Saint Anthony’s Football Club is delighted to announce of our partnership with SNAP Sponsorship.

SNAP is specifically designed for aiding the development of UK-based grassroots sports clubs, providing them with an accessible online platform where users can promote sponsorship opportunities and manage commercial partners. SNAP has given us the ability to design and execute sponsorship packages that deliver tangible value to our existing and future partners and in doing so maximising return for sponsors and enhance the club we all love.

For further information on our range of sponsorship opportunities please visit our official SNAP profile here: https://www.snapsponsorship.com/rights-owners/football/saint-anthonys-fc

Many thanks to everyone that forwarded their best wishes and congratulations on us gaining what in effect is a promotion, to our supporters, players and their families, none more so than Kelly Wallace, who joined our Under 20’s committee at the start of the season and is now a member of the full committee,   our fantastic partners at Erskine Youth Football Club, Dom, Scott and Kenny who have done a tremendous job with our under 20’s producing no less than 6 players who have made the step up to the first team on a regular basis. Special thanks to Ronnie McDonald and ex manager John Kelly who were instrumental from our side in getting the 20’s up and running, only for Covid to hit and John deciding to leave his post with a number of players choosing to leave at the same time

The club then recruited former players. Danny Taylor and Mark McCuish as manager and assistant respectively suitably aided by a superb back room staff with Ronnie staying on as a coach, Paul Downie continuing as kit co-ordinator and Steven Irvine joining as Goalkeeper coach not long after when Tony ‘Tiger’ Curran had to step away through work commitments, Thank you Tiger!. They took the role having to start almost from scratch squad wise and it’s credit to them they have brought in a squad of good quality hard working players who’s attitude and determination have been first class. Our season didn’t get off to the best of starts when a week before the season was due to begin I myself caught covid, which wiped me out for a good 7-8 weeks, and our opening game cancelled due to an outbreak at the club. My son Martin took over from me temporarily as Match Secretary and did such a wonderful job that we were delighted when he accepted the challenge of taking on the role permanently.

Assistant Mark McCuish had to give up his role as Assistant Manager for personal reasons but Ronnie McDonald stepped up into the role, and his close working relationship with Dom from the Under 20’s played a big part in our success this season, given the number of players that made the step up. For me the final piece of the promotion jigsaw was Martin McKenna, who’s organisation and constant work for the club was and is still outstanding.

It would be remiss of me not to mention my committee members who have worked above and beyond expectations since the first Covid outbreak. My President Robert Gillespie whom I burned a lot of midnight oil with was certainly an inspiration. Our former treasurer and now Club Secretary, my oldest son Anthony McKenna for his fundraising abilities with his Beatson Walk and excellent Last Man Standing competitions. Martin for taking on the baton when I was unwell. Thanks also to Len Littler who did some incredible work at the park pre-season, My Vice President Jim Allan who along with Laurence Cusack and John Munchie McMonigle also helped a lot during pre-season and have given up Ants away days to man the ship when our groundshare partners St Cadoc’s are gracing the hallowed McKenna Park surface, my brother John McKenna who come rain, shine, snow or hail, can always be found on the gate at our home matches, nice one John,  and our Club Chaplin Brian MacKenzie who has been brilliant since joining us from Sports Chaplaincy UK.

Now that I have thanked my committee I would like to thank the players who started this journey with us and are no longer at the club your contribution is very much appreciated.

To our current crop of players my heartfelt congratulations, Back at the start of the journey a finish in the league like this seemed like it would take a miracle and it must have been written in the stars that Stephen McGarrigle would score the 94th minute equaliser that secured promotion having endured a bad injury that could have led to his retirement.

Well done to everyone, supporters, players and committee alike, and lastly to Club Chairman Fred Barrows, who like me, was overcome with emotion at the full time whistle and a few tears shed.

Here’s to next season and MON THE ANTS!

