Romulus F.C. v Chelmsley Town F.C. - 27th November 2023

The Official E-Programme For Romulus F.C. Romulus F.C. v Chelmsley Town F.C.

Monday 27th November 2023 - 19:45

www.ROMULUSFC.com

Midland Football League Cup

Issue Eight

Romulus F.C. Who’s Who

Chairman & Club Owner: Richard Evans Vice Chairman: George Evans Club Founder & President Emeritus: Roger Evans Vice President: Paul Dockerill Club Secretary:

Justin Holt Treasurer: Peter Morgan Committee Members: Richard Evans, Roger Evans, George Evans, Richard Clarke, Paul Dockerill, Adam Holt, Justin Holt, Gary Davis, Jodie Horsfall First Team Manager: Neil Tooth First Team Assistant Manager: Phil Male First Team Coach: Royston Richardson Joe Ballinger Andy Ling First Team Physio: Emily Wallbanks

Head of Matchday Operations: Justin Holt Matchday Secretary: Justin Holt / George Evans Stadium Announcer: Justin Holt Official Club Photographer: Richard “Trickie” Clarke Gateman: Gary Davis Hospitality/Raffle: Susan Davis

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Romulus F.C. Who’s Who

The Romulus F.C. College

Marketing & Media

Chairman:

Chief Club Journalist:

Richard Evans

Adam Holt

Academy Manager:

Social Media Manager:

Luke Rowe

Justin Holt

Welfare Officer:

Website & App Designer/Manager:

Richard Evans

Justin Holt Matchday e-Programme Design/Editor:

Under 15s Team

Adam Holt

Manager: Luke Rowe

Matchday Team Sheet Editor:

Under 8s Team

Justin Holt

Manager: Adam Awan Sunday Team Manager: Jake Lawrence Assistant Manager: George Evans

Club Information Archivist, Historian & Statistician: Justin Holt

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A Message From Club Chairman Richard Evans Hello and welcome to our League cup match v Chelmsley Town.

Also, a warm welcome to the match officials, everyone from Chelmsley Town and also everyone from Romulus FC. Romulus FC are currently working really hard to get us back to where we want to be in the future.

We have announced our new home next season, and we will play the Season 2024/25 at Sutton Coldfield fc.

We hope this will give us the opportunity to gain more support and sponsorship.

The move to Castle Vale stadium has been in hindsight a big mistake. Gates have dropped massively since our days at Coles Lane and attending the games for our supporters and non-league followers has proved to be an experience that many people don't want to return too.

We know the return to Sutton will see gates go higher and sponsorship will be easier to gain.

We will be announcing some new partnerships and sponsorship packages in the near future which i hope everyone will help promote.

This season we will aim for promotion as on the pitch we are in a decent position to push up the table before Christmas and into the new year.

On another note, The Romulus Academy at Lindridge Road has again been good this year and we are making progress with recruitment of players/students.

We have plans to keep upgrading the facilities at Lindridge Road so it will be good to see this come to fruition.

Overall, we are on the rise, let’s hope the team tonight and in future weeks keep up to speed too and get us where we need to be at the end of the season.

Thanks so much for everyone's help and interest and let’s look forward to a bright future.

Up The Roms!

Richard Evans Romulus FC 4

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Neil Tooth First Team Manager Welcome to this evening’s cup game at Castle Vale.

Today, we welcome neighbours Chelmsley Town for what should be a cracker of a cup tie.

Last time out, we travelled to the top of the league Congelton Town and put in a very decent performance but once again hour finishing, let us down, and we ended up coming away from the game with a 2-0 defeat.

We have moved to try and address our frailties in front of goal by bringing in Ryan Nesbitt. Nessy is someone I have worked with in the past and he is easily one of the best finishers I have ever worked with.

We have also added George Manning to the squad who joins on loan from Alvechurch FC. I am also delighted that this evening we have our first graduate from our Academy into the first team with Petref Barjamaj making this evenings squad. This is something that is vital to our club as we need to show there is a clear pathway from our Academy into the first team and hopefully Petref will be the first of many to make the move.

ENJOY THE GAME !

TOOTHY UTRs

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Roger Evans Club President Emeritus Club Journalist, Adam Holt, asked Roger Evans for his thoughts on the recent announcement, that Romulus FC will return to Coles Lane from the commencement of the 2024/25 season.

“Romulus back to Coles Lane, can’t wait, we know everyone at Coles Lane is as happy as we are, all the matchday situations are as we know really as the people who come to watch need to be.

