VS EASTBOURNE UNITED
EMIRATES FA CUP | PRELIMINARY ROUND SATURDAY 2ND AUGUST 2025 | KICK OFF 3PM
EAST GRINSTEAD TOWN FC
The Vistavis Community Stadium College Lane | East Grinstead | RH19 3LS Tel: 01342 325885
FROM THE CHAIR
Good afternoon and welcome back to the Vistavis Community Stadium for our first home game of the season, as we take on Eastbourne United in the preliminary round of the FA Cup.
It does seem ridiculously early to be starting the new season but then again we played our first pre-season friendly a month ago!
As many of you will know, Drew has revamped the squad this season with the accent on a more youthful and energetic squad. I know a few so-called 'experts' have already written us off when it comes to the league - but we have made a habit of proving people wrong in the past and will no doubt do so again.
Once again I'd like to thank all our sponsors and commercial partners for their support this season, in particular our stadium sponsor Vistavis and Amarti, who are our shirt sponsors. The support of all of our partners is crucial in keeping the club functioning.
We start the league season at promoted AFC Whyteleafe next Saturday before taking on Three Bridges in our first home game on 12 August.
Thanks for your support today - let's hope we can kick off the new season with a win and take one more step towards the FA Cup final!
OWNERSHIP STATEMENT
In accordance with the Football Association's Rule 2.13 (publication of ownership) in relation to Step 1 to Step 6 Clubs within the National League System East Grinstead Town FC is an unincorporated association / members club and a Community Amateur Sports Club (reg no CASC 02270).
Followuson:
ClubManagement:
Chair & Treasurer: Richard Tramontin
Secretary & Vice chair: Brian McCorquodale
Senior Football Officer: Steve Norris
Head of Recruitment: Matt Wheeler
Commercial Manager: Steve Norris
Club Welfare Officer: Brian McCorquodale
Disability Welfare Officer: Stuart Gibson
Safety & Facilities Officer: Barry Bryant
Bar Manager: Stuart Gibson
Press Officer: Bruce Talbot
ED&I Officer: Andy Dodson
FootballManagement
Manager: Drew Cooney
Assistant Manager and Team Coach: Ian Nicholls
Assistant Team Coach: Steve Sargent, Matt Wheeler
Physiotherapist: Shannon McEvoy
FROM THE Dugout
Welcome everyone back for the start of the 2025/26 season. It’s doesn’t seem too long ago we finished last season and secured another season at step 4. Myself, Ian, Sarg and Matt have been busy over the past few months and have bolstered our back room staff with the addition of Carl (analysis) and Cam (goalkeeping coach), we very much look forward to working with them and improving all aspects of our football operation. Squad wise we have made some huge changes from front to back. Our new look squad had an average age of 20 against Chatham in our final friendly last Saturday, when we lost 2-1 but played really well against a premier division side who are effectively full-time. So that will give you some kind of an idea what direction we are now looking to go in. We promise to be energetic and attacking with tireless work rate. There will be bumps in the road this year, but I’m certain this group can grow into something the club and the town can be really proud of. We look forward to the fans getting to know the new-look team and can’t wait to get the season underway, starting today in the FA Cup. It will be important for everyone to make progress in the competition although we don’t underestimate the task ahead. Eastbourne United will be competitive and hardworking and we will have to be at our best to progress to the next round.
STANDINGS LEAGUE
ISTHMIAN LEAGUE - SOUTH EAST DIVISION
TEAM PLWDLFAGDPTS
1AFC Croydon Athletic
2AFC Whyteleafe
3Ashford United
4Beckenham Town
5Broadbridge Heath
6Crowborough Athletic
7Deal Town
8East Grinstead Town
9Eastbourne Town
10Erith Town
11Faversham
12Hastings United
13Hassocks
14Herne Bay
15Jersey Bulls
16Margate
17Merstham
18Sevenoaks Town
19Sheppey United
20Sittingbourne
21Three Bridges
22VCD Athletic
FIXTURES & RESULTS
AUGUST
Sat 2 Aug H Eastbourne United FA Cup EP 3pm
Sat 9 Aug A Whyteleafe Isthmian South East 3pm
Tues 12 Aug H Three Bridges Isthmian South East 7.30pm
Sat 23 Aug A Sittingbourne Isthmian South East 3pm
Mon 25 Aug H Sevenoaks Town Isthmian South East 3pm
Sat 30 Aug H Eastbourne Town Isthmian South East 3pm
SEPTEMBER
Sat 6 Sep H Binfield FA Trophy 1st Q 3pm
Sat 13 Sep A Faversham Isthmian South East 3pm
