02.11.24 | SOUTHERN COMBINATION LEAGUE DIVISION ONE | 15:00
AFC Uckfield Town 2024/25
Eastbourne Road, Ridgewood, Uckfield, TN22 5QL
Chairman Billy Wood
Secretary Michelle Wright
Treasurer Natasha Leppard
Welfare Officer Nick Bignell
Committee
Billy Wood, Michelle Wright, Natasha Leppard, Nick Bignell, Paul Wright, Simon Heffer, Adrian Saunders, Mally Jones, Jackie Newton, Barry Newton, Kate Bignell, Steve Green, Jon Wood, Duncan Bennett, Jack Walker
Media & Programme Editor Ant Scott
ascottmedia@outlook.com
First Team Mens
Manager Billy Wood
Assistant Manager Alex Harris
First Team Coaches Luke Carter, Nick Bignell & Ant Scott
Goalkeeper Coach Robert Barden
Physio Sam Piper
First Team Women
Manager Jon Wood
Coaches Nick Rawlinson & Keith Rathborn
Development
Under 23s Manager Luke Carter
Under 18s Manager Mally Jones
AFC Uckfield Town strongly supports the FA statement that there should be a zero tolerance approach against racism and all forms of discrimination.
Accordingly any form of discriminatory abuse - whether it by reason of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion and belief, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, sex and sexual orientation or any other form of abuse will be reported to The Football Association for action.
WELCOME
TO THE NEW OAKS
Welcome to The New Oaks for this afternoon’s Premier Sports Southern Combination League Division One fixture against Arundel.
We extend a warm welcome to the players, officials and management of today’s visitors, and hope they enjoy our hospitality before, during and after the game this afternoon.
The Oaks will be looking forward to getting back to action after two weeks without a game due to the weather.
The rain put paid to the trip to Alfold, before our home game against Mile Oak last Saturday was postponed also due to a waterlogged pitch.
But Billy Wood’s side will be determined to pick up from where they left off having beaten Dorking Wanderers B in impressive style in our last league outing.
Early goals from Jake Lindsey and Ellis Wright put us in control, before further goals from Ryan Warwick and Joe Hasler saw us run out 4-2 winners here at The Oaks.
Whilst we’ve suffered with postponements, other teams around us have been in action so to have games in hand and still be within reach of the top of the table shows that it is still in our own hands.
Our Under 23s suffered late heartbreak on Thursday night when a goal 10 minutes (ten!) into stoppage time saw Broadbridge Heath win 3-2 in the Second Round of the County FA Cup. Luke Carter’s side return to action on Monday when they travel to Saltdean. Kick off is 7.45pm and your support would be very welcome!
The Ladies side will be hopeful of getting back to action themselves after three weeks without a game. They host Oakwood tomorrow in Sussex FA Women’s Challenge Trophy - with kick off at 2pm.
We return to action next Saturday when we travel to Copthorne, before retuning home in ten days time for the rearranged game with Mile Oak.
Enjoy today’s game, and get behind the lads!
#AFCUT
BILLY WOOD
WELCOME TO A NEW ERA AT AFC UCKFIELD TOWN
Good afternoon everyone, and welcome back to our home ground for today’s match against Arundel.
I’d like to extend a warm welcome to the supporters, committee, and staff of Arundel. We hope you have an enjoyable visit and a safe journey home after the game.
Our recent form in the league has been strong, and I’m immensely proud of the consistency and determination our team has shown.
However, we know that Arundel will be a tough test today. They’ve proven themselves to be strong away from home, so we’ll need to be at our very best to keep our momentum going.
It’s been a bit of a stop-start period for us with a two-week break since our last match.
While it’s been frustrating to pause our rhythm, the players have used this time well, and we’ve had some great training sessions to stay sharp and prepared.
Today’s game is another important step in our journey, and we’re
focused on taking it game by game, putting everything we have into each match.
I am determined to see us continue this good run, and I’m confident the players share that same drive and commitment.
After a heartbreaking defeat in the tenth minute of stoppage time at Broadbridge Heath in the County Cup on Thursday night, our Under 23s return to action on Monday away at Saltdean - any support you can lend would be amazing.
Thank you, as always, for your fantastic support. Let’s get behind the team and make some noise today especially in the Carlsberg End!
Enjoy the game!
Up The Uckers
Billy Wood
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LEAGUE STATS
FIXTURES AND RESULTS FROM DIVISION 1
SATURDAY
5 OCTOBER 2024
SCFL DIVISION ONE | THE OAKS | ATT: 112
AFC UCKFIELD TOWN
LINDSEY 5’ 10’, CAREY 56’, MARTIN 84’
MONTPELIER VILLA
PRATT 21’ 4 1
AFC Uckfield Town made it back-to-back wins in Southern Combination League Division One after a comfortable win over Montpelier Villa at The Oaks.
