About The Club
Four blokes, a telephone directory, and a dream.
In 1983, Ken Foulkes, Stuart Rowson, Alan Bancroft and Dave Wheeler started a football club with two teams and a name picked from the local phone book. Forty-two years later, Richmond Rovers has over 1,000 players, 100 teams, and is one of the largest junior clubs in the country.
1993
Founded by four volunteers
1,000+
Players and growing
100+
Teams from U7s to veterans
3-Star
FA Charter Standard – the highest level
What we stand for hasn't changed in Over 4O years
Trophies are great. But they’re not why we’re here.
Development over winning
We don’t chase silverware at the expense of a player’s confidence. We measure success by how many kids come back next season with a smile on their face
Open to Everyone
All abilities. Boys, girls, mixed. From age 2 through to veterans over 35. If you want to play football in this community, there’s a place for you here.
Respect on and off the pitch
We don’t abuse referees. We don’t belittle the opposition. Parents on our touchlines encourage – they don’t scream instructions. That’s the Richmond Rovers standard.
Community first
This club exists to serve Poynton, Hazel Grove, and the surrounding area. Not to produce professionals. To give every child the chance to enjoy football and grow through it.
Forty-two years of Richmond Rovers
From a telephone directory to one of the biggest clubs in the country.
1983
Two teams, one big idea
Founded by Ken Foulkes, Stuart Rowson, Alan Bancroft and Dave Wheeler. The name? Picked from a local telephone directory to go with ‘Rovers.’ First games played at Park Road near Cheadle Town FC and Davenport School, Stockport.
MID 80s
First trips to Holland
The club’s long affinity with the Netherlands begins. Regular tours to Holland in the club’s early years – the start of a relationship that would define the club decades later.
1990s
Moving to Poynton, growing fast
The club shifts its focus to Poynton. Soccer school launched at Vernon School – a regular pipeline of young players that allowed new teams to be formed at younger age groups.
2009
OVV Oostvoorne:
a sister club is born
An Under 12s team makes the first modern tour to Oostvoorne near Rotterdam. The catalyst for one of junior football’s most unique club-to-club relationships. Hundreds of Richmond players have since experienced football in a foreign country because of this trip.
2010
A girls team, a new ground, and a bit of TV history
The club merges with Norbury Athletic, acquiring the current ground at Jackson’s Lane, Hazel Grove – which had its own moment of fame, having featured on Challenge Anneka in 1989. The first ever girls team takes to the pitch: an Under 13s side in the South Manchester Girls League.
2011
The Anglo Dutch Cup is born
OVV Oostvoorne make their first visit to Manchester and the annual Anglo Dutch Cup competition is created. A celebration of friendship through football that’s now in its 13th year.
2019
Professional coaching comes to grassroots
Partnership launched with Box Football (now Pro Football Arena) – bringing professional standard coaching and indoor facilities to Richmond players.
2024
Merger with Poynton Juniors: 100 teams
Richmond Rovers merges with local side Poynton Juniors and begins working with training provider 8BY8. The club crosses 100 teams for the first time – one of the largest junior clubs in the country.
2025
Richmond Rovers Football Club
The club formally changes its name from Richmond Rovers Junior Football Club to Richmond Rovers Football Club – reflecting the full breadth of what the club now offers, from toddlers to veterans.
This club runs on people, not money
Richmond Rovers is run entirely by volunteers. Every coach, every committee member, every parent who turns up at 8am to set out cones – they do it because they love football and they love this club. There are no salaries here. Just people giving their time to make something special for the local community.
100+
Volunteer coaches and managers
15
Executive committee members and support roles
40+
Years of voluntary service to the community
Who runs Richmond Rovers?
An executive committee of 11 members plus support roles – all volunteers, all in it for the same reason.
The partnerships that make us better
We don’t do everything alone. These are the organisations that help us give players the best possible experience.
1
Pro Football Arena
(8by8)
Professional standard coaching in a state-of-the-art indoor facility. Our junior teams train here with qualified coaches following a structured development curriculum.
2
OVV OOSTVOORNE
Our Dutch sister club. Partners since 2009. The home of the annual Holland Tour and the Anglo Dutch Cup. A friendship built on football that crosses borders.
3
JACKSON'S LANE Hazel Grove
Our home ground. Acquired through the 2010 merger with Norbury Athletic. The venue for the Anglo Dutch Cup every summer – and yes, it was once on Challenge Anneka.
FA Charter Standard CommunitY Club.
3-star accreditation.
The Football Association’s highest level of accreditation for a grassroots club. Awarded repeatedly to Richmond Rovers in recognition of our commitment to growing boys and girls football, open-age, veterans, disability, and walking football across the community. All coaches are FA qualified. All volunteers are DBS checked.
4O+ years in. We're just getting started.
Richmond Rovers is in the middle of its most ambitious phase yet. We’re restructuring as a fully incorporated club – giving us stronger foundations, better governance, and a platform to grow sustainably for the next 42 years. We want to develop our own facilities. We want to keep growing girls football. We want every child in this community to have a place to play.
The name changed in 2025. The values haven’t.
Want to be part of the next chapter?
Whether you’re looking for a team for your child, interested in coaching, or want to support the club as a sponsor – we’d love to hear from you.