On the football side, I’m so happy that our management team are really progressing as they want to build the club as well as just a first team that has been missing for a number of seasons, l myself will do everything l can to help them reach their goal. Proper football men.”

Roger Evans & Adam Holt

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Match Report: Romulus 6 Bewdley Town 1 Neil Tooth’s Romulus were heading into their game against bottom of the table Bewdley Town looking to return to winning ways at the Castle Vale Stadium. The Roms certainly did just that, securing an emphatic 6 – 1 victory on Saturday afternoon with four different players finding the back of the net for the home side.

Before the match got underway, a minute’s silence was observed ahead of Remembrance Sunday.

Romulus were dominant in this match right from minute one, and the opening goal came within the first five minutes. Following an intricate and stylish passing move, the ball found Luke Keen in the box, with the forward promptly finding the back of the Bewdley net from close range. An early advantage gave Tooth’s team the early lead and momentum that they would have been looking for.

Possession of the ball and chances on goal were dominated by the Roms continually for the majority of the first half, and whilst there were some missed opportunities, Keen made no mistake at the half hour mark. He managed to finally double Romulus’ advantage with an accurate, close-range header thanks to a fantastic cross into the box.

It then took barely six minutes for the home team to score again an extraordinary and dominant opening forty-five minutes. After receiving the ball in the penalty area, Joe Phillips saw his initial effort on goal well saved by Bewdley Goalkeeper Charlie Jew before finding the net at the second attempt.

All in attendance could not even catch a breath before the fourth goal of the afternoon went in. Following a long spell of sustained possession from the home side, the ball eventually found itself at the feet of Roms midfielder Paul Ibhadon just outside of the penalty area. He took the shot on from distance, and his low drive found the back of the net in spectacular style to make it 4 – 0 just before forty minutes had gone.

It was an incredible and extraordinary first half performance from Romulus, and there was another goal to come. Keen completed a first half hat-trick when he fired the ball home from close range with just a few minutes remaining before the half time interval.

Half time then came with Romulus 5 – 0 up and in pole position to secure a vital win and three points as they looked to climb the Midland Football League Premier Division table.

Then, with just a couple of minutes gone in the second half, Bewdley got their consolation goal through Andrew Ugwueru.

Just as they had in the first half, Tooth’s Roms continued to dominate in the second forty-five minutes, and in the dying embers of an enthralling match the home side found their sixth goal of the afternoon. Substitute forward Fin Douglas carried the ball into the penalty area before he managed to smash it into the net after a superb piece of skill.

The last few minutes of the match then passed with the referee’s final whistle confirming an emphatic win for Romulus who climbed up to 7th place. The Roms now have 21 points from their first 14 matches of the Midland Football League season.

Adam Holt 9

Romulus F,C, College Update

By Luke Rowe Romulus Football and Education Programme set off with the chairman Richard Evans to Northampton for the day to face Crystal Palace u19 McGoldrick Academy. We previously encountered this team in the league earlier on this season which ended in a 2-2 draw after Romulus went down to 9 men for a large period of the game.

This time around the team wanted for a victorious outcome. The game got underway and the change of shape and the work the team done the day before shown in the early parts of the game. With several chances missed and after hitting the woodwork twice, Petref Barjamaj took the lead by pouncing on a poor back pass and rounding the keeper to dribble the ball across the line. The lads were thrilled to be 1-0 up at the interval, however the team knew there was more for them in this game! After the 52nd minute Brendon Hankinson went through and calmly slotted a half volley attempt past the keeper nestling the back of the net. At the 72-minute mark, the ball found Harvey Stokes in a wide area where he took the centre half on brilliantly to strike the ball sweetly into the left bottom corner from 24 yards out. The game was concluded in the 89th minute where Crystal Palace scored from an in swinging corner. The lads were disappointed to concede however buzzing with a solid resolute performance to take us through to the Quarter Final of the cup.

Petref Barjamaj has also been called up to first team training after shining throughout the first 1/3 of the season in the education programme. The gaffa has informed Luke he has been impressed and fitted in excellently in the first session. Everyone at Romulus Football Education College would like to congratulate him on his hard work and efforts to get him to this point! The programme are looking forward to introducing more young thriving footballers to the first team environment!

UTRs Luke Rowe

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WWW.ROMULUSFC.COM

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Romulus Sunday

By George Evans Romulus Sunday was founded in 2020, originally playing in division 3 of the Sutton district league. After being promoted 3 divisions in 3 years, we will this season be competing in the premier division and are hopeful that we can continue to impress and compete in any league.

