2022-11-15 Leighton Town v Biggleswade United Beds Senior Cup

WELCOMETOBELLCLOSE

GoodEveningtoyouallandwelcometoBellCloseforthisBedfordshire SeniorCupgameagainstourfriendsfromBiggleswadeUnited.

Wewelcomeeveryoneassociatedwiththevisitorsforthissecondmeeting betweenthe2sidessincethestartofOctober.IntheLeaguegamewewon 5-0butIfeltthatthegamewasmuchcloserthanthefinalscorewould suggest.Letshopewecangetawintonighttostartasuccessfuldefence oftheTrophywewonlastyear,althoughnotmanyofthoseTownarestill withtheClub..

Weaslowelcometonight'sMatchOfficials,Referee,DanielStathamandhis 2assistantsMarkBrightandJonPanconi.wehopetheyenjoytheirshort visit.

LeightonandBiggleswadeUnitedbothmadeprogressintheFAVaseon Saturdayandhavebeendrawnathomeinthenextround,goodlucktoboth teamson3rdDecember.

Ithinkmostofoursupporterswillknowthatwelost3playerslastweek, JoeFitzgeraldhasmovedtoRisboroughRangers,RobbieGoodmanhas movedtoDunstableTownandKieranTurnerhasmovedupaleveland signedforWalthamstow.Wewishall3playersgoodluckwiththeirnew clubs,butinJoeandRobbie'scasenotwhen/iftheyplayagainstus.

MostofuswillstillhavegreatmemoriesofJoe'spenaltywinnerintheBeds SeniorCupFinallastyear.ThanksforthememoriesJoe.

OurnextgameaftertonightisawaynextSaturdayatHarpenden,dont forgetifyougobycaryouwillhavetopayforparkinginthepubliccarpark nexttotheGround.

WethenentertainAylesburyValeDynamosonTuesday22ndfollowedby anotherhomegameagainstTringAthleticonSaturday26thko3pm

Sat3rdDecemberisthenextroundoftheFAVASEandwehavebeen drawnathometoFakenhamTown,inthisthe3rdRound.

Enjoytonight'sGamelotsoffootballtocomebeforeChristmas.

BIGGLESWADECLUBHISTORY

BiggleswadeUnitedFootballClubwasre-formedonthe16thJuly1959. However,localhistoryrecordsindicatethattherewasaBiggleswadeUnited sideplayingatSecondMeadowasearlyas1929.Ourfirstseason (1959/60)sawuscompetinginDivisionThreeoftheNorthHerts.League (NHL).After10successfulyearsintheNHLtheclubmadethestepupto SouthMidlandsLeague(SML)football.Buttowardstheendofa15-year associationwiththeSMLtheclubbegantostruggleandafterthreeyearsof finishinginthebottomthreeofDivisionOnewesoughtfreshfields.Theclub joinedtheHerts.Seniorbutclubcontinuedtofindthegoingtough.In1986 weelectedtoreturntolocalLeaguefootball,joiningtheBedfordandDistrict FootballLeagueandbegantobuildagain.

TheappointmentofBrianSwordsasfirstteammanagerin87/88proved tobetheturningpointintheclub'sfortunes.Duringthenexttenyearsthe clubachievedatremendousamountofsuccessonandoffthefootballpitch. OurrecordofLeagueandCuphonoursspeakforthemselvesbutaligned tothisagreatdealofworkwentonbehindthescenestomatchtheon-field success.Theclubnowboastsoneofthebestclubhouseandground facilitiesintheMid-Bedfordshirearea.Thesuccessoftheclubhasalso attractedmanynewplayersaswellascommandingagreatdealofloyalty fromthoseplayerswhohelpedtheclubprogressfromDivisionThreeofthe BedfordandDistrictLeaguetoCountySeniorClubstatusinjust15years.

