MATCHDAY PROGRAMME
Hallen V Wells City
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CLUB OFFICIALS
Chairman: Lee Fairman
Vice Chairman: Andy Hicks
General Secretary: Deb Burns
Football Secretary: Richard Stokes
Treasurer: Mark Snook
Committee: Will Bolshaw, Liam Bright, Tom Collett, Francis Fairman, Nick Haigh, Graham
Joint, Ben Price, Adam Snook and Tony Wyebrow
Programme Editor: Liam Bright
President: Barrie Phillips
Vice-Presidents: Terry Henderson, Francis Fairman, Mark Snook and Tony Wyebrow
Groundsman: Francis Fairman
1st Team:
Manager: Karl Baggaley
Assistants: Jason Goodfield / Andy Hawkins
Coach: Mark Read
Physio: Pat Delaney
Reserve Team:
Manager: Andy Parry
Assistant: Andre Kirby
A’Team:
Manager: Craig Tottle
Assistant: Ben Price
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CHAIRMAN'S NOTES
Tonight we welcome Wells City to the MB frames stadium to play us in the Jewson Western league. Wells are riding high and pushing for a play off place so it will be a tough one for us. Let’s hope we get a really good enjoyable game.
I hope everyone associated with our visitors have an enjoyable visit to Hallen and they enjoy our hospitality and we look forward to visiting them in April.
Saturdays fantastic result at home against Calne Town has really given us a great chance now to continue our fantastic run of results and to push to get the job done.
After today’s game we then have another tough test when we travel to Bradford Town on Saturday in the league, in another clash with a team riding high and pushing for a play off place.
I hope to see you all there for all your support.
See you all in the bar.
UTH
OUR HISTORY
The Armadillos
The club was formed by members of a new community living at Lawrence Weston on the outskirts of Bristol, which had been developed shortly after World War Two
The club was named Lawrence Weston Athletic and played in the Bristol & District League, and it has moved forward steadily since moving to the village of Hallen in 1979, to conform with League Ground grading Much of the credit for the progress of this club can be accredited to the late Frank Fairman and his family His son Francis, and grandson Lee continue the link with the club In fact Lee played a major part in our fight for survival during the summer of 2015, when the club was in danger of losing its home So it was no surprise when long serving Chairman Barrie Phillips nominated Lee to take over the chair from himself, at the next AGM
The club became known as Lawrence Weston Hallen when it moved to Moorhouse Lane, joining the Gloucestershire County League in 1982, and under that title were runners up 198788, and Champions 1988- 89, after which the club dropped Lawrence Weston from its title to become known as simply Hallen
The club completed the double in 199293, when winning the Gloucestershire Challenge Trophy and the League title Promotion was achieved, joining the Hellenic League Division One, and after further improvements to the facilities (particularly the erection of floodlights and a 200-seater stand), a runner-up position in 1996–97 led to another step up, to the Hellenic League Premier Division
The club had always considered the Western League as its goal, as this League was more familiar with Bristolians than the Hellenic League. Their wish to transfer over was granted at the second time of asking but it was insisted that the club join the First Division for season 2000-01
HellenicLeague
DivisionOnechampions1996–97 WesternLeague
DivisionOnechampions2003–04
LesPhillipsCupwinners2009–10
GloucestershireCountyLeague Champions1988–89,1992–93
GloucestershireChallengeTrophy Winners1989–90,1992–93,2013–14
GloucestershireJuniorCup Winners1968–69[2]
The club finished fourth in its first season in the Western League and reached the last sixteen of the F.A.Vase losing to Brigg Town 6-5 in extra time Further progress was made when new manager Gary Damone led the team to the Division One title in Season 2003-4, and fourth place in the Premier Division at the first attempt. The club also reached the final of the GFA Trophy and were denied a place in the first round of the F A Cup when losing to Nationwide Conference side Canvey Island in the fourth and final qualifying round This success saw Southern League side Taunton Town tempt Gary Damone to try his hand at a higher level, which in turn saw Hallen have a dip in form, as players were also tempted away. It is however well known that a high percentage of players are happy to return to Hallen, and for season 2009-10 the club welcomed back Gary Damone as manager and many former players too The club finished in a disappointing twelth position in 200910, but a crop of long term injuries did not help The club however were to lift the Western League (Les Phillips) Cup for the first time The club had experienced a bad start to the 2010-11 season, which saw the departure of manager Gary Damone who chose to take charge of his own town club Wellington
