Irchester United vs. Rushden & Higham United

Irchester United

Home Ground:

Irchester Sports Association

Alfred Street

Irchester

Northants

NN29 7DR

2023-24 Committee

Chairman David Cockings

Secretary & Treasurer Glynn Cotter

Head Groundsman Melv Tompkins

Assistant Groundsman Mark Wheeler

Match Day Manager Peter Shipton

Fundraising/Social/Social Media Sarah Williams and Kerry Rutter

Welfare Officer Karen Laxton

Club Photographer Dan Beaman

Matchday Catering Ann Bowden

2023-24 Team Managers

First Team

Dan Stewart Manager

Chris Gell Coach

Ian Pratt Coach

Reserves

Marius Obreja Manager

Wayne Blundell Coach

Valentin Cerbu Coach

Mohamed Abdul Rezak Coach

POLITE NOTICE

As you will see we are situated in a residential area.

Please keep this in mind when leaving the ground and also in the language you use inside the ground.

Welcome to Alfred Street

Welcome to Alfred Street, we bid a warm welcome to our close friends and rivals from Rushden & Higham and hope they don’t get lost on the way home!

Anyone visiting us as a neutral is also most welcome, we have had a few groundhoppers this season, one famously bought to the ground in a police car, and we are always happy to get their feedback on how they enjoyed the day.

It’s been a busy week for us, starting last Friday, when a bumper crowd saw a game of two halves in the UCL Reserve Knock Out Cup Final with Buckingham Development’s first half being better than our second half. It’s a great achievement for Marius and the players though in reaching the final.

Then on Saturday we welcomed Whitworths. In all honesty it wasn’t a game I was expecting us to get anything out but the lads but in a great performance, the best of the season, to grab a 3-1 win. It was a deserved victory and nobody who was there will forget Bodders slaloming past most of the Whitworth side before supplying an inch perfect pass for Matty Smith to seal the victory.

In the week we announced that Dan will be stepping down at the end of the season, I’ll write more about that at a later date but suffice to say that Dan’s contribution to the long history of this club should not be underestimated.

Tuesday’s game at Leighton Town was a washout, literally.

So, onto today’s game and Rushden & Higham, who are in a similar position to us both on and off the field. As usual when we play clubs around us there will be players on the field today who have worn the colours of both clubs with distinction.

The reverse fixture at Hayden Road was a standard, bottom of the table clash where it was the mistakes rather than brilliance that decided the result. A game of penalties with us missing two and Rushden & Higham being denied arguably a clearer penalty right at the final whistle.

If you can please pop into the club for a drink, it allows us the opportunity to keep playing on this site, at this level and enjoy the facilities.

As ever a massive thank you to our small but wonderful band of volunteers who work tirelessly to keep the club going. If you would like to join us please come and see me, we can find a role for you.

David Cockings Chairman

From the Dugout

Assistant Manager Chris Gell on the past seven days.

After a positive performance against Royston and getting a result and a clean sheet which has been unheard of this season. Local rivals Whitworths came to Alfred street at the right time for us, wrong time for them. They have suffered recently, as we have during our season, from losing players to teams with a budget and can lure players away but the clubs they go to are not going to look after them as well, players have the power to choose but may sometimes find the grass isn’t always greener.

Now I can appreciate that watching us this season hasn’t always been much fun but anyone who watched Saturday against Whitworths saw “a typical Irchester performance” to quote the words of Steve Sargent on his return. I was incredibly proud of a team performance that was full of guts and desire, moments of quality to and a fully deserved win.

The challenge for us this season has always been to replicate that performance again, having the same squad available and reaching the same performance levels. Tuesday night’s washout at Leighton Town was a bit of a dodged bullet being 3-0 when it was rightly abandoned by the referee.

There is no doubt that Saturday against Rushden and Higham is a huge game for both sides and I hope we can be the best version of us on that day to get the result that we need. There are players in both squads that have crossed the divide and know the significance of this fixture.

The next 6 games are huge for the club and will be pivotal for many different reasons.

C’mon the Irch!

