PURPLEARMY / THE TOW N
Since forming in 1886 Daventry Town Football Club has had a chequered history over its 132 years, from a devastating fire in 2005 which threatened the club’s existence to an incredible cup run which saw over 700 fans travel to League 2 Chesterfield in 2014.
Switching to the Northants Combination in 1987, under the guidance of Manager Willie Barrett, the clubs fortunes began to flourish, Barrett leading the club to successive championships in the Northants Combination First and Premier Divisions &in 1989/90 they secured promotion to the United Counties League Division One
Leaving the “Hollow” in the centre of the town in 1990 when the club moved to its current home at the Elderstubbs, the club’s fortunes suffered a devastating blow in 2005–06, when the Elderstubbs clubhouse and changing rooms were destroyed during an arson attack.
With the club on the brink of going out of business, Iain Humphrey took the helm and work began to revitalise the club with the
introduction of new floodlights, walkways and other infrastructure to support the clubs promotion ambitions.
2007–08 was a very successful season for the Town. They won UCL Division One, losing just once, and defeated three Premier division teams en route to the League Knockout Cup final, where they lost to Desborough Town 3–2.
In the season 2009–10, Daventry won promotion to the Southern League Division One Central, by becoming champions of the United Counties League under the guidance of manager Ady Fuller. Daventry Town reached the last 16 of the FA vase, the final of the NFA Senior Cup, beaten by Corby Town by 3 – 2 and the semi –finals of the UCL KO cup before Captain Paul Saunders lifted the UCL championship to secure Daventry Town a coveted place in the Southern League for 2010/11.
Under the guidance of Ady Fuller and assistant Paul Lamb, their first season in the Southern League almost ended with another promotion however they lost in the play off final to Hitchin Town.
Former Aston Villa, Charlton and Republic of Ireland international Mark Kinsella became manager in
9 the summer 2011 however his season long spell was unsuccessful and former Daventry United/Ford Sports Manager Darran Foster was appointed with Neil Champelovier as his assistant in 2012.
Daventry Town made history in 20132014 by reaching the First Round of the FA Cup, a visit to Chesterfield’s Proact Stadium their reward. They were eventually beaten by 2 – 0 in front of over 700 of their own travelling supporters and a crowd of over 5269. Town also reached the first round proper of the FA Trophy losing 1 0 to Maidenhead United.
Town reached the final of the Northamptonshire Senior Cup – Hillier Cup beating Cogenhoe United, managed by Andy Marks, 3 – 0, Scott Cross (2) and Luke Keen scoring the goals.
Town had been season-long favourites for promotion from the Southern League Division One Central in 20132014 but the back log of fixtures caused by the cup runs took effect. They lost the promotion play-offs at the semi-final stage at Kettering Town, narrowly beaten 1-0.
Darran Foster resigned as manager on 30th October 2014 following budget cuts and was replaced by former Watford, Oldham and Preston star, Allan Smart. Former Manager Ady Fuller was appointed as his Assistant Manager with the bulk of the players supplied by Smart’s London based Academy.
In the Summer of 2015, the club were moved to the Northern Premier League Division One South and with Smart and the players based in the South, het resigned in July 2015.
Darran Foster returned to Daventry Town as Manager just nine months after leaving however he also resigned on Easter Saturday after a 5 0 home defeat to Kidsgrove Athletic.
Club Goalkeeping Coach Derren Midson and the Club’s Juniors Development Officer Pete Flockhart stepped in as Caretaker Managers with Brian Porter returning as Club Secretary to ensure the club somehow completed their remaining 6 fixtures of the 2015/2016 season.
In a move planned to reset the club’s financial problems, Town took voluntary relegation to step 6 football and the club returned to the United Counties League Division 1.
In April 2016, Steve Tubb took over as Chairman and on the 12th May 2016, the club appointed Arron Parkinson and Andy Marks as joint managers. With a zero budget for the season, the team management have worked wonders in turning the club around and winning the UCL Division 1 title, unbeaten at home.
