Tag: st albans

News

Five VPFC League Teams Kick Off In One Weekend

Last year we launched our league section with a single team. This weekend we took a big step forward: five VPFC league teams all kicked off their seasons — a brilliant milestone with plenty of excitement around the club.

VPFC U11 Victoria

The members of this squad met and decided to form a team at VPFC, but had to move to St Albans Rangers initially as we didn’t have a league section. Now they’ve come home. In their first 9-a-side outing in VPFC colours, the team showed composure in possession, confidence playing back to the keeper under pressure, energetic pressing, and lively wing play. Player of the Match: Ethan for a brave performance in goal.

VPFC U11 Romans

A hugely entertaining match that had parents gripped to the end. With a depleted squad and no substitutes, every player put in a full shift. The group rallied with energy, determination, and togetherness throughout.

VPFC U10 Victoria

A proud first outing for many who are new to competitive football. The team adapted quickly to the faster pace and greater physicality, stuck to their roles well, and showed great attitude throughout. There was even an early “goal of the season” contender — a superb long-range free-kick equaliser that had everyone on their feet.

VPFC U9 Victorians

A composed first half set the platform for confident attacking after the break. Passing patterns were neat, the tracking back and defending were strong, and Luke took Player of the Match for tireless box-to-box work and smart distribution.

VPFC U9 Saints

Our first girls’ team made their competitive debut and embraced the occasion. Two full debutants got valuable minutes as coaches rotated formations to involve everyone. Team spirit was excellent and smiles all round at full time. Alice netted the Saints’ first league goal, and Carmen was awarded Player of the Match by the opposition on her debut.

Thank You

Warm thanks to Cherry Scaffolding, Specsavers St Albans, and Persado for supporting our teams this season and helping to keep costs down for families. We’re also grateful to Royal Mail for a grant towards training tops for two squads. Your support is appreciated as we continue to grow community football in St Albans — always with the emphasis on participation, development, and fun.

News

VPFC joins Hertfordshire Girls Football Partnership League 🎉

We’re delighted to confirm that VPFC has been accepted into the Hertfordshire Girls Football Partnership League (HGFPL) — the county’s flagship girls’ competition with 6,000+ registered players and fixtures every Saturday morning.

Why this matters

  • Inclusion first – offering a dedicated girls’ league sits perfectly with our club ethos of equal access and a welcoming environment for every player.
  • Clear pathway – only a year ago we were a primary-age, skills-only club; now a girl can join us in Reception, grow through our Skills programme and move into all-girls league football right through secondary school, all without ever leaving VPFC.
  • Raising our standards – the HGFPL’s size, structure and community focus align with our goal of providing the best local football experience on and off the pitch.

First impressions

Immediately on been accepted, we were invited to the league’s AGM at short notice. John Sparrowhawk, prospective manager of our first girls’ league side, squeezed it into his diary and was blown away by the scale and energy in the room — over 100 club representatives and several new-club applications discussed in a friendly but lively session. A great sign that girls’ football in Hertfordshire is thriving.

Next steps

  • Finalise squad and coaching team for our inaugural HGFPL side (U10s).
  • Arrange league registration and kit ordering in the coming weeks.
  • Keep building girls’ numbers across all age groups – including our brand-new Reception 25/26 intake, where application are currently running 50:50 girls and boys.

“Joining the HGFPL underlines our commitment to inclusivity and growth. We can’t wait to see our first girls’ team run out in VPFC colours next season.”

Gordon Baisley, Chair

Stay tuned for further news and volunteer opportunities. In the meantime, explore the league here:
🔗 HGFPL website

HGFPL
News

VPFC U10s Crown Debut Season with Cup Triumph

The curtain came down on a memorable first campaign for our U10s last weekend as they lifted the Sycamore League Cup at Hertfordshire FA’s County Ground in Letchworth.

VPFC U10s lift the Sycamore League Cup at the Herts FA County Ground

Cup finals day is always special: individual changing rooms, a tunnel walk-out and a sizeable, good-natured crowd gave the occasion a professional feel. The opponents were the well-drilled Watton Sharks, and the match lived up to the billing.

VPFC fell behind early, but steady pressure and some neat passing saw the boys turn the tide and enter the latter stages in the lead. With just a couple of minutes to play the Sharks levelled, hinting at the drama of penalties. Instead, a thumping finish from VPFC in the dying seconds settled it, sparking blue-and-yellow celebrations on and off the pitch.

