The BADGER 2023/24 Issue 19 vs St Neots Town

Page 1

THE OFFICIAL MATCH DAY PROGRAMME vs STNEOTSTOWN UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION SOUTH SATURDAY 23rd MARCH 2024 I 3pm KICK OFF ISSUE 19 BADGER SEASON 23 24

Bugbrooke St Michaels FC

The Badgers, founded 1929

CLUB COMMITTEE

PRESIDENT - WILLY MARRIOTT

CHAIRMAN - KEVIN GARDNER

VICE-CHAIRMAN - NIGEL THOMAS

CLUB SECRETARY - GRAHAM CONNEW

YOUTH SECRETARY & TREASURER - NICK INWOOD

FIXTURES SECRETARY - DAVE MELLOR

GROUNDSMAN - DANNY POWELL

WELFARE OFFICER – HELEN GILLIGAN

COMMITTEE – RICHARD GIBBON, STUART WYKES, RICHARD FAULKNER, STEPH NASH

MANAGEMENT / COACHING TEAM

FIRST TEAM – DALE WALTON

RESERVE TEAM - ROB JONES

‘B’ TEAM - ANDY DEMIDOW

LADIES TEAM - STUART WHITE

UNDER 18s BLACK (NSYL) - LOUIE GALBRAITH

UNDER 18s WHITE (NSYL) - DARREN SMITH

UNDER 18s (NDYAL) - DEANO GOMES

UNDER 16s - MARK LINNELL

UNDER 15s - SIMON WHEELER

UNDER 14s - RYAN NASH

UNDER 13s - CHRIS ASHTON

UNDER 12s BLACK - DANIEL BLAND / BEN SMITH

UNDER 12s WHITE - TONY HILL

UNDER 11s BLUE - IAN MARRIOTT

UNDER 11s WHITE - MIKE BRINKLEY

UNDER 11s GIRLS - STEPH NASH

UNDER 10s GIRLS - KERRY HOUGHTON

UNDER 9s - ANDREW JACKMAN

UNDER 8s - NEIL BYRNE / DARREN WILLIX

WELCOMETOTHESETT

From the Chairman …

As Chairman of Bugbrooke St Michael’s Football Club I would like to offer you a warm welcome to The Sett and hope that you have an enjoyable visit.

Here at Bugbrooke St Michaels we are working hard to develop a club with a strong inclusive ethos, offering opportunities for players of all ages and abilities.

We are extremely proud of our youth development programme, supporting players from seven all the way up to eighteen. Many of our young players go on to have success with one of adult teams, with some players going on to even bigger and better things!

There is a great wealth of local support for the club, everyone that helps does so on a voluntary basis and through everyone’s hard work and dedication we have been able to achieve and maintain FA Accredited status.

Whilst some clubs choose to reinvest their revenue into players wages, here at Bugbrooke we hold a different set of values. All of our profits go into upgrading our equipment and facilities, building a solid future-proof foundation that will be here for future generations to enjoy.

Whilst this can sometimes hold us back from gaining huge success on the pitch, we feel our excellent facilities, youth development programme and ethos on community set us apart from other clubs.

Success and progression starts from the beginnings.

Thank you for your support today, we hope that you enjoy the game, and we look forward to seeing you again soon.

Kev

Bugbrooke St Michaels Football Club would like to place on record our thanks to our team of volunteers, our advertisers and sponsors.

Exceptional Leadership Development Telephone: 0121 651 1200 Email: info@fuellearning.com THE FIBRE GROUP Fibre Optic Installation & Testing Specialists Fibre Surveyors UG/OH Installation Fault Finding Maintaining Network Communications Tel: 0800 865 4266 Email: info@thefibregroup.co.uk

MANAGERS NOTES

We’d like to extend a warm welcome to the players, officials and supporters of St Neots Town United who are the visitors to the Sett for todays United Counties Premier Division South fixture.

Its great to finally be back at Home following a run of five successive Away fixtures, in fact the last time that we set foot on our pitch was back on the 2nd February when Eynesbury Rovers were the visitors!

