Loughborough Students FC Programme Issue 11 by Loughborough University

FOOTBALL LOUGHBOROUGH STUDENTS

LEICESTER NIRVANA

UNITED COUNTIES FOOTBALL LEAGUE TUE 4 JAN 2022 KO 19:45

ESTABLISHED 1919

WHERE HISTORY BEGINS ISSUE 11

£2

CONTENTS 4

WELCOME FORM RICHARD ALLEN

TODAYS TEAMS

LOUGHBOROUGH LIGHTNING

TODAYS OPPOSITION

HOME FIXTURES

11 THE TEAM 12 SQUAD LIST 14 A BRIEF HISTORY 16 FIXTURES AND RESULTS 18 UPCOMING FIXTURES

LOUGHBOROUGH STUDENTS FC V LEICESTER NIRVANA

RICHARD ALLEN

DIRECTOR OF FOOTBALL Good evening and a very warm welcome to our United Counties Premier Division North fixture versus Leicester Nirvana. With our last couple of games being postponed due to Covid 19 issues it is nice to be back playing and we are all looking forward to a successful 2022. At the time of writing these programme notes we sit in 5th place on 33 points with Leicester Nirvana in 7th place on 28th points. Back in October we played out a very bizarre 4-4 draw. Goals down then back in the game and looking likely we would get all 3 points only to be thwarted with a late equaliser. It seems a long while ago that we went through to the 4th round of the FA Vase after a comprehensive and comfortable win at home versus Sandbach United. On Saturday 15th January we will be travelling down to play against Essex Senior League side Saffron Walden Town. It would be great to get some of our supporters down there to cheer us on. Our BUCS games will start again at the end of the month with both our men’s and women’s first teams entering the knockout stages of their respective national competitions. Our other teams will also be playing out their league seasons and various cup competitions. Both our men’s and women’s development teams are doing very well in their leagues. The men are top of the Midlands Under 21’s Eastern Division and remain unbeaten. Our Lightning Development team is still doing very well and before the break they travelled

to play Nottingham Forest and came away with a fine 2-1 win to put themselves in 3rd position in the FA Reserve Midland Division just behind Forest and ahead of Stoke City and Leicester City Reserves. Thank you for your support today and we pleased to welcome the players, officials and supporters of Leicester Nirvana to what I am sure will be a highly entertaining match. Richard Allen Director of Football

LOUGHBOROUGH STUDENTS FC V LEICESTER NIRVANA

TODAYS TEAMS LOUGHBOROUGH STUDENTS FC BEN WHITING (GK)

SAM SMITH (GK)

TOBY LARSEN (GK)

MATTY BOWMAN

KIERAN SMITH

THEO SACKEY-MENSAH

DAMI AGBOOLA

LEICESTER NIRVANA 01

LUIS PARRY (GK)

JACOB WOOD (GK)