Every single player played out of their skins, capping a debut season in which the team has grown in confidence week by week. Huge congratulations to the squad, coaches and travelling supporters — silverware in year one is quite a statement.

Roll on next season!

News

A New Era for Our Club: VPFC to Become St Albans United and Register as a Charity

Since its founding, VPFC has always been about more than just football. It has been built on a vision of inclusivity, community, and providing opportunities for children to play sport regardless of background or ability. Now, as the club continues to grow and evolve, we’re taking two significant steps to secure its future:

✅ We are becoming a registered charity
✅ We are rebranding as St Albans United

These changes will strengthen our long-term sustainability, unlock new funding opportunities, and make our club more representative of the whole St Albans community.

Our History: From Local Initiative to Citywide Club

VPFC was founded by a group of local parents who had four core ambitions:

✔️ Encouraging families to use Victoria Playing Fields – At the time, it was underused and even considered for development. Once built on, a community green space would be lost forever.

✔️ Getting children active – Creating a space for kids to enjoy football, play outdoors, and engage in sport.

✔️ Inclusivity and accessibility – Ensuring the club was open to all, regardless of gender, ethnicity, financial circumstances, or football ability.

✔️ Building community connections – Helping local parents and children form friendships and strengthen ties within the area.

These values remain at the heart of the club today.

VPFC has always been a volunteer-run club, focused on community good rather than profit. We’ve deliberately kept membership fees as low as possible, ensuring that football is accessible to as many children as we can accommodate. Until now, we’ve never needed to change our organisational structure, but with the club’s growth and increasing financial responsibilities, the time is right to evolve.

Why Are We Becoming a Charity?

As VPFC has grown from a small group at Victoria Playing Fields into a multi-site club with over 300 players, a Skills and League section, and six playing locations, our financial and organisational needs have increased. Registering as a charity offers us several key benefits:

💰 Financial Benefits & Funding Opportunities

  • Access to grants and funding – Many funding streams are only available to registered charities, allowing us to secure better facilities and equipment.
  • Gift Aid on donations – This allows us to reclaim an extra 25p for every £1 donated, making every contribution go further.

🏆 Protecting the Club’s Future

  • Charitable status ensures club assets are safeguarded and used solely for community benefit.
  • Becoming a charity ensures long-term sustainability while keeping our ethos intact.

📢 Reputation & Community Recognition

  • Charitable status enhances public trust and increases sponsorship appeal.
  • It aligns us with FA best practices, reinforcing our reputation as a well-run grassroots football club.

Why the Name Change? Why St Albans United?

Registering as a charity requires us to confirm a formal name, making this the perfect moment to evolve our identity.

VPFC was named after Victoria Playing Fields, where the club was founded. However, today, we operate across multiple locations, including Normandy Road, The Brickie, Harpenden Rugby Club, STAGS, and Woollams Playing Fields. Our name no longer represents our club as a whole.

Why “St Albans United”?

🔹 Represents the whole city – For families joining from across St Albans, this name makes it clear who we are and where we’re based. It also helps away teams instantly recognise where they’re travelling to for league fixtures.

🔹 Captures our club ethos – “United” signifies inclusivity, teamwork, and community spirit—values that have always defined us.

🔹 Eliminates confusion – Over the years, VPFC has been referred to as Victoria Playing Fields FC, VPFC, Victoria Park and more. This name ensures clarity and consistency.

🔹 Future-proofs the club – While football is at our core, St Albans United allows for potential future expansion into other sports.

What Happens to VPFC as a Name?

We know VPFC is a name with history and identity, and we want to ensure it remains part of our club.

When you register a charity, you must choose a Main Name—this is the official name of the organisation. However, charities can also register Working Names to allow for continued use of existing branding where appropriate.

✔️ Our Main Name will be St Albans United.
✔️ Our Working Names will include:

  • St Albans United Football Club
  • St Albans United FC
  • Victoria Playing Fields Football Club
  • VPFC

This ensures that all relevant names remain valid during our transition and helps maintain continuity while we move forward.

Our Website and New Domain

As part of our transition to St Albans United, our charity will operate online using the domain http://www.stalbansunited.org.

This domain is owned and managed by St Albans United (the registered charity) and will become the club’s primary website and email domain.

At the moment, stalbansunited.org redirects to our existing website at vpfc.org.uk while we complete our transition and rebrand. Over the coming months we will gradually update the website to reflect the St Albans United name and branding.

