12.11.24 | SOUTHERN COMBINATION LEAGUE DIVISION ONE | 19:30
AFC Uckfield Town 2024/25
Eastbourne Road, Ridgewood, Uckfield, TN22 5QL
Chairman Billy Wood
Secretary Michelle Wright
Treasurer Natasha Leppard
Welfare Officer Nick Bignell
Committee
Billy Wood, Michelle Wright, Natasha Leppard, Nick Bignell, Paul Wright, Simon Heffer, Adrian Saunders, Mally Jones, Jackie Newton, Barry Newton, Kate Bignell, Steve Green, Jon Wood, Duncan Bennett, Jack Walker
Media & Programme Editor
Ant Scott
ascottmedia@outlook.com
First Team Mens
Manager Billy Wood
Assistant Manager Alex Harris
First Team Coaches Luke Carter, Nick Bignell & Ant Scott
Goalkeeper Coach Robert Barden
Physio Sam Piper
First Team Women
Manager Jon Wood
Coaches Nick Rawlinson & Keith Rathborn
Development
Under 23s Manager Luke Carter
Under 18s Manager Mally Jones
AFC Uckfield Town strongly supports the FA statement that there should be a zero tolerance approach against racism and all forms of discrimination.
Accordingly any form of discriminatory abuse - whether it by reason of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion and belief, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, sex and sexual orientation or any other form of abuse will be reported to The Football Association for action.
WELCOME TO THE OAKS
Welcome to The New Oaks for this evening’s Premier Sports Southern Combination League Division One fixture against Mile Oak FC.
We extend a warm welcome to the players, officials and management of today’s visitors, and hope they enjoy our hospitality before, during and after the game this evening.
The Oaks will be looking forward to returning home after a good win on Saturday at Copthorne.
Played at Horsham’s Fusion Aviation Stadium, Billy Wood’s side raced into a three goal lead by half-time.
Jake Lindsey, Joe Hasler and Ryley Tate got the goals to give the Oaks a 3-0 lead at the break.
And although the hosts pulled a goal back, Alagie Touray came off the bench to add a fourth to complete a comfortable win on the road.
That result was much needed following a stunning defeat against Arundel here in our last home game. After going 1-0 down at the break, it was instead
refereeing decisions that were the talking point - with a red card and then a sin bin seeing Uckfield reduced to nine men having equalised through Lindsey.
And the visitors made their numerical advantage count to inflict our biggest defeat of the campaign.
Our Under 23s returned to action last Monday night and played out a 1-1 draw away at Saltdean United. Touray got the goal for Luke Carter’s side in a match which saw both teams have a man sent off.
Our Ladies team returned to winning ways in style on Sunday, beating Seaford Town 5-0 at The Crouch. Taryn Izzard scored twice, with Phoebe Rathborn, Imogen Devlin and Tia Botting all on target in the big win for The Oaks.
Back to the Men’s team, and we return to action on Saturday when we entertain Selsey. Kick off is 3pm as we look to complete our first league double of the season.
Enjoy tonight’s game, and get behind the lads!
#AFCUT
BILLY WOOD
WELCOME TO A NEW ERA AT AFC UCKFIELD TOWN
Good evening everyone, and welcome back to our home ground for tonight’s match against our visitors Mile Oak.
I want to extend a warm welcome to the players, staff, and supporters of Mile Oak. We’re glad to have you here for what promises to be an exciting match under the lights tonight.
I’m incredibly proud of our lads for getting back to winning ways with a strong performance against Copthorne last week.
The commitment and energy they showed on the pitch were exactly what we needed to bounce back, and I know they’re eager to keep that momentum going.
But let’s not underestimate our opponents tonight - Mile Oak are a tough side, and we’ll need every ounce of your support to push us over the line.
Speaking of support, the next few months are going to be vital for us, both on and off the field.
We’re entering a crucial period as we explore investment options for redeveloping the club and making The Oaks an even better place for all of us.
Every cheer, every bit of encouragement from you in the stands means the world to the lads, and it’s a massive boost to the club as a whole.
Let’s make it loud tonight and show Mile Oak what The Oaks is all about.
Get behind the team and enjoy the game!
Up The Oaks
Billy Wood
The Football Foundation is the Premier League, The FA and the Government’s charity.
We award grants and work with partners to deliver outstanding grassroots football facilities across England.
Search Football Foundation to find out more.
