WELCOMETOBELLCLOSE
FORTHEISUZUFAVASE3rd ROUNDPROPER
GoodafternoonLadiesandgentlemnandwelcometoBellClosefor today'sIsuzuFAVase3rdgameagainstFalkenhamTownoftheEastern CountiesLeague.
Wewelcomeeveryoneconnectedwiththeourvisitorsandhopetheyenjoy todaysgamewhatevertheresult.thiswillnotbeourfirstgameagainst teamsfromtheEasternCountiesLeagueasovertheyearswehave playedagainstGorlestonTownthreetimesandafewseasonsagowe playedNorwichCBS,Iampleasedtotellyouthatwewonallthosegames andwearehopingforasimilarresulttoday.Wehavealsoplayed Wroxham,KirkleyandPakefieldandMildenhallbutunfortunatelyIcannot rememberifthiswasintheFACUPortheFAVASE.IbelieveWroxham weretheonlyteamtobeatusafterareplay.
Fakenhamarehavingamixedseasonandhaveplayed17gamessofarin theirLeagueandgained19points,winning6,drawing1andlosing10.they arecurrentlysittingin15thplace.Ourvisitorsalsohaveaveryinteresting nickname'TheGhosts'aopparentlythiscomesfromoneoftheirformer pitchesatStarMeadowwhichwasreportedtobehaunted.
Wehavenowgone12gameswithoutdefeatifyouexcludethepenalty shootoutlosstoBiggleswadeUnitedandwehopetheLadscancontinue thisterrificrunofresultstodayandprogresstothe4thRoundwhichwillbe playedonSaturday14thJanuary2023.
CongratulationstoLeeandtheteamwearenowatthetopofthetable,all hehasdonowiskeepusthereuntiltheendofApril,nopressurethere then.WehavenogamenextSaturdayandournextfixtureisathometo ArleseyTownonthe17thDecember.andwethenhaveaCupgameon Tuesday20thathometoNewBradwellko7:45SeasonTicketswillbe allowedentrytothisgame
Ihopeyouwillenjoytoday'sgameandwillbecelebratingahomewinin thebarafterthegame.
ABOUTTHEISUZUFAVASE
TheFAVaseeffectivelyreplacedTheFAAmateurCupin1974.
InthatyearTheFACouncilhaddecidedtoabolishtheofficialdistinction betweenamateurandprofessionalfootballersandthismeanttheendof TheAmateurCupandAmateurInternationalsinvolvingEngland.
Initsfirstseason220clubsentered,buttheydidnotincludethosethathad dominatedinTheAmateurCup.Enfield,Hendon,Dagenham, SkelmersdaleUnitedandothersattheirlevelwereimmediatelyallocated toTheFATrophy.
Forthefirsttimeinhistory,smallclubs–evenvillageclubs–hadthe chanceofplayinginanationalfinalatWembley.
ThefirstVasefinalistswereHoddesdonTownfromtheSpartanLeague andEpsom&EwellfromtheSurreySeniorLeague.TheHertfordshireside edgedhome2-1beforeacrowdof9,000.
EvenacompetitionasdemocraticasTheVasehaditseliteclubsinthe earlyyears.BillericayTown,initiallyoftheEssexSeniorLeague,wonit threetimesinfourseasons.HalesowenTown,thenintheWestMidlands RegionalLeague,appearedinthreeFinalsandweresuccessfulintwo. TheyevenbeataSouthallsidethathadayoungLesFerdinandleadingthe attack.
UntilthenewWembleyopenedin2007therecordattendanceforaVase Finalwasthe26,489whosawthedrawn1989FinalbetweenSudbury TownandTamworthattheoldWembley.Tamworthwonthereplay3-0at PeterboroughandIanMoores,aformerDivisionOneplayerwith TottenhamHotspur,scoredoneofthegoals.
The2013-14Vasecompetitionwasthe40thinhistory.Wembleyhad hosted34Finals,VillaParkandStAndrewstwoeach,UptonParkand WhiteHartLaneoneeach.Thirty-twodifferentclubshavegottheirhands onTheVase,donatedbyformerFACouncillorFrankAdams.WhitleyBay leadthewaywithfourwins.
AficionadosofTheVasecompetitiontendtoratethe1992Finalbetween WimborneTownandGuiseleyasthebestsofar.WessexLeague Wimbornehadamodestrecordinthecompetitionbeforethen,having neverventuredbeyondthethirdround,buttheyembarkedona spectacularjourneythattookthemallthewayfromthefirstroundtothe Final.Agoaldownafter14minutesatWembley,theDorsetsidefought backtowin5-3.