During that run of Away fixtures, we have picked up a good number of points, consecutive wins over GNG Oadby, Newport Pagnell and Daventry Town being the highlight.

That said, since that run we have registered back-toback losses, disappointingly against lowly Desborough Town (0-1) and then last time out against an improving Histon (1-3), never an easy journey on a Tuesday night.

That said we won’t make excuses and with just four games left after todays, three of which are at home, the finishing line is in sight although that’s not to say we are downing tools and settling for the mid-table position that we currently occupy. Our aims for the season haven’t changed, the objective remains to finish as high as we possibly can and with games still to come against March Town United and Wellingborough Town, we could still have a huge say in the final standings and possibly the destiny of the title.

Today’s visitors are right in that mix having had a strong season themselves, spending the entirety of the campaign in an around the top end of the division, a Play Off place is all but secured and up until a few weeks ago they themselves were pushing for the title.

This comes as no surprise as they are a huge club who boast a fantastic playing squad and with-it facilities to match, in fact they are the envy for most clubs at this level. They have a good management team who barring today we wish them all the best for what remains of the season.

On the playing front we must take the opportunity to thank Gary Setchell at Corby Town for sending us two of his exciting Under 18’s in Ryan Martindale and Shay Brown, both players have come into the group and have done well in the games in which they have featured. The trust of Gary and Corby Town once again highlights the emphasis that we place on developing younger players by providing them the platform and opportunity to perform at this level, something that we hope will hold us in good stead for years to come.

Before signing off we must wish Ports and Hackleton AFC the best of luck for Sunday’s FA Sunday Cup Semi-Final at Sixfields. As most of you know there are several Badgers in their squad so if you’re at a loose end make sure you get yourself a ticket to Sunday's game. The support will be appreciated.

Thank you for your support today, enjoy the game and we look forward to seeing you again soon.

“The trust of Gary and Corby Town once again highlights the emphasis that we place on developing younger players by providing them the platform and opportunity to perform at this level, something that we hope will hold us in good stead for years to come.”

OUR HISTORY

Formed in 1929, Bugbrooke St. Michael’s Football Club took over from Bugbrooke United who folded in 1928 after being in existence since 1910.

The club, which is named after the local St. Michael’s and All Angels Church, initially took its place in the Northants Central Village League and had immediate success, winning the league title from 1931 to 1937.

The club closed for the Second World War before reforming in 1947 and were once again successful winning the CVL title from 1947 to 1950 and were Northants Lower Junior Cup runners-up in 1949, a feat repeated in 1954.

We finally won the N.F.A. Lower Junior Cup in 1956 and followed this in 1957 by winning the prestigious Daventry Charity Cup.

The club had its most successful years from 1966 to 1972 when we won the Northants Central Combination Premier title and again from 1976 to 1979 with 1977 also seeing us win the N.F.A. Lower Junior Cup again.

The club continued to succeed in the Northants Combination until 1987 when the we took the decision to join the United Counties League.

At this time, we decided to run two teams in the U.C.L. and two teams in the C.N.C. We also began our youth section and have continued this ever since. Today we run 4 adult sides, including a recently formed Ladies team as well as 15 youth teams.

The club has had continued to enjoy success across all age groups over those 30 years, the most notable being N.F.A. Junior Cup winners in 1992, N.F.A Lower Junior Cup in 1993 and U.C.L. Division One winners in 2001.

The reputation for producing successful youth teams has increased over those years and 4 of our youth players (under 16) have been signed by professional league clubs.

The achievements of the club on the field have always been supported by a hardworking committee whose chief officers are recorded on a roll in the clubhouse foyer. They along with supporters of the club have built up the excellent changing rooms and clubhouse since 1980.

We hope that you enjoy the facilities that they have provided over those years, and we look forward to seeing you again in the future

‘LOVE FOOTBALL. PROTECT THE GAME.’

A message from Bugbrooke St Michaels Football Club about antisocial and criminal behaviour

As we commence the new season we want to make you aware of new measures being taken across all of football, and the NLS, to ensure everyone can have a safe and enjoyable experience.