In time, stalbansunited.org will fully replace vpfc.org.uk as our main website address, although the VPFC domain may continue to redirect so that people can still find us during the transition.

What Happens Next?

We will gradually transition to the new name over the coming months, with the aim of fully reflecting our new identity across the website, branding, and club materials in time for next season.

We hope you’ll be pleased with these changes and help support us in getting the new name known across the St Albans community. Stay tuned for further updates soon!

Final Thoughts & How You Can Help

This is a huge milestone for our club, ensuring we remain sustainable, inclusive, and at the heart of our community. If you have any thoughts or would like to get involved in the transition, speak to your year group coaches or reach out to us directly.

🔜 Next Steps:
📢 Website, branding, and club materials will begin transitioning to St Albans United.
⚽ We’ll continue doing what we do best – offering great football for all!

Thank you for being part of this exciting new chapter. Here’s to the future of St Albans United!

News

A Fortnight of Firsts: New Ground, New League Team, First Mixed Team

If this first month of 2025 is anything to go by, it’s clear that VPFC is set for another fantastic year of growth and achievement. We’re thrilled to share three exciting firsts that have kicked off our year in style:

  • Our first league matches played at The Woollams Playing Fields
  • The debut match for our second league team, VPFC U8 Victorians
  • The launch of our first mixed team

Both our existing U10 league team and our brand-new U8 team played their first matches at Woollams last weekend, a major milestone for VPFC. This marks the culmination of a year-long search for a league home and months of discussions with OA Sport, who are responsible for the site. I couldn’t be prouder to have Woollams serve as our home for league football – it’s a fantastic location!

  • Our U10 Team

The Woollams Playing Fields were created when the Woollams Trust converted 73 acres of the Cheapside Farm, off Harpenden Road, into purpose-built sports facilities. At the time of its creation, it was the largest single-site sports facility in Europe. With underground drainage and laser-levelled pitches, Woollams offers some of the best playing surfaces around. I firmly believe we now have the finest home pitches in the league.

While this is an exciting step forward, it’s also a trial period for both OA Sport and ourselves. Reaching this point involved OA Sport conducting thoughtful consultation with multiple stakeholders, including the three other sports clubs that already operate at the site—Rugby, Cricket, and Tennis – along with St Albans School and their groundskeeping staff. While this season is a trial, I’m optimistic this is the beginning of a lasting and fruitful partnership. To help strengthen that relationship, I encourage everyone attending league matches at Woollams to go out of your way to make a positive impression—let’s ensure VPFC is recognised as an asset to the site and its community.

Another major milestone for the club is the debut of our U8 league team, VPFC U8 Victorians, led by Allister Manson. If you haven’t already ready the match report by our Treasurer, Mike Hillary, I’d encourage you to do so, it follows this article in our news feed. It’s brilliant to see a second team taking to the pitch in our first year of launching a league section. What makes this even more special is that it’s our first-ever mixed team.

  • Photos from our U8’s match

Although we’ve always been a mixed club, the reality is that our female player numbers have historically been much lower than our male numbers. While many talented female players have come through VPFC, their transition to league football has until now meant individuals finding places at other clubs on their own. Before now, none of our VPFC groups had launched a girls’ or mixed team.

We’ve worked hard over the years to welcome more female players and coaches to VPFC, and the launch of the Victorians is a meaningful step towards a more balanced and inclusive future. I’m confident this team will inspire others and attract more girls to the club. Hopefully, this is the first of many mixed and girls’ teams we’ll see playing in VPFC colours.

Congratulations to everyone involved in these wonderful firsts. I look forward to following the progress of all our teams in the weeks and months ahead!

Gordon Baisley

Chairman

News

VPFC U8 Victorians Make Their League Debut

Mike Hillary, our Treasurer and U8 team manager, shares the story of VPFC U8 Victorian’s first league outing against Wheathampstead Wanderers in a high scoring match.

The eagerly awaited league debut for VPFC U8 Victorians finally arrived, with the team stepping onto the pitch in the Herts Youth League for the very first time. Facing a seasoned Wheathampstead Wanderers side that has been playing together since September, this was a big moment for the club, marking a number of exciting milestones. Not only was it our first U8 league fixture, but it was also the club’s first-ever mixed team, featuring two girls and five boys. Juli proudly captained the team, leading from the back.

U8 Victorians: (from left to right) Theo, Nico, Luke, James, Alex, Claudia, Juli.