Tue 16 Sep H Hassocks Isthmian South East 7.30pm
Sat 20 Sep A Broadbridge Heath Isthmian South East 3pm
Sat 27 Sep H Deal Town Isthmian South East 3pm
OCTOBER
Sat 4 Oct A Beckenham Town Isthmian South East 3pm
Sat 11 Oct H Crowborough Athletic Isthmian South East 3pm
Tue 14 Oct A Hassocks Isthmian South East 7.45pm
Sat 18 Oct H Ashford United Isthmian South East 3pm
Sat 25 Oct A Sheppey United Isthmian South East 3pm
NOVEMBER
Sat Nov 1 H Hastings United Isthmian South East 3pm
Sat Nov 8 A VCD Athletic Isthmian South East 3pm
Tue 11 Nov A Three Bridges Isthmian South East 7.45pm
Sat Nov 15 H Merstham Isthmian South East 3pm
Sat Nov 22 A Margate Isthmian South East 3pm
Sat 29 Nov H AFC Whyteleafe Isthmian South East 3pm
DECEMBER
Sat 6 Dec A AFC Croydon Athletic Isthmian South East 3pm
Sat 13 Dec H Herne Bay Isthmian South East 3pm
Sat 20 Dec A Eastbourne Town Isthmian South East 3pm
Sat 27 Dec H Jersey Bulls Isthmian South East 3pm
JANUARY
Sat 3 Jan A Sevenoaks Town Isthmian South East 3pm
Sat 10 Jan H Erith Town Isthmian South East 3pm
Sat 17 Jan H Broadbridge Heath Isthmian South East 3pm
Sat 24 Jan A Crowborough Athletic Isthmian South East 3pm
FEBRUARY
Sat 7 Feb A Deal Town Isthmian South East 3pm
Sat 14 Feb A Ashford United Isthmian South East 3pm
Sat 21 Feb H Sheppey United Isthmian South East 3pm
Sat 28 Feb A Hastings United Isthmian South East 3pm
MARCH
Sat 7 Mar H VCD Athletic Isthmian South East 3pm
Sat 14 Mar A Herne Bay Isthmian South East 3pm
Sat 21 Mar H AFC Croydon Athletic Isthmian South East 3pm
Sat 28 Mar A Erith Town Isthmian South East 3pm
APRIL
Sat 4 Apr H Sittingbourne Isthmian South East 3pm
Mon 6 Apr A Jersey Bulls Isthmian South East 3pm
Sat 11 Apr H Faversham Isthmian South East 3pm
Sat 18 Apr A Merstham Isthmian South East 3pm
Sat 25 Apr H Margate Isthmian South East 3pm
TEAM LINE UP
EAST GRINSTEAD TOWN F.C. EASTBOURNE UNITED
Rex Porter n n
Neo Wooster n n
Yashua Smith n n
Alex Andrade Filipe n n
Dan Cadman n n
Tom Cadman n n
Matt Weaire n n
Jay Richardson n n
Ollie Deurell Benito n n
Tyler Grant n n
Luke Harrison n n
George Griffiths n n
Powell Ukah n n
Warren Colman n n
Finlay Lovatt n n
Kian Price n n
James Laws n n
Liam Trevatt n n
Brady Ayoola n n
Joe Hasler n n
Terrique Hall-Anderson n n
Matt Daniel n n
Omar Folkes n n
Ollie Rawlins n n
Mason Saunders n n
NEXT HOME MATCH
Three Bridges
7.30pm
Tuesday 12th August 2025
MATCH OFFICIALS:
Referee: Wayne Pocock
Assistant Ref: Daniel Bryant
Assistant Ref: Edwin Sinyei
EAST GRINSTEAD TOWN HISTORY
Programmes from the Past by Lester Medcalf
Here we go again and as in previous seasons we have another 10 or 11 games before we reach Wembley – though perhaps another two or three FA Cup games is probably as much as we can reasonably expect.
I'm going to look at a couple of programmes for previous FA Cup matches to see how hopeful we were then of making progress. I'll start with East Grinstead v Feltham on Saturday 15 August 2009 in an extra preliminary round tie. (Interesting that these days the earliest round of the cup is two weeks earlier than it was some 15 years ago – may well be in July before long.)
The programme was in fact rather disappointing. As we admitted “Please note due to a technical fault our match programme was not available” - no explanation of why this was the case. We get black and white throughout, no photos, no fixture list and no pen pictures of the Feltham players. We do however get comments on a Sussex County League division one match that we had played on the previous Wednesday evening at home to St Francis Rangers. Aaron McMillan had given us an early lead but “we ran out of steam towards the the end” with team manager Steve Johnson saying that “in hindsight I should have taken players off.” St Francis came back to pinch a win with a very late second goal.
Onto the FA Cup match itself. We made a positive start with a number of good chances only to find ourselves a goal down after some 20 minutes. Two of our defenders got in each other's way in our penalty area, leaving a Feltham forward with just our keeper to beat – which he did. Fortunately, just as the ref got ready to blow his half-time whistle, Dave Gellatly equalised. Early in the second half it got even better when Dave Gellatly again scored. And some 15 minutes from the end it was hat-trick time for him before, a couple of minutes later, John Sinclair headed home to make it 4-1. Which is how it finished. We were then to play Cove in the next round.
