Unlucky Purton FC have to turn down Hellenic Premiership status (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Unlucky Purton FC have to turn down Hellenic Premiership status

HELLENIC Division One (West) champions Purton FC had to reluctantly turn down Premier League status after they were unable to obtain permission from the owners to install floodlighting at their Red House ground.

This is the second occasion that Purton have been unable to accept promotion due to this fact, which has proved a great disappointment to everyone connected with the club.

And this failure to obtain permission has been instrumental in the club losing first team manager Alan Clark who, along with assistant Steve Paish, have gone to Witney United who will be promoted despite finishing fourth as they have all the ground criteria.

Meanwhile, former South-brook and Wroughton manager Chris Pethick has taken over the reigns at Purton FC and will be ably assisted by Shaun Clark.

Pethick has a good knowledge of local football and is endeavouring to bring in new faces to the Red House club who will surely lose some of the first teamer players from last season.

He has also brought in Micky Hitt, someone with whom he has previously worked with at a former club.

Assisted by Gary Brown and Mark Cutter, Hitt will take over Purton Reserves in the Wilts League.

Gordon Shaw and Andy Drury will run former Purton B, who now have become Purton A, and who will play in the Cirencester League Division One having been promoted last season.

In what was the club's best ever season, the first team, unbeaten in 34 matches, won the Hellenic League Division One (West) title.

The B team won the Cirences-ter Division Two title and were runners-up in the cup while the U15s won the Cirencester U15s Youth League title with a 100 percent record and were runners-up in the cup.

The club also ran a very good Easter raffle and a first-class sporting dinner arranged by Terry Crunbie.

A splendid season was rounded off well with the club's well supported annual presentation evening at the Cricklade Hotel and Country Club.

Purton's main club sponsors, the Care Company, were the guests of honour and Keith Trowbridge handed out the awards are follows:

Special awards to Wendy Phillips, Gerry Phillips, Lyne Cutter and Ruth Bolger.

Hellenic shield and individual medals to the Hellenic League squad, Cirencester B cup and individual trophies to the Cirencester B league squad.

Individual awards went to B team players' player Andrew Drury, B team player of the season Mark Cutter, training award Shaun Starkey, Reserve team players' player Ben Collier, Reserve team player of the season Ben Collier, Sporting and good conduct Michael O'Sullivan, Most improved player Oliver Thompson, Chairman's award Alan Clark, Supporters' player of the season Toby Clark, Clubman of the season Alan Eastwood, First team players' player Chris Lang, First team player of the season Kenny Hughes.

The club has learnt that their A team were not accepted back into the Wiltshire League's at their annual meeting.

Pre-season training is set to start on Tuesday, June 28, and every Thursday and Tuesday reporting initially to the Red House Purton at 6.30pm. Training will take place at Bradon Forest School.

All last season's players are invited to attend and any other players will be welcomed to join these training sessions.