Football Focus Magazine

We a r e a l s o o n l i n e: w w w.f o o t b a l l f o c u s m a g .c o m

DEAL TOWN FC

Football F CUS ISSUE 88

INTRODUCING

CHECK THESE OUT LEARN MORE

WORCESTER CITY FC “ON THE UP!” +

“ON A REALLY POSITIVE TRAJECTORY!”

LINCOLN UNITED FC

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“OUTSTANDING ON AND OFF THE PITCH!”

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HARBOROUGH TOWN FC

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“ONE CLUB, ONE GOAL, A FANTASTIC JOURNEY!”

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WELLINGBOROUGH TOWN FC ”AIMING FOR PROMOTION!”

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PORTISHEAD TOWN FC ”THE PEOPLE AT PORTISHEAD TOWN FC MAKE THE CLUB!” +

BOURNE TOWN FC

”WE MUST BE DOING THINGS RIGHT!” +

FALMOUTH TOWN FC ”UP THE TOWN!” +

STOURPORT SWIFTS FC ”ONWARDS AND UPWARDS!”

MARTIN HELLIER THE RETURN OF YEOVIL TOWN FC!

Featured Clubs: North Greenford United FC “It really is a Family!” • Ramsgate FC “The whole area has Ramsgate Fever!” • Farnham Town FC “Club development on-field development has been matched by off-the-field growth!” • Roffey FC • Hinckley AFC “Unfinished business, on!”

• Wimborne Town FC ”Cultivating a sustainable future!” • Stourport Swifts FC “History Makers!”

Promoting acted Football Clubs across the UK

Redefining investment, development and regeneration Spanning a range of domestic, retail and commercial properties, the leisure and hospitality sector, as well as a diverse investment portfolio, Hellier Group’s unwavering focus on shrewd investment strategies, impeccable standards, and shared work ethic, contribute to the group’s continual success in achieving annual revenues of £15M and a group valuation estimated at £75M

Though our business focus is both national and international, we are also heavily committed to the local community and it’s continual improvement across all sectors.

It is my greatest honour to announce that Hellier Group have secured the majority shareholding of Yeovil Town Football Club, Yeovil Town Holdings, and the buy-back rights to the stadium and surrounding land, which we intend to reunite with the trading business in the months to come.

Martin Hellier CHAIRMAN

The Court

In separate acquisitions, Hellier Group have secured ownership of both the Yeovil Court Hotel, as well as the adjoining White Post land.

A combined 9 acre resort opportunity, which will host a luxury boutique hotel and restaurant, events and wedding function building with private walled-garden, a luxury spa health and beauty facility, kitchen garden, as well as investment in our surroundings, by way of an activ e campaign of sustainability and biodiversity.

Hotel opening: circa first quarter 2025.

01935 315666 www.helliergroup.co.uk info@helliergroup.co.uk

Hendford Manor, Hendford, Yeovil, BA20 1UN

Welcome Welcome to the latest edition of Football Focus Magazine.

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s we enter the business end of the season, perhaps a bit wetter than usual, we find ourselves immersed in the usual league standings: some with close runnings, while others have galloped ahead and crossed the finishing line already. Yet, amidst this, grassroots football shines brightest, offering our clubs and communities much more than just a game of football.

Football clubs serve as invaluable hubs in communities, often run by unsung heroes who work tirelessly behind the scenes, free of charge, to ensure that both young and old alike enjoy the very human elements of team sports. Many of our stories are deeply personal, resonating with love and passion as individuals share their unique club experiences. This is no mere coincidence. If you’ve never visited your local club or haven’t done so in a while, we aim to illustrate just how wonderful these grassroots football clubs truly are. So why not join us, come along, enjoy a beer, and engage with the members of your local community? I’m sure you’ll find it worthwhile, and who knows, you might even make some new friends along the way!

Many thanks to everyone who kindly supplied images for the magazine.

We have tried to include credits where possible but sadly sometimes have not received details by our deadline.

Special thanks to Steven Harris who supplied the excellent Wimborne Town FC shots. Apologies for missing you out in the hard copies. www.bdfaimages.co.uk steveharris.smugmug.com

Meet theTeam PUBLISHING Morgan Bernard Ltd. 36 Cedar Crescent Gateshead NE9 6ES www.footballfocusmag.com PRINTING Bang On Print Unit 6 Mandale Park, Lemington Road, Lemington, Newcastle upon Tyne NE15 8BU www.bangonprint.co.uk MEDIA DIRECTOR Martin Morgan E: martin@footballfocusmag.com FINANCE COORDINATOR Michelle McGregor E: accounts@sportip.biz PHOTOGRAPHY COORDINATOR Maria Kearney E: editorial@footballfocusmag.com EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Jane Fuerte E: editorial@footballfocusmag.com HEAD OF EDITORIAL CONTENT Damien Lagan E: editorial@sportip.biz

We a r e a l s o o n l i n e: w w w.f o o t b a l l f o c u s m a g .c o m

DEAL TOWN FC

Football F CUS ISSUE 88

INTRODUCING

Martin Morgan Editor

CHECK THESE OUT LEARN MORE

WORCESTER CITY FC “ON THE UP!” +

“ON A REALLY POSITIVE TRAJECTORY!”

LINCOLN UNITED FC

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GG

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“OUTSTANDING ON AND OFF THE PITCH!”

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HARBOROUGH TOWN FC

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“ONE CLUB, ONE GOAL, A FANTASTIC JOURNEY!”

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WELLINGBOROUGH TOWN FC ”AIMING FOR PROMOTION!”

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PORTISHEAD TOWN FC ”THE PEOPLE AT PORTISHEAD TOWN FC MAKE THE CLUB!” +

BOURNE TOWN FC

”WE MUST BE DOING THINGS RIGHT!” +

FALMOUTH TOWN FC ”UP THE TOWN!” +

STOURPORT SWIFTS FC ”ONWARDS AND UPWARDS!”

MARTIN HELLIER THE RETURN OF YEOVIL TOWN FC!

Featured Clubs: North Greenford United FC “It really is a Family!” • Ramsgate FC “The whole area has Ramsgate Fever!” • Farnham Town FC “Club development on-field development has been matched by off-the-field growth!” • Roffey FC • Hinckley AFC “Unfinished business, on!”

• Wimborne Town FC ”Cultivating a sustainable future!” • Stourport Swifts FC “History Makers!”

Promoting acted Football Clubs across the UK

DISCLAIMER

Football FOCUS CUS

COVER IMAGE © Yeovil Town FC

Promoting Football Clubs across the UK

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any mean, or stored in a retrieval system without prior written permission, except as permitted under the copyright designs and patents act 1998. Applications for permission for use of copyright material shall be made to the publishers.

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CONTENTS 06 Yeovil Town FC

56 Farnham Town FC

12 Harborough Town FC

61 Hinkley AFC

18 Worcester City FC

66 Deal Town FC

22 Falmouth Town FC

73 Wellingborough Town FC

27 Portished Town FC

76 Hendon FC

32 Ramsgate FC

79 Great Wakering Rovers FC

35 North Greenford United FC

82 Stourport Swifts FC

38 Roffey FC

85 Wimborne Town FC

46 Bourne Town FC

90 Racing Club Warwick FC

50 Lincoln United FC

92 Amersham Town FC

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96 AFC Whyteleafe 4

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Promoting Football Clubs across the UK

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Yeovil Town FC

MARTIN HELLIER OWNER AND CHAIRMAN

“We`re Yeovil Town!”

Can you please tell me how you first became involved with the club and what your journey and connection has been like to date?

I first became involved in the club as a child, watching my father wrestle every Thursday with the local paper which was then a broadsheet format, (for those younger readers, broadsheet newspapers were about four times the size of today’s tabloid papers ) and my father would sit in his armchair, and literally wrestle through the pages, and would always inevitably make his way to the Yeovil Town results and editorial.

He was a man of few words, but I could tell by the tuts and head shaking, or the quirky comments and wry smiles as to how well the team was doing, even in my infant years! Of course, on a Saturday afternoon in the era of Dicky Davies, not only would my father study the football pools (he did it all his life and ironically the next-door neighbour won £40,000 – a lot of money in the early eighties! Alas, my father was not so lucky in all those years! But also study the results of Yeovil Town’s up and down fortunes!

He also used to take me to the old Huish ground and it’s famous ‘Sloping pitch’! I recall many a freezing cold night clutching my Bovril and stomping my freezing feet to try and get some feeling back in my toes! Needless to say, as with any formative years of a child and his father, it instilled a love of Yeovil Town Football Club, and a sense of what a humble community football club can do to unite

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the working-class man and sense of collective pride and loyalty in its mixed results.

I think the one thing I can remember time and time again, etched in my mind, is my father saying, “They need to buy players if they want to get anywhere!”.

It’s the most vivid sentence I can remember from him time and time again and it stuck with the same clarity when I acquired the club.

Dad is too old and infirm to attend matches now, but my proudest moment, in the days following my acquisition of the club, and I’m slightly moved to tears as I type this, is that in the summer, off-season, I walked him out onto the centre spot. He said to me “Wow, it’s a lot bigger down here on the pitch than from the seats, isn’t it?! We don’t do pat on backs or hug in my family growing up, but I think my dad was proud in his own quiet way. I do hope so at least.

What were the main challenges faced in navigating your team/teams into the position they are in today?

At this level, and of course most, is finance. Football clubs are not like any other business, and I have been more or less running my own businesses, and in later life a professional investor on the stock markets and also a property developer, but nothing prepares you for a football club. That said, nothing has fulfilled my heart more so than owning Yeovil Town Football Club, pound notes aside, it’s an incredibly richly rewarding role, certainly spiritually, and nothing connects you more with the community, whether good or bad. It feels like I am giving something back after years of focusing on my own selfish needs, and it is a very hard thing to describe.

Social media can be a very productive marketing tool, as well as a cruel means to serve up public opinion, and It’s a shame there are those that want to put you down, despite the efforts financially and all-life consuming in turning around a club that was three days from bankruptcy, but it tends to teach you very

fast to have a thick skin and not take things personally, and I am happy to see the bigger picture, as I think are the majority of the fans.

Can you let me know about any ambitions or development plans on and off the pitch? Please also tell me about any recent or past developments that have been useful to club and community?

Immediate on-pitch plans are promotion back to the National League at the end of this season as an absolute minimum. Yeovil Town should never be in this league and in my opinion and without pulling any punches, a decade of bad ownership had decimated a club once referred to often as “Giant Killers”, a club that holds the record as having the most victories over professional league clubs as a non-league club, and not to mention my hometown and that of my father whom instilled my love of the Glovers in the first place.

I intend to carry on the same trajectory as I have in this league, and I would hope to reach League Two, take stock, bed in, reinvest in the foundations of the club, even if it means two or three years in that league, and then set our ambitions to further the progress of Yeovil Town. Why not?

People limit their own ambitions, and can fail to believe in themselves enough, but they should. That feeling is infectious, and the right people around you will subscribe to your philosophy and share your vision. It’s a wonderful feeling when you reach that point.

We are reaching it with our amazing team of staff, players, Mark Cooper the manager, and the fanbase. This season has been without doubt, the most incredible experience of my life, and without earning a penny (far from it!), I shall always be eternally grateful, and humble, to be tasked with taking the helm of this incredibly, famous club.

Off the pitch, part of my takeover was to negotiate the exclusive buy-back rights of the stadium and surrounding grounds. Thirteen years ago, the decision was made by previous owners to split

the core stadium land and surrounding land into two separate entities, and what has ensued from that date is various owners trying to build on / develop, or for what of a better word, pillage the land.

This will absolutely never happen under my tenure and I intend to reunite the land and stadium, and set covenants to never allow this to happen again. If promotion is my dream, then the reunification of the land I hope will be my legacy and testament to our honest intentions.

Do you have a senior and junior coaching philosophy at the club?

We work strenuously to pass down the same mantra and level of dedication and commitment we see in our current first team squad.

When I acquired Yeovil Town just eight months ago, the disconnect between the first team and the junior player league and grassroots was enormous, and part of my task is to reconnect that bridge and nurture homegrown local talent. We’re Yeovil Town, who wouldn’t want local players. Of course, since leaving the EFL we lost all academy status, so the funding of that programme comes almost directly from me as an investor, but I have no doubts whatsoever we will return to academy status, by which time we will have firm plans in place to give the local youth every opportunity to find and grow their talents on the pitch, whether they end up playing for Yeovil or go on to a football career in other clubs. It’s all about that legacy I spoke of, and that to me is very fulfilling spiritually.

How’s the general mood down at the club at the moment?

One word: Euphoric! We have been under a cloud for what seems like an eternity, and ten years is an eternity in a football club. When asked what’s special about Yeovil Town? It’s the fans that hung in there. That trudged up there, spending their hardearned money, to see what has been a meteoric slide to where we are now. I couldn’t sit and watch it happen FOOTBALL FOCUS MAGAZINE

anymore. Last season was probably the worst in club’s history. We had the lowest goal score since WWII. The moral was at an all-time low. From top to bottom, left to right, the players, the managers, the fans, it was endemic. I’d made my plans for the club, and even after the first failed attempt it only bolstered my determination to set the club back into local ownership and demonstrate my commitment and fulfil my promises, I hope at least I have mostly done that in these eight short months. It’s quite a blur to be honest!

Could you tell me about any player connections that have come through or played for the club over the years? Do you have links with other clubs?

The fortunes of other clubs somewhat dictate what players might come and go. As I have said I am a big fan of local players, but more importantly, I am a fan of what the manager Mark Cooper said in our first press conference since I took over, and that was that he wanted to build a team of characters, and bless him he has not only done that, but the gel and click and work together tremendously. It’s hard at the start of the season, you need fans to be patient while players find that ‘click’, and they have, but Mark is always tweaking, optimising and improving the team, I think it’s why we get on so well, we share the same dedication to the pursuit of excellence.

How would you say this season has gone for your teams on the pitch and what are your ambitions for the remainder of the season?

To quote it almost feels

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I couldn’t sit and watch it happen anymore… we`re Yeovil Town!

unreal, this season has been like a dream. As I write this (Mid-January ’24), we are 13 points clear at the top of the table. We have broken the National League South attendance records twice, the last one being no less than 6,301 fans, it’s beyond words for 6th tier football. We have the highest home attendance record of every home match in this league bar none. Lat year our average attendance was 2,100, this season, and a league below, we’re averaging 3,600.

At the time of writing this (conscious that football can be a fickle mistress!), we are unbeaten at home all season. We have achieved a club record of fourteen wins in a row, never achieved since 1895 when the club started. I could never have dreamt this, nor could the fans, I am sure. Lady luck plays a part but it’s more the ground swell of fan support, so many returning back to

Promoting Football Clubs across the UK

the club when they stayed away in the bad years. It’s an incredibly emotional time. I can rarely do interviews like this without tears in my eyes.

This one is no exception. I’m so proud of everyone at the club and am so humbled by the fan base. As I said, it’s like nothing I owned before, and nothing after would ever match this.

Can you tell me about any women`s football at your club? Do you offer any other forms of football or plan to develop in these area s E.G. Youth, Academy, Walking football etc.?

Yeovil Town had an immensely successful women’s team, but club mismanagement, lack of investment and the Glovers dropping out of the EFL saw the team disintegrate and disappear. It was one of my ambitions to reignite the previous success and Jamie Phillip here at the club has

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been absolutely pivotal in that role. A little like ourselves, they’ve had to start at the bottom, almost all history reset, but they are flying, already top of the table. I look at the women’s team with the same ambitions, they are a formidable force and really going places, there is no doubt their blood runs green!

Jamie also spearheads the Junior Player League and performance side for the youth, and we also have our very own Frank Nouble doing his own academy stuff on a Sunday night and making great strides! Those kids must be in awe of one of their most idolised players coaching them. I can only imagine! And it’s such a wonderful thing, and not contrived or forced.

There is such a positive vibe in the club and many comment they have not felt like this for over a decade, it’s so infectious, and so wonderful. I will never forget this year as long as I live.

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LOTTIE SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR, DORSET VEHICLE RENTAL

25 years ago, my friend won tickets to go and watch Yeovil Town FC. I remember the match was against Rushden Diamonds FC and was the first football match I ever attended. I had no interest in football whatsoever, but strangely enough the stand that I stood under that day, with my friend and her dad, is the very same one that the company I now work for sponsors!

I couldn’t help but be sucked in by the live action and atmosphere, we even joined in with the cheering.

Now, many years later I am regularly at Saturday matches with my sons Jake (8) and Monty(6), who both love and play football while supporting their heroes at Yeovil Town.

Its great to see the team playing so well at Huish Park this season and seeing the new owner down mucking in speaks volumes about his positive attitude towards the club.

I have to say the staff and volunteers are always a pleasure to be around they are so kind and helpful, and the overall atmosphere makes for a great and safe place to bring the boys too.

Huge congratulations to Yeovil Town football Cub on being recognised in Football Focus Magazine and myself and all our staff at Dorset Vehicle Rentals wish everyone all the very best of continued success this season and for many more seasons to come!

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There`s just something about Yeovil Town Football Club that`s so hard to describe!

TICKETS

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For Match Day or Beer Festival tickets please visit our website and click on tickets!

www.ytfc.net 8

FOOTBALL FOCUS MAGAZINE

Would you consider yours to be a community club and if yes how do you engage with local people/businesses etc?

If you are not a community club you are not a club, or you are at least you are doomed. I did my own study recently, comparing local clubs and their population, to how many of them proportionately visit their respective football ground based on weekly attendances.

I found the results to be quite astonishing. Bath came in at 1.5% of the city’s population. Taunton, 1.2%, Yeovil… 7.4% and I think there is a lot to be said to that. Yeovil is a football town, if the demographic aren’t interested in what you are, you will always struggle. I still find it incredible, Yeovil is the Glovers, and the Glovers are Yeovil, it’s woven in the fabric of the community, good times or bad. The sense of responsibility is massive, and daunting, but absolutely incredible.

How important and valuable are your sponsors to your club?

Sponsors are vastly important to any football club. It is a valuable source of revenue that helps support the community asset in which that very sponsor exists, but that said, and certainly with Yeovil Town right now, it’s such a focused localised opportunity for sponsors within the stadium, but also our social media has more impressions, and video views than some league one clubs, such is the fascination with Yeovil. Our Press Officer/Media man, Dan Howell, has worked absolute wonders since he came on board the start of the season

and has revolutionised what was a rather lack-lustre effort from the previous incumbent, and this social media tool combined with stadium boards and kit sponsorship provides an incredible offering for any local business to grow their customer base.

We are very grateful for all sponsors partnering with us on this current success story.

Please finish off by telling me what makes your club such a great club to be part of?

The interaction with the fans, the staff, the players, on a personal level is wonderful.

There is just something about Yeovil Town Football Club that’s so hard to describe.

Why do we have the highest attended games, break attendance records and so on, even after relegation? It’s an infectious, heady mix of emotion and deep-rooted community loyalty, and welldocumented heritage, which other clubs might only dream of, at our level or above.

As a businessman, I love that a football club is a collection of micro businesses. The tickets, the tea bars, the hospitality, the room hire, and so on. You treat every aspect as if it was the only business you owned.

Think about it, if the tea bar was your only business, you would optimise it, work on it, improve it and aim to perfect it, and that’s what I do, my staff do, with every aspect of the club. We’ve only just begun of course, but the eight short months of ownership have been a whirlwind and has been the most incredible experience of my career to date, but as far as we are concerned, we have only just begun!

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There are far better authorities, such as Michael West of the Yeovil Town Football Heritage Society, to talk about our club’s history, who has been an incredible source of information to me since taking over the club. He always seems to be available online and always has an incredibly encyclopaedic knowledge of the history of the club, but my abridged version would be very short and something like: Formed in 1895 Yeovil Town is one of the most famous non-league football

clubs in the country. It has beaten Sunderland in the 1949 FA Cup, been from here to the championship and all the way back down, been owned by characters, good and bad and everything in between, and I am not being flippant in my reply nor dismissive of its incredible achievements over the history of the club. Call me bias, but it’s the Glovers, it’s impossible to explain, it’s ingrained in the soul, it’s everything, and to so many people in the community. It’s simply incredible.

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FA Trophy 2001 Martyn Perks, Mathew Perks, Aaron Perks MATT PERKS SUPPORTER AND MAIN STAND SPONSOR: BAMFORDS

As a supporter and Main Stand sponsor for Bamfords, my earliest memories of Yeovil Town FC take me back to attending matches with my grandad Jeff and father Martyn. I recall vividly a match against Merthyr Tydfil FC some 25 years ago, where Bamfords Ad Final PRINT.pdf

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as a junior Glovers I couldnt miss our team who were playing in their stand out pink strip. Back then, home and away matches were a regular occurrence, with my brother Aaron and uncle Gary, who now resides in Portugal, joining us in the stands.

Despite the demands of work, and not being able to get to all the games, my passion for the club has

Matt Perks’ Great Grandmother was at the 1948/49 Yeovil Town FA Cup win against Sunderland pictured waving above. She also travelled to the next round match away against Manchester United. never waned. Returning from Gatwick recently, I made a beeline for a match. Traveling past other local clubs on route stirred up memories of the fantastic times I’ve had and highlighted how Yeovil Town FC have now come full circle.

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Recently, a photo of my great grandmother, Ada, celebrating the 48-49 FA Cup win against Sunderland, was sent to me. We went on to play Manchester United in the next round. Sadly, my granddad passed away during Covid, but Yeovil Town FC always acknowledged him as a stalwart supporter. He dedicated much of his time and talent for many years managing press and media matters for the club. My grandmother still attends some of the matches.

Yeovil may be a small town, with Leonardo’s, formerly Westland Helicopters, as the main employer, but it’s deeply ingrained in my family’s history also with many of us having worked there.

This season has been particularly intriguing with the arrival of many new players and witnessing the team gel together under Coach Mark Cooper’s guidance. Their style of football is markedly different from the long-ball game of yesteryears. It’s more controlled, emphasizing ball retention, even if it means occasional retreats to defence.

Bamfords, my business, has had the privilege of supporting the club as the Main Stand sponsor this season. Given my deep connection to the club and the involvement of numerous family members, it felt only natural to contribute beyond being a fan.

Yeovil Town Football Club consistently exceeds expectations, especially regarding our facilities, which complement the loyal fan base. Like many others, spanning generations, we come together on weekends and weekdays to support this beloved community club.

To all our players, coaches, and fans, I extend my heartfelt best wishes for the remainder of the 2023-2024 campaign after all, ‘We are Yeovil Town’ ‘Let the hands run Glovers’!

FOOTBALL FOCUS MAGAZINE

Halton Farnworth Hornets FC get their grass pitches match fit thanks to the Football Foundation As part of the charity’s mission to revolutionise the quality of grass football pitches in England, the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation is helping hundreds of grassroots clubs up and down the country to get their grass pitches looking and playing their best.

Cheshire-based grassroots club, Halton Farnworth Hornets FC, is a great example of the transformative impact this support can have.

The Club have received over £100k in grant funding from the Foundation towards the purchase of a tractor

to help better prepare and maintain their grass pitches as well as new goalposts to replace their existing rusty goal frames.

Club Chairman Brian Tobin: “Thanks to the Football Foundation and Liverpool FA, we now have a great playing surface which will allow us to play all year round without the worry of calling games off.”

To start your grass pitch transformation journey, head to the Foundation’s website: www.footballfoundation.org. uk/get-your-pitch-match-fit

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Harborough Town FC “One Club, One Goal, A Fantastic Journey!”

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f we look back to 2012, the club had managed to secure funding to build a new clubhouse and artificial pitch to provide a base for a community club that consisted of a local adult team, a junior section, and a mini soccer section, totalling 38 teams. But it was not a club; it was a facility that hosted 38 separate teams, all of whom had their own bank accounts and acted independently. The club, as it was, struggled to manage the facility and had financially overextended itself both in the build of the facility and the overall governance and financial management of the club.

Against this backdrop, something needed to happen and happen quickly to secure the future sustainability of the club and to build a community asset for Market Harborough.

Twelve years later, the club, which has the England Football Accreditation Three Star, has a facility that it is rightly proud of: two artificial pitches, nine grass pitches, a vibrant clubhouse, a first team playing at step 4 in the Northern Premier League Midland Division, over 1,000 children under the age of playing across 56 youth teams, a dedicated academy system to provide a player pathway from youth to adult, and recreational male and female teams, plus walking football, and an inclusive football offer. The club now employs four full-time employees, has a pool of 19 casual staff, and has well over 200 volunteers supporting football delivery.

The journey that Harborough Town has been on is amazing, not just in terms of our football but also in how we have engaged with the community and local businesses, all of whom support the ambition of the club.

The biggest challenge will always be change. The club, as it was in 2012, had a very poor culture which the Board of Trustees has addressed to create a oneclub ethos that everyone buys into. There was resistance, and we needed to change some people and change

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the ways we were doing things, and that has been consistent throughout the journey we have been on.

Every now and again, you hit crossroads where key decisions have to be made, as the club continues to grow; more crossroads will appear, and decisions will have to be taken. The transition from being a volunteer organization into a football business that is hugely dependent on volunteers has also been and continues to be a challenge, as the club

is seeing huge growth across the number of teams, players, and coaches, as well as our non-football activities.

Having the right people with the right skills and experience on the Board is key, and HTFC is very fortunate but achieved through careful recruitment have managed to achieve the right blend at every step of the journey.

The biggest asset for Harborough Town is its people; without the people, we would not be where we are.

The club is ambitious both on and off the pitch.

Our aim is to continue to progress up the football pyramid, to further develop the facility which has seen significant improvements in the last five years. We want to be front and centre of the Market Harborough community and for the community to be proud of their football club. We do our best to provide a highquality football experience for players, coaches, and fans alike, and the feedback we get is really positive. Looking to the future, we will continue to develop our main ground, and we are looking to expand our community trust to deliver community programs in partnership with other local agencies to support health and wellbeing and address anti-social behaviour so that we play our role in making our community a positive place to live and play. The club is growing rapidly, and we have identified the need for a further artificial pitch to meet the demand for playing opportunities that will be generated by the planned increase in population over the next five years. We are also keen to expand our

FOOTBALL FOCUS MAGAZINE

clubhouse into a second floor to provide a community meeting facility which will benefit other volunteer community organizations in the town.

On and off the pitch, Harborough Town is booming and is a really exciting place to be involved with.

The Youth Coaching Development Program is based on the FA Youth Football Development Review. The philosophy for young players to play and for coaches to coach is always to place the player at the centre of learning. Youth learn to play from the back and through the thirds of the pitch, giving them the confidence to play without worrying about pressure.

The DNA of our philosophy is understanding the roles of coaches. It is a blueprint of how we develop our players, adding quality values, core beliefs, and objectives.

Targets that are realistic and achievable for all players, being at Level 1 (the highest) to Level 5 (the lowest).

1. How we coach 2. How we play 3. How we support

our coaches carry the correct FA Qualifications, FA DBS, completed certificates such as the FA Safeguarding Children, and the FA First Aid in Football as a minimum criteria.

Those who wish to continue with their coaching journey receive mentoring, complete the UEFA C course, or the next level UEFA B, attend workshops - Continuous Professional Football Development and even go a step further by completing workshops in Psychology in Football or Goal Keeping Specific courses.

The next stage was to develop a merging talent strand to help retain players who wish to be challenged

and have aims to one day become 1st team footballers themselves, attract external quality players to the club.

This helped us bridge the gap between the level of the 1st team and the youth section.

I call this the bloodstream into 1st team football.

Players who work hard and have a vision of where they want to be will achieve their dream. The gaffer of the 1st team recognizes: The youth of today could be the adult players of tomorrow!

It is crucial that the vision is shared and believed!

Football evolves and will continue to do so. The important piece is that the youth at the club have a

focal vision, and that is the 1st team. This is more realistic, and the club can offer the young player that opportunity.

The club is very much on the up, and as such, there is a lot of positivity and excitement around the whole club. The club development over the past years has seen the growth of the Academy teams with the aim to grow our own in-house talent and with the progression of the first team, the younger players are seeing a real pathway to play a very good standard of football. Players, supporters, management teams, and employees alike are excited, and this can be seen by the steady growth of footfall through the club on a weekly basis.

Over the years, Harborough Town FC has seen the likes of Richard Steerman (Wolverhampton Wanderers, Sheffield United, etc.) come through the junior teams, prior to being taken to higher levels. The club has also seen the likes of Ex England Rugby Union captain and World Cup winner Martin Johnson, playing football at the club! We try to harness relationships with local professional clubs and have over recent years had a very good relationship with Northampton Town FC and have taken a few of their players on loan to develop their football game time in the adult game.

I think as a whole the football club is having a very successful time on the pitch. The first team is flying high in the Pitching

For the past seven years, we have made tremendous steps forward in how we look at our players, by giving every single player the opportunity to play at the highest ability level. We first started by streaming the level of ability to each player, creating teams with players of equal ability, and entering them into development leagues and competitive leagues. Assessing their season and reviewing the season with the coaches every year. We make sure all Promoting Football Clubs across the UK

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In Northern Premier league Midlands Division (step 4 in the Non-league pyramid).