The1995/96seasonwasthemostsuccessfulintheclub'shistory-winning fivemajorhonours;theBedsIntermediateCountyCup,BedfordandDistrict LeagueChampionship,LeagueCupChampionshipandastheLeague's representativestheclubwontheBeds.FACentenaryCup.Havingwon everymajorBedfordLeaguehonourtheclubfeltitwastimetomoveonand madethedecisiontomakethestepuponceagainandreturnedtoDivision OneoftheSML.Inanexceptionallysuccessfulfirstseasonwecelebrated aDivisionOne"double"bywinningtheChampionshipandtheDivisionOne Cup.WealsoretainedtheBeds.FAIntermediateCountyCup,onlythe secondclubinthecompetition'shistorytoachievethisfeat.Tocrownour successtheclubwereawardedtheSMLSpecialAchievementTrophyin July1997.

Intheseason1997/98wefinallyachievedSeniorstatus.Thiswas achievednotonlythroughtheendeavoursoftheplayersonthefieldbut ultimatelyasaresultofanextremelyhardworkingcommittee.Withthehelp

oftheBiggleswadeTownCouncilanewstandwaserectedandperimeter fencinginstalled.Andtwoseasonslaterthecluberectedfloodlightsand ontheeveningof26th October1999weplayedourfirst-everfloodlitgame atSecondMeadow,RymanLeaguesideLeightonTownwerethevisitors intheBedfordshirePremierCup.

ThenextelevenyearssawthefirstteamledbySteve"Snowy"Wrightand underhismanagementtheclubcontinuedtoenjoyaveryhighlevelof LeagueandCupsuccessultimatelyachievingpromotiontotheMolten SpartanSouthMidlandsLeaguePremierDivisionandwithitthe opportunitytocompeteintheFACup.AndunderSnowytheclubmade threeBedsFASeniorChallengeCupfinalappearances,winningtwoof thethreewithvictoriesoverStotfold(4-1)andLeightonTown(1-0)but missedoutin2006/07goingdown2-0toDunstableTown.Snowy'sother cupsuccessescameintheformoftheHuntsPremeirCup,NorthBeds CharityCup,HinchingbrookeCup,theSMLDivisionOneCupandthe SMLSpecialAchievementAwardonceagain.Theendofthe20062007 sawSnowystepdownasmanagerwithhisassistant,NickBurtontaking overthefirstteamreins.January5th2009sawtheclubembarkonfurther ambitiousgroundimprovements.WithfinancialbackingfromBiggleswade TownCouncil,MidBedsDistrictCouncilandtheFootballFoundationwe installeda260-seaterstand,fullyenclosedthegroundwithadouble turnstileentranceandplayers'securewalkwaywhichraisedthegroundto GradeEstatus.

Afterseveralyearsofstabilityintermsoffirstteammanagersthenextsix yearssawaregularturnoveroffirstteamandreserveteammanagers withNickBurton,DaveElkinandPhilChildsalltakingoverthefirstteam reinsforatime.

Atthestartofthe20132014seasonweappointedMickReardonand MarkRoyalasfirstteammanagersbothofwhomhadenjoyedsuccessas coachesatthehigherlevelsoffootball.Theirdisciplinedapproachwas quicklyadheredtoandrespondedtobytheplayersandundertheir stewardshipweachievedthehighestPremierDivisionpositioninnine yearsandfirstsilverwareinsevenyearswinningtheNorthBedsCharity Cupforthefirsttimeintheclub’shistory.

