Loughborough Students FC Programme 2023 Issue 2

FOOTBALL

EMIRATES FA CUP

EXTRA PRELIMINARY ROUND REPLAY

TUE AUGUST 8TH 2023

KO 19:45

ESTABLISHED 1919 WHERE HISTORY BEGINS

WELCOME

JAMIE CLAPHAM

MEN’S HEAD COACH

Good evening and welcome to the Loughborough University Stadium for the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round Replay against Grantham Town. I would like to welcome the management team, players, officials and supporters from Grantham

After the hotly contested game at the weekend, we return to the University Stadium for the replay which I anticipate will be as competitive as the first game. After our opening two league results were positive, we headed to Grantham at the weekend confident of winning to move into the next round.

As it turned out we secured a replay and are ready to put ourselves into the Preliminary Round tonight.

As always, thank you for your continued support and I hope you enjoy the game!

TODAYS TEAMS

LOUGHBOROUGH STUDENTS FC V

JAKE ALLEY (GK)

TOBY LARSEN (GK)

RICHARD ALLEN

HALIM BANGURA

JONTY BOUCH

THOMAS BUTLER

ANTHONY CHENG

JAMES COOK

MAX CRANE

ZOLANI QUINTON DLODLO

DYLAN EDWARDS

PIERS FAULTLEY

JOE FOUNTAIN

RYAN HAYES

NOAH INGHAM-WRIGHT

CONNOR KEENE

DREW LOWE

ETHAN O’TOOLE

OLIVER PARSONS

THEO SACKEY-MENSAH

EMILIO STAVROU

JAMES THEW

JOSH WICKS

DOMINIC FORBES

MIKEY DIONISIOU

GRANTHAM TOWN FC

CURTIS HALL

ELLIOTT WALKER

TOM ZERBONI

SEBASTION ROBBEMOND

RASHAAN FRANCES

KERN MILLER

AKEEL FRANCIS

KUWESI OFUSHINE

GREG SMITH

ETHAN BOYANG

RODRIGO GONCALVES

SAM TESSLER

JONAZ GADOMSKI

LEWIS JONES

PRADEEP BAHREY

ALI ALKOSSI

LAMIN JASSEY

JURELLE PHILIPS

SAM MUGGLETON

THURSO NYONI

TODAYS OPPOSITION GRANTHAM TOWN FC

The club was founded in 1874 and early competition was in the Midland Amateur league which was won in 1910/11. The Central alliance was won in 1924/25 and the club finished runners up to Shrewsbury Town in the Midland counties League in 1938. After the war local legend Jack McCartney scored 416 goals in just 456 appearances until his retirement in 1955

In the summer of 2006, the club were moved from the Southern League back to the Northern Premier League. It took the club some time to adjust to the move and they were relegated to Division 1 South. John Wilkinson returned as manager and in 2008 lead the club to the Division 1 South play offs where they lost 2-1 to Nantwich

Following a brief spell with Phil Starbuck as manager Jim Albans and Wayne Hallcro came in as joint managers. In 2011/12 the club reached the Division 1 South playoff final losing 2-0 to Rushall Olympic but the following year they won the division by a 10-point margin the club found life in the Premier division difficult and following the resignation of chairman Steve Boam Albans and Hallcro also resigned. After a period under former players Gary Sucharewycz and Ian Robinson they returned and led the club to 15th spot in the Premier division.

During season 2014/15 the club had to make the difficult decision to cut its playing budget when predicted income was not achieved. This resulted in several players leaving the club. Also departing was Jim Albans but his partner Wayne Hallcro stayed and recruited former Coalville manager Adam Stevens to replace Albans as joint manager and the pair set about rebuilding the side. Hallcro departed in late January to team up again with Albans at Belper Town to leave Adam Stevens in sole charge of team matters. Under Stevens the club finished 12th in the Premier Division and the following year 18th. 2016/2017 saw the club had its best season for many years and had a chance of reaching the playoffs right up to the final week of the season finally finishing in 8th spot. In addition, they reached the league cup final going down 2-1 to Bamber Bridge.