Felix

The club are delighted to announce that Principal Club partners The Govan Law Centre, along with U20s principal partner DS Decor and Club GK Supplies Partner Sparta Goalkeeping have all accepted a proposal by the club to extend their partnerships with the club for free as a good will gesture from the club. The club felt that given the stop start stop nature of the league campaign, coupled with our new U20s not kicking a ball in earnest at all in their new league, that to look to extend the deals for anything other than free would be unethical, therefore we reached out to our partners who have all agreed to new one year extensions running until the end of the 2021/22 season.

We are delighted to have them all on board again for next season and look forward to working on different projects with them all in the year ahead

#itsapartnershipantstthing #forzaants

I take pride from the immense efforts of Committee and Management who have worked so hard to keep the Club going throughout the pandemic. In conditions both difficult and potentially dangerous their efforts have been heroic.

Covid has engendered wholesale changes in League organisation in which our Secretary was deeply involved and opens up new opportunities for St Anthonys in the future. We must not forget that it is always darkest before the dawn and difficult months lie ahead. I believe our proud old Club will pull through even stronger and we will work together to achieve that ambition.

God Bless us all and keep safe,
Fred Barrows,
Chairman

Ants management team Danny Taylor and Mark McCuish spoke to the Ants media team today to reveal their delight at their whirlwind appointment as the new Ants management team. Both Danny and Mark played for the club for a number of years and has always had a place in their hearts, so when given the opportunity to lead the club they were delighted to accept the position.

Ants manager Danny said “I am over joyed to be asked to try take the club forward. I know I don’t have a lot of experience in managing at this level but I have loads of knowledge from the managers I have worked under”. He’s also itching to get started ” I cant wait to get started and hopefully we have a good season. I think everybody knows how much this club means to me so I will give it 100%”

Assistant McCuish was also buzzing to be given the chance and he hopes the move will re-connect the club with the people of Govan, “I am delighted to be back at the club again. Hopefully with myself and Danny the club will have a bit of identity back and get back to being one that the people of govan will get behind and support”

They will meet up with their new charges on Monday night at training where they will be looking to continue with our preparation ahead of the new season.

The club has today reluctantly accepted the resignation of Manager John Kelly who has been with the club for just over 2 seasons. John’s first season saw the Ants finish mid table and his second was cut short by the postponement of the league due to Coronavirus pandemic. We would like to place on record our thanks to John for all his hard work and service to the club over the past two years as manager and the 6 months previous to that as a coach. He will always be welcome around McKenna Park way, as the old saying goes, once an Ants man always an Ants man.

The club will now begin the process of identifying suitable candidates for the vacant role and a further update will be made when available.

#forzaants #itsanantsthing

The club are delighted to announce a partnership with The Recovery Lounge, a dedicated sports recovery and injury centre based in Paisley that will see Alan and the team at the lounge provide performance therapies which will help the boys overcome injuries and ensure they are fully ready to come back from any layoff
Speaking to Ants manager John Kelly he let us know of his delight at the partnership. ” I am Delighted to set up this partnership with Alan at the recovery lounge. Alan and his team have a very good background and their knowledge of sports therapy and recovery is unbelievable.

I have been into the studio and the facilities they have are out of this world and will definitely benefit our boys on the pitch with their preparation and their recovery. I am over the moon with this.”

The Recovery Lounge also offers therapies to non athletes, for more information head over to their Facebook page

Welcome on board team!

The SFA’s policy announcement this week to rid football of all traces of homophobia is surely correct and will require the proactive participation of all Clubs in the game .

To  this end I am delighted that St Anthonys FC are designating our forthcoming fixture v Ardeer Thistle on Saturday 15th February for Football v Homophobia which is in line with our Club’s Constitution forbidding racism, religious intolerance, homophobia and similar issues .

Homophobia is cruel and unnecessary and our game will be healthier when it is eradicated . That it can be done is exemplified by decades of unwavering support I as a gay man have received at St Anthonys FC as their Chairman for many years . I wish our venture every success in support of the SFA’s stance .

Fred Barrows, Chairman,

St Anthony’s FC