St Neots Town Vs Cambridge City

THE OFFICIAL MATCHDAY MAGAZINE £2.00

Southern League Premier Division V

Cambridge City Issue 13

08 Cup Joy! / Read the match report from last Saturdays’ cracking win against the Quakers at a very wet Cozy Stadium

Fe Ne at w ur e!

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Managers Notes / Kingy praises our wonderful support Owner Mike Kearns Chairman Mike Kearns Managing Director Lee Kearns Director Iain Parr Football Manager Gary King

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Who’s the Greatest?! / A series that you can join in with

Assistant Managers Liam George Matthew Spring

Youth Liaison & Development Mick Hunt

Club Secretary Gary Wilson

Physio Chris Budd

Fixture Secretary Marian Izzard

Functions and Events Coordinator Louise Spark

Life President John Walker Team Officials Richard King (Goalkeeping Coach)

St Neots Town TV Editor Adam Ridley Club Merchandise Linda Walters

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Stews Views / A cracking read by Craig!

Programme Editor Mark Davies Club Photographer Claire Howes Site Manager Irmantas Sabaliauskas Chief Liaison Officer Mike Green Programme Sales Charlie Green

Matchday Music / Scoreboard Simon Hutchinson Pitchcare Working Turf Design & Marketing Blue Prawn Print XL Press Limited

INSIDE

Issue 13 V Cambridge City Southern League Premier Division

Also Inside 06 Action Replay 16 The Chairmans’ Views 20 Read All About It 22 The Beautiful Game

14 The Richest Footballers in 2013 / We count down from 10!

38 ‘Cloughie’ The Legend / Closing a series of brilliant reading

28 Introducing Our Club Chaplain 30 Pull-Out Poster 32 Greenies Greetings 36 Away Days 44 MD’s Views 48 Leagues Review 49 Bizarre Football Stories 52 Commentators Football Gaffes 53 Season 2014/15 Fixtures Matrix 54 The Non-League Paper

24 Todays’ Visitors / A warm welcome to The Lilywhites Founded 1879 The Cozy Stadium Rowley Park, Kester Way St Neots PE19 6SL Telephone 01480 470012 Email enquiries@stneotstownfc.co.uk Official Website www.stneotstownfc.co.uk Official Forum www.stneotstownfc.co.uk/forum

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56 Season 2014/15 Statistics 58 Premier Division League Table 60 Home & Opposition Squads

Introducing Nathan Frater / Our talented striker, brother of Ryan Southern Football League Division One champions, 1 time United Counties League Premier Division champions, 2 times Division One champions, 1 time League Cup winners, 2 times Metropolitan League Champions, 1 time League Cup winners, 1 time Professional Cup winners, 1 time South Midlands League Champions, 1 time

Huntingdonshire League Champions, 4 times Huntingdonshire Senior Cup Winners, 37 times Hinchingbrooke Cup Winners, 2 times

WWW.STNEOTSTOWNFC.CO.UK / PAGE 03

MANAGERS NOTES

GARY KING Good evening everybody and welcome to everyone affiliated with Cambridge City FC. Firstly I have to say sorry for missing the deadline on last Saturday’s notes for the Darlington fixture. I must say I have just about had the buyest couple of weeks I’ve ever had at the club. Most of that time has been trying to bring in new players to the club. I know you may say that we have a great squad made up of many players but there are things behind the scenes that only myself my management team and the Chairman know about like the departure of Arthur Lee. There is not much we do not hear about “before” they happen and Arthurs impending departure was one of them, we knew before he pulled out of the Ilkeston FA Trophy match that he could be leaving the club, Unfortunately he called in on that Saturday morning with an injury forcing him to pull out of that game, you can make your own conclusions on that one.

MOVING THE GOAL POSTS So well before that we had to look at replacements and we do have a short list of players that we would like to join us, one of those being Tom Ward whom we signed from St Albans City.

Tom being a centre half would give us competition for the two places up for grabs in those positions with Josh and also Edd returning to fitness gives us cover for left back.