REFEREE: STEPHEN DAVIES

SYED AHMED

MOHAMED BANGURA

AR STEWART GLENDENNING AR ELLIS HEWINS

NATHANIEL BARHALIBIRHU

BASHEER DASSU

SUHAIB GANNAN

FINN BRENNAN

WILLIAM GONGA

OLLIE PARSONS

REECE GILES

BEN LE ROUGETEL

KALIS GORE

CHARLIE ALEXIOU

TOM HOWARD

GEORGE WARD

ETHAN HULLEY

PAUL FIELD

OMAR JAGNE

MAX SMALLCOMBE

ANIYAH KING

BILLY MYCROFT-EDWARDS

STUART LAMONT

SID KERR

EDDIE LEE

ETHAN O’TOOLE

THOMAS MASON

TOM IACIOFANO

DEEN MASTER

JOE LLOYD

ADNAAN MOTI

LUKE MARTIN

JORDAN NELSON

GEORGE WILSON

HAKIM NYARIKI

DYLAN EDWARDS

FINLAY SHORROCK

TOPE FADAHANSI

BENJAMIN THOMPSON

CAM MOORE

MICHAEL AKINTUNDE

EOIN MCEWAN

CHADLEY TIMSON

LOUGHBOROUGH STUDENTS FC V LEICESTER NIRVANA

LOUGHBOROUGH LIGHTNING

Firstly, I hope you all had a great Christmas and happy new year! Before the break, Lightning had two cup fixtures against Huddersfield Town FC. Despite both performances showing a lot of quality and dominance throughout, a couple of missed chances made the difference in both games which saw Huddersfield come out on top with 3-1 victories. Although it was a disappointing defeat, it is clear to see the amount of progress the team have made since the start of the season which is very exciting as we now turn out attention back to league action as we look to pick up points and progress up the table. We are very much looking forward to the second half of the season as we travel to Fylde this coming Sunday followed by Hull the following week which are both extremely important games for us” by Issy Martin

H: MATC ry T X E N anua ay 9 J Sund de (Away) y v’s Fl :00 KO1 4

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LOUGHBOROUGH STUDENTS FC V LEICESTER NIRVANA

TODAYS OPPOSITION

LEICESTER NIRVANA

Leicester Nirvana Football Club (Nirvana) nurtures junior talent from the age of 5 years up to under 18’s, Seniors reserves and first team. Providing a clear pathway for young players to develop into men’s football in the non-league pyramid system. Nirvana is known for developing young talented players and strong teams with many of those teams playing at the higher end of the league structures. Today, Nirvana embodies more than a football club and aims to be a platform that allows young people life changing opportunities via football or other arenas. After establishing as a very successful junior club, the club initiated discussions to re-establish a senior team for the young players to aspire to. This started in 2008 and the club entered a team in the Leicester City Football League. However at the same time the club initiated conversations relating to the possibility merging with Thurnby Rangers to give us a pathway to Step 7, at this point Thurnby Nirvana was born. Leicester Nirvana FC and Thurnby Rangers FC had both established their own identities at a local football level. Thurnby Rangers being a successful senior side in the early years 200103 in which time Leicester Nirvana no longer had a senior side but had an outstanding reputation at mini, junior and youth football levels both locally and nationally. Season 2016/17 once again threw up new challenges for the club after manager Damion Qualiey and his coaching staff moved on and

the club found itself in a transition period. The club appointed Scott Goodwin as Manager and on Friday 23rd December we played our was first ever game at our own home of Hamilton Park, Oadby were the visitors and unfortunately for us the result went in the favour of Oadby, an entertaining 3-2 defeat in our first game at ‘Home.’ The 2017/18 Nick Anderson was appointed who had plenty of experience in Non-League football and in particular the UCL. Nick was able to build on the players’ experience from last season and bring more consistency to our play. We started the 2019-20 season with a new management team, Recruiting some key experienced players was important to nature the young squad. A more consistent season was on the cards, but to the premature ending caused by the Covid 19 pandemic. Preparations for the 20-21 season are amongst the strangest that we have ever experienced. The Covid situation meant the government enforcing a local lockdown in Leicester prevented us from beginning pre-season. The squad were given individual programs to prepare and when restrictions were finally lifted on 19th August we began training in full flow. With just 12 days to prepare for an FA Cup tie! During this part, there was a change of management, due to work commitments Nick Brett had to step down, The club appointed San Winch as first team manger and are excited by what the A Licence coach can bring to the club. The beauty of football and the reason we all love it is, you never know!

