Peter Houseman Youth League

Infobox sports league
title =Peter Houseman Youth League
logo =
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sport = Football
founded = 1967
fame =
motto =
inaugural =
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country = England
website = http://www.phyl.co.uk/

The Peter Houseman League is an English youth football league. The league was formed in 1967 by Peter Houseman and other members of the Oakley community.

History

Peter Houseman played for Chelsea in their "Golden Years" of the late '60's and early '70's. He moved to Oakley, Hampshire, in 1967 and soon became involved in coaching local boys in the art of football. Obviously, as Peter was a 'star', word soon got around and Peter found his group getting larger and larger. From this he thought that these players should be formed into teams and set about encouraging other people to join in. Soon after, Peter and other members of the community formed The Basingstoke and District Boys Sunday League.

They played their first league games on 9th February 1969 with six teams making up the league. The original six were Oakley, South Ham, Wellington, Buckskin, Rotherwick and Worting. Today the league has grown to over 50 clubs and well over 200 teams ranging from under 7 to under 16. Whilst it may not be the largest of leagues, it has always tried to remain as Peter intended in that it gives boys and girls a chance to play football in an organised fashion.

In the early days Peter was aided by his wife Sally and the two of them would often be seen going to football matches with a car full of lads. Peter was elected Secretary of the League but later stepped down due to FA rules, and was inaugurated as the first league President. Sally volunteered to take up the post and served as Secretary for 3 seasons. She had to retire because their own family had arrived and demanded more of her time, but she kept in touch as Vice President.

In March 1977 they were both tragically killed along with friends in a motor accident. They left behind 3 young children, many friends, and the legacy of this League. In memorial to Peter, his name was added to the League in 1977, and the playing fields at Oakley were also dedicated to him.

Recent years have seen a number of significant changes such as the introduction of Divisional Secretaries, in 1993 at the Annual General Meeting a new rule book was adopted and since then various changes have been made to the League's administration and the expansion of the Executive Committee and League Council, which have been necessary for the development of the League. Also at the same Annual General Meeting the league changed its name again to its current title of the 'PETER HOUSEMAN YOUTH LEAGUE’.

The League became the first affiliated League in the County to introduce small sided football for under 9's and under 10's in 1997-98. In the following season 1998-99, this was extended to include under 7's and under 8's, this same season also saw the introduction of mixed football within the small sided competition. In 1998-99 we saw the introduction of girls football into the League.

Clubs

*AFC Aldermaston
*AFC Newbury Boys & Girls
*AFC Newbury Colts
*Andover Youth FC
*Andover New Street Youth
*Barton Stacey
*Basingstoke Town Colts
*Basingstoke & NHCC FC
*Berg FC
*Brookvale Youth FC
*Burghfield FC
*Chineham Tigers
*Cold Ash Boys & Girls FC
*CSA FC
*Down Grange
*Harrow Rangers
*Hatch Warren
*Kaw FC
*Kempshott Kestrels
*Kingsclere Youth
*Loddon Sports FC
*MFC Popley
*Oakley FC
*Overton Youth FC
*Pass Masters FC
*Phoenix FC
*Popley Rangers FC
*Sherborne St John
*Tadley Calleva Youth
*Thatcham Tornadoes FC
*Thatcham Town Harriers
*Tidworth
*Upper Clatford Youth
*Winklebury Wizards
*Wolversdene Youth
*Woolton Hill Argyle

References

External links

* [http://www.phyl.co.uk/ Peter Houseman League]