We are also in negotiations for another couple of players and one

will incur a transfer fee of which we are still trying to negotiate with the players club of which is giving us much frustration as the “Goal posts” are forever being moved, it’s a deal its not a deal, the pain of having to deal with this type of transfer is so frustrating.

We come into tonight’s game on the back of what was a fantastic cup tie here on Saturday in front of our biggest attendance of the season.

A special mention for our supporters; you were fantastic on the day, indeed the atmosphere created by both sets of supporters really played its part in what turned out to be a superb cup tie.

NEW STANDARDS We were especially pleased as a management team and a squad to be the first St Neots side to make it to this stage in the competition.

I suppose when I think about it that’s what I try to do, I want to be involved with a St Neots

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side that sets new standards for the club, that progresses further in all competitions than we have ever achieved previously.

Darlington were as good as any side we have seen here this season and going down to 10 men very early on galvanized them. It was well documented that they hadn’t

conceded a goal in 8 games but we felt if we were patient and kept moving the ball and asking the right questions that they would eventually crack and on the day a fantastic piece of skill from Lew eventually undone all of their hard work. Still they had enough about them to equalise with 10 men but it was especially pleasing for me that we had enough to go on again from that point and ensure a special victory and our place in the hat for the next round. A replay would not have been good for us; a midweek trip to Darlington ahead of our trip to Bideford on Saturday, on top of the fact tonight’s league game would have been cancelled, would not have been in our best interests and I am please we have avoided that.

LEAGUE RETURN So it’s back to league action this evening as we look to get back on track after our defeat to Truro. I felt that our defeat to Truro was an unfortunate one.

In terms of performance I was happy in as much that I felt we pinned Truro in their own half for the entire second half and the fact they defended like lions, combined with chinks of luck in terms of us hitting the woodwork and goal line clearances, they managed to hang on to all 3 points.

Consistency is the key for us as it is for every side; I believe with the exception of Poole who have the benefit of having had a genuine attempt at trying to win this league last season, all the other sides in the top ten have shown inconsistencies up to this point so our focus right now in terms of the league is to keep working together to deliver the consistency it takes in order to be successful.

Onwards and upwards

Kingy.

WWW.STNEOTSTOWNFC.CO.UK / PAGE 05

This week seven years ago UCL Premier Division (17 November 2007) St Neots Town

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Northampton Spencer

Although the point gained from this match took St Neots back to the top of the League with Boston on FA Vase duty it was not an impressive performance

by St Neots. The result was an improvement on their 2-1 home defeat by Spencer in the League Cup in September but on this showing they are a long way from being a genuine promotion prospect. It was only Spencer’s woeful finishing in the first half that allowed St Neots to maintain their narrow half time lead and when the long awaited Spencer equaliser came it was down to a goalkeeping howler from Jon Chatfield. With three key defenders still out injured St Neots must feel very grateful to the reliable Kevin Ashby whose defensive heroics was a major contributing factor to their draw. Alongside him Steven Dogbe in only his second match is looking a good prospect and will give the Management hard selection choices when all the players are fit.

A poor clearance early in the game set up Kevin Slinn but the visiting striker brought a fingertip push over the bar from Chatfield. Then after 13 minutes St Neots were in front as from a

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short corner Franklin crossed to the near post for Ivan Finch to slide the ball in. St Neots were then denied a good opening when Belgrave was brought down just outside the area and although the defender was booked the free kick came to nothing. An overhead effort by Kevin Ashby was deflected onto the crossbar by a defender and scrambled clear, Steve Kuhne headed wide from six yards and up to this point St Neots had looked the better side.

However in the last ten minutes of the first half St Neots lost their way. Darren Frost curled a free kick just wide of the far post with Chatfield struggling to cover his goal and a snap shot from Scott Marshall rebounded from the crossbar. Both Slinn and Frost then shot wide as St Neots began to struggle to contain the visiting attack.

After the break there was a lengthy barren period in which neither goal was threatened.