LOUGHBOROUGH STUDENTS FC V LEICESTER NIRVANA

LOUGHBOROUGH STUDENTS FC 2021/2022 SEASON

HOME FIXTURES

DATE

TIME

OPPONENTS

RESULTS

TUE 03/08/2021

KO 19:45

MELTON TOWN

2-1 LOSS

SAT 14/08/2021

KO 15:00

NEWARK

7-0 WIN

SAT 21/08/2021

KO 15:00

NEWARK

3-2 WIN

FRI 10/09/2021

KO 19:45

SLEAFORD TOWN

2-0 WIN

SAT 02/10/2021

KO 15:00

GRESLEY ROVERS

1-1 DRAW

SAT 06/11/2021

KO 15:00

DEEPING RANGERS

5-1 WIN

TUE 16/11/2021

KO 19:45

SELSTON

3-0 WIN

SAT 20/11/2021

KO 15:00

GRESLEY ROVERS

2-0 WIN

SAT 04/12/2021

KO 15:00

LONG EATON UNITED

0-3 LOSS

SAT 11/12/2021

KO 15:00

SANDBACH UNITED

4-0 WIN

TUE 04/01/2022

KO 19:45

LEICESTER NIRVANA

TUE 18/01/2022

KO 19:45

HEATHER ST. JOHN’S

SAT 22/01/2022

KO 15:00

SKEGNESS TOWN A.F.C.

SAT 29/01/2022

KO 15:00

HEANOR TOWN

SAT 05/02/2022

KO 15:00

QUORN

SAT 12/02/2022

KO 15:00

HOLBEACH UNITED

SAT26/02/2022

KO 15:00

EASTWOOD

SAT 05/03/2022

KO 15:00

ANSTEY NOMADS

SAT 26/03/2022

KO 15:00

BOSTON TOWN

SAT 02/04/2022

KO 15:00

PINCHBECK UNITED

LOUGHBOROUGH STUDENTS FC V LEICESTER NIRVANA

LOUGHBOROUGH STUDENTS FC

THE TEAM

RICHARD ALLEN Director of Football

JAMIE CLAPHAM Head Coach

MARGARET FOLWELL Secretary

HARRIET SIMES

Programme Manager Media & Press enquiries h.h.simes@lboro.ac.uk

SPORT SCIENCE

CALLUM FOSTER MEDICAL TEAM

ELLA HUDSON PERFORMANCE ANALYST

OLIVER FAIRS VICE PRESIDENTS

ALAN GOODLEY GRAHAM HERRING GORDON WATSON PETE SIMMONS SHIRLEY HORNER ALEX ACKERLEY MATT STOCK LAURA DALES

TARA PHETHEAN

LOUGHBOROUGH STUDENTS FC V LEICESTER NIRVANA

LOUGHBOROUGH STUDENTS FC

SQUAD LIST GOALKEEPERS

TOBY LARSEN

BEN WHITING

SAM SMITH

DEFENDERS

DAMI AGBOOLA

CHARLIE ALEXIOU

PAUL FIELD

MATTY BOWMAN

BEN LE ROUGETEL

FINN BRENNAN

OLLIE PARSONS

DEFENDERS

THEO SACKEYMENSAH

KIERAN SMITH

GEORGE WARD

MIDFIELDERS

TOM IACIOFANO

SID KERR

LUKE MARTIN

JOE LLOYD

BILLY MYCROFTEDWARDS

ETHAN O’TOOLE

MAX SMALLCOMBE

GEORGE WILSON

FORWARDS

DYLAN EDWARDS

TOPE FADAHANSI

CAM MOORE

EOIN MCEWAN

LOUGHBOROUGH STUDENTS FC

A BRIEF HISTORY 1919-20 Earliest records of Loughborough Men’s football date-back to 191920 side, under the name of Loughborough Technical Institute and guidance of Principal Herbert Schofield. In 1920 it became a college of Technology, with the football side winning its first silverware on record in the Northern Junior Cup in 1922.

1930-1970 Loughborough Men won their first University Championship in the 1938/39 season and the Leicestershire Senior League in 1940, after the war they returned to winning ways in the University competition (UAU) from 1947 – 1953, 1955, 1957 and 1959-1963, 1965, 1966 and 1969. In 1966 Loughborough became a University and also competed in the Leicestershire Senior League Division Two until 1972. The 1970s was an extremely important decade for the Club. Three more University titles followed and former student and then lecturer, Mike Holliday, took up the reigns of Head Coach, a role he would continue into the mid-90s. Early signs of

Mike’s rein included an away victory over a Manchester United XI.

