Ossett United v Whitchurch Alport (20/08/22)

OSSETT UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB

INGFIELD, PROSPECT ROAD, OSSETT, WF5 9HL

WELCOME TO INGFIELD

CLUB PRESIDENT: NEVILLE WIGGLESWORTH CHAIRMAN: JAMES ROGERS VICE-CHAIRMAN: PHIL SMITH SECRETARY: NEIL SPOFFORTH TREASURER: PAUL BILLING BOARD MEMBERS: LEE BROADBENT, STUART GARSIDE, JOE HANKS, STEVE HANKS TEAM MANAGEMENT: JAS COLLIVER, MARK WARD TEAM COACH: GARY MIDDLETON MATCH ANALYST: JACK SLOAN MEDICAL TEAM: EMILY CRISPIN MENTAL HEALTH & WELLBEING OFFICER: KATE HENNIGHAN HEAD OF MEDIA: CRAIG BIDDLESTONE MEDIA TEAM: CHRIS BOYD, LUCY BURNS, CHRIS CASSIDY, OWEN GERRARD, JON HUNT, ADAM LUNAT, KEITH WOOD PROGRAMME DESIGN: CHRIS BOYD, NEIL SPOFFORTH Club Honours – Ossett United, Ossett Town, Ossett Albion

Ingfield Stadium

West Riding County Senior Cup Winners: 1949/50 West Riding County Cup Winners: 1958/59, 1964/65, 1965/66, 1967/68, 1981/82, 1998/99, 2018/19 Runners Up: 2000/01 Northern Premier League First Division Runners Up: 2001/02 Play-off Runners Up: 2016/17 Northern Counties East Premier Division Winners: 1998/99, 2003/04 Runners Up: 1998/99, 2000/01

Official Teamwear Suppliers

Northern Counties East First Division Winners: 1986/87 Northern Counties East Second Division Winners: 1988/89 Club Records FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round: 1965/66, 2003/04, 2005/06, 2012/13, 2017/18 (R) Second Qualifying Round: 2019/20 FA Trophy Second Round: 1999/00 First Round: 2001/02, 2004/05, 2012/13 Second Qualifying Round: 2018/19

Main Club Sponsor

OSSETT UNITED IS A TRADING NAME OF OSSETT UNITED LIMITED, A PRIVATE LIMITED COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES. IT IS A COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES. IT IS REGISTERED AT COMPANIES HOUSE, COMPANY NUMBER 11162425. THERE ARE TWO PEOPLE WITH SIGNIFICANT CONTROL. J. ROGERS (31.525%) AND D. ROGERS (25.5%)

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WELCOME TO INGFIELD JAMES ROGERS, CHAIRMAN DESPITE THE RESULT WE CREATED OPPORTUNITIES AND ON ANOTHER MORE CLINICAL DAY COULD HAVE BEEN IN FRONT BEFORE STOCKTON SCORED. THERE ARE AREAS WE CAN IMPROVE AND JAS, WARDY AND THE PLAYERS ARE WELL AWARE OF THIS, AND THE HARD WORK WILL CONTINUE AS WE LOOK TO GET THE RESULTS WE WANT AND BELIEVE THIS SQUAD IS MORE THAN CAPABLE OF.

TODAY WE WELCOME MIDLAND LEAGUE SIDE WHITCHURCH ALPORT TO INGFIELD. I BELIEVE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THEY HAVE TRAVELLED TO OSSETT FOR A GAME, I HOPE THEY HAVE A SAFE JOURNEY AND ENJOY THE MATCH DAY EXPERIENCE HERE ALTHOUGH NOT THE RESULT!

THE GAME TODAY WILL BE ANOTHER CHALLENGE, THE MAGIC OF THE FA CUP, IN THESE EARLY ROUNDS ESPECIALLY, IS GREAT. OBVIOUSLY OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS WE HAVE NOT PROGRESSED IN THE COMPETITION AS WE WOULD HAVE LIKED BUT HOPEFULLY THIS YEAR WE CAN PROGRESS FURTHER AND ENJOY THE EXPOSURE THAT A CUP RUN BRINGS.

WE’RE A FEW GAMES INTO THE SEASON NOW AND TUESDAY’S GAME HERE AGAINST STOCKTON TOWN FOR ME SHOWED HOW IMPORTANT TIME AND CONSISTENCY IS WHILE BUILDING A SIDE. STOCKTON HAVE DONE WELL SINCE THEIR PROMOTION TO THE NPL AND WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE SIDE BEING TOGETHER FOR SOME TIME, WITH SHREWD ADDITIONS IN THE SUMMER THEY ARE A WELL-OILED MACHINE AND WERE A GOOD TEST TO SEE WHERE OUR NEW SQUAD ARE FOR THE SEASON AHEAD.

WE ARE BUILDING TOWARDS THAT, AND DESPITE THE RESULT WE ARE ON THE RIGHT TRACK, THE SQUAD IS STRONG AND WHEN ONE PLAYER IS UNAVAILABLE THERE IS A REPLACEMENT, NATURAL TO THAT POSITION, WHO CAN NOW STEP IN AND THAT IS NOT SOMETHING WE HAVE HAD FOR SOME TIME.

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A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR MATCH SPONSORS FOR TODAY’S GAME, PET OR CHILD, WITH SUPPORTING ACTS FOR CALC AND THE FRIDGE’S BIRTHDAY – WHO WANT TO DEDICATE THIS TO ANDY’S MAN CLUB. A FANTASTIC CAUSE WHO DESERVE RECOGNITION FOR ALL THE WORK THEY DO AROUND MEN’S MENTAL HEALTH.

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THE DUGOUT JAS COLLIVER & MARK WARD GOOD AFTERNOON AND WELCOME TO ALL SUPPORTERS, OFFICIALS, PLAYERS AND MANAGEMENT OF WHITCHURCH ALPORT FC. WE HOPE YOU HAVE A SAFE JOURNEY AND A POSITIVE SEASON AHEAD.

TUESDAYS GAME HERE AGAINST STOCKTON TOWN WAS A DIFFICULT ONE TO TAKE. HOWEVER, WE LEARNT A LOT AND TOOK AWAY MANY POSITIVES AS DAFT AS THAT MAY SEEM. WE FELT FOR THE FIRST FIFTEEN MINUTES WE WERE THE BETTER SIDE ON THE NIGHT, OUR BUILD UP PLAY WAS GOOD, OUR FINAL THIRD ENTRIES WERE VERY GOOD AND WE LOOKED SOLID UNTIL A VERY POOR GOAL WAS CONCEDED. THE GOAL WE CONCEDED COULD’VE BEEN STOPPED WELL IN THE STOCKTON HALF SO ALTHOUGH THE LAST BIT WAS VERY POOR IT WAS ERROR AFTER ERROR LEADING UP TO THE GOAL. AFTER THAT ONE GOES IN YOU COULD SEE THE GAME TAKE A TWIST AND THEN IT WAS STOCKTON ON THE FRONT FOOT, THEY WERE RUTHLESS WITH THE CHANCES THEY CREATED. FAIR PLAY TO THEM AS THEY’RE AN EXCELLENT TEAM WHO STUCK TO THEIR GAME PLAN AND THEN EXECUTED IT PERFECTLY.

WE FELT THE PERFORMANCE REFLECTED US AS A MANAGEMENT TEAM IN TERMS OF WORK ETHIC AND STAYING POSITIVE THROUGHOUT, THE LADS CERTAINLY WORKED HARD AND GAVE THEIR ALL, THIS SHOWED IN THE FINAL FIFTEEN MINUTES WHERE WE FELT WE WERE ON TOP AND THE LADS COMING ONTO THE PITCH GAVE US A DIFFERENT DIMENSION. WE GOT THE BALL WIDE AND HURT THEM FROM THE THOSE AREAS. THE GAME WAS A STRANGE ONE AS STATISTICALLY WE WON EVERY AREA BUT THE MOST

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THE DUGOUT IMPORTANT ONE IS HOW MANY GOALS YOU SCORE

AND CONCEDED AND WE JUST WEREN’T CLINICAL ENOUGH IT WAS A CASE OF ‘IF ONLY’ OR ‘NEARLY’ WITH SOME EXCELLENT BLOCKS FROM THEM ALONG THE WAY TOO.

TODAY’S TRICKY OPPONENTS HAVE YET TO TRAVEL AWAY FROM HOME, THEY HAVE HAD A GOOD START TO THE SEASON WINNING TWO AND DRAWING ONE. THEY HAVE THREATS ALL OVER THE PITCH AND WILL COME HERE TODAY FANCYING THEIR CHANCES. WE WILL BE DOING ALL WE CAN TO WIN THE GAME AND NOT TAKING THIS TEST LIGHTLY, THEY HAD A VERY GOOD RESULT IN THE FA CUP BEATING VAUXHALL MOTORS.

PLAYERS UPDATE: WE HAVE DUAL REGISTERED DANNY WASSELL AT ARMTHORPE FOR MINUTES ON THE PITCH HOWEVER IN HIS SECOND GAME FOR THEM HE FELL AWKWARDLY AND BROKE HIS ARM WHICH IS ANOTHER SETBACK FOR DANNY, WE WISH

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DANNY WARD HAS SIGNED FOR NEIGHBOURS HORBURY TOWN, JACK WILSON HIM

WELL.

MISSED LAST WEEK THROUGH INJURY BUT IS BACK FOR TODAY’S GAME, ROSS HARDAKER HAD A PREARRANGED FAMILY HOLIDAY SO WAS UNAVAILABLE MID-WEEK AND NEW SIGNING JOE PARKIN PLAYED 45 MINUTES ON TUESDAY NIGHT.

IN THE OPENING FEW WEEKS OF THE SEASON AND A TOUGH PRESEASON WE HAVE BEEN DELIGHTED WITH THIS SQUAD, WE ARE STILL DEVELOPING AN UNDERSTANDING OF ONE ANOTHER BUT WE FEEL WE ARE IN A GOOD POSITION AND THERE’S MUCH MORE TO COME FROM US. THEY’RE A TOP GROUP WHO HAVE THE RIGHT PRINCIPLES AND WILLING TO LISTEN AND LEARN. TRAINING ON THURSDAY WAS BUZZING AND WE ARE CERTAINLY READY FOR THIS EXCITING CUP TIE.

THANKS FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND ENJOY THE GAME.

