JCT have today announced a community led partnership with Wolves FC an English Championship League side. Mr. Samir Thapar, President of JCT FC received Jez Moxey (CEO,Wolves FC), the First Team Coach, Terry Connor and Member of Parliament for Wolverhampthon, Mr.Pat McFadden. They toured JCT FC’s Complex and Football Ground at Hoshiarpur, Punjab and observed a specially arranged youth team training session.
Samir Thapar and Jez Moxey then addressed the press, to unveil the new partnership in front of India’s national media and officials from the Indian Football. Also, in attendance was Pat McFadden MP, the driving force behind the Wolverhampton / India partnership, which has played a key role in creating the link between the two clubs.
The agreement will see exchange visits between the two club’s academy staff. The two clubs will also share best practice on a range of club matters from community involvement and development through to club administration. Wolves will be keeping its supporters up-to-date with JCT FC news via its official website (www.wolves.co.uk)
and JCT will do like-wise on its website (www.jctfootball.com).
Today’s announcement forms an important part of the Wolverhampton / India partnership, a collaboration of businesses, education and public sector bodies in Wolverhampton. The driving force behind the initiative is Wolverhampton-based MP, Pat McFadden, and the participants include: Wolverhampton University and College, Wolverhampton City Council, Wolverhampton Schools, the Wolverhampton Development Company. A delegation of high-level representatives from each organisation, UK Trade and Investment and the Chambers of Commerce is in India this week to progress the project.
Pat McFadden MP for Wolverhampton South-East, said: “The Wolverhampton-India Project is about Trade, Education and Sport and strengthening the already strong ties that the City of Wolverhampton has with the Punjab.
“Wolverhampton Wanderers has one of the biggest Punjabi supporters club in the UK; the ‘Punjabi Wolves’ and so a link to one of India’s strongest football clubs, based here in the Punjab makes perfect sense and we are delighted to be here today with our friends at JCT and are tremendously excited about the potential of this exciting relationship between the two clubs.”
Jez Moxey, Chief Executive, Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, said: “We are very proud to form this partnership with JCT FC. Both clubs are dedicated to building a long-term relationship, which puts community and youth development at its very heart. The coming months will see the first in a series of exchange visits between coaches and backroom staff. We’ll be keeping our supporters up-to-date with all the JCT FC news and we’re sure that our fans will get right behind this new partnership.
“I’d like to thank Samir Thapar, and everyone at JCT FC, for the tremendous welcome that has been extended to us. I’d also like to thank Pat McFadden MP and the members of the Wolverhampton / India partnership for playing a key role in making today’s announcement possible.”
Samir Thapar, President of JCT FC, said: “Our partnership with Wolves FC is based on our discussions for establishing solid principles for long term relationship between our two clubs. Sharing of knowledge and coaching skills will support and strengthen JCT FC’s focus of developing the sport of Football at the grass root level in Punjab. JCT is a truly Punjab based Team with 70% of our players being local boys from Punjab.
I would like to acknowledge the efforts made by Jez Moxey, Pat McFadden MP and Jas Bains for making this partnership a reality and would like to thank them for coming all the way to India to be with us today.”
Lord Triesman, Chairman of the FA, has commended the “exciting partnership” in a recent letter of support saying: “Plainly Wolverhampton Wanderers have made an exceptional commitment to the development of football in India and deserve warm congratulations.
“I can readily see why JCT FC attracts such interest and support… the link with Wolves will stimulate widening support with no doubt.”
Wolves have very strong links with the local Indian community in Wolverhampton. Punjabi Wolves (www.punjabiwolves.com) is one of the biggest supporter clubs of its type in British football. It’s estimated that close to 16% of the local Wolverhampton community is from a Punjabi Sikh, Indian background.