We are supporting strong action from the FA, and across the NLS to tackle antisocial and criminal behaviours that put all of us at risk.

Please remember the following activities are illegal, dangerous, have serious consequences and have no place in our game:

• Carrying or using smoke bombs or pyros

• Invading the pitch or entering the pitch without permission

• Throwing objects onto the pitch

• Drug use within the football ground

• Discriminatory behaviour

For everyone’s safety, we will report anyone carrying out these offences to the police, which can result in a criminal record.

Anyone who enters the pitch without permission and those carrying or using smoke bombs or pyros will now receive an automatic club ban. These measures could also now apply to the parents or guardians of children involved in these activities.

This reflects the seriousness of the risks to fans and staff – pyros can burn at 2000 degrees Celsius and cause life changing injuries, while entering the pitch endangers players, managers and match officials. It also impacts the hard working volunteers, who ensure that our special part of the game continues to run.

We know those who commit these illegal acts do not represent the majority of supporters. Please work with us to call out the risks.

#LoveFootball #ProtectTheGame

TODAYS VISITORS

ST NEOTS TOWN

Full name:

Nickname(s):

Founded:

Ground:

Capacity:

Manager:

League:

St Neots Town

The Saints 1879

Rowley Park

3,500 (260 seated)

Cameron Mawer

United Counties Premier Division South

2022–23:

Current Position

Last Time Out:

Form:

Northern Premier League Division One Midlands, 18th of 20 (relegated)

4th – P32,W19,D8,L5 Pts 65

Drew 0-0 vs Rugby Borough

W D W L D

The Club was formed in 1879 when it was known as plain ‘St Neots’, the first formal honour recorded being the Hunts Senior Cup in its inaugural season 1888/89.

The Club went on to lift that trophy a further four times before the turn of the Century. In the 1901/02 season the Club recorded its first known ‘double’ when it won the Hunts Senior Cup, for the sixth time, and the Fellowes Cup. In 1924/25 or thereabouts St Neots was renamed ‘St Neots and District’ and celebrated by winning the Hunts Senior Cup again. At this time in the Club’s history, honours seemed to have been primarily from County competitions with the Scott Gatty Cup being won on three consecutive occasions between 1927/29.

Unfortunately, no records exist for the next twenty years, although the Hunts Senior Cup was won again on four occasions during this period. In the 1949/50 season the Club were amongst the founder members of the Metropolitan League and recorded a fine League and Cup double but for some reason the Club resigned to join the Central Alliance League. During the 1950’s the Club was renamed for the third time to its present name of ‘St Neots Town FC’ and rejoined the Metropolitan League.

For a decade the Club Manager was former West Ham full back John Gregory who was the first full time official the Club had employed. His son became Manager of Aston Villa FC. In 1961/62 the Club were runners up in the Metropolitan League Professional Cup - a trophy eventually won in 1965 beating Gillingham in the Final. In 1966/67 the Club joined the UCL for a three-year spell and in that same season the team progressed through five rounds of the FA Cup to reach the First Round proper for the only time. The draw took us to Fellowes Park, Walsall who were second in the Third Division with an unbeaten home record. The team lost 2-0 with both goals coming in the last nine minutes but the crowd was a record for Walsall in the competition.

The next season the UCL League and Cup double was recorded (the first time the Senior side won the title - although the RESERVE side had won the League in 1956/57!). The League Cup was retained the following season but the next major senior League honour did not come until the 1982/83 season when the team finished runners up in Division One of the UCL.

In 1969/70 the Club opted to join the Eastern Counties (now Ridgeons) League because it was felt it would be a stronger League. In its four years membership Club fortunes declined. The Club then rejoined the UCL in 1973/74. In the next eight seasons the Club had a reasonable run of success finishing at best fourth and at worst nineteenth. At Christmas 1987 the Club was evicted from its long time ‘Shortsands’ home and had to complete the season on a sub-standard borrowed works pitch. At the end of that season just four places from the bottom of the table the Club was forced to disband and then the outstanding debt had to be cleared.

