Football PR Photographer | Ex Middlesbrough Manager Steve McLaren Opens New Centre

One of my latest North East sports photography jobs was to cover the opening of the Cleveland Juniors Football Club’s new £418,000 clubhouse at Mill Hill playing fields in Acklam.

Opened by former Middlesbrough boss and ex-England manager Steve McLaren, who lives on Teesside, the new building was a big hit with everyone. Players had formerly been using an old shipping container as their changing facilities so this amazing building with a series of changing rooms, showers and office facilities was quite a contrast. 

The commission came about after a well-established commercial photographer in London found my website at www.davecharnleyphotography.com liked my work and after some discussions about the brief, then booked me for a commercial photography shoot at Acklam in Middlesbrough. My job was to take a series of photos of the building and grounds, plus some of the young players in action on the pitches, the family sports and activities on offer, and of course to cover the official ceremony.

A pretty big crowd had gathered for the event and out on the playing fields the young players were pleased to have the chance to show off their best moves in front of the camera, with their smart red and white strips adding to the energy of the shots. The same bright colour theme continued inside the building too, with lime green flooring throughout the building standing out against the cream and red walls.

On the pitch I had to work quickly to capture the action in the cage football area, where four players played a fast and furious game. It was good to see so many girls playing – the club has nine girls’ teams and two soccability teams and they play well, quite rightly expecting the same opportunities  as the boys.  

Also covered by the Darlington-based Northern Echo and the Middlesbrough Gazette, the ceremony saw Chairman Michelle Rush and other VIPS say a few words as I moved around unobtrusively with my camera taking pictures of the speakers and the crowd, before Steve McLaren cut the ribbon and declared the centre open.

I was delighted to be trusted to record this event in pictures for a club that really is embedded in the community and has a history of encouraging young talent, with a long list of young players who have gone on to play professionally.

After I had dropped off Julie from RWE at the Middlesbrough railway station (all part of the service) I reflected on Michelle Rush’s words when she said: “This is a community club with a strong ethos of offering free football and quality coaching to local people. There are no fences or boundaries - the club is for the whole community.”

It is so important to encourage young people into sport, and the enthusiasm and commitment I saw around me as I worked convince me that Cleveland Juniors FC’s new clubhouse will quickly become a firm favourite with young people from all over the borough.