Welcome on board Mike

This could be a great signing for FC. Hopefully he'll keep scoring the way he did at Curzon. Ben Deegan looked a really good player last year when he had chance to play alongside Kyle for a few games, so hopefully Mike's signing will take a bit of the pressure off Ben this year.

It's been in the pipeline for some time....but it's good that he's finally joined. A player like him is what we lacked for most of last season. Only Kyle's brief return gave us an out and out goalscorer.

Let's hope he can score the goals to give us a fighting chance of getting up the top end of the division next season , goodbye to Phil Marsh then , I for one won't be sad to see him go one good game against Nantwich at Hyde all season , he looked better when he played at right-back !

Welcome aboard at long last Mike. Despite the appeal of FC it must have been difficult to leave Curzon after some great times there.

Anyone got any good songs for him yet?

Graham Norton would be a better signing!

Got to love you Vegas Blue. FC just wouldn't be the same without your ramblings. We just need Dash to put in an appearance now.

Still a couple of months until the season starts. Hopefully we'll see a few more new faces to add to Mike Norton.

Anyone know how many of last year's squad have signed contracts? Hope Ben, Jerome, Carlos and Jake aren't going anywhere else. Presumably we can rely on Chaddy and Sam staying put as well.

The opening day fixtures have been announced - fc united are away to the Red Lion.

FC United supports Co-operatives Fortnight

FC United is proud to support Co-operatives Fortnight which is running from Saturday 19 June to Saturday 3 July with the theme ‘There IS an alternative’.

As a members-owned football club, FC United is a co-operative and we received a Co-operative Excellence Award in 2009 for our promotion of co-operative values and principles.

Since our establishment in the summer of 2005 we, as a club, have proven there is an alternative ownership model for football and we continue to campaign for greater supporter involvement and inclusion across the game.

As many supporters will already be aware, Germany leads the way where all but two of the Bundesliga’s clubs are owned at least 51% by their supporters. This is a model that could be followed in England if the supporters and co-operative movements gain enough momentum.

To mark the fortnight, the Co-operative has launched a new website www.thereisanalternative.coop as well as releasing a short video where more than 30 people give their views on what it means to be a co-operative and why it’s important.

A spokesperson for the Co-operative said: “For 14 days, up and down the country, co-operatives will be promoting their work, neighbours will be working together, businesses will be trying new things and people will be talking about the co-operative alternative.

“Co-operation is good for people, good for communities and good for business. By being more co-operative for Co-operatives Fortnight, together we can show that there is an alternative.”

FC United General Manager, Andy Walsh added: “We’re proud to support Co-operatives Fortnight. Being co-operatively owned and democratically structured allows our members to fully participate in the running of the club and frees fans up to develop their own wonderful ideas and initiatives for the benefit of the club and the community.”

If you’d like to find out more and show your support for the Co-operatives Fortnight, visit the website www.thereisanalternative.coop and watch the video.

Co-operatives- Even if you gave away Green shield stamps you've got no chance of attracting any support never mind any decent players - enjoy your pub league football.

Design team appointed for Newton Heath plans

FC United has appointed a design team to take the proposed ground and community sports development at Ten Acres Lane to planning stage.

The design team is headed up by project managers Frank Whittle Partnerships, planning consultant Kath Ludlam and architects Taylor Young.

The design team has been assembled following a competitive tender process overseen by a sub-committee of the club’s elected board members and general manager Andy Walsh.

Frank Whittle Partnership will oversee the project from start to finish, FWP have a wide range of previous relevant experience and an understanding for what FC United is seeking to achieve in the development of the community facility.

FWP’s role will include: ensuring progress is made, on time and on budget; leading the appointments of further professionals and consultants; with regular reporting to the project board and the main FC United board.

Also in place is experienced planning consultant Kath Ludlam, Kath’s role includes:
• Overseeing and delivering the planning application
• Managing the local consultation with residents and community groups
• Working with a range of other professionals
• Researching and producing a series of reports/documents: from the environmental impact of the development to traffic and transport

Finally, Taylor Young have been appointed as architects. Taylor Young are one of Manchester’s longest established firms with a wealth of experience their function is to provide a ground design following consultation with FC United members and Newton Heath residents.

The process will be in two stages – firstly the planning application and then the more detailed work with the yet to be appointed building contractors. The club has targeted the end of August to submit a full planning application.

Andy Walsh said: “We have taken a lot of advice and are satisfied that these appointments mean we now have the necessary expertise in place as we move through the consultation and planning processes to help make the ground development a reality.

“It is important to us that local residents and our club members have a direct input to the design process. We have already got draft timelines in place and while futire activity will depend on a successful planning application and our ability to raise the necessary funding, this is another exciting stage of the project development.

“The design team appointments are significant steps forward in ensuring our ground is developed and delivered in the correct way and on budget.”

The costs for each appointment were factored into the overall cost for the ground at the beginning of the planning process.

Frank Whittle Partners also successfully bid for the role of quantity surveyor. Additional members of the design team include:

Ian Scott-Hughes – Structural Engineers
AECOM – Highways Consultants
Beverly Clifton Morris - M & E Design Consultants
TEP – Ecology Survey

Leading Manchester law firm, Cobbetts Solicitors is providing the club with legal support and advice whilst the club’s accountants RSM Tenon continue to act as the club’s financial advisors.

FC should take a look at Chris Coward who was recently released by Stockport. A great young striker who was the youngest ever in the Football League Cup also scored against Manchester United in the Manchester Seniors cup a couple of years ago. He went back to college when released by Stockport but is still playing amateur soccer.