All our Academy teams are doing very well, and their progression over this season has been excellent, which can only bode well for the future of the first team. Our community strand teams, Veterans and Walking Football teams are thriving with many teams still in contention for league titles and cup glory!

We start with the tremendous participation rate of 8 girls’ teams at the club.

This is the largest number of girls’ teams in the history of the club. We recognized that by starting the girls young we have more chance of staying playing football. We have a local girls’ schools football league which we helped set up, and the schools use our facility. In 1995, we had a women’s team in the town which was under the umbrella of Harborough Town Imperial FC (then the local Harborough Town men’s team). The team went to enjoy 6 years of football in the Unison East Midlands League and with no girls’ team feeding through it stopped developing. Just before the pandemic, we started a social women’s group made from parents

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and older ex-players who wanted to use football as a tool to exercise and get fit.

This has now over 24 players who meet regularly during the week to train and play friendlies. We are ambitious and will give the players

the opportunity to play in the Leicestershire Women’s League as the next stage of their journey. This will provide a pathway to the youth players, coming through the football program.

Walking Football is developing at a rapid rate, and we are lucky to have a group of volunteers who look after this section. Walking football at the club started in 2016 with 5 players. We now have in excess of 50 players who train twice a week, enter league competitions in both the Peterborough and Leicestershire Leagues

at various age groups as well as tournaments around the country. We are proud to see some of our players represent the Region Walking Football as well as England Walking Football.

The club is a community club; we have received fantastic support from local businesses who are keen to support the club in many different ways. We have a key partnership with Brooke House College and their international football academy which has been a long-standing and hugely valued relationship for well

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over 15 years. Brooke House has an outstanding football academy which is a very good fit with the culture of the football club.

With 2000 plus people a week using the facility, the club has a huge reach into a community with a population of 30,000 people, and as the town changes, the club is on the leading edge of that change working with our key partners, Harborough District Council, and MHB Charity to ensure we are that community asset.

We encourage the support from businesses by engaging in a benefit package which we make available to our volunteer coaches; local businesses offer them a 10% discount on their products as a way of showing their support for the work the volunteers put into the club. Many of the business owners have children or relatives that use the club.

The local businesses also sponsor each of the team’s home kits, where the players proudly wear the kit with the sponsor’s name on. We go further by detailing the sponsors’ businesses on our various social media accounts, regularly thanking them for their support and providing the local business with 5000 followers reach that our social media has.

We are always thinking about giving back to the local community and raise funds each year to run a cardiac screening event in partnership with CRY. This brings a local centre that both members of the club and the local community can bring children/young adults to be screened for any abnormalities free of charge, allowing them to continue to play football or take part in sports with a clean bill of health. Those found to have abnormalities can then pursue this with local medical experts.

Sponsors are vitally important; every penny counts in organizations like this, every penny helps us take a

step further. The Youth teams are supported every season by local businesses who sponsor their kit; sponsorship for the Youth/Community side of the club accounts for approximately 12% of the income we generate.

For the 1st team, again it’s not just getting the support financially from local businesses; it’s their engagement, leading to passion which is then spread by word of mouth.

The blend of experience at Harborough Town FC, and knowledge at board level, makes the club quite unique. All of our members are professionals with high moral standards ensuring that the club is run correctly, with income streams becoming as sustainable as possible. It is one of the friendliest clubs we have experienced, and we welcome all volunteers who would like to help the club. In any club with a vision and ambition, one of the barriers is investment and development of our facility.

As a grassroots club, we rely on the goodwill of volunteers and sponsorship, support from local authorities, and the local County FA. The club has 63 teams of which 56 are youth players (1,025).

Without the dedication of our volunteers in every section, a club this size will not exist. I hope that we can attract new investment to continue to achieve our vision and deliver our mission, in the next stage of our fantastic journey!

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A HISTORY OF HARBOROUGH TOWN FC

Harborough Town F.C is the realisation of the merger of Harborough Town Juniors, Harborough Town Spencers and Harborough Minis in 2007, which created one club for all ages, gender and ability for the Market Harborough community.

We are based in Market Harborough, where our impressive facilities cater for all of the club’s teams.

The club became an FA Charter Standard Club in 2008 and through consistent development has achieved FA Charter Standard Community Club status which is the highest accolade currently available and recognizes best practice, on-going development and a positive impact within the local community. The club currently has teams that include Minis, Girls, Junior, Youth, Ladies, Inclusive, Senior, Veteran and Walking Football sides.

Harborough Town Juniors was formed in 1975, running teams from U11 to U16.

After initially playing at Symington’s, they developed facilities on Northampton Road in the 1990s. However, there was a desire to have senior football for the youngsters to move on to, and consequently they formed links with Spencers United, and in 2007 they merged with Harborough Town Spencers, as they had

become called. In the early 2000s Harborough Minis had been formed to cater for U11s, and in 2007 they also joined the merger to create Harborough Town FC. After three seasons in the Northants Combination, managed by Andy ‘Stan’ Wilson, the club won promotion to the United Counties League. On 14 August 2010 Market Harborough witnessed the return of UCL football for the first time since Symington’s FC’s last game in 1954, and by 2012 ‘The Bees’, as they had become known, had won promotion to the UCL Premier Division.

In the early years of HTFC the Northampton Road ground had seen much improvement, with a new clubhouse, first team pitch, two stands and a 3G artificial pitch. The Bowden’s Park ground had become a fine ground, but in 2018 the installation of a Class 1 artificial pitch (3G), funded

by Market Harborough District Council, a Stadium Improvement Grant and the Football Foundation, saw the creation of The Harborough Town Community Football Ground, but known as The Beehive. This was opened on 1 November 2018 with a game against an FA Representative XI. The senior side made steady progress in the UCL and the two aborted Covid-19 seasons saw us have good starts, reflecting the clubs on field progress. In 2020 experienced UCL manager Mitch Austin joined the club and immediately changed the mindset to a much more professional one. After 10 years of steady progress at Step 5 HTFC’s ambitions in the FA Pyramid were met when we won the UCL Premier Division South in 2022. A place in the Northern Premier League Midland Division was the reward, with an excellent 8th place finish.

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Worcester City FC “On the Up!”

planning application for a new ground is in the works, marking a significant step forward.

The youth section holds immense importance for WCFC, boasting 21 boys and girls teams from U7 to U18. Our emphasis is on their

SIMON LANCASTER DIRECTOR AT WORCESTER CITY FC

My journey with the club began in the youth section, where I’ve proudly managed my son’s team for the past nine years, guiding them from U7 to U15. Around 15 months ago, I was invited to join the board, and since then, my involvement with WCFC has been an incredible experience. The club is brimming with fantastic people, and I’m thoroughly enjoying every moment.

Upon my entry, it was no secret that both our finances and football performance were at an all-time low.

However, we’ve embarked on a journey of revitalization and progress, taking the initial steps towards our goals.

Our vision for the club extends to various aspects, including the first team, with aspirations for promotions.

We’re actively enhancing our youth section and have recently appointed Ryan as our first-ever commercial manager, propelling us toward improved commercial operations. A

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enjoyment, coupled with an approach of attractive passing football. We’re proud of the pathway from youth to the first team, with numerous local players making the transition.

Our commitment extends to around 300 youth players, including 4 girls’ teams that we aim to expand further.

Our dedication to the community is evident

through annual family/kid days, kids’ parties, mascot opportunities at home games, disabled football, community outreach projects in schools, and various charitable endeavours. Volunteers, the supporters trust, and sponsors are integral components of our extensive network, contributing significantly to all facets of the club.

As for the current season, it’s so far so good. While our eyes are set on promotion, we acknowledge there’s still a long journey ahead, with nearly half the season remaining.

Worcester City FC is undeniably a community club, and the prevailing mood is fantastic. Joy is evident, smiles abound, and it genuinely feels like we’re on the up!

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TIM EVANS SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: TOYS AND GAMES WORCESTER

I’m originally from Cardiff but have lived locally for 50 years. My earliest memory of Worcester City FC was driving by the old ground and seeing the floodlights ablaze on a Monday evening; I went straight home thinking I must go straight down there! Living locally and having a son, Ieuan Evans, who played football, I also became a youth level coach over at Nunnery Colts & Pershore Town U18s.

The fans of Lincoln United FC, like any supporters, have had some low moments over the years; however, this season has been fantastic!

We were all very keen at the start to see if the manager had a playing system and an idea of how the coming matches would play out. What I have witnessed is an outstanding performance where our players are scoring from anywhere but a team full of captains who, when the chips are down and the game is nearing

conclusion, are able to pull out that extra vitality and goal to get us over the line.

Worcester as a city has been hit with the loss of a major rugby team, and the cricket team is struggling, so to have Worcester City FC step up to the mark and with all the community behind them is an amazing experience. These days you have to queue for the toilets and bar as well as struggling to find parking; I’m not complaining, I love it!

I have always enjoyed being down at this great club even when we weren’t doing so well. My company has been sponsoring the club for 4 years now, which is a pleasure for me to do. At the moment, Worcester City Football Club is demonstrating an unparalleled momentum, and even though the excessive fixture list would bring many teams to their knees, our lads just don’t seem to be affected. Our club has all come together whether it’s the team, owners, fans, and volunteers, and we truly deserve everything that we are achieving this season!

CLUB DIRECTOR AND MAIN SPONSOR: PINCHES TRANSPORT

My family’s connection with the club and the local area runs deep. As a child, my father Mervyn introduced me to the club at St Georges Lane. Even now, he remains a steadfast supporter, weather permitting, of course. My own football journey led me to Worcester Youth and Reserves, predominantly playing left midfield. Football was a family affair; my sons Scott and Lewis, and brothers Peter and Kevin, also played at a decent standard across the region.

Our business, M Pinches Transport, has proudly sponsored the club for over 4 decades and we have been main sponsor for the last 2. With years of business experience under my belt, I find myself naturally inclined to assist with club matters.

Seeing our name on the shirts and worn proudly by locals fills us with immense pride.

Worcester City FC boasts a rich history spanning over 120 years. As a long-time supporter, I’ve witnessed the club’s evolution, including the inclusion of youth and girls’ football. Reflecting on my own playing days, I emphasize the importance of fun and enjoyment, especially for our children. Football should be about kicking a ball around with friends, free from the pressures of adulthood.

Serving as a club director, I’m thrilled by our outstanding season in both the league and Vase. With a strong performance in the quarterfinals, we might just be favourites for the semis.

Our consistently strong attendance, peaking at 4000, speaks volumes about the region’s mood and the enthusiasm of our fans.

For me, Worcester City Football Club embodies the people, lifelong friendships, cherished memories, and the rollercoaster ride of football. It’s the unsung heroes who keep showing up to support the club that truly deserve recognition.

On behalf of everyone at Pinches, we extend our best wishes for continued success in the remainder of the 2023/2024 campaign!

Broad Street, Worcester Open 7 days a week Proud supporters & sponsors of Worcester City FC

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RYAN MOLLOY COMMERCIAL MANAGER

“It’s the sense of community at Worcester City FC that makes us really special!”

Our club, founded in 1902, has a rich history centered around St George’s Lane in Worcester until 2013. Notably, our glory days include a remarkable FA Cup victory over Liverpool in 1959 and a triumphant 2014 match against Coventry City in the First Round.

Over the past few decades, we’ve navigated various leagues, from the Conference/National League North & South to the Hellenic Premier Division at Step 5.

Currently, we’re leading the league and aspiring to clinch our first title since 1979.

Worcester City has produced talented players, with some making a mark in the football league. Darren Bullock, born in Worcester, played for Huddersfield Town, Swindon Town, and Bury. Another local talent, Alan Green, had a successful

career in the USA after playing for Coventry in the ‘70s. Andy Awford, now part of Luton Town’s Youth setup, and our current First Team Manager Chris Cornes also have Worcester roots.

Sponsors play a crucial role in our club, ranging from those sponsoring players or single matches to our main club sponsors. Each contribution is equally vital, and we’re grateful for the support that aligns with our vision and has propelled us to our current league standing!

The last ten years have presented challenges, and it’s the dedication of the board, supporters trust, and hardworking volunteers that has kept Worcester City alive.

They deserve immense credit for preserving a club for the city to rally behind. Yet, it’s the sense of community that truly defines Worcester City - whether you’re attending your first game or your 1000th, the welcome is warm, and the spirit is what makes us truly special!

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STEVE WALKER FORMER PLAYER, SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: WORCESTER CITY BATHROOMS

My family and I have always shared a strong bond and a special love for Worcester City Football Club. After my professional career at Wolves and Hereford United, I played three seasons, from ‘94 to ‘97, for the club before moving on to Malvern Town.

My older brother Richard, my partner in the business, and an excellent footballer himself, also played for Worcester City and other local clubs, including 3 years at Swindon Town before finishing his career up north.

Simon Lancaster, Ryan Molloy, and the board have really breathed new life into this great club. With the likes of my close friend Nick Clayton, who was a great player and is now a fantastic coach, and manager Chris Cornes at the helm on the playing side, our club is heading towards a potential league and cup double and a trip to Wembley.

City has always had a special group of members in the background to ensure its continuation; it just seems that the time has come where all the right people are now in place for our advancement. I can’t express how excited we are about what the future may hold for our club and how the mood in the local community is at an all-time high.

Having not lifted a cup for quite some time, it would be difficult to put into words what this would mean to local people! Worcester has always been a footballing city, and now with so many local people involved in the club, opportunity knocks for the club to move to the next level.

It is also fabulous to see how the club is looking to build from within by developing youth football for both boys and girls.

After football, I was joint

manager for my daughter Leonie’s team, Worcester City Girls, which was great fun. Eventually, our business managed to convince Leonie to leave her personal training career and come join us in the family business, where she is now alongside her older sister Keeley, a company director and a very valued member of our team, which includes Mark Bishop, our Installations and Operations manager, who has also managed local boys’ football for many years.

Having stepped out onto the pitch at St. George’s Lane as a Worcester City player myself and felt the tremendous passion and loyalty of our fans and club, it’s fair for me to say that myself and everyone at Worcester City Bathrooms wish everyone at the club not only the very best of success for the ‘23/’24 campaign but for many more seasons to come.

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Falmouth Town AFC ”Up the town!”

ANDREW WESTGARTH

“You can really feel the buzz in the town and local area!”

Being from Falmouth and a Falmouth boy I guess my affiliation has been a lifelong one. I played for the Falmouth youth for both 2nd & 1st team and here i am today, in my 9th season, as 1st team manager.

If I go back to the start, Falmouth has a very rich history of success spanning from the 50’s right through to the late 90’s but unfortunately, for a number of reasons, mainly money, the club found

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success hard to come by in the 00’s and subsequent years.

Whilst still trying to challenge, the club was spending more than it should have and was in real trouble.

By the time I came in as manager Falmouth Town was in serious debt, up for sale with the ground having been massively neglected and we were due to leave Bickland Park whilst struggling near the bottom of the league.

Thankfully that is now a distant memory as the club has now gone from strength

to strength, winning trophies and promotion to the Western League which was achieved in 2021/22 season, where we currently sit in the playoff position!

A lot of hard work has gone into getting the club back on its feet and the Chairman has really stabilised the club and got it to where it is today; on firm ground. You can really feel the buzz in the town and local area.

Now debt free, and remaining at Bickland, the club can forward plan and invest back into the club, not just the players (after years of doing so).

As stated, before the ground had been left to rot with plans to leave we have worked hard to raise it up and back into the standard it deserves as a once great ground.

We have had new Floodlight heads installed, Grandstand roof, Goals, Machinery for the pitch, “packet End” (home of the F-Troop) overhaul, Clubhouse revamp; and that’s just to name a few of the improvements. A lot of continuous developments have been undertaken and we are still looking to do more. In the

summer the plan is to upgrade all the changing rooms.

I definitely see myself more as a manager then a coach.

I’m very much about having good people around me, and at the club, and making them feel valued. Empowering them to catty out the job they are at the club to do. If you get the environment right, you have the platform to build. We are Big on player development, teamwork, trust, communication and continued improvement.

I think when you are winning and competing for trophies then there is always going to be a feel good factor around the place. After winning the treble in 2021/22 there was always going to be a transition period for the group going into a new league. We lost a lot of players who couldn’t commit to the travel or who had retired/moved on.

This season we have recruited well, found our feet and really pushed on. We have great support, home & away, and their energy really pushes the team along. You only have to look at our draw

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against Jersey in the Vase.

The number of supporters we have going over is incredible.

The F-Troop have chartered their own 70 plane. Not many clubs can say that at this level.

The club has a rich history of Players who have played in the pro-game, and for Falmouth Town. Pretty much most of the successful 70’s team were ex-Pro’s. The most famous Falmouth Town export from that time would have to be Tony Kellow.

After leaving Falmouth Tony went on to become Exeter City`s all-time top scorer.

Other players from Falmouth to have had successful professional careers are Jamie Day (Peterborough), Matthew Etherington (Premier League with Spurs, West Ham and Stoke) and Kevin Miller (Premier League with Watford plus multiple other clubs).

How do you measure success? is NOT winning a title or trophy regarded as a failure? Our target for the start of the season was to finish in the Playoffs and hopefully win a cup. We have put ourselves in a good position, but football can change so quickly.

As the season draws to a close each game can be a defining one. One week you can be so close to achieving your goals and a couple games later it could be all over! That is the fine and unpredictable margins of sport.

The ambition for me is always to better the season before and see continuous improvements in all areas of the club. Our 2nd team under new management have really improved this season, up in the top 4 and in a cup Semi Final (at the time of writing).

Our under 18’s are again doing well, winning the league in their first season, especially after reforming.

They are currently sitting top of their league and in two Semi Finals.

As we only have one pitch at Falmouth Town there is

only so much football we can host on the pitch. We currently have 1st, 2nds and 18’s. We are hoping to form a lady’s team in the near future.

Falmouth Town are 100% a community club. One of the things I’m most proud of from my time at Falmouth is seeing the amount of people

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and families it has brought together here. A club is only as good as the people in it and we certainly have some good ones.

Match day is so important to so many people in the community and just becomes a way of life.

The F-Troop do so much

for local charities raising money at regular club discos and various fund raisers.

Falmouth Town are linked to Falmouth Community Youth club creating a pathway from youth, 2nds and 1st team. All goes back to the “environment”, get it right on and off the field you give yourself a massive chance to be successful.

Sponsors are naturally very important to us. We/myself/ the club have been very lucky and have had great support throughout my whole time as manager. The sponsors continue to support us each season which is always greatly appreciated.

I think every club is unique but what sets Falmouth Town Football Club apart from others is our rich history of players who have played for the club, trophies won and of course the level of support we get from the “F-Troop”. All 3 are unrivalled IMO. It’s a real honour for me to manage my hometown club.

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FALMOUTH TOWN FC HISTORY SUMMARY

Falmouth Town joined Cornwall Senior League in 1950 and became founders of the South Western League (SWL) in 1951/52, transitioning from junior football after World War II. The club initially played at various grounds, including Union Corner in 1957, following the sale of Ashfield Ground.

Ken Tewkesbury, a former Birmingham City goalkeeper, played a crucial role in introducing senior football in Falmouth in the late 1950s. The club achieved professionalism early and won its first major trophy in 1957/58, securing the SWL Cup without conceding a goal.

In 1961/62, Falmouth completed the first Cornish treble, winning the SWL Championship, SWL Cup, and Cornwall Senior Cup. The club also made notable FA Cup appearances in 1962 and 1967. The early 1970s saw unprecedented success, including four consecutive SWL titles and multiple cup victories.

In 1973/74, Falmouth moved to the Rothmans Western League, winning the league and cup double unbeaten in their first season.

A remarkable 58-match unbeaten run ended in 1976.

Legendary manager Richard Gray led the team to eight consecutive league titles.

The club withdrew from the Western League due to increased travel expenses,

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but upon returning to Cornish football, they faced challenges rejoining the SWL. Despite settling for Cornwall Combination football, Falmouth eventually returned to the SWL, achieving notable success in the mid-1980s.

Falmouth continued to dominate South Western

football in the late 1980s and early 1990s, securing multiple SWL championships and cup victories. Managerial changes occurred in the late 1990s, with David Ball achieving a domestic treble in 1996/97.

In the late 2000s, Falmouth faced ups and downs, including manager changes

and mid-table finishes.

Notable achievements included winning the Charity Cup in 2002 and reaching the FA Vase fourth round in 2001.

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JAMES MILLER SUPPORTER, FORMER PLAYER AND SPONSOR: JAMES MILLER & ASSOCIATES

I grew up in Falmouth, and my earliest memory was attending a match with my dad as a 9-year-old and watching local hero Mark “Rappo” Rapsey high-five the F-troop after scoring. In addition to playing for the club, I became assistant manager and developed a close friendship with Westy, our current manager, Success returned in 2017/18 when Falmouth won the South West Peninsula League Cup. The following season saw victory in the Cornwall Senior Cup, while retaining the title during the COVID-19 pandemic. Falmouth achieved promotion to the Toolstation Western League Premier Division after winning the Cornwall Senior Cup. As of the 2020/21 season, Falmouth Town is back in the Toolstation Western League Premier Division, marking a successful return after nearly 40 years.

Andrew Westgarth, who has impressively transformed the club over a relatively short period of time.

Sadly, family and business commitments have meant that I’ve had to step back a little from the club; I genuinely felt that I didn’t wish to do a disservice to the club if I could not provide 100% commitment.

However, I still keep involved and help out whenever possible. You’re more likely to see me supporting the club on matchdays with my dad or spending time with my 8-yearold daughter Harriet, who has shown great enthusiasm commitment and talent in her own right as a gymnast.

Starting her own pathway over the past 3 years she has more recently been selected for elite training, becoming more involved in her cherished sport.

I am also a sponsor of the club, which allows me to give a little bit back to a club where I have many good friends among its membership, players, and fans. The club has been a cherished and significant part of my own and my family’s life for many decades. It wasn’t that long ago, in 2017, when I played my first

game, and we received a 7-nil drubbing by Tavistock.

Speaking to my dad after the game about my intention to be part of the new plans to help, support, and develop the club wasn’t met with many positive comments, shall we say.

However, by the end of that same season, we did end up beating Tavistock in the cup. Since then, Falmouth Town has become a real and vibrant hub throughout our local community while providing the town with a true home; a miraculous achievement. Crowds have increased tenfold.

Falmouth has always been a proud place with a famous maritime history, and Westy, along with many other great club stalwarts, have truly embedded a real essence of what it’s like to be a community. I really feel that the evolution of something special has occurred.

This coming together has created a bond between the club and the community, gifting a new relationship to both. For me, Falmouth Town Football Club is an extraordinary achievement in its own right and can serve as a blueprint for any club looking to give their town a true home in football!

James Miller & Associates Mortgage and Insurance Specialists Impartial, clear and friendly advice ”Very proud sponsors of Falmouth Town FC!”

01872 810 711 www.jsmillerifp.co.uk

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WILL RICHARDS SUPPORTER AND MAIN SPONSOR: HINE DOWNING SOLICITORS

Falmouth is my hometown, and my earliest memories include attending their matches when I was around 10 or 11 years old. After spending some time away at university and work, my connection and support for the club remained.

With the arrival of former player and Team Manager Andrew Westgarth, Falmouth Town has experienced a significant resurgence, both on and off the pitch, particularly in recent seasons. Currently positioned in the Western League Premier Division with a few games in hand over their closest rivals, they have a real opportunity to elevate the club to the next level.

Hine Downing Solicitors takes great pride in sponsoring Falmouth Town Football Club from the beginning. Being a part of this season’s incredible journey in the FA Vase has been truly inspiring. Behind the scenes, there’s a dedicated team of often unsung heroes working tirelessly, all sharing a common goal of fostering success for both the club and the community. This collective effort has translated into numerous positive results on the field and is a testament to grass roots football.

The jubilant scenes following the Jersey game

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and the epic crowdfunded journey to get there epitomised the positive impact that Falmouth Town Football Club has on its supporters and the wider community. Even Jersey Bulls FC paid tribute to Falmouth for their warm reception and hospitality during and after

the match, something not always observed in football.

I’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate everyone involved with the club on an exceptional season so far. Here’s to continued success for the remainder of the 2023/24 campaign and for many more years to come!

FOOTBALL FOCUS MAGAZINE

Portishead Town FC JAMES HUGHES DIRECTOR OF FOOTBALL “I’m so proud to be part of this great club!”

My earliest memory of Portishead Town Football Club is back from when my dad played and I was just a young boy. I loved football and being part of what was then a small, family oriented community football club— very much like our town back then. As I grew older and finished junior football, I began playing senior football at the age of 14/15, representing the 1st team in the Somerset Senior league before embarking on my football journey up and then back down the pyramid. Upon my return to the club after nearly 18 years away, it had grown significantly, but there seemed to be a disconnect especially between the junior and senior teams.

As I approached the end of my playing days, seeing a lack of cohesion and direction, I offered voluntary support whenever possible.

Eventually I became the Director of Football for the seniors and after developing a business plan, we were able to successfully align both the junior and senior sections.

The main challenges faced in navigating our teams into the current position involved establishing a solid foundation, including finances and a robust youth pathway.

Additionally, ensuring the right people were in the right roles and fostering selflessness in supporting the club’s success was crucial.

We now have a massive

community base and aim to offer a professional and progressive club, promoting football and inclusivity for all in Portishead Town FC. We recently obtained planning permission for a state-of-the - art 4G pitch, a significant achievement for our club with over 1200 playing members. Our social media team, led by Darren Vowles and Sam BendallWeeks, has been instrumental in promoting and engaging the community.

We recently hosted a Memorial Day for a past player, Ollie Hatfield, with a large crowd celebrating his memory in the clubhouse.

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Over the last 5 years, we’ve worked tirelessly to merge our Junior and Senior sections, creating a strong foundation and setting parameters for coaches/ managers. Our next goal is to develop the clubhouse and changing rooms. The general mood at our club is fantastic, marked by better first-team football, improved pathways, and increased engagement between seniors and juniors.

We have had several international players through the club, and our current links are with North Somerset Academy and other local teams. Our sponsors, including Wrings

Transport, Truckrite Bristol, and others, are invaluable in supporting the club financially and physically.

Despite facing challenges, we strive for a sustainable club that promotes progression, professionalism, and inclusion.

The people at Portishead Town FC make the club, and as a proud member, I look forward to seeing the continued success of our first teams and the development of future players. If you are local to Portishead, find Bristol Road and come along to witness the present and future of Portishead Town Football Club unfold.

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HISTORY AND HONORS

The men’s first team are currently members of the Western League Division One and the Ladies first team are members of the South West Regional Women’s Football League Premier Division.

The club is also home to nearly 900 Junior players aged between 5-16 as part of a merger between other Portishead junior football teams. The club is affiliated to the Somerset County FA. Portishead Town Football Club, formerly Portishead A.F.C, was founded in 1912 and is currently a member of the Western League Division One. The club has a rich history, winning the Somerset County Football League four times in the 1990s and achieving their highest-ever finish in 2006–07. Originally known as St. Peter’s Portishead until a name change in 1948, the club played in small regional leagues for years until joining the Somerset County League in 1975.

They won the Premier Division title four times in five years between 1993–94 and 1997–98. After their fourth successive runner-up campaign in the 2004–05 season, Portishead successfully applied for promotion to the Western League.

In Portishead’s first season of Western League football, they finished in the top half of the table only to better their performance the following season. In 2006–07 Portishead achieved their highest ever finish in the history of the club finishing runners-up to Truro City.

Although Portishead finished as runners-upthey were unable to be promoted to the Western League Premier Division as their ground was not suitable, lacking (at that time) floodlights. The reserve squad plays in the Somerset County League Division one, while the ‘A’, ‘B’, and ‘Colts’ teams all play in the Weston super Mare and District League.

HONOURS

• Somerset County Football League Winners (4): 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1997–98 Runners-up (4): 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05 • Somerset Senior Cup Winners (2): 1996–97, 2007–08 • Somerset Hospital Cup Winners (1): 2009 • Weston super Mare and District League Division 1 Winners (1): 2016 • Attwell Memorial Shield Cup Winners (2): 2009, 2015

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FOOTBALL FOCUS MAGAZINE

EAMONN DALY HEAD OF SENIOR FOOTBALL

NIGEL OSMOND HEAD OF JUNIOR FOOTBALL AND FACILITIES MANAGER

Portishead Town FC is a massive football club that has a positive impact on the whole community, from our Walking football team, inclusive footballl team to our 5 year old girls and boys teams we cover every age and every walk of life.

One thousand Juniors play at our club as well as over 200 adults so it’s something to be very proud about.

The future is so exciting too with our incoming 4G pitch which will enable the club to be a real community hub of the Town also and we hope will have a long standing positiveb impact for many more seasons!

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It’s a very exciting time at the moment with the current development plans for a new 4G pitch being installed this year. This coincides with our first team currently having its most successful season in its history.

We still have a third of the season to play so a long way to go to win the league.