Irchester United

The club was formed as Irchester Excelsior in 1883, changing its name to United two years later. In 1980 the club underwent another name change following a merger with Wellingborough Eastfield to overcome a player shortage. In 1990 a return to the more traditional United name was made.

In the early years the club played at “The Boundleys”, changing at the Working Men's Club. The present Alfred Street ground was first used in 1921 although it was ploughed up during the war. The club resumed football at the Recreation Ground before going back to Alfred Street in 1952.

The Roman’s first success of note came in 1929 when they won the first of a record nine Rushden & District League titles. A year later the championship was retained with further success in the Northants Junior Cup and Irchester Charity Cup, which the Romans won on ten occasions up to 1961.

The Northants League 2nd Division was won in 1931 and 1932 before Irchester briefly competed in the semi-professional 1st Division. In 1936 they returned to the Rushden League, winning it as the reserves had done in 1933 and 1934, when they also won the Northants Junior Cup.

In the post war era more success followed as the Romans won the Junior Cup in 1949 and carried off four Rushden League titles between 1947 and 1957.

Irchester returned to the UCL in 1969 and won promotion to Division One in 1974. Highlights since have included Northants Junior Cup success in 1976, runners up in the same competition seven years later and a superb run in the first open Knockout Cup in 1981-82, three Premier scalps claimed en route to a semi-final defeat at Stamford.

The nineties saw the Romans struggle but in 2003 they enjoyed their best seasons in almost thirty Division One campaigns under Bob Reed & John Dower, narrowly missing out on the title and eventually finishing third. The success helped drive the club forward from a facilities perspective, with floodlights installed at the Alfred Street ground in the summer of 2005.

After a series of lowly finishes, the appointment of Daren Young as manager in 2009 revitalised the club and the Division One title was won in 2009-10. Ground improvements saw the Romans promoted to the Premier Division, briefly topping the table in September 2010 for the first time in the clubs history. After 3 seasons in the top flight the club returned to Division One for the 2013-14 season.

The club reached the second round proper of the FA Vase for the first time in 2018.

Season 2023-24 sees the Romans back in the Spartan South Midlands under the continued management of Daniel Stewart and his team of coaches. Marius Obreja and his team are in charge of the Reserve team for 2023-24

Photo Special

Dan Beaman took an aborted trip to Leighton Town Development on Tuesday, here are a few pictures he managed to get before the rains came.

Photo Special

Dan Beaman took an aborted trip to Leighton Town Development on Tuesday, here a few pictures he managed to get before the rains came.

Welcome to St Giles Physiotherapy and Sports Injury Clinic!

We are delighted to have you here and would like to share the story behind the genesis of our business—a unique bond between a sports therapist and a patient that sparked an innovative vision.

Frustrated by unsuccessful attempts at finding effective treatment, I was on the verge of giving up hope. With unwavering dedication, Claudiu developed a personalised treatment plan for me, merging his expertise with cutting-edge technology.

Motivated by our shared success and the desire to help others facing similar challenges, we joined forces to create a clinic dedicated to providing exceptional physiotherapy and sports rehabilitation. Our collaboration combined the expertise of a skilled therapist with the invaluable insights of a patient who had experienced firsthand the profound impact of tailored care.

At St Giles Physiotherapy and Sports Injury Clinic, we bring this unique perspective to every patient we treat. Our team of skilled therapists, led by Claudiu, are available to help alleviate your pain and aid in your recovery. With more than two decades of experience, specialised training, and extensive research, we can accurately identify the underlying cause of your discomfort and guide you towards complete reha-

At our Northampton clinic, we employ advanced technology and tailored exercise rehabilitation programmes to aid in the recovery of persistent injuries and chronic pain.

Over the past six years, we have successfully provided long-term pain relief to 95% of our patients at our sister clinic in London’s Covent Garden.

We are committed to delivering the best possible care and customer service to ensure that your experience with us is exceptional.

If chronic pain or injury is something you are currently facing, seeking expert assistance from St Giles Physiotherapy & Sports Injury Clinic is highly recommended without any delay.

Meet the Players

Nathan Hewett (Goalkeeper) - Nathan is a big presence in the goal and joins the club adding to competition for the number 1 spot.