St Neots decision to replace Danny Marlow in midfield with Chris Garwell did nothing to improve their attempts to claw their way back into the match and apart from one shot by Bas Belgrave that hit Steve Kuhne

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there was little to report on St Neots attempts to increase their lead. The visitors seemed to grow in confidence again and they looked the more likely side to score but when the goal came it was a great disappointment to the home supporters. Darren Frost burst through on the right to shoot from a fairly narrow angle and goalkeeper Chatfield appeared to misjudge the pace of the shot and he dived over the well struck shot to concede the equaliser. St Neots sent on Jon Hall and Ben Cole two Youth team players in a bid to pep up their attack but they had little time to have a real effect and they had to settle for just one point as a result of their lacklustre second half efforts.

St Neots: Chatfield, Hoggett, Barry, Dogbe, Ashby, Marlow, Finch, Franklin, Kuhne, Belgrave, Francis.

Subs: Garwell (for Marlow 55 mins), Hall (for Francis 78 mins), Cole (for Kuhne 83 mins), Fisk & Hole.

Scorer: Ivan Finch (13mins) MOM: Kevin Ashby

NATHAN FRATER CUTS IN

ST NEOTS TOWN 3 DARLINGTON 1883 1 15:11:2014 / FA Trophy Round Two Qualifying / Att 715 / Referee: Ben Cooke (Tamworth)

Darlington unbeaten in their last nine league and cup games saw their proud record disappear after they were forced to play all but three minutes against St Neots with ten men.

In the first significant attack of the match visiting central defender Liam Hatch was dismissed for throwing a punch at Ryan Frater following a Matt Spring corner.

However the visitors put up a spirited performance and might well have gone ahead but for two excellent saves by St Neots goalkeeper Paul Bastock. In the end it was fatigue as well as three St Neots goals that put the home side in the third qualifying round of the competition for the first time ever as Darlington wilted under concerted second half pressure with all four goals coming in the last twenty minutes. St Neots had to make a team change with Josh Bickerstaff sidelined by a training injury and so there was a welcome return to the side after missing three games through injury for Ryan Frater with Dave Deeney switched to cover the full back role. In front of their biggest crowd for several seasons St Neots struggled to find their rhythm against a well organised and at times physical visiting side but their kept their patience and was rewarded with their fine late performance.

After that dramatic opening Bastock saved well from a powerful Stephen Thompson volley and a second visiting player Thomas Portas looked to by fortunate only to get a caution after a rash two footed tackle. Ben

Ford off balance volleyed straight at visiting keeper Peter Jameson and then from another Spring Corner Gavin Hoyte headed onto the roof of the net. A second important save

by Bastock from Graeme Armstrong was a relief for the home side after a midfield collision between two of their players had set up the Darlington attack and then the best early St Neots chance after 31 minutes saw Drew Roberts set up Lewis Hilliard who saw his low effort at the neat post blocked by the goalkeeper’s legs. St Neots were gradually making their numerical advantage show and they created two late first half openings but Jameson did well to save bravely at the feet of Roberts as the striker attempted to dribble around him and then Deeney headed a Spring corner over the bar when he should have left the cross to the better placed Ryan Frater.

Armstrong shot wide for Darlington in the first minute after the restart but it was fairly obvious that the visitors were settling for a draw and a replay. They flooded their defence leaving just Amar Purewal as their sole striker and it handed St Neots a large share of possession.

A Roberts’ snap volley from a tight angle saw Jameson go full length to push the ball away and then he

spilled a shot by Jay Davies resulting in a corner from which Ryan Frater headed into the side netting. With play one way towards the Darlington goal Ben Ford brought a good save from the keeper after good work

by Deeney and then headed wide after clever play by Roberts. The expected breakthrough came after 70 minutes as Deeney progressed down the right to cross for Max York to set up Lewis Hilliard whose delightfully curling cross opened the scoring. Briefly Darlington tried to retaliate and found a gap in the St Neots back line for Purewal to level the scores after 77 minutes but they were only on terms for 50 seconds and then from a Ford cross Drew Roberts claimed his sixteenth goal of the season with a perfectly placed header. The save of the match followed as Jameson turned a screamer from 35 yards by Hilliard for a corner and Bastock who had seen little of the ball in the second half did well to save a rising shot from Stephen Thompson. The icing on the cake for St Neots came five minutes from time when a bad back pass by Gary Brown was pounced on by Drew Roberts who unselfishly set up Hilliard for his second goal of the match.

