What is a Christian-based football Club?

CPO National Christian Cup

UCC have entered this nationwide competition since the 2002/2003 season. Below are our past results.

The aims of the competition are to draw together Christian - based football teams from across the country to play on a national stage, to encourage and bless one another and to enable christians to reach others with the love of Christ through their common passion for football.

2006/2007

Round 1 ~ 4/11/2006  New Life 0-6 UCC

Round 2 ~ 6/1/2007 UCC 3-6 St Albans Romas (after extra time)

2005/2006

bye to Round 2 ~ 05/11/2005 St Albans Romans 5-3 UCC (after extra time)

2004/2005

bye to Round 2 ~ 30/10/2004 Great Shelford Free Church, Cambridge 0-3 UCC

Round 3 ~ 27/11/2004 Sporting '87, Suffolk 5-4 UCC

J de Lacy was 6th top scorer in the competition with 5 goals in 3 games.

2003/2004

bye to Round 2 ~ 02/11/2003 Duke Street, Richmond 4-4 UCC (UCC won 4-2 on penalties)

Round 3 ~ 06/12/2003 Beaconsfield Rangers, Bucks 3-3 UCC (UCC won 5-4 on penalties)

Round 4 ~ 31/01/2004 UCC 3-2 LUCU, Loughborough

Quarter Finals ~ 28/02/2004 FC Bootle, Liverpool 4-2 UCC (after extra time)

Dave Mackrory was 3rd top scorer in the competition with 6 goals in 4 games.

2002/2003

bye to Round 2 ~ St Pauls, Skelmersdale 1-5 UCC

Round 3 ~ Spicer Street, St Albans 6-2 UCC

Dave Mackrory was =17th top scorer in the competition with 3 goals in 2 games.

UCC is a Christian-based football club. A little of what that means is defined below;

Basic Definition of Christian-based Football

Relationship with God and the world

~ God has called us to himself to be His Friends and Disciples to get to know him, follow him in obedience and enjoy his company forever - This is our primary calling!!
~ God has called us into this fallen world to be Salt & Light and make Disciples of all Nations.

Our Calling before God

~To attempt to restore some principles of God's Kingdom to the world of football and help rescue it!
~ God has specifically called us to be Christian footballers expressing the Christian lifestyle, within the world of football. We identify with and recognise the unique nature of sports people/footballers and therefore seek to be their friend in order to gain the right to share the Gospel with them. We do not use football, rather we express Christ by our lifestyle and also words(!) within the culture of football, a game we're passionate for, and so we can get alongside people and reach them.
~God has called us to develop and enjoy our God-given sporting talents (however great or little!).
~ To have clarity as to which arena of football God has called us and therefore having the grace for it!

Aims of Clubs and Players

~ For each team to attempt to play in a Godly & enriching atmosphere and unity if spirit.
~ To aim for excellence in all activities - to be as good as, if not better than, clubs/leagues in the world!
~ We recognise that as a Christian footballer, there is a distinctive way to express our faith as in other walks of life. Therefore, we aim to play the game in a way that is a witness and honour to Christ's ways, playing with respect for 'opposing' players and referees. Football is not "human warfare"!
~ As Christians, we must learn to win and lose in Grace, not as if it's paradise or the end of the world!!
~ To avoid temptation of footballing success at the expense of kingdom witness and growth.
~ For Christian teams/leagues to grow in size and influence within the world of football.
~ To see Christian-based teams infiltrate into senior football (e g. US has a Christian Pro team).

Outline Structure

~ To be Church-based (one or preferably groups of churches) seeking to win people into the church.
~ To cover our ministries in prayer, particularly for each match, considering it all "spiritual warfare"!
~ To recognise Christian-based teams and leagues as a 'Ministry' and not a hobby for big kids!! This may take some time with some church leaders but keep going, share the vision and most catch on!
~ To include non-Christians within our structures to influence and lead them towards Christ. We must withhold the temptation of allowing the 'world' to take over the kingdom. The base-line is that those who are non-Christian come under Christian influence and not the other way around!