IAN Feaver is delighted that Ardley United’s long-term vision is reaping rewards.

The Uhlsport Hellenic League Premier Division outfit boast a squad packed with talented youngsters on the pitch and are growing their presence in the community off it.

Craig Adey’s side currently occupy a lowly position in the table, but their chairman is focusing on the bigger picture.

Feaver said: “We’re doing this for the long-term future of the club.

“The first team’s important, but so is everything else.

“We’ve tried to build a club that’s involved in the community as a whole.”

Successful initiatives include a thriving junior section and a popular walking football programme that runs every other Sunday.

It is all overseen by a band of 14 volunteers on the club’s committee, plus more than a dozen regular helpers.

With the sad demise of Bicester Town last year, Ardley are the main club in the area and Feaver knows this brings great responsibility.

He said: “We’d love Bicester Town to still be here – a place that size should have a football club.

“It creates an expectancy that Ardley should be the club to represent the area.

“To do what we’re doing requires exceptional effort, we rely on volunteers who do it for the love of it.”

There are no paid staff at the club, which extends to the lack of a playing budget.

New recruits join with the promise they will be developed and sold to clubs at a higher level – and Ardley have so far kept to their word.

Nine players moved to clubs further up the pyramid last summer, while striker Tobias London recently joined BetVictor Southern League Division 1 Central side Kidlington after a prolific start to the campaign.

Despite the high turnover, they have enjoyed success since Feaver took over from long-time chairman Norman Stacey, who is still club treasurer, in 2017.

After taking the Division One West title in 2017/18, they won the Perpetua Press Floodlit Cup last season.

Ardley’s squad for October’s 6-0 win at Yarnton in round two of the Oxfordshire Senior Cup was youthful even by their standards, with ten teenagers in the squad of 15.

Statistics like that mean Feaver is optimistic heading into 2020.

He said: “I see that as a real success, Craig has done some amazing work.

“The league position doesn’t look great, but we’re only five points off the top half.

“I’m really pleased we’re holding our own.”