The game could not have started more dramatically. Straight from the kick-off, VPFC seized possession, surged forward, and scored within the first 10 seconds! James wrote his name into the history books as VPFC U8’s first-ever goal scorer, banishing any doubts about whether we would find the net.

As the game settled into a rhythm, Wheathampstead equalised and the match turned into a fiercely competitive encounter. James was on fire, completing a stunning first-quarter hat trick, although the opposition struck back with goals of their own. By the end of the first quarter, both the supporters’ and coaches’ nerves were well and truly tested.

The second quarter was tighter, with Nico’s tenacious tackling holding off the opposition. Wheathampstead managed to score again, but not before Claudia delivered a brilliant assist for James’ fourth goal of the morning. Luke and Claudia continued to pile on the pressure, showcasing their attacking prowess, but luck wasn’t quite on their side this quarter.

In the second half, James moved into goal, making way for Alex to demonstrate his attacking threat outfield. Claudia’s determination paid off as she netted a well-deserved goal, and Theo added his name to the scoresheet with an excellently taken strike. The defensive efforts of Juli, the team’s captain, helped secure a clean sheet for the third quarter. With five changes in the lead throughout the game, it was still all to play for in the final quarter.

As the final quarter kicked off, Theo took over in goal, with James resuming his midfield duties. Nico and Juli remained solid in defence, enabling the team to push forward. Luke, Claudia, and Alex kept testing the opposition goalkeeper with shot after shot. Wheathampstead found the net again, proving just how competitive the league will be this season. Claudia’s relentless pressure up front was rewarded with her second goal of the match, and Alex delivered a stunning strike that looked to put VPFC in control. However, Wheathampstead responded with one final goal, capping off a thrilling contest.

Every player gave their all in what was a brilliant team performance. James led the way with four goals, while Claudia’s brace underlined the threat she posed throughout. Luke and Alex were constant dangers down the wings, Nico and Juli stood firm at the back, and Theo and Alex added two excellent goals. The team demonstrated fantastic resilience, coming from behind four times, and played with smiles on their faces and respect for the opposition and referee.

The debut match sets the tone for what promises to be an exciting season for the U8 Victorians.

News

VPFC Under 7s Shine at Herts Youth League Festival

As part of our new relationship with the Herts Youth League (HYL), we’ve been exploring new opportunities for our young players. One of the things that piqued our interest was the HYL Under 7 Festivals — a fantastic pathway towards league football for our Year 2 players. The festivals, organised every 3 weeks or so up to Christmas in Year 2, are designed to give young players a taste of competitive matches while still keeping the focus on fun and development. For many of our players, these events offer an exciting glimpse into the world of league football, giving them the chance to experience competitive football without having to commit to playing every weekend and training during the week.

While the match scores aren’t officially recorded at this level, it’s no secret that the children (and parents!) usually keep track. For VPFC, with us still finding our way in supporting those interested in transitioning to league football, it’s always good to know how our teams are shaping up against others in the area. And judging by the feedback from this festival – the report following from our Year 2 Group’s Manager, Neil Harrison – we have every reason to be proud!

⚽️ U7 Festival Report ⚽️

On Saturday, Year 2 participated in their first Herts Youth League Festival, hosted by Wheathampstead Wanderers. This was the first opportunity for a group of players who have been with our skills setup for the past two seasons to test themselves against some strong local teams.

The team played four matches—against St Albans City, Wheathampstead Wanderers, Bengeo, and Bury—with every player giving their best and enjoying themselves along the way. What’s even better? We won all four games!

Here’s a quick summary of the day’s action:

  • 1-0 vs St Albans City: A closely fought game, sealed with a brilliant link-up between Robbie and Calum for a fantastic goal.
  • 2-0 vs Wheathampstead Wanderers Pumas: Elliott and Robbie were on fire, both netting beautiful goals.
  • 9-0 vs Bengeo Caspians: A goalfest! Hat-tricks from Calum and Finlay, a brace from Jude, and a goal with an assist by Ted led the way.
  • 3-0 vs Bury Stripes: A strong defensive display from Jesse and excellent team play all around capped off the day with goals from Ralph, Ted, and Robbie.

The afternoon was topped off by an impressive feat—we didn’t concede a single goal! But most importantly, the team had loads of fun, which was the true highlight of the day.

News

Match Report: VPFC U10 vs AFC Walkern U10

Charles Whitehead, Manager of our new U10 League team, provides a match report for the team’s second match.

Saturday 14 September saw matchday 2 of VPFCs inaugural season as a fully fledged league club and another milestone; our first ever home fixture.

