New Hampton football club focused on 'enjoyment and development' entering Peterborough league next season

Hampton Rangers under-11's football team pictured with their new kit this week (image: David Lowndes)

A new children’s football club with a focus on “enjoyment and developing players” has been set up in Peterborough.

Hampton Rangers is entering two teams into one of Peterborough’s youth football leagues next season – and there might also be scope for a men’s team in the future.

The teams - Hampton Rangers under-7s and under-11s - will join the Peterborough District Junior Alliance League, which will start in September this year.

Paul Stratton, 43, chairman and a coach of the football club, has now started training the youngsters who have been proudly showing off their new strip.

He said: “We will be entering the two youth teams into the Peterborough leagues this year - as well as looking to establish an adult side going forward.

On Monday (May 16), Paul submitted the club’s application to join the league – and is now waiting for the application to be approved.

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‘Doing things differently’

Mr Stratton wants to run the club's youth teams with a different approach to some other sides.

“I’ve seen youth football not done well by other teams,” he said. “Our philosophy is about enjoyment and developing players. Results are less important - youth football is about improvement, development, enjoyment and making friends.

“We’re still going to be competitive - I’m a competitive person but I don’t want to force that on the children we’re coaching. We want them to have a say in the club and what training sessions they enjoy.

“It’s a new way of doing things. I think it’s an interesting way to run a club and it fits in with how I think youth football should be done. Rather than trying to change another club - I thought the best thing to do was to start this club to have this philosophy from the outset.”

The Hampton Rangers will play their home matches at either Hampton Vale School or Beaumont Way in Hampton, which is still waiting to be decided, and will train at Hampton Vale School and the artificial pitch at Beaumont Way.