Huge strides have been made in the last 5 years putting together strong foundations to ensure sustainable success on and off the pitch.

Our continued focus is on the development of player pathway from the juniors into senior football. Installing a dedicated U18’s coaching team a couple of years ago is already paying dividends and there is further work and plans being made to improve the calibre of football at PTFC. I joined the club 6 years ago and the convincing factor for joining PTFC was the enthusiasm and vision of James Hughes. Together we have embarked on a journey bringing along my right-hand man Dave Hewitt to achieve improvement and success firstly on the pitch and then wholly as a club.

Getting the right people into the right positions has been paramount in putting the foundations in place and supporting the existing old guard who have been with the club for many years.

We are a massive part of the community hub. With teams ranging in age from U6’s to Over 50’s walking football, girls and boy’s junior and men’s and ladies senior teams, we have such a diverse range of people involved in our club. It makes it a vibrant and fun place to spend time.

Whether you are playing, coaching or spectating it’s a fabulous place to socialise and make new friends.

Our vision is to improve all aspects of the club including all facilities and making it a place that the people of Portishead can use as a community but mostly be proud of. Not just for the here and now but for generations to come. I would love to look back in years to come and feel that we have left somewhat of a legacy.

This season has been tremendous so far for the first team, currently our most successful since being formed. Our ambition is to see this season out as champions and be promoted to the Toolstation Premier for the first time.

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WENDY WATKINS LONG-STANDING SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: PURE PROTECT BRISTOL

My first association with Portishead Town FC started as a 14-year-old when my parents, Garth and Valerie Watkins, who were both members of the club at the time, would take me along with them to enjoy what was a great social hub for our town back then.

Both Mum and Dad are still frequent visitors to the club, some 40 years on, as is my uncle Brian, a former player and Brian’s daughter Tracy, who sadly passed away

a couple of years ago, would be there too. The club was really like a second family to me. It was truly a memberrun club; everybody would pitch in, with Cousin Tracy and me helping out behind the bar, Mum and Dad making the usual post-match ham & cheese rolls etc.

Tracy’s son, Mitchell, is now a current player and doing his Mum proud in the First Team.

James Hughes, current Director of Football, has been at the club from a young boy along with his brothers as, Dad Jim also used to play for the club.

James is still involved some

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years later and bringing his own children down to enjoy the unique Portishead Town FC experience in the same way that our families did in bygone years.

Portishead is located in a beautiful part of the country, in the picturesque Gordano Valley that surrounds the town and on the edge of the Bristol Channel. It took some 25 years to witness the demise of the old coal power station and working docks in the town, but all in all, the club and environment has not only survived, but grown and flourished exponentially.

These days, the docks have become a vibrant marina with all the usual restaurants and bars, and the club has enjoyed a huge growth in membership thanks to the town’s expansion.

My fondest memories of the club are very much about how everyone, of all ages, took great care of each other, and the Saturday nights that really were the best of times.

Today I still count everyone at the club back then as great friends. I don’t believe Portishead has ever lost that family feel that makes the club and community as vibrant and welcoming today as it was back then.

My own love of football has taken me all over the place whilst following Bristol City, visiting 82 league grounds in total, including some of the grounds sadly no longer in existence.

Highlights include Liverpool, Manchester City and Notts Forest while the likes of Grimsby and York on a Tuesday night may not have been so entertaining but just as important to a fan.

It is grass roots football where it all starts however and this season sees Portishead poised in a very good league position for automatic promotion, which would be a very deserved achievement and great boost for local people. It’s really the individuals and the place itself that make our town such a special place to be a part of. Portishead has always had such a familyoriented vibrant community spirit about it, not just to have survived all these years but to have flourished and grown. That really does tell its own story.

Myself and all at Pure Protect Bristol would like to congratulate everyone at the club on such an outstanding season so far and send best wishes to all at Portishead Town Football Club for a successful end to the 2023/2024 Campaign!

FOOTBALL FOCUS MAGAZINE

NICK WHITE SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: NICK WHITE LANDSCAPING

My family and I moved to the area 3 and 1/2 years ago. My daughter Izzy, who has always been very sporty, started playing football down at Portishead Town, and my wife Abi, became a coach and player too. Since then, Izzy has progressed to the U14’s Rangers squad, and Abi, plays for the Women’s 3rd team, the Possets and is one of the coaches for the U14 Jets.

I reflected recently, before we moved to the area from South Bristol, about my positive relationship and its development with the club.

Previously, I lived close to another football club but had no connection with them.

Things are very different for me with Portishead Town.

They are such a welcoming club and a true hub in the

town and local area.

People really look after each other, and often when I am viewing landscaping work locally, many of my customers are fans or are involved in the club in many ways, which is a remarkable statistic. As a local company, we are very proud to sponsor the men’s 1st team training tops, the U14 girls Rangers and Jets away kits, and the women’s reserves & thirds training jackets.

Portishead Town Football Club is blessed with a volume of great people who all come together to provide an outstanding service to our community. Nigel Osmond and Rachel really epitomize an outstanding contribution, which makes us a community hub.

Last year, we sponsored the girls’ tournament, which was a fabulous event, myself and some of the team were able to help out by providing our services, helping organize an away area for the many cars that needed parking space.

Spending time at this great club is a real joy for myself and my family, and we are all hoping that the 1st X1 will go all the way and gain promotion to the higher division. Best wishes to everyone, and all the teams at the club, for a successful end to the remainder of the 2023/24 season!

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Ramsgate FC JAMES LAWSON DIRECTOR AND SHAREHOLDER “The whole area has Ramsgate Fever, and it is really helping us to grow!

My family took over the club in 1987, so my weekends were spent watching the team from five-years-old; well watching and kicking a ball around on the training pitch, whilst we played the likes of Crockenhill, Alma Swanley and Darrenth Heathside.

I have rather fond memories of catching grasshoppers in the overgrown surroundings of Slade Green, God knows what the score was that day!

My family ran the club until the early 2010s before stepping away from day-to-day duties but retained the shares.

When Gemma, my wife, and myself had our two kids; Dillon and Teddy, I got involved with the youth side of the club. The people running the club in late 2019 were keen to pass on the reigns and at this point I took

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on 50% of the shares and the running of the club.

Ramsgate has really expanded at such an unpresented rate since then; in 2019 we had just 10 teams and now our club consists of around 1000 playing members. It is a real struggle finding training slots on our artificial surface to accommodate all the sides.

The first and important club development, that most will look at, and naturally so, was the installation of a 3G surface is 2021. This would not have been useful or feasible without the expansion of the youth setup which started the year before.

The expansion of the club has allowed us to become the heartbeat of the community and offer more than just football. We run HAF (holiday activity and food) programmes) for those entitled to free school meals. This is a free of charge programme supported by the government where we provide hot meals, activities,

arts and crafts, exercise as well as excursions.

We have taught disadvantaged children to ride bikes, taken kids on helicopter rides and provided swimming lessons; being a coastal town, these swimming lessons could potentially save a life!

At our foundation phase we are all about fun and love of the game; this is our priority. Sessions are passed around individuals and are very much technique driven and as we move into the youth development phase, we split into an elite stream which is Kent youth league and a community stream.

Children can still just play for the love of the game, and we can create an environment where all players can reach their own individual potential.

In our elite phase all teams follow our training regime which consists of four branches. Three linked to our DNA, on how we expect Ramsgate teams to look, and one on individual reflection

facilitated by the coaches.

Our target aim is to teach them tactical elements with our focus on match days and not the results. As we move into player development phase we align with first team tactics, roles, and responsibilities. Our aim is to ensure they have all the tactical knowledge needed and psychological and social durability to step into that first team environment. Winning becomes a good habit but not the be all and end all.

The mood around the local area, not just the club, is buzzing at the moment.

The cup run and the league position has created so much momentum. We are now 15 months without a home league defeat too which helps keep the people coming back! You cannot visit the local shopping centre without seeing someone in a Ramsgate scarf or visit Tesco without seeing someone in a Rams hat! The whole area has Ramsgate Fever, and it is really helping us to grow!

FOOTBALL FOCUS MAGAZINE

AARON HAMS SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: AVENUE FLOORING

I was raised locally, and I have always known of the football club and through the merger with Westgate Sports, which I was a part of. I played for the under 13s for the club, as well as in a few U18 fixtures and reserve matches. Since then, through all our ups and downs, I have been a supporter!

The club has been a significant part of my life over the years, with many great friendships forged. With the likes of goalkeeping coach Lee Hook and a strong family involvement, including my cousin Elliot Austin, my late father Keith - who sadly passed away and was involved in the club’s U16 setup, my son Bobby - who plays for the U12s and for the club over last three seasons, and my wife Emma, who works at Ramsgate FC.

Ramsgate has a plethora of real stalwarts who give freely of themselves to make our club what it is. Warren Schulz holds the club appearance record and captains our over 45s, which started this year and plays matches once a month whilst enjoying reasonable results in a noncompetitive league. We also have an over 35s team, which started six years ago.

The level of support the club receives is quite incredible and not just based on the 2nd round FA Cup achievement but because people want to support their local team.

Ramsgate FC always seemed like a place where everyone got along well with each other, making it a great place to spend free time and being very family friendly. My company, Avenue Flooring, is also a sponsor, based on my attitude of giving something back to a club that really supported me in my youth

On the pitch things have been fantastic so far. We gained a huge amount of exposure by playing live on ITV in The FA Cup’s Second Round. The whole cup run was fantastic for the local area and for the club itself.

We are currently top of the league in a two-horse race with Cray Valley PM and despite the FA Cup heroics the season can’t be deemed a success if we do not win promotion.

Additionally we have a senior women’s teams, over 100 female players, and a walking football side who recently won the over 60 Kent Cup. As a true community club we utilise football as a `honey pot` to attract and bring positive impact to local families lives throughout our region.

To be considered a community club we understand that a majority of the local area’s children will

play for Ramsgate with, while their families will support them on match days, the match day crowd will naturally have a high percentage representation from local schools and community project participants will also attend in numbers. I think we tick all the boxes!

At Ramsgate Football Club Sponsors are extremely important. Not just on the pitch, but also with our community schemes as well and sharing our vision in providing experiences and memories that would not be possible otherwise. We have had laptops donated, funds for Christmas presents provided even helicopter lessons given for free by our sponsors. We are very fortunate to share ideologies and values with the likes of WW Martin, who have been a fantastic shirt sponsors for a number of years!

and adult years. Our team is blessed with a great manager in Ben Smith and players like TJ, who just love our club and are certainly an inspiration to others around them. There’s no arrogance to be seen, just a great lad!

Ramsgate is without a doubt a community club with many good people at the

helm, including James Lawson and Ian Heath, who navigate what I’m sure is a difficult job at times. As we head towards the business end of the season, myself and my family would like to wish everyone involved in Ramsgate Football Club the very best of success for the remainder of the 2023/24 season!

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KEVIN FISHER, SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: MINTERS REMOVAL & STORAGE

Cup game. However, a few of our staff are fans of local football and attend games regularly.

I had the privilege of hearing James Lawson speak about the club at a local business club and was very impressed by his passion and vision for the club and community, so I decided to become a sponsor. The support from local people, young and old alike, has been quite outstanding.

MICHAEL ALDERMAN SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: RAMSGATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY

who really care about our community and providing a safe place where we can congregate and make friends. Craig Stone & Lee Martin epitomize the on-field passion and drive that has spilled out to the club, fans, and our local community.

My company, Ramsgate Historical Society, is also delighted to be a proud sponsor of the club.

My son, Leonardo Alderman-Guibarra, aged 11 years, is a current youth player. It’s wonderful to see how forward-thinking the club is regarding our younger players and the provision of a pathway through to senior football.

Congratulations to everyone at Ramsgate FC on an outstanding season, and best wishes as we head towards the end of the 2023/24 campaign!

I am a local lad, and apart from time away in the RAF and living in Australia for 2 and 1/2 years, I have always lived in the region.

Unfortunately, due to work and family commitments, I haven’t been able to get to as many matches as possible, although I did manage the FA

I moved to the area around 10 years ago and have supported the club over the past 7, becoming more involved in the last 3.

It has been noticeable this season that our team and club have stepped up their game and become a more professional outfit.

A tremendous battle has taken place at the top of the league with Cray Valley deserving of recognition for their contribution to a very competitive season also. The mid-April game against Cray is a mouthwatering affair, and although I feel confident in our lads, either way, it’s been an outstanding season.

Ramsgate is a very family-oriented club and is run by some great people

As a company, we like to help our local region, so we have sponsored Deal Town as well, who too have had a magnificent season. Myself and all our staff at Minters Removal & Storage wish everyone at Ramsgate and Deal all the very best of continued success for this season and all future years. They are both great ambassadors for the county of Kent!

MICHAEL CANNON LIFELONG SUPPORTER, SPONSOR: M&L TRAVEL

I was born and raised in Ramsgate, where I would often accompany my Grandfather George to the club and serve as a ball boy during matches.

My cousin David also played for the club, and my Grandparents, George and Marjorie, owned a hotel in town where players would frequently visit. Grandad George was a staunch supporter of the club, deeply affected when a player/manager Les Riggs leaving for Margate FC. In those days, rivalries were fierce, sometimes drawing crowds in excess of 10,000!

Sadly, George Cannon passed away in 1974, and I lost touch with the club for a while.

It’s particularly heartwarming for me to be back involved now.

My son-in-law, Steve Miller, is

also deeply engaged and does excellent work for the club.

Additionally, I’ve had the pleasure of interacting with James Lawson, a remarkable individual who leading our football club forward.

James’ community focus is admirable, and he and his team of volunteers are truly propelling the club onwards.

My company, M&L Travel, proudly sponsors the club this season, and I’m delighted to give back to a club steeped in my family’s history. The first-team squad is playing exceptional football, positioning the club excitingly in the league. What I admire most about Ramsgate FC is their commitment to the community, providing a space for young people, often from underprivileged backgrounds, to engage in sports, forge friendships, and learn values and discipline.

It’s truly emotional for me to step into the club and see the office where my grandfather once sat as Chairman all those decades ago. Ramsgate Football Club holds a special place in my heart and the Cannon family too, and it’s wonderful to see it in such capable hands, cared for by people who genuinely want the best. Best wishes to everyone at the club for a successful conclusion to the season, and I eagerly anticipate seeing you all soon!

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North Greenford United FC “It Really is a family!”

PAUL MILLS CHAIRMAN “We have a new committee, and they are just as hardworking as the team on the pitch!”

I started with the club 6 years ago when I was asked to get involved with helping the new U18`s manager. We took over from Gary Brown (my current co manager and ex NGU legend).

Having 3 boys I had been very involved in youth football for the previous decade and was looking for something to take its place.

We had to play a team of U16s and won just 3 games all season however we kept them together and the following season won the League and Middx County Cup! Then we were invited to help manage the 1st team. We had no choice but to play the kids and for another 2 years flirted with relegation whilst contending with those seasons being interrupted by COVID. When the manager gave it up, we were asked to be joint managers and now two and half season, and 130 odd games later, we are still here!

As in all levels of football the main challenge is money.

We don’t have a budget we just help the players with expenses when we can.

There are teams in our league who pay players more per game than we can give all of our players in a month.

This means we are always at the mercy of players moving on for some money.

And we don’t stand in their way, we always tell players immediately of any approach from other clubs and if they want to go, they can and with our blessing.

We understand that where we are on our journey, as a club, that we can be seen as a stepping stone for players, and we absolutely love it when we see the players progressing.

It also means preseason is very busy. During all 3 of the preseasons, we have done we see in excess of 70 trialists over a 2/3-week period. It’s tough trying to see their potential in training, and letting them go when we don’t, but it also means we end up using most of our preseason friendlies looking at players in games rather than working on how we want to play.

It has meant we have always had a very young

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team as well, but we are now seeing a few more mature players who want to join over the last year or two as they see we’re not relegation candidates anymore.

We have finished 5th and 8th over the last 2 seasons and lost in the league cup final last season. This year we are around the play off positions in the league, in 2 county cup quarter finals and there’s the no small matter of befitting to the last 16 of the FA Vase. We must be doing something right!

On the pitch we just want to be more consistent and try to build on our limited success over the last couple of seasons.

We have certainly changed our reputation on the playing side and want to build a stable team despite the previous mentioned challenges.

This takes time and we have to continue to improve things off the pitch.

Talking of which, I have also taken over as Chairman this season. The previous Chairman and his wife, who held various important positions at the club, had to step down after 25 years. There was nobody who wanted to take it on so I did it to give some stability off the pitch which will hopefully enable us to build something on it. I watch a lot of those Dorking Wanderers programs on you tube!

We have a new committee, and they are just as hardworking as the team on the pitch. All of them are putting so much effort into it and we are starting to see some positive results. They’re all volunteers and give up so much of their spare time for free they never cease to amaze me.

We have grants being applied for from everything from floodlights to defibrillators. Steve the groundsman, has his work cut out with our pitch (it needs a lot of work) and is always there trying to make it playable when most people would have given up.

Dizzy and Pat do all the admin and I have 2 vice chairs, Terry and Richard, who do a lot of the thankless stuff. Our wives, Vicky and Sue, our heavily involved in the Bar, social and the finance side of the club as well as putting up with us not being around much. I even have

my parents and mother-in-law working on the turnstiles and tea bar on Match days.

This season really is about putting the foundations in place and then building it from there.

We believe the game should be played with the ball on the deck. Brian Clough once said there’s no grass in the sky. We want the game to be exciting and up until this year worked on the premise that it doesn’t matter how many we let in as long as we score 1 more than the opposition, we win will always win the game then.

That’s changed a bit this year and we are starting to work a bit on defending better. We have coaches, Dino Joey and Dom who are better at that than we are but are also invested in the philosophy of let’s play exciting football.

Unfortunately, we couldn’t afford a youth team this year.

That’s a huge loss as 6 of our current 1st team squad have come through the U18s and the vast majority of our recent youth teams are all playing regularly from Step 3 down to step 6. We have always had the philosophy that if your good enough you’re old enough and youth players have always featured heavily in our teams.

We definitely want to reinstate it when we can and when the pitch can handle it.

Presently everybody is so positive and excited. It’s not just down to the Vase run but results have been better than expected, crowds have been increasing and the atmosphere on matchdays is much improved. We even have a small band of Ultras, (Zoran, Grandad, Chris, Petar and Vaneeka) who attend home and away games and help with the atmosphere with their flags, drum and bull horn.

Famous, recent, old boys include Chris Mepham and Ollie Hawkins who have made it in the professional game as well as many who have gone onto higher levels in non-league.

Hanwell Town and Southall are the 2 local higher clubs that help us sometimes player wise and are also on hand with advice etc.

We didn’t think the season would be as it has been.

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Going through those 70 trialists in June, and doing another rebuild, we would have laughed if anybody said this is where we would be in January. We set the challenge to be mid table and have at least 1 good cup run. We’re in the last 16 of a national competition, top 8 in the league and a couple of other cup quarter finals.

As for what happens next let’s see, it’s one game at a time. We’re not going to change the way we play and we’re not going to get carried away with ourselves. We have done well to get where we are and we’re going to enjoy the journey, whatever happens next, it’s a great experience for us all and one which will make us stronger in the long run.

Wembley Stadium is 2 miles from our ground if we make it to the final so be it, if not we can all jump on the 92 bus for 6 stops and go and watch it.

We are looking at Walking Football and a Women’s team but like I said our pitch needs a lot of work to enable more games to be played on it first.

We have a big development happening over the road and the developers, Greystar, have been very helpful. We try to use local shops and businesses for stoking the tea bar, printing etc We host the North Greenford Residents Association get togethers, support local food banks and the Salvation Army. We are also looking to launch a midweek club for the local elderly to get out of the house when the weather gets better. Recently we had the local Beavers down for a training session with the first team for them to earn one of their badges, that was fun.

Very. We have one main sponsor, Hazgreen, who has been supporting the club financially for the last 5 years.

The owner, Marc, got involved when his son played for the

A BRIEF HISTORY

North Greenford United was formed 80 years ago youth team and then a m football team as well. It was a thriving club/social club over a thousand members 6 teams playing on Saturd About 15 years ago the clu had a purple patch winnin the CCL and some cups a

U18s and has continued even though his son has now moved on.

Other than that, we have some supporters who sponsor games/match balls etc. It really is a family. It’s great to see everybody pulling in the same direction

for a common cause - North Greenford Utd. Everybody has stepped up to ensure that we are in the best possible position to take advantage of this season’s success. Whatever happens next this season has been a success!

LEWIS TODD BIO

Lewis started his playing career with Luton Town FC at the age of 10 and after two successful seasons, moved to Wycombe Wanderers FC at the age of 12.

After a successful term at Wycombe Wanderers, he joined Queens Park Rangers FC at age of 13. At 15 years of age, he played a number of games for the Under 18s

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FOOTBALL FOCUS MAGAZINE

FC o as a men’s s once with s and day. lub ng and

gaining step 4 status for a couple of seasons. It then went into a bit of a decline and thats when the previous Chairman

and his wife, John and Barbara Bivens kept the club going. It’s fair to say that the club wouldn’t be here now to enjoy the current success if it wasn’t for all the time, effort and money they put into it over recent years. It’s good to see them at games and get to enjoy it rather than be ‘working’.

and he was offered a two year scholarship with Queens Park Rangers. At age 16, Lewis was playing for the Under 18’s team and during a pre-season training week with QPR U18s in Birmingham, Lewis was called up to travel to Italy with the QPR U21 squad and the 1st team. He made his U21 debut at the age of 16. He played two games whilst on tour in Italy and trained with 1st team goalkeeper Rob Green.

Two months into his scholarship, Lewis left QPR, deciding that he wanted to pursue his chosen career via a different route.

Lewis was determined that playing 1st team men’s football, whilst simultaneously training three times a week at a Premier League academy as a training keeper and twice a week with renowned goalkeeper trainer Sean Griffiths, would offer him the best opportunity to progress his career. Lewis subsequently joined North Greenford FC in February 2016 and played the last 18 games of the

2015/16 season with them.

His talent and contribution to the 1st team was immediately recognised and he was made Club Captain. In addition, at the end of the 2015/2016 season, he became the youngest player in the club’s history to have been awarded Players Player of the Year.

During the 16/17, 17/18 and 18/19 seasons Lewis played 1st team matches for Barton Rovers in The Southern League Div. 1 , for Middlesex FA U18 and won The FA County Youth Cup, had to drop down a league after returning from injury and played for North Greenford United and Tring Athletic FC in The Spartan South Mid Prem League.

After another serious hand injury, Lewis played the last part of the 18/19 season at Welwyn Garden City FC in the Southern League Div. 1 Central where he gained excellent experience playing for a newly put together team fighting relegation.

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MARC TODD SUPPORTER, PATRON AND MAIN SPONSOR: HAZGREEN LTD.

I hail originally from South Ruislip, not too distant from the club. My son, Lewis Todd, once donned the jersey as a player at North Greenford, where he notably served as their youngest ever captain. Lewis carved out a successful footballing pathway of his own, emerging through esteemed clubs like Luton before securing a scholarship at QPR. At the tender age of 16, he donned the gloves as their reserve keeper. It was a privilege for him to collaborate with professional footballer and England keeper, Rob Green. I distinctly remember him playing for the U18s in Birmingham when the call came summoning him to Italy for QPR. Lewis made a thoughtful decision to redirect his focus away from professional football, channeling his energy into the non-league scene.

North Greenford United graciously welcomed him into their ranks, providing support and nurturing his talents.

Today, Lewis holds a Directorship at our company, Hazgreen, which proudly pledges a further three years of sponsorship to North Greenford, extending our tenure as the main sponsor to an impressive decade!

Over recent years, the club has undergone significant growth and development, culminating in robust performances both in the league and the FA Vase.

Due to professional obligations and frequent travel, my attendance at matches has been regrettably limited.

Nonetheless, the palpable atmosphere and camaraderie surrounding the club are unmistakable. Promotion stands as a lofty ambition for the club and its supporters this season, representing a remarkable feat to aspire towards.

North Greenford United Football Club boasts a multitude of unsung heroes, each contributing their part and rallying together. I’ve even found myself behind the bar, pouring a pint or brewing a cup of tea.

The club serves as a vibrant hub within the community, drawing in individuals from diverse backgrounds and walks of life—an enriching experience to be part of.

It’s evident that the club places a high priority on attracting younger members—the future fans and players. I seize this moment to acknowledge the tremendous effort invested in running a successful club and extend my heartfelt best wishes to everyone for the remainder of the 2023/2024 campaign!

“Delighted to be associated with the success of North Greenford United FC and very proud to have been their Main Sponsor for the past 7 Years and for the next 3 seasons!”

www.hazgreen.co.uk 37

Roffey Football Club

R

offey Football Club, or the Roffey Boars as we are known, is one of the longest established football clubs in Horsham, West Sussex. After nearly 125 years of ups and downs, celebrations and heartache, some quiet years and some landmark years, today the club is on a roll! We are a senior men’s football club with new, but strong links to our local junior football club, and with a developing women’s section. The 1st XI’s are currently in prime position for promotion into the Premier Division of Sussex County football, and with big ambitions for brand new pitches and facilities to take the club to the next level. We are still in a county cup and the league cup, and were really proud to be one of the last 64 in the country (and in the last 3 in the county) in the Isuzu FA Vase competition this season, going out in the third round to an added-time

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heartbreaker!

Along with the first senior men’s team, Roffey has an Under 23 squad playing in the county league, which as well as supporting the 1st XI squad, acts as a pathway for our two vibrant Under 18 squads – one playing in the Mid Sussex League, and the other in the Southern Combination League. At the other end of the age scale, we have three veterans teams – the over-35s and the over-45s both competing in leagues, and for those no longer looking for competitive football, we have a vets “friendly” squad!

Our home ground is in north Horsham where we have two grass pitches on land leased from the Council.

Surrounded by a mix of ash, oak and birch trees, our ground is known as the “Theatre of Trees”. We have worked especially hard over the last couple of seasons to improve the facilities and

environment at the ground, aiming to make it a pleasant and safe experience for dog walkers around the outside, and football supporters within the ground; but more about that later.

PHIL GIBBS IS NOW IN HIS SECOND YEAR AS CHAIRMAN

I have lived locally for years, but first became involved at Roffey FC in the 2016/2017 season when two of my sons joined the under 18s after coming through the ranks from our sister, junior club Roffey Robins FC. Through those years in junior football I was Assistant Manager to my close friend Andy Chantrill who brought his U16 team into Roffey FC when junior football ended. When the existing Chairman of Roffey FC moved on, Andy was very quickly asked to take on the role, which he did until the end of the 2021/22 season – an extremely exciting year

for the club when the first team gained promotion from step 6 into step 5 football by winning the Southern County Division 1. In his years as Chairman, Andy took the club forward massively; initiating Women’s football as well as integrating Hills Farm Lane Vets FC into Roffey FC, working with the Council to enable our 25 year lease, getting Football Foundation funding for flood lights and a 100 person covered stand, and much more. When Andy moved to a new part of the country in 2021 he phased out gradually from Roffey FC, adopting a role in the interim period as Head of Project Development for our 3G pitch aspirations.

FIRST SEASON WAS “BRUTAL”

I was involved in these projects, but when I took over as Chairman at the start of the 2022-23 season, I hadn’t really been involved in the actual

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football playing side of things, which seemed to have been jogging along OK. I knew we were going to be thrown into the deep end of the Premier Division, but I wasn’t ready for everything to suddenly go belly up! With just weeks until the start of the season, the 1st team manager left for personal reasons, and most of the 1st XI players signed elsewhere, looking for “greener grass”; I quickly realised that life in step 5, with a massively depleted squad and no manager, was not going to be an easy ride!

In addition, the manager of the Women’s team took almost the entire squad to start his own team.

At times like this you find out whether you have a strong body of supportive people around you, and I am so proud of how the committee, volunteers and remaining players responded. Mark Powling, our Vice Chairman is such a voice of sense and

reason and was a massive support for me, along with the rest of the committee.

We put an interim 1st team manager in place, and quickly made a few signings of two or three more experienced players, but in the end we had to start our first season in the Step 5 with a squad made up primarily from our brave under 18s and under 23s. It was a brutal experience for us all and despite battling hard and with great courage, we lost pretty much all of our early 1st team matches to Step 5 teams with greater experience, faster feet, enhanced fitness levels, and a deeper squad. Although we did our best to keep our spirits up, they tore into us and left us stranded, humbled and humiliated at the foot of the table!

October 2022 was the low point at 25 points adrift, when I had the good fortune to make contact with our current 1st team manager, Jack Munday. Jack had been out of management for a couple of seasons and was ready to come back, to a local club which needed some work, and which he felt he could make a real difference to. He enthusiastically took on the management of our first team. What a great turnaround since. We clicked almost from day one as we set about the rebuilding and rebranding of the club. His creation of the first team’s management/coaching squad, consisting of himself, Julian Miller, Scott Percy, Sam Chapman, and more recently Tom Lyons, has given the

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JACK MUNDAY, 1ST XI MANAGER ON HIS PLAYING PHLOSOPHY AND HIS THOUGHTS 0N THE FUTURE “The majority of the time we have a way of playing which is fast paced, ball on the floor, with lots of possession whilst tiring the opposition down and making the pitch as wide as possible. Off the ball we are very compact and hard to break down which is why we boast one of the best defensive records across the two Sussex Combination Football Leagues.