InNovember2014theclubtookafurtherpositivesteptorealiseour ambitionswiththeappointmentofSkySportsPresenterandrenowned

author,GuillemBalagueasBiggleswadeUnited’sDirectorofFootball. FollowingMickandMark’sdecisiontostepdownattheend20142015, GuillemwasquicktoactandrecruitedanewHeadCoachinCristian ColasBeccera.Cristianwasassistedbyformerprofessionalplayer, StuartBimson,andundertheirguidancetheteamfinishedineighthspot inthePremierDivisionin20172018-thehighestpositionintheclub’s history.Havingbuiltastrongreputationfortheiroutstandingcoaching abilityandplayingphilosophyCristianandStuartmoveduptoStep3 levelclub,StainesTown,forthestartofthe20182019season.Guillem wasagaininsearchforahighqualitycoachandJimmyMartincame highlyrecommendedbyhispredecessor,Colas,whoworkedwith JimmyatStevenageFCAcademy.JimmywasappointedManagerin May2018buthetenderedhisresignationinOctober2018havingbeen offereda“hardtorefuse”opportunitytotakeupacoachingroleat PremierDivisionclubWatford.Despitethesetbackthefirstteamwent ontorecordtheirhighesteverLeagueplacing–afourthspotinthe PremierDivision.

Intheseason20192020theclubweresittinginahighlycommendable thirdpositioninthePremierDivisionandunderthemanagementof ChrisDevaneandTrishnanPatelwerehopingforapromotionplayoff opportunity.However,inMarch2020theseasonwasdecalredNulland VoidbytheFAafterthedevastatingoutbreakoftheCoronavirus.The clubwerealsotolearnthatChrisandTishnanhadacceptedtheofferto workatStep4anddepartedtheclubatshortnotice.Fortunatelythe clubwereabletocallupontheservicesofformerHeadCoachCristian ColasCristiantooktheclubtoitshighesteverpositionintheclub’s historyatthecurtailmantofthe20/21seasonleavingussecondinthe tableonPPG.TheclubappliedforpromotiontoStep4butwere unsuccessful.Adoublewhammycamewhentheclubweresubjectedto alateralmovetotheUhlsportUnitedCountiesLeague.TheFA’sactions hadadevastatingeffectontheclubandwespentmostofthe20212022 seasonatthefootofthetable.ButweralliedandsecuredStep5football onthefinaldayoftheseason.Theclubhavenowbeenre-instatedinto theSMLandwithastrongsquadwillbelookingtoputlastseason’s nightmareintoadistantmemoryandpushontoreturnasatopofthe tableclub.

Theclubhascertainlycomealongwayinrelativelyfewyearsbutwe couldnothavedoneitwithoutthehelpofaverysupportiveTownand

DistrictCouncilwhoclearlyunderstandthebenefitsofhavinga communitybasedclubinBiggleswade.Oursuccessisalsovery muchdowntoaveryhardworkingcommitteewhothroughoutthe year-notjustthefootballseason-continuetovolunteertheirtime andcommitmenttotheclub,tohelpitcontinuetothriveandbea sourceofenjoymentforoursupportersandtheBiggleswade community.

LEAGUEHISTORY

TheLeagueisrelativelyyoungcomparedtoother’sbeingformedin 1922astheBedfordshireCountyLeague.Withnewclubskeentojoin fromoutsidetheCountyitwasdecidedin1929tochangethenameto theSouthMidlandsLeague.

TheLeaguecontinuedtoconsolidateandstrengthenovertheensuing 70yearsorsoprovidingqualityfootballformanyteamsoveralarge areaoftheSouthMidlands.

In1997itbecameapparentthattheLondonSpartanLeague,which wasverymuchtotheSouthoftheLeague’sgeographicalfootprint,was strugglingadministratielyand,withthefullsupportoftheFootball Association,thedecisionwastakentomergethetwocompetitionswith thenewLeaguebeingknownastheSpartanSouthMidlandsLeague.

TheLeaguenowcoversawideareafromNorthLondonintheSouthto MiltonKeynesintheNorthandfromWareintheEasttoAylesburyin theWest.

TheLeagueispartoftheFA’sNationalLeagueSystem(NLS)and comprisesofthreeDivisions;PremieratStep5oftheNLS,Division OneatStep6andDivisionTwoatStep7.