Adam Barabasz (Defender) - Equally at home on either side of the pitch Adam combines a great engine with some excellent technical ability.

Kenny Kwarteng (Defender) - Kenny has come on leaps and bounds this season and is worth his place in the squad.

David Boddington (Defender) - Mr Reliable “Bodds” always plays with his heart on his sleeve, another no nonsense defender who enjoys nothing more than clean sheets.

Daniel Adetoye (Defender) - Daniel has everything that you look for in a defender. He is quick strong and loves defending.

Harry Lawrence (Defender) - The latest in the line of an Irchester footballing dynasty Harry has made the breakthrough into the first team in the past couple of weeks and looked worthy of his place.

Dylan Carlin (Defender/Midfield) - Joining us on a dual registration from Cogenhoe Dylan is a highly technical player. It is the hope of both clubs that getting valuable minutes on the pitch will aid the next stage of his development

Lewis Leslie (Midfield) - the centre midfielder brings a wealth of experience, Lewis is a brilliant passer of the ball and often is involved in the build up play. Good in the air, good on the deck, don't mind a tackle. Perfect for the centre of midfield.

Dylan McGinley (Midfield)- Brings energy and skill into the midfield area with the ability to link the midfield to the forward line. Despite his young age Dylan has plenty of experience already at a higher level and adds good quality to the side.

Bayley Leslie (Midfield) - Younger brother of Lewis, Bayley is your archetypal box-to-box midfielder, as likely to be blocking a goal bound shot as he is popping up with a much needed winner.

Ollie Emery (Midfield) - A recent addition to the squad Ollie brings a bit of bite into the middle of the park. He is the modern central midfielder though being equally at home dfending or attacking.

Matty Smith (Midfield/Forward) - fantastic technician. Extremely comfortable with ball, has an eye for goal, strong and never stops going. Matty is a popular member of the side and often at the source of good football.

Tomas Oliveria (Forward) - Full of pace and no little ability Tomas is a top prospect in the traditional Irchester way.

Mo Ahmed (Forward) - Mo brings a physical presence to the forward line. Godd with his feet as well as his head he will make life difficult for centre backs.

Today’s Squads

IRCHESTERUNITED

RUSHDEN&HIGHAMUNITED

DanielAdetoye AustinBishop

MoAhmed JackBloodworth

EthanAldridge AlfieBowdler

DavidBoddington CoreyBulley

PatrickBronyan CharlieDolden

DylanCarlin MilesEaton

OllieEmery MasonJackson

NathanHewett KianKing

ConnorI'Anson JamesLewis

PraiseIheme LouisMcMahon

KennyKwarteng JaydenMann

HarryLawrence JoryMann

BayleyLeslie MunyaMatiyenga

DylanMcGinley TadudzwaMshayavanhu

DannyMontenegro BenPeaks

RebusNoel CairanTieran

TomasOlivera TobyWilder

MattySmith MaxWynne

Colours:Red/White;Red;Red

Manager:DanStewart

Assistant:ChrisGell

Coach:IanPratt

Colours:AllSkyBlue

Manager:JonShanks

Coaches:JoryMann

Officials:NicholasMarriott;TrevorMartin;AndrewJohnson

We are Kaliaaer the goalkeeping specialist, we are constantly looking at new and innovative ways to attack the opposition, this is why we are so proud to sponsor Clarke Timson and his keepers for this season and beyond.

Clarke told us “After spending a long time looking at gloves on the market it was an easy choice to work with Kaliaaer at Irchester United. I really think they are the best gloves on the market.”

Potbelly Brewery was started 2005 in a leather goods factory in the heart of Kettering.

As the demand for UK produced belts and handbags was declining the owners (Glenn Morris and Toni Hooper) decided to diversify and turn their passion for beer into a full-time job. Equipment was sourced and manufactured to build a 10 barrel microbrewery in the corner of the factory. With the building of the fermenting room, the conditioning room, and an additional two cold stores, this took over more and more of the building. As the factory, and staff reduced further, the brewery eventually took over completely with a Function room, and bar with eight working handpumps. This area is used for brewery tours, which take place every Friday evening and used for the annual beer festival.

