VS THREE BRIDGES
ISTHMIAN LEAGUE | SOUTH EAST DIVISION SATURDAY 1ST MARCH 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 everyone and welcome to the Vistavis Community Stadium for today’s Isthmian League South East Division match against near neighbours Three Bridges.
I would like to extend a warm welcome to all the Bridges’ officials, management, players and supporters as well as this afternoon’s referee Harry Yellen and his assistants Promise Phillips and Ryan Hetherington. I trust everyone enjoys their brief stay and our hospitality. The reverse fixture against today’s visitors in October was played at Chatham Town’s ground and Wasps came away with a deserved win even though they squandered numerous chances and had three attempts cleared off the line in a 20 second spell in the first half. Goalscorer was Jabari Christmas but the match was marred at the end with red cards being shown to Bridges’ keeper Luke Glover and Wasps’ Alex Andrade-Filipe in a needless coming together just after the ref blew the final whistle.
After a well-deserved win here against Sheppey United Tuesday last week, we travelled to league leaders Ramsgate last Saturday, having been the only team to have beaten them this season. We were 1-0 up at half time thanks to a well-taken goal by Connor Tighe and did more than enough to get something out of the game over the 90 minutes, but conceded twice in the second half.
We currently sit in 16th place with 34 points after 27 matches. Our visitors are in eighth spot with 45 points from 30 matches. They lost 1-0 at home to Broadbridge Heath on Saturday after beating Lancing and Sevenoaks in the two previous weeks.
We welcome new signing Charlie Gibson to the club who joins us from Lancing and he may well feature in this afternoon’s squad.
We host Hythe Town here on Tuesday (ko 7.30pm) and travel to Erith Town next Saturday followed by two home games against Beckenham Town on Tuesday 11th March and Herne Bay on Saturday 15th. Thank you all for coming along this afternoon and whatever the outcome of the match, I trust everyone enjoys their visit to East Court and I wish you all a safe journey home. Richard Tramontin.
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:
Kit manager:
Disability Team Manager:
Youth Coordinator & Development: Under-18 Managers:
Under-16 Amber Manager:
Under-16 Black Manager:
Under-14 Manager:
Under-12 Amber Manager:
Under 12 Black Manager:
Under 11 Manager:
Shannon McEvoy
Adam Robinson
Ant Bowler
Jay De Vito
Lewis McDonnell & Kevin Wright
Lewis McDonnell
Nigel Leach
Sean Clarabut
Ted Symes
Tom Butcher
Ben Payne
FROM THE Dugout
PLENTY OF POSITIVES FROM TRIP TO RAMSGATE
Afternoon all and welcome to our local derby against Three Bridges. We come in today's game off the back of a really spirited performance down at league leaders Ramsgate on Saturday. I can honestly say as a manager and an ex-player I think that was the best we have been down there. We set up with a game plan and it worked for 45 minutes. But our downfall came by giving away far too many set pieces and when you have the size and experience they possess you just can’t defend that many set pieces without conceding. I said to the lads after the game you have beaten the runaway league leaders for more than 135 minutes of football this season. We have to take this attitude and mentality into the remaining games and see where it takes us, using our display against Sheppey as another template going forward. We played very well that night against a play-off chasing team and ought really to have won more convincingly. March is going to be ridiculously busy as we have nine fixtures in total and we desperately need the weather to improve so we can get them played. We have signed Charlie Gibson from Lancing who will come straight in to the squad today and will offer us great defensive strength and attacking threat on the left-hand side. We hope to add one more player to the squad by the end of this month. Huge thanks again to the travelling fans that were down at Ramsgate - your voices don’t go unheard by the lads. Same again today please for a game I know our supporters always look forward to.
THREE BRIDGES TheAwayEnd
BRIDGES - THE ISTHMIAN LEAGUE YEARS
Their first season in the Isthmian Football League South Division saw them struggle for much of the time. However, having been 10 points adrift at the bottom of the table in mid February, they went on a run of 11 matches that produced seven victories. It meant that they survived the drop, but their second season saw them struggle at times again but some key signings midway through the season helped them to 19th place.
