Meet the Macclesfield grassroots football store with the goal to expand in 2024
A Macclesfield business with national potential is hoping to score expansion in 2024.
Childrensfootball.com is an online football shop based in Macclesfield.
They sell kids footie equipment, accessories and gifts, for an affordable price.
As well as having youth football clubs in Macclesfield as their customers, they also have support from across the British Isles.
They stock state-of-the-art products, from footballs which incorporate technology, to foldable pop-up goals.
Macclesfield Nub News met up with the entrepreneurs behind the business, who work from their Macclesfield warehouse in east Macclesfield.
Matt Hackett is one of the trio behind the Green Street firm alongside husband-and-wife, and Macclesfield residents, Tony and Denise Hine.
"We originally started in October 2021," said Tony.
"We actually started out from the garden shed, packing deliveries in our living room.
"We have developed into a one-stop shop of trusted suppliers, with our warehouse to allow us to hold more stock, and fulfil orders more efficiently. And despite the name, we cover equipment suitable from 18 months all the way through to adult players and teams.
"We started out wanting to share our knowledge with other parents on the best ways to get their kids involved in playing football. If parents bought their child a new football for example, that would often be size five. Size five footballs are only used competitively from U15 age groups (Year 10+) in England. There are footballs from size one, which are ideal for toddlers, through to the full size five ones."
Macclesfield customers include Tytherington Juniors FC and Macclesfield Juniors, and they want to build relationships with more of their local clientele, including other footballs clubs, football coaching businesses as well as nurseries, schools and colleges.
From simple shin pads and training cones through to jumbo rebounders and technical training aids, ChildrensFootball.com has you covered. As well as outdoor football, they also stock things to buy for the fast-growing futsal market as well.
"A lot of our range is for teams and clubs, however we also do a lot on the gift side as well," added Tony.
"These are fun products, bordering on the toy side."
A fact that in itself is ironic, as their Green Street site used to house a toy shop.
The three business partners have been involved as volunteers football coaches and team admins as well, and Denise is a former Macclesfield Town Ladies FC player herself.
Tony can also be seen playing football at the Macclesfield Man V Fat sessions on Park Lane, and regularly attends Macclesfield FC games with his family.
"We have clients from the top of Scotland, across Northern Ireland and Wales, and down to the south coast of England. But we love having more local support as well, and meeting our customers in person," explained Tony.
"A lot of what we need to do is to increase awareness. Our products are great, we are competitive on price, despite some of the bigger players involved."
"We pride ourselves on building up rapport, and communicating with clients on WhatsApp and social media. We have over 400 products for sale, from crowd barriers to skill games. For individuals, we have things for the garden and home as well."
"What is great about some of our garden goals is that you can quickly and easily put them away," said Matt.
"A lot of parents don't want a goal sat in their garden all the time. We sell a portable garden goal that takes 90 seconds to set up, and a similar time to take down as well, and it's easy enough for kids to do it themselves."
One of their top sellers include 'top bins', if you'll pardon the pun.
"One of the key things when we set this up was to try and give back to support teams as well," said Matt.
"If teams and clubs are giving us custom, we want to support them in return. So they grow with us. We love supporting our partner clubs with things like Christmas party and end of season gifts for players and coaches in addition to provide equipment throughout the season.
"I think being a trusted partner is a key thing."
"We offer a discount link for members of our partner teams and clubs, which is great for parents," said Tony.
"Another thing we do to help out is for personalised bibs, where we actually cover the printing cost. We do this in return for having it as a co-brand with 'ChildrensFootball.com'.
"Our message to the football teams and clubs, coaching businesses, nurseries, schools and colleges, and mums and dads of Macclesfield would be that we are an independent, local business.
"We are all parents, and coaches for local grassroots clubs, so we can relate in these areas, and be a reliable partner for equipment. Anything you need, we will take the time to try and help, even if it's not currently listed on our website.
"Our kids think it is great that we do this [for a living]. My eldest child doesn't like football at all, but he likes to help out at the pop-ups we do at events around the local area like The RossendaleFete and the Leek Farm Show."
ChildrensFootball.com boast a perfect rating on Facebook Reviews.
To browse their stock, you can head to ChildrensFootball.com.
And they've set up a discount code for Nub News readers. Use MaccNubNews at checkout for £5 off any spend over £50.
Or why not get in touch with them, if you'd prefer to meet in person?
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