Andy Marks left the club at the end of the season due to family and work commitments. Ian King joined Parkinson as Joint Manager in May 2017.
Town finished the 2017/18 season in 10th position, winning the Buckingham Charity Cup for the first time.
2018/19 saw the return of the Reserves managed by Andy Emery. Ian King left to join Northampton Town Academy. Arron Parkinson took over as Manager with goalkeeper Matt Finlay as his Assistant Manager and Pete Harris coming in a Club Coach respectively.
After an excellent start to the 2018/19 league season and two FA Cup wins scoring 16 goals in the process, the Town went on to win the UCL Premier Division with a 1 1 draw at Pinchbeck United. The club were presented with the trophy on Easter Monday after a 3 0 win over local rivals and preseason favourites Rugby Town in front of a crowd of 393. They also won the UCL Knock Out Cup by beating Holbeach United 3 1 in the final at Raunds Town. Town then returned back to the BetVictor Southern League Division One Central.
In 2019–20, the club returned to the Southern League, however, the Covid 19 Pandemic meant that they would not complete this or the 2020–21 season.
Sadly during this time, the Town lost three members of the Hobbs family in quick session. Club President, Frank Hobbs died just two weeks after his wife Sarah. Frank’s younger brother, Malcolm Hobbs died just three months later. Between them, they had covered just about every position within the club and had given almost 200 years of combined service to the Town.
In 2021–22, the club moved to the Northern Premier League Midlands Division. After a difficult start to the season, Jim Scott joined the coaching team and along with a number of new signings, Town ended
the season in 16th place but 15 points clear of the relegation spots.
The club also started a third male adult team playing in the Northants Combination League Division 3. This team was named Daventry Town Hobbs after the sadly missed Hobbs family.
Off the pitch, the club announced that it had cleared all inherited debts since taking over in 2016 and that the club was now debt free.
The 2022-23 season was challenging for Daventry. A slow start in the tough Northern Premier League led to the budget being cut and manager Arron Parkinson left after 6 seasons. Almost all of the players left leaving a scratch side of reserves and youth team to unsuccessfully avoid relegation from the Northern Premier League.
Prior to the 2023-24 season Daren Young was unveiled as First Team Manager. Following an inconsistent season and with only 2 wins in 2024, the club and Young mutually agreed to part company.
Jamie Forrest was appointed as First Team Manger prior to the 2024-25 season where the club would compete again in the UCL Premier Division South. This season also saw the return of the Reserves to the UCL and will be managed by Jamie Jollands.
‘A day without football is a day wasted.’ The words of legendary Austrian manager Ernst Happel might seem like hyperbole, even to him, but his approach to the game was a demonstration of his philosophy in action. He was too young to have been coached by Hugo Meisl directly, but the legends of the Austrian Wunderteam and their Danubian Waltz inspired his career. He made his debut for Rapid Vienna four years after he joined the team at just 13, and he went on to win six Austrian league titles, an Austrian Cup, and in 1951 a Zentropa Cup (also known as the Mitropa Cup, a forerunner to the European Cup). He went to the World Cup in 1954 and helped his team to their best ever finish of third. But however successful his playing days, it was as a manager that he would make his impact across the European game. In 1962, he took the vacant job at Ado den Haag.
Happel’s first training session, making the players stay out in the rain until they could demonstrate ability at his own lev-
el, makes him sound like a hard manager, but he was a product of Vienna’s coffee house culture. What had developed as a pastime of the intelligentsia had been adopted by football fans in Austria, where staff and players and fans and journalists would meet and discuss the directions of their teams. In den Haag, he sought ideas from his players and listened when they came to him. It took five years, but Happel was willing to wait for his moment. Eventually, he hauled the perennial relegation strugglers up the table, and into the Dutch Cup final, where he would meet his legendary counterpart, Rinus Michels.
Ajax, like all Dutch clubs, played a 4-2-4 system. Happel withdrew one of his forwards into midfield. It caught Michels out, and den Haag won the most unlikely of victories. It was the perfect end to Happel’s time there, because if he could beat mighty Ajax with such a small team, just imagine what he could achieve with more resources. Feyenoord, Ajax’s great rivals, decided not to imagine, and appointed him to find out for sure.