WhenTheVaseFinalreturnedtoWembley,arecord36,232fanssaw TruroCitybeatAFCTotton3-1.WhitleyBay,the2002winners,achieved asensationalhat-trickofFinalvictoriesfrom2009to2011.
TheNorthernLeague’sdominancecontinuedfortwomoreseasons,with successforDunstonUTSandSpennymoorTownbeforeSholing,then WessexLeaguechampions,gottheirnameengraved.NorthShieldsthen camefrombehindtowinthefirstFinaltogotoextratimesince2001-02.
In2015-16WembleyStadiumstagedthefirstNon-LeagueFinalsDay, whichsawboththeVaseandtheTrophydecidedback-to-backinfrontof almost47,000fans.MorpethTowncamefrombehindtostunHereford4-1 with45-year-oldChrisSwailesonthescoresheettowintheVasewitha thirddifferentclub.
FAKENHAMTOWNCLUBHISTORY
Theclubwasestablishedin1884andplayedtheirfirstmatchagainstLynn Alexandria,winning2–1.TheyinitiallyplayedatHemptonGreen,withover 2,000spectatorsinthegroundtoseeamatchagainstHoltinamatch playedonaGoodFriday.
TheymovedtoStarMeadow(nowresidentialhouses)in1889,andthento Baron'sHallLawn(housesagainnow)in1907,agroundthatwasshared withthelocalcricketclub.Coverandseatingforspectatorswasprovidedby 'TheShed',astandbehindthegoalattheTownEnd.In1899–1900they wontheNorfolkJuniorCup,afeatrepeatedin1905–06.Intheearly1900s theclubjoinedtheNorwich&DistrictLeague.
AfterWorldWarItheydidnotrejointheleagueuntil1921–22andin1935 theymoveduptotheNorfolk&SuffolkLeague.Whentheleaguemerged withtheEastAnglianLeaguetoformtheAnglianCombinationin1964, Fakenhamwereplacedinthetopdivisionforthe1964–65season,butwere relegatedattheendofthe1965–66seasonthentaking5seasonsbefore returningtothetopflight.
In1970–71theywontheNorfolkSeniorCupforthefirsttime.Theyhave subsequentlygoneontowinthetrophy7times,themostrecentbeing1999 whentheybeatSwaffhamTown
Floodlightswereeventuallyinstalledin1987atBaron’sHallLawn,andin 1988FakenhambecameaFoundermembersofDivisionOneofthe EasternCountiesLeaguebutwhentheclubwaspromotedtothePremier Divisionin1992theyweregiventhreeyearstofindanewgroundorbe relegatedasthegrounddidn’tmeettherequiredstandards.
In1996theclubmovedtoanewgroundontheedgeofthetownnamed ClipbushPark,whichwasofficiallyopenedwithamatchagainstWatfordon 16July1997,attractingacrownofover1,100,althoughthefirstmatchthere hadbeenon12October1996whentheydefeatedTiptreeUnited4–0.
Thegroundincludesaseatedstandononesideofthepitchseating250,a clubhouseontheother,andcoveredstandingbehindbothgoals.
AfterfinishingasPremierDivisionRunners-Upin1998–99,theclubwent intodecline,andwasrelegatedbacktoDivisionOnein2003–04,finishing bottomofthetable.In2005–06theywontheDivisionOneKnock-OutCup, butaslumpinleagueformsawthemfinishbottomofDivisionOnein2008–09and2009–10.Aftermoreleanyears,theclubwerepromotedbacktothe PremierDivisionin2014andtimesseemedtobeontheupwhentheteam reachedtheSeniorCupfinalin2017butlost2-0toKingsLynnTown.The see-sawcontinuedwithrelegationattheendofthe2017-18seasontothe newlyformedDivisionOneNorth.
TheClubnowboastsaLadiesTeam,anewlyformedVeteransTeam,an U18Team,2AdultTeamsand18YouthTeamsandhavebecomeaCharter StandardCommunityClub.Allthisisfarawayfromwhatwasenvisaged whentheclubwasformedallthoseyearsago.
The2018/19seasonsawtheteamstartpoorlybutgraduallyimproved throughouttheseasonandfinishedaverycreditable6thplace,havingonly lostoneleaguematchafterChristmas,itwasfeltabetterstartwouldhave seenagreatchanceforpromotion,butitwasnottobe.Theyalsoreached theChallengeCupfinal,beating3PremierDivisionteamsalongtheway, beforelosingtoLongMelford1-0inthefinal.