THE 35 YEAR WAIT The side waited 35 years for a return to non-league football, entering the Midland Combination for the first time in 2007-08. After silverware in their first season in the shape of the Midlands League Cup, in 2009 Loughborough won promotion as champions to the Midland Football Alliance. 2011/12 Stuart McLaren’s first term ended with a 5th place finish in the Midland Football Alliance and victory in the League Cup, the club’s highest ever honour so far. The League Cup was retained in 2012/13 as the side equalled their highest ever league finishing position in the MFA of 4th. In May 2012 the Loughborough University Stadium was opened with a showcase game against a Spurs Academy team. Many Loughborough Football graduates and staff also started to carve extremely successful Coaching roles in the Professional Game – a trend that continues to this day.

Former players include Bob Wilson (former Scotland & Arsenal), Bradley Pritchard (Former Charlton & Leyton Orient), Robbie Simpson (Cheltenham City former Coventry City, Exeter City, MK Dons), Leon McSweeney (Former Northampton Town & Leyton Orient), George Williams (Mk Dons & Former Barnsley). Other former players and staff are littered throughout the Premiership and EFL, in a coaching and support staff capacity including Kieran McKenna & Eric Ramsay (Manchester United), Sam Erith (England & Manchester City), Nathan Gardiner (formerly Spurs, Fulham), Matthew Prestridge (formerly Sheffield United), Matt Reeves (Leicester City). In 2014 Loughborough University joined the Midland Football League in its inaugural year. The 2016/17 saw the Scholars have one of their most positive starts to the MFL season in a number of years. However, a disappointing run in from December saw the 16/17 season fall away with the club finishing in 18th out of 22. The 17/18 season also saw the appointment of Richard Allen as Director of Football,

LOOKING FORWARD

in January 2018. Richard joined from the FA where he was head of Talent ID. He has extensive knowledge of academy football with previous roles as Head of Academy at QPR and Head of Recruitment at Tottenham.

PROGRESSING Progressing onto the 2018/19 season Alex Ackerley was appointed Head Coach continuing to work alongside Jamie Hawthorne, who has since moved in 2019/20 to work as an Academy Coach at Southampton FC. 2018/19 season ended in a County Cup Final appearance against Coalville Town, with the Ravens, who play at Step 3, winning the game 4 – 1 at Holmes Park. The 2019/20 season saw the Scholars celebrate their Centenary as well as a new

challenge having been moved laterally during the off season into the Uhlsport United Counties Football League. The scholars were sitting in 4th place in mid March when the 19/20 season was deemed null and void due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Yet again the 2020/21 season was affected by the Covid19 virus and Alex Ackerley and his student coaches, Joel Bonner, Callum Crockard and Ben Day saw the season curtailed in January 2021, whilst sitting at the top of the league. Joel moved to Liverpool’s academy during December 2020 to work with the U16s and Ben to Burton Albion shortly after at the turn of the year. Callum will start 2021/22 on his course placement at Southampton, where he will be working in their academy.

The 2021/22 season sees the club return to using the Loughborough Students name across all the teams, both in the leagues and BUCS competitions, with the addition of a reserve team playing in the Leicester Senior League, the U21s will continue in MFL U21s East. This is a new chapter for the Scholars, with experienced, former professional player and pro-licence coach, Jamie Clapham arriving in the preseason as the new University Men’s Head Coach, together with the appointment of a new University Football Programme Manager, Harriet Simes, joining from Birmingham City Women, following the departure of Mat Stock to Wolverhampton Wanderers Academy and Alex Ackerley to pastures new. As always with Loughborough Students FC, you will see some new faces, not necessarily new students, but players who have worked their way through the programme from U21s to earn their place in the performance squad. Everyone is looking forward to the new season, continuing to build on the foundations that Mat and Alex have put in place.

MELTON TOWN

2-1 LOSS

STAVELEY MINERS

2-1 WIN

SAT 14/08/2021