I do feel however at this level you can’t always stick to the way you want to play or what is deemed as ‘the right way to play’! Sometimes the surfaces you play on, especially in the winter months, just don’t allow it. We have a wide range of options

in attack with a couple of excellent hold-up players, and this has been key for us in certain games where we’ve had to use the tactics of old fashioned long ball, which I admit I have no shame in doing at all. As I am only into my first full season at Roffey we are still putting the foundations together. For us it is really important to build a solid youth system where our U18s & U23s teams mirror how the first team play, so the conveyer belt of young talent keeps on producing players that are ready, tactically and mentally, to come into the side. It won’t happen overnight, but we’ve already made some good progress by having two 16 year olds feature for the 1sts many times this season already. I really feel that this club has such a bright future!”

squad solid, experienced and enthusiastic leadership to rely on. We suffered setbacks initially, with a notable 11-0 thrashing by Newhaven FC, but importantly our rebuilt first team squad has a win rate since he joined of around 85%. So despite suffering from relegation last season - by just one point in the end - we stuck to the task and are now right up there in Step 6 at the top of Div 1 with a great, mixed squad of committed, experienced, youthful and fit players, all confident and fighting hard for the club. At the time of writing we are at the top of Div 1, still in two cup competitions and no one is laughing at us anymore!

Our rebirth as a credible force at step 6 and competing strongly against several step 5 sides has been nothing short of spectacular in my opinion!!

After such a tumultuous start, I now really enjoy being the Chairman and it is not just about winning matches. The spirit of the club is good, and we are set to grow and

develop as we want our players to be proud to be members of this club, want to do well and see that it has a bright future. We have a wonderful group of people who volunteer their time and energy and it is now a lot of fun. I am proud to have played my part of course, but our team of club execs, managers, players and volunteers is so committed it just makes it easier to establish a much more professional and sustainable club that has a great future ahead. It is not without it’s bumps and bruises along the way with players facing up to injuries or serious illnesses, but we are a family and try our best to look after the people who remain committed. I am also well aware that it would not have been possible to build the solid foundation that we now have without the hard work of all the previous Chairmen, committee members and volunteers, each of whom I recognise has left his or her own footprint on the club.

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PATHWAY TO SUCCESS

After decades of running as two separate clubs, one of our fairly recent landmarks is that we have formally come together with local youth football club, Roffey Robins FC, in a strategic partnership.

It makes sense, and to be honest many people always assumed that Roffey FC and Roffey Robins Junior FC were connected…but until recently they weren’t! With over 350 junior boys and girls playing from under 7s through to under 16s, there is now a constant pipeline of talented players for Roffey FC KEITH EDWARDS OUR PRESIDENT

Keith Edwards, our President, is our longest Roffey supporter! Born in 1942 in his uncle’s house just over a mile from the current ground, Keith and his school mates created a team called Roffey Juniors who played at the Roffey Rec every Sunday morning, next to his school, All Saints school, later Northolmes Junior. The Roffey FC 1st team and Vic Jones, the chairman, used to come and support the lads, spotting future talent.

Keith’s fortunes changed when Roffey FC reserves’ goalie was injured and he got the call! In 1956 there were no rules about players’ age, so Keith’s first game for Roffey was when he was 14.

A year later a Brighton & Hove Albion scout saw Keith play and he was asked to play for Brighton boys. He played one game for them in 1957 under Billy Laine, the Brighton Manager, just before he started his apprenticeship.

The trouble was that Horsham to Hove on the bus was £2 return and Keith didn’t have that kind of money. So, they sent him to Horsham FC. The day he was picked for Horsham 1st team was the day he got married in 1963 and although football came before most things, it wasn’t more important than his wedding to Maureen!

During his years playing Horsham Reserves, Keith was

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to welcome, and importantly, somewhere for the youth to belong when they finish junior football. We now have 16 year olds competing for places in the U18s, U23s and now the 1st team. It is a careful and considered process as blooding the youngsters too soon into senior football at step 6 and even against step 5 sides is often a challenge.

They need to be ready physically, mentally and tactically so the managers and coaches work with Andy Baker, our new Head of Pathway, as it can be a brutal experience for the fainterstill signed for Roffey and went 7 years without missing a 1st team match for his local club and he played as goalie for the Horsham & District League representative side (made up of best individual players from the whole league). Later, he was awarded Crawley & District League colours to wear on his goalie shirt - as far as he knows, the only player ever presented with such an honour!

Keith started his working life as an apprentice motor mechanic when he was 15.

There he met Maureen, and the couple got married on Dec 7th 1963 when Maureen was 20 and Keith just 21. Keith stayed at Rice Brothers until he had finished his apprenticeship, but after he passed his driving test (on 13 April 1960 – a date stuck in his mind) he got the bug for driving, and soon took a job at Redland Bricks, delivering bricks locally and nationally (in fact Keith delivered the bricks for the new Roffey Cricket Clubhouse!). He loved it! At one point the whole family were involved - Maureen in accounts, Simon, their son, making bricks and Keith delivering!

Keith carried on playing first team football for Roffey until he was into his 40s after which he started playing for reserves and took up managing the 3rd team, which played at Bennetts Field in Horsham. His last 1st team appearance was when he was around 45, he and his son Simon, aged about 21,

hearted against much older, stronger and experienced players. Nevertheless we are convinced this is the way to go with the prospect of a whole host of younger players competing effectively against the top sides in Sussex.

UNDER 23S

The construction of floodlights in 2020 finally enabled the club to introduce a U23s team into the Southern Combination league under the management and coaching team of Dave Marney, James Gregory, Mark Powling and Jason Stephens. played in the same team!

Having taken early retirement in 1997 due to osteoarthritis in his back which made his job impossible, Keith and Maureen made a snap decision to move to lower-cost Lincolnshire.

They lived there until 2010 before coming straight back to Roffey! Within hours he was lured back to the club, which was about to go into the County League for the first time, and he has been actively involved ever since. In 2018, under Andy Chantrill’s Chairmanship, Keith took over as Club President from Mick Webb (who was also President of Roffey Cricket Club at the time).

Keith is really positive about where the club is now and where we are heading.

He says we are lucky to have the leadership on and off the field that we have at the moment and, recognising the restrictions we have at our home ground currently, is optimistic about the possibilities of moving the club to a facility which can take it to the next level. Keith will be 82 this year.

It is a complicated age, when players’ lives are evolving from school/university/work/ relationships, and we are beginning to understand how other clubs are optimising their 23s by playing a mix of first team players looking for minutes and blending them with aspiring younger players looking to gain experience competing against older players. What matters is that our youngsters get a chance to rub shoulders with experienced first team players and learn the tricks of the trade, and that we are providing a footballing outlet for young men after youth football some of whom will never make it into the 1st team, but even so, are skilled and committed players.

UNDER 18S

We have two under 18s sides ranging from 15 up to 18 years old. Our older 18s side, competing in the Southern Combination Football League, is managed by Simon Relleen and Mark Francis. It has been a tough entry into senior football for most of the lads and they have had mixed results so far this season, but the increasing commitment to higher levels of fitness and efforts of the squad and the coaching staff on the training fields is very obvious. The managers and players have

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been on a steep learning curve this year and are starting to gel as a unit and play good passing football.

At least three of the squad are already being watched carefully for promotion into the 23s and beyond. The younger 18s side under the long-term management of Scott Shorey and Dean Potter came straight from U15 last season. They took the plunge into U18 Mid Sussex Youth Football League and have had a superb season to date, in both league and cup performances. Their interplay, movement and ball skills are fast, accurate and powerful and already three of the players have made their way deservedly into the first team squad, via the 23s.

GIRL POWER

With the prospect of seven junior sides now filtering into our club from the huge commitment to girls football demonstrated by Roffey Robins FC, we have relaunched our women’s football programme starting with the Just Play scheme sponsored by England Football for women and girls to have a kick about, every Wednesday evening. With a hugely talented group of girls teams coming through from Roffey Robins, the oldest of which is currently U15, and with the development of additional players via the Just Play arrive and play, we will re-establish our senior team by the time we open our new ground in 2025.

WINNING THE WELCOME PRIZE

In my first season as Chairman, when we were not winning on the pitch, we decided that we would at least try to win the prize for making people feel welcome, so that for everyone,

VETERANS

Vets football has become increasingly popular and relevant over the last 20 years. Initiated in 2006 by Trevor Evershed, our vets setup, (originally Hills Farm Lane Vets) joined forces with Roffey FC in 2019. Today the fitness and abilities of the 35

year-olds turning to “veteran” football makes it harder to compete for our traditional vets! So as well as the over 35s, Roffey has also entered an over-45s “Masters” league, all under the management of Darron Mitchell. It is a fantastic thing for the men to be able to train and play together, and

for those who don’t fancy the pressure of league matches any more, Trevor still runs a “friendly match” squad! Last year we also held our first local vets tournament when 12 teams battled for the trophy.

This year will definitely be bigger as the word spreads!

coming to Roffey would be an enjoyable experience!

Nothing beats the smiley welcome from Sharon Powling as they hand over their entry fees and all of our match day volunteers work really hard to ensure that the experience of visiting the “Theatre of Trees” is positive, regardless of the football. This philosophy of genuine hospitality is now deeply embedded in our club culture, even though we want to beat the opposition on the pitch! Regardless of how well we are doing on the field we want to be respected for the way we treat our guests and our own people on match days, and we love receiving Ground Hoppers from around the country!

We are so fortunate to have Gill Hultquist who is famous around the Sussex football fraternity for her involvement in football over the last 35 years, formerly

in supporting her partner Russell Pentecost who managed various teams locally, and after his untimely death she continued to look after players with famous post-match curries, pastas, sausages, pizza and chips for players, managers and officials. She is hugely knowledgeable about football and when she breaks away from the kitchen is usually standing behind the opposition goal chatting to the keeper! Gill is most definitely a Roffey Treasure!

We are also lucky to have Lynette, ex-publican, running our two public bars, one outside in the new “fanzone” decking area alongside the pitch and also one inside the main clubhouse once the weather turns colder. Her daughter Jade, the club’s Welfare Officer, also runs our revamped “Boars Bites” cafe offering matchday food and beverages for supporters.

Apart from the football playing side of Roffey FC, the club has been part of the local community for more than a century, especially with our links to Roffey Cricket Club – only 3 years younger than Roffey FC (and Sussex Champions for 6 out of the last 9 years!). As our ground is designated as Public Open Space we have no choice but to share it with the local community. To do our bit towards making that work, we have put in place a huge effort over the last couple of years to create a more pleasant environment for walkers and visitors by opening up pathways through the woods around the grounds, building a new Tea Hut with a decking area with outside seating so people can just come and enjoy the woodland environment with a decent cup of coffee – or a cold beer if the new, outside bar is open!

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FOOTBALL GOLD

We have had guest appearances by several ex-pros over the years, but our most valuable and treasured connection is with the experienced Scottish player, manager and coach, Craig Brewster. He lives in Horsham with his family and runs his own successful youth coaching company, CB Pro Coaching, which looks after the footballing progression of over 180 local youngsters!

He also helps coach and manage the U18s at Horsham FC. Aside from that we are so fortunate that he takes time to coach Roffey FC’s 1st team who really enjoy and certainly benefit - from his high intensity sessions.

He is having a huge impact in all areas, from player commitment to training and development. Players can see the difference in mindset of a true professional as his class and commitment shines through. We all hold him in high regard, even when he demands an extra 20 press ups at the end of each session…there is no escape!

Being the older brother of the Manchester United captain, our Roffey 1st team captain, Ricardo Fernandes has plenty to deal with.

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People say he looks like his brother – and sometimes plays like him! One of our power-houses and certainly our play-maker mid fielder, with 13 goals so far under his belt and countless assists, our No 8 is a very special player and hugely loved and respected around the club.

Although Ricardo is a very modest man getting on with his own life, the occasional retweet by his brother gifts our club some 2+ million views on Twitter! But Ricardo is on his own football journey – apart from Roffey this year he will play for Surrey Football, a team which provides nonleague talents the opportunity to take on other unaffiliated UEFA and FIFA states regions nationally and internationally.

CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS

Managing one heavyclay pitch is considered a nightmare in today’s climate of excessive rain, so maintaining two is nothing short of soul destroying.

On this difficult soil type, with over 100 matches per season to accommodate, we are trying something different. We are one of the few football clubs in Britain using microorganism based

fertiliser solutions to create the optimum soil structure.

We have drastically cut back the use of nitrates and potassium-based fertilisers and also have reduced the need for costly watering of the pitches and the heavy and expensive application of sand.

We are also experimenting with the use of our own in-house produced charcoal (from burning the Ash trees removed by the Council) as a blend with sand to help strengthen and drain very wet patches around the ground.

The target is to stabilise and enhance soil structure and to achieve this largely without damaging the local water courses with excessive use of chemicals. It will take time, and we were seeing good results (until the water table rose up to our chins!). Our superb pitch team consisting of Richard, Harris, Sam Chapman, Darren Dance and Julian Miller, continues to fight valiantly against the elements to keep the matches flowing. It is a massive, but hugely appreciated undertaking for what is a “volunteer” force.

In addition to the volume of water thrown at us, we, like many fellow football clubs, have to deal with the

ROFFEY POTTED HISTORY

Roffey was first established in 1901 and although we are not sure where the early matches were played, by the early 1950s the Roffey team was playing in a farmers field, roughly marked out with 2 goals, behind All Saints Church off the Crawley Rd as you come into Horsham. Some of our older residents remember playing there! Throughout its 123 year history Roffey FC has depended heavily upon the help of willing and loyal volunteers, and it’s notable how many of the top club executives have been players and managers as well! We recall great characters such as Bill Jones who took the club forward after the World War II and as chairman found our first home with a new council pitch at “Roffey Rec” on Leith View Road, a pitch next to the Roffey Cricket Club. Here the club played matches for over 40 years. That pitch is still used today as a Council pitch. The players had the new luxury of changing in a small wooden hut in the corner, although no water or electricity! After a while the Club was allowed to use Roffey Working Men’s Club (now Roffey Club) for the showers and bar, before they then moved to the comfort of Roffey Cricket Club’s original club house next to the pitch. There was a strong community link between Roffey Cricket Club and Roffey Football Club.

Many young men played for both and on Saturdays the cricketers would come through the hedge and watch the football, and at the end of the season the football and cricket club had a match - the footballers who also played cricket would play for the cricket club!

Somehow the name Roffey Boars was shared between the cricket club and the FOOTBALL FOCUS MAGAZINE

football club, and for many years the club badges were very similar.

By the 1990s, Roffey realised the club needed its own home, and eventually Bill’s son, Vic Jones (first team goalie, chairman and then president), took the club into our current home at Bartholomew Way in 1994, with a brand new clubhouse and two pitches, built again by the council. He was supported by Terry Lacey who was our treasurer for 40 years before the likes of Steve Dennington, Chris Frogley and now in modern times the amazing Tony Limmer took on this most difficult role juggling the pennies.

Vic Searle was club secretary for almost 40 years until he finally retired in 2001. His son Colin, played for the club and remains one of our most loyal supporters. Mick Webb followed in the footsteps of his father Rod Webb (who was also a vice president), played a significant role as player, chairman and eventually club president, until Keith Edwards took over this important post in 2016.

His sister Julie also handled the club secretary role for many years. There have been many other important characters along the way, but special mention must go to Roger Berwick, pictured with Keith, our current President, who facilitated the move to our current ground and did a huge amount of work in the existing wooden structure club house to add a kitchen, inside toilets, a bar and changing rooms. 40 years as a player, committee member, vice-president, chairman and general maintenance and pitch guru around the whole site, he finally hung up his boots just before the covid era. He continues to be held in high regard by players and club executives and remains a loyal club supporter.

SUCCESSES

Success came first in the 1920s, with two wins in the Horsham Junior Charity Cup, in the 1930s with two crowns as Horsham League Division 1 Champions and twice winners of the Horsham Senior Charity Cup. Over the coming decades there was success in various cups and leagues until in 1969 the club joined the Crawley & District League, winning the Premier Division in 1982. After some yo-yoing between the Premier and Division 1 leagues, Roffey FC joined the Mid Sussex Football League in 2005.

Two more top finishes and a runners-up spot in the Premier Division saw them accepted by the Sussex County Football League in 2011, which, at the time, which is a major landmark in the club’s history and the first time at intermediate level. By then the club was already 110 years old!

In more recent history, 2012/13 saw the Club get back to winning ways with a mid-table finish in County Div 2 and success for the reserves and 3rd teams in the Mid Sussex leagues. It also saw the introduction of an U18 squad for the first time, who narrowly missed out on the Arun and Chichester League title but won the cup and were runners up again the following year.

In 2015/16 the 1st Team finished runners up in Div 1, but dissapointingly failed the ground requirements for promotion, while the U18 team won the Combination Central League of Leagues.

The 2017/18 season saw the 1st XI narrowly miss out on promotion after being top at Christmas. In the Summer of 2019 Roffey FC was finally awarded the funding and approvals to install

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floodlights and a spectator stand, allowing the club the opportunity to go forward.

Later in 2019 Hills Farm Veteran’s club joined hands with Roffey FC to become the Vets team, which has grown and grown!

Post-covid, in the Summer of 2022 the 1st XI fought hard to win the SCFL Division 1 title in a thrilling season, gaining promotion to the Premier Division

for the first time in the Club’s long history! After a difficult start to 2022-23 Season the team rebuilt and ended the season strongly, but too late to maintain its position in the Premier Division. It’s a funny thing in football, the way things ebb and flow.

We are now on a roll and looking to push back into the Premier Division. After that...watch this space!

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damage created by a few unsympathetic dog walkers who fail to appreciate what it takes to maintain first class pitches during wet periods.

It is amazing how much damage boots and paws can do on sodden grass, turning it into a quagmire!

Maintaining serious football pitches while being accessible to the public 24/7 may be mutually exclusive however much time, effort and funds goes into them.

Thankfully, we have the prospect of our own 3G

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football complex, which we hope will come on stream by the end of 2025, plus two brand new grass pitches… and yes they will be fenced off! Who knows we may actually miss those dreaded Doberman paw marks!!!

Like most clubs, we constantly face funding challenges. Football clubs at this level drain funds faster than anyone can imagine paying for pitch maintenance, training facilities, league and FA costs, escalating utilities, match filming and all of the

other costs that impact a club of our standing. It is a constant headache for our diligent and long-standing Treasurer, Tony Limmer. We were lucky to have a local benefactor who, among other things, sorted out the legal fees required to get the council to convert our ground licence to a 25 year lease – which then allowed us to move ahead with flood lighting grants and the stadium grant. This is great, but through the seasons, unless our sponsors come

on this journey together with us we cannot progress.

As we go up the leagues into Step 5 (hopefully) and beyond the club should attract more spectators and more coverage locally. We know though, that to make the club sustainable we need to do more. Our club house is currently shared with a pre-school, and we want to improve it, open it up more so we can run events and get it humming and singing for the club. We also have big plans for new facilities...read on!

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DARING TO DREAM

Looking to the future, we are very ambitious and are daring to imagine what life could look like for us in step 5 and beyond. What is most important is critical mass both in terms of players and supporters. With the junior players from Roffey Robins FC (and others besides feeding into our system), we have over 550 players. With that comes the need for better facilities and in our area, because of the heavy clay soil we all battle with season after season, a switch away from only grass pitches to synthetic 3G options is the way to go. So we have to push for at least one new 3G stadium and after a lot of discussion with developers Legal & General, the local council, and others, we are on the way towards having our new site established in North Horsham by end 2027.

By then, if all goes to plan, our club will operate on two sites, four grass pitches, one 3G stadium pitch with a 300 person stand, 2 practice

“mugas” and a mini practice 3G area which we hope to cover over in due course.

Both clubhouses will be open to the public and available for hire with bar facilities, in total 5 sets of changing rooms, an outside bar, together with our public “tea hut” (Boar’s Bites!) catering for our local community, many of whom use our site for recreation. It might sound ambitious, but we have to dare to dream and we have to be prepared to put the work in to make it happen!

Everyone in the club from the supporters, players and throughout the management and coaching team sense that something good is happening. A lot of it is due to the renewed confidence of the first team, but also the spirit amongst the other teams is largely positive as standards rise. We will see cup and league successes on the field with future prospects of brand new facilities are now filtering through. We will be able to say more about these new facilities in due course

and the buzz around the club will no doubt intensify as the bulldozers arrive across the dual carriageway in the summer of 2024.

Non-league football consists of so many similar scale clubs all with a similar story of development but all competing in the same airspace. Money is tight wherever you go and committees across the board are trying their best to balance the books and achieve some form of stability while providing the facilities and experience that players and supporters want nowadays. Creating limited company status, registering for VAT, paying for services rather than depending on willing volunteers, improving facilities and leaning on the likes of Football Foundation, it’s all part of the same game.

As said in so many similar articles, the inevitable quest is to balance sustainability with ambition. That means improving the experience and the quality of your teams all within realistic financial limits. Our club is no different. And yet it is great to be part of a club where the passion and the hunger for success is real. Players respect the history but they can taste a great future. We all know we cannot sit still in no man’s land, so we must grow.

JOSHUA HARRIS SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR, HARRIS WICKENS ESTATE AGENTS

It’s great to hear that Football Focus Magazine is including a substantial tribute on Roffey FC. It is well-deserved as I don’t know of another club that provides such a valuable service to our local community.

My dad, Richard, is one of the club’s main groundsmen, and I know he works really hard throughout the season to ensure the best possible playing surface for the players.

I recently set up my own Estate Agency business and feel that the values and ethics I bring to the business are very similar to those I have experienced at the football club. We are both people-cantered and want to give as much as we can to help local people in our community. I guess this is part of the reason I became a club sponsor!

I would really like to thank everyone at Roffey FC for all the kind support they have given me and wish everyone all the best of continued success as we head towards the end of the 2023/2024 campaign!

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Bourne Town FC

CHRIS GOOD CHAIRMAN “We must be doing things right!”

I personally became involved in the club as a player for the junior section at the age of 10 – playing for all age groups.

I then played for the senior team, predominantly for the reserves, but made a handful of first team appearances.

I was part of the successful reserve team that won the UCL reserve leagues two year running in 2003 and 2004.

After the 2004 season I retired from playing to spend time with my two young boys. As they got older, I managed both of their junior teams and was an active member on the junior committee. I then joined the senior committee and eventually became Chairman in July 2021.

When I took over as Chairman it was a very difficult time. The FA was restructuring, as were the leagues, and we found ourselves being put in the Thurlow Nunn Division One North league which meant a lot more travelling.

During that summer we didn’t have a manager and many players wouldn’t commit to travelling and therefore playing in that league. The club successfully appealed against the FA’s decision, and we were reinstated into the UCL division 1. However, due to the timings of the appeal we were well behind with recruitment of players and a manager.

We then decided to bring back former manager Steve Wilson to the club who also had a nucleus of players to

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bring in. It was a really difficult first season with the club finishing in 19th position.

During the summer of 2022 we agreed to get our recruitment of players completed early and brought in a director of football Michael Goode to help with this. He has (Non league Step 5 experience over 10 years prior to Covid and great local player knowledge) – Michael worked closely with the manager in 2022-2023 to bring about on pitch change.

A process that took us from 5th bottom to 3rd in one season – after losing in play off we adjusted our aim for

2023-24 to focus on winning the league and to sell to existing and new players our clear vision. We immediately put in place the support network to achieve our goals!

In my first year of being Chairman we successfully installed new LED Floodlights to replace the existing Halide ones which were over 25 years old. This summer we are hoping to revamp our clubhouse and changing rooms. A new kitchen install has taken place after successfully getting it via the Howdens Game Changer Program.

On the pitch our aim was to put together the best team possible from players that want to play for Bourne Town Football Club and who have a desire to compete as high as they can in the nonleague ladder. To support this, we planned out a funding strategy through our sustainable business model.

Making the club, on and off the pitch, somewhere that supporters of non-league football wanted to come to on a Saturday afternoon, with a team that go out to entertain those fans and bring success to the club, was our highest priority!

Our recent developments

have all been about realigning the clubs aims and ambitions, putting in place a committee with a common goal and the drive and passion to support growthand then a management structure with the experience to deliver on the pitch.

Without that the off-pitch plans cannot gain momentum.

The general mood down at the club and around the town has never been so High. The whole town had gotten behind us this season.

At our last home game versus Clipstone we had 503 spectators through the gate which for step 6 is unreal!

Our average home gate this season is 285.

Our First Team aim was to win the league. We are making strides towards it, but this is a difficult division to get out of - 25 games and 22 wins has put us on a good footing but with 15 games to go there is a lot of football to be played. We won’t change our principles and we will work as hard as we can to achieve the goal.

Our reserve side currently sit 2nd in the UCL reserve league, and our A team sit top of the Peterborough and District league Division 3.

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JOHN FURLONG SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: JJMAC

I have lived in the area for well over 2 decades now and spoke to the club 10 years ago about my interest in becoming a club sponsor. Since then, I have been continually impressed by the club, players, coaches and members that have really helped put Bourne on the map.

As main club sponsor I have signed up again to support this great club again next season and hope to continue into the foreseeable future.

This season players and coach have come together to produce a fantastic run in the league. Best wishes to everyone at Bourne Town FC on an outstanding 23/24 campaign and wish you all the very best of continued success for many more years to come.

Additionally, we are currently the home ground for Peterborough United Women who play in the FA National Women’s League.

We are looking at expanding next year and introducing a Vets Team and walking football team.

We are 100 percent a community club, based in the heart of the town, and that helps massively and probably explains a little way as to why we are so well supported.

Our sponsors are amazing, and this has been something we have worked really hard on over the last two years.

We have three or four bigger sponsors and then smaller businesses support us by purchasing a banner or board that is situated around the pitch. Every home game is sponsored by a local company, and they enjoy a free bar and buffet during the game as part of

UNITY

Bourne Town Football Club and Bourne Town Juniors have always been run as two separate committees and clubs although we are now aligned more than ever in the past. We welcome our junior sections to match days and many of the junior teams acts as mascots. The juniors hold their annual tournament every May at our ground.

The relationship is very good between the two with many senior committee members having been part of the junior setup.

Senior philosophy is to play

the package. This package has proved very popular and the remainder of home games for this season we have more than one match sponsor.

Bourne Town Football Club is a great club to be part of because of the people involved in running it. We have 22 dedicated committee members who are all volunteers and have bought into what we are trying to achieve. It’s also great because of our supporters and the town who have really got behind us, especially this season.

There are lots of people coming week in week out to support the team and every week there is also fresh faces which is great to see as it tells us we must be doing things right!

Photos ©Dan Allen Club Photographer

attractive front foot football across all 3 senior teams with a close working relationship that allows players to meet their own aspirations in non-league football and to develop youth across those senior sections when the opportunity arises.

More work naturally needs to be done with the Junior section as they have historically worked separately. This dialogue and togetherness has grown with a tournament hosted at club, including mascots etc but more to be done and developed in the coming years.

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A LOOK BACK AT BTFC

Formed in 1883, Bourne Town played all its early football in the Peterborough League, winning the Championship for the first time in 1933/34 and then immediately following the second World War in successive seasons 1945/46 and 1946/47.

It was during this period after the war when the nickname ‘The Wakes’ (from Hereward the Wake) came in, being as a result of a competition organized by the club, offering a prize of £5 for the most suitable nickname for the team.

This success heralded improved status, with the club gaining admission to the United Counties League, but success eluded the Abbey Lawn Club. Finishing in the top half of the table only twice and five times in the bottom two places over a nine year period resulted in a return to the Peterborough League for two seasons.

Next stop was the Central Alliance League and in 1959/60 manager Sid Otterwell and his players brought the first non-league Championship to the Abbey Lawn. The next season, the Lincolnshire Senior B’ trophy was added to the silverware.

In 1961 the club entered the newly re-formed Midland League but after only Four years, returned to the United Counties League for an unbroken 48-year period.

The period between 1968 and 1972 brought

unprecedented success under the managership of Terry Bates and chairmanship of Wilf Notley.

Three Unitedy Counties Football League Championships, United Counties Football League Knockout Cup, Lincolnshire Senior ‘A’ Cup, the RAFA Cup (twice), Scarber Cup (twice) as well as cup successes for the Reserves all came to the Abbey Lawn. Player-Manager Mark Mitchell assembled a quality team to bring the United Counties Football League Championship back to the Abbey Lawn in 1990/91 completing the ‘double’ winning the United Counties League Benevolent Cup. Runners-up in the Evans Halshaw Floodlit Cup completed a remarkable season.

In January 2004, Thomas Leonard Pick died at the age of 94. Len was a lifelong supporter of Bourne Town Football Club and was President and Patron of the club.