On the back of a 7-2 win away at Banstead Athletic, things were looking good once again for Billy Wood’s side when debutant Ryan Warwick teed up Jake Lindsey who made no mistake after five minutes.
Connor Martin then played through Lindsey, who produced a calm finish for his fifth goal in two games.
At 2-0 after ten minutes, things settled down before Montpelier Villa halved the deficit in style - with Harry Pratt’s wonder-strike giving Harry Howes no chance.
With the scorline at 2-1, the visitors’ task wasn’t helped when Josh Whitter saw red - and Uckfield made the most of their numerical advantage.
Skipper Archie Carey rose highest to meet a corner and score his first goal of the campaign to settle a
(GK) HARRY HOWES
MACCA STILES
ARCHIE CAREY
JIMMY HOLMAN
JOE HASLER
ELLIS WRIGHT
BILLY CRITTENDEN
CONNOR MARTIN
RYAN WARWICK
SHANE HARPER
JAKE LINDSEY
SUBS USED
ALAGIE TOURAY
LEON WRIGHT
TYLER PEARSON
ZAC BIGNELL
BRYAN TSHINGOMA
ZAK MASKELL (GK)
TIMI KALEJAIYE
RICKSON KULA
CHARLIE ROBERTS
DAVID SHARMAN
BEN THOMSETT
JOSHUA WHITTER
HARRY PRATT
WILBUR GRIFFITHS
RIO QUAYE
CHUKS AGUKWE
SUBS USED
EXAUCE DA SILVA
SULAYMAN FATTY
MARTIN FARKAS
TRENT WILLE
JOSHUA MICHAEL
few nerves in the home camp with eleven minutes gone in the second half.
Warwick himself went close but fired just off target, before the hosts added a fourth with six minutes to go. Great work from sub Alagie Touray set up Martin, who slotted home.
FIXTURES & RESULTS
SAT 02 H ARUNDEL
SAT 09 A COPTHORNE
TUE 12 H MILE OAK
SAT 16 H SELSEY
SAT 23 A OAKWOOD
SAT 30 H WORTHING UNITED DECEMBER
SAT 07 H STORRINGTON
SAT 14 H ALFOLD
SAT 21 A ALFOLD
THUR 26 A FOREST ROW
SAT 28 H GODALMING TOWN
JANUARY
SAT 04 H COPTHORNE
SAT 11 A BILLINGSHURST
SAT 18 A SEAFORD TOWN SAT 25
FEBRUARY
SAT 01 A MONTPELIER VILLA
SAT 08 H INFINITY
SAT 15
SAT 22 A REIGATE PRIORY
MARCH
SAT 01 H CHESSINGTON & HOOK UNITED
SAT 08 A ARUNDEL
SAT 15 A DORKING WANDERERS B SAT 22 H BANSTEAD ATHLETIC
SAT 29 A MILE OAK
APRIL
SAT 05
SAT 12 A EAST PRESTON
SAT 19 A WORTHING UNITED
MON 21 H FOREST ROW
SAT 26 A GODALMING TOWN
SUBS USED
E WRIGHT CRITTENDEN TURNER B WRIGHT HARPER LOFTUS 1 L WRIGHT, TSHINGOMA, TOURAY, WOOD
E WRIGHT CRITTENDEN MARTIN 1 WARWICK HARPER LINDSEY 2 TOURAY, L WRIGHT, PEARSON, BIGNELL, TSHINGOMA
E WRIGHT 1 CRITTENDEN MARTIN WARWICK 1 HARPER LINDSEY 1 BIGNELL, PEARSON, L WRIGHT, TSHINGOMA, TOURAY
E WRIGHT CRITTENDEN BIGNELL TURNER MARTIN WARWICK TSHINGOMA, PEARSON, TOURAY
SCFL REVIEW
DIVISION TWO TABLE
UNDER 23s
SOUTHERN COMBINATION UNDER 23 LEAGUE EAST TABLE
DATE H/A OPPONENT ATT RES AUGUST
WED 14 H LITTLE COMMON
WED 21 H
H
WED 16 A BROADBRIDGE HEATH [SCFA 2]
FOWLER NOVEMBER
MON 4 A SALTDEAN UNITED FRI 15 A WORTHING TOWN [SCFL 2]
THUR 21 A BEXHILL UNITED
NLP COLUMN THE LATEST COLUMN FROM THE NON-LEAGUE PAPER
ASK any manager or coach, proven goalscorers are so desperately hard to come by these days, so, to see not one, but two, Non-League striker legends hang up their scoring boots, it’s only right their achievements are celebrated.