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THE PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS NEVILLE WIGGLESWORTH OUR ENCOURAGING START TO THE 2022/2023 CAMPAIGN HIT THE BUFFERS SOMEWHAT ON TUESDAY EVENING WHEN WE WENT DOWN TO A 0 – 3 DEFEAT TO STOCKTON TOWN WHO IN MY MIND SHOWED ALL THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A TEAM WITH

PROMOTION ASPIRATIONS. I THINK THE GAME WAS A CLEAR INDICATION OF WHERE WE ARE AT THIS PARTICULAR MOMENT IN TIME AND WILL PREVENT US FROM GETTING TOO CARRIED AWAY WITH OUR PROMISING START TO THE SEASON. ADMITTEDLY WE DIDN’T HELP OURSELVES ON TUESDAY BY CONCEDING A COUPLE OF SLOPPY GOALS AND WE SQUANDERED A COUPLE OF HALF DECENT CHANCES AS WELL BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO CONCEDE THAT ON THE NIGHT THEY WERE SIMPLY BETTER THAN US AND DESERVED THEIR VICTORY.

ANY FA CUP TIE IS ALWAYS A KEENLY ANTICIPATED GAME IN ANY FOOTBALL CLUB’S FIXTURE LIST. PRIOR TO OSSETT UNITED’S PREVIOUS MATCH AGAINST NEW MILLS IN THE EXTRA PRELIMINARY ROUND I COMMENTED IN MY PROGRAMME NOTES ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF A GOD RUN IN THIS COMPETITION NOT LEAST SINCE OUR RECORD AS A MERGED CLUB HASN’T YET HIT THE HEIGHTS. PROGRESSING THROUGH AS MANY ROUNDS AS POSSIBLE PROVIDES VITAL REVENUE IN TERMS OF PRIZE MONEY AND ADDITIONAL SPECTATORS THROUGH THE TURNSTILES. APART FROM THE LUCRATIVELY FINANCIAL SIDE OF THINGS THERE IS ALSO THE FACT THAT THE PROFILE OF THE CLUB IS ENHANCED ON THE NATIONAL SCENE. BOTH CLUBS THIS AFTERNOON WILL, THEREFORE, BE DOING THEIR UPMOST TO CONTINUE THE JOURNEY AND EXPERIENCES THE FA CUP PROVIDES.

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TODAY’S OPPONENTS WHITCHURCH ALPORT COME TO INGFIELD VERY MUCH AS AN UNKNOWN QUANTITY OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT THEY PLAY THEIR FOOTBALL IN THE MIDLAND FOOTBALL LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION AND PROGRESSED IN THIS COMPETITION BY BEATING VAUXHALL MOTORS IN THE LAST ROUND. THAT IN ITSELF WAS NO MEAN FEAT AS VAUXHALL MOTORS ARE CURRENTLY FLYING HIGH IN THE NORTH WEST COUNTIES LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION AND HOLDING JOINT SECOND PLACE IN THE LEAGUE TABLE WITH FOUR WINS FROM FOUR GAMES PLAYED. IN THEIR LEAGUE WHITCHURCH OCCUPY 5TH PLACE IN THE TABLE WITH FOUR POINTS FROM JUST 2 GAMES PLAYED. I’M SURE OUR PLAYERS WILL NOT BE TAKING ANYTHING FOR GRANTED THIS AFTERNOON AND WE WILL NEED TO BE AT OUR BEST IF WE ARE TO PROCEED FURTHER IN THE COMPETITION.

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THE PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS FOLLOWING NEIL SPOFFORTH’S SNIPPET OF TRIVIA DETAILED IN THE LAST PROGRAMME, THIS WEEK IT WAS THE TURN OF ONE OF OUR DIRECTORS STEVE HANKS TO PROVIDE AN ITEM OF INTEREST. IT TURNS OUT THAT SEVERAL SEASONS AGO OSSETT ALBION PLAYED A SHEFFIELD UNITED UNDER 23 SIDE IN A PRE SEASON FRIENDLY MATCH AT DIMPLE WELLS. I’M RELIABLY INFORMED BY STEVE THAT IN THAT GAME THE WINNING GOAL WAS SCORED BY NONE OTHER THAN DOMINIC CALVERT-LEWIN WHO SCORED ON HIS ENGLAND DEBUT IN A FRIENDLY AGAINST WALES IN 2020 AND THE GOALKEEPER WAS ONE CURRENT ARSENAL NUMBER ONE AND ENGLAND SQUAD REGULAR, AARON RAMSDALE.

IN OUR TWO HOME GAMES SO FAR WE ATTRACTED 277 SPECTATORS FOR THE GAME AGAINST NEW MILLS AND MORE RECENTLY 407 AGAINST STOCKTON TOWN. AS PLEASING AS THESE

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NUMBERS ARE THE ‘GATES’ WERE JUST A LITTLE BIT LOWER THAN IN PREVIOUS SEASONS. MOST CLUBS AT OUR LEVEL WOULD BE WELL PLEASED WITH THOSE FIGURES BUT WE ARE HOPING THAT A GOOD RUN OF RESULTS HELP TO DRAG ATTENDANCES BACK UP TO WHAT WE HAVE COME TO EXPECT. ONLY IF ATTENDANCES DO HOLD UP CAN WE CONTINUE ON OUR CURRENT TRAJECTORY OF BOTH PAYING OFF HISTORIC DEBTS AND PROGRESSING WITH AN AMBITIOUS PROGRAMME OF GROUND DEVELOPMENTS.

OSSETT UNITED WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND A WARM WELCOME TO THE OFFICIALS, MANAGEMENT, PLAYERS AND, NOT LEAST, THE SUPPORTERS OF WHITCHURCH ALPORT. WE HOPE ALL ENJOY THE EXPERIENCE OF VISITING INGFIELD AND THAT THEY TAKE AWAY WITH THEM A FAVOURABLE IMPRESSION OF OUR CLUB.

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CLUB PROFILES TEAM MANAGEMENT JAS COLLIVER - MANAGER JAS WAS APPOINTED AS MANAGER ON CHRISTMAS EVE 2021. HIS MOST RECENT ROLE WAS AT GRANTHAM TOWN WORKING ALONGSIDE CARLTON PALMER, HE ALSO HAS EXTENSIVE MANAGERIAL EXPERIENCE AT STAVELEY MINERS WELFARE, SHEFFIELD AND HANDSWORTH.

MARK WARD - MANAGER ‘WARDY’ WAS APPOINTED ALONGSIDE COLLIVER. THE FORMER ENGLAND YOUTH INTERNATIONAL LED BUXTON ON A 20-GAME UNBEATEN RUN AT THE START OF THE 2021/22 SEASON AND PRIOR TO THAT HAS BEEN INVOLVED AT AFC MANSFIELD AND HEDNESFORD TOWN, AMONGST OTHERS.

GARY MIDDLETON - COACH MAKING OVER 1000 APPEARANCES AS A DEFENDER IN HIS PLAYING DAYS, ‘MIDI’ PLAYED ALONGSIDE COLLIVER AT STOCKSBRIDGE PARK STEELS AND WAS HIS ASSISTANT AT SHEFFIELD FC. ‘MIDI’ HAS EXTENSIVE COACHING EXPERIENCE AND IS A VALUABLE MEMBER OF THE MANAGEMENT TEAM.

EMILY CRISPIN – SPORTS THERAPIST EMILY GRADUATED FROM LEEDS BECKETT UNIVERSITY WITH A BSC HONOURS IN SPORT AND EXERCISE THERAPY. SHE IS ALSO QUALIFIED IN FIRST AID AT WORK AND TRAUMA MANAGEMENT WITHIN SPORT.

JACK SLOAN – DATA ANALYST JACK HAS ASSISTED THE COACHING TEAM AS THE CLUB’S DATA ANALYST SINCE THEIR APPOINTMENT IN DECEMBER 2021. THE ROLE IS PROVIDING JACK WITH VALUABLE EXPERIENCE, AS HE BEGINS STUDYING SCIENCE OF SPORTS PERFORMANCE AT LEEDS BECKETT UNIVERSITY THIS YEAR.

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PLAYER PROFILES EDD HALL - SPONSORED BY: FOOTBALL BOOK REVIEWS EDD JOINED THE CLUB IN JANUARY 2022 AND IS WIDELY ACKNOWLEDGED AS ONE OF THE BEST GOALKEEPERS AT STEP FOUR AND WAS VOTED AS THE SECOND-BEST GOALKEEPER IN THE NPL EAST FOR THE 21/22 SEASON. EDD HAS NATIONAL LEAGUE NORTH EXPERIENCE HAVING PLAYED FOR BRADFORD PARK AVENUE AND FARSLEY CELTIC.

JAKE TEALE – SPONSORED BY ADAMSON FAMILY JAKE IS A YOUNG GOALKEEPER, FORMERLY OF YORK CITY, WHO HAS IMPRESSED JAS AND WARDY SINCE THEIR APPOINT. JAKE IS A KEY MEMBER OF THE SQUAD AND HAS NOT LET THE SIDE DOWN WHEN CALLED UPON.

PRINCE ATTAKORAH ATTAKORAH WAS PART OF THE ACADEMY AT ROTHERHAM UNITED AND CHESTERFIELD AND HAS ALSO PLAYED FOR HARROGATE TOWN’S U23S. PRINCE IMPRESSED LAST SEASON WHEN CALLED UPON AND WILL BE LOOKING TO ESTABLISH HIMSELF IN THE SQUAD THIS SEASON

BRAD BEATSON – SPONSORED BY: LIAM MOORE-MCCLUSKEY BEATSON IS A CENTRAL DEFENDER WHO JOINED THE CLUB FROM FRICKLEY ATHLETIC DURING THE 21/22 SEASON, MAKING 16 APPEARANCES. THE FORMER SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY TRAINEE WAS ONE OF JAS’ FIRST SIGNINGS AND A PLAYER HE HAD TARGETED PREVIOUSLY.

JACK COWGILL – SPONSORED BY: JAMES & DAWN ROGERS FORMERLY OF BARNSLEY, COWGILL MADE HIS EFL DEBUT IN 2014 AGAINST WALSALL. HE ENJOYED LOAN SPELLS AT BRAINTREE AND FYLDE BEFORE SIGNING FOR BOSTON UNITED. COWGILL SIGNED FOR NOSTELL MW WHERE HE REDISCOVERED HIS LOVE FOR THE GAME BEFORE SIGNING FOR OSSETT UNITED IN THE SUMMER OF 2019. JACK IS OUR CLUB CAPTAIN.

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PLAYER PROFILES TOM CROPPER – SPONSORED BY: ROY TAYLOR & RICHARD FARRELL TOM WAS A LONG-TERM TARGET OF JAS & WARDY’S BEFORE JOINING THE CLUB IN JULY 2022. THE FORMER AFC MANSFIELD SKIPPER IS AN ATHLETIC, NONONSENSE DEFENDER WHO IS KNOWN TO ALSO CHIP IN WITH GOALS AT TIMES.

HARRY GAGEN – SPONSORED BY: LJB JOINERY AFTER A LOAN SPELL AT INGFIELD IN 2020, GAGEN SIGNED PERMANENTLY FOR THE CLUB UPON HIS RELEASE FROM BARNSLEY FC. ‘GADGE’ ESTABLISHED HIMSELF IN THE FIRST TEAM LAST SEASON, WINNING THE PLAYER’S PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD.