In his Will, Len left a substantial amount of money to the club to be used to enhance the future of his beloved Wakes. The money was not to be used to fund transfers or players’ wages, and so the Management Committee decided to rebuild the Clubroom which has stood since 1969 and needed work. This was eventually finished in 2006 and is known as The Len Pick Suite’. The building has no doubt improved the image of the club and it may be hired, together with the club bar for private functions.

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GEORGE GEORGIO SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: GEORGES FISH BAR

I have lived in the area for 24 years and although I am a Leicester City fan, I have always also been a supporter of Bourne Towne FC and attend their matches fairly regularly.

As a sponsor we supply all their food for the 1st, reserves, and A teams. Being a local business we very much understand and appreciate that communities are all about supporting each other and giving freely without thought of reward.

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Bourne is distant from many other larger football clubs and therefore offers an invaluable service for local people to congregate and enjoy the great game of football.

I can’t speak highly enough about the volunteers and unsung heroes at Bourne Town Football Club that regularly turn up and provide a place for people to meet.

This season the football has been excellent and a reflection of their strong league position. Best wishes to everyone at the club on a successful end to the 2023/2024 season!

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I reside in Bourne and had the opportunity to play for the club's reserve team when I was 17 years old. That was back in the day when our 1st team squad were competing impressively in the UCL Premier Leagues, achieving some remarkable results, notably in '91.

Throughout the years, I've maintained a keen interest in the club's performance, following their journey through ups and downs. This season, in particular, has been exceptional for Bourne Town. Currently positioned comfortably at the top of the United Counties Division One, as we approach the business end of the season, a potential promotion looms, which would elevate Bourne Town to the next level.

Our sponsorship commitment has grown over the seasons, and we take great pride in continuing our support and contribution to the club. We are happy to sponsor matches and bring along some friends and colleagues to enjoy the atmosphere. My stepson, Seb, used to play for the Town until a severe knee injury led him to hang up his boots; these days, you're more likely to find Seb on the golf course, often with me by his side. (and our Installations Manager, Dan played for Bourne for many seasons) Achieving promotion would not only be a significant milestone for Bourne Town FC but also a testament to the hard work that has gone into providing a vital gathering place for the local community and surrounding areas. It would give everyone a local football club to be proud of.

On behalf of myself and everyone at Safeguard, we extend our best wishes to the club for the remainder of this season and for continued success in the future!

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Lincoln United FC Outstanding on and off the pitch!

TOM STANSFIELD DIRECTOR “One Club, One Community!”

Having worked in the legal/ corporate world and deciding to step away and start a new business, I wanted a side project related to my passion and football was the answer. Here in Lincoln, there are two clubs - Lincoln City and Lincoln United. I had a connection who was on the board down at Lincoln United so I reached out to see what support I could offer.

Before I knew it, I joined a board of 4 other devoted fans. Over the past two seasons, the club has undergone significant development. The board has developed and expanded from 5 to 12, our new Chairman Allen Crombie alongside Vice Chair Sam Wilkinson has overseen the introduction of a Supporters Trust, and the club is going from strength to strength.

As volunteers, battling the demands of running a club with 32 teams from junior to senior level remains one of the most significant challenges but the board remain committed to continuous development.

We’ve experienced incredible growth over the last couple of seasons and it’s thanks to all of the hard work that goes on behind the scenes. We’ve seen new fans coming through the door, we have an incredible group of coaches who give us their time to support our juniors, and we’re trying to be progressive with our socials and comms. Long may it continue!

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Over the last season Gemma (our Junior Director) stepped up to help push our junior section forward and has recruited a committee to support junior functions.

With any semi-professional football team, tight budgets and financial management remain a focus. Thanks to Nicole (our treasurer), our new board structure, headed

by Allen and Sam with the support of former Chairman Chris Hough, we went from a club with no stadium sponsor, only one stand sponsorship, and only a quarter of the pitch surrounded by pitch side boards to a partnership with Sun Hat Villas who have partnered with the club for 5 years, a continued partnership with TR Weston (a long standing supporter) who have been instrumental in ensuring the continuity of the club, and to a pitch with 43 new pitch

side boards this season alone.

Having partners like Allen Signs (a signage company) who understand our predicaments has been a factor in carefully managing challenges.

As with any club, we’re realistic about what we feel the club can achieve and the resources allocated to the provision of these plans needs to be carefully managed. That said we know that the right team on and off the pitch can transform a club. On the pitch Chris Funnell (Manager of our Senior Men and Women’s team) has been instrumental in our teams’ recent fortunes.

He’s led the women’s team to a County Cup Final win over rivals Lincoln City FC. Both teams sit top of the table in their respective divisions with promotion high in our hopes. We’ve already seen the pathway from juniors to seniors in

force with 4 players in our men’s team coming from our development side.

Off the pitch our group of volunteers has increased and the investment of £100,000 in the ground (under pitch sprinklers etc.) post Covid will continue. Paul Marsh (our new Stadium Manager) has come in ensure a welcoming and safe environment for both home and away fans.

Our supporter’s trust has also brought in new partnerships that would have been a struggle to pull off otherwise.

The right people in the right roles remains a priority.

Gemma - our Junior Director supported by Director - Glen and the junior committee represent our senior footballers of tomorrow. Our coaches are encouraged to get involved with Lincolnshire FA events, supported in continuing coaching badges, and this is all in the efforts to ensure our juniors enjoy their football and have opportunities to progress.

I, myself have begun coaching our U8 girls’ team who have appeared twice as mascots for our senior women’s team this season.

I’ve brought in a fellow coach from sponsor - Petaurum HR to support, who has stepped up and joined the junior committee because of the buy in surrounding our pathway.

Without a shadow of doubt the mood at our cub is Incredibly positive at the moment. Any football fans will recognise the challenges their club faces. For United we’ve had challenging times on and off the pitch but faced weaknesses and have a plan in place to put the club higher than it’s been.

Both our Chairman (Allen Crombie) and our Vice

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Chairman (Sam Wilkinson) have played for and managed our team. A number of our board and supporters trust have long-standing connections with the club and you can see the passion they have for the long-term success of Lincoln United.

This season we were also delighted to recognise Kallum Smith who has achieved

over 500 games for the club and remains a staple for us in defence stopping attacks down the oppositions right.

It’s players like Kallum, and their dedication, that help clubs like us to succeed.

Both of our senior teams sit top of the table at the time of writing this. We’re continuing to bring in players who, in the mind of our management

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teams believe will remain competitive for the second half of the season. Our senior development squads are equally as competitive.

Recently our women’s devs took on our senior women’s team in the County Cup Quarter Finals which shows the quality in our pathway.

Rick Brock-Taylor - a long standing supporter of our club and father of club captain Chloe recently stepped into the role of Women’s Director but has long been a member of our board. Having this representation on the board ensures that our women’s side gets the investment and support that it needs to ensure that we as a club remain competitive.

We are one hundred percent a community club. Our motto is ‘One Club, One Community’.

We’re a community club through and through. We

simply wouldn’t exist without the support of the local people and local businesses.

Whilst Lincoln is a city with 85,000 people, we’re realistic and know that we are presently the ‘second Club’ in the city. We’re lucky to enjoy good relations with Lincoln City who offer loan players to our club and who support us with a pre-season friendly and we’re thankful to their team headed by Jez Geoge.

With support of our Communications Director Charlie Fytche we have built a social media community of over 16,000. We’re able to give serious promotion to the businesses that support the club. Our supporters trust host gala dinners and sportsperson evenings to raise funds and bring the community together.

We host supporter days at matches and are working with sponsor Petaurum HR to roll out their Benefits Cloud system to fans and sponsors.

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GLYN WESTON SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: TR WESTON & SON

It was back in `94 that I first got involved in the planning and building of a stand at the club and the relationship really took off from there.

My wife Clare is a fan of football and Lincoln United with her dad Brian Hanson still supporting the club to this day.

Our son Daniel also played junior football for the club in his teens and although his training as an airline pilot has taken him away from the club for a few years, and during covid, he still considers himself a supporter. We were able to help the club out with goalposts back then to ensure that Daniel and his young teammates were able to use the main pitch.

Lincoln United FC is a fantastic club to be part of with a real abundance of great people who look after each other and their local community. Recently a player came up to me in the clubhouse and very graciously thanked me for my contribution to Lincoln United over the years; this was very much heartfelt and appreciated by me personally and spoke volumes about the type of people we have at the club. Best wishes to everyone for the remainder of the 2023/2024 campaign!

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Sponsors importance can’t be understated. As commercial director, and with a number of marketing agencies we’ve been able to allocate some resources to developing relationships with local businesses. We’ve done this through the creation of a local business directory called BusinessImp.co.uk to give additional promotion to teams. From experience and having sponsored clubs in the past, I know better than most that it’s difficult to get or measure a return on investment. We look to provide the best possible engagement in thanks for the valuable support of our investors. It’s not just the financial investment, sponsors like TR Westons have helped us develop stands for

example, and recently, Lincs Joinery have helped with the redevelopment of our boardroom.

It’s the community.

Football is a sport that brings people together and for me personally, being able to bring people down to watch a game has been instrumental in developing relationships. For fans, it’s the feedback we get about the quality of the ground or the condition of the pitch (thanks to Matt Bradley). The matchday is always special and with hospitality, thanks to Hannah in our boardroom, or Sue who looks after sponsors, and the warm welcome from stewards, our fans and visitors enjoy something that’s more than just about the result.

JONJO MCGOVERN, SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: MCGOVERN ASSESSMENTS

I hail from Lincoln, where the club predated even my own existence, thus instilling a lifelong awareness of its presence. As a fervent supporter of Lincoln City, I’d often turn to United for my football fix when the former wasn’t playing at home. My main footballing passions extend to the great Celtic FC, often finding myself immersed in the vibrant football culture of Glasgow and Scotland.

Currently, my cousin Jack, a talented centre forward for the club, is on temporary hiatus due to family commitments, as he and his wife welcome a new addition to their family.

One of the hallmark traits of Lincoln United, common

to any reputable club, lies in its people. Over the years, the club has been blessed with a multitude of individuals who’ve steered its course steadfastly. The synergy of a robust off-field team undeniably bolsters the players’ performance on the pitch. This season, in particular, has been nothing short of magnificent, fuelling dreams of witnessing our supporters and players grace the hallowed grounds of Wembley!

McGovern Assessments proudly stands as a sponsor of the club this season.

I seize this moment to extend my heartfelt wishes to all associated with this esteemed community club, which serves as a bastion of support for countless locals.

Here’s to continued success for the remainder of the 2023/2024 campaign!

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DOMINIC REVILL FORMER PLAYER, SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: LINCS LINING LTD

I was born and bred in Lincoln and played football for St. Helens FC from U11s to U16s.

Our cup finals were usually played at Lincoln United, so I had the experience of playing there too. I signed for Lincoln United as a 17-yearold, usually slotting in to the left back or sweeper position when we played with 3 centre halves. I continued playing there and at other local clubs in the region like Stamford, Spalding & Grantham Town over the course of my playing career, oftentimes under the excellent tutelage of the late great John Wilkinson and people like Gary Goddard and the legend Allen Crombie. Back when I started, we were in the North East Counties league, similar in stature to the current league the lads are playing in now. I have many great memories of those earlier years when my dad Tony would come and support me playing. He loved Lincoln United and was once the club steward. I suppose in some ways his legacy lives on in that I now take my son Teddy, who is just 5 years old, along to matches and recognize in him the same love of football I had.

Teddy is well known at the club, not only for his singing skills on the team bus but also his invasion of the pitch in the recent quarter-final Vase victory and subsequent image being circulated of the post-match celebrations on the shoulders of team captain Elliot Dye! It’s been a challenging season for our players, having to play over 60 games, and inevitably fatigue will play a part. Work, playing football, traveling to matches, and living life with only so many hours in the day can affect

energy levels, and rest and nutrition can often get neglected all of which will offer players challenges.

Nevertheless, the prize of playing at Wembley will, I’m sure, drive our team to give it their best game as we enter the final phase of our season! Lincoln United Football Club has always been the club I supported, they were my local team, and it is also where my best friends are. I know many of these guys from my youth football days through into the men’s game, and like me,

they are still involved at Lincoln United. It was great to see Sam Wilkinson carry out his dad’s wishes through the implementation of The Supporters Trust, which I was grateful to be able to support also, and this year I have been able to give a little back and support a club that has given me and my family so much through my business Lincs Lining Ltd. Best wishes to everyone associated with the club for the remainder of what has already been an outstanding season!

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55

Farnham Town FC AN INTRODUCTION TO FARNHAM TOWN FC

First-team Progress In the picturesque town of Farnham, better known for its love of rugby, a footballing community is burgeoning.

Farnham Town Football Club, currently competing in the Combined Counties Premier Division South, is not just atop of the division; they are dominating, leaving a trail of success that’s turning heads in the ninth tier of English football.

This season, perched at the pinnacle of their division, Farnham finds itself in a unique position. Seventeen league games, seventeen victories (at the time of writing). They stand as the last bastion of perfection in a country teeming with football clubs. But the on-field performance has come as no surprise to those connected to the Club over the past few seasons.

The Club’s descent to Division One (Step 6) in the 2017/18 season marked a pivotal moment. Since then, it has not only risen from the shadows but has become an integral, prominent and celebrated part of the Farnham community.

Promotion back to Step 5 was secured at a third attempt in 2020/21 as the tide began to turn – with average attendances more than doubling, to 124, from the relegation year (57). The upward trajectory continued, with attendance figures maintaining steady growth to an average of 366 in the 2022/23 season.

Paul Johnson assumed the role of first-team manager at Farnham Town midway through last season, with former Crystal Palace defender Jimmy Hibburt joining as his assistant, sparking a resurgence in the team’s fortunes. Under their guidance, the squad achieved a historic top-6 finish, concluding the season with a commendable 10-game unbeaten streak. Triumph in the Surrey Combination Cup final last May signalled the latest peak for Farnham – securing the Club’s first silverware since 2016 in front of over 1,100 fans.

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Momentum has carried into this season as Farnham Town sit atop the Combined Counties Premier Division South. But it’s not just the wins that make them stand out; it’s the sheer style and finesse displayed on the pitch. The team’s goal-scoring prowess is a spectacle, averaging more than four goals per game. A staggering 106 goals have been notched up in all competitions so far, a feat that, if sustained, could see them breach the 200-goal mark by the end of the season.

But it’s not all about attacking flair. Farnham’s defence – with Club captain Guy Hollis and partner Ryan Kinnane at the heart – is a fortress, conceding only eight league goals. They hold the title of the most

impenetrable defence across all levels of English football.

Keeping clean sheets has become a habit, with 15 recorded in all competitions already this season.

While the FA Cup dreams may have been dashed by Chesham, Farnham’s journey in the FA Vase continues. A convincing 6-0 triumph over Burnham in the previous round sets the stage for a clash against Bridgwater, and the dream of Wembley is very much alive.

And let’s talk goals.

Darryl Sanders, a standout signing from Bracknell Town, leads the way with goal involvements and Man of the Match awards, but Shamal Edwards, Charlie Postance, Harry Cooksley, Adam Liddle

and academy graduate Owen Dean have each contributed double-digits to the goalscoring spree that has become synonymous with Farnham’s style of play.

Club Development On-field development has been matched by off-the-field growth. Average attendances have risen to a historic tally of 589 this season – a far cry from the modest average of 57 just five seasons ago. The Clockenders, the heartbeat of Farnham Town, are playing their part in turning the home ground into a fortress.

Increased matchday footfall has resulted in The Memorial Ground undergoing substantial development, driven by a

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vision to create the best matchday experience in nonleague football.

Improvements to pitch side fencing enhance visual appeal and prioritise safety. A state-of-the-art LED scoreboard adds professionalism to match days, complementing the new all-seater stand, with an additional 210 capacity all-standing stand set for erection by March 2024.

Clubhouse enhancements elevate the fan experience, featuring new and increased pumps, reusable cups for usage around the ground, Sky Sports and TNT Sport channels. A pitch side Club Shop and drinks outlet meet merchandising needs, while a focus on culinary diversity introduces a burger van and the innovative ‘Mystery Kitchen’ initiative, changing menu game-to-game A newly acquired greenskeeper shed and equipment upgrades point to Farnham Town’s commitment to improving pitch quality and the strive towards excellence across all aspects of the club, creating a holistic experience that resonates

with both loyal fans and newcomers alike.

Investment into the Club’s digital brand to increase online presence and build an audience that tune-in to content each week has contributed to the feel good factor surrounding the Town. Non-League Diaries, Farnham Town’s answer to Amazon Prime Video’s All or Nothing series, encapsulates all elements of running a football club day-to-day, aiming to provide transparency for fans globally.

The output does not stop there, however. Extended and 60-second highlight packages are produced

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for each game. Notably, most midweek fixtures are broadcast live on YouTube, in collaboration with Your Instant Replay, offering Farnham Town fans an enriched experience even on matchdays when they cannot

be physically present.

Regular podcast-style content featuring key club stakeholders is also generated. This serves as a platform to address fans’ most pressing questions, discuss recent changes within the club, reflect on recent events, and shed light on future ambitions.

Partnerships with content creators, such as the Sidemen, Pitchside Podcast and Thogden, have accelerated digital growth; resulting in the ninth-tier club generating over 90,000 new followers, 50 million impressions and merchandise sales in more than 15 countries in the past year.

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Community Focus While the Club fervently supports its first-team, Development side, and under-18s, its impact extends to over 1,200 players competing across over 70 teams from Youth level to Vets and walking football.

As part of the Club’s commitment to connect with all elements of the local community, Farnham Town Flares walking football team were launched in 2020. A squad now with over 40 members, aged 45 to 75, who compete in national, regional and local competitions, as well as

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enjoying regular social events.

This season, the Farnham Town Flares have Over 50s, Over 60s and Multiage (one player over 70) teams competing in the national WFA Cup, the Surrey FA League and Cup competitions and the monthly Hants FA Tournament, playing against teams such as Chelsea, Fulham, Portsmouth and AFC Wimbledon.

Farnham Town’s commitment to the community transcends football, impacting various teams and organisations at the heart of the town.

Through their schools

outreach programme, in partnership with A-Plan Insurance, they generously provide over 10,000 free tickets to local school children and families each season.

Since 2021, the Club has proudly supported the Farnham Foodbank – featuring the logo on firstteam shirts and serving as a drop zone on matchdays, fostering community welfare.

Fans actively contribute by donating food, and in appreciation, the Club offers promotions, such as free entry on matchdays, on top of cash donations made to the

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foodbank. This underscores Farnham Town’s holistic approach, combining the joy of football with a genuine dedication to the well-being of the residents.

The Memorial Ground opens its doors midweek to host various clubs too.

Among these are the Farnham Running Club, fostering a sense of unity and wellbeing through shared physical activity.

Furthermore, the club supports the Hedgehogs, a Farnhambased charity with a noble mission of “Helping Local People, Charity’s, & Worthy Organisations in need.” The partnership with the Hedgehogs exemplifies Farnham Town’s dedication to making a positive impact beyond the pitch, contributing to the betterment of the local community.

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PHILLIP BLACKMORE SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: CATCH GROUP

Our engagement with Farnham Town FC came about through two of our staff members, Tom Smith and Harry Cooksley, being players. This led to a visit to the club where I was made to feel welcomed and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. After a while, I got chatting with the club’s commercial manager, Ed Kelsing. It became apparent very quickly that the club’s values, both on and off the pitch, were very similar to our business model at Catch.

Over the past two years, as a club sponsor, I have been able to witness their continued development. Manager Jono has certainly stabilized the squad, an essential for any team or business, and he has managed to demonstrate strong leadership and impart good playing philosophy amongst his players who are excelling at the top of their division still unbeaten, and playing some excellent football!

At weekends, you will not only see my wife Elizabeth, our children, Arthur and George, and I down at the club, but very often there will be staff members there also enjoying the atmosphere and togetherness the club exudes.

The Blackmore family could certainly be described as a very sporty one, and my wife and I sometimes get the opportunity to head to the club on our own on a weekend with a babysitter taking care of the boys. This speaks volumes about the high regard in which we hold Farnham Town FC. Arthur, who is football mad, will be starting his own footballing pathway this year with another local club and may, in future seasons, end up at Farnham. I can’t speak highly enough about the outstanding youth setup that the club has built up to support young people throughout our community. The club also introduced our business to Farnham Food Bank which we are very happy to also be able to support.

At my age and circumstances, you don’t always get the opportunity to meet up with friends like I use to or as often as I’d like. The club really offers a place where families can congregate.

Farnham Town Football Club is the essence of a true and committed community club that knows how to do things right, and myself, my family, and all our staff at Catch Group would like to congratulate everyone on an outstanding season and wish everyone all the very best of continued success for many more years to come!

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JOHN FORTUNE SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: MKJ GROUP I am originally from Kelso and moved to the region back in '61. I have always been a keen sports fan over the years; Kevin in the office is a Bristol Rovers fan. Despite other commitments, I have managed to get down to a few matches this season and thoroughly enjoyed the occasions, including a sponsors' day. Many of my good friends live in Farnham, and after connecting with the club 5 years ago and being impressed by their people and setup, I decided to become a sponsor, which I've maintained

ever since. The team's league position speaks for itself, and although I wouldn't like to jinx them, it seems likely that it will be onwards and upwards this season which is greatly deserved and I feel they would handle the higher league with relative ease. The continued club development, both on and off the field, has definitely prepared them for the higher divisions. Myself and everyone at MKJ Group would like to congratulate everyone at Farnham Town FC on an excellent season so far and wish them all the very best of continued success for the foreseeable future!

MKJ Group have many years of fibre optic and structured cabling experience across a range of industrial sectors. ​With a proven capability to deliver successful cabling projects our clients are assured of quality and professional design and installation services.

• • • • •

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CHRIS BIGGS SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: BRANCH MANAGER OF HOWDEN INSURANCE I live about 30 minutes from Farnham and have worked in the local branch of Howden for the past 22 years. I’m proud to say that I have come to know the community and its people very well. If I’m not following Brentford, my wife and I will often attend the Farnham Town matches, which is indicative of the esteem in which we hold the club personally. The welcome you receive and the great atmosphere and camaraderie prevalent at the club is second to none. Since Harry Hugo and his team’s involvement, there seems to be a real direction the club has embodied, and with the way the team is currently performing, the sky is surely the limit for Farnham Town Football Club!

It’s great to see Farnham Town Football Club doing so well this season, with the support very much born out of their local presence and focus on helping its people. We elected to sponsor the club as they genuinely mirror the values and passion for helping local people that Howden do.

I was honoured recently

to be asked to become a trustee of the Farnham Day Care Centre who also deliver meals for over 100 people daily, which the club also supports. The club has supported several charity events for the centre at their clubhouse, which was great to see and further validation of how Farnham Town is also committed to their support of local people and initiatives.

Part of our own commitment to helping local causes expands to the younger members of Farnham. Here at Howden, we are sponsoring the schools outreach program, which provides tickets to local children to attend their matches. Because we think every child should be able to play football, we also host an in-branch football boot exchange scheme, where parents and children can swap boots when they grow out of the old ones.

The matchday ticket project may also be something we expand on in the future.

Whenever I attend the club, I inevitably bump into some of our clients who are supporters, which is always great to see.

Often, our team members will attend matches together, which, like the club, is a great and valuable team-building exercise.

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“Delighted to be associated with the success of Farnham Town FC!”

“Delighted to be associated with the success of Farnham Town FC!”

01488 73393 www.mkjgroup.co.uk

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Hinckley AFC ”Unfinished Business, Acted On! ” BRYAN WHITE CHAIRMAN

In December 1973 I went to my first match at Hinckley Athletic 6 days after moving to the town. In those days I continued to watch Athletic when not playing myself until I moved away from the area.

I returned in the late 1990s shortly after Hinckley Athletic and Town had merged to form Hinckley United. I continued to follow United until their demise in 2013.

Following the collapse of Hinckley United, a number of supporters including myself organised a meeting to begin a phoenix club for the people of Hinckley and the surrounding borough. From here I became a member of the working group, and was involved with initial applications. Upon the founding of Hinckley AFC I have undertaken a number

of roles becoming Chairman nearly 4 years ago.

Most at the club would agree that not having a ground of our own has been the club’s biggest hurdle, and left no choice but tenancy at two grounds over 10 miles away and out of the borough; firstly with a 25 mile-round trip to Heather St John’s St John’s Park, and then at the vacant Ibstock Miners Welfare Ground. This has meant costly rent and a lack of reliable public transport making it much harder for supporters to attend games.

Despite these issues, the club has managed to carry on maintaining financial stability and now finds itself at Barwell FC’s Kirkby Road. Close proximity to Hinckley, as well as much better transport links means the clubs finds itself in one of its healthiest states

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ever in terms of home support and in a much better position to engage in the community the club represents.

The club’s main ambitions are to progress within the pyramid system and ultimately have our own ground that would incorporate community facilities while remaining sustainable. In order to maintain grassroots links without our own facilities, we regularly invite junior clubs to provide teams to act as mascots on match days. They are given some coaching before the game, meet the players and walk them on to the pitch prior to kick off.

Since moving back to the borough and expanding board membership, we have made it a clear aim to become a defined and embedded institution in the town and borough as United

once were. Members and volunteers regularly have collections at home matches for local food banks, and a toy and gift collection was had for the Salvation Army Christmas appeal whilst free mince pies and mulled wine were available for all at our 23rd December home fixture against Wolves Sporting. This season has also seen us launch our new programme of inviting charities to host stands to fundraise or raise awareness at specified home games.

Likewise with local businesses, we are currently exploring how we can work together with our sponsors to provide benefits and offers to our members whilst supporting Hinckley & Bosworth borough businesses.

Overall, we want Hinckley AFC to progress up the non-league pyramid to a level the town deserves,

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and alongside the on-pitch success become a club the entire community supports and feels supported by.

Hinckley AFC’s philosophy has consistently been to play exciting attacking football. We have retained a young and hungry management team of Joe Conneely and Courtney Hunter-Belford for a number of years. In that time they have developed themselves, this season, with a fantastic start in a historically difficult league.

Due to lack of facilities, we are limited in our youth teams, however we currently operate an Under 18’s team in partnership with Strachan Football Foundation, which has provided a number of players now in our starting line-up. We are currently working to increase our presence in local grassroots football, with strategic partnerships and fundraising.

Despite recent close calls and play-off near-misses, the mood is positive both on and off the pitch. We are currently top of the league and strive to maintain the transparency between the board, playing staff and supporters as part of our supporter-owned and community club ethos. Our average home attendance of over 200 (one of the highest at Step 6) is a reflection of this and indicative of the optimism that the club is progressing in all areas.

Whilst we’re still a relatively young club, the club has several links. Outside our association with Strachan Football Foundation, which is owned by Gordon Strachan, AFC’s first hat trick scorer was Mark Bellingham, father of England star Jude and his brother Jobe.

Alex Penny, who played for AFC during the 2015-16 season, has gone on to play for Peterborough United, Hamilton Academical, Boston United and currently Kidderminster Harriers, where he would score against West Ham in the FA Cup Fourth Round in 2020. In recent years, U18s graduates Marley Sweeney-Rowe and Alex

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Davies have both signed professional contracts with Dundee FC. Club captain Danny Fraser’s words before the season started were ‘unfinished business’, and with most of a successful squad remaining for another season this has been acted on. We have had a flying start to the season finding ourselves top of the Midland Football League Division One, with the most goals for, second best defensive record and a goals difference well over double the closest competitor. However as a club who has come close before, the aim is to remain grounded and maintain our form to gain the promotion we’ve been chasing for a decade.

Due to our current ground share situation, we have great difficulty housing women’s or walking football directly.

This does not prevent our ability as a community club to aid grassroots football in the area, and instead are talking to local women’s and youth

clubs to create a local football network where sponsorship and fundraising can be a cross-club effort. Even without the facilities, we want to make sure local grassroots football remains thriving in Hinckley.

When the club was founded, the constitution declared it a supporterowned community football club, owned by our members who each hold one share and audited annually by the Football Supporters Association. Since we have tried hard to live up to the mantle of community club and as previously mentioned, host a series of foodbank collections, a Salvation Army present collection and local charity days where we try and assist those in need of assistance in support in the town, borough and county.

This season, we have tried to partner with several local sponsors on our endeavours, whether be it the form of mutual offers with discounts for members to stimulate local businesses, or combined

projects or charity drives, we are always trying to expand our local footprint with new opportunities to be involved in the local community and be an institution that Hinckley can be proud of.

As a support-owned club with a ground share and no wealthy benefactors or backers, sponsorship is an incredibly valuable element of our club, as a major source of finance aside from membership fees and match day earnings.

We value our sponsors, from local business to large national companies based in the area, as partners and more importantly part of our community, not simply a source of income every year. To that end we annually have held a draw, where sponsors gain the chance to have your branding on the kit. By doing this any business no matter the size can participate and potentially be a proud part of our kit. We have also maintained our main sponsorship with DPD since the club’s inception, and their generosity, including honouring sponsorship during the Covidcurtailed seasons, was a huge boost to the club in a very difficult period. DPD are the largest employer in the area also have provided sponsorship for our Under 18’s in the past and their contribution to the club over our first 10 years has been invaluable.