John Walker

St Neots Town

Darlington 1883

Bastock, Deeney, York, Ford, Frater (R). Hoyte, Davies, Spring, Frater (N), Roberts, Hilliard. Subs: Dillon (for Frater (N) 76), Cracknell (for Ford 79), Ferrari, Farrell and Ward. Cards: Davies (Y – 60) Goals: Hilliard 2 (70 & 85 mins), Roberts (78 mins)

Jameson, Brown, Watson, Hatch, Hunter, Portas, Mitchell, Scott, Armstrong, Purewal, Thompson. Subs: Dowson (for Armstrong 55), Galbraith (for Scott 60), Cocks, Lovegreen and Bell.

Cards: Hatch (RED – 3), Portas (Y – 12), Jameson (Y – 50), Hunter (Y – 72), Dowson (Y – 86) Goals: Purewal (77 mins)

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WWW.STNEOTSTOWNFC.CO.UK / PAGE 09

JAY DAVIES

GAVIN LEADS OUT THE TEAM WITH THE MATCHDAY MASCOT

Mascot feature

The Saints Matchday Mascot Experience!

• Free entry for mascot and parents • Use of our hospitality room • Signed match day programme by your favourite player, which you will also appear in • Meet your favourite player and have your photo taken • Tour of the stadium • Have a kick about on the main pitch • Lead the Saints on to the pitch • Free portion of chips and drink for the mascot

To apply to be a Matchday Mascot contact Louise Spark on misslouises@yahoo.co.uk

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/STNEOTSTOWNFC / PAGE 13

WHO WERE THE HIGHEST P This list of the highest paid soccer players comes from Forbes who compiled the data in 2013 after speaking with players, agents, talent agencies, commercial sponsors, soccer experts in the U.S. and Europe, and looking through sponsor filings. It was compiled prior to Gareth Bale’s world record transfer to Real Madrid where he will be earning $24.7 million (£15.6m) a year. The game is swimming in money and some very average players now earn more in a couple of weeks than US President Barack Obama is paid over a whole year.

06.YAYA TOURE Manchester City’s Ivorian powerhouse signed from Barcelona in 2010 and played a crucial role during Manchester City’s 2011-12 title-winning season.

Toure signed for a reported fee of £24 million on a five-year deal which means that he should grace English soccer for another two seasons.

YAYA TOURE

20,200,000

20.2 MILLION (£12.9M)

As well as Kolo, there is another Toure brother playing soccer – Ibrahim.

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T PAID PLAYERS OF 2013?

Whether we like it or not, money talks and teams can rise to the top off the back of their owners’ big bucks. We’re looking at you Manchester City. Despite knowing that they are paid ridiculous amounts of cash for kicking some leather filled with air for a living, why not check out this list to see who is the richest of the lot, across the next 5 issues we list the top ten.

05. WAYNE ROONEY England’s very own Wayne Rooney kicked off his career with that goal against Arsenal when he was just 16. Everton sold the striker to Manchester United for just over £25 million which looks like money well spent. He did hand in a transfer request a couple of seasons ago and he is regularly featured in newspapers – on the front and back pages.

WAYNE ROONEY

20,300,000

20.3 MILLION (£13M)

Rooney’s jersey was the most popular replica kit around the globe in 2010-2011.

WWW.STNEOTSTOWNFC.CO.UK / PAGE 15

THE CHAIRMANS’ VIEWS

A SIMPLE SOLUTION Welcome to the Officials, Players and Supporters of our opponents today. I hope you have an enjoyable time at Rowley Park.

I am now onto my third and final Chairman’s View on what I would like to believe might just be a solution for the survival of the non-League Game. Over the last two articles I have given my thought on various aspects how non league clubs find themselves in financial trouble.

Now I would like to give a very simple solution of how to regulate playing budgets of which are in the main the down fall of many clubs.

The way forward is quite simple really: 1) A “wage” cap on all of non league clubs from step two downwards to step five, and it should not be based on who has the highest income, every club should be on a level playing field so to speak.

2) Each club playing at each level will have the same playing budget for the level they play at.