ROSS HARDAKER - SPONSORED BY: PAUL COOPER ROSS HARDAKER IS VERY POPULAR WITH PLAYERS AND SUPPORTERS ALIKE. HE HAS PLAYED FOR BOTH ALBION AND TOWN AND MADE HIS DEBUT AS A 15-YEAROLD, FOLLOWING A SPELL PLAYING IN GERMANY. DESPITE TALK OF A STATUTE BEING BUILT IN OSSETT FOR THE CULTURED FULL BACK, THE RUMOURS SO FAR ARE UNFOUNDED.

CONNOR HODGSON – SPONSORED BY: JAYNE OGLEY & RED BRICK FACILITIES MANAGEMENT CONNOR IS A SUMMER SIGNING FROM BARNSLEY, A CLUB HE JOINED AT THE AGE OF EIGHT. HE IS EQUALLY ADEPT IN A NUMBER OF POSITIONS AND MADE APPEARANCES IN THE BARNSLEY U23 SIDE TO AIDE HIS DEVELOPMENT. HODGSON WAS TARGETED BY SEVERAL CLUBS BEFORE AGREEING TO JOIN OSSETT UNITED.

TOM DEIGHTON TOM MADE THE STEP UP INTO THE FIRST TEAM SQUAD LAST SEASON FROM THE U18S, WHERE HE WAS PART OF THE TEAM THAT REACHED THE FA YOUTH CUP FOR THE FIRST TIME. TOM IS AN ATTACKING MIDFIELDER WHO IS GOOD ON THE BALL AND HAS AN EYE FOR GOAL.

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CLUB PROFILES MICHAEL HOLLINGSWORTH – SPONSORED BY: SCOTTISH SUPPORTERS CLUB FORMERLY OF BOSTON UNITED, GRANTHAM AND MATLOCK, HOLLINGSWORTH HAS ALSO PLAYED FOR PICKERING TOWN AND FRICKLEY ATHLETIC. IN 2012/13, WAS VOTED “APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR” AT NOTTINGHAM FOREST. HE IS A NATURAL LEADER AND WILL BRING EXPERIENCE, QUALITY, AND WORK ETHIC TO OUR MIDFIELD.

OLI METCALFE – SPONSORED BY: SPOFF & KATE OLI SPENT THE SECOND HALF OF THE 21/22 SEASON ON LOAN FROM GUISELEY BEFORE MAKING THE MOVE PERMANENT THIS SUMMER. THE CENTRAL MIDFIELDER HAS GONE FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH AS HE LOOKS TO ESTABLISH HIMSELF IN THE SIDE.

METCALFE WILL UNDOUBTEDLY ESTABLISH HIMSELF AS A KEY PLAYER AT INGFIELD.

CRAIG NELTHORPE – SPONSORED BY: JOHN BOWKER A KEY PLAYER IN JAS & WARDY’S SQUAD, NELTHORPE IS AN EXPERIENCED PLAYER WITH FOOTBALL LEAGUE EXPERIENCE AT DONCASTER ROVERS AND DARLINGTON. CRAIG HAS ALSO PLAYED FOR SEVERAL NATIONAL LEAGUE SIDES AND WILL ADD STEEL TO THE SIDE AND DANGEROUS SET PIECES TO THE TEAM.

DANNY WARD SIGNED IN THE SUMMER OF 2022 AFTER IMPRESSING THE MANAGEMENT WHILST ON TRIAL, DANNY IS A FIT, STRONG, BOX TO BOX MIDFIELDER WITH A GREAT ATTITUDE. HE HAS PREVIOUSLY PLAYED IN THE NCEL AND WANTS TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO STEP UP THE THE NPL AND PROVE HIMSELF.

DAN WASSELL – SPONSORED BY: OSSETT TOWN JUNIORS DAN IS YOUNG MIDFIELDER WHO PREVIOUSLY PLAYED FOR OSSETT TOWN JUNIORS FROM THE AGE OF FIVE, BEFORE JOINING SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY AS A 15-YEAR-OLD. THE ATTACKING MIDFIELDER PLAYED FOR WEDNESDAY’S U18S AND U23S AND WILL BRING DANGER AND EXCITEMENT TO ATTACKS.

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PLAYER PROFILES GOALKEEPERS

LUKE ALDRICH – SPONSORED BY: THE HANKS FAMILY LUKE IS A SUMMER SIGNING FROM ECCLESHILL UNITED WHERE HE SCORED 25 TIMES LAST SEASON AS THE CLUB NARROWLY MISSED OUT ON PROMOTION TO THE

NPL. ALONG WITH HIS EYE FOR GOAL, HE IS A SELFLESS PLAYER AND LOOKS TO CREATE SPACE AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR HIS TEAMMATES.

JUNAYD CASSIUS-GILL 21 YEAR OLD JUNAYD SPENT IS YOUTH AT HUDDERSFIELD TOWN AND BRADFORD CITY WITH NPL EXPERIENCE AT TADCASTER ALBION AND YORKSHIRE AMATEUR. HE CAN PLAY IN ANY OF THE ATTACKING POSITIONS AND WILL CERTAINLY EXCITE THE FANS WITH HIS ABILITY ON THE BALL

OLLIE FEARON – SPONSORED BY: KEITH & KATH WOOD MUCH SOUGHT AFTER, JAS AND WARDY ARE DELIGHTED TO ADD FEARON TO THE SQUAD THIS SEASON. OLLIE AVERAGED A GOAL EVERY TWO GAMES LAST SEASON AND IS A HARDWORKING FORWARD WHO WILL MAKE THE SIDE STRONGER ON AND OFF THE FIELD.

IFY OFOEGBU – SPONSORED BY: PAUL COOPER IFY MADE AN INSTANT IMPACT UPON SIGNING FROM GRANTHAM TOWN LAST SEASON, SCORING THE CLUBS GOAL OF THE SEASON ON HIS DEBUT, IN THE NEW YEAR’S DAY VICTORY OVER BRIGHOUSE TOWN. IFY IS A FAN FAVOURITE AND CEMENTED HIS POPULARITY FURTHER WITH A 96TH MINUTE WINNER VS SHEFFIELD FC LATE IN THE SEASON.

JACK WILSON – SPONSORED BY: BSP HYDRAULICS SIGNED ON LOAN FROM BRADFORD CITY, JACK IMPRESSED FOR THE BANTAMS IN A PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY AGAINST OSSETT UNITED, THE FORWARD HAS GREAT ABILITY AND WILL HOPE TO FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF CHARLIE WOOD AND BREAK INTO THE BRADFORD CITY FIRST TEAM SQUAD AFTER A LOAN SPELL AT INGFIELD.

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WHITCHURCH ALPORT FORMED IN 1946, WAFC TOOK ITS NAME FROM THE NEARBY ALPORT FARM WHICH WAS THE HOME OF LOCAL FOOTBALLER, COLEY MADDOX, WHO LOST HIS LIFE DURING WWII. ALPORT STARTED OUT IN THE SHREWSBURY & DISTRICT LEAGUE, WINNING THE TITLE TWO YEARS AFTER THEIR FORMATION, BEFORE BECOMING ONE OF THE FOUNDER MEMBERS OF THE MID CHESHIRE LEAGUE IN 1948.

ALPORT WENT ON TO ENJOY SOME SUCCESS IN THE 50’S AND 60’S, REACHING NUMEROUS CUP FINALS – ONE OF WHICH SAW THE CLUB CONTEST THE WELSH AMATEUR CUP FINAL AGAINST CHIRK AAA IN FRONT OF 5,000 SPECTATORS AT WREXHAM’S RACECOURSE GROUND. ARGUABLY THEIR FINEST HOUR THOUGH, CAME IN THE 1969-70 CAMPAIGN WHEN WHITCHURCH BECAME THE FIRST SIDE TO TAKE THE LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP OUTSIDE OF CHESHIRE. THEY ALSO WON THE SHROPSHIRE COUNTY CUP BUT IN PURSUIT OF THE TREBLE, KIDSGROVE ATHLETIC DENIED THEM OF UNRIVALLED SUCCESS, WITH WHITCHURCH BEATEN 4-2 IN THE LEAGUE CUP FINAL. STILL, IT DIDN’T STOP THE TOWN’S COUNCIL FROM HONOURING THE CLUB WITH A CIVIC RECEPTION ACKNOWLEDGING THE TEAM’S OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS. SEASON 1973/74 SAW THE CLUB ACHIEVE ARGUABLY ITS HIGHEST HONOUR TO DATE BY DEFEATING CARDIFF COLLEGE 2-1 TO BECOME THE FIRST ENGLISH SIDE EVER TO WIN THE WELSH AMATEUR CUP UNDER THE STEWARDSHIP OF THE LATE EDDIE MORRIS. BUT A DECADE LATER AND ALPORT WERE IN DECLINE.

A DISASTROUS DECISION TO FIELD ONLY LOCAL PLAYERS RESULTED IN BACK-TO-BACK BOTTOM PLACE FINISHES WITH BARELY A HANDFUL OF WINS ACROSS TWO SUCCESSIVE CAMPAIGNS.

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IN 2009, ALPORT WON THE SHROPSHIRE COUNTY CUP AT SHREWSBURY TOWN’S STADIUM WITH A 1-0 WIN OVER WELLINGTON AMATEURS. BUT JUST FOUR YEARS LATER, THE REDS RESIGNED FROM THE CHESHIRE LEAGUE JUST A FEW SHORT WEEKS BEFORE THE CAMPAIGN BEGAN, AND THERE WAS A QUESTION MARK AGAINST THE CLUB’S FUTURE. THEY SURVIVED – JUST - AND TOOK THE DECISION TO PLAY IN THE MERCIAN PREMIER DIVISION, BUT IT WAS FAR FROM PLAIN SAILING FROM THERE. AFTER A COUPLE OF SEASONS IN THE MERCIAN, THERE WAS AN EVEN BIGGER DECISION TO BE MADE: ALPORT HAD SEEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY FOR NWCFL STATUS. ORIGINALLY, THEIR APPLICATION WAS DECLINED BUT AN APPEAL WAS SUCCESSFULLY HEARD AT WEMBLEY STADIUM - WITH THE FA’S APPEALS COMMITTEE OVERTURNING THE ORIGINAL DECISION. AND IN AUGUST 2015, WHITCHURCH FINALLY STEPPED ONTO THE FIELD TO COMPETE AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL IN THEIR HISTORY, EARNING A 1-1 HOME DRAW WITH ROCHDALE TOWN (ATT:83) WITH LUKE WOOLLAM’S GOAL EARNING HIM A PLACE IN THE HISTORY BOOKS.

