The Maiden City Soccer Story
Maiden City Soccer was formed in April 1993 and its mission was to provide a top class coaching programme for the children in the North West area including the City, Waterside and surrounding Counties.
Paul Kee, John Cunningham and Paul McColgan were the people that got the 1st Summer Fun Week in place- it took place at St. Columb’s Park Waterside in July 1990. The Summer Fun Weeks took place over a 5 day period Monday to Friday from 10am to 3pm each day. Other venues that summer included Limavady at Roe Mill Playing Fields, Eglinton at Eglinton PS and in South Derry at Magherafelt, Meadowbank Playing Fields.
The schools programmes and after schools programmes began that September. Venues for the after schools included Templemore Sports Complex, St Columb’s Park, Limavady at St. Mary’s High School and Magherafelt.
Schools included Ebrington Primary School, Newbuildings Primary, Drumahoe Primary, St. Oliver Plunkett Primary, Chapel Road Primary. Following the success of the coaching programmes and with large numbers of young people, the under age teams were formed under Institute Football Club. At the time Head of Maiden City Soccer, Paul Kee was the manager of Institute FC and he was keen to get a youth scheme for Stute and seen the linking of the community activities at Maiden City as a good option for both organisations. Many players that attended the schools/after schools went onto represent Institute at youth level including Ruaidhri Higgins, Sam Morrow, Eunan O’Kane, Shane Ferguson to name a few. These players went on to professional clubs.
Players who attended MCS programme and went onto represent Institute FC with great distinction include Graham Crown, Dean Curry, Stephen Curry, Dean Carlyle, Graham Taylor, Mark Kelly and James McClay.
Soon after the success of the player pathway getting stronger, some MCS graduates started to get professional opportunities. Darron Gibson who attended the MCS schools programme at Holy Family Primary school and after schools coaching at Templemore Sports Complex. Darron went onto sign for Manchester United. Eunan O’Kane attended St Candice’s PS in Feeny and after school at Diamond Centre Claudy went on to sign for Everton FC.
As part of players improvement player education trips were planned with the aim of social development in the first Soccer trip took place with a visit to Manchester and attending the Bobby Charlton Soccer school. When in Manchester the group attended the Blackburn Rovers – Manchester City Premier League game at Ewood Park.