Feyenoord were not in a bad place. They had just won the league, and were heading into Europe. At his first attempt, Happel took his side to the final of the European Cup, where they came up
13against Jock Stein’s Celtic. The Scottish champions also played a 4-2 -4, so Happel withdrew his forward once again. Celtic held the Dutch side until extra time, but couldn’t stop the onslaught. Stein would say that Celtic didn’t lose to Feyenoord, he lost to Happel.
Happel won the Eredivisie and the Intercontinental Cup over the next few years, before leaving in 1974 and embarking on a peripatetic career across Europe. But his adopted home kept calling to him, and in 1978 he took on the big job, taking previous runners up The Netherlands to the World Cup.
The Dutch job was a tricky one. He took on a side built by his rival Michels, and there were high hopes that they could go one better. But off the field problems drastically undermined their chances. Building up to the competition, armed robbers broke into the home of Johann Cruyff and tied up him and his family. The Dutch legend wriggled free and chased the attackers away, but was too shaken to leave his family for Argentina. The Netherlands went without him, and played some of the most spellbinding football ever seen at the World Cup. But it wasn’t enough, and once again they lost the final to the hosts. It’s the furthest a manager has ever gone with a nation that’s not his own.
Happel went back to trotting around Europe, before a call from Hamburg gave him a second shot at glory. Inspired by Franz Beckenbauer, the German side won the Bundesliga in Happel’s first season, and once again went all the way to the European Cup final. Against Juventus, he
proposed man marking Michel Platini out of the game, but coffee house culture still ruled. The players told him it was unnecessary, and he listened. They rewarded his trust with his second European Cup. The usually reserved Happel danced along the touchline at the final whistle, a spectacle likened to the Pope in swimwear as it was so strange.
In 1987 he moved back to Austria, to take charge of Swarovski Tirol. The provincial side won the double in 1989, and retained the league title in 1990. In 1992, he was given the national job, trying to see his side into the European Championships. Sadly, he died of lung cancer only a few months later, unable to see out the campaign.
Happel ended his career as the very first manager to win the European Cup with two teams. He was also the first to win four different European league titles. If a day without football is a day wasted, he didn’t waste a day in his life.
Enjoy the game.
Martyn Green The Untold Game
Happel Feyenoord
Dan Gleeson – Manager
Dan has re-joined us and this time steps into the number 1 seat, Dan is an ex-pro with Luton Town & Cambridge United who brings a lot of experience with him to the club. Dan will work well with the young squad we have for this season and has built a good back-room staff to join him.
Errol McGammon - Fitness Coach
Errol is the beast of the engine room within the dressing room, combining his understanding of sports fitness with his understanding of the game. Errol has been around the non-league game for years and brings a wealth of knowledge to the coaching team.
Richard Cosbey – Kit Man
Rich is exactly the sort of person who makes a non-league club run. If there is a job that Rich hasn’t done, we are yet to find it (and if we do, he will no doubt have a go). A top bloke and someone you want fighting for you not against you! Will not be in the dug -out next season as he steps up to his new role within the club.
Mark Swan – Physio
Mark joined our club in 2022-23 season as our club physio, Mark is a great guy to have around the club and a good laugh with the other coaches. Mark is very experienced in his line of work and has a great relationship with
the squad, great guy to have at Bearscroft lane.
Simon Dalton (GK)
Simon is New to Godmanchester Rovers this season after we have tried a couple of people to fill this number 1 spot, Simon is an experienced keeper with great distribution of the ball out of his hands and a great shot stopper, Simon will fast become a fans favourite at Bearscroft lane.
Ben Newton (GK)
New to Godmanchester this season after we have tried a couple of people to fill this number 1 spot, Ben is just what we have been looking for and we wish we have found him sooner. Ben has immediately showed his quality. we wish Ben all the best for the season and look forwarded to working with over the coming seasons.
