Lowick Youth Football Club has been crowned the Regional Charter Standard Development Club of the Year 2008.

The club beat off competition from sides based in Northumberland, Newcastle, County Durham, Cumbria and Westmorland to take the North of England crown.

Lowick also scooped the Northumberland Charter Standard Development Club of the Year 2008 gong.

But they failed to make it a hat-trick of wins in the national finals.
Their regional title carried them forward to the finals but the FA announced this week they had not won.

But Bill Blyth, head coach and club secretary, said: "It is a great privilege and we are all very proud of this achievement.

"It goes down to a big team effort and it is a reflection of all the hard work done by our many volunteers and also the good example set by our players and parents."

The club recently amalgamated with Lowick Football Club and Glendale Ladies to form Lowick United.

The award marks a fairytale rise for the Lowick club, which now boasts around 200 junior and senior members, both male and female.

The youth section was set-up as a small after-school club in 1996, but just 12 years on, more than 150 football youngsters are assigned to the junior ranks.

United are represented by three U10 sides and two U12 and U14 outfits in the Glendale Junior League. Lowick United Hawks currently top the U10 division.

The thriving boys section also has three U8 sides and an U16 squad who play friendly fixtures.

And girls are not missing out on the action; the club boasts an U14 and U13 side.

The youth section recruits players from all over the district including towns such as Berwick as well as small villages like Norham and were the founder members of the Glendale, Rural 5s and Northumberland Girls' Leagues.

At senior level, the Lowick Ladies compete in the Women's Section of the Northumberland Women and Girls Football League, locking horns with sides such as Blyth Town, Prudhoe YC and Cramlington Blue Star.

Meanwhile, Lowick United fly the flag for the club's senior male section, taking on teams such as Shilbottle and Berwick Town in Division One of the North Northumberland League.

The club was presented with the regional award by Norman Laidler, Northumberland FA Council member.

He said: "It is a tremendous achievement and the club has gone from strength to strength.

"Everyone at the club has worked very hard to achieve this.

"I am very impressed."

For more information on the club, visit www.lowickyfc.com