LEAGUE STATS
TABLE, FIXTURES AND RESULTS FROM DIVISION 1
SATURDAY 9 NOVEMBER 2024
SCFL DIVISION ONE | FUSION AVIATION STADIUM | ATT: 27
COPTHORNE SPITTLES
59’
AFC UCKFIELD TOWN
HASLER 7’, TATE 19’, LINDSEY 27’, TOURAY 78’
AFC Uckfield Town bounce back to winning ways with a comfortable win over Copthorne in Southern Combination League Division One action.
Having lost at home to Arundel last time out, Billy Wood’s side were ruthless in front of goal and a clinical first half performance set up the 4-1 full time scoreline.
Uckfield were dominant in the first half at Horsham’s The Fusion Aviation Stadium, where Copthorne ground share.
And they could have added more than just the three goals they scored in the first 45 minutes.
Joe Hasler, Ryley Tate and Jake Lindsey were all on target to put Wood’s men into a commanding position at the interval.
The Oaks were guilty of a little bit of complacency at the start of the second half, which allowed Copthorne to pull one goal back through Declan Spittles.
However, with the introduction of Alagie Touray,
(GK) SHAYNE GOLDSMITH
MATHEUS ANDRADE
TOSIN DADA
CONOR DICKSON
LUKE GEDLING
HARVEY GREEN
NATHAN INGA
DECLAN SPITTLES
ROBBIE TAMBLING
OSCAR WEDDELL
MATT WILLIAMSON
SUBS USED
LEWIS HUGGINS
CHARLIE KENNETT
PATRICK DOS SANTOS
JOSH GEDLING
HARRY HOWES (GK)
MACCA STILES
BRYAN TSHINGOMA
JIMMY HOLMAN
RYLEY TATE
JOE HASLER
TYLER PEARSON
ELLIS WRIGHT
JAKE LINDSEY
RYAN WARWICK
SHANE HARPER
SUBS USED
ALAGIE TOURAY
JACK LANGFORD
ARCHIE CAREY
Jack Langford and Archie Carey from the subs bench, the Oaks increased the tempo and regained their three goal lead before the end.
Touray, having come off the bench, scored his first first team goal since August 17th to round off a comfortable win.
FIXTURES & RESULTS
TUE 12 H MILE OAK
SAT 16 H SELSEY SAT 23 A OAKWOOD
SAT 30 H WORTHING UNITED DECEMBER
SAT 07 H STORRINGTON
SAT 14 H ALFOLD
SAT 21 A ALFOLD
THUR 26 A FOREST ROW
SAT 28 H GODALMING TOWN
JANUARY
SAT 04 H COPTHORNE
SAT 11 A BILLINGSHURST
SAT 18 A SEAFORD TOWN
SAT 25
FEBRUARY
SAT 01 A MONTPELIER VILLA
SAT 08 H INFINITY
SAT 15
SAT 22 A REIGATE PRIORY
MARCH
SAT 01 H CHESSINGTON & HOOK UNITED
SAT 08 A ARUNDEL
SAT 15 A DORKING WANDERERS B
SAT 22 H BANSTEAD ATHLETIC
SAT 29 A MILE OAK
APRIL
SAT 05
SAT 12 A EAST PRESTON
SAT 19 A WORTHING UNITED
MON 21 H FOREST ROW
SAT 26 A GODALMING TOWN
SUBS USED
E WRIGHT CRITTENDEN TURNER B WRIGHT HARPER LOFTUS 1 L WRIGHT, TSHINGOMA, TOURAY, WOOD
E WRIGHT CRITTENDEN MARTIN 1 WARWICK HARPER LINDSEY 2 TOURAY, L WRIGHT, PEARSON, BIGNELL, TSHINGOMA
E WRIGHT 1 CRITTENDEN MARTIN WARWICK 1 HARPER LINDSEY 1 BIGNELL, PEARSON, L WRIGHT, TSHINGOMA, TOURAY
E WRIGHT CRITTENDEN BIGNELL TURNER MARTIN WARWICK TSHINGOMA, PEARSON, TOURAY
E WRIGHT LINDSEY 1 LANGFORD TURNER WARWICK HARPER L WRIGHT, PEARSON, B WRIGHT, TSHINGOMA HASLER 1 PEARSON E WRIGHT LINDSEY 1 WARWICK HARPER TOURAY 1, LANGFORD, CAREY
SCFL REVIEW
DIVISION TWO TABLE
UNDER 23s
SOUTHERN COMBINATION UNDER 23 LEAGUE EAST TABLE
DATE H/A OPPONENT ATT RES AUGUST
THUR 19 H MONTPELIER VILLA [SCFA 1]
WED 16 A BROADBRIDGE HEATH [SCFA 2]
NLP COLUMN THE LATEST COLUMN FROM THE NON-LEAGUE PAPER
IF the FA Cup first round is all about romance and nostalgia, then the second round takes on a slightly more serious feel.