Out of football for just two seasons the Club was reformed in Junior football in the Hunts League with a pitch at Priory Park, St Neots rented from the District Council and the flame of desire to re-establish the Club at Senior level was rekindled. In 1994/95 after a spell of six years absence from senior football they were readmitted to the UCL. The spell in the UCL Premier Division lasted 17 years but in 2008 the Club was relocated around half a mile from their original Rowley Park premises in Cambridge Road to the north end of the loves farm estate as the club approached it's 130th anniversary. In February 2010 Mike Kearns purchased all of the club’s shares to become Owner / Chairman and was to sign ex Aston Villa striker Stefan Moore for a transfer fee of £10,000 from Halesowen Town.

The following season 2010/11 season was the club’s best ever. The Championship of the UCL Premier Division was won for only the second time. The club broke a whole raft of league records clocking up a record 105 points and scoring 160 league goals in just 40 matches. Unbeaten away from home in the league the side suffered just one home defeat and picked up the County Senior Cup for the 36th time as well as finishing runners-up in the Hinchingbrooke Cup and reaching the fifth round of the FA Vase.

2011/12 saw the Club reach even greater heights winning the Southern League Central Division in their first season at Step Four to move up to the Southern League Premier Division in 2012/13. Consolidation over the next two seasons saw the club finish mid table on both occasions, the 2013 /14 season saw the club win the Southern League Cup and the Hunts Senior Cup.

Season 2104/15 saw the club under the guidance of First Team manager David Batch finish in fifth position in the Southern League Premier Division, narrowly losing out by a single penalty goal in the play off finish. 2015-2016 season saw the team struggle and David Batch resigned in January 2016 with the club was fighting for step 3 status.

Mike Kearns stepped down as chairman at the same time and his majority share holding was acquired by Lee Kearns the MD of the football club. Andy Davies the Academy manager stepped in to steady the ship and ensured step 3 football for the following season.

2016-2017 season started well but once again the mid season jinx struck with Andy stepping down due to ill health. Matt Clements was appointed manager in Late December 2016 and with the full backing of the board has started the process of changing the first team to reflect his own beliefs and football philosophy. January 2019 Matt Clements changes his role at the club to become Director of Football with his first job in the new role finding a replacement manager. Marc Abbott is identified and joins the clubs from Haverhill Rovers to become the first team manager. In April 2019 the club was relegated for the first time in it's history and was to play at Step Four in the newly named BetVictor Southern League Division One Central.

Manager Marc Abbott was to leave the Club in late 2019, citing family reasons as the main factor behind his sudden departure and January 2020 saw the appointment of ex Cambridge United centre forward Barry Corr as the new man in charge, combining his full time job as Development Officer with the U’s as part of a newly formed collaboration between the two clubs, a partnership that would see young U’s players joining the Saints on loan as part of their own personal development.

The Season was cut short, with ourselves sitting second from bottom but in relative safety, due to the COVID-19 virus and the 2019/20 season was declared null and void with the records being expunged from the record books.

Season 20/21 saw Peter Gill installed as our new manager after Barry Corr was promoted to First Team Coach at Cambridge United. Gill would combine his job as Corr’s replacement as Development Officer and Saints manager as had his predecessor. A finishing position of tenth place was achieved which would most certainly have been bettered had a spell in November/December 2021 not seen us decimated through injury and also Covid-19. Sadly we didn’t progress in either National competition with ourselves losing at eventual League champions Bedford Town in both the FA Cup and FA Trophy.

Season 2022/23 saw the Saints embarking on new territories as the FA Leagues restructuring saw us move to the Pitching-In Northern Premier League Midland Division however our stay in the new division and indeed Step Four was to come to a disappointing end as the Club finished in eighteenth place and faced a relegation playoff at the Premier Plus Stadium against one of sixteen sides who had finished in second place at Step 5. Lye Town were our opposition and were soundly beaten 6-1, confirming our relegation back down to Step 5.