INITIALLY, THE REDS BEGAN BRIGHTLY, LOSING ONLY FIVE OF THEIR FIRST 15 LEAGUE GAMES. BUT A HARSH WINTER SAW INTEREST WANE AND MANY OF THE BETTER PLAYERS DECIDED THEY’D HAD ENOUGH. ALPORT LIMPED OVER THE LINE SIMPLY TO COMPLETE THEIR LEAGUE FIXTURES, BUT A MISERLY 16 POINTS FROM 34 LEAGUE MATCHES TOLD ITS OWN STORY. THE CLUB APPOINTED AN AMBITIOUS YOUNG MANAGER, LUKE GODDARD IN MAY 2016 HE SET ABOUT ASSEMBLING A BRAND NEW YOUTHFUL AND ENERGETIC TEAM & WAFC WERE BEATEN SEMIFINALISTS IN THE PLAY-OFFS EARNING THE RIGHT

WHITCHURCH ALPORT FA CUP. ALPORT WERE PROMOTED TO THE PREMIER DIVISION AFTER A THRILLING END TO THEIR 2017-18 SEASON. A PLAY OFF FINAL VICTORY OVER CAMMELL LAIRD IN FRONT OF A 733 CROWD AT YOCKINGS PARK SENT ALPORT TO THE TOP-FLIGHT AFTER JUST THREE SEASONS AS AN NWCFL CLUB. THE ETHELSTON CUP WAS WON FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 9 YEARS IN 2018 AND RETAINED IN 2019.

ALPORT FINISHED THEIR INAUGURAL SEASON IN THE PREMIER IN A RESPECTABLE 14TH PLACE AND TO COMPETE IN THE

SECURED A SECOND TROPHY BY LANDING THE HUDDERSFIELD CUP, WITH A PENALTY SHOOT-OUT VICTORY OVER MARKET DRAYTON. A CLUB RECORD 797 ATTENDANCE WAS SET AT THE GROUND FOR THE FA CUP TIE WITH LEEK TOWN IN SEPTEMBER 2019, AND A FEW WEEKS LATER, ALPORT WON THE

SHROPSHIRE SENIOR CUP FOR THE FIRST TIME IN TS HISTORY, BEATING SHREWSBURY TOWN 3-1 AT THE MONTGOMERY WATERS MEADOW. GODDARD STEPPED DOWN AS MANAGER IN DECEMBER 2019 HANDING OVER THE MANAGERIAL DUTIES TO MATT BURTON. LUKE WOULD LATER RETAKE THE REINS AT THE ALPORT AFTER THE DISMISSAL OF BURTON A NUMBER OF MONTHS LATER. WITH COVID DECIMATING THE NEXT COUPLE OF SEASONS, THE REDS HAVE SINCE MOVED TO THE MIDLANDS LEAGUE AND HAVE ENJOYED SUCCESS AGAIN BY WINNING THE SHROPSHIRE CUP LAST SEASON DEFEATING HAUGHMOND 3-2 AT AFC TELFORD AND ALSO REACHING THE QUARTER FINALS OF THE FA VASE

BLACK PARK ROAD

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VIEW FROM THE PRESS BOX CRAIG BIDDLESTONE FOOTBALL CAN BE A CRUEL SPORT SOMETIMES, AFTER THE DELIGHT OVER THE 2-0 WIN AT CARLTON TOWN LAST WEEKEND WE WERE BROUGHT SOUNDLY DOWN TO EARTH WITH A 3-0 LOSS AT HOME TO STOCKTON TOWN ON TUESDAY NIGHT. MY OWN PERSONAL THOUGHTS ON THE GAME THOUGH WERE THAT STOCKTON TOOK THEIR CHANCES AND IT’S FAIR TO SAY HAD THE OVERALL RUB OF THE GREEN, A COUPLE OF DEFENSIVE MISTAKES (JAS’S WORDS, NOT MINE) LEAD TO THEM SCORING 2 VERY GOOD GOALS, BUT THE DIFFERENCE

HONESTLY THINK WE CAN GET MORE THROUGH THE GATES.

ON THE NIGHT FOR ME WAS THAT THE CHANCES THEY HAD WERE CHANCES THAT WE OURSELVES WOULD HAVE PUT AWAY HAD WE HAVE HAD THE RUB OF THE GREEN. EVEN AT 3-0 DOWN WE CONTINUED TO GET FORWARD, CREATE, AND IF IT WASN’T FOR THE BALL NOT DROPPING IN TO THE RIGHT AREAS IT COULD HAVE SEEN US TAKE AT LEAST ONE OR TWO OF OUR CHANCES, AND YES, IT’S BLATANTLY OBVIOUS WHAT I’M SAYING BUT THAT’S FOOTBALL!

TODAY WE HOPE TO CONTINUE OUR EMIRATES FA CUP JOURNEY AS WE WELCOME WHITCHURCH ALPORT TO THE WORLD FAMOUS INGFIELD. I MUST ADMIT WHILST I HAD HEARD OF WHITCHURCH AS A PLACE I WASN’T A HUNDRED PERCENT SURE EXACTLY WHERE IT WAS, SO FOR THOSE OF YOU INTERESTED IT’S VERY NEAR THE ENGLAND/WALES BORDER, SORT OF SANDWICHED BETWEEN WREXHAM TO THE WEST, NANTWICH TO THE NORTH EAST AND MARKET DRAYTON TO THE SOUTH EAST. THAT

STOCKTON OF COURSE ARE RIDING ON THE CREST OF A WAVE, PLAY-OFFS LAST SEASON AND ALREADY GETTING OVER 1,000 IN FOR THEIR OPENING GAME LAST SATURDAY, SO WHEN YOU ARE DOING WELL THINGS DO FALL FOR YOU MORE. TUESDAY NIGHTS ATTENDANCE OF 407 ON A RAIN SOAKED NIGHT (BRING BACK THE WARM SUNNY WEATHER) IS VERY GOOD, AND YOU THE SUPPORTERS CONTINUE TO COME DOWN IN YOUR DROVES, BUT PERSONALLY I THINK WE COULD BE DOING BETTER. I’M NOT HAVING A GO AT ANY OF OUR SUPPORTERS, OUR FAN BASE - NEAR, FAR AND WIDE - IS SUPERB, OTHER CLUBS I KNOW ARE ENVIOUS, BUT I DO

22

I’VE SAID BEFORE THAT YES, WHEN LEEDS OR HUDDERSFIELD ARE AT HOME IT CAN AFFECT OUR ATTENDANCE, BUT WITH JAS AND WARDY HAVING STEERED US THROUGH THEIR FIRST PRE-SEASON YOU WILL SEE THE RESULTS GO OUR WAY, AS BOTH JAMES AND I ELUDED TO IN OUR LAST PROGRAMME NOTES THE FEELING AROUND THE CLUB AT THE MOMENT IS THAT THIS IS OUR STRONGEST SQUAD SINCE WE FORMED.

MAKES IT A FAIR TREK ALL THE WAY OVER TO LITTLE OLD OSSETT.

THEY CURRENTLY PLAY IN THE MIDLANDS LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION, SO ONE STEP BELOW OURSELVES, SO WOULD MAINLY PLAY CLUBS IN STAFFORDSHIRE, WORCESTERSHIRE AND THE WEST MIDLANDS, SO TO SAY THEY ARE AN UNKNOWN ENTITY FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE IS PUTTING IT LIGHTLY.

BUT THIS IS THE BEAUTY OF THE OLDEST CLUB CUP COMPETITION IN THE WORLD, YOU CAN END UP GOING TO SOME WEIRD AND WONDERFUL PLACES, WWW.OSSETTUTD.COM

VIEW FROM THE PRESS BOX CRAIG BIDDLESTONE AND PLAYING TEAMS THAT YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF, BUT IN KNOCKOUT FOOTBALL YOU CANNOT TAKE ANY OPPOSITION LIGHTLY, A RED CARD, AN OWN GOAL, OR A LUCKY DEFLECTION AND IT CAN MAKE PLAYING AGAINST A LOWER LEAGUE TEAM SUDDENLY LOOK LIKE YOU’RE PLAYING EUROPEAN CUP WINNERS.

I KNOW I BANG IN ABOUT CUP RUNS, SO IF WE ARE SUCCESSFUL TODAY WE’LL BE IN THE FIRST QUALIFYING ROUND, AND WHO KNOWS, GET SOME FAVOURABLE TIES AND NEXT THING YOU KNOW IT’S THE FOURTH, AND FINAL QUALIFYING ROUND, AND JUST LIKE OSSETT TOWN IN 2017/18 YOU FIND YOURSELVES IN THE HAT FOR THE FIRST ROUND PROPER (ALBEIT NEEDING A REPLAY TO TRY AND GET THROUGH). SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY OR DERBY COUNTY AT HOME I HEAR YOU SAY!

IRRESPECTIVE OF TODAY’S RESULT ENJOY THE GAME, ENJOY THE RADIO COMMENTARY FOR THOSE OF YOU UNABLE TO ATTEND, AND LET’S GET BEHIND THE TEAM. CRAIG.

WWW.OSSETTUTD.COM

23

FOOTBALL BOOK REVIEWS YOUR SHOW BY ASHLEY HICKSON-LOVENCE "YOU IMAGINE MOST PEOPLE HAVE FORGOTTEN ABOUT YOU ALREADY. THE IMPACT YOU HAD. FORGOTTEN THE GAMES YOU REFEREED, THE BIG NAMES YOU KEPT UNDER CONTROL AND, ON OCCASION, MAN-HANDLED." NEWCASTLE FANS, ALAN SHEARER AND KEVIN KEEGAN ASIDE, IT MAY WELL BE THE CASE THAT URIAH RENNIE MAY NOT HAVE A PROMINENT PLACE IN MOST FOOTBALL FANS' PSYCHES, BUT ASIDE FROM THE UNIVERSALLY ADMIRED PIERLUIGI COLLINA, FEW REFEREES PERHAPS DO – UNLESS IT’S FOR THE WRONG REASONS. YET, RENNIE IS THE SUBJECT CHOSEN BY ASHLEY HICKSONLOVENCE FOR A FICTIONALISED DEPICTION OF HIS LIFE IN YOUR SHOW AND FAR FROM BEING AN ODD OR MISCELLANEOUS CHOICE, RENNIE IS PERHAPS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT, GROUNDBREAKING AND SIGNIFICANT PEOPLE IN THE HISTORY OF THE GAME – THE PREMIER LEAGUE'S FIRST AND ONLY BLACK REFEREE.

