Finglas United earn FAI Club Mark

Finglas United are the latest club to earn the FAI Club Mark

The club was formed in 2015 by the amalgamation of two long established clubs in the Finglas West area of north Dublin, WFTA Football Club and Mellowes B.D.S.  Both WFTA & Mellowes can trace their origins back to the road leagues of the 1950s and 60s and together boast a combined history of over 100 years.

Finglas United was launched in January 2015 by then CEO of the FAI where he complimented both clubs on their bold move and spoke of the need for similar mergers of clubs right across the city to enable clubs to build bigger and better organisations in the one area rather than competing against each other for facilities, finances and personnel. 

The club duly entered the various league in August 2015 and have gone from strength to strength and this coming season will see them enter 25 teams into league competitions.

This made up of 20 teams in the Dublin & District Schoolboys League from U8 to U18, four teams in the Leinster Senior League and one Ladies team into the Eastern Women’s Soccer League.

With a weekly academy for players 3 to 7 years of age and a weekly Football For All section the club currently has a playing membership in excess of 400 players across all disciplines. 

The club’s mission statement clearly states out the club’s aim to promote soccer for the local community via a committed organisation that contributes to the development of the individual as players, coaches and administrators and the backbone of the club is the volunteers that want the club to do the best for all in the local community.

The club is at home in Kildonan Road Park where they have a very successful working relationship with Dublin City Council in managing the club’s pitches and facilities.  On the pitch the club has had some successes both at schoolboys and junior levels with the pinnacle success being the treble wining side of 2007 that won the DDSL 16 Premier title, DDSL 16 Paul McGrath Cup and U16 SFAI Cup.

The club would not be able to flourish without the tremendous support from the local community who support the club’s weekly lotto and other fundraisers and also the support among local businesses, particularly, Chris Ling from Hoi Wun who has sponsored all the schoolboys’ teams in the club for the past 17 years.

No club is complete without it’s club colours and crest and the crest of Finglas United includes emblems symbolising the Finglas area, namely the Nethercross and the Raven and the club colours of Royal Blue and White have been the club colours from back in the 70’s when both original clubs formed.

Speaking about the FAI Club Mark Award, chairman and long serving member of the club John Fox said “We are proud to have been awarded the FAI Club Mark in recognition of everyone’s commitment to running the club in line with best practices.  This award reflects on everyone within Finglas United and their commitment to ensuring proper governance and standards and practices within the club.  Our mission now is to build on this initial award and to develop the club further and in doing so to develop these standards further and we look forward to continuing to provide quality training, quality facilities and all we can do for our members and the Finglas community.”

Finglas United would like to thank Paul Whelan and Barry McGann of the FAI for their support and guidance in working towards the Club Mark award.

The FAI Club Mark is free and optional for clubs and aims to:

•          Improve the management of clubs ‘off the field’

•          Establish and promote best practice

•          Empower and support clubs

•          Recognise and reward clubs for achieving high standards

•          Increase a club’s capacity to operate effectively and grow football in communities throughout Ireland.