The end of the 2023/24 season saw our partnership with Cambridge United come to a mutual end and ex Grays, Boreham Wood, Hendon and Bigglewade Town player Cameron Mawer was appointed First Team manager in May 2023 and George Thorne was appointed as his assistant shortly after. The Club had gone full circle since climbing the ladder to Step Four back in 2011 by returning to the United Counties League Premier Division South for the 2023/24

BUGBROOKE ST MICHAELS

DATE OPPOSITION VENUE RESULT SCORE STARTINGLINE-UP 29.07.22 StNeotsTown Away Lost 0-3 REEVE CALVER SHEHI SMYTH POWELL WALTON 01.08.22 RacingClubWarwick Home Lost 0-3 REEVE SPENCER BAZELEY SMYTH POWELL WALTON 05.08.22 HinckleyLRFC-FACup Home Lost 2-3 REEVE MALKIN BAZELEY SMYTH POWELL WALTON 12.08.23 AylestonePark Home Lost 2-5 REEVE MALKIN BAZELEY SMYTH POWELL 1 WALTON 15.08.23 CogenhoeUnited Away Won 4-0 REEVE MALKIN SHEHI 1 SMYTH POWELL WALTON 1 19.08.23 LutterworthTown Home Won 4-1 REEVE MALKIN SHEHI 1 SMYTH POWELL WALTON 29.08.23 WellingboroughTown Away Lost 2-5 REEVE MALKIN 1 SHEHI SMYTH PRICKETTREED WALTON 02.09.23 DesboroughTown Home Lost 1-5 REEVE MALKIN SURACE SMYTH POWELL WALTON 09.09.23 LeicesterNirvana Away Won 4-0 REEVE MALKIN 1 SHEHI SMYTH POWELL WALTON 16.09.23 Yaxley Away Lost 3-4 REEVE MALKIN 1 SIMMONS SMYTH POWELL WALTON 19.09.23 DesboroughTown-NFACup Away Lost 2-2 W.PANTER PRICKETT-REED SIMMONS CAREY PRICE WALTON 23.09.23 RaundsTown–FAVase Away Won 2-0 REEVE MALKIN SIMMONS SMYTH PRICE WALTON 26.09.23 NewportPagnellTown Home Won 4-0 REEVE MALKIN SIMMONS POWELL PRICE WALTON 30.09.23 G.N.GOadbyTown Home Draw 4-4 REEVE MALKIN SIMMONS POWELL PRICE WALTON 03.10.23 WellingboroughTown-KOCup Away Lost 2-2 (5-6 W.PANTER MALKIN SIMMONS SMYTH PRICE SHEHI 14.10.23 GodmanchesterRovers Away Won 3-1 REEVE NASH SIMMONS CAREY PRICE WALTON 21.10.23 LincolnUnited-FAVase Away Lost 1-4 REEVE MALKIN SIMMONS CAREY POWELL WALTON 24.10.23 DaventryTown Home Lost 1-2 REEVE MALKIN MEMOLI MAKEKERA POWELL WALTON 28.10.23 MarchTownUnited Away Lost 1-2 REEVE MEMOLI SIMMONS GIBBON PRICE SHEHI 31.10.23 CoventryUnited Home Won 1-0 REEVE MEMOLI SIMMONS SHEHI PRICE WALTON 11.11.23 Yaxley Home Won 2-1 REEVE MEMOLI SIMMONS STEWART PRICE WALTON 18.11.23 AylestonePark Away Lost 1-2 REEVE MEMOLI SIMMONS ALHASSAN PRICE WALTON 25.11.23 Histon Home Won 3-0 REEVE MEMOLI SIMMONS STEWART 1 PRICE 1 WALTON 02.12.23 RugbyBorough Away Draw 4-4 REEVE MEMOLI SIMMONS 1 EMERY 2 PRICE WALTON 1 09.12.23 RCWarwick Away Lost 2-8 REEVE SMYTH SIMMONS POWELL PRICE WALTON 16.12.23 CogenhoeUnited Home Lost 1-2 REEVE MEMOLI SIMMONS POWELL PRICE WALTON 23.12.23 EynesburyRovers Away Won 3-2 REEVE MEMOLI SIMMONS SHEHI MALKIN 1 WALTON 26.12.23 EasingtonSports Home Lost 0-4 REEVE MEMOLI SIMMONS SHEHI MALKIN WALTON 30.12.23 CoventryUnited Away Draw 2-2 REEVE MALKIN SIMMONS SHEHI EMERY WALTON 06.01.24 LutterworthTown Away Lost 2-4 W.PANTER MALKIN MEMOLI CAPATINA 1 PRICE WALTON 13.01.24 LeicesterNirvana Home Won 3-0 REEVE GIBBON SIMMONS 1 POWELL PRICE WALTON 27.01.24 RugbyBorough Home Lost 0-3 REEVE GIBBON SIMMONS KING PRICE WALTON 03.02.24 EynesburyRovers Home Won 1-0 REEVE NASH SIMMONS BRIGGS BRUCE 1 WALTON 17.02.24 G.N.GOadbyTown Away Won 3-2 REEVE NASH SIMMONS MARTINDALE J.WEBSTER WALTON 1 05.03.24 NewportPagnellTown Away Won 1-0 REEVE NASH SIMMONS MARTINDALE J.WEBSTER WALTON 09.03.24 DaventryTown Away Won 3-0 REEVE NASH POWELL MARTINDALE J.WEBSTER WALTON 16.03.24 DesboroughTown Away Lost 0-1 REEVE NASH SIMMONS POWELL J.WEBSTER MALKIN 19.03.24 Histon Away Lost 1-3 REEVE NASH SIMMONS MARTINDALE BRIGGS WALTON 23.03.24 StNeotsTown Home 30.03.24 MarchTownUnited Home 01.04.24 EasingtonSports Away 06.04.24 GodmanchesterRovers Home 13.04.24 WellingboroughTown Home