THE JOB OF A REFEREE IS A LARGELY THANKLESS TASK; NOBODY WANTS TO BE A REF, THE OLD ADAGE GOES. WHATEVER HAPPENS, THE MAN OR WOMAN IN THE MIDDLE IS ALWAYS GOING TO DISAPPOINT SOMEONE: IF NOT THE HOME FANS, THE AWAY FANS, IF NOT ONE MANAGER, THE OTHER, IF NOT ONE PLAYER, ANOTHER. YET FOOTBALL WOULDN'T EXIST WITHOUT THEM (UNLESS SOMEONE INVENTS A FULLY-AUTOMATED POST-HUMAN VAR SYSTEM, WHICH, QUITE FRANKLY, IS THE STUFF OF DYSTOPIAN NIGHTMARES), AND WHILST IT'S EASY TO PICK APART THEIR ERRORS AND CALL OUT THEIR MISTAKES, TO LAMBAST THEIR DECISIONS AND FLING JUDGEMENTS THEIR WAY, THE JOB OF A REFEREE IS A DIFFICULT ONE THAT OFTEN GOES UNAPPRECIATED. AS WITH SO MUCH THESE DAYS, WE ARE QUICK TO REMEMBER AND POINT OUT THE BAD, BUT UNWILLING TO FLAG (PUN INTENDED) THE GOOD. THERE'S ALSO AN IRONY IN THAT WHEN A REFEREE DOES A GOOD JOB, HE'S ALL THE MORE INCONSPICUOUS, IT'S ONLY WHEN ONE IS DEEMED TO HAVE MADE A POOR DECISION (OR DECISIONS) THAT HE BECOMES PROMINENT. SO, NO WONDER, WE ASK OURSELVES WHO WANTS THIS JOB. BUT AMONGST THE ANNALS OF FOOTBALL HISTORY, ALONGSIDE THE NAMES OF CLUBS SUCH AS MANCHESTER UNITED, LIVERPOOL, ARSENAL, OF PLAYERS SUCH AS ALAN SHEARER, THIERRY HENRY AND VINCENT KOMPANY, MANAGERS SUCH AS SIR ALEX FERGUSON, BOBBY ROBSON AND JURGEN KLOPP, SITS THE NAME OF URIAH RENNIE, REFEREE. IT'S NOT A BAD PLACE TO FIND ONESELF, DESPITE THE IGNOMINY THAT GOES WITH THE TURF. NEITHER, TOO, IS STEPPING OUT AT WEMBLEY,

24

VILLA PARK, ELLAND ROAD, KEEPING PACE WITH MICHAEL OWEN, STANDING UP TO ROY KEANE OR WATCHING WAYNE ROONEY MAKE HIS DEBUT, ALL OF WHICH URIAH RENNIE CAN CLAIM ON HIS CV UNDER THE SEEMINGLY INGLORIOUS TITLE REFEREE. HMM, WHO WANTS TO BE A REFEREE? IT'S A LONG-STANDING TAUNT THAT REFEREES ARE THOSE WHO COULDN'T PLAY FOOTBALL, WHO WERE PICKED LAST IN THE PLAYGROUND, BUT ASHLEY HICKSON-LOVENCE'S FICTIONAL ACCOUNT OF URIAH RENNIE'S STORY TAKES READERS BACK TO THE VERY START, DEPICTING A NATURALLY GIFTED, ALL-ROUND

FOOTBALL BOOK REVIEWS ATHLETE, GOOD AT FOOTBALL, BUT WHO WAS CAPTIVATED BY THE

BOOK CELEBRATES.

ART OF REFEREEING, A MAN WHO IN HIS CAREER AT THE TOP OF THE GAME WOULD BE CITED AS 'THE FITTEST REFEREE WE HAVE EVER SEEN ON THE NATIONAL AND WORLD SCENE’. IT'S A

FACT THAT RENNIE REMAINS THE ONLY BLACK REFEREE TO HAVE OFFICIATED IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE. ANOTHER SAD TESTIMONY TO HOW LITTLE THE GAME AND SOCIETY HAVE PROGRESSED

REMINDER OF THE PHYSICAL DEMANDS ON OFFICIALS AT THE TOP LEVEL, AND WHAT THIS BOOK DOES INCREDIBLY WELL IS TO MAKE

DESPITE THE CONTINUED LIP SERVICE TO DO SO.

READERS SEE REFEREEING THROUGH FRESH EYES. YES, REFEREES ARE HUMAN AND MAKE MISTAKES, YES, DECISIONS ARE SUBJECTIVE, BUT THERE IS A SKILL, AN ART, A PRACTICE TO REFEREEING. IT'S NOT JUST A CASE OF FLASHING A CARD, BLOWING A WHISTLE AND HAVING A WORD, IT'S ABOUT POSITIONING, PREMEDITATING, PEACEKEEPING. IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT KEEPING UP WITH SOME OF THE FITTEST ATHLETES IN THE WORLD FOR 90 MINUTES, BUT MAKING SURE YOU'RE IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME TO MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS FOR THOSE 90 MINUTES. IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT CAUTIONING PLAYERS FOR TAKING OFF A SHIRT IN EXUBERANCE, IT'S ABOUT UPHOLDING THE LAWS OF THE GAME. AND THE BOOK REALLY PUTS THE READER IN THE REF'S BOOTS AND GIVES AN INSIGHT INTO THIS LITTLE-UNDERSTOOD YET MUCH-MALIGNED WORLD.

THE DEPICTION OF URIAH IS A ROUNDED ONE; IT IS CLEAR THAT RENNIE, IN HICKSON-LOVENCE'S PORTRAIT, IS AMBITIOUS AND HUNGRY TO MAKE HIS MARK, BUT IT'S EQUALLY AS CLEAR THAT HE'S FAIR AND HONEST, HARD-WORKING AND DISCIPLINED. THERE IS A VERY SINGLE-MINDED, PRAGMATIC FEEL TO THE BOOK, WHICH IS IN KEEPING WITH THE IMAGE OF URIAH THE REFEREE THROUGHOUT, BUT THE FINALE ESPECIALLY GOES BEHIND THIS FACADE AND UNCOVERS MORE OF THE MAN – A MAN WHO IS PRIVATE, GRACIOUS, COMMUNITY-MINDED AND GENEROUS. IT IS HARD NOT TO ADMIRE, RESPECT AND RELATE TO URIAH RENNIE IN HICKSON-LOVENCE'S DEPICTION, ALTHOUGH THE EMPHASIS ON NEWCASTLE UNITED AND RENNIE'S PERHAPS UNHEALTHY AFFILIATION WITH THEM MAY NOT DO MUCH TO TEMPER MAGPIES FANS. I FOUND MYSELF, THOUGH, REALLY FEELING FOR RENNIE IN HIS DEMOTION, HIS STRUGGLES WITH INJURY AND BEING OVERLOOKED FOR THE BIGGEST OF MATCHES AND HIS FAILED FA CUP DREAM. AGAIN, IT'S A REMINDER THAT WHILE PLAYING IN THE TOP FLIGHT, STEPPING OUT FOR FINALS AND GRACING THE WORLD STAGE IS A DREAM OF FOOTBALL PLAYERS, IT'S ALSO A DREAM FOR REFEREES TOO, AND FAR FEWER MAKE IT, IN REALITY. LIKE A FOOTBALLER'S CAREER, LIFE AT THE TOP IS SHORT-LIVED, IF LIVED AT ALL, BY THE MAJORITY OF REFEREES AND IT DOESN'T COME WITH THE PERKS OR GLAMOUR OF THE STARS. REFEREES FADE INTO OBLIVION OR REMAIN IN IGNOMINY, BUT FEW, IF ANY, ARE REMEMBERED AND CELEBRATED. URIAH RENNIE'S RISE TO THE TOP, THEN, IS AN ACHIEVEMENT IN ITSELF, AND ONE THAT THE

HOWEVER, THERE IS ALSO NO ESCAPING THE

LOVENCE-HICKSON’S BOOK IS A REAL BREATH OF FRESH AIR, NOT JUST IN HIS CHOSEN SUBJECT MATTER – WHO WANTS TO BE A REFEREE? – BUT IN ITS STYLE AND DELIVERY TOO, WHICH IS SHORT, SHARP, PUNCHY AND POETIC – ECHOING BOTH THE PACE AND PASSION OF THE BEAUTIFUL GAME. AND THERE IS NO DENYING THAT THE BOOK GIVES PAUSE FOR THOUGHT, ABOUT THE MAN OR WOMAN IN THE MIDDLE. IT’S SO EASY FOR THEM TO BECOME THE DEHUMANISED ANTAGONIST, THE ONE AT WHOM THE FINGER IS POINTED, BLAME IS ATTRIBUTED, VITRIOL IS FLUNG, BUT THEY’RE JUST PEOPLE DOING THEIR JOB, PEOPLE WHO’VE WORKED HARD TO GET TO WHERE THEY ARE AND WHO HAVE PRIDE AND PROFESSIONALISM. IT’S EASY TO SIT ON THE SIDELINES AND PICK FAULT, BUT IT’S NOT SO EASY TO STAND IN THE MIDDLE AND MAKE THE IMPORTANT DECISIONS.

WHO WANTS TO BE A REFEREE? THOSE WHO HAVE THE DETERMINATION AND DISCIPLINE TO REACH THE TOP, THOSE WHO HAVE THE COURAGE AND CONVICTION TO MAKE THE HARD DECISIONS, AND YES, THOSE WHO PERHAPS HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF EGO AND EAGERNESS TO PUT SOME OF THE BIGGEST CHARACTERS IN THE WORLD IN THEIR PLACE. URIAH RENNIE, ASHLEY HICKSON-LOVENCE’S BOOK SUGGESTS, WAS SUCH A MAN, AND HE AND THOSE WHO’VE GONE BEFORE HIM AND THOSE WHO FOLLOW IN HIS FOOTSTEPS SHOULD NOT BE SO EASILY DISMISSED OR FORGOTTEN. AFTER ALL, LOVE THEM OR LOATHE THEM AT TIMES, WITHOUT THEM, A FOOTBALL MATCH SIMPLY COULDN’T BE PLAYED. SO THE NEXT TIME, A REF MAKES A CLANGER, JUST SERENELY ASK YOURSELF WHO WANTS TO BE A REFEREE… UNLESS, OF COURSE, IT’S AGAINST YOUR TEAM!

(PUBLISHER: FABER & FABER. APRIL 2022, HARDCOVER: 336 PAGES)

25

Juice Personnel are an independent recruitment agency based in Wakefield. We were founded in 2003 in Huddersfield with the knowledge that things could be done differently. This led us to adopt what we called our ‘refreshingly different’ approach. This radical new approach to recruitment was based around our core values of mutual understanding, honesty, integrity and quality.

From day one we had a policy to constantly review how we worked.

Because of this dedication to self-improvement and our refreshing, personal approach to recruitment we saw a client and candidate loyalty that we’ve never experienced before and quickly outgrew our small office.

Skip forward a few years and we still hold fast to the same morals we started with: mutual understanding, honesty, integrity and quality. Because of our unwavering dedication to client and candidate satisfaction Juice Personnel are now seen as one of the leading independent recruiters in Wakefield.