TheLeaguehasaproudrecordofpromotingclubstoStep4oftheNLS andhasalsoprovided4FAVaseFinalistsincludingtwowinnersin ArleseyTownandHoddesdonTownFC.

TheHistoryofLeightonTownFootballClub

LeightonTown,whowereknownasLeightonUnitedbetween1922and1963, wereformedin1885.Theyweremainlyinvolvedinlocalleaguesuntilthe outbreakoftheGreatWarandwerewinnersoftheLeightonandDistrictLeague onseveraloccasions.

LeightonwereoneoftheoriginalmembersoftheSouthMidlandLeaguein1922 –whichatthetimewasknownastheBedfordshireCounty.Theywerealso membersoftheSpartanLeaguebetween1922/23and1951/52,buttheironly successesbeingtheSpartanLeagueDivision2titlein1923/24and1927/28. TheywereBedfordshireSeniorCupwinnersin1926/27.League

In1952,theybecameafoundermemberoftheHellenicLeague,butaftertwo disappointingseasons,movedtotheSouthMidlandsLeague.In1965/66 seasonhowever,thePremierChampionshipsatintheLeightonTown Boardroom.TheclubthenrejoinedtheSpartanLeaguein1967/68.

LeightonproceededtoconsolidatetheirLeaguesuccessbywinningthe BedfordshireSeniorCupforthreesuccessiveseasonsin1968,1969and1970. Unfortunately,someofthesuccessfulplayersmovedontootherclubs,and Leighton’sfortunesagaindeclined.AmovetotheUnitedCountiesLeague proveddisastrousandafterjusttwoseasons,theclubrejoinedtheSouth MidlandsLeague.

Duringthe‘70’sand‘80’s,Leightonwereunabletocapturethesuccessofthe ‘60’s.

In1990/1991theFirstTeamwontheSouthMidlandsLeagueChallengeTrophy andtheO’Brien’sPremierDivisionCup,bothforthefirsttimeintheclub’s history.

The1991/2seasonwasoneoftheclub’sbest.TheSouthMidlandsPremier Divisiontitle,whichhadeludedtheclubforsolong,waswon,andwithitaplace intheIsthmianLeague.

1992/3sawtheClub’ssuccesscontinuewhentheywontheBedfordshireSenior Cupforthefirsttimesince1970.TheClubmissedoutonpromotionintheirfirst IsthmianLeagueseasonbyjustasinglepointbuttheYouthTeamretainedthe CountyCup.

1995/6sawtheFirstTeamwinpromotiontoDivision2oftheIsthmianLeague, whilstatthesametimeretainingtheBuckinghamCharityCup.

Inthe1996/7season,LeightonwontheIsthmianLeagueAssociatedMembers Trophyforthefirsttime.1998/99sawthereturnoftheAssociatedMembers TrophyandtheBuckinghamCharityCup.

Season2003/04LeightonwontheRymanIsthmianSecondDivisiontitle.They werealsonamedRymanDivisionTwoTeamoftheYear,andPaulBurgesswas awardedManageroftheYear.TheyalsoreachedtheFifthroundoftheFAVase, andthefinaloftheBedsSeniorCup,beforelosingtoAndoverandArleseyTown respectively.

The2004-05seasonsawtheclubplacedinTheSouthernLeagueEastDivision andfinishedinacreditabletenthplace.TheyalsowontheBuckinghamshire CharityCup.TheReserveswontheBedfordshireIntermediateCupandthe U18’swontheSCYFLLeagueShield.

The05-06SeasonsawtheClubprogressagain,improvingontheyearbefore, astheyfinished8th inTheSouthernLeagueWesternDivision.Afterapoorstart, Leagueresultsimprovedandthesideonlysufferedfourdefeatsfromthestartof NovemberuntiltheendofMarch,aplay-offplacejusteludingthem.

AfterthreeexcellentvictoriesinterestintheFA.Trophycompetitionendedwitha singlegoaldefeattoeventualsemi-finalists,Borehamwood.