2023/24 RESULTS & APPEARANCES

A.WEBSTER ALHASSAN PANTER PORTER MALKIN SPENCER REZA BINDER HALLMARK J.WEBSTER

A.WEBSTER ALHASSAN PANTER PORTER REZA SHEHI CALVER BINDER MALKIN J.WEBSTER

A.WEBSTER ALHASSAN PANTER 1 PORTER REZA 1 GREEN SURACE BINDER

ALHASSAN 1 GREEN PANTER PORTER REZA SHEHI SURACE BINDER A.WEBSTER J.WEBSTER

A.WEBSTER GREEN 1 PANTER PORTER BINDER ALHASSAN SURACE 1 BAZELEY CAREY MAY

A.WEBSTER GREEN 3 SURACE PORTER BINDER ALHASSAN REZA SPENCER CAREY MAY

A.WEBSTER GREEN 1 REZA PORTER BINDER ALHASSAN SURACE SPENCER CAREY GIBBON

A.WEBSTER GREEN ALHASSAN PORTER BINDER SHEHI 1 SIMMONS UNDERWOOD CAREY

A.WEBSTER GREEN 1 PRICE PORTER 1 BINDER ALHASSAN SIMMONS UNDERWOOD CAREY 1 PANTER

A.WEBSTER GREEN 2 ALHASSAN PORTER CAREY SHEHI SPENCER BINDER PANTER

A.WEBSTER GREEN PANTER 1 PORTER BINDER 1 ALHASSAN STEWART UNDERWOOD SHEHI SMYTH

A.WEBSTER GREEN 1 PANTER PORTER BINDER SHEHI STEWART 1 POWELL ALHASSAN SURACE

A.WEBSTER GREEN 1 PANTER OBENG 1 BINDER ALHASSAN SHEHI SMYTH CAREY 2 PORTER

A.WEBSTER GREEN 1 PANTER 2 PORTER BINDER ALHASSAN SHEHI SMYTH 1 CAREY STEWART

A.WEBSTER GREEN PANTER 1 PORTER 1 BINDER ALHASSAN CAREY SURACE GIBBON J.WEBSTER

A.WEBSTER GREEN 1 PANTER 2 PORTER BINDER POWELL MAKEKERA MEMOLI GIBBON STEWART

A.WEBSTER GREEN PANTER 1 PORTER BINDER SHEHI MAKEKERA ANKRAH SPENCER J.WEBSTER

A.WEBSTER GREEN PANTER PORTER BINDER 1 SHEHI CAREY STEWART SPENCER J.WEBSTER

A.WEBSTER GREEN 1 PANTER ANKRAH BINDER ALHASSAN MAKEKERA STEWART OAKES

A.WEBSTER GREEN PANTER STEWART BINDER 1 POWELL MAKEKERA PORTER MALKIN GIBBON

A.WEBSTER GREEN 1 ALHASSAN PORTER BINDER 1 SHEHI CAREY GIBBON J.WEBSTER ANKRAH

A.WEBSTER GREEN PANTER 1 PORTER BINDER SHEHI STEWART POWELL OAKES

A.WEBSTER GREEN PANTER 1 PORTER BINDER ALHASSAN SHEHI CAREY OAKES GIBBON

A.WEBSTER GREEN PANTER PORTER BINDER ALHASSAN SHEHI CAREY OAKES POWELL CAREY GREEN EMERY STEWART 2 BINDER ALHASSAN SHEHI MEMOLI J.WEBSTER OAKES GREEN PANTER 1 PORTER STEWART ALHASSAN SHEHI MAKEKERA MALKIN