With all that said, we ae actively working on our sponsorship proposition, and how we can make all our sponsors, regardless of size or financial support, feel an active part of the Hinckley AFC family.

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WHAT MAKES OUR CLUB SUCH A GREAT PLACE TO BE PART OF?

A LITTLE BIT OF OUR HISTORY

By February 2013 it became clear that the town’s Step 2 football club, Hinckley United, was not going to survive. A supporter-organised meeting was held to explore the options to form a new club and it was quickly agreed it should be a community club owned by a its members on an equal share basis. In October 2013, Hinckley United was put into receivership by its then directors. Further meetings were held with Supporters Direct (now the Football Supporters Association), and a public meeting to ascertain the level of support for a new club attracted over 150 people. Initial applications were made and on 16th January 2014 Hinckley AFC came into existence, after talks with the FA we were then recognised as the official recognised successor to Hinckley United.

We now had a club but had a deadline to find a ground if the club was to be included in the pyramid system for season 2014-15.

After approaching a number of clubs in the area we finally came to an agreement to ground share with Heather St John’s, a 25-mile round trip from Hinckley with no direct bus or rail connections.

The club was allocated to the Midland League Division One and on the 2nd August 2014 the club played its first competitive league match away to Southam United taking over a 100 supporters and winning 3-0, followed by the club’s first home match coming three days later and attracting an attendance of 226. The club finished the first four seasons in the top 6 and scoring over a hundred league goals in each. After four seasons the club edged slightly closer back to

Hinckley when we came to an agreement to play at the nearby Ibstock Miners Welfare ground. This was followed by changes at all levels of the club including team management, and a number of changes in the structure of the board of directors.

Following curtailments of the 2019-20 season due to Covid, AFC came to an agreement with nearby Barwell FC to groundshare at their Kirkby Road ground, allowing the club to play for the first time within the boundaries of the borough it serves. The first home match at Barwell was 8th September 2020 with a crowd of more than 200.

Following another seasonal curtailment, the 2021-22 season saw us transferred to the United Counties League Division 1 for our first full season at our new home, finishing second in the table and scoring 148 league goals before losing 1-0 in the playoff final witnessed by a crowd of 811. The club made history on 9th November 2021 when it set the FA Vase’s current record score winning 18-0 away to St Martins of the North West Counties League.

For 2022-23 season the club was transferred back to the Midland League Division One for season. A near fully rebuilt Hinckley squad completed a third place finish before a play-offs semifinals defeat. The club found some solace being crowned Midland Football League Cup champions with victory against Premier Division Whitchurch Alport in front of 700 supporters at Walsall’s Bescot Stadium.

Now past the halfway point of the 2023-24, the joint management team of Joe Conneely and Courtney HunterBelford managed to retain most of the previous season’s squad, a swashbuckling and

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dynamic attacking team whose experience and consistency sees Hinckley AFC top of the table. The club also became one of the first in the pyramid to score 100 goals in all competitions this season in early December.”

We asked our supporters to answer this with quotes.

One of our longest standing members and oldest supporters, Bob Wood, felt it was being a community club with elected officials being honest and open.

Andy Warren said it was because we all feel one with the team and believe in the club.

Rachel Bradford who attends with her young son stated she enjoyed being part of a community and feels, the club, is a safe and welcoming place.

Jamie Meason one of a younger supporters said, The club is my life, and just loves it.

Jack Edwards one of our players now 22 who made his debut at 17 stated it was the fans and community around the club.

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COURTNEY HUNTERBELFORD REFLECTS ON HIS NEAR-FIVE-YEAR SPELL AT HINCKLEY AFC AS “THOROUGHLY ENJOYABLE” BUT ADMITS THERE’S A BURNING DESIRE TO ADD PROMOTION TO HIS IMPRESSIVE NUMBERS

Since joining in 2019 HunterBelford has, alongside Joe Conneely, spearheaded a team that has combined freeflowing football with goals – and lots of them. This season, they have scored every number between one and ten in a home match, and have gone over a year since they failed to score at their Kirkby Road home.

But it’s a far cry from where Hinckley sat upon his arrival.

He joined the club when it was arguably at its lowest ebb following formation in 2014.

After four years of challenging towards the top of the table, predominantly under the club’s first manager Carl Abbott, Hinckley’s fifth season was a struggle as a group of mostly young players could only finish 16th in 2018/19.

In two seasons, they had five different managers and struggled for stability.

It was that summer that Hunter-Belford took charge, just 18 months after his father Dale left the managerial role – and he sensed it was a club in need of a lift.

“In my early conversations with the Board, it was clear they wanted somebody who could bring that relationship back between management and players, and fans,” he

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reflects, four months shy of the fifth anniversary of his appointment.

“Had the club been in a different position, I might not have got the opportunity. I was a young manager and for the club to take a chance on me was fantastic.

“They had to change things slightly. They cut the budget but it was a chance to bring the good times back and build relationships again.

Playing outside the town made that harder but now being back locally at Barwell, crowds are up and people enjoy watching the sort of football we play.”

Appointed three months before his 29th birthday, Hunter-Belford was one of the youngest managers on the circuit when he joined, but family meant he was always likely to be involved in football. His two brothers both played professionally as goalkeepers while father, Dale, forged a lengthy career in which he played for and managed Tamworth.

Courtney’s only previous managerial experience was at Nuneaton Griff – a job he took on aged 27 – and despite plenty of other coaching experience he calls his spell at Hinckley “a massive learning curve.”

“For the club to take the chance on me, I’m indebted really. I’ve learned that while you have an idea of how you want to do things, you have to be able to adapt. You never know everything – different scenarios keep coming at you.

“Having good people around you, people like Joe (Conneely) and Gunny (Dave Gunn, who has been

part of the backroom team at Hinckley since the club’s formation). Having people you can trust is crucial.”

His first two seasons were left incomplete due to the pandemic, but a call to Conneely, who had just left divisional rivals Coventry Copsewood, to join as his assistant in the summer of 2020 has proved inspired.

Now joint-managers, they have won over 70% of their matches in charge while at the club together. The pair guided Hinckley to finishes of second and third in their two completed seasons, only denied promotion by defeats in the play-off final and then the play-off semi-final.

The disappointment of playoff defeat was offset by winning the Midland League Cup last term, overcoming Atherstone Town and Whitchurch Alport in the semi-final and final respectively – both of whom play in a higher league.

“That’s a real stand-out moment, especially after the heartbreak of play-offs and not getting over the line.

“It makes you realise that this club does mean a bit more than you think. The people around the club make it so special and hopefully we

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can go one better this season.

We want to give people something back.”

Now, the club sit with a healthy lead at the top of Division One and are hopeful that their spell at step six will soon be coming to a close.

And Hunter-Belford says the painful memories from the past two seasons will spur him, Conneely and their players on as they approach the finishing line this time around.

“The United Counties League season (where Hinckley finished second and lost in the play-off final) still sticks in the mind. I’ve still not been able to watch the final back. It hurt, it was our first full season and we felt like

we’d got momentum.

“We had no excuses – everyone was refreshed and just wanted to play football after the lockdowns. They way we played, the records we broke, felt like it was there for us to win the league.

“Last season to be 3-1 up with ten minutes to go and not see if through makes it difficult. We’re definitely trying to right the wrongs of the play-offs. Hopefully experience of making the wrong decisions helps us this time around.”

It would be some way to mark five years since his appointment if Hunter-Belford, alongside Conneely, was a league champion come May.

DAVID GUNN SUPPORTER, COACH AND SPONSOR: DJ GUNN BUILDERS LTD

I’ve been involved in football all my life, from when my dad Dennis, a talented wing-half footballer in his own right, would take me along to games like Nuneaton Borough vs.

Swansea or Coventry vs. West Ham. My own playing career saw me turn out for local clubs like Hinckley Town & Downes Sports, where my main playing position was right back. My first game in 1970 was for the U16’s and in ‘81, while playing for Hinckley Town, I was unfortunate to break my leg, which kept me out for a full year from both work and play. These days I help out as much as I can at the club, as well as being a member of the board. We are enjoying a great season, and playing on a 3G pitch is a great asset for us. Although visiting teams

are motivated to step up their game when they play us, we have maintained a very strong away record and are taking each game one match at a time, which will hopefully lead us to promotion. As a club, we have definitely been building over the past seasons, which has culminated in our strong league position, currently top of Midland Football League Division One. I have watched football change over the years, and although my dad never talked much about his own playing days, the stories I heard from others about those past times have made me aware of not only his football journey but also the tough times it was for everyone back in that era. I would urge everyone at Hinckley AFC to keep doing what they are doing and continue to support the team as they head towards the end of the 2023/2024 campaign!

All types of building work carried out to the highest standards!

“Very proud sponsors of Hinckley AFC!”

David Gunn 07891 451136

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Deal Town FC “We are on a really positive trajectory at the moment and long may that continue!”

NICK DUNN COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR

I became involved with the club in January 2021, having made positive conversations with our Chair. I wanted to expand my involvement within the game and felt a strong desire to make a positive difference to the club. I have always had a connection to Deal Town, having grown up as a youngster kicking a ball on the training pitch with family and friends while the first team played. This was mainly during the late 90s and into the early 00s, ironically when the first team had their most successful spells.

I was about 10 when I first started coming along, but I have loads of fantastic memories from that time.

Still being young and slightly naive to the importance that football held for people, I guess it was the FA Vase semifinal tie in 2000 that really attracted me. I remember the club erecting temporary stands to accommodate the 2,495 supporters we had that day as we played against Newcastle Town.

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I recall running onto the pitch at the final whistle, along with most people, celebrating the fact that we would be heading to Wembley... the rest, as they say, is history. My uncle accumulated a few hundred appearances for the club over the years too, so Deal Town has always been at the forefront of our minds.

The mood at the club at the moment is positive, understandably. The last few

seasons have seen continual improvement on the field, with each season finishing higher than the previous.

We competed strongly last season, finishing only 2 points from second place (Phoenix Sports) who were promoted.

Currently, we are 4th placed in SCEFL, four points off 1st-placed Glebe, with five games in hand. There are still several tough games coming up, but we think we will be competing until the end again this season. We’ve got the semi-final of the League Cup to look forward to at the end of the month and, at the time of writing, The FA Vase Last 16 tie at Bridgwater to focus on (10th February).

It is important, however, that everyone associated with the club remains grounded and humble in their expectations; this is a long-term project, and as long as we finish this season stronger than last, on and/

or off the field, it will have been a positive one. Our infrastructure is improving, giving ‘Kingy’ the backing and support he needs, which gives the 1st team especially that extra edge.

Our reserve team currently sits second in Division 1 of the Kent County League, having won Division 2 last season.

They have a game in hand over first-placed Rochester City, one point behind and a superior goal difference. They are also into the semi-final of the Kent Intermediate Cup, and are defending champions of the competition, so an exciting end to the season awaits.

Our women’s team is now well established in the South East Counties Women’s FL, Division 1. They are sitting in fourth position, with eight games remaining. They have enjoyed some successes over the last couple of years too, which is great for a newly formed side. Our

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U18s are exactly at the midpoint in their table, as they compete in a strong Kent Youth League U18 Premier Division. Previously Deal Town Rangers U16s, they came to the club at the start of this season having won their respective league last season.

Many players have gone on to feature at various points already, for both our reserve and first team.

Our sponsors are a huge contributor to our sustainability as a club. Our biggest sponsor is currently our 1st team shirt sponsor, MAPS Limited. MAPS (Mark’s Activity Programme Service) is an activity-based organization for people who have physical and/or learning disabilities. They run a variety of activities all over Kent but operate two sessions (Tuesday and Thursday) from the club. They give people a positive outlook on life as they help individuals have

new experiences and make new friends, running activities and events promoting social and personal development.

They have supported the club for a period of seven years now, and have committed further ahead of the 2024/2025 season.

We have a number of other sponsors/local businesses who have joined our journey and contribute massively to help us move closer to our overall objective.

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We like to think that we have built an environment within the area that Deal Town FC is a key staple in the community. We have developed organically into a progressive pillar, who really value the contributions of local people and businesses which has ultimately helped create an inclusive and enjoyable matchday experience. We have some great people, who really care about the future of the

club; from the volunteers navigating cars into the car park, to the tea-ladies, bar staff, supporters, players, management, and Board.

We are on a really positive trajectory at the moment, and long may that continue.

With the drive and determination of those on our Board, we have come a long way in recent years. My role as Commercial Director focuses on engaging local businesses with the aim of increasing sponsorship revenue. I’ve also incorporated a bit around community engagement; I believe it’s crucial that, as we continue to grow, we keep the local community at the center of what we do. Ultimately, without local people coming through the gates and supporting us, we would struggle to survive.

Ultimately, we want to be successful, but it’s important that we do so in a way that protects the longevity of the club. We don’t benefit from one individual or business pouring thousands into funding immediate success; a challenge for us will always be finance as a result. For this reason, we rely heavily on our supporters, sponsors, and those hiring the club house, which helps with day-to-day operations and aligns with our goal of ensuring we operate a self-sufficient

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HONORS

Southern Counties East League Champions 1999–2000 League Cup Winners 1981–82, 1998–99 Kent League Champions 1953–54 Kent League Cup Winners 1957–58 Greater London League League Cup Winners 1967–68 FA Vase Winners 1999–2000 Kent Senior Trophy Winners 1994–95, 1999–2000 model. While success for many may be trophies and promotions, for us, that’s the reward for continued growth on and off the pitch. If we can continue to invest in our ground, our teams, increase gates, and engage local people in our vision, then we should benefit from natural rewards as a result.

On the pitch, Steve (King, Manager) has built a very experienced squad over time; he, alongside the Board, has a long-term plan for the club which the team has bought into. Having that collectiveness

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and cohesiveness is important, which has ultimately yielded results on the pitch. We are in a good position in the league (Southern Counties East, Premier Division) at the moment, but there is still a long way to go, and ultimately, we’ll see where we finish before looking into next season. The league we compete in is very tough; it may be a cliché, but genuinely, every team has the capability of beating each other. We have seen that already this season, so the remaining few months will undoubtedly throw up some challenges.

Off the pitch, it comes back to keeping local people at the forefront. Whether that’s promoting the local businesses that continue to support us, or appreciating the supporters who come through the turnstiles.

Without these, we would genuinely struggle, so we have to appreciate that. We kick-started our monthly lottery scheme in 2021, not only helping to bring in money each month but also rewarding those involved with five prizes on offer. We ran a competition in the early months of 2022 where we invited local primary school children to design our kits for the 2022/2023 season; this was well received, and we had hundreds of designs to sift through before asking supporters to vote from our shortlist. We’re now in the process of designing our new kit for the 2024/2025 season, which will also have some local reference at its core.

Small things in isolation,

but I think it’s reflected in our increasing gates. Less than 10 years ago (14/15 season), we averaged just 71 for home fixtures; they have steadily increased, and we currently have an average gate of 475 this season (currently 20 ahead of the average in 22/23), with our last two attendances being 703 and 530. Not bad for a team operating at Step 5! We’ve experienced a spike post-Covid, perhaps where people have become fed up with heading to London to spend fortunes watching EPL/ EFL games.

We have also tried to improve the experience around the ground on matchday too, for this growing fan base; having a new bar installed, enhancing our club shop (and stock), installing a 22m hardstanding and covered terraced area behind the ‘Mill Road’ end, as well as the installation of our scoreboard. Significant investment was needed for all of this, not possible without people coming through the gate! We really value that support, and it’s great that so many people are coming on

FOOTBALL FOCUS MAGAZINE

this journey with us too. We want to ensure this club is at the centre of people’s minds, especially when it comes to 3 pm on a Saturday afternoon!

In the past two seasons, we have grown as a club with the number of teams operating out of the Charles Ground.

The first introduction came with our Women’s team for the start of the 2021/2022 season; they went on to win their League the following season and remain strong competitors in their current division. The following season (2022/2023), we reintroduced a reserve team, which won their League and the Kent FA Intermediate Cup; they too are currently doing well this season. For the start of the 2023/2024 season, we

began an U18 side too, so there has been continual progression here. While we do not currently have any youth teams (<U17s), we are committed to our local partnership with Deal Town Rangers and are currently exploring further ways in which we can strengthen our relationships.

Originally known as the Deal & District Discharged Sailors & Soldiers FC, the club changed its name in 1921 to Deal Town FC in readiness for the 1921/1922 season. At this time, DTFC also took over the ground (now the Charles Road estate) that Cinque Ports FC previously rented. In 1935, DTFC moved ‘over the fence’ to our current location, which was gifted by Sir Ernest Bruce Charles. DTFC’s first matches were played in the Thanet League and the East Kent League. We saw our first title win in 1953/1954 then, after a long wait, the second was achieved in 1999/2000.

The club has reached the Kent League Cup Final on five occasions: 1958, 1982, 1994, 1999, and finally in 2000. The club has made five appearances in the Kent Senior Trophy Final (1983, 1991, 1995, 2000, and 2023), winning it twice. We have also won the Greater London League Cup in 1968. The Millennium saw our most successful season; as well as our domestic achievements, Deal Town FC became the 1st team from Kent to lift the FA Vase with their 1-0 victory at Wembley Stadium against Chippenham Town in front of a crowd of 20,083, the second biggest in the history of the competition. To this day, DTFC remains the only Kent club to have lifted the FA Vase!

All images © Paul Willmott Twitter (@PaulWillmott365) Facebook (@PaulWillmott. fotoreel)

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Mark’s Activity Programme Service

Tuesdays

10.00 - 13.00 and 13.00 - 16.00

Activity Sessions Football Training Bingo Darts Puzzles Outdoor Activities Craft Board Games Meeting People Karoake Musical Instuments

Thursdays

10.00 - 13.00 and 13.00 - 16.00

Venue

The Cost

£5 per session/per person (carers/parents free)

Deal Town FC The Charles Ground St Leonards Road Deal, Kent CT14 9AU

Phone: 01634 317431 Mark Mobile: 07770912437 - Email: mapsactivitiesltd@hotmail.com Rachel: Mobile: 07760996549

www.mapsactivityprogrammes.co.uk

MARK SPURGEON SUPPORTER AND MAIN SPONSOR: MAPS

MAPS Ltd., is based in Medway and makes the journey to the club twice a week, specifically on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

MAPS, is dedicated to running an organisation that is solely focused on making a positive impact in the lives of individuals with learning difficulties, a mission that resonates deeply with us all.

We accompany our members on various outings throughout the county, and the concept of MAPS has evolved significantly, progressing from initially providing one-on-one support to our current model of group activities.

For the past 18 years, our daily fee per person, from 10am to 4pm, has remained unchanged. Our ethos isn’t cantered around profit-making but rather on fostering joy and happiness among our members.

The individuals who comprise the membership, as well as the players and other supporters of Deal Town FC, are truly remarkable. Players engage with our members during games, expressing gratitude for their support.

Initially, some eyebrows were raised at the exuberance of our group during our first matchday, but soon, everyone was joining in the fun, enthusiastically banging their sticks and creating an atmosphere of camaraderie.

I possess a genuine passion for assisting our members, and I deeply appreciate the kindness, thoughtfulness, and warmth extended by the football club, whether it’s from a fan, player, or our exceptional new chairperson, who has actively promoted MAPS to other clubs and is eager to foster the creation of a disabled football team.

The ambiance on matchdays is electrifying, and as a true community club, it’s no wonder that Deal Town FC has achieved significant success in league and cup competitions this season. With the unwavering support of Deal Town Football Club, I firmly believe that we are making a meaningful difference in people’s lives. The word that encapsulates our experience and mission is “inclusivity.”

I’d like to take this opportunity to extend my heartfelt congratulations to this extraordinary club for such an outstanding season, but more importantly, for the genuine embrace they have extended to myself and our members.

NICK CUNNINGHAM SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: NICK CUNNINGHAM PLUMBING & HEATING

Originally hailing from Lincolnshire, I relocated to this area over 25 years ago, immersing myself in the local community and its vibrant football scene.

The memories of our trip to Wembley in 2000, filled with excitement and anticipation, are still vivid in my mind. It was a momentous occasion that left a mark on me as a football enthusiast.

My passion for nonleague football has been unwavering throughout the years, with teams like Dover & Deal holding a special place for me. However, my connection with Deal Town FC deepened significantly around 3-4 years ago when my son Olly developed a love for the sport. Since then, attending games has become a cherished family tradition for us as a day or weekend away.

In our local town of Sandwich, we’ve been fortunate enough to establish a youth team for Olly and his friends, which has blossomed into a thriving community initiative. It’s heartwarming to see over 180 fans rallying behind our U11s during matches.

Deal Town FC has been instrumental in supporting our youth team endeavours, with members and players of the club regularly showing up at our games and involving our boys as mascots and ball boys in Deal fixtures. This camaraderie exemplifies the

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inclusive and communityfocused spirit of Deal Town FC. I must commend the club’s leadership, including the appointment of the excellent female chair, Natalie Benville, a couple of seasons ago.

Together with the formidable head coach, Kingy, and dedicated directors like Nick Dunn, Rob Marriot, and Charlie Smith, they form a cohesive team that drives the club forward.

The success we’re experiencing this season is the culmination of years of dedication and hard work, particularly from our talented homegrown players. It’s remarkable to witness their progression and unity on the

field, with around 80% of the current squad having played together in the Kent leagues for many years.

Deal Town FC’s “One Club” ethos is what sets it apart. Whether you’re a fan, a committee member, or a player, your voice is valued and heard. The thoughtful gestures and inclusivity displayed by the club only enhance the overall experience.

To everyone involved with Deal Town FC, I extend my congratulations on an outstanding season so far.

Here’s to continued success and unity as we head towards the culmination of the 2023/2024 campaign!

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TOBY SMITH FOUNDER: SMITH GROUP LTD

Founding Smith Group Ltd. upon my return to my hometown after university, supporting Deal Town FC has remained a priority for me.

The club’s progress is evident, not just on the field but also as a community hub, reflecting values that resonate deeply with my business ethos. At Smith Group Ltd., we prioritize people-focused values, mirroring the community spirit embodied by Deal Town FC. Our sponsorship reflects not only admiration for their onfield performances but also appreciation for their role in fostering community bonds.

Over the past few years, it has been an honour to increase our support for

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“Promising young local architect, Toby Smith, wants to give back to his childhood club through sponsorship!” this outstanding club. Smith Group Ltd. specializes in residential architecture and design, passionately crafting beautiful, functional living spaces tailored to our clients’ unique needs. From singlefamily homes to multi-unit

developments, we ensure that each project reflects the essence of our clients’ lifestyles, needs, and dreams.

Understanding the significance of every project, whether it involves designing homes or unlocking the

value of a site through development, we strive to build meaningful and lasting relationships with our clients. With expertise in architectural design, technical detailing, and building advice, our team delivers excellence across a range of projects, from small residential ventures to larger developments.

Deal Town FC holds a special place in their local community, embodying family-oriented values and a commitment to supporting local initiatives. Myself and the entire team at Smith Group Ltd. are proud to stand behind them as they compete in the FA Vase, and we extend our best wishes for their continued success in their pursuit of promotion.

FOOTBALL FOCUS MAGAZINE

Wellingborough Town FC ”Aiming for Promotion! ”

MARTIN POTTON EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND PROGRAMME EDITOR

I have held various positions within the club over the last forty years. During this time, I have managed the first, reserve and U18s teams. I have also served on the executive committee. I had a short period of time as treasurer and was club chairman for eight years.

I am currently a member of the executive committee and matchday programme editor.

The main challenges we have faced over a number of years has been a lack of funds.

Like a lot of clubs finding enough money to take the club forward is very difficult and the gate receipts from matches does not cover our outgoings. Therefore, we rely on sponsorship to meet our running costs.

We are very ambitious to progress this season and we are hoping to get promoted to Step 4. To prepare for this we are carrying out various projects around the ground to meet ground grading requirements. We are currently renovating and enlarging the ladies and men’s toilets and intend to extend and refurbish the dressing rooms during the closed season.

We are also offering our facilities to the general public for functions and also encourage charities to use the club for fund raising.

The junior section of the club is very important to us.

The junior section provides coaching to all age groups from U6s to U18s. Teams from each age group play in competitive leagues. We also try to link the junior section with the senior teams and the juniors play competitive games on matchdays before the first team play. They also act as mascots for the game. They are also encouraged to attend first team games and are given free entry to the games.

The mood at the club is presently excellent. We have a real family atmosphere and are very welcoming to visitors.

Well known players that have played for the club in recent years include Phil Neal (Liverpool & England) and Trevor Benjamin (Leicester City & Jamaica).

The season has gone exceptionally well, and we are currently top of the division.

We hope to maintain this position and gain promotion at the end of the season.

There is also a lady’s side that use our facilities on a Sunday. However, we are hoping to introduce our own lady’s side next season.

We do consider our club to be a community club that has a real family atmosphere. We encourage the youth section to use the facilities for training and playing matches. They also use the clubhouse for functions and meetings. We also

Promoting Football Clubs across the UK

encourage other organisations to use the pitch for games this includes charities and the Northamptonshire Police. The clubhouse is also available to the public for functions.

We have also been encouraging more people to our matches by handing out complimentary tickets to sponsors and local businesses. We have also allowed under 16s free entry and a free burger when attending with an adult.

We have also allowed all spectators to attend a recent game for £3 entry fee. This was sponsored by our three

main sponsors and provided us with our highest gate of the season (360).

Our sponsors are a very important part of the club and we would struggle to function without them. We have a number of local companies that pay for advertising boards and programme advertisements.

We also have three main sponsors that contribute considerable revenue club, Carl Stairs (Logistics People), Brian Martin (B&M Pallets) and the club chairman Mark Darnell (Home Instead). It is these sponsors that have enabled the club to progress and get us into the strong financial position we are in today.

The club has been part of the local community for many years and is well known in the area.

The club is run by volunteers and the club is blessed with a number of people who give their services free of charge on matchdays and carry out important work maintaining the facilities throughout the year.

The club would not be able to function without them.

A number of these volunteers have been at the club many years and our club Secretary has as completed nearly 60 years service.

The club is a very friendly and welcoming with a very buoyant atmosphere and has progressed considerable over recent seasons under the guidance of Chairman Mark Darnell.

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BRIAN MARTIN SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: BM PALLETS

is one of the coaches, will be under the Wellingborough Town FC umbrella, giving our club an essential ladies team in addition to the ladies that already play at the club.

Exciting times! I can’t speak highly enough about the army of volunteers who are the heartbeat of Wellingborough Town FC and work tirelessly to ensure we have a community space where everyone can congregate and support their local team. We couldn’t have achieved where we are without them all. Thankyou!

A LITTLE OF OUR HISTORY

Wellingborough Town has figured prominently in the annals of the F.A.Cup and many exciting encounters have been recorded against old opponents such as Peterborough United, Kettering Town, Corby Town and Cambridge City. The pinnacle of their Cup success was when they reached the First Round proper in 1965 being drawn against Aldershot, who at that time were in the Football League Third Division. Despite losing 2-1 Wellingborough were not disgraced.

Wellingborough Town has been traditionally known as ‘The Doughboys’ which derived from the traditional local dish of ‘Hock & Dough’.

Wellingborough’s most ‘famous’ son is Phil Neal who started his career at the Town before moving to Northampton and then to Liverpool. His glittering career with Liverpool and England was followed closely by his many local admirers who saw him progress from the Dog & Duck to such exalted venues as Wembley, the San Ciro and numerous other international stages.

Wellingborough had been without a senior football team for a period of two years when a local retired Senior police Officer, Laurie Owen, formed group of sporting friends in an attempt to resurrect the ‘Doughboys’. He was joined by a local businessman, Alan Warwick, whose father

I was invited down to the club by a friend 3 years ago, and the rest is history, as they say. This led me to becoming a sponsor and helping the club out in various ways, more recently, through the building of the new terrace and other sponsorships. This season is on track to see our team move to the next level, which is really desired by all of us at the club. Kettering Ladies, where my son Shane

Wellingborough Town successfully applied to join the Metropolitan League in 1968-69 and finished a creditable 7th.

The following year however, Wellingborough were League Champions and in 1970-71 they joined the West Midlands (Regional) League Premier Division finishing a creditable 3rd. With their ambitions now on a ‘high’ the Club joined the Southern League Division One North in 1971-72.

Wellingborough was able to maintain midtable positions throughout the seventies before a reorganisation of the league saw them entered into the Midland Division of the Southern League after the League was split into Southern and Midland Divisions with no Premier Division. Wellingborough remained in what was known as the Southern league, Midland Division until 198889 when they were relegated to the United Counties l League.

There then followed 13 years of struggle with Wellingborough Town avoiding relegation from the Premier Division of the United Counties League on several occasions. Their worst dreams became a reality when in season 2001-02 they folded and resigned from the League.