After a 3 – 0 away defeat against seasoned opposition at Wheathampstead in our first fixture we were eager to get going again. The sun was shining, the grass freshly cut and the lines marked ready to go at Aboyne Lodge on Normandy Road, our current home.

This weeks opposition AFC Walkern U10.

The first few minutes were scrappy as both teams settled into the game with lots of possession turnover and a few wayward passes. VPFC finally settled into a good rhythm in the latter parts of the quarter putting some smart passing together and at last the breakthrough came. Pushing into the oppositions penalty area Magnus found his way past two players and an oncoming goalkeeper to slot the ball into the back of the net. 1 – 0 VPFC and our first ever league goal! The rest of the quarter was well managed with William and Callan marshalling the defence and Gabriel a tower of strength in goal while Alex worked tirelessly up and down the pitch to reinforce the defence and provide support to the forward line.

Quarter two and AFC Walkern came out all guns blazing looking for the equaliser. There was little between the teams all quarter until a rasping shot from distance. Sammy, our new goalkeeper, did a brilliant job to get to it as it sailed toward the top corner but the force of the shot saw it creep into the net 1 -1. VPFC had chances. A first time goalbound shot from Albert from a delightful cross was blocked and James menaced their defence to create more chances while our the defence and midfield kept Walkern quiet

HT VPFC 1 -1 AFC Walkern

The second half was all to play for. Quarter three was another tight affair. We were playing with more fluidity going forward but slightly susceptible at the back to fast counter attack. Reuban took over in goal and was a real positive presence managing his defence well and organising Gabriel and Daniel as they formed a new defensive partnership. Ultimately Walkern punished us for not clearing our defence with a clinical finish to make it 1 – 2. The goal seemed to wake us up as we pushed hard for an equaliser. And it came deep into the quarter as Evan and Magnus teamed up brilliantly, Magnus pushing the ball forward for Evan to control and score 2 – 2.

The final quarter saw chances at both end of the pitch, Our defence was looking more settled, well covered by the midfield and we remained a real threat at the top of the pitch. As the minutes ticked down, Walkern had a spell of pressure and a big warning as they hit the post from an attack, looking particularly dangerous from corners. And so it came to be. WIth around 3 minutes left on the clock a well struck corner was neatly turned into the goal. 2 – 3 Walkern. A huge push for an equaliser came but it wasn’t to be.

FT VPFC 2 – 3 AFC Walkern

So close to our first points of the season, but the team did us proud as we continue the learning curve of league football and gave us a bucketload of confidence that we can really compete in this league.

Stay tuned for more updates on the team’s journey in this exciting new chapter for VPFC! For those still enjoying the fun and inclusive nature of our Skills section, don’t worry – our core focus remains on developing football skills in a non-competitive, enjoyable environment.

Let’s keep cheering on the U10s and supporting all of our players across the club!

News

Celebrations to end our 23/24 season

Our 23/24 season drew to a close last weekend and what another great season we’ve had!  

Each year group held a prize giving where we acknowledged how our players have progressed throughout the year and awarded medals and trophies for their efforts. We also took time to thank all of our volunteer head coaches and coaches for running brilliant sessions week in week out for the children. 

We then gathered as a whole club to celebrate some amazing achievements from this season. We have seen record numbers of players at VPFC this year, and our club has only been able to grow because of the fantastic support from our volunteers. 

We continuously want to grow the number of girls at our club and we’re delighted that we have a record number of girls at VPFC this season as well. Because of this we have been able to enter our first girls team in tournaments during this season.  

Every year, a number of league teams are formed at the end of the season, seeing groups of children leave VPFC with coaches to form a team and play in a local league. This year we see 6 teams form and we wish them all the best playing in their new teams.  

We now break for the summer and look forward to another fantastic season when we start back on 7th September. 

News

Year 5 vs Year 6 Friendly Tournament

On Saturday 6th July, rather than having a normal training session, our Year 5 and Year 6 groups embarked on a friendly tournament at Normandy Road. Despite the pouring rain, all the coaches were so impressed by the commitment all of the children showed.  

The children displayed great talent, team work and support throughout the tournament. As such we had three absolutely thrilling games. The nail biting final game, between a Year 6 team and a Year 5 team, ended up in a draw, where they became joint winners. 

The children had a fantastic time and it was a great way to end this seasons training session.

Thanks to Year 5 and Year 6 coaches for organising a great morning for these children.