Newly-created Eastfield football club gets financial support from North Yorkshire councillor

AFC Eastfield has been set up by locals in the area and has already received financial support from a councillor, residents and a business.

Cllr Tony Randerson awarded £400 of his locality budget to fund the purchase of equipment for the new club.

The team has also received £1,000 of sponsorship funding from One Stop, according to the club’s secretary.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Stephen Crosby, secretary of the new football club, said: “In the past, there have been teams in Eastfield but that was before the pandemic and to me, it made perfect sense and perfect timing for us to get a football team back together again.”

Mr Crosby said the adult team already has around 30 players and has set high ambitions for the club to win a trophy in the next three years as well as the local league in the next five.

He said: “Certainly, the social, mental, and physical attributes of a football team are paramount and we do see people struggling since the pandemic, so it’ll be a very positive thing for the Eastfield area.”

The club, which is set to have its official launch later this summer, trains at the Eastfield Playing Fields, with the £400 of funding set to go towards bringing the pitch up to Football Association standards.

Representing Eastfield on North Yorkshire Council, Cllr Tony Randerson said: “Football has been a passion of mine all my life; indeed, I was a football referee for a decade or so in the Scarborough and District League.

“I fully support the aspirations of this football club in Eastfield and sincerely hope they can aspire to the Eastfield teams of the past who were always one of the teams other teams wanted to beat.”

Mr Crosby said the club was grateful for the support as it has limited funds and had been purchasing second-hand kit “on Facebook Marketplace” and was looking for more sponsors and locals to get involved.

He added: “I’ve told the coach and the manager that I’ve placed us at the top of the table by naming us AFC Eastfield, now it’s your job to keep us there.”