Reaching the ‘proper’ stages of the competition is a big deal. But reaching the third round…potentially life-changing.
Once again the Non-League clubs did everyone proud. Starting with Tamworth’s Friday night win over Huddersfield on live TV, the weekend got off to a flyer. It was a result that would have made the TV execs happy with their choice and Kettering Town followed that up on Saturday by justifying the live pick of their away trip to Northampton.
The fact it was a derby helped but it seems the usual school of thought that a Non-League side has to be at home to cause an upset has finally been put to bed. They can do it away as well! Former Premier League striker Nile Ranger popping up in extra-time to score a famous winner. They host Doncaster Rovers in round two.
Ah, extra-time. The decision to scrap replays has been met with, what could be diplomatically described as, erm, mixed reviews. But that’s a whole other column for another day.
Tamworth, who will face Burton Albion next, and Kettering are joined by seven other sides in the second round. All dreaming of one more win to take them into the third round where the biggest clubs in the land finally enter.
Gainsborough Trinity’s first round penalty shoot-out victory can only be described as chaos. Three-nil down at Hednesford, they somehow got back on level terms, fell behind again in the extra 30 minutes before levelling to force penalties.
Both sides had kicks to win, there was a flurry missed in sudden death and, after a total of 18 spot-kicks, the NPL Premier side won out 5-4.
“I’ve never been involved in anything like it,” said experienced boss Russ Wilcox. They’re off to Harrogate Town next.
One of the first round stories has to be Harborough Town. The Step 3 outfit had already created history by making the first round stage but Mitch Austin’s side love the underdog tag and they played it perfectly at Tonbridge Angels, winning 4-1. Up next is a trip to Reading.
Wealdstone stunned Grimsby Town with a late winner. Matt Taylor’s side will welcome Wycombe Wanderers in the second round.
Ben Strevens once scored at Crewe as Eastleigh knocked out EFL opponents. Now he’s win there from the dug-out with Dagenham & Redbridge emerging triumphant. They will travel to AFC Wimbledon.
Micky Mellon famously took Tranmere Rovers back into the Football League. A few years later his Oldham Athletic knocked them out of the FA Cup and have been drawn on the road to Leyton Orient.
Brackley beat Braintree Town on penalties to set-up a visit to former Non-Leaguers Stockport County, now of League One.
And there’s a National League Promotion Final rematch when Solihull Moors host their Wembley conquerors Bromley.
Nine potential upsets. Let’s see how many can make it to the mystical third round.
Award
programme
PLAYER SPONSORS
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Mile Oak FC was formed in 1960 with the aim of providing football for the local community of Mile Oak, north of Portslade. the club has always been an integral part of the community to which it belongs. In less than 40 years Mile Oak Football Club has risen from the lowest levels of local football to become one of the leading clubs in the district.
The club won regular promotions up the Brighton league divisions and also claimed the “Hove and Worthing cup”, before eventually attaining intermediate status following promotion to the Brighton League’s premier division. Here Mile Oak F.C would reside for over a decade, winning the championship in 1983. The club regularly finished in the top three and firmly established itself as the top amateur club in hove.
In 1986 a bold decision was made to leave the Brighton League to become a senior club in the Sussex County League, and an application was made to join the Southern Counties Combination League, which was a feeder into the Sussex ‘pyramid’. The club said its farewells to the Brighton League in appropriate fashion by winning its league cup for the first time and “double up” with a Vernon Wentworth cup final victory. After just one season, the club won promotion to Division Three of the County League as champions.
After five seasons, promotion was gained to Division Two in 1991–92, as runners-up to Hassocks, and then to Division One as champions in 1994–95. They stayed in this division for three seasons, and were relegated back to Division two in 1997–98
In 2005–06 The won some silverware after defeating Sidlesham 1–0 in the Final of the Division Two Challenge Cup.
In the 2008–09 season the club again gained promotion to Division one but only survived one season back in the top flight of the Sussex league. Unfortunately, the loss of key players to higher status clubs resulted in a swift return to the second tier. Since then Mile Oak have been amongst the promotion chasers without quite managing to make the breakthrough.
In 2017 Mile Oak completed it’s twenty fifth senior season, narrowly missing out on promotion. Mile Oak supply a steady supply of young players ready for senior football and run a veterans team.
2022 saw the club plans for the future with the announcement that Mile Oak Wanderers joining the seniors as one club.
Then in 2023, Mile Oak took over the old Nursery next door to convert into the Mile Oak FC Clubhouse.