OSSETT UNITED MEDIA PARTNER

CLUB HISTORY THE FORMATION OSSETT UNITED WAS CREATED ON THE 1ST JUNE 2018 FOLLOWING THE MERGER OF OSSETT TOWN AFC (EST. 1936) AND OSSETT ALBION AFC (EST. 1944). BOTH OSSETT TOWN AND OSSETT ALBION HAD MANAGED TO GAIN NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE STATUS AND MAINTAIN THAT LEVEL OF FOOTBALL FOR A REMARKABLE PERIOD OF TIME.

EARLY HISTORY THE

TWO CLUBS MERGED UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF A NEW BOARD BROUGHT TOGETHER FROM THE TWO

PREVIOUS CLUBS.

THE FOUNDING DIRECTORS WERE JOHN CHIDLAW (OA), JAMES ROGERS (OT), EMMA CHIDLAW (OA), DAWN ROGERS (OT), LEE SUMMERSCALES (OA) AND LEE BROADBENT (OT) FORMING THE NEW BOARD WITH SUPPORT FROM PHIL SMITH AS CEO. JOHN CHIDLAW TOOK ON THE ROLE OF CHAIRMAN FOR THE FIRST SEASON. THE CLUB MADE ITS NEW HOME INGFIELD, THE PREVIOUS HOME OF OSSETT TOWN, AND USED DIMPLE WELLS, THE PREVIOUS HOME OF OSSETT ALBION, AS ITS LADIES AND ACADEMY TEAM BASE. ON

THE PITCH, THE FIRST YEAR

(2018/19)

WAS A REMARKABLE SUCCESS WITH ATTENDANCES SIGNIFICANTLY

INCREASED FROM WHAT EITHER CLUB HAD EXPERIENCED PREVIOUSLY, COUPLED WITH SUCCESS ON THE PITCH REACHING THE PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL AND WINNING THE COUNTY CUP, UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF MANAGER ANDY WELSH. OFF THE PITCH THINGS WERE NOT AS SUCCESSFUL WITH A NUMBER OF RESIGNATIONS AND BOARD CHANGES AND SOME CHALLENGING FINANCIAL ISSUES TO DEAL WITH FOLLOWING THE MERGER.

BY THE END OF THE

2018/19 SEASON, PHIL SMITH HAD TAKEN ON THE MANTLE OF CLUB CHAIRMAN FOLLOWING A NUMBER OF BOARD CHANGES.

WAYNE BENN TOOK UP THE MANAGERIAL REIGNS IN LATE 2019 FOLLOWING A POOR START TO THE 2019/20 SEASON, HOWEVER, THAT SEASON WAS ENDED ABRUPTLY IN MARCH 2020 WITH THE ONSET OF A GLOBAL PANDEMIC KNOWN AS COVID 19. THE SEASON WAS NULL AND VOIDED. OFF THE PITCH THERE WERE MORE TROUBLES FOR OSSETT UNITED IN NOVEMBER 2019 AS

28

WWW.OSSETTUTD.COM

A SIGNIFICANT AND UNPRECEDENTED COURT CASE, DATING BACK TO A TACKLE IN

2015 WHEN OSSETT TOWN WERE

RADCLIFFE BOROUGH, WAS LOST WITH UNITED FACING LEGAL AND DAMAGES COSTS AMOUNTING £135,000. FORTUNATELY, THE CLUB RECEIVED A GENEROUS LOAN FROM TWO OF ITS CLOSEST SUPPORTERS AVOID THE CLUB GOING INTO LIQUIDATION (AT WORST) OR SELLING THE INGFIELD GROUND (AT BEST).

PLAYING

TO TO

THE START OF THE 2020/21 SEASON STARTED LATE DUE TO THE ONGOING PANDEMIC AND VIRTUALLY FINISHED AS SOON AS IT HAD STARTED WITH ONLY EIGHT LEAGUE GAMES HAVING BEEN PLAYED BY UNITED. THIS TIME THE SEASON WAS CURTAILED RATHER THAN NULL AND VOIDED AND MEANT A SECOND SEASON HAD GONE UNFINISHED. OFF THE PITCH ROGERS AND SMITH SWAPPED ROLES DUE TO SMITH'S WORK COMMITMENTS AND ROGERS TOOK ON THE ROLE AS CHAIRMAN, A ROLE HE HAD PREVIOUSLY HELD AT OSSETT TOWN. 2020 ALSO SAW

THE CLUB DECLARE DIMPLE WELLS AS SURPLUS TO REQUIREMENTS AND MADE ARRANGEMENTS TO SURRENDER THE LEASE MAKING INGFIELD THE SINGLE HOME OF THE UNITED CLUB.

2021/22 LAST SEASON SAW MANY CHANGES AT OSSETT UNITED BOTH ON AND OFF THE FIELD. AFTER A STRONG START TO THE PITCHING IN NPL EAST SEASON A RUN OF ONLY ONE WIN IN THREE MONTHS SAW WAYNE BENN AND ANDY HAYWARD LEAVE THE CLUB IN DECEMBER. JAS COLLIVER AND MARK WARD WERE APPOINTED TO RE-IGNITE THE SEASON AND STRENGTHEN THE SQUAD WHICH THEY DID FROM DAY ONE. THE DUO SAW THE CLUB GO UNBEATEN AT HOME WITH 7 WINS AND DRAWS HOWEVER THE AWAY FORM CONTINUED TO BE IN CONSISTENT. OFF THE FIELD NEW DUGOUTS WERE INSTALLED, BEFORE THE ERECTION OF A NEW PITCH SIDE BARRIER FOLLOWED BY THE UPGRADING OF THE FLOODLIGHTS TO LED TO BRING THE FACILITIES TO A HIGH STANDARD. COLLIVER

AND

WARD

HAVE SPENT THE CLOSE SEASON WORKING HARD TO RETAIN PLAYERS FROM THE SQUAD AS

WELL AS BRINGING IN REINFORCEMENTS TO STRENGTHEN THE SQUAD FURTHER AS THE CLUB LOOKS TO IMPROVE UPON THE NINTH PLACED FINISHED IN 21/22

WE ARE OSSETT UNITED

29

MATCH REPORT NPL EAST | 16/08/2022 | OSSETT UNITED 0 – 3 STOCKTON TOWN JAS COLLIVER

AND

MARK WARD

WERE FORCED INTO

ONE CHANGE TO THE STARTING LINE UP WITH

HDDGSON

CONNOR

COMING IN FOR HIS DEBUT AT THE EXPENSE

OF THE UNAVAILABLE ROSS HARDAKER.

UNITED WENT INTO THIS GAME FULL OF CONFIDENCE ON THE BACK OF TWO VICTORIES, BUT KNOWING STOCKTON TOWN WOULD PROVIDE THE STIFFEST TEST SO FAR, WITH THE NORTH EAST SIDE TIPPED BY MANY TO BE CELEBRATING PROMOTION AT THE END OF THE SEASON.

UNITED STARTED WELL, BREAKING INTO THE FINAL THIRD, FEARON GOING CLOSE WITH A GLANCING HEADER WHILE AT THE OTHER END HALL SHOWED SAFE HANDS AS HE GOT DOWN LOW TO SAVE A WELL STRUCK EFFORT FROM BEDDOW.

DESPITE THE POSITIVE START STOCKTON SHOWED THE ONE THING OSSETT WERE MISSING IN THE NINTH MINUTE AS A CLINICAL FINISH FROM BEDDOW OPENED THE SCORING, THE BALL FALLING NICELY FOR HIM 18 YARDS OUT. STOCKTON, FULL OF CONFIDENCE CREATED FURTHER CHANCES

BUT

EFFORTS FROM

STRONG

THOMPSON

DEFENDING

PREVENTING

AND WILD EFFORT FROM

MULLIGAN PUT THE BUS STATION WINDOWS IN DANGER, BUT HE WOULD SOON FIND HIS RANGE. HODGSON WAS RIGHTLY CAUTIONED FOR A PULL ON HAYES THERE WERE FURTHER NEEDLESS CAUTIONS ISSUED AS FIVE STOCKTON PLAYERS SURROUNDED THE REFEREE TO INFLUENCE HIM TO DISMISS HODGSON DESPITE THERE BEING TWO COVERING DEFENDERS. ROBERTS RAN ACROSS THE PITCH TO GET INVOLVED AND WAS FORTUNATE NOT BE PUNISHED AS NELTHORPE WAS PUSHED AND SHOULD, GIVING THE SAME BACK WAS PUT IN THE BOOK ALONGSIDE MULLIGAN FOR STOCKTON. THE CLINICAL VISITORS DOUBLED THEIR LEAD ON 38’ AS THE BALL WAS WORKED WELL TO NATHAN MULLIGAN

@OSSETTUNITED

HIS CURLING EFFORT OUT OF THE REACH OF HALL. DESPITE THE SCORE LINE, OSSETT UNITED CAUSED THE VISITORS PROBLEMS THROUGHOUT BUT ON THE NIGHT GOOD DEFENDING AND BLOCKS FROM PREVENTED ANY CHANGE TO THE SCORE.

STOCKTON

JOE STACEY CONTINUES TO IMPRESS FOR OSSETT AND WENT CLOSE IN THE EARLY STAGES OF THE SECOND

STOCKTON ATTACKED QUICKLY. COWGILL WON HIS CHALLENGE BUT OUTNUMBERED STOCKTON TOOK ADVANTAGE, SWITCHED THE PLAY TO ROBERTS HALF BEFORE

WHO HAD TIME TO PICK HIS SPOT FIRING LOW INTO THE CORNER.

JOE PARKIN, BASILE ZOTTOS AND LUKE ALDRICH CAME ONTO THE PITCH IN THE SECOND HALF AND ALL PLAYED THEIR PART, ALDRICH CAUSING THE VISITING DEFENCE PROBLEMS WITH HIS HARD WORK.

STOCKTON

MCDONALD

IN THE

GOAL AT ONE POINT CATCHING THE BALL

OUTSIDE HIS AREA TO PREVENT ALDRICH, FORTUNATELY FOR THE STOPPER ANOTHER INCIDENT MISSED BY THE MATCH OFFICIALS.

DESPITE THE RESULT ON PAPER LOOKING POOR, OSSETT UNITED CAN TAKE POSITIVES FROM THE GAME GOING FORWARD HAVING COMPETED WELL AGAINST A VERY STRONG SIDE. AREAS TO LEARN FROM AND IMPROVE FROM WILL WITHOUT BE TAKEN ON BOARD AS THE SEASON PROGRESSES.

OSSETT UNITED 1. EDD HALL, 2. TOM CROPPER, 3.

CONNOR HODGSON, 4. CRAIG NELTHORPE (17. JOE PARKIN, 45’), 5. JACK COWGILL, 6. BRAD BEATSON, 7.