Tom Spark
Another who played in a variety of positions last season but will be aiming to make a central role his own for the coming season. Sparky has great quality in possession and an ability to glide past players at speed. Will be looking to add more goals and assists to his game.
Ricki Goodale
Bob the builder, jack of all trades but what a centre back, great lad to have
around the changing room, likes to see how far he can kick a ball out of the ground. Ricki is a old school centre back – head & kick it, do the simple things correct. Ricki joins us halfway through the season and has already made a big difference to the squad.
Ben Arnold
Ben has joined us from just up the A1 and Yaxley Fc, Ben can play either centre back or holding midfield and is a very talented footballer, Ben does not mind a tackle and likes to get stuck in. He is a great talker throughout the game and is great to support the young guns of the squad.
Matt Green (Captain)
Matt is the most experienced player in our squad this season and is the club captain, Matt is a solid player and can play centre back or holding midfield. Matt is very good with the younger ones and is a real leader on and off the pitch. we look forward to seeing Matt lead our team this season and many more to come.
Mani Gbejuade
Mani rejoins us after having started with us at the beginning of the season, then departing to play step 4 football, after 2 months he is now back where he belongs, good strong forward player. Mani is big and powerful and has full backs running scared
all day long.
Ron Sosoli
Ron joins us from local step 3 outfit St Ives Town Fc, Ron is a great lad who can play either side full back, likes to attack as well but is a sloid defender first. Ron is a quite lad off the field but comes out of his shell on the field.
Louis Aftersmith
Louis is from our last season U16 and now in our U18 set up, he is a young strong centre back and has already had 5 run outs in the first team squad. Louis will only get better and better while training and playing with the senior squad. We are super proud to have brought so many of the U18's into the senior side.
Ed Watson
Ed is another young gun from the Royston U18 set up. Ed can play anywhere across the forward line who likes to get in and around the defence of any team we are playing against. Ed is learning every time he steps onto the pitch and is becoming a key member of the senior squad.
Tommy Dear
Tommy is another from our U18 squad from a couple of seasons ago, left halfway through last season but has come back for the new season to get his head down and let his feet do the talking, great lad with bags of en-
ergy that carries him all day long around the pitch, Tommy is one that will become a Goddy legend.
Jamal Shenille
Jamal is new to Godmanchester rover’s fc this season, showed great promise in pre-season, now needs to kick on and cement his place week in week out in the starting 11, Jamal is a left back / left wingback.
Dan Brown
Dan is an experienced striker at step 5 football around this area, fox in the box, has great presence in the air and has a deadly left foot. Dan is a great person to have in the team after we have tried to sign him for the last 3 seasons.
Tom Wakley
Tom is another experienced striker who was in out youth & U18 set up a few years ago and has come back to join the club, been away and gained adult football elsewhere and has now come back to join the mighty Rovers, Tom wins 99% of all balls in the air and has plenty of power behind his strike.
Harry Brookes
Harry plays the number 10 role and is calm and steady on the ball, has a
sweet left foot and is just a machine running and running all day long, Harry has joined us this season from Ely City Fc. We look forward to seeing Harry week in week out on the pitch.
Josh Hales
Josh is a winger who can play anywhere across the front line, Josh is a great lad to have in the changing rooms and he is great with the younger lads on the pitch, you could easily see Josh as a coach or manager of a senior team in years to come.
Will Jolly
Will is from our youth & U18 set up, been with them club for many years and is great to see him progress into the first team, great lad who wants to learn and will give you 100% when he is on the pitch, doesn’t mind getting stuck in and will let people know he is there.
Tak Chijota
M Tak has rejoined us this season after leaving us for a season thinking the grass was greener at Daventry Town, we are pleased to see Tak back at Bearscroft lane, lets hope he picks up the form he had when he left the club before.
ROVERS FIXTURES & RESULTS
While the Olympics is the greatest festival of sports for most people, it can be easy to dismiss the importance of football to the games. The world’s most popular sport is given an age-limited place in the schedule, and the strongest national sides don’t even send their best players within that age group, and the brightest names in football would rather focus on their domestic league preparation, having usually just come through an arduous continental tournament of their own. But sometimes, the Olympics hold a special place in the footballing history of a nation, and, win or lose, are achievements to be remembered.