OUR HISTORY
The Armadillos
Club stalwart Paul Owen was given the task of steering the team to safety With just one win prior to taking over in November, he and his assistant John Tierney changed fortunes around and we were safe from relegation with six games left Paul Owen's first full season as manager saw the club challenging for the title, but a dip in form saw the club slip to fourth Off the field, the club had ensured promotion would not be denied, had the club won the title by obtaining the ground grading for Southern League football Season 2012-13 saw no repeat of a challenge for promotion, but the season was kept alive by reaching the final of the Les Phillips League Cup for a second time In the final Willand Rovers won 1-0 before a crowd of 400 at Cribbs Friends Life FC As Paul Owen had already decided to step down at the end of the campaign, it was unfortunate that he could not see his side lift the cup By mid May the club announced that Hengrove Athletic manager Jamie Hillman was to take over as manager, He had been at the helm for eight years at Hengrove, and had just guided them to the Premier Division as runners up in April The 2013-14 season under Jamie and his assistant Grantley Dicks, was a mixture of highs and lows The highs being success in lifting the GFA Trophy for a third time and reaching the fifth round of the FA Vase losing away to West Auckland Town In contrast we finished the League campaign without a win in fifteen games. Manager Jamie Hillman announced that he would be leaving, and previous manager Paul Owen agreed to return for the 2014-15 season By November the League form was yet again cause for concern and Paul decided it would be best to bring in a new face, rather than wait to the end of the season
Steve Winter a former Walsall and Torquay player was appointed with a view, of him settling in, prior to the coming season He was to resign in December 2015, and long serving player Tom Collett took on the role as player manager assisted by Rayan Wilson for the 2016-17 season Following another poor run of results,Tom Collett made way for former player Ben Willshire to return as the new manager. Ben guided the club away from relegation, but when fortunes did not change in the next campaign, it was decided his assistant Rob Sage should take over the helm prior to Christmas 2017, with Ben remaining as a player. The resignation of Rob Sage forced the club to seek another manager in February Former manager Gary Damone returned as interim manager, whilst the club decided on a replacement from a record number of applicants. The successful candidate being former player Ray Johnstone, who had guided Odd Down to the title in 2016 Ray recruited another former Hallen player Tony Davis as his assistant for the 2018-19 season, unfortunately Tony had to step down during the course of the season It was a season which saw a more settled side, finishing in twelfth place the best for several years. Further progress was made during the 2019-20 season, with Ray being assisted by Dean Horseman, before it was brought to an abrupt end due to the coronavirus pandemic Ray’s departure early in the season 2020-21, saw Dean takeover as Manager in what turned out to be another pandemic disrupted season A poor run of results at the start of 2021-22 resulted in Dean and his new Assistant Tony Beecham departing the club. Stuart Jones and his trusty Director of Football Andy Hawkins took over, but unfortunately
OUR HISTORY
The Armadillos
they could not magic a way out of the situation the team had been left in and we were relegated to step 6, which saw us back in The Western League, due to The FA’s lateral movement. Early on in season 2023-24 we saw Stuart step down from the managerial role, and replaced by Karl Baggaley, who added some new faces to the squad and ended the season just outside the play off positions Hopefully with a few more signings this season we can push even further up the league?!
GOOD AFTERNOON Managers notes
Good evening everyone and welcome to all associated with Wells City Football club, I hope you enjoy your stay with us.
Another massive 3 points Saturday against an in-form and very good side in Calne, and tonight will be no different. They have started to put a run together and I'm sure they will finish amongst the top 5 come the end of the season.
