07/02/2026
Next up, it's part 2 with our second guest!
We welcome Mike Marshall from Wotton Rovers FC. Another great chance to see what the WCSF means to us!
WCSF....Thanks for your time Mike! As a member of Wotton Rovers seniors, I'm delighted to have this opportunity to thank you for your years of fantastic work. Lets get into the 5 in 5.....
What year did you join Wotton Rovers Youth FC ?
Mike....I started helping out in 2013 when my son Tom started playing, Nick Ford was running the u6's training and was asking for parents to help out, Nick was brilliant at getting the parents involved and then setting us up to take over the team at u7's.
WCSF....How far have the facilities developed, and how has the club grown?
Mike.... The 7 aside 3G pitch in Wotton Community PARC had recently been built with funds donated by Sir David McMurtry when I joined, so the u6's to u10's had good match facilities, but the older age groups were reliant on poor school pitches. I was able to get funding to build the 9v9 size Lesley Ford and youth 11v11 Nick Ford pitches which included drainage and more recently the full size pitch in the PARC, those have been game changing for the youth footy club, having reliable pitches which we control has massively improved both our match day experiences and training sessions. I've also been involved in building both car parks, the footbridge and the containers compound. The compound has given us the space to manage our kit and store goals for training, much better than the poles and cones we had to use before.
WCSF..... So fitting that Nick and Lesley Ford have been honoured in such a way. Such phenomenal people who have done so much.
Next up, Proudest moment?
Mike.... Building the 3 grass pitches was incredibly satisfying and to have the full size pitch named after me was a huge honour, but it's what they have enabled that gives me most pride. Seeing all those kids enjoying their football and the the opportunity the space gives to host a tournament every June with well over a 100 teams taking part. It was at last years tournament when I coached my unfancied u17's to victory which gave me a sporting highlight. Representing WCSF at a Buckingham Palace garden party as part of the groups Kings Award for Voluntary Service wasn't bad either.
WCSF.... What do you hope for regarding future developments?
Mike...I've have been working on a project to build a clubhouse/community space in the PARC for about 5 years, the brief, scale and costs have changed quite a bit along the way, but it looks like this is a real possibility this year, it would be fantastic to get this over the line.
WCSF....What does Wotton Community Sports Foundation/the PARC mean to you?
Mike....I love spending time in the PARC, seeing what has been achieved and dreaming of what's to come. Sarah Watt has done an amazing job developing the sensory garden, the community orchard is starting to mature, and there is more to come. We are lucky to have such a space, not just for all the Football, Hockey, Rugby, parkrun, skateboarding and BMX that goes on, but for all the other community groups who use the PARC.
WCSF.....Thanks for the time Mike. The work you do for the youth is appreciated. It's a fitting honour to have the new pitch in your name. A legacy you should enjoy 👏 👏 👏
