warriors 1 U13:FC Chippenham White (2) 1 FC Calne White 0 U14: CCCFC Whites 1 Bath City Blacks 2 U15:Lydiard Millicent A 4 AFC Corsham Jaguars 1 U16: FC Chippenham 0 Croft Junior Red (2) 1 U16 Girls: Melksham Town Yellow 0 Whitchurch Sports A 3
Last Updated on Tuesday, 04 July 2017 14:42
CCCFC PLAYERS PROUD TO SPORT POPPIES FOR REMEMBRANCE DAY
The 300 young players of Castle Combe Colts FC paid tribute to those who sacrificed themselves to protect and secure our freedom by wearing special fabric poppies on their black and white shirts across two weekends in November. The club took delivery of the poppies, the symbol of remembrance of soldiers who died in war, ahead of Armistice Day and children from all age groups have been proudly sporting them at pitches all over Wiltshire. Pictured above are the U15s and U9s Blacks paying their respects before Mid Wilts League matches on November 13. Below are the U14s, U13s, U11s, U9s Whites and U7s ahead of their respective fixtures on November 6:
Last Updated on Tuesday, 15 November 2016 12:21
FUN IN THE SUN AS YOUTH FOOTBALLERS SAVOUR CCCFC TOURNAMENT 2016
Castle Combe Colts welcomed nearly 200 teams from across the West Country and beyond as the club’s ever-popular summer tournament once again showcased all that is great about the grassroots game in England.
The 1,500 youth footballers on show ranged in age from the Colts’ youngest members, the under-6s MiniKickers, right through to the under-18s, who raised the curtain on the three-day festival on Friday evening alongside an inaugural competition for under-15s girls that was supported by six clubs from Wiltshire and Bristol.
Respect and sportsmanship were two primary themes of the weekend and the home club’s under-8s led by example as their Blacks team picked up one of the two fair play awards on offer on Saturday. Colts chairman David Lewis said: “We are determined to see our tournament played in a good spirit and thank all of the participating clubs for making sure that tradition was maintained once again this year.
“Win, lose or draw, the fact we are involved in a sport we all love while upholding the values promoted by the FA’s Respect guidelines should make us all proud. We provide these events for the enjoyment of our children and we must never forget this. “We hope that many friendships have been formed throughout the weekend and that all of our visitors, old and new, continue to consider us a tournament worth attending in future years.”
Mike Cook and Jo Hughes oversaw the organisation of the tournament and were assisted across the weekend by the club’s tireless committee members and a host of parent volunteers, who helped man the control tower, park cars and serve hundreds of beefburgers, hot dogs and other refreshments. The 450 matches that packed out the programme were expertly officiated by Julian Sattin’s team of enthusiastic referees.
Lewis was quick to thank them all for their respective contributions to what he called a “rich experience”, together with the invaluable support provided by Wavin Ltd, By Brook School, Chippenham Lions Club, Practical Van Hire, Superior Printing, Wiltshire Wood Recycling, Colin Ward and the Lysley Family.
ROLL OF HONOUR
Under-7 Fair play: Derry Hill Firestorm Under-8 Fair play: Castle Combe Colts Blacks Under-9: FC Chippenham Warriors 0 Bath City White 2 Under-10: FC Calne 1 Bishops Cannings A 3 Under-11:Bath City Youth 0 Trowbridge Town Raiders 0 (Bath win on pens) Under-12: Trowbridge Town Stripes 0 Harwell and Hendred Youth 3 Under-13:Liden Community Green 3 Liden Community White 1 Under-14: Northside Athletic A 1 Melksham Town Tornadoes 1 (Melksham win on pens) Under-15 Girls: Westbury Amazons Yellow 0 Melksham Town Yellow 1 (aet) Under-15: Devizes Town A 0 FC Chippenham Youth 1 Under-16: FC Chippenham Youth 0 Melksham Town 1 Under-18:Melksham Town 2 Larkhall Athletic 1
Last Updated on Tuesday, 12 July 2016 09:40
VIDEO: MEET THE TEAMS AT CASTLE COMBE COLTS 2016
Many thanks to U8 parent Tim Matthews for producing this fantastic video for the CCCFC 2015-16 presentation evening