IFY OFOEGBU (14. BASILLE ZOTOS, 60’), 8. MICHAEL HOLLINGSWORTH, 9. OLIVER FEARON, 10. OLI METCALFE (12. LUKE ALDRICH, 71’), 11. JOE STACEY | 15. JUNAYD CASSIUS-GILL, 16. HARRY GAGEN. ATT: 407

33

2022/2023 DATE

OPPONENT

RESULT

SCORERS

MO M

ATT

ZOTTOS, STACEY FEARON, OFOEGBU

CROPPER STACEY

275 212 407

AUGUST 06/08/22 13/08/22 16/08/22 20/08/22 23/08/22 27/08/22 29/08/22

(H) NEW MILLS (A) CARLTON TOWN (H) STOCKTON TOWN (H) WHITCHURCH ALPORT (A) DUNSTON (H) CLEETHORPES TOWN (A) PONTEFRACT COLLIERIES

FA CUP EP NPL EAST NPL EAST FA CUP P NPL EAST NPL EAST NPL EAST

2-0 2-0 0-3

SEPTEMBER 03/09/22 06/09/22 10/09/22 13/09/22 17/09/22 24/09/22

(A) BRIDLINGTON TOWN (A) STOCKSBRIDGE PARK ST (H) STOCKSBRIDGE PARK ST (A) SHILDON

FA CUP 1Q NPL EAST FAT 1Q NPL EAST NPL EAST FAT 2Q

(H) GRIMSBY BOROUGH (A) SHEFFIELD (H) HEBBURN TOWN (A) LONG EATON UNITED (H) CONSETT

NPL EAST NPL EAST NPL EAST NPL EAST NPL EAST

OCTOBER 01/10/22 08/10/22 15/10/22 22/10/22 29/10/22

NOVEMBER 05/11/22 12/11/22 19/11/22 26/11/22

(A) NORTH SHIELDS (H) LINCOLN UNITED (A) GRANTHAM TOWN (H) WORKSOP TOWN

NPL EAST NPL EAST NPL EAST NPL EAST

DECEMBER 03/12/22 10/12/22 17/12/22 26/12/22

(A) TADCASTER ALBION (H) SHILDON (H) CARLTON TOWN (A) BRIGHOUSE TOWN

NPL EAST NPL EAST NPL EAST NPL EAST

JANUARY 2023 02/01/23 07/01/23 14/01/23 21/01/23 28/01/23

34

(H) PONTEFRACT COLLIERIES (A) STOCKTON TOWN (H) DUNSTON (A) STOCKSBRIDGE PARK ST (H) TADCASTER ALBION

NPL EAST NPL EAST NPL EAST NPL EAST NPL EAST

@OSSETTUNITED

2022/2023 DATE

OPPONENT

RESULT

SCORERS

MOM ATT

FEBRUARY 04/02/23 07/02/23 11/02/23 18/02/23 25/02/23

(A) GRIMSBY BOROUGH (H) BRIDLINGTON TOWN

NPL EAST NPL EAST

(A) HEBBURN TOWN (H) SHEFFIELD

NPL EAST NPL EAST

(H) LONG EATON UNITED

NPL EAST

(A) CONSETT (H) NORTH SHIELDS

NPL EAST NPL EAST

(A) LINCOLN UNITED (A) CLEETHORPES TOWN (H) BRIGHOUSE TOWN (A) WORKSOP TOWN (H) GRANTHAM TOWN

NPL EAST NPL EAST NPL EAST NPL EAST NPL EAST

MARCH 04/03/23 11/03/23 18/03/23 25/03/23

APRIL 01/04/23 08/04/23 10/04/23 15/04/23 22/04/23

PLAYER STATS

NAME ALDRICH, LUKE ATTAKORAH, PRINCE BEATSON, BRAD CASSIUS-GILL, JUNAYD COWGILL, JACK CROPPER, TOM DEIGHTON, TOM FEARON, OLLIE GAGEN, HARRY HALL, EDD HARDAKER, ROSS HODGSON, CONNOR HOLLINGSWORTH, MICHAEL METCALFE, OLI NELTHORPE, CRAIG OFOEGBU, IFY PARKIN, JOE STACEY, JOE TEALE, JAKE WARD, DANNY WASSELL, DANNY WILSON, JACK ZOTTOS, BASILE

2022/23 APPS GLS 0(3) 0 3 1 3 3 0 3 0(1) 3 2 1 3 3 2(1) 2 (1) 3 0 0 0 0(1) 1(2)

WWW.OSSETTUTD.COM

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1

CAREER APPS GLS 0(3) 8(7) 19 1 26(1) 3 0(2) 3 35(3) 15 74 1 3 10 6(1) 17(5) 0(1) 3 8 0 0 0(1) 1(2)

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 6 0 1 0 0 0 0 1

35

PITCHING IN NPL EAST 2022/2023 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

STOCKTON TOWN CLEETHORPES TOWN PONTEFRACT COLLIERIES BRIDLINGTON TOWN GRANTHAM TOWN HEBBURN TOWN STOCKSBRIDGE PARK STEELS DUNSTON CARLTON TOWN OSSETT UNITED LONG EATON UNITED NORTH SHIELDS SHEFFIELD CONSETT AFC TADCASTER ALBION BRIGHOUSE TOWN LINCOLN UNITED WORKSOP TOWN SHILDON GRIMSBY BOROUGH

@NORTHERNPREMLGE

P 1 1 2 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1

HOME W D 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

L 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1

P 1 1 0 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

AWAY W D 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

L 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 1

P 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 2 2 2 2 1 2 2

W 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

D 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0

TOTAL L F 0 5 0 6 0 5 0 4 0 4 0 4 0 4 1 4 1 2 1 2 0 2 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 3 1 2 1 2 1 1 2 1 2 1

A 1 3 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 2 1 1 2 5 4 4 2 5 6

+/- Pts 4 6 3 6 4 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 1 4 1 3 -1 3 -1 3 0 2 0 2 0 1 -1 1 -2 1 -2 1 -2 1 -1 0 -4 0 -5 0

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OSSETT UNITED FA CUP HISTORY 2018/19 PRELIM

OSSETT UNITED

2-2

PRIESTLEY, CORNER PRELIM (R)

MOSSLEY

MOSSLEY HALFACRE, JONES

P2-2

HARRISON

OSSETT UNITED CHIPPENDALE

2019/20 PRELIM

BILLINGHAM TOWN

3-4

DAVIE, HUTCHINSON (2) 1Q

THORNABY

GREAVES (2), GUEST, KATSAMAGAS 2-2

PRESTON, HAMPSON (OG) 1Q (R)

OSSETT UNITED

OSSETT UNITED OSSETT UNITED GREAVES (2)

6-0

THORNABY

COLNE

0-0

OSSETT UNITED

OSSETT UNITED

0-4

COLNE

GUEST, GREAVES (4), HARRISON 2Q 2Q (R)

DONALDSON, CHIPPENDALE, GONZALES, HUGHES

2020/21 PRELIM

CONSETT

P2-2

WILKINSON, ALSHABEEN

OSSETT UNITED PUREWALL (OG), STOCKDILL

2021/22 EP

OSSETT UNITED

2-0

NEW MILLS

ZOTTOS, STACEY PRELIM

@EMIRATESFACUP

OSSETT UNITED

-

WHITCHURCH ALPORT

WWW.THEFA.COM

EMIRATES FA CUP PRELIMINARY ROUND Northwich Victoria 2-3 West Didsbury Stansted 1-1 Buckhurst Hill Aylesbury 1-0 Ardley United Southall 0-1 Peacehaven & T Sholing 2-1 AFC Portchester Marlow v Thame Utd Stockton Town v Pontefract Colls Tow Law Town v Ashington West Allotment Celtic v Workington Newcastle Benfield v Shildon Carlisle City v Goole Bishop Auckland v Kendal Town North Shields v Seaham Red Star Bridlington Town v Dunston Heaton Stannington v North Ferriby Avro v Albion Sports Ramsbottom Utd v City of Liverpool Mossley v Macclesfield Trafford v Runcorn Linnets Congleton Town v Bootle Clitheroe v Colne Sheffield v Glossop North End Silsden v Charnock Richard Brighouse Town v Penistone Church Ossett United v Whitchurch Alport Skelmersdale Utd v Prescot Cables Prestwich Heys v Stocksbridge Park Steels Market Drayton Town v Highgate United Hanley Town v Hinckley LR Lye Town v Kidsgrove Athletic Leek Town v Atherstone Town Romulus v Halesowen Town Coleshill Town v Chasetown Witton Albion v Tivdale Lichfield City v Bugbrooke St Michaels Malvern Town v Worcester Raiders Sporting Khalsa v Boldmere St Michaels Newcastle Town v Bedworth United Wolverhampton Casuals v Stone Old Alleynians Stourport Swifts v Racing Club Warwick

@EMIRATESFACUP

Studley v Rugby Town Carlton Town v Loughborough Students Long Eaton United v Quorn AFC Mansfield v Worksop Town Spalding United v Stamford Anstey Nomads v Skegness Town Harborough Town v Bottesford Town Kimberley Miners Welfare v Leicester Nirvana Lincoln United v Grantham Town Cleethorpes Town v Handsworth Shepshed Dynamo v Pinchbeck United Ipswich Wanderers v Gorleston Bury Town v Newmarket Town Kempston Rovers v Wisbech Town St Neots Town v Godmanchester Rovers Midenhall Town v Histon Soham Town Rangers v Potton United Fakenham Town v Sheringham AFC Sudbury v Stowmarket Town Dareham Town v Felixtowe & Walton Utd Biggleswade Town v Whitton United Waltham Abbey v Tilbury Brentwood Town v Harlow Town Barton Rovers v Hashtag United Maldon & Tiptree v Harpenden Town Leverstock Green v St Panteleimon AFC Dunstable v Edgware & Kingsbury Southend Manor v Shefford Town & Campton Berkhamsted v Ware FC Clacton v East Thurrock United Wlewyn Garden City v Hertford Town Ilford v Enfield Stotfold v Grays Athletic Brantham Athletic v Witham Town Barking v Leighton Town Bishop’s Cleeve v Brimscombe & Thrupp Cinderford Town v Chipping Sodbury Town Kidlington v Binfield Flackwell Heath v Slimbridge Holyport v Ascot

