October 2026 newsletter

Welcome to October

Autumn is finally here — there's a chill in the air and you can see your breath in the morning — and it's been a fantastic first few weekends, with great results right across the club. Whether it was a first-ever matchday or a hard-fought league win for the older teams, October has reminded us what the club is all about: fun, safe, high-quality football for the children of Abbots Langley and beyond.

Thank you to every coach, team manager, parent helper and volunteer who made the opening weeks happen. Everything at AYFC is run by volunteers, and we simply couldn't do it without you.

Coach me, I will learn. Challenge me, I will improve. Believe in me, I will grow.

Around the club

Season kick-off

All age groups (U7–U18) got under way on Sunday 4 October. A huge well done to every team — and a special welcome to the families who have joined the club for the first time this season. Keep an eye on the fixtures page and the FULL-TIME app for kick-off times and venues.

Fireworks night — save the date

The club is once again running the sweet stall at the parish fireworks night — Friday 6 November at Manor House Playing Fields — and it's one of the biggest nights of the year for the village. Come along, say hello and grab a sweet treat. Full details are on the Parish Council website.

Ref & linesman training — everyone welcome

Matches need a referee — and, as players get older, linesmen too. The more people we have trained, the more games we can run smoothly for the kids — without leaning on the same few volunteers every week. We're running free training for parents, players and volunteers.

Quiz night — save the date

We're holding a club quiz night on Friday 20 November at Manor House — doors 7pm for a 7:30pm start. Get a team together, test your knowledge of everything from football to general trivia, and help raise funds for the club. More details to follow on WhatsApp soon — keep an eye on the club group.

Club Spirit Award

A thoroughly deserved Club Spirit Award — a fantastic start to your Abbots Youth career, Avery. Keep it up!

Dates for your diary

Club lottery — play from £1 a week

A quick plug for the Watford Community Lottery, which supports the club directly. Tickets start at just £1 a week, with a top prize of £25,000 — and 50p in every £1 comes straight back to AYFC to help keep running costs down for families.

If you can, sign up or gift a ticket: watfordcommunitylottery.co.uk/support/abbots-youth-fc

Kit & Boot Room

The Boot Room is our second-hand kit shop, raising funds for the club. If you're after boots, astros, shirts or shorts at sensible prices, have a look at the Boot Room pages on the website.

For brand-new club kit and training wear, we now use a local supplier for all of our kit requirements — contact the club for more information.

Safeguarding

Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility. All of our coaches are DBS-checked and we follow FA guidance on children's football.

If you ever have a concern about a child's welfare — on or off the pitch — please contact our Chief Welfare Officer, Gordon Wilson (07931 541535), or speak to any of your child's coaches in confidence.

You can read our full Safeguarding Children Policy on the club website, including the contact details for raising a concern.

Club committee — who to contact

AYFC is run entirely by volunteers. If you need to reach the committee, here's who's who: