FC United are also starting football training for young people in Little Hulton. FC United community coaches, Sam Ashton and John Marsden are starting a series of training sessions for young people at the excellent facilities at Harrop Fold Specialist Arts College in Little Hulton. The sessions run from 5pm to 6pm and will cost youngsters £2. On Monday nights the sessions will be for girls aged 11-16. On Tuesday nights it's the lads turn. The sessions are open to all young people in the target age group. The sessions are the latest in a series of joint initiatives with the school. Students from the school have already trained with Karl Marginson at the Manchester College Football Centre in Ardwick. They have brought groups of students to FC United home matches. Students with Sports Leaders qualifications have helped to deliver half-term holiday activities to primary school pupils around Little Hulton. Teams from the school have contested FC United competitions held at Manchester College in Ardwick.

Big Issue and Shelter look to Big Coat Day: Son of Big Coat Day represented another great contribution by FC supporters and the public despite the Bradford Park Avenue game being cancelled. But at least this time fans like those from Macclesfield who were prevented from donating on New Year’s Day because they were snowed in were able to come along. Reds also turned up from as far away as Scotland and Shropshire with their contributions. One supporter kindly placed a pound coin in the pockets of each item of clothing he brought so that the recipient could also have a brew or buy a butty!

The FC publicity even inspired staff and pupils at Our Lady’s High School in Royton to collect donations, which they brought down on the day. And a big mention must go again to Jobcentreplus staff who again arrived with more sacks of clothing. Homeless organisations, the Boaz Trust and Mustard Tree and the Salvation Army thanked the club as another two tons of winter clothing were collected for the city’s homeless and needy. FC have inspired the homeless organisations and next winter, The Big Issue and Shelter also wish to be involved.

The final word goes to Boaz Trust Director, Dave Smith: "We are really grateful for Big Coat Day. The 2 collections produced some very good quality coats and jackets, and now many of the poorest people in Manchester can see out the winter in warmth and comfort. Thank you so much to everyone who donated, and to all the staff at FC who gave of their time to organise the event so well." Supporters or other members of the public who still wish to donate at the next available home game, please email office@fc-utd.co.uk so that we can arrange for collection transport to be present.

welcome back james holden-surprised he left fc despite going on to a higher league

Reds ready to shake off rust in Steel City

Whisper it quietly but it looks like FC United of Manchester is finally going to get to play some competitive football again after a weather induced five week break and manager Karl Marginson says the players, like the fans, are chomping at the bit.

The Reds haven’t played a game since 12 December due to five postponements but with the UK’s ‘cold snap’ finally over, Margy will be taking his team over the Pennines to South Yorkshire in search of three priceless points to get 2010 underway whilst kick-starting the second half of the season.

United have a number of fresh recruits ready to take on Stocksbridge Park Steels, a team which the Reds beat 4-3 earlier in the season at Gigg Lane. New faces Adriano Rigoglioso and Kyle Jacobs have been joined by tough-tackling midfielder James Holden, who has signed from Conference North side Vauxhall Motors. Holden though will already be familiar to many supporters as he made seven appearances for the Reds in the 2007/08 season. All three players are expected to feature in Saturday’s squad.

United’s only absentees should be Danny Warrender who must still serve a one match ban for picking up five yellow cards and Adam Tong, who has picked up a knock in training. It means a huge selection headache for Margy but it’s not one he is worried about.

The manager is looking forward to getting back to the UniBond Premier Division campaign and he said: “Everybody’s chomping at the bit and I think it’ll be like playing the first game of the season again. For the past five weeks all we’ve been doing is running and indoor 5-a-sides which gets monotonous.

“The players may be a bit rusty because this time off has been like having another pre-season but they’ll be full of aggression and endeavour. We know Stocksbridge will provide us with a tough test as they did at Gigg Lane but our players are more than capable and if we can cut out the sloppy mistakes we’ll start beating teams again. We’ve always been strong in the second half of the season and a win could be the catalyst for our season.”

Stocksbridge Park Steels versus FC United of Manchester is three o’clock on Saturday at the Look Local Stadium and it’s pay on the gate. Get yourself to that football ground.