There is no doubt that the competition we will face this year will be the hardest yet, but with crop of lads that we have, and the environment we have created over the years, we all know that we are more than capable of competing against any Sunday side on our day. Knowing what you can do and actually doing it are two very different things. With arguably the youngest side in the league, consistency is going to be our biggest challenge this year and that’s exactly what will be demanded from everyone involved.

We pride ourselves on giving young lads the opportunity to get valuable experience in men’s football and attempt to create a genuine pathway into first team football for them, wherever that may be. But first and foremost, we make sure that we have a set up in place that allows everyone to enjoy their football. That’s what it will always come down to.

If you’d like to learn more about our Sunday side or register your interest in becoming a part of it, in whatever capacity, please contact georgeevans@romulusacademy.co.uk.

Looking forward to this season, big challenge ahead.

UTRs! George

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Trickie Talk Reddi-Roms Revival Back in 2009 a unique link was created and forged a strange but wonderful link between North Birmingham Roms and Redditch new town. Since then, there has been a number of Redditch folk watching Romulus Football Club and recently we have seen the numbers start to come back to watch Roms from the town just south of the second city.

The back story started with journalist Andrew Mitchell and a group of disgruntled Redditch United fans back in the 2008/09 season. Before I go any further, I would like to highlight that in the end Redditch did eventually turn it around with off field activities. Anyway, Mitchell was a budding journo who along with a small band of Reds fans decided to make a pact not to follow their hometown when turmoil looked like it may destroy the club. Andy himself needed the work experience as press officer to carry on to get into Uni to further his career and found himself assigned Romulus Football Club where he began covering the Roms from match reports to other press releases. Mr. Mitchell knew I was a former professional photographer and had also agreed to stop working and supporting United. After several phone calls I was recently informed I agreed to take in some games with my camera at Coles Lane where we will return next season to the home of Sutton Coldfield and back then where Romulus played in the Northern Premier League.

I was always in my head just going to a few games and that would be it, but for me a love affair with the club soon blossomed. From the ethos of the Roms through to the people I began to work alongside it soon became my club and with that over the early times a small band of Redditch mates joined me in watching the mighty Roms. For the first few seasons quiet, an array have come over, but in recent times only Matt Larkins has been my sidekick helping out the club he too has found an affection for.

Well fast forward to this season and we have seen a resurgence of football fans from the new town start to follow the Roms again. A couple of young school lads from back at the start who now all grown up decided to drive to a few games recently and started to watch and take an interest again. Some new faces also have got hooked and it seems that now we are witnessing more Redditch folk taking in the odd games here and there with Romulus Football Club. Tonight, no doubt a minority in the crowd will surely be from the town of Worcestershire Redditch making this small unique fanbase a little part of Roms great history.

Well, whether you're from Birmingham or Redditch please sit back for some cup action under the lights and let's entertain you all.

UTR, Trickie.

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Trickie Talk Reddi-Roms Revival

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Everyone at Romulus F.C. would like to thank Cube Contracts, our away shirt main sponsor, for their valued and appreciated support.

Cube Contracts deliver construction & refurbishment projects to the Education, Shopfitting, Commercial, Industrial, Pharmaceutical & Aerospace Sectors.

Cube Contracts are based in Birmingham but operate all over the UK. The company director and all our staff and suppliers have worked within these sectors for many years. We have formed Strong relationships with all our suppliers over these years meaning we can provide you with the quality and trusted services that you Require and deserve.

We can operate as main contractor, so you give us your plans and we take control and bring in all trades that are required to complete your project. We can also work alongside nominated contractors.

By suppling our clients with High standards, we as a company set. Cube contracts are continuing to see return business from clients we have worked with for many years and also clients who we have just started to work with since the formation of Cube contracts.

Please get in touch for a no obligation chat or arrange a meeting to see how we can work together and improve your spaces.

We look forward to working with you also.

Cube Contracts Enterprise Centre 1 Hedingham Grove Birmingham B37 7TP 0121 769 0875 hello@cubecontracts.co.uk

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Disclaimer Romulus Football Club and the editor of this programme have taken the greatest of care to ensure the accuracy of the contents of this programme, but cannot accept responsibility for any inaccuracies, omissions, or errors in respect of the information provided within this programme. The views expressed in this programme are of the responsibility of the respective authors, and do not represent the views of the editor or those of Romulus Football Club.

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