Both Sam Higgins and Dave Tarpey have bowed out of the game these last few weeks with their legendary status intact. Stacks of goals wherever they’ve played and trophies gleaming in the cabinet back home/
When Sam Higgins first stepped into Non-League football as a fresh-faced 17-year-old, little did he know he would forge a career to bring joy to so many.
In 16 years, Higgins established himself as one the part-time game’s most decorated figures, scoring a whopping 403 career goals and picking up an unrivalled haul of collective and individual accolades along the way.
Undoubtedly, his highlight was an iconic first spell at East Thurrock United, which yielded 275 goals and no fewer than four Golden Boots, at Steps 2, 3 and 4. He also won the Isthmian Premier and North division titles and steered the Rocks to a first-ever Essex Senior Cup success.
At Hornchurch, he lifted the FA Trophy at Wembley and Isthmian Premier title as well as a Player of the Year and Golden Boot double.
But, last week, after picking up a heel injury while playing for Hashtag United, the 35-year-old finally called time on his glittering career, to a social media fanfare from past clubs, managers, teammates and fans.
From his first loan spell at Fisher Athletic to his last hurrah at Hashtag United, Higgins was highly regarded by all and will go down as one of NonLeague’s all-time greats.
“It’s been a very long time and, at some point, it had to come to an end, unfortunately,” said Higgins, before admitting he has no burning desire to return to the game in a coaching capacity.
“It was a tough decision, but it felt like the right one.
I’ve had quite a few injuries over the last few seasons and a couple of weeks back I had a heel injury which is probably going to take a few months to recover from.
“The thing I will miss most about the game is the people. I’ve met friends for life; managers, players and the people working within the game. Those are the best relationships, ones to last a lifetime.”
Tarpey, meanwhile, has a similar tale to tell. A hattrick of promotions, a deal to become a professional footballer and a record-breaking goalscoring season, the 35-year-old too boasts a CV that many aspiring footballers could only dream of.
Tarpey announced his retirement last week after rupturing his ACL for a second time, while playing for Marlow against Biggleswade Town in the FA Trophy. Starting at Basingstoke Town and then Hampton & Richmond, the skilful forward also enjoyed a spell at Farnborough before taking his game to a whole new level at Maidenhead United, scoring 44 goals in their National League South title winning season – still a league record.
That earned him a two-year pro deal at National League high-fliers Barnet but Tarpey suffered a serious knee injury on his home debut, prompting a lengthy period of rehabilitation.
A stint at Woking saw him rediscover his form before Bracknell Town and Leatherhead led him to a promotion-winning season at Marlow under manager Mark Bartley before his latest injury.
“I always said over the last few years, as long as I can stay injury free I’ll keep playing,” Tarpey told the Maidenhead Advertiser.
“I’ve got three children and a fiancé at home who have had to put up with me travelling up and down the country for the last 13 years.
“I got three promotions, won numerous county cups and I can retire and say for the level I’ve played, I feel I’ve had a great career with what I’ve done.
“Some people don’t get promoted at all in their career, to say I’ve won three is a great achievement.”
Award
programme
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Arundel Football Club is a football club based in Arundel, West Sussex, England. They are currently members of the Southern Combination Division 1 and play at Mill Road.
The club was established in 1889. They were founder members of the West Sussex Football League in 1896 and were placed in the Senior Division.
They remained in the league until joining the Sussex County League in 1949. When the league gained a second division in 1952, they were placed in Division One.
In 1957-58 they won Division One, and retained the title the following season.
In 1965–66 they club finished second-from-bottom of Division One and were relegated to Division Two. However, they made an immediate return to Division One as Division Two runners-up the following season, and went on to finish as Division One runners-up in 1968–69.
This was repeated in the mid-1970s, when relegation in 1975–76 was followed by promotion in 1976–77, a season in which the club also won the Division Two Cup.
Another relegation in 1982–83 resulted in another immediate return to Division One as Division Two runners up in 1983–84, with
the club going on to win their third title in 1986–87, also claiming the league’s Challenge Cup. In 1997–98 they finished bottom of Division One and were relegated to Division Two.
Two seasons later they finished as runners-up in Division Two to earn promotion back to Division One. In 2003–04 they won the Challenge Cup, and in 2008–09 finished as Division One runnersup.
In 2013 the ground remained under water for months due to floods which hit southern England this caused massive damage and nearly finished the club, but we survived to fight another day.
In 2015 the league was renamed the Southern Combination, with Division One becoming the Premier Division.
Arundel, however, unfortunately couldn’t avoid being relegated in the season 2018-19 after finishing second from bottom in the league, and now play in county league Division 1.