THE NOT SO MAGNICIFCENT SEVEN
A few years later it was Molesey v East Grinstead on Saturday 29 August 2015 – this time in the preliminary rather than the extra preliminary round of the FA Cup. This was in fact the Saturday of the late August bank holiday weekend and the Molesey programme also covered their Bank Holiday Monday league match at home to Corinthian Casuals.
The programme has a colourful front cover and, in welcoming us to the game, reminds us that we had already played them here at East Court in the Isthmian League. And they had beaten us 1-0 in what the Molesey programme described as “a close and dour encounter.”
With each team having now played five league matches the programme's league table had some significance. Molesey had won three and lost two of their five games, putting them in in 10th place, while we had won just one match and lost four putting us fourth from bottom.
I think we'd have settled for another close and dour match – however it was anything but with Molesey winning 7-1 with our single goal coming from Taylor McDonagh. Team manager Tony Beckingham had not been at the match but in our next programme told us that losing 7-1 “was unacceptable and will not be tolerated.”
If your memory has been jogged by this article then I’d be happy to hear from you at lestermedcalf@btinternet.com.
NEW AND FAMILIAR FACES...
Our revamped squad for this season includes new goalkeeper Rex Porter, who has joined us from Bromley, and the more familiar midfielder Warren Colman.
MEET THE 2025-26 SQUAD
Rex Porter
Goalkeeper Rex joined us from Bromley in the summer on a season-long loan. At 17 he already has the physical attributes to be a good keeper.
Neo Wooster
Midfielder is a product of the Dorking FC academy and has gained first team experience at Dorking and Lancing last season.
Yashua Smith
Midfielder who joined the club this summer. Played in the Combined Counties League for Wembley last season.
Alex Andrade Filipe
Experienced defender who joined the club in 2023 and has made more than 70 appearances since then.
Dan Cadman
Younger brother of Tom and, like his sibling, a full-back. Previous clubs include Haywards Heath and Burgess Hill Town.
Tom Cadman
Tom is a versatile player who has played for multiple clubs at this level and above including Burgess Hill, Whitehawk and Haywards Heath. Into his second spell with the Wasps, for whom his dad and grandfather also played.
Matt Weaire
Central defender who joined the club in July 2023. Was a youngster with Brighton and Colchester United before spells in non-league at Lewes and Cray Wanderers.
Jay Richardson
After being in our youth system, Jay has been part of the Dorking Wanderers academy and made several first team appearances at the club as well as on loan at both Bognor and Steying. An imposing central defender, Jay’s dad John also played for the club.
Ollie Deurell Benito
Another summer signing, Ollie played youth football for Kingstonian and London South Lions last season.
Tyler Grant
Defender Tyler made his first-team debut last season aged 16 having come through the club’s youth system.
Luke Harrison
Midfielder Luke joined the club in November 2024 having previously played for Horsham YMCA and Worthing.
George Griffiths
Former Burgess Hill midfielder who joined the club in pre-season. Previous clubs also include Wimborne Town.
Powell Ukah
Another summer addition to the squad, Powell’s previous clubs include Banstead Athletic and Corinthian Casuals.
Warren Colman
Industrious midfielder who joined the club from Horley Town at the end of 2024 and quickly established himself in the team, making 22 appearances in the second half of last season.
Finlay Lovatt
Skilful attacking midfielder who was in Leyton Orient’s academy and had two years as a pro with Bromley in the National League. Has also played for Dulwich Hamlet and Beckenham Town amongst others before joining the Wasps in 2024.
Kian Price
Midfielder Kian joined the first-team squad this summer, having come through the club’s youth system.
James Laws
Another product of Dorking Wanderers’ academy, attacking midfielder James scored against Crawley Town in our preseason friendly in July.
Liam Trevatt
Midfielder Liam joined the club this summer, having previously played for Reigate Priory.
Brady Ayoola
Midfielder Brady joined the club in March 2025 and went on to make 12 appearances.
Joe Hasler
Another product of Dorking Wanderers’ academy, striker Joe played 18 games for Lancing last season on loan.
Terrique Hall-Anderson
Former Charlton midfielder now in his third spell with the Wasps.
Matt Daniel
Matt joined the club in 2022 from Lancing and became a regular last season when he also chipped in with some important goals, finishing as top scorer in the league with 14 in 2023/24 before scoring ten times in the league last season. Has also played for Horsham YMCA.
Omar Folkes
Powerful striker who joined Wasps in 2022 and has become a regular member of the squad, contributing three league goals last season. Former clubs include Merstham and Three Bridges. His hold-up play is among the best in the league and he chips in with the odd goal as well.
Ollie Rawlins
Striker Ollie played for Cray Wanderers and Steyning last season on loan from Dorking Wanderers, before joining the Wasps this summer.
Mason Saunders
Another player from the club’s youth system, Mason will be looking to establish himself in the first team squad this season after making his debut in the final home game of the 2024/25 campaign.