Squad wise no new injuries with Cheese now back from his travelling exploits and Harrison hopefully only a week away which will help in the title push.
Hope to see you all in the bar.
Karl Baggaley Karl Baggaley Karl Baggaley
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Wells City FC were formed on May 27th 1890 following a meeting at the Star Hotel in Wells. The club play their fixtures at what is known as the “Torfurlong” sports field, and win the first ever Somerset Senior league in 1891. In 1892 the club retain the Somerset Senior league and join the Bristol & District league (which was the forbearer of the Western league). The visit to the Bristol & District league is brief with the club returning to the Somerset Senior League in 1893 and move to their current home the Athletic Ground.
The first ever Somerset Senior Cup is held in 1896 in which Wells City FC lost 4-0 to Radstock Town.
The Mid Somerset Senior League is formed in 1923, the club compete in both this league and Somerset Senior league, winning the Mid Somerset Senior League in its first inaugural season. In 1929, the club and Radstock Town share the Somerset Senior League title and are invited to join the newly formed Western League. Wells remain in the Western League through to 1960.
Following the 2nd World War the club becomes professional on January 18th 1948, winning the Western league on goal difference in 1950, with the trophy being paraded by the team from the balcony at Wells Town Hall to a packed crowd in the marketplace below.
In the late 1950s the club have a difficult period, finishing bottom of Western league division 1 and are relegated in 1957. The club have mounting financial problems, culminating in 1959 in finishing bottom of Western League division 2 but remain a member of the Western League. The club return to Amateur status. Finally, the financial issues become too great and the club end their membership of the Western League after the League propose just one Division for the next season in 1960. This ends 31 consecutive years in the Western League (excluding 1940 to 1945 when the league was suspended for World War 2).
After a period of close to 50 years in the Somerset County League, in 2008 the club finish runners up in the Somerset County League and are promoted back to the Western League. Unfortunately, promotion achieving Manager Mark Leaney resigns 24 hours before the clubs’ first game in the Western League for over 50 years.
In 2010 the club win the Western League first division and are promoted to the Western League Premier division, they also reach the semi-final of the Somerset Premier Cup losing to Southern League Bridgwater Town 2-0. Unfortunately, in 2013 the club are relegated back to the Western League division 1.
After finishing runners up in 2016, the club are promoted back to Western League Premier Division, also winning the Somerset Premier Cup, beating Southern League Larkhall Athletic 2-1 in the Final at Weston Super Mare FC.
The recent years have been frustrating, in 2023 missing out on promotion after finishing third with 96 points, after holding a top 2 position for most of the season, including a run of 18 games unbeaten. The promotion play-off semi-final is lost 3-0 to Brislington. In 2024 the club finish fifth again achieving a place in the promotion play offs, but again losing the play-off semi-final 6-4 to Wincanton after leading 3-1 at half time.
In 2024 the club achieved a new record in Somerset football, with the Reserves winning the Somerset Senior Cup beating Sporting Weston 4-1 at Paulton Rovers FC and the ‘A’ team winning the Somerset Junior Cup beating Weston Town 3-1 at Middlezoy Rovers FC.
In the summer of 2024 ex Shepton Mallet and Paulton Rovers Manager Craig Loxton was appointed as first team Manager, with Jon Burr as his Assistant. They resigned on 23rd November. Shaun Potter Wells’s Manager in the 2022/23 season and caretaker for a month in 2023/24 returned as Manager for his 3rd stint on 2nd December.
Club Honours
Somerset Senior League Winners: 1891, 1892, 1894, 1903, 1929
Somerset Senior Cup Winners: 1897, 1931, 1932 (shared with Radstock Town), 1938, 2007
Mid Somerset Senior League Winners: 1924
Somerset Charity Cup Winners: 1927, 1965, 1966
Western League Winners: 1950, 2010 (Division 2)
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WESTERN LEAGUE DIV 1
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How
to find us
ADDRESS
The Hallen Centre, Moorhouse Ln Hallen
Bristol
BS10 7RU
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IN Cheltenham week, it’s not just the jump jockeys looking for one final push towards the winning post.