This was a black period in the history of a club that had formed the back-bone of the first professional league.

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played for the ‘Doughboys’ in the twenties and the then Mayor of Wellingborough, David Smith. David’s brother was formerly Manager of Aberdeen and St. Mirren in the Scottish League.

Together these three persons recruited other friends including Peter Ebdon the former World Snooker Champion who agreed to be President of the Group, Paul Joy a local Magistrate and Brian Hill, the former Premiership referee. Each member recruited additional friends until there were 24 people who were prepared to get the Wellingborough Town FC 2004 back on it’s feet.

The Dog & Duck Football Ground was owned by Geoff

Coles a local businessman who has since moved to Portugal. During the early days of his tenancy of the ground part of it was sold to Whitbread’s who built a travel-lodge. This obviously reduced the overall size of the ground but the pitch, training ground, grandstand and clubhouse remained.

In their first season back in senior football the team finished 2nd in the Eagle Bitter United Counties League Division One and were promoted to the Premier Division after losing just one game. The NFA Junior Cup was also won after beating Peterborough Northern Star 2-0 after extra-time at Northampton Town’s Sixfields stadium.

FOOTBALL FOCUS MAGAZINE

MARK DARNELL CHAIRMAN AND SPONSOR: HOME INSTEAD

I have been involved in football for quite some time, previously serving as MD over at Rushden & Diamonds FC during the era when Max Griggs and Dr. Martens were involved. About 11 years ago, a friend of the chairman at that time sought support for Wellingborough Town, a club I was familiar with, and asked if he knew anyone who could assist in formulating a forward-focused strategy for the club’s development.

Martin Potton was the club chairman at the time. The rest, as they say, is history.

After deliberating on whether to get involved and assessing the situation, I joined the executive committee as a consultant. Regular monthly meetings followed, and after about six seasons, Martin stepped down as Chair, and Darren Wingrove and I became co-chairs.

Three seasons ago, Darren Wingrove decided to step back from his role as co-chair, and I assumed the position of sole chairman.

My focus has always been on the understanding that to have a competitive team, generating income is crucial.

Costs are an inevitable and significant aspect of running a football club, encompassing both on-field and off-field matters, such as facilities and player expenses.

There are various expenses to consider, including insurance for the ground and efforts aimed at expanding our fan base. Supporter numbers remain relatively consistent across all teams in our division. Fortunately, we’ve managed to attract support from local businesses who share the same vision as Wellingborough Town, such as Brian Martin at BM Pallets Ltd and Carl Stairs, Logistics People. Our objective is to increase the involvement of local businesses with the club

and reduce dependency on a select few. Thankfully, our community engagement is robust, and my company, Home Instead, as a club sponsor, aligns well with the values and ethics prevalent among local residents through the services we provide.

Community spirit is currently thriving. As a club predominantly run by volunteers, who are the lifeblood of our organization, many of whom have supported us for decades. With over 100 years of existence, the club has experienced its share of ups and downs. Nowadays, compensating players is necessary, so having sound business acumen is vital to navigate any challenges that may arise.

Our vibrant youth section maintains strong connections with the local community and businesses that support us.

We prioritize safeguarding our players by providing excellent child welfare officers and qualified coaches to ensure smooth operations.

Our relationships with other clubs are also positive, with players on loan from clubs like Kettering Town & Northampton Town FC. Manager Jon Brady, whom I’ve known since my Rushden & Diamonds days, remains a close ally to our club. While fans naturally have rivalries with other local clubs, we cherish fostering bonds with them, recognizing the hard work and challenges inherent in managing a football club at this level. Clubs face pressure to deliver results despite the unseen challenges they confront. As an old friend used to say, “enjoy the wins and accept the defeats,” a perspective I find reasonable, though accepting unfair losses can be tough.

I extend my gratitude to everyone for their support of Wellingborough Town FC this season as we continue our journey towards a championship-winning season!

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Hendon FC JEREMY LAWRENCE CLUB AND FIXTURE SECRETARY

“Win, lose or draw, this is MY club and I love being associated with it!”

As a youngster growing up in Neasden in North West London, it was very difficult to go and see my first club of choice Tottenham Hotspur.

But friends of mine often went to Cricklewood (just down the road) to watch Hendon FC. I cajoled my parents and eventually they consented to let me go and watch Hendon but with one proviso. This proviso was to prove very important to Hendon FC many years hence. I had to take my brother who was four years younger than me to the match.

And so, on 29th August 1970 my brother and I went to Claremont Road and watched our first Hendon game together. A 3-1 victory against St Albans City. I managed to win a season ticket in a competition, and I watched Hendon regularly during that season.

Over the next few seasons, when finance allowed, I would go and watch Hendon. Then working Saturdays came and it proved very difficult to go to games. But a memory I will always keep with me, was Hendon’s appearance in the Amateur Cup Final of 1972 where Hendon beat Enfield 2-0.

When I stopped working Saturdays, I bought a season

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ticket for Tottenham, and my visits to Claremont Road were few and far between. In 2013 I retired from business, and my brother (who by now was Chairman of the football club) asked me if I would undertake the role of Fixture secretary, I said yes and have been doing that ever since.

At the beginning of this season, I was asked to become Club Secretary.

Again, I assented and that is my current role as well as Fixture Secretary.at the football club.

In 2018 in the pyramid reshuffle, Hendon were moved from The Isthmian League to The Southern League. A lot of our supporters still don’t understand why this occurred.

It’s simple really. There are 88 clubs at step 3. That has to be divided across 4 divisions at step 3. The 88 teams are separated geographically. The FA are in a no-win situation.

They have my sympathy.

But being in The Southern League does bring challenges. In the Isthmian League, coach journeys were few and far between.

However, this season Hendon will visit Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon and Wales.

Coach journeys eat a lot at our finances. Last season we had 3 abortive coach journeys for matches that were postponed on arrival.

As I’m sure you can appreciate this is very costly.

And it all boils down to cost at

FOOTBALL FOCUS MAGAZINE

A LITTLE OF OUR HISTORY

HENDON FC – 116th SEASON – 2023–24

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The season has gone very well so far, with our extended FA Trophy run being the highlight of the season.

the end of the day. We do not have the best budget for a step 3 club, which makes what the management team have achieved this season even more incredible. We have a fantastic band of volunteers, without whom we would not be where we are today. But as I’m sure it is for every football club at this level, finances are hugely important.

With regard to on the pitch, our plans are simple.

Win every match. Seriously, we are faced with many issues as are all clubs, and if we can keep this side together, we have a more than fair chance of reaching the playoffs.

The FA Trophy is a welcome “distraction”, but The League is the “bread and butter”. Last season, we stayed up only on the last but one game of the season. But this season we have come on in leaps and bounds and everyone is enjoying the ride.

Hendon FC is a fan owned club, but we are very mindful of our responsibilities off the pitch as well. We play at Silver Jubilee Park which is run

by KTMCL. KTMCL have a fantastic ethos of community work and the steps they have taken in making sure that the ground and all its facilities are on offer to the local community are second to none.

Hendon FC totally buy into this, and we offer reduced and free tickets at various times during the season. The local community is very well served

by Hendon FC in general, and KTMCL in particular. Robert Morris is one of the owners of KTMCL and the work he

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does for the community is absolutely fantastic.

There are many youth teams who all play under the Hendon FC banner. Also, a women’s team. This is something we are very proud of. They are coached by extremely good football people and out 1st team has some excellent coached who are selected as is normal by the management team. We feel very fortunate in this regard.

I write this 5 days after one of the greatest performances and results attained by Hendon. To go to a club that was a Premier League Club and win in The FA Trophy was a hugely deserved and unexpected result. A fabulous day for all at the club.

So, as you can imagine, the mood at the club is euphoric and very excited. That said, I have just found out that legendary England Amateur goalkeeper John Swannell who played for Hendon for 12 seasons passed away, and that is very sad news indeed.

Our “hall of fame” includes Iain Dowie who played for us for 3 seasons. He played as a striker from 1983 until 2001, he joined Luton Town from us and also played for Southampton, Crystal Palace and West Ham United. He earned 59 caps for Northern Ireland, scoring 12 goals.

Other notables include Phil Gridelet, David Speedie, Peter Simpson, Keith Coleman, Bontcho Guentchev (World Cup semi-finalist), Frank Sinclair. Michael Duberry, Junior Lewis (both as player and assistant manager), Peter Taylor (both as player and

Promoting Football Clubs across the UK

Hendon FC, in their 14th season under supporter ownership, with a new Chairman, Cyrus Cooper, has a rich history dating back to 1908, originally formed as Christ Church Hampstead.

The club’s journey involved several name changes before settling on Hendon in 1946.

Throughout its history, Hendon has experienced success in various leagues, winning titles in 1953, 1956, 1961, and more. The club joined the Isthmian League in 1963, where it consistently competed at the top level.

Hendon’s home ground, Claremont Road, witnessed significant moments until its closure in 2008. The club subsequently moved to Silver Jubilee Park in 2016 after ground-sharing arrangements.

Under the management of Lee Allinson since 2018, Hendon faced challenges but achieved notable victories, including the London Senior Cup triumph in September 2020. The 2022–23 season marked a struggle but saw them avoiding relegation and making

a deep run in the FA Cup. Notable achievements include Hendon’s participation in the 1955 Amateur Cup Final at Wembley, the first team to play under floodlights at Wembley, and victories in floodlit cup-ties. The club’s original blue colors changed to green during World War II, reverted briefly in 1997–98, and returned to green two seasons later.

Hendon has a strong youth policy, relaunched in 2014, with players moving up to the senior side. The club set a 25-match unbeaten run in 2015 and saw players transition to higher leagues, including Iain Dowie and Junior Lewis.

The 2023–24 season marks Hendon’s 100th participation in the FA Cup, a milestone in the club’s illustrious history.

Did you know that Hendon players have stepped up to the Football League, including Ashley NathanielGeorge and Ricardo German, while Jacob Gardiner-Smith and Jayden Clarke joined Wycombe Wanderers and Gillingham, respectively?

These achievements, along with other fascinating facts about Hendon’s history, contribute to the club’s rich legacy.

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manager) and current Premier League player with Brentford Charlie Goode. Former Arsenal player Ian Allinson is one of our coaches and is General Manager of the club.

The season has gone very well so far, with our extended FA Trophy run being the highlight of the season.

But what is also immensely pleasing is that after what we experienced last season, our form in The League has been excellent with us hovering just outside the play off places.

We are also still in both senior County Cup competitions (Middlesex and London), and the football club is really buzzing at the moment.

We very much consider ourselves a community club.

We love the fact that we are a community team, and we are rewarded when we see the increasing amount of local support at our matches. We constantly (along with (KTMCL) push Hendon FC to the local community and local businesses are regularly spoken to with regard to getting involved.

Sponsors are extremely important to the club. Any source of income is regularly explored, and we have shirt

sponsors, match sponsors, ball sponsors, programme sponsors and mascot sponsors.

Every sponsor is genuinely appreciated by all at the club.

I have been a supporter of a top flight Premier League side since I knew what football was. I still follow them. But it is a different ball game at Tottenham Hotspur. In spite of it being dressed up, supporters are just that – supporters. At Hendon, everyone knows everyone else. The management team, the board of directors and the players are very approachable, and they will always make time for supporters to have a chat with them.

I am sure that every football club at this level feels the same way and with just cause. But this is Hendon FC and we are one of the most famous non-league football clubs in the country.

It’s all about emotions. I feel honoured and privileged to be Club Secretary of such a great football club. Win, lose or draw, this is MY club and I love being associated with it.

All photos © DBeechPhotography

There are far too many good people who do great work at Hendon FC to name here. However, Simon Lawrence who led the club through some incredibly turbulent times is worthy of mention. He was chairman until the end of last season, when he handed over the reins to Cyrus Cooper, who has done an admirable job since. Former Club Secretary John Rogers is another who has been outstanding for Hendon.

The managers wife Faye Allinson also works tirelessly in the background. There are so many more who are worthy of mention, but I’m sure space forbids it.

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There are many youth teams who all play under the Hendon FC banner.

Also, a women’s team. This is something we are very proud of.

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FOOTBALL FOCUS MAGAZINE

Great Wakering Rovers ”Outstanding On and Off the pitch”

MARCUS BOWERS 1ST TEAM MANAGER “Our superpower lies in our togetherness!”

During the 2017/18 season, I played at Great Wakering Rovers FC, where I came to know the club’s chairman, David Patient, and formed a lasting friendship with him. Even as I moved on to my managerial career, we stayed in touch, and I always appreciated the club’s values and their continued support with well wishes, even though I was no longer actively involved.

After serving as a playermanager at clubs like Basildon Town, I eventually made the move to Great Wakering last October, prompted by several conversations with David.

Since then, I haven’t looked back. It’s fair to say that not many back then would have predicted where we are today, in the semi-finals of the FA Vase, with an opportunity to step onto the hallowed turf at Wembley Stadium.

My journey with the club, however, has been made effortless by the support of everyone at Great Wakering Rovers, both on and off the pitch. Our main strength lies in our togetherness.

With a sizable squad,

including some new players who joined us this season, we can rotate and rest players, especially crucial as we approach the business end of the season, given the many games still to play and the league match shortfall partly due to our excellent FA Vase run!

When I first arrived at the club, one of our stalwart super fans, Lewis, mentioned that maybe we might go all the way to the final of the Vase.

Reflecting on our journey so far, there’s a feeling that we are on a special path.

Togetherness means more to me within a team than

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anything else. I’ve witnessed the lads grind out results in games we perhaps shouldn’t have won and seen players give their all-in support of their teammates. Heads have rarely, if ever, dropped, and we have remained united.

Off the pitch, our bond is strong, and although training was never my favourite part of football, it has become enjoyable as we share each other’s company. I’ve become so integrated into the team that I’m keen to encourage anything that fosters our cohesion further. In all my years in football I’ve never

experienced such a tight-knit squad as the one I’ve been a part of over the past six months at Great Wakering Rovers. While it may sound cliché, we truly are a family club that cares about each other and our local community.

As a club, we understand that there is still work to be done, such as bringing our U18s closer to our senior team. However, we do have 16 and 18-year-olds playing for us presently. One of our lads, who is only 20, stepped in as captain when our club captain was unavailable. He has tasted Wembley success before, playing for Concord Rangers when he was 16, and it would be fantastic to see him do it once again.

I would just urge our lads to take care of themselves in the run-up to these next important matches in the Vase, to stay physically strong and focused, and hopefully, we can do the people of Great Wakering proud!

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ROVERS HISTORY

The club was formed in 1919 by soldiers demobbed after World War I and finding employment in the local brickfields. Not much in memory remains of the early years of the club although the club do poses some wonderful pictures from around that period.

We first played in one of Southend’s oldest leagues, the Southend & District League, where the Rovers stayed until 1982. Rovers were the leagues most dominant clubs, especially in the 1960s and 1970s and to this day remain so on record. The switch in 1982 saw the club move to the newly formed Southend & District Alliance Football League, but sadly this league folded in 1989 leaving Rovers with a decision to move back to the Southend & District League or take a step up in standard. With what most Rovers feel to be the best squad amassed by a manager, in this case Eddie Nash, Rovers took the decision to step up to intermediate level and joined the Essex Intermediate League.

Rovers remained in the Essex Intermediate League for three seasons, winning the championships of Divisions Three and Two in successive seasons. After the latter, Rovers successfully applied to join the Essex Senior League and found themselves in Step

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5 of the Non-League pyramid, which for a village club was a tremendous feat.

In the 1994-1995 season Rovers narrowly beat Sawbridgeworth Town FC for the Essex Senior League title. Rovers had collected 71 points for the season and lost just three times although the title win was only won on goal difference (18). During that season Rovers forward Paul Flack scored 28 goals, which included a haul of 4 goals away at Eton Manor as Rovers celebrated a 9-0 victory. Also included in his stunning season were two further hattricks. That season his strike partner Neil Ramsey grabbed 20 goals as Rovers hit home 82 goals.

Rovers defence of the Essex Senior crown would falter the following season, finishing 2nd behind Romford. In the 19961997 season Rovers would also finish second again, behind Ford United by just three points. The 1997-1998 season would be Rovers worst season in the Essex Senior League, finishing mid-table, 7th, and 36 points behind winners Concord Rangers.

The club’s final appearance in the Essex Senior League saw them finish 2nd behind Bowers United. However, due to Bowers United failing to meet ground grading requirements for promotion,

Rovers were promoted to the Isthmian League in their place.

With Isthmian League Division Three on the horizon for the 1999-2000 season, Rovers move into Step 4 of the league pyramid was complete.

At the very first attempt Rovers were promoted to Division Two finishing behind East Thurrock Utd by three points. Promotion to Division Two gave Rovers some stiffer opposition and the season finished with Rovers in mid-table.

In 2002 the Isthmian League then reorganised and Rovers found themselves in a new look Division One North, finishing mid-table but more than holding their own in what was a very competitive league. In 2003 the club were embroiled in a relegation fight, although this was won convincingly as Rovers finished 15 points ahead of the relegation zone.

A further league reorganisation in 2004 saw the club switch to the Southern Football League Eastern Division for two seasons.

The 2004-2005 season saw Rovers miss relegation by one point due to Erith & Belvedere FC being deducted three points, but in the 2005-2006 season Rovers bounced back to finish safely in mid-table.

For the 2006-2007 season Rovers found themselves in familiar territory, switching back to the Isthmian League Division One North, where we finished 12th. Two further

seasons saw Rovers finish 13th and stabilise themselves as a Ryman League club.

The 2009-2010 season brought a record number of points for the Rovers at Ryman League level, 64, but towards the end of the season manager Iain O’Connell was offered the management of Ryman Premier League side Margate leaving assistant Ryan Wilkinson and physio Cleve Taylor to take over temporary control with 12 games to go. In a season that saw Rovers top the table for 9 weeks, the dizzy heights would eventually get to O’Connell’s side as they finished in 9th place, 13 points behind the playoffs.

Ryan Wilkinson and Cleve Taylor would be implemented as joint-managers for the 2010-2011 season and their first season in charge would offer up 44 points and 15th place in the league. Their start to the 2011-2012 season wasn’t what they had hoped and after one win in their opening nine games, both offered their resignations.

Rovers made first team coach Danny Heath caretaker manager and he brought temporary stabilisation back to the side as they recorded two wins and three draws from his seven games in charge.

Rovers would offer the management post to Danny Greaves, son of ex-Tottenham and England legend Jimmy

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Greaves. Danny saw that a clean sweep of the side was required and let go the majority of the squad, bringing in loanees whilst trying to sign up new players.

Unfortunately this plan didn’t work and after a miserable run of six losses in a row, he too offered his resignation.

Rovers would offer exCaptain and stalwart Dan Trenkel the position as manager in November 2011 in an effort to stabilise the club. However, Trenkel was playing for Redbridge FC at the time who were on a fantastic run in the FA Cup, and it would be two weeks before he would be unveiled at the club, Danny Heath taking temporary control again, although this time losing both games.

Trenkel would bring back a number of players previously released by Danny Greaves, and opened his management career with a 2-2 draw at home to Waltham Forest

, followed by a 1-1 draw at home to Harlow Town.

However, although the side were performing better, results would continue to go against him and after just three wins in the remaining 21 games, including 6 draws, Rovers would find themselves bottom of the table and

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staring relegation into the Essex Senior League.

In 2014, they won the ESL by one point on the final day of the season, and were promoted back to the Isthmian League.

2016/17 season was probably the most turbulent the club has ever experienced. Seeing two Chairman leaving their posts, together with two Managers also losing their jobs. In total 71 players were used in the fight against relegation without any success. As we were finally relegated after two seasons at step 4 in the FA Pyramid returning to the Essex Senior League.

Manager Iain O’Connell, in his second spell with the club has been working hard during the summer to put together a strong squad and to lay down the foundation to mount a serious challenge for promotion to enable Great Wakering Rovers to get back to Step 4 in the FA

pyramid the club expects, they went on to win the league at the first attempt, earning promotion back to the renamed North Division of the Isthmian League.

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Stourport Swifts FC Midland League Premier Division - Step 5

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n the last 50 years, the Swifts, founded in 1882, and the oldest club in the County of Worcestershire, have progressed steadily to the Midland Football League Premier Division, which is Step 5 on the Football League pyramid.

In 1965 John McDonald became secretary of Stourport Swifts and the Club you see today began to take shape.

The Swifts progressed from the Worcester League into the West Midland League, where there were some notable successes in both League and County Cup form.

Ron Bradley, former WBA player and also former coach to the national team in Libya, was a manager to note in the 70’s, followed by former player Richard Leach, who can be seen at most home matches.

Former Mayor of Stourport, Roy Crowe, became chairman at that time. Roy remained Life President of the club until he passed away at the age of 88 on December 3rd, 2016.

The pitch was fenced in, a requirement for progression through the higher levels of non-league football, and work began on the Clubhouse you see today in 1981, with players and officials digging out foundations by hand.

Pat Lynch and Kidderminster Harriers legend Phil Mullen became the management team in the late 80’s and early 90’s and the Swifts progressed to the Premier Division of the West Midlands League and won the Worcestershire Senior Urn three times during their spell in charge.

Chris Reynolds took over as Chairman in 1992 and John McDonald secured funding for the building of the new stand in the same year.

Despite the team finishing runners up in the Premier Division in 1994, they failed

to gain promotion to the new Midland Football Alliance.

That promotion came 4 years later, in 1998, and in 2001, with Rod Brown in charge, Stourport Swifts took and incredible 66 points from their last 26 matches of the season (W20 D6) to pip Rushall Olympic to the Midland Football Alliance title

by ONE GOAL. Lee Booth scored 40 goals that season, and Rod Brown was voted Manager of the Year.

The Swifts were promoted as Champions to the Southern League and enjoyed their highest level of football over the next ten years in this Division.

The Non League Pyramid was re organised in 2013 and the Swifts secured a place in the Midland League Premier Division, which significantly reduced travelling on match days. Hereford, after being declared bankrupt for the second time, were denied entrance into the Southern League, and placed in the Midland Premier Division.

On the 11th of August 2015, a record crowd of 1,321 saw the Swifts win 2-0 at Walshes Meadow to become the first team to beat their illustrious neighbours in the Midland League.

Chris Reynolds passed away on Saturday 23rd July 2016, after a brave battle against cancer. Chris had been with the club some 45 years as player, manager, committee member and Chairman, and he will be sorely missed by all the great friends he made in that time.

The Club then lost John McDonald on 17th October the same year, also after a long battle against cancer.

Mac was honoured by the Football Association in 2015 for 50 years of service to Stourport Swifts, and has been the heartbeat of the

Midland Alliance - Top of Table 2000 -2001 season P

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Stourport Swifts

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28

9

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Rushall Olympic

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28

9

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98

28

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Barwell

42

26

11

5

74

35

89

39

Oadby Town

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26

7

9

89

45

82

44

Stourbridge

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23

10

9

93

52

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Swifts for the past 50 years.

He will be remembered as the man who built the Club, and this is a pair of shoes we will never fill.

Mac and Chris secured the future of the club before they both passed away, pulling back in a group of former players and their friends to take on the task of taking the club forwards. Graham Haighway, Nigel Wager and Ian Johnson had all played for the Swifts in the seventies and eighties, and along with new chairman Pip Hanson, had been running a local Sunday League side for the previous 30 years. Chris’s eldest son Paul also joined the committee.

This Sunday team moved to the Swifts home at Washes Meadow in 2015-2016, and the group picked up the mantle from then to carry them forward in the Midland Premier League on Saturdays.

Mark Phillips and John Dowdeswell were appointed as the new managers in 2015, and led them to 10th, 10th and 13th place finishes. In 2017 Swifts also won the Worcester Infirmary Cup for the first time in 19 years, and in 2018 reached the 5th Round of the FA Vase before going out to eventual finalists Stockton Town.

John and Mark resigned at the end of the 2017-2018 season,

and Swifts appointed former Wolves and Hereford player Quentin Townsend as manager, and five years of growth and improvement at Club and team level have followed.

The Clubhouse and changing rooms have undergone some extensive refurbishment over the years, with an extension which doubled the size completed in 2021.

Over the past six years, the Club has worked hard to develop its Community platform, with the introduction of a Development team, plus teams at Under 21, Under 18 at senior level, and a Junior Section starting from the Under 5’s and 6’s “Mini Swifts” and including two girls sides, in a total of 16 teams.

Last season saw the Swifts win the WFA Senior Cup for the first time, with a 2-0 win against Redditch United, and finish with their highest ever Midland League points tally.

This season has seen the introduction of play offs in the Midland League Premier Division for the first time, and the Swifts currently lie in 5th place in a hotly contested league, with just 3 defeats so far. The Swifts have once again reached Round 5 of the Isuzu FA Vase, with a home tie against neighbours Worcester City expected to attract a crowd of over 1,500 with a place in the quarter final at stake.

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The Club has always been run by small group of enthusiastic volunteers, with a similarly small group of dedicated supporters, and continues to progress and improve both on and off the pitch on limited resources. The Club has suffered flooding in recent years, as the ground sits on the banks of the river Severn, but despite this, ground

improvement grants have been secured through the Football Foundation, and we look forward to a promising future.

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RECENT HONOURS

West Midlands League: Division Two Cup Runners Up 1982-83 Division One Runners Up 1987-88 Premier Division Runners Up 1993-94, 96-97, 97-98 Cup Winners 1992-93

Worcester Senior Invitation Cup Winners: 2022-2023 Worcester Senior Urn Winners: 92-93, 93-94, 94-95, 97-98 Worcester Royal Infirmary Cup Winners: 93-94, 94-95, 95-96, 97-98, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19 Midland Football Alliance Winners: 2000-2001

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IAN JOHNSON FORMER PLAYER

Ian made his first of over 600 appearances for the Swifts back in 1972. After playing his last match for the Swifts at the age of 34, he returned to bring the Sunday side he had run for the past 30 years, along with Graham, Pip and Nigel back to the Walshes and in 2015 became the Swifts first ever Sunday team.

Ian has now retired, and the Sunday team have gone on to win the Kidderminster Premier League and County Cup 2 years in a row.

PAUL REYNOLDS COMMITTEE MEMBER, SUPPORTER AND MAIN SHIRT SPONSOR: REYNOLDS OF RUSHOCK

My dad, Chris Reynolds, moved from Billericay to the Midlands in the 70s and before long ended up at the club as a player, then manager, and finally Chairman for 25 years. Being a local businessman, he was able to bring friends and attract others to the club. Sadly, my dad passed away 8 years ago, but overall, he and his friends left a great legacy for us to build on, and I’m sure he would be extremely proud of the progress made at Stourport Swifts if he were around today.

I have always played football, often with my friends at Chainwire’s, many of whom are still good friends and some who are on our committee at the club. It always helps to be able to enjoy a chat and a drink after a game with friends that you have a playing bond with and that you’ve known from your earlier footballing days. The club has really made progress over the past 6-8 years, and we are experiencing some historical times which is great to see. We actively encourage youth football

for both boys and girls with a vibrant youth section, and a development squad plus U18s and U21 teams meaning we are establishing a pathway for what will be the next generation of club members to take over the mantel in years to come.

Stourport Swifts are blessed with an outstanding group of volunteers who are often the unseen and unsung heroes that keep our club running. I believe the strengths of our committee are invaluable, led by chairman Pip Hanson and his committed team, with a first team squad fronted by an excellent manager, Quentin Townsend, who has performed wonders this season with such a young squad.

My company, Reynolds of Rushock, has been a long-term sponsor of the club ever since my dad pulled on his boots for Stourport Swifts, and it has always been a pleasure to contribute whatever I can as this season’s shirt sponsor.

I would like to congratulate everyone at our club on an outstanding season so far and wish us all continued success as we head towards the conclusion of the 2023/2024 campaign!

“Very proud sponsors of Stourport Swifts FC!”

“Very proud sponsors of Stourport Swifts FC!”

www.reynoldsofrushock.co.uk 84

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Wimborne Town FC “Cultivating a sustainable future!”

JIMMY GLASS GENERAL MANAGER

“I foresee Wimborne shedding its ‘Little Old’ label and emerging as the top footballing force in our region.”

I started life in Southwest London, close to Kingston upon Thames, where I kicked off my footballing journey as a Crystal Palace apprentice at 16. After numerous youth and reserve games, I made the pivotal decision to join AFC Bournemouth at the age of 23. It was during my time there that I first encountered Wimborne Town Football Club, sparked by a romance with my then-girlfriend, who came from the area.

After 13 seasons navigating the footballing pyramid, I eventually bid farewell to the sport. Since leaving school I had never had a “real job”, I worked for a couple of companies locally then in 2006 found myself buying a Taxi company in Wimborne Minster. I then spent the next 10 years far removed from the football world, apart from the odd season scoring goals for local Sunday morning teams. In 2016 I had an opportunity to go back into the professional game at AFC Bournemouth. My old teammate Eddie Howe had miraculously taken the club from League Two all the way to the Premier League. I spent the next 8 years organising the team logistics and helping the players navigate their lives off the pitch. Last summer, feeling it was time for a new challenge, I had a fortuitous conversation

with board member Martin Higgins, this paved the way for my transition into the role of General Manager of Wimborne Town FC. Recognising the potential synergy between my past experiences, including time spent with people like Eddie Howe, and the aspirations of Wimborne Town FC, I eagerly embraced the opportunity to help the club with their ambitious plans for growth.

