St Clement Sports Club
The Clubroom, Football Ground, La Grande Route de St Clement, St Clement, Jersey, JE2 6QN
www.stclementsc.co.uk/About
There were two forerunners to the present club, the first St Clement Football Club having been formed on the 25th November 1919. That club disbanded in 1927.
On the 15th June 1943 the club was reformed, with subs being set at 2/6d! This was of course during the time of the occupation of the island by the German armed forces, and the inevitable disruption during those 'dark days' led to the 1944-1945 season being abandoned mid-way through. Nonetheless, there was some early success for the new Club, who won the Trinity Shield in 1943-44. After the end of the war, and the occupation, the Club stayed together and added further Trinity Shield wins 1945-46, 1946-47, 1953-54, 1954-55, 1955-56 and 1957-58. Indeed, the 1950's were successful days for St Clement Football Club, as within the auspices of the Saturday Football League, the Le Riche Cup was won in 1955-56 and the First Division Championship was added in 1956-57. Sadly, in circa 1960 the second St Clement Football Club also disbanded.
In 1966 a group of young parishioners started to discuss the possibility of playing football for their own parish rather than for other clubs. This led to the most ambitious initiative whereby the Club was reformed, the first formal meeting taking place on the 26th July 1966, and the new Club fielding one team in the Saturday Football League during season 1966-67. In truth, youthful enthusiasm alone would not have allowed the new Club to survive beyond that first season. Fortunately, the involvement of some parents, and some members of the old club, made the difference and this, together with influx of new members for season 1967-68, meant that the club was appropriately established. Indeed, a reserve team was soon entered in to the League. In September 1969 a netball team was entered in to the Jersey Netball Association 3rd Division for the season 1969-70 hence the name of the Club being changed to St Clement Sports Club.
The next milestone in the history of the Club was when the lease on the football pitch was obtained, effective 25th September 1973. This caused little no controversy as Georgetown Football Club had been sitting tenants for some 15 years! In any event, some ten years later the Club found itself in a position to obtain the freehold on the land, known as both 'La Coeffardiere' and 'Field 244', and consequently did so on the 7th January 1983. In 1984, after some years of changing rooms of dubious quality, the Club applied to build a new pavilion. The application was successful, but the estimated cost was prohibitive, (£86,000 at the time), and reluctantly the Club did not proceed. Increasingly unsatisfactory facilities were endured until the next decade, when the opportunity arose to obtain a second hand sectional, timber, building. This was erected and customised by the members. A bar licence was obtained on the 1st February 1991 and an opening ceremony took place on the 26th May 1991.
Eighteen years later and on the 23rd of October 2009 the club unveiled a magnificent new pavillion. With sterling and undefying committment from its club members and supporters, The Football Foundation and Jersey Education Sport & Culture Department the structure was officially opened by the Connetable of St Clement - Len Norman. The night was a celebration of all the club stands for - a committment to its members, provision of high quality sporting facilities, continuous development and a facility for the Parish of St Clement and the Island of Jersey.Categories: Football, Netball, Sports & Social Club.