Theclubgainedagroundsponsoratthebeginningofthe2019/20season withClipbushParkbecomingTheDalyGroupStadium.
The2019/20seasonsawtheclubincontentionforatop4finishand promotionwhentheseasonwasbroughttoanearlyfinishduetotheCovid 19pandemic.
In2020/21theyweresittingtopgoingintotheNewYear,andwere undefeatedwhentheseasonwasonceagainhalted,theyalsoreachedthe FourthRoundintheF.A.Vase(thefurthesttheclubhadeverbeen)before losingonpenaltiestoeventualfinalistsBinfield.Itwasthenanervouswait toseeiftheclubwouldrightlybepromotedbacktothePremierDivisionand confirmationcamemid-Maythattheywouldindeedbepromoted.
Lastseasontheyfinishedafantastic6th paceintheirfirstseasonbackinthe Premier,theyalsoreachedthe4th RoundoftheF.A.Vaseonceagainthis timelosingtoeventualwinnersNewportPagnellnarrowly,theyalso reachedthesemi-finaloftheNorfolkSeniorCupbeforelosingtoStep4 DerehamTown1-0.
Theclubruns6seniorteamsandhasoneofthebestYouthset-upsin Norfolkandbeyond,whichincorporatesover26youthteams,thefuture looksgood.
EASTERNCOUNTIESLEAGUE PREMIERDIVISION TABLE
AboutFakenhamTown
ThearchetypalNorthNorfolkmarkettown,Fakenham'shistorywas shapedbythegentlyrollinglandscapearoundit.
ThetowngrewservicingthefarmsandestatesofnorthernNorfolkand inits1920sheyday,whenraillinkswereexcellent,Fakenham's livestockmarketwasoneofthemostimportantinBritain.TheCornHall andfleamarkethavebeenimportantlocaltradingcentresfor140years. Nowitiswell-placedonthemainA148roadfromNorthNorfolktothe restoftheUK,andaconvenientcrossroadsforvisitorsfromthe MidlandsandtheSouth.
Thoughitssignificancetothefarmingindustryhaswaned,auctionsand marketsarestillimportanttoFakenham'slivelihood,appealingtoanew kindofbargain-hunter.
FakenhamsitsontheNationalCycleNetworkandis10milessouthof theprettycoastaroundWells-next-the-Seaandthefashionable getawayofBurnhamMarket.ItisthehomeofFakenhamRacecourse, whereNationalHuntmeetingsareheldfromFebruarytoDecember.
PensthorpeWaterfowlPark,hometooneofEurope'sfinestcollectionof endangeredandexoticwaterbirds,islocatedinthebeautifulWensum Valleyontheedgeoftown.Withaccommodationofalltypestobefound inandaroundFakenham,thetownisagreatbaseforexploringNorth Norfolkwhatevertimeoftheyear.
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.
LeightonTown2-0TringAthletic MaxBradfield
TriumphagainstTringonSaturdaymeantLeightonTowntoppedtheSSMFL. Inthis2-0win,goalscamefromLukePymanandaninformArche McClellandinfrontof413atBellClose.
GoalthreatLeonLobjoitcameclosetoopeningthescoring18minutesinas hehitthepostwithanaudaciouslob.Althoughitwasoddtoseeitnotcome off,Leon’smissdidn’thaltmomentumandLukePymanfoundthenetjust threeminuteslater.
KyleConnollywhippedinasignaturecornerfromtherightandPyman hoppedup–nonchalantlyflickinghomehisheaderatthenearpost.
LeightonwereinagoodperiodnowandjustashortwhilelaterArchie McClellandscoredagoalthatwasperhapstheposterchildofrecent excellentform.LatchingontoamiskickfromtheTringkeeper,McClelland floatedtheballinfromaridiculous35-yards.
Inthesecondhalf,Leightontriedtoaddmoretothescore,yetmissedthe sameimpetusasthefirstperiod.On52’,therewasnooneontheendofa temptingReeceRobinscross.On68’,McClellandtookaropeytouch denyinghimhissecond.Asidefromalatespreeofbookings,thegame endedmuchasithadattheendoftheaction-packedfirsthalf.
Now,allattentionturnstonextweekastheFAVaseadventurecontinuesat hometoFakenhamTown.
LTFCXI:Comas;Towell,Connolly,Connolly(C),Jackson,Pyman,Robins, Spaul,McClelland,Lobjoit,Summerfield.
Subs:Toomey,Cooper,Farrelly,Marsh-Brown,Harvey.