TheClubalsoreachedtheBedsSeniorCupFinal,butsadlytheyagainfinished asRunnersUp.

TheClubwererelocatedtotheSouthernLeagueMidlandDivisionfor06-07 seasonbutonlyoneLeaguewininthefirstsixgamesandearlyexitsinthetwo FACompetitionscostPaulBurgesshisjobinSeptember.Hewasreplacedby formerWycombeprofessionalKeithScott,resultsdidimprovebutitwasa disappointingseason,althoughTowndidwintheBucksSeniorCharityCup.

The07-08startedbrightlywiththefirstLeaguedefeatnotcominguntilmidOctober.ThreewinsintheFACupsawtheClubreachthe4th QualifyingRound forthefirsttimeinit’shistory.A3-0defeattoConferenceSouth,Havantand Waterloovillefinallyendedtherun.KeithScottthenleftinDecembertojoin WindsorandEton.InJanuary2008,AssistantManagerSeanDowneywas appointedasFirstTeamManageranddidasplendidjobastheClubendedtheir Leagueseasonin9th place,winningtheBucksCharityCupandreachingthe finaloftheBedsSeniorCuponcemore.

The08/09SeasontheFirstTeamfinished8th intheSouthernLeague,Midland Division,achievingtheirhighestpointstotaltodateatthatlevel.

The09/10seasonsawLeightononceagainfinishinthetophalfofthetable, whentheyfinishedin9th placeandtheyalsolosttheBedfordshireSeniorCup FinaltoSouthernLeaguerivals,ArleseyTownafterpenalties.

Season2010/2011,sawTownfinishin7th placeintheLeague,gaining69 points,theirbestperformancesincejoiningtheSouthernFootballLeague.

The2011/2012apoorseasonsawLeightonfinishintheirlowestpositionfor severalyears.

2012/13wasalsoverydisappointingfortheFirstTeamastheyfinishedin20th place.

2015/2016After3disappointingseasonsLeightonfinishedtheseasoninthe bottomtwooftheSouthernLeagueCentralDivisionandwererelegatedtothe SpartanSouthMidlandsLeaguewheretheyhadlastplayedinthe1991/92 season.

2016/2017Thiswasadisappointingseasonwiththeclubstrugglingformuch ofthetimeafteryetanotherManagerialChange.Thingsdidpickuptowardsthe endoftheseasonandweeventuallyfinishedin16th place.

2017/18TheclubretainedScottReynoldsasManagerandfinished4th inthe LeagueandreachedtheQuarterFinalsoftheFAVASE.Gatesimprovedand itwasourbestseasonforabout8years,

2018/2019Manager,ScottReynoldsresignedinthecloseseasonandDanny NichollswasappointedasManagerbutleftinOctoberduetowork commitments.TheClubthenappointedJoeSweeneyandPaulCopson,who hadpreviouslywonthePremierdivisiontitlewithLondonColneyasthenew ManagementTeam.Theysteadiedtheshipandwefinishedinmidtable.

2019/2020WasagoodseasonfortheClubasweagainreachedtheQuarter FinaloftheFAVaseandafteraslowstartintheLeaguetheteamstartedtofind somegoodformasweslowlyclimbedupthetable.Theteamwerealso awardedtheTeamoftheMonthtwice.

2020/2021Townforthethirdtimein4seasonsreachedtheQuarterFinalofthe FAVasebutsadlylostoutto2latepenalties.AnindifferentstartintheLeague meantwecouldnotquitegainthepointsneededtogainpromotioninaCovid affectedseason.

2021/2022Weeventuallyfinished4th inthetableafteramidseason Managementchangeandafterthedisappointmentoflosingourprevious4 BedsSeniorCupFinalswewontheTrophybybeatingSouthernLeagueDiv1 Champions,BedfordTownonpenaltiesafterthegamehadendedina2-2draw.