The 2014/15 season saw an even greater improvement with a healthy mixture of youth and experience guiding them into seventh position and, whilst they were happy to score 94 League goals, they were less than happy about the 95 they conceded! They improved their defensive record in conceding 67 goals in season 2015/16 but only scored 59, hardly helped by long-term injuries to strike partners Allan Tait and Tony Garrod. With 66 points, they slumped to 14th position, although they only accumulated six points fewer than in the previous campaign! Bridges maintained most of that season's squad for the 2016/17 campaign. However, with at least 11 first team players out injured by September, they had to use a lot of the U21s, Academy and U18s players and by November had lost 12 games in a row, drew three and won just one game. Towards the end of the season, they strengthened the squad but it was too late to avoid relegation. For the 2017/18 season, Bridges kept a few of the best of the players from the previous season and strengthened the team with more experienced players in the hope of promotion once again. That season turned out to be an extremely tough one with every team wanting to beat us. However, Bridges accomplished what they set out to do by gaining promotion back to the Isthmian League having finished second place in the Southern Combination League Premier Division, just one point behind the winners, Haywards Heath Town, and despite having only lost three games all season. After serving 25 years with the Club as a manager, Paul Faili stood down as First Team Manager for the 2018/19 season in order to concentrate on his role as Club Chairman, and handed the management reins over to Martin Dynan, assisted by Liam Collins alongside Keith George. After losing eight out of 12 League games by the end of November, as well as being knocked out of all four cup competitions the future looked bleak for Martin Dynan. However, the team then went on an unbeaten run in December, but that didn’t last and Martin’s demise was inevitable by the end of February.
Paul Faili stepped in for the remaining nine games of the season and they finished 14 points clear of relegation in 14th.
Paul remained as Manager, ably assisted by Keith George and coached by Jamie Crellin who played for the Club for five seasons, but sadly had to hang up his boots after sustaining an ankle injury, having made 164 appearances for the Club.
In 2021/22 Crellin took over as First Team Manager, with both Danny Lee and Lee Cole (former Academy manager and coach) returning to the club to join Jamie in the dugout as assistant manager and First Team coach respectively.
Last season saw Brannon O’Neill appointed as Assistant Manager following Danny Lee’s departure and Joe Kay joining as First Team Coach. The team finished in their highest ever League position (fourth) but were beaten in the final of the Play Offs at home to Chichester City.
Brannon moved to Burgess Hill Town in the summer, so Joe Kay is now Jamie’s Assistant.
FIXTURES & RESULTS
AUGUST
Sat 3 AugAGlebeFA Cup EP2-0192Folkes, Tighe
Sat 10 AugAMargateIsthmian South East0-0402
Sat 17 AugHRedhillFA Cup P1-3193Spinks
Fri 23 AugHAFC Croydon AthleticIsthmian South East2-1228Lawson, Weaire
Mon 26 AugASevenoaks TownIsthmian South East2-2107Harris, Daniel
Sat 31 AugHDeal TownIsthmian South East2-3124Daniel, Tighe SEPTEMBER
Tue 3 SepHMersthamVelocity Cup 20-1115
Sat 7 SepAHartley WintneyFA Trophy 1Q1-2163Harris
Tue 10 SepHBroadbridge HeathIsthmian South East1-293Folkes
Sat 14 SepAPhoenix SportsIsthmian South East2-186Daniel, Weaire
Sat 28 SepABurgess Hill TownIsthmian South East1-2415Humpherston OCTOBER
Tue 8 OctANewhavenSussex Cup 21-1Harris
East Grinstead Town win 7-6 on penalties
Sat 12 OctASteyning Town CommunityIsthmian South East3-2110Andrade Filipe, Tighe, Folkes
Tue 15 OctHAshford UnitedIsthmian South East1-3113Tighe
Sat 26 OctAThree BridgesIsthmian South East1-066Christmas NOVEMBER
Sat 2 NovHErith TownIsthmian South East0-4123
Tue 5 NovABroadbridge HeathIsthmian South East2-4107Daniel, Tighe
Sat 9 NovHPhoenix SportsIsthmian South East4-2101Harris, Humpherston, Christmas, Daniel
Tue 12 NovHLancingSussex Cup 30-277
Sat 16 NovAAshford UnitedIsthmian South East0-3434
Sat 30 NovHLancingIsthmian South East1-3119Jabbie DECEMBER
Tue 3 DecHRamsgateIsthmian South East2-1102Lovatt 2
Sat 14 DecAHerne BayIsthmian South East2-1374Thompson, Harris
Tue 17 DecABeckenham TownIsthmian South East2-2182Tighe, Harris
Thu 26 DecAEastbourne TownIsthmian South East1-1309Tighe
Sat 28 DecHMargateIsthmian South East0-2210
JANUARY
Sat 18 JanALittlehampton TownIsthmian South East1-0278Harris pen
Tue 21 JanASittingbourneIsthmian South East0-3189
Sat 25 JanALancingIsthmian South East6-2263Lovatt 3, Daniel 2, Tighe
FEBRUARY
Sat 15 FebHSteyning Town CommunityIsthmian South East0-1139
Tue 18 FebHSheppey UnitedIsthmian South East2-196Daniel, Humpherston
Sat 22 FebARamsgateIsthmian South East1-21208Tighe