A.WEBSTER GREEN PANTER 2 PORTER J.WEBSTER ALHASSAN GIBBON W.PANTER

A.WEBSTER GREEN PANTER EMERY BINDER ALHASSAN GIBBON W.PANTER J.WEBSTER KING

A.WEBSTER GREEN STEWART 2 PORTER BINDER ALHASSAN GIBBON J.WEBSTER KING

A.WEBSTER GREEN STEWART 1 PORTER BINDER ALHASSAN GIBBON J.WEBSTER KING POWELL

A.WEBSTER GREEN STEWART 1 CAPATINA 1 BINDER KING MAKEKERA ANKRAH ALHASSAN

A.WEBSTER GREEN STEWART CAPATINA BINDER BRIGGS SHEHI J.WEBSTER

A.WEBSTER GREEN MARTINDALE KING BINDER SHEHI MAKEKERA J.WEBSTER GIBBON

A.WEBSTER 1 GREEN STEWART 1 SHEHI BINDER GIBBON MAKEKERA W.PANTER KING

A.WEBSTER GREEN BROWN PORTER BINDER 1 SHEHI STEWART POWELL MALKIN GIBBON

A.WEBSTER GREEN STEWART 1 PORTER BINDER 1 BRIGGS SHEHI BROWN 1 OBENG

A.WEBSTER GREEN STEWART PORTER BINDER BRIGGS SHEHI BROWN KING

A.WEBSTER GREEN 1 OBENG PORTER BINDER MALKIN SHEHI POWELL J.WEBSTER SUBS

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NEXT UP 30/03 vs March Town United (Home) 01/04 vs Easington Sports (Away) 06/04 vs Godmanchester Rovers (Home) PREMIER DIVISION SOUTH as at 22/03/24 FORM GUIDE W W W L L
TABLE - FIRST
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RESERVE DIVISION as at 22/03/24

26/03 vs ON Chenecks (Home)

30/03 vs Wellingborough Town (Away)

02/04 vs Kempston Rovers (Home)

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W L D L L
FORM GUIDE
LEAGUE TABLE - RESERVES

PREMIER DIVISION SOUTH

Histon FC Vs Aylestone Park

Bugbrooke St.Michaels Vs St Neots Town

Coventry United Vs Cogenhoe United

Eynesbury Rovers Vs Desborough Town

G.N.G Oadby Town Vs Easington Sports

Godmanchester Rovers Vs Leicester Nirvana

March Town United Vs Lutterworth Town

Racing Club

Warwick Vs Daventry Town

Rugby Borough Vs Newport Pagnell Town

Wellingborough Town Vs Yaxley FC

Desborough Town Reserves Vs Wellingborough Whitworth Reserves

Kempston Rovers Reserves Vs Bourne Town Reserves

Raunds Town Reserves Vs Wellingborough Town Reserves

TODAYS FIXTURES Tel: 07568 087449 Email: RichFaulknerElectrical@outlook.com
DIVISION
RESERVE