Macclesfield manager Robbie Savage is one of a number of Non-League managers with victory already in their sights – and this with six weeks of the season still left to play! Savage, the former Leicester City, Birmingham and Blackburn midfielder, who has also enjoyed a successful career as a pundit, swapped his sporting director duties for the manager’s dugout at Moss Rose last June following the departure of Michael Clegg. And in his first season in charge, the Welshman is closing in on a maiden title almost at a canter with the Silkmen a massive 20 points clear at the top of the Northern Premier League, Premier Division table ahead of this afternoon’s trip to Morpeth Town. With eight matches left to play, it means, a four-point swing over second-place Worksop Town will see Macc become the first club in the National League System pyramid to clinch the title in 2024-25.
Another club with champagne on ice is Quorn FC.
The Leicestershire side are also 20 points clear at the top of the NPL Midlands title, but with Corby Town having played a game less, it means Ryan Beswick’s men will have to wait a bit longer before reaching for the corkscrew.
The Reds, or The Methodists as they are also called, are lining up a second straight promotion having thrashed Great Wakering Rovers 5-0 in Step 4/5 Promotion Play-Off last season.
Another club chasing back-to-back promotions are Farnham Town, in Isthmian South Central.
The ambitious Surrey club are 12 points clear under boss Paul Johnson, scoring 86 goals from their 31 games with a goal difference of +60. Surely, it’s only a matter of time before they get over the line?
Talking of goals, Isthmian South East leaders Ramsgate racked up a century in their 4-0 win over Eastbourne Town on Saturday
In any other season, their 90-point total will have all but secured the title but with secondplace Sittingbourne suffering only a second defeat of the season at Three Bridges last week, there’s still some work to do yet
Elsewhere, it also appears the National League is preparing to salute a (not-so) new champion with Barnet seemingly cruising towards a record-extending fourth Conference championship.
A month or so ago, the Bees were locked in a three-way race for the title, with York City and Forest Green Rovers, but thanks to six straight wins and 32 points from a possible 36, Dean Brennan’s men now lead the table by 11 clear points ahead of their trip to Woking this afternoon.
The question is who can stop the north Londoners enjoying a very happy Easter in a few weeks’ time?
Fortunately, for the purists, both National League North and South title races are wide open and look certain to go down to the wire with a number of clubs still in with realistic chances of booking their place on Non-League’s top table for 2025-26.
Merthyr Town are flying the flag for Wales, 11 points clear of the rest in Southern Premier South – they’ve been magnificent this season under manager Paul Michael –while, In Southern Premier Central, four clubs are separated by just two points before this afternoon’s round of fixtures
Big guns Billericay Town and Dartford are going head-to-head in the Isthmian Premier, but in-form Horsham are ready to pounce.
And it’s a similar story in the Isthmian North with Brentwood Town, Felixstowe & Walton United and Bury Town all in the hunt and separated by just three points. One team whose race is run is City of Liverpool, who became the first team to see their fate decided after their relegation from NPL West was confirmed on Saturday. At the top, Widnes are eight points clear of Vauxhall Motors and well placed for a first ever foray in Step 3 next season
Similarly, Cleethorpes Town are in the driving seat in NPL East, seven points clear of nearest rivals Emley AFC – the same gap enjoyed by Yate Town in Southern Division One South What a season the Bluebells have had under manager Darren Mullings
Step 5 is equally as tight, none more so than in the North West Counties League where leading trio Bury, Lower Breck and Ramsbottom United all still on track to rack up 100 points.
Bury, chasing a historic second promotion back up the pyramid, have already scored 115 goals ahead of this afternoon’s trip to FC St Helens and lead the way by nine clear points with six matches left to play.
Traditionally, on-pitch promotion celebrations are synonymous with the sunshine. But with the weather as unpredictable of any pre-season trophy destination, and these teams seemingly in a hurry to get the job done, the biggest decision to make over the next couple of weeks will be whether to wave your club scarf in celebration or keep it wrapped it around you.
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