LeightonTown3-HarpendenTown MaxBradfield

ItwasatussleoftheTown’sonTuesdaynight,asHarpendenpaidBellClosea visitunderthelightsinleagueaction.Leightonprevailedtokeepupsomesolid formandmovesecond.GoalscamecourtesyofArchieMcClellandanda doublefromthedangerousLeonLobjoit.

LeeBircham’ssidestartedastheymeanttogoon.ArchieMcClellandscoredin thefirstminuteseeminglybeforetheclub’sTwitteradmincouldgethisphone out.Acrosswasn’tdealtwith,andaLeightonheaderhitthepost.McClelland tappedintherebound.

Aftermorepressure,McClellandwouldalsobeinvolvedinthesecondgoal.An excellentpassingmovesethimfreedownthelefton25’.Hisshotwassaved byAlexDesmondbutkindlyfelltoLeonLobjoitwhocouldn’thavehadaneasier finish.ThetrickyReeceRobins,whohadalsobeenkeytoLeighton’soffensive prowessthusfar,nearlygotonthescoresheetbeforethebreak.Alowshotfrom range,pingedoffthebaseoftheleftpost.

Inthesecondhalf,thehostslookedtobuildonadominantstart.On63’,Lewis ToomeynearlyscoredTown’sthird,yettheHarpendendefencedidwellto scramblehisslowdeflectedeffortofftheline.

Leightonkeptupthepressureon theHarps’ goal,andaseriesofgoodmoves andcrosseseventuallyculminatedinthethirdandfinalgoal.On94’,Lobjoitwas playedthrough.Winningthefootracecomfortably,hepoweredpastDesmond intothebottomlefttosealasolidperformanceandhis27th goalinall competitions.

Afterthis,Leightonlooktothisweekend’saction.Thisistheexcitingclashaway

LEAGUETABLE

ATTENDANCES

MATCHREPORT12/11/22

SaffronWalden0-2LeightonTown MaxBradfield

LeightonTownprogressedtotheThirdRoundoftheFAVasethisweekend aftervictoryagainstSaffronWalden.WithgoalsfromArchieMcClelland andLeonLobjoit,itwastobeasuccessfultriptoEssexandCatonsLane.

TownsprungthepressureonthehostsearlyandLeonLobjoithadtheball inthenetjustnineminutesin.However,celebrationswerecutshortviathe linesman’sflagforoffside.

AtameeffortfromArchieMcClellandon40’would’vebeenenoughtohave feetshufflingbacktotheclubhouse,butthefirsthalfactuallyendedina crescendoofaction.On44’,Lobjoitstruckthebarwithathumpingheader. Inthenextattack,he’dtakeitroundthekeeperandhitthepost.Luckily McClellandwasnearbytotapinfromcloserange.

Afterthebreak,Towncontinuedpushing.On58’,Lobjoitforceda marvelloussavefromthehosts’keeperJamesYoungatfullstretchtohis left.Fourminuteslater,therewasawildgoalmouthscrambleasThe Bloodsjustmanagedtoclear.

On81minutes,LeonLobjoitwouldeventuallygetthatsecuritygoalandit wasafinefinishthatisquicklybecominghissignature.SaffronWaldenhad throwneverythingforward.TowncounteredandLobjoit,withthekeeperin noman’sland,floatedtheballintothenetfromtheedgeofthebox.

Afterthiswininfrontofagreat448supporters,Townarebackinthehatfor theThirdRound.Nowthough,thenextopponentsareHarpendenTown awayintheleagueatRothamstedParknextSaturday.

LTFC:Comas;Towell,Connolly,Connolly(C),Jackson,Pyman,Robins, Spaul,McClelland,Lobjoit,Summerfield.

Subs:Toomey,Marsh,Cooper,Harvey,Marsh-Brown,Flanagan, Akinbobola.

LEAGUETABLE DIVISION2

SPARTANSOUTHMIDLANDS DIVISION2 ATTENDANCES