WWW.THEFA.COM

EMIRATES FA CUP PRELIMINARY ROUND Easington Sports v Roman Glass St George Royal Wootton Bassett Town v Reading City Aylesbury Vale Dynamos v Bristol Manor Farm Cirencester Town v Clevedon Town Didcot Town v Cadbury Heat Beckenham Town v K Sports Walton & Hersham v Littlehampton Burgess Hill Town v Stansfeld North Greenford United v Sheerwater Sheppy United v Newhaven Colliers Wood United v Chatham Town Hassocks v Uxbridge Fisher v Sittingbourne Midhurst & Easebourne v Harefield United Crawley Down Gatwick v Spelthorne Sports Leatherhead v Haywards Heath Town Corinthian v Guildford City Virginia Water v Eastbourne Town Punjab United v Westfield Ashford Town (Middx) v Northwood Merstham v Sevenoaks Town Three Bridges v Deal Town Chichester City v Knaphill Sutton Athletic v Ashford United Erith Town v Bedfont Sports Club Tunbridge Wells v Phoenix Sports Lancing v East Grinstead Town Raynes Park Vale v Hythe Town Glebe v Cray Valley (PM) Hanworth Villa v Chertsey Town Rusthall v Ramsgate Tooting & Mitcham Utd v VCD Athletic Blackfield & Langley v Fareham Town Cowes Sports v Larkhall Athletic Moneyfields v Wimborne Town Laverstock & Ford v Utd Services Portsmouth Baffins Milton Rovers v Horndean Hamworthy United v Badshot Lea Camberley Town v Wincanton Town Westbury United v Andover New Street

@EMIRATESFACUP

AFC Totton v Melksham Town Lymington Town v Basingstoke Town AFC Stoneham v Newport (IW) Helston Athletic v Falmouth Town AFC Willand Rovers v Ilfracombe Town Shepton Mallett v Brixham Paulton Rovers v Bideford Torpoint Athletic v Mousehole Buckland Athletic v Frome Town Wickham v Sunderland RCA Biggleswade v Cambridge City Bury AFC v Widnes FC Romania v Heybridge Swifts Romford v Takeley Dunstable Town v West Essex Lowestoft Town P-P Mulbarton Wanderers* *Pending FA Investigation

The draw for the FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round will be published at 1pm on Monday 22 August.

Clubs from Step 3 will enter at this stage and the ties will take place the weekend of Saturday 3 September.

WWW.THEFA.COM

THE BIRTH OF BRAZIL WHEN WE LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF FOOTBALL, ONE NATION STANDS OUT ABOVE EVERY OTHER. BRAZIL HAVE WON THE WORLD CUP FIVE TIMES, A RECORD, AND HAVE PRODUCED NOT JUST SOME OF THE BEST PLAYERS OF ALL TIME, BUT ARGUABLY THE GREATEST OF THEM ALL. BUT THEY ARE MORE THAN JUST A SUCCESSFUL SIDE; THEY HAVE DEFINED THE SPORT IN THE IMAGINATIONS OF GENERATIONS OF CHILDREN ACROSS THE GLOBE.

O JOGO BONITO –

THE

– THE PHRASE THAT MOST EMPHATICALLY FOOTBALL, WAS POPULARISED BY PELÉ HIMSELF.

BEAUTIFUL GAME DEFINES

WHEN

PEOPLE THINK OF THE WAY THE GAME SHOULD BE

PLAYED, THEY THINK OF

BRAZIL. SO

HUNDRED YEARS AGO, IN

DEVON. AND IT WASN’T SUPPOSED

IT MAY BE SURPRISING

TO LEARN THAT THIS JOURNEY BEGAN, JUST OVER ONE TO HAPPEN AT ALL.

IN

THE SUMMER OF

1914,

SEVERAL MORE SUCCESSFUL

FOLLOWING THE EXAMPLE OF

EUROPEAN SIDES, EXETER CITY ARGENTINIAN FA

ACCEPTED THE INVITATION OF A NASCENT TO TOUR THE COUNTRY.

THESE

TOURS WERE LUCRATIVE

FOR ALL INVOLVED, AND DESPITE BEING IN THE SOUTHERN LEAGUE AT THE TIME, EXETER WERE CHOSEN AS A “TRULY REPRESENTATIVE” EXAMPLE OF ENGLISH FOOTBALL.

FIFTEEN PLAYERS SET OFF FOR ARGENTINA, BUT ALMOST DIDN’T MAKE IT AT ALL. THEIR SHIP STOPPED OFF IN SANTOS, WHERE THE ENTIRE SQUAD WAS ARRESTED, HAVING NOT REALISED THAT PUBLIC SWIMMING WAS ILLEGAL. FORTUNATELY FOR THE HISTORY OF FOOTBALL, THEY WERE RELEASED AND WENT ON THEIR WAY TO A SUCCESSFUL TOUR

ARGENTINA. DESPITE INVITED TO BRAZIL, THEIR OF

NOT HAVING INITIALLY BEEN

POPULARITY PROMPTED A FEW GAMES TO BE ORGANISED AS THE GRECIANS STOPPED OFF ON THEIR WAY HOME, THE FIRST TIME AN ENGLISH PROFESSIONAL TEAM HAD PLAYED IN THE COUNTRY.

THE

FIRST GAME WAS AGAINST A GROUP OF

ENGLISH

EXPATS, A SIMPLE 3-0 WIN FOR THE SOUTHERN LEAGUE

44

SIDE, AND THE SECOND WAS A MORE COMPETITIVE

5-3 VICTORY AGAINST A SIDE REPRESENTING THE CLUBS OF RIO DE JANEIRO. FOR THE THIRD, RIO AND SAO PAULO JOINED FORCES, SOMETHING OF A SURPRISE GIVEN THE RIVALRY BETWEEN THE TWO CITIES, TO PRESENT A SIDE MADE UP OF THEIR BEST PLAYERS. THIS SIDE IS NOW RECOGNISED AS THE VERY FIRST BRAZILIAN NATIONAL TEAM. THE ESTÁDIO DAS LARANJEIRAS – FLUMINENSE’S HOME TO THIS DAY – WAS CHOSEN FOR THE AUSPICIOUS OCCASION.

THE

FOOTBALLING AUTHORITIES SAW THE GAME AS A GOOD TEST BEFORE AN UPCOMING INTERNATIONAL

ARGENTINA, BUT IT WAS MORE THAN PRACTICE TO THE FANS. 10,000 PACKED INTO THE 6,000-CAPACITY STADIUM – AND ONTO IT, WITH NO ROOM EVEN ON THE ROOF – TO SEE THEIR SIDE IN TOURNAMENT IN

BRILLIANT WHITE SHIRTS WITH A BLUE STRIPE ON THE ARM;

BRAZIL WOULDN’T ADOPT THEIR FAMOUS YELLOW

SHIRTS UNTIL AFTER THEIR DEFEAT IN THE 1950 WORLD

CUP FINAL. WHEN OSWALDO GOMES OPENED THE SCORING FOR THE HOSTS, THE THOUSANDS WENT WILD, “WAVING HATS AND WALKING STICKS, AND IN THE STANDS LADIES AND YOUNG

@OSSETTUNITED

FIND MORE AT THEUNTOLDGAME.CO.UK OR ON SOCIAL MEDIA @THEUNTOLDGAME TO UNITE.

TRAVEL

WAS A CHALLENGE, WITH THE MOST

RELIABLE METHOD OF GOING FROM NORTH TO SOUTH STILL BEING BY STEAMER ALONG THE COAST, AND THE DIFFERENT

REGIONS ACTING, IN SOME WAYS, AS AUTONOMOUS STATES.

BRAZIL

WAS DESPERATE FOR AN OUTLET, AN IDENTITY ON

WHICH THEY COULD PIN THEIR NATIONHOOD.

AND IN THESE NATIONAL HEROES, THEY FOUND JUST THAT. WHICH IS WHY IN BRAZIL, MORE THAN ANY OTHER NATION, FOOTBALL REIGNS. ENJOY THE GAME. GIRLS

WAVED

HANDKERCHIEFS,

SHOUTING

HURRAHS"

ACCORDING TO LOCAL NEWSPAPERS. EXETER RESPONDED, DISPLAYING ALL THE CYNICISM THAT WOULD HAMSTRING

ENGLISH

MARTYN GREEN, THE UNTOLD GAME

FOOTBALL FOR NEARLY HALF A CENTURY, BY

MAKING THE GAME FOR PHYSICAL, REPORTEDLY CAUSING FACIAL INJURIES TO STAR BRAZILIAN STRIKER ARTHUR

FRIEDENREICH,

COSTING HIM TWO TEETH. HIS SUFFERING, HOWEVER EXAGGERATED, HAS BECOME A TOUCHSTONE FOR

BRAZILIAN

FOOTBALL, STANDING UP AGAINST THE IMPERIAL

EUROPEANS. HE RESPONDED BY BRAZIL’S SECOND, AFTER WHICH (ACCORDING TO THE BRAZILIAN STORY), EXETER DESCENDED INTO VIOLENCE, BUT TO NO AVAIL. INJUSTICES OF THE FINDING OSMAN FOR

THE FINAL WHISTLE SAW THE PLAYERS CARRIED OFF ON THE SHOULDERS OF THE CROWD AND PRAISED FOR THE

“MASTERY”

OF THEIR STYLE IN UNDOING THE

PROFESSIONALS. HEROES.

AND

THEY

WERE

PROCLAIMED

ENGLISH

NATIONAL

IN MOST NATIONS, THAT WOULD BE THAT.

VICTORIOUS INTRODUCTION TO INTERNATIONAL

A FOOTBALL,

PART OF A SPORTING HISTORY BUT NOT A PART OF THE NATIONAL IDEOLOGY.

BUT BRAZIL

WAS DIFFERENT. IT HAD

ONLY BEEN TRULY INDEPENDENT FOR

25

YEARS IN

1914,

AND BECAUSE OF ITS SIZE IT WAS UNWIELDY AND DIFFICULT

WWW.OSSETTUTD.COM

45

EDD HALL JAKE TEALE PRINCE ATTAKORAH BRAD BEATSON JACK COWGILL (C) TOM CROPPER HARRY GAGEN ROSS HARDAKER CONNOR HODGSON GLYN COTTON TOM DEIGHTON MICHAEL HOLLINGSWORTH OLI METCALFE CRAIG NELTHORPE JOE PARKIN JOE STACEY DANNY WARD DANNY WASSELL LUKE ALDRICH JUNAYD CASSIUS-GILL OLLIE FEARON IFY OFOEGBU JACK WILSON BASILE ZOTTOS

ASH RAWLINS SEAN GRIFFITHS (C) JUNIOR BROWN JAMES ROWLAND AARON SIMMS JOE CARE ALEX HUGHES JOE HUNTER JUD ELLIS JORDAN EVANS JOE FLORY KIERAN EVANS GEORGE CARPENTER DENNIS NIELSEN KEILAHN ANNIKEY LYNDON CAMPBELL JOE HUNTER JOSH MADELEY TABARI MAXWELL DENNIS NIELSEN OLIVER POPE DANIEL SKELTON IVAN URVANTEV

MATCH OFFICIALS AR1 ADAM BAGULEY

REFEREE STEPHEN GRAINGER

AR2 LEE DAVIES