One of our foremost objectives is to propel our 1st team back to the Southern Premier next season, and subsequently, onto the

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National South League over the next few seasons. The Southern League Div One is a difficult league to get out of, only two teams are promoted. One automatically and another via the play offs.

Success this season though is important to the clubs plans as the Southern Premier division promises riveting local derbies, fostering both passioned support and financial enhancement.

At the core of our strategy lies a commitment to creating a pathway within the club, from youth to senior football.

Ex AFC Bournemouth, West

Ham and Blackburn player Matty Holmes has been at the helm of our burgeoning youth section, he along with Director of Youth Terry Wateridge, has spearheaded its expansion from 5 to 40 teams, ensuring a direct avenue and opportunity for players to blossom.

One of our aims is to bridge the divide between our 1st team and reserves, facilitating seamless player transitions. Concurrently, our youth and academy programs serve as vital conduits, nurturing talent from grassroots levels through to the senior ranks.

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In cultivating a sustainable future, we’ve forged robust ties with both our community and local businesses. Our recent FA Cup clash against Torquay United drew an impressive crowd of 1852, underscoring our status as a community-centric club. A grass mail pitch and a top-tier 3G facility enhance our offerings, while our clubhouse serves as a versatile venue for various celebrations and events. A recent sportsman’s dinner generated £10,000 in support of the club, with plans underway to establish an elite gymnasium accommodating 500 members, further solidifying our bonds with the local people, organisations and businesses.

Though a relative newcomer to the fold, I approach my role, from an objective bias driven by a vision of propelling Wimborne Town FC to new heights.

Drawing upon my varied footballing experiences, I hope that I can bring a wealth of experience and insights to the table. Bolstered by an impassioned board and community, I foresee Wimborne shedding its ‘Little Old’ label, emerging as the top footballing force in our region.”

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OUR HISTORY “THE MAGPIES”

Wimborne Town Football Club was formed in 1878 and originally catered for both football and rugby. In 1884 the South Hampshire and Dorset Football Association was formed with Wimborne as one of the founder members. Three years later the Club became a founder member of the Dorset County Football Association.

The Club’s first success came in 1913 when they won the Dorset Minor Cup for the only time. A year later they were runners-up in the Dorset Junior Challenge Cup.

The Thirties were a triumphant period in Wimborne Town’s history as they carried off the Dorset League Division Two title three times and finished runners-up on a further occasion. The Magpies were also runnersup in Dorset League Division One in 1939. This period also proved successful for Wimborne in cup competitions.

The Dorset Junior Challenge Cup was won twice in three final appearances and the Magpies also enjoyed four Dorset Junior Amateur Cup victories in five seasons between 1935 and 1939.

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Wimborne’s first senior honour came in 1937 with the Dorset Senior Amateur Cup but this turned out to be the last honour for some while and it was not until 1964 that this success was repeated. After another lean spell, this time 17 years, Wimborne won the Dorset League Division One championship without losing a match. The Reserve team retained the championship the following season.

In 1981, following the installation of floodlights and the construction of a perimeter wall and new changing rooms at their Cuthbury ground, Wimborne were admitted to the First Division of the Western League. They immediately established themselves among the leading clubs, just losing out on third spot to local rivals Swanage on goal difference. The 1984/85 season saw Wimborne Town’s most successful in the Western League when they finished in third place, this time ahead of Swanage on goal difference.

Wimborne Town joined the Wessex League in 1987 and stayed for he next 23 seasons, finishing outside the

top eight only once. During that time the Magpies won the title on three occasions, in 1991/92, 1993/4 and 1999/2000 and twice finished runners-up, in 1992/93 and 1996/97. Wimborne won the Wessex League Cup in 1993/94 to become the first club to achieve the League and Cup double and this feat was repeated in 1999/2000 and 2007/08. They were also runners-up in 1990/91 and 1995/96.

In recent years, Wimborne Town have appeared in 12 County Cup Finals. The Dorset Senior Challenge Cup Final has been contested eight times with victories in 1991/92 and 1996/97.

Wimborne have also reached the Dorset League Cup Final on four occasions.

The Magpies entered FA competitions for the first time in many years in 1982/83 when wins over Bridport, Falmouth Town, St Blazey, Bath City and Merthyr Tydfil earned them a visit to Aldershot, then a Football League side, in the First Round Proper. That’s where the Wembley dream ended, however, with a gallant 4-0 exit.

Before 1992, Wimborne Town’s best performances

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in the FA Vase had brought them Third Round appearances on three occasions. However, that record was eclipsed in 1992, when the Club, led by Chairman Brian Maidment and manager Alex Pike, enjoyed an epic run to the Wembley final where they defeated favourites Guiseley 5-3 to lift the trophy. In so doing, Wimborne Town became the first ever Dorset club at any level to contest a Wembley final. During that same historic season, Wimborne also won the Dorset Senior Challenge Cup and Wessex League championship to complete a unique treble of trophies.

Season 2009/10 saw the Club, managed by Alex Browne, gain promotion to the Southern League, the highest position in the non-league pyramid that Wimborne Town has occupied in its history.

Steve Cuss was appointed manager in June 2011 and he led the Magpies to 12th spot in the table in season 2012/13.After four years of service during which time Steve established the Club in the Southern League and led them to the First Round Proper of the FA Trophy in 2014/15, he resigned in November 2015, club stalwart Paul Roast took over as caretaker boss before replacement Simon Browne the brother of previous manager Alex took over full time. Unfortunately, Simon’s financial expectations for the 2016-17 season could not be met, the playing budget being slashed and most of the squad leaving, relegation was avoided and he resigned in May 2016.

In July 2016, ex professional and former AFC Bournemouth Pre-Academy Lead Coach, Matty Holmes joined Wimborne Town as 1st Team Manager. Matty brought his brother Danny with him.

Together, they work hard on introducing a new brand of football, which has proved both pleasing to the eye and effective. Matty assembled a strong but young squad which achieved our then highest position in the Southern League of 11th.

The team improved on that in 2017-18, finishing 3rd on 77 points, having scored over 100 goals, and winning the Dorset Senior Cup for the first time in 21 years.

The euphoria was muted by a play-off final defeat by Swindon Supermarine in a penalty shoot-out. However, the restructuring of leagues at Steps 3 and 4, and the demise of Shaw Lane FC led to a late

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promotion for Wimborne as the highest performing team not already promoted.

In 2018/2019 the magpies played at Step 3 for the first time in their history. After an initial struggle they more than held their own achieving a place just below halfway.

Matty has also started working with the other teams in the club to develop talent at all age levels.

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GRAHAM BELL DIRECTOR, SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: J&BS PLUMBING & HEATING

I moved to the area many years ago and started my business in Wimborne. I was invited along to watch them play at the club. I have had two stints as a director of the club and was part of the team that helped keep the club propped up back then. Over the years, I have been fortunate to have made many good friends at the club. I invited my dad, Geoff, a great sports fan in his own right, to move from Walton near Hadrian’s Wall a few years back, down to Wimborne, which he absolutely loved, and he and I would follow Wimborne Town together.

I have always enjoyed being a sponsor of the club, and when we moved to our new facilities in 2020, it was a real step forward for the club. I was able to help with the construction of the new 3G pitch, which became an important addition for the club and the community. The morale at the club has been excellent this season. We very much have a working

J&Bs Plumbing & Heating Supplies is an independent Plumbing & Heating Supplier with 8 branches based in Dorset & Hampshire.

committee, you might say, with us all mucking in and helping out in any way we can. Winning the league is important this season, and taking it one step at a time is also critical as we look to advance to National League football. Without a doubt, we have the quality in our team to do this, as well as the facilities and support from local people and businesses.

To be involved in a successful football club, on and off the pitch, your heart has to be in it. Wimborne Town Football Club has many volunteers who collectively contribute to the club and make it what it is, whether it’s the tea makers, the old boy gardeners, the organizers of the quiz nights, watching our over 60’s walking football, or the many events that take place at the club. They are all of value and contribute and influence on-field success. We are a friendly bunch, and you will often see us mix with each other and new visitors.

Best wishes to everyone at the club on an excellent season as we near the end game, and hopefully, we will be playing at a higher level next season!

“Delighted to be associated with the success of Wimborne Town FC!”

sales@jandbs.co.uk www.jandbs.co.uk

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Racing Club Warwick FC

GARY VELLA CHAIRMAN

”There is a great camaraderie at Townsend Meadow and you get the feeling we can be as big as we want us to be!”

I was involved as a coach at another local club and bumped into Phil Haycock who was on the board at Racing Club and I enquired if they were looking at having any Junior teams, which they didn’t have at the time.

This resulted in me moving both of my lads teams across in a bid to restart a Junior section at the club. Within two years we had six teams and within four years we had sixteen teams. Meanwhile, I joined the board of the club, and it quickly became apparent the precarious position the club was in.

Phil Haycock, Rob Horley and myself put together a five-year vision and my name was put forward to become Chairman. The vision needed the `buy-in` from the local council, who were landowners, to just move things forward and fortunately we were able to form a fantastic partnership with them which still exists to this day.

The severe lack of usable facilities to even continue at step six was the first hurdle to overcome. We had to clear old wooden and temporary buildings in order

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to replace them with more modern facilities which would then meet ground grading requirements.

We purchased a new small stand and new floodlighting and put plans in place for a small 3g surface for all of our teams to train on and for the Foundation Phase to play their weekend matches on. We started many fruitful partnerships with some fantastic local community companies and began a football academy on-site alongside a children’s nursery who rented part of the facilty.

Rob and phil stood down after a valuable stin at the club and Ryan Goode, who had previously worked on the junior sections growth, with

Kevin Walsh and Phil Salter all joined the board.

Fortunes favoured us and we were granted a fantastic new playing surface which is utilised by not just Racing Club Warwick teams, but many other clubs in the area.

We have since added two covered shelters behind each goal and a new stand is due to be installed in February taking our seating capacity to over 400. We are also close to having planning approved for a new changing and education block which will allow us to offer further community benefit particularly in growing the girls section and in pan disability football.

There is a real sense of excitement at the club at the

moment. When we came in, on top of laying out the foundations that we have put in place, we also targeted two promotions. Warwick District is a growing entity with over 150K people living here. There is no reason why a Town the size of Warwick cannot be playing in the National Leagues but we will cross that bridge in time.

One of the main player connections we have is Ben Foster who after leaving Racing Club Warwick went on to play for Manchester United and England. Ben still comes down to see us and is an excellent ambassador for our Academy.

Touch wood, everything has gone well for us this season.

We currently sit top of the league and are in two quarter finals. Our ambition for the season was promotion so we will keep working hard to hopefully get us over the line.

The club provide Wildcats for girls at the club, and it is in our plans to have several girls sides by the start of next season. We also have plans for a women’s team which we will start to recruit for soon.

A brilliant Walking Football section adds greatly to the club, with over fifty members.

It is fantastic to see the facilities used for such brilliant physically and mentally enhancing activities.

Racing Club are very much a community club and all of our board members past and present have held, or still hold, other community

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NICKI DUFFY PARENT, SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: VTS AUTOMOTIVE

RCWFC, where he currently plays for the club’s U11s. Riley is an out-and-out striker who has scored over 70 goals so far this season! As a massive Birmingham City FC fan, he grabbed an opportunity recently during an U21s fixture against RCWFC to request to be their mascot by removing his Racing Club colours post-match and pulling on his Blues strip, subsequently leading the team out; a great honour for him as a fan and season ticket holder!

It’s strange to say, but apart from Matt, Riley is really the only footballer in either side of our families, and he has an undeniable passion and love for watching and playing the sport! One of the main things that has stood out for me at RCWFC is the quality

roles either in their jobs or volunteering. We offer hosting for many charity events particularly during the summer months and allow local schools to use our pitches when required.

Our sponsors form an integral part of our success.

We have varying levels of sponsorship deals ranging from charities obtaining free space on boards or club shirts to tens of thousands per year major deals. Importantly for us is the coverage we offer to our pitch side sponsors who for cost price of a board can hopefully gain some business from the two thousand or so visitors to our site each week., Racing Club Warwick FC is a fantastic club with over 100 years of history. What we have achieved in the past eight years will hopefully hold us in good stead for the next fifty at least. There is a great camaraderie at Townsend Meadow and you get the feeling we can be as big as we want us to be and it will always be sustainable and run properly and professionally.

A LITTLE OF OUR HISTORY

My brother, Ryan Goode, has been involved with Racing Club Warwick FC for some time, so there has always been a strong family connection to the club. Back in the day, I was also a regular attendee at parties and events held at the club. As a sponsor, we support RCWFC in any way we can, whether it’s hiring out function rooms, more recently for my “Baby Gender occasion,” or helping with the club van repairs to ensure they are roadworthy for away matches, etc.

Riley, my son, previously played for Central Ajax FC before making the move to

of coaches they have.

Callum Wright is absolutely excellent at managing and coaching his players. With Riley as his captain, he has exhibited an innate talent for knowing how to get the best out of him, which has done wonders for his confidence, leading him to be able to help mentor other teammates.

Without a doubt, Callum has helped foster and deepen his already great love of football. I can’t speak highly enough about the people at RCWFC who continue to support and provide a place for our

young and old alike to meet and enjoy football in our community. Former England footballer Ben Foster started his career at RCWFC and has maintained a connection to the club all these years later; testament to the high regard in which he holds the club! Congratulations to everyone at Racing Club Warwick Football Club on being recognized in Football Focus Magazine this season.

Wishing all teams and everyone associated with the great club all the very best of continued success and enjoyment for the remainder of the 2023/2024 campaign.

We were formed in 1919 as Saltisford Rovers and moved to the current ground, adjacent to the Racecourse hence the name, in 1971. The club has played at Step 4 in the Doc Martens league before finding times hard for a good few years. The past eight years has seen the club build steadily for the future and is now in a good place to achieve new highs.

Our record win was a 15-0 Boxing day win in 2016 against local rivals Southam United and the club this season has broken it’s winning home record of eleven winning games, and now stands at fifteen home wins on the bounce. The club had it’s first promotion for thirty years in 2018/19 gaining promotion to the Midland Premier League.

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Amersham Town FC ”The work put in over recent decades, however, has laid the foundations for success both on and off the pitch!”

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estling amongst the Chiltern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, on the edge of a small town, Amersham Town is a successful football club with good modern facilities, a beautifully maintained grass pitch, additional pitches for younger teams and a modern, welcoming clubhouse.

Not surprisingly, for a club that was one hundred and thirty three years old on 13th October last year, it has not always been like that. As with any long established society, it has had its ups and downs.

Thirty years ago, when current President Howard Lambert and Club Welfare Officer and Programme Secretary Mike Gahagan joined the club, it was certainly on a down. As Mike Gahagan describes it “Not to put too fine a point on it, it was a basket case.

It owed about £70,000 at current values, it had fewer than ten years to run on the lease of its ground at Spratleys Meadow, the pitch had a slope of 11’4” from touchline to touchline and the club had no ancillary pitches, its changing rooms were an old wooden shed which had been designated as an emergency mortuary in case Amersham were bombed in the war and half

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the clubhouse was a former wooden classroom which must have been more than eighty years old.”

But now the club is flying high in Division One of the Cherry Red Combined Counties Football League and runs an Under 18s team in that league, has close links with Kings Church Amersham FC which runs more than twenty teams for youngsters and hosts many local organisations in its clubhouse.

FROM THEN TO NOW!

So how did it get from there to here? As Mike Gahagan explains, “There was no master plan: we

knew what was wrong and seized opportunities as they arose. The first stages were to secure a long-term lease, as no-one will invest if there is no security of tenure, and to get rid of the debts.” On the first, the club was extremely fortunate in having as it’s landlord the Brazil Trust. George Brazil, with his brother, had set up the famous Bowyers Pork Pie company in the town.

He, as club President, had purchased the ground from Squire Tyrwhitt-Drake in the 1950’s and his successor, local solicitor Roy Bazzard, was very sympathetic towards a new and extended tenure.

On behalf of the Brazil Trust, he negotiated a new 99 year lease with the club. More land was acquired in 1997 for pitches, across the road from Spratleys Meadow. Again the club found that it was dealing with a sympathetic land owner in the Thomas TyrwhittDrake Voluntary Settlement and a 21 year lease, which has

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subsequently been renewed, was signed.

Eliminating the debt was a different matter and it took more than a decade to regain solvency. The club was greatly assisted by Graham Taylor. Graham, as manager of Watford, had become friendly with Howard Lambert and, in 1990, sanctioned a game between Amersham Town and Aston Villa his current club. Played at neighbouring Chesham United, a crowd of 2,000 saw Villa win twelve nil with Dwight Yorke scoring four. The gate money contributed enormously to debt reduction and, more pertinently, Graham Taylor agreed to become President of Amersham Town, a position he held until his death.

It was only in 2004 that the then club Treasurer, Lawrence Lipka, could report that all outstanding loans had been paid and that the club was financially healthy.

Recognising the destabilising effect of debt, as on any football club, the committee swore then that it would never again be in that situation, a commitment it has ever since honoured. The club’s five year business plan is regularly monitored by the Finance Committee to ensure good discipline.

The next elements of the club’s development came in phases. First, in 2006, led by local builder Chris Mooney, the pitch was levelled and new changing rooms constructed.

Then, only two years ago, the old wooden part of the clubhouse was replaced by a modern building. To complete the work the club was lucky enough to win a £10,000 kitchen in a competition run

by Buildbase. Finally, the club is currently planning to replace its old and outdated floodlights.

None of this would have been possible without the support of the Football Foundation. Club Vice Chairman and Treasurer, Paul Serkis, is quick to pay tribute.

“Like many clubs at our level we can meet our day to day running costs and put a little by for rainy days. But major lumps of capital expenditure on building and other works would be beyond us were it not for their help.”

MEANWHILE, ON THE PITCH

It would be nice to report that, while the facilities were being upgraded, similar improvements were taking place to performances on the pitch: nice but untrue!

Although, in the 1990s, the club was in the Premier Division of the then London Spartan League, the general indebtedness fed through to low morale and relegations.

At the end of the 2001/2 the club was relegated to Division Two. Two years later it enjoyed the unusual experience of finishing bottom of the division and being promoted. This was not due to an innumerate league secretary but to the fact that other potential candidates could not achieve the required ground grading.

Under various managers the club then oscillated around the lower reaches of Division One of the Spartan South Midlands League for the next twenty years. The irony of first-rate facilities being accompanied by less than first rate performances

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was not lost on the Committee and supporters.

It therefore welcomed the recommendation, by a couple of players, of Stuart Atkins as manager for the start of the 2022/3 season.

The effects were as immediate as they were impressive. Under the two year plan devised by Stuart the aim was to realise promotion within that period.

He appreciated that, to achieve that plan the squad badly needed strengthening.

With the support of his assistants, Gary Burkitt and Antonio Cacciapuoti, he started to recruit. Having managed at various clubs and, in the previous season, enjoyed considerable success with Oxhey Jets, Stuart knew his way around local football at steps 5 and 6. The new squad won five of their first eight games, finishing the season in fourth place and losing in the playoffs to Rugby Borough, the eventual promotion winners.

Stuart continued his recruitment for the current season. Perhaps as important

as any player was the addition of Richard Pacquette and Carlan Edgar to his coaching staff. Richard has played for, amongst others, Queens Park Rangers and Brentford whilst Carlan coaches at the Watford Academy. Together with the existing coaches, they have brought an added professionalism to training sessions. Whilst heavy commitments recently have restricted the time that Carlan can devote to Amersham Town, a senior player, Louis Stead, has stepped successfully into the breach.

Stuart describes his philosophy as “Recruit good and committed players, be ever watchful for new talent and provide the best possible environment for them to develop and succeed” As a result the club has introduced several young players into the team, such as goalkeeper Ryan Lehane and centre back Jonny O’Sullivan, integrating them successfully with the more established members of the squad. No doubt, if promotion is achieved, Stuart and his coaches will be developing a further two year plan underpinned by the same philosophy.

Perhaps the leading light amongst the young players, and certainly the one that has attracted the most attention, is Jake Tabor. Stuart is full of praise for him, “Jake is the leading goal scorer in the country at our level,” he points out. “He is still only twenty one and can only get better. Like the rest of the team, he’s a smashing lad and we’re happy to have him.”

Stuart is also quick to praise the rest of the squad.

“Naturally, the attention focuses on the goal scorers but the midfield and defence also deserve praise for their efforts this season. Not only do we have the highest ‘goals for’ column in our division of the Cherry Red Combined Counties, but we also have the lowest ‘goals against’ tally. Obviously, our ambition is to be promoted to step 5

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and beyond but that will only happen if we maintain our drive and commitment.”

That is no bad record for the first season in the Combined Counties.

Club Secretary and Match Secretary, Bryan Fisher, explains, “We enjoyed our time in the Spartan South Midlands League, but the northward shift of its footprint was resulting in more and more travelling. The number of round trips in excess of one hundred miles increased from one in season 2020/21 to eight in 2021/22 and eleven in 2022/23. Having previously failed to achieve a transfer to the more local Combined Counties League, the club then appealed directly to Debbie Hewitt as Chair of the FA and were allocated to the Combined Counties League for the current season.

Mike Gahagan, who led the lobbying, has sympathy with the problems facing the FA. “Understandably, they want to maintain the purity of the pyramid whereby any club has a roughly equal chance of promotion or relegation” he says. “But the current system has been built up over decades and receives constant tinkering. Like any longstanding arrangements it acquires barnacles, and the time may be right for the FA to refashion the whole thing from first principles.

Mind you,” he adds, “I don’t envy them that job with the range of interested parties involved.”

TEAMS BEYOND THE FIRST TEAM

The club has only recently fielded an Under 18s team under the guidance of former manager Dale Welch. They currently play in the Tony

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Ford U18 Division West of the Combined Counties League. Dale and the U18s managers are optimistic about the future. Dale said “Like any new team they had to find their feet at the start of the season, but results are now improving. And it’s encouraging to see players training with the first team and one or two breaking into the squad.

Dale added “We are looking to recruit more players next season and further improve the quality of players in the Under 18s overall so that we have a pipeline of players to support the first team. To summarise, things are looking good all round.

Amersham’s youth section fell apart in 2006 when the club has to abandon temporarily its ground at

Spratleys Meadow whilst the pitch was being levelled and new changing rooms built. Fortunately, a few years previously, a local pastor from Kings Church had wanted to give local children who attended church on a Sunday morning the opportunity to play football on a Saturday.

Having started with one team at Under 10s the club now runs more than twenty teams for boys and girls. It makes use of the ancillary pitches at Amersham Town and those of most other parks in the area. It has recently started serving breakfasts on a Saturday morning at Amersham Town’s clubhouse and runs a very successful football festival every summer at the club. Amersham Town took the decision many years ago that it would not seek to

re-establish a youth section in competition as Kings Church Amersham is a well-run club that is an asset to the community.

Paul Serkis, Vice Chairman of both Amersham Town and of Kings Church Amersham, strongly supports that approach. Nevertheless, he and the Amersham Town committee both recognise that there is room to develop the relationship in the future.

At a more international level, Amersham Town has recently hosted the England fans football team as they play fans representing England’s imminent opponents at Wembley. The most recent game was against the Veterans Malta FA last November, a match played in memory of Trevor Francis who had passed away the previous July. Present at the game were two of Trevor’s former Nottingham Forest FC team mates, Martin O’Neill and Tony Woodcock, footballing royalty indeed.

The visitors, who eventually won on penalties, were all exMalta internationals, including two players who had played against England at Wembley in 2016 in a FIFA 2018 World Cup qualifier. The emotional scenes in the clubhouse, postmatch as the visitors were presented with the Trevor Francis Memorial Cup and Tony Woodcock spoke of his beloved team mate and friend will live long in the memory.

Garford Beck founder of England Fans FC, has been complimentary about Amersham Town: “We love playing at Spratleys Meadow and in the quintessentially English town of Amersham where we feel very much at home,” he said. “The game against Veterans Malta FA was our third such fixture played at Amersham where Simon Damery and his staff go out of their way to make us and our visitors feel very welcome.

All at Amersham Town FC buy into what we try to do, as a football club representing England fans, bringing fans together from all over the world in a spirit of goodwill, friendship and sporting rivalry, and those involved in running this wonderful football club understand what grass roots football all is about.”

Spratleys Meadow has also hosted a number of groundshares over the years and is likely to do so in the future. The committee has made it clear that it will consider any activity that contributes to its core function since 1890, as set out in its constitution, of ‘encouraging football under Association laws.’

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OTHER FEATURES

No report of Amersham Town Football Club would be complete without coverage of its Chairman, Simon Damery.

Simon has been described as ‘the beating heart of Amersham Town FC.’ He played for the team as a strong centre half in the early years of this century and moved on to manage the reserve side and then, briefly, the first team in 2010 to fill a temporary vacancy. He was elected Chairman in 2014, a position he has held ever since.

However, of equal importance to the club are Simon’s skills as groundsman.

He can frequently be found on the tractor mowing or raking the pitch or whitelining prior to a game. Quite rightly, Simon has been shortlisted by the FA for the quality of the playing surface that he prepares.

In short Simon can regularly be found at the ground whenever his work for his roofing company allows.

A favourite restaurant of Simon and his wife, Kim, is Efes in Little Chalfont, a couple of miles down the road from Amersham. It was, however, coincidental that Arif Gokmen, the proprietor of Este, is currently both the club’s centre forward and main sponsor.

CONCLUSION

Over its long history Amersham Town has had fluctuating fortunes. The work put in over recent decades, however, has laid the foundations for success both on and off the pitch and enables Amersham to provide good facilities for the local community for years to come.

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AFC Whyteleafe “A Fairytale Story! ”

KELLY WATERS CHAIRMAN

In the heart of Whyteleafe, a football club has risen from the ashes, embodying resilience, community spirit, and a burning passion for the game.

AFC Whyteleafe, is a fairytale story that has unfolded over the last few seasons.

We’ve not only resurrected men’s football at Whyteleafe but also integrated 30 youth teams under the same badge and saved women’s football at our beloved club. Our immediate goal is to elevate the AFC Whyteleafe men’s team back to step 4, where the original Whyteleafe FC once stood before financial woes brought it down. Beyond that, higher aspirations beckon, but for now, our focus remains crystal clear.

Our women’s team, currently playing at tier 6 in the women’s football pyramid, was salvaged and rebuilt last

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season after facing similar financial challenges. With a stronger foundation, we anticipate the women’s team challenging for promotion in the near future. Furthermore, our thriving youth section, boasting 30 affiliated teams from U7s to U18s, serves as a

testament to our commitment to developing talent from a young age.

AFC Whyteleafe isn’t just a football club; it’s a vital part of our community, and the community reciprocates that importance. Engaging regularly with local people,

we’ve become an integral part of the fabric of Whyteleafe. Our commitment extends to at least one charity match per season, raising funds for the local food bank, a cause close to our hearts.

However, we aspire for more, seeking increased engagement with local businesses. Our vision is to foster genuine mutual support, integrating businesses seamlessly into our football community. This collaboration is key to sustaining our fairytale journey.

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OLLY HEAD OF COMMERCIAL

A WORD FROM DAN THOMAS HEAD OF RECRUITMENT

For me, AFC Whyteleafe is more than a club; it’s a connection to my roots.

Growing up with Whyteleafe in my blood, my involvement began innocently enough— just capturing moments through photos at the first training session. Little did I know, this journey would lead me to become the Head of Recruitment.

Navigating the challenges of player assessments, my role isn’t just about finding talent; it’s about shaping a squad’s personality and mentality. Building a team that withstands the test of time is my goal, and with Kelly’s unwavering support, we’re crafting a professional scouting department, eyeing success at every level.

The strength of our youth section makes my job easier, inspiring us at the senior level to be the team these young players dream of joining.

As the mood at the club remains excellent, we’re not just winning games; we’re creating a legacy.

As we embark on only our third season, AFC Whyteleafe is already etching its name in history. The league is our top priority, and as of now, we’re leading the charge, 7 points clear. Cup runs are cherries on top, but the league title remains our focus.

The unique atmosphere at Whyteleafe sets us apart. From the welcoming community to consistently high attendance, it’s more than just football—it’s a feelgood factor that resonates with fans week after week.

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My journey with AFC Whyteleafe started with my son’s love for football. Drawn to the friendliness of the club, my family and I became dedicated attendees. From being fans, I transitioned to heading the commercial side, aiming to involve more local businesses in our story.

Our sponsors are not just supporters; they are integral to our community. We engage with local councillors, residents, and businesses, fostering mutual support.

AFC Whyteleafe is more than a club; it’s a friendly, inclusive space where quality football and community spirit converge. Come witness it for yourself!

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