” The Impossible Dream”

Despite repeated attempts to ‘keep politics out of football’, it seeps through. Our sport is not immune to the political turmoil that can engulf society, and with such a loud voice, there is an argument that perhaps it shouldn’t be. But one place where the politics is especially fierce, and the impact on the sport so long-lasting that it almost goes unnoticed, is on the island of Ireland. Since the end of the Troubles, there has been a much more conciliatory relationship between the two nations, and the two governing bodies. And yet, despite it existing with no question whatsoever in rugby, Northern Ireland and Eire have proven incapable of fielding a unified Irish football team.

A united Ireland football team was only the fourth international side to be formed in the 19th Century, although ‘united’ was unnecessary at that time. Their first fixture, in 1882, was a 13-0 battering against England - still the latter’s biggest ever victory - and their second was a marginally better 7-1 defeat to Wales, with 15 year old Samuel Johnston becoming his country’s first ever goalscorer. A run of 14 defeats and a draw saw them finish bottom of the inaugural Home Championships in 1884, and they had to wait until 1887 to secure their first victory, against Wales. It was over a decade later that they would beat England for the first time. But, slowly, they improved. By the last Home Championships before the First World War, Ireland were good enough to upset the odds and win the whole competition.

Unable to build on that success, Ireland (like everyone else) had to wait five years for their next fixture, in a Home Championships they would go on to finish winless again. Nobody realised that would be their final round of fixtures. In 1920, the Government of Ireland Act was passed. When Northern Ireland withdrew from the arrangement, the island divided

The divide in football wasn’t all that clear, however. The IFA (The North’s governing body) continued to select players from across the island, and the FAI didn’t cause much of a fuss. In 1946, when both played England, two players played for both teams in the same week, against the same opponent. When both sides entered qualifying for the 1950 World Cup, the issue was brought to FIFA’s attention. By that stage, things were becoming tricky too; the FAI were questioning why the IFA got to present a ‘united’ Irish team. FIFA forced a more restrictive split, and to avoid confusion or favouritism, prohibited both bodies from calling their team ‘Ireland’. Despite some resistance from the IFA, by the 1970s all remnants of the Ireland national team were gone.

Which, ironically, was just in time for talks to start again on the formation of a United Ireland team. Despite increasing tensions in the late 1960s which would explode into the Troubles, the footballing bodies had introduced all-Ireland competitions to foster cooperation. George Best went on record saying he and others wanted a united team.

But while attempts were being made for football to unify, politics was getting in the way again. In the Blaxnit Cup Final of 1971, unionist Linfield supporters chanted ‘Up the UVF’ against their southern counterparts, leading to bottles and stones being thrown and the competition’s future being put in doubt. Rioting at nationalist-leaning Derry City saw them forced to give up their home and move 40 miles. They eventually withdrew from the Northern Irish league, and joined the Republic’s. Despite this, the FAI published a report with the long-term goal of all-Ireland competitions.

When Brazil visited in 1973, they took on the Shamrock Rovers All Ireland XI, which included players from across the divide. 34,000 fans crammed into Lansdowne Road, and a convivial atmosphere saw the Brazilians run out 4-3 winners. The belief was that such a show of unity could only lead to a permanent unified side, not far into the future.

A series of meetings made glacial progress over the next five years. It wasn’t helped by the trouble in the North; Northern Ireland didn’t play a match at home for seven years from 1971, instead playing their fixtures in England. But when the all-Ireland hockey team went to the 1978 World Cup in Argentina, questions were asked why football couldn’t do the same.

The answer, as ever, was politics. The divide in Ireland was too deep, and FIFA’s rules too stringent about a unified team from two different associations. Combining the governing bodies into one, putting the competitions together and meeting FIFA’s rules was a step too far in deeply troubled times.

The idea was shelved.

In 1983, FAI President stated that ‘there will be no settlement… until such time as the political problems which divide the North and Republic have been solved’. There has been a solution now for nearly three decades. Maybe it’s time to ask the question again.

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