The Irish War of Independence separated a free Irish state from the United Kingdom in 1921, and despite the partition of Ireland the nation was optimistic and enthusiastic for its future. An independent Irish football association was formed to showcase the island’s talent to the world, and when the International Olympic Committee recognised the new nation in 1922, the Paris Olympics of two years later would be the first opportunity for free Irish athletes to take to the international stage. Irish football struggled to gain recognition from the Home Nation dominated IFAB, who held a near equal share of power over the global game with
FIFA, but it was the latter who arranged Olympic football, and they recognised the FAI in 1923, paving the way for the first free Irish team to make their way to the French capital.
Finances would be a struggle for the nascent organisation, even after the political problems were ironed out. It was estimated that the cost of sending an Irish football team to Paris would be a touch under £820, which seems almost trivial in the money-soaked football world of today; Kylian Mbappe earns more than that every ten minutes. But in 1924, that was more money than the FAI had altogether. A fund was created, and a call was sent out to every Irish player, ex-player, supporter, to send a team to the Olympics. When the Home Nations lifted the ban on their clubs recognising and playing against the FAI, Celtic travelled to Dublin for a friendly against a League of Ireland representative side, watched on by 22,000 supporters. It turned out to be a bit of a disaster; Celtic were paid for their tour, and the government took a controversial ‘entertainment tax’, reducing an initially successful £1200 game to just £250. But the FAI were ‘honour-bound’ to send a team, according to the Evening Telegraph, even though the venture was indebted before it started.
Seventeen players were selected from League of Ireland clubs, although six ended up choosing not to travel. A gruelling 48 hour journey followed as the Olympic squad made its way to Paris via Holyhead, and set up in a city centre hotel for the duration of the games, rather than in the Olympic village. The Home Nations did not partake in Olympic football this early, having had disputes over the IOC’s definition of amateurism. They have since mostly refused to put together a Great Britain team. But the Irish team laid a wreath at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and raised their flag at the Arc de Triomphe.
The side received a bye in the first round, meaning a victory over Bulgaria would put the new nation into the Quarter Finals. Despite muted media coverage back home - the Irish press were more interested in the creation of a Celtic games, to take place a month later - the weekly Sport reminded the players that ‘their country expects them to do their duty to play as Irishmen, to win as Irishmen and, if the worst comes to the worst, to lose as Irishmen fighting unflinchingly to the last.’
Ireland finally lined up in the 45,000 Co-
lombes Stadium - where both Chariots of Fire and Escape to Victory are set, but where neither were filmed - in front of 1600 supporters. 1100 of them had received complimentary tickets. The Irish side got into their rhythm quickly, but were unable to capitalise, hitting the woodwork on three occasions as the Bulgarian goal lived a charmed life. Until 75 minutes that is, when the luck changed, and Duncan scored free Ireland’s first ever goal, from a position widely considered to be offside. This set up a quarterfinal tie with the Netherlands, who were coached by Englishman William Townley, the first man to score an FA Cup hat trick.
The Netherlands were tipped to progress, and wasted no time racing into a lead. But the Irish defended stoically, and equalised from a corner deep into the first half. The second half was dour, with Ireland fighting off repeated Dutch attacks and neither side able to make a
Ireland 1924
breakthrough. Extra time saw Ireland begin to dominate, peppering the Dutch goal, but the favourites took the lead against the run of play, and Ireland’s first foray into international football was over.
The Olympics proved that an international football tournament had potential, and convinced FIFA to create the World Cup, won in 1930 by Uruguay, who had taken the Olympic crown in 1924 and retained it in 1928. But for Ireland, the tournament was a celebration of their freedom. It has taken a century, but they have finally been recognised as the FAI’s first official matches.
Enjoy the game.
Martyn Green, The Untold Game Find more at TheUntoldGame.co.uk or on social
1924 Ireland
