Sport
Maccabi London FC unveiled
Two of London's biggest Jewish football clubs are to merge after it was confirmed that Maccabi London Lions and Brady Maccabi will play under the banner of Maccabi London FC.
March 25, 2019 22:24
Two of London's biggest Jewish football clubs are to merge after it was confirmed that Maccabi London Lions and Brady Maccabi will play under the banner of Maccabi London FC.
March 25, 2019 22:24Ambitious plans were revealed at Rowley Lane on Tuesday night by Lions chairman Andrew Landesberg, who discussed the vision of MLFC alongside Brady chairman Joel Nathan. Landesberg confirmed he will be the chairman of MLFC, with Nathan the vice-chairman.
MLFC will feature 65 teams across ages six to 60 years and more than 1,000 registered players, including three competitive girls’ sides and they plan to run a ladies first team. They would become one of the largest football clubs in Hertfordshire and will rank as one of the top ten grass-roots football clubs in the UK.
“It’s the start of a new era and one which we are all very excited about,” said Landesberg. “We will be a club for our community, a club deeply-rooted in London Jewry.”
Nathan, who first played for Brady in 1979, spoke of his passion for Brady and he insists it is the right move at the right time for the club who sold their Edgware home in the mid-2000's. They have been playing at Rowley Lane ever since.
He said: “I’m enthusiastic as I know that the merger of these two great clubs will create quite possibly the largest Jewish football club in the world but also, more importantly given the Brady history, make MLFC a pivotal organisation within the community generally and renew the spirit of Brady and Maccabiah for decades to come. That for me is the most positive outcome of all.”
Nathan outlined the club’s five-year plan and said: “The plan is to have new pitches at Rowley Lane and develop the existing ones.” He also confirmed the club would "look to take on another training facility”.
Junior players modelled the club's new playing kit, supplied by Joma and sponsored by The Alan Mattey Foundation, emblazoned with the new-look badge.
Landesberg also confirmed MLFC would not run an official academy next season, but they “will fulfil all the stated requirements to the extent that we are being courted by several Premier League clubs to put in place more formal relationships in time for the coming season”.
Ben Lane, David Hyman, and Lee Glassar have been confirmed as Executive Committee members. Lucy Barker will be the Club Welfare Officer and Nigel Burns will be Club Secretary. London Lions Club President, David Kyte and Brady Maccabi President David Jacobs will continue in their roles and will become Life Presidents of Maccabi London FC.
All teams under-11 and above will continue to use the Brady and Lions names whilst the transition to the new club takes place. Former Brady Maccabi teams will play under the name ‘Maccabi London FC Brady’, and former London Lions teams will play under the name ‘Maccabi London FC Lions.’ There is no intention to have players moving between the Lions and Brady teams in these age groups.