2017/2018 saw the club finished in 4th spot in the premier division and went on to reach the playoff final going down 2-0 at Ashton United. Manager Adam Stevens stood down after the game replaced by Ian Culverhouse for the 2018/2019 season. Culverhouse resigned in October and was replaced by former Notts County Assistant manager Richard Thomas. Richard Thomas left the club in February to be replaced by former Harrowby United managers Paul Rawden and Russ Cousins. Rawden and Cousins left the club in late February and after a game under the control of caretaker manager Danny Racchi Martin McIntosh was appointed as manager. Martin managed just two games in charge before Covid brought the season to a close. He has spent the summer rebuilding the side for the new season. With the season halted due to the Covid pandemic McIntosh left the club. Former England International Carlton Palmer was appointed as team manager and along with his assistants Jas Colliver and Matt Chatfield totally rebuilt the side for the 2021/2022 season.

Carlton Palmer stood down as manager in early November with assistants James Colliver and Matt Chatfield taking charge of team affairs. The club moved quickly to appoint Dennis Greene as manager with Matt Chatfield becoming assistant. The club parted company with Greene in March with Chatfield stepping up to take charge until the end of the season. The club were relegated to step 4 at the end of the 2021/22 season after 10 years at step 3. Chatfield took the managers job permanently at the start of the season. The club have struggled this season but did win the Lincolnshire Senior cup beating Spalding United 1-0 at Lincoln City’s LNER stadium. After avoiding relegation on the final day of the season the club have undergone a complete rebuild in the summer. Matt Chatfield has been replaced by Paul Rawden who returns to the club and along with his assistant Steve Kirkham has had to build a complete side on a much reduced budget.

ROUND 2 – THIS TIME

LOUGHBOROUGH PLAY HOST!

After securing a draw in the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round on Saturday against Grantham with a goal in the second half from Jonty Bouch, Loughborough welcome Grantham to the Loughborough University Stadium tonight in the hope to progress through to the next round of the FA Cup.

The rain looked to be a major factor in Saturday’s game, as the wind dictated play from the outset. However, it did not change how equal the game settled in the first half. Both teams had their chances, with the crowd in constant hope that one might make the net. It was Grantham’s Captain, Gregg Smith, with the first goal off a penalty in the 26th minute, with Jake Alley not able to get a hand on it, a fact that would change in the second half. As the rain cleared up late in the first half, things still looked positive for the visitors with 2 more shots on goal, and the opposition receiving a few yellow cards.

The second half saw a shift in dominance on the pitch, as Loughborough seemed to rush everything leading to a few mistakes. Grantham were able to keep the ball moving nicely, restricting the Students’ chances at equalising and showed their experience in controlling games. Throughout the second half, Grantham kept Loughborough’s keeper Jake Alley busy, as they kept the shots heading in his direction. It was not until the 75th minute that Jonty Bouch delivered off a free kick to equal the score following a fantastic delivery from Halim Bangura.

The game went into stoppage time, with both teams still showing determination and heart, but as the referee blew his whistle to end the 90 minutes, the focus quickly became Tuesday night under the lights at the Loughborough University Stadium.

LOUGHBOROUGH STUDENTS FC A BRIEF HISTORY

1919-20

Earliest records of Loughborough Men’s football date-back to 1919-20 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 19591963, 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 Loughborough began to establish themselves in the MFA finishing 13th in 2009/10 and 4th in 2019/11. Head Coach Tom Curtis left to take over as National Team Coach of Antigua & Barbuda towards the end of that season.

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, 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 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.

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.

PROGRESSING

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, 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 Sunderland Academy. 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.

The 21/22 season was a very successful season for Loughborough Students FC with the first team finishing 4th in the United Counties League as well as a record-breaking cup run in the Buildbase FA Vase, reaching the semi-final, before exiting the competition away from home after defeat to Littlehampton Town FC away from home.

The 22/23 season resulted in Loughborough Student’s FC’s highest ever finish with a 3rd-placed finish in the United Counties League narrowly missing out on the playoffs. The team exited the FA Cup in the First Qualifying Round with a narrow defeat to Gainsborough Trinity and in the FA Vase, the team progressed to the Second Round losing to Stourport Swifts. Overall the season was a successful one with great strides made to improve the team resulting in the team’s best-ever finish at Step 5.

LOOKING FORWARD

Now we are all looking forward to the upcoming season and building on last season’s success, with ambitions of a finish in the playoff places and possible promotion. Competing on all fronts possible is something prioritised here at Loughborough so we look forward to a potential cup run and continued league success.

We have also added our Development Team to the Leicestershire Senior League for this year. We are looking forward to seeing their progress from Step 9 up the non-league pyramid which will keep competition for places fierce throughout the squad.

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