The first beer brewed was called Aisling which was a golden 4.0% lightly hopped beer which featured at Leicester Beer Festival to good reviews. A testament to the quality and taste is the fact it is still brewed today, although to a slightly higher ABV.

To compliment this light delicate ale, Potbelly Best was introduced using four different malts, and Goldings hops to give a traditional flavoured beer (which won best category Northants CAMRA 2015), and “Beijing Black – a smooth mild (Champ Mild at many SIBA and CAMRA festivals).

10 years after the first commercial brew, the original founders wanted to take life a little easier, and their brewer lan Loasby, and colleague Greg Johnson decided to take over the reins. Still brewing the original beers, several new ones have been added to the repertoire: including “Saint or Sinner, at 6.66%. This has been highly rated by many CAMRA members, but not as much as “Ambrosia Mild” which was awarded Overall champion at Northampton County Beer Festival 2016. We have up to 10 different ales available at any time, including a certified gluten free beer called “Piggin Saint”.

Things have changed greatly in the last 12 years; a great a many pubs and clubs have sadly shut, and many more micro breweries have been born. With the trend going towards micro pubs, and real craft ale bars, the interest in beers has increased dramatically. This has led to some strange non-conformist brews but whilst we embrace change, we have decided to stick to more traditional, and consistent methods, hops water yeast and occasionally real fruit.

Potbelly Brewery proudly sponsor Connor I’Anson

Clarke, through CT_Goalkeeping is rapidly gaining a positive reputation for the quality of coaching for aspiring and experienced goalkeepers he offers.

UEFA qualified, Clarke has been offering quality coaching for the past three years. Clarke works with goalkeepers from the age of six and tailors his sessions depending on the age or ability of his charges.

Young keepers couldn't have a better start to their goalkeeping journey. Follow Clarke on Instagram - ct_goalkeeping

CT_Goalkeeping is the brainchild of local goalkeeper coach Clarke Timson.

CT_Goalkeeping proudly sponsor Nathan Hewitt

Kooka proudly sponsor Ethan Aldridge

Today’s Visitors

Records show that Higham Town Football Club was formed in 1876 at a meeting held in The Griffin public house. There was a team competing in the Northants League during the 1890s and in 1895 the team were runners up in the Northampton FA Junior Cup.

The club’s golden age was in the 1920s. Reformed after the end of the First World War the team started in the Wellingborough and District league, they won the NFA Junior Cup and gained admittance to the Northants League which they won at the first time of asking along with the Northants Senior Cup. The league title was retained the year afterwards as well as the County’s premier trophy The Maunsell Cup. The same season saw the club draw Chesterfield in the FA Cup drawing 4-4 with their professional counterparts before losing the replay 1-0. The club were also the highest scorers in the FA Cup that season.

In the 1923-24 and 1926-27 seasons the club were runners up in the league and in 1931 and 1933 they were also senior cup runners up. In 1934 the Maunsell Cup was secured for the second time when Higham triumphed over Northampton Town in the final.

On the resumption of football after the Second World War the club played in the Rushden & District League where they remained for four seasons before rejoining the United Counties League. During the period between 1950 to 1997 the highest finish achieved was second on seven different occasions.

In 1997 Higham Town finally won the United Counties League Division One, their first league title for 75 years. The NFA Junior Cup was won the second time in the club’s history in the 1994-95 season.

Today’s Visitors

Rushden Rangers were formed as a youth football club in 1978 and it was not until the mid 1990s that a senior team was formed. In the short time that they were in existence they won the NFA Lower Junior Cup as well as being Northants Combination League and Cup winners. Founded by Steve Cavender who was inspired by watching local lads playing a game of football at Melloway Park, he was General Secretary until 1990.

In 1994 Neil Gant offered the Hayden Road ground to Rushden Rangers when Rushden Town vacated to move to Irthlingborough and merge with Irthlingborough Diamonds.

MERGER

In 2007 the decision was made to merge Higham Town and Rushden Rangers, with the new club playing at Hayden Road in order to preserve their United Counties League status. With assistance from the Stadia Improvement fund the Hayden Road ground was brought up to the required standard to host Step Six Football.

The Table

Results