Tue 25 FebHBurgess Hill TownIsthmian South EastP-P
MARCH
Sat 1 MarHThree BridgesIsthmian South East3pm
Tue 4 MarHHythe TownIsthmian South East7.30pm
Sat 8 MarAErith TownIsthmian South East3pm
Tue 11 MarHBeckenham TownIsthmian South East7.30pm
Sat 15 MarHHerne BayIsthmian South East3pm
Tue 18 MarAMersthamIsthmian South East7.45pm
Sat 22 MarAHythe TownIsthmian South East3pm
Tue 25 MarHSevenoaks TownIsthmian South East7.30pm
Sat 29 MarHLittlehampton TownIsthmian South East3pm
APRIL
Sat 5 AprASheppey UnitedIsthmian South East3pm
Sat 12 AprHSittingbourneIsthmian South East3pm
Sat 19 AprADeal TownIsthmian South East3pm
Mon 21 AprHEastbourne TownIsthmian South East3pm
Sat 26 AprAAFC Croydon AthleticIsthmian South East3pm
TEAM LINE UP
EAST GRINSTEAD TOWN F.C. THREE BRIDGES
Mattie Pierson
Warren Colman
Tom Cadman
Michael Wilson
Matthew Weaire
Glenn Wilson (C)
Finlay Lovatt
Charlie Harris
Connor Tighe
Alex Andrade Filipe
Omar Folkes
Matthew Daniel
Kieran Humpherston
Will Hoare
Luke Harrison
Charlie Gibson
Colours: Amber
Sevenoaks Town
Tuesday 4th March 2025
7.30pm
Will Tilman (GK)
Tresor Difika
Iker Noguero
EAST GRINSTEAD TOWN HISTORY
Programmes from the Past by Lester Medcalf
A couple of programmes from the past to share with you for games played on the same date as today's game. We'll start with an away match in the Sussex County League division one between Lancing and East Grinstead on Saturday 1 March 2014 with the programme having a very bright and colourful front cover.
We have an opening article welcoming us to Lancing with a brief description of Lancing's recent games. Just playing them seemed to have been very welcome “At long last the weather is showing signs of improvement and as such we have been able to get back into action” - a hope we share here in 2025. Lancing's two recent games had seen a 1-0 home win followed by a 0-0 away draw which saw them keeping out of the bottom three.
The opening article tells us that we were “in good form and have high hopes of a top 3 finish”. We had already played the home league match in January and had won 4-2. The Lancing programme tells us who scored for them but of course not who had scored for us. Our scorers had been Sam Schaaf, Michael Belli, Marc Pelling and George Hiller-Jones.
Otherwise the 30 plus page programme was full of all sorts of statistical information with much of it being in a large print and therefore helping to fill up the programme's pages. We also have a few examples of footballing people giving us an unintended smile or two. Ray Wilkins on a BBC football programme: “Unfortunately we keep kicking ourselves in the foot” and Ron Atkinson: “I'm not saying that he is the best winger in the Premiership, but there are none better.”
The programme's league table shows us in fourth place while Lancing are fourth from bottom – 26 points between us. But the points stayed down on the coast with Lancing winning 2-0, though we believe they were helped by the match officials. For one of the Lancing goals our keeper Mark Fox caught a cross, with the linesman ruling that he had caught the ball behind the goalline. And another incident in the game was Michael Belli heading the ball home while on the ground, with the ref saying that he had handled the ball.
FAMILIAR STORY AGAINST
HASTINGS...
Also on the first day in March we have East Grinstead v Hastings United on Tuesday 1 March 2016 in the Isthmian League with Trevor McCreadie – a recent signing – on the front cover. Richard Tramontin's chairman's notes remind us that we had played the away match in the middle of January and in his view “we had pressed the self-destruct button after taking a first half lead”. Defensive mistakes, missed chances and a red card all contributed as Hastings had won 5-2 with two goals in the last five minutes. Our two goals came from Greg Cundle and Jack Mahoney. Manager Matt Longhurst tells us that “We have had a tough few weeks and recent performances have simply not been good enough.” Though he is hoping that a few new signings will help. The programme's results listings shows us that we had played nine matches since Christmas and had only 1 point from those games. And our last five games had seen us scoring no goals at all – we were hoping that Trevor McCreadie would sort the lack of goals out for us. The league table shows us in 20th place and Hastings sixth – 24 teams in the league. However, the weather intervened and the match was postponed - being rearranged for early April. Our results in March were only a little better than earlier. Four defeats in our first 4 March matches before we had a draw and then a win! And when we did eventually play Hastings we lost 1-0. If you've had your memories jogged by this piece then I’d be happy to hear from you at lestermedcalf@btinternet.com.
FRUSTRATION AGAINST STEYNING
A 1-0 defeat to struggling Steyning a fortnight ago but no lack of effort from our lads as these pictures of Warren Coleman and Will Hoare show. Photos: Stuart Gibson.