3) This playing budget will be set by the governor’s of the game based on the financial survival level needed.

4) The budget would be at a maximum gross per week and no Individual player should be paid over a set maximum gross wage. Clubs can pay the top end of the budget or lower the choice is theirs.

5) All clubs will have to be transparent and submit ”Pay roll” each and every month to their leagues committee to police.

6) Each club to pay a financial “Bond” decided by the governing body based on the level they play.

What would the consequences if a club were to be found in breach of these rules, I would suggest the following: 1) First offence a loss of 20 points 2) Second offence relegation at the end of that season, and a loss of the financial Bond of which would be shared out equally between that leagues clubs at the end of the season.

Harsh penalties indeed but at least we will ALL know the rules and it would be a disaster for any club to breach these rules.

Now what would it do for Non League football, quite frankly it will give the whole development of football right down to grass roots a tremendous lift.

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It would encourage clubs to grow their own young footballers, give the kids “real Hope” of playing for their local club with that club knowing that eventually it will be the club that develops the home grown talent that will achieve success.

Could this work, indeed it could and the governing body should look very closely at the very core of football being the Non League because if they ignore it then many many clubs will go to the wall very soon.

Could it happen to good old St Neots Town well if we get to where we want to from a financial point of view in the time we have set ourselves then no.

If we don’t then well I would rather not answer that one.

We as a club are committed to growing our own footballers and maybe just maybe we will see a crop of much needed British young players coming through from development and grassroots.

Could this be achieved, of course it can, we are not full time professional clubs but small Non league football clubs trying to survive each and every week.

The well might be full at some point of a clubs existence but you can guarantee that at some point it will run dry, it always does.

ALL FOR ONE AND ONE FOR ALL Mike

WHO’S THE GREATEST?!

Who was or is the greatest player and goal scorer you have ever seen?

We start a series that you, our supporters can join in. This time we feature the choices of Craig Stewart!

Best Player Ever Michel Platini My favourite player ever is Michel Platini.

Considered one of the best passers in football history as well as one of the best free kick specialists and finishers, Platini holds the record for most goals (9) scored in European Championship final tournaments

despite only appearing in the 1984 edition. Despite being a midfielder, he held the national team top scorer record until striker Thierry Henry surpassed the 41 goals mark in 2007.

Considered one of the very best passers and dead ball specialists ever, he was the European stand out player in the 1980’s, who averaged more than one goal for

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every professional game of football he played in! (432 Club games 224 goals) 72 appearances and 41 goals for France.

My favourite goal scorer was Gary Lineaker. A phenomenal goal poacher who still has the best goal scoring ratio of any England striker ever. His 48 goals coming in 80 caps compared with Bobby Charlton’s 49 goals in 106 appearances.

Best Goal Scorer Gary Lineker Lineker began his football career at Leicester City. Despite failing to score in his first ten games, he finished as the First Division’s joint top goalscorer in 1984–85. He then moved to League Champions Everton where he developed as a clinical finisher, scoring 30 goals in 41 games. His first team honours came at Barcelona, where he won the Copa del Rey in 1988 and the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1989.

He returned to England in 1989, joining Tottenham Hotspur, and over three seasons he scored 67 goals in 105 games and won the FA Cup. Lineker’s final club was Nagoya Grampus Eight and he retired in 1994 after two seasons at the Japanese side.

Lineker made his England debut in 1984, earning 80 caps and scoring 48 goals over an eight-year international career, finishing as England’s all-time second highest scorer behind Bobby Charlton. His international goals-to-games ratio remains one of the best for the country and he is regarded as one of the all-time best English strikers.

He was top scorer in the 1986 World Cup and received the Golden Boot, the only time an Englishman has achieved this feat. He is also the only player to have won the English golden boot with three different clubs (Leicester City, Everton and Tottenham Hotspur).

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READ ALL ABOUT IT We take a look at what other non-league clubs are doing that’s making the news this week.

TOWNER LEAVES GENERALS TO JOIN TYKES

DAVENTRY APPOINT SMART AS NEW MANAGER The Club has appointed former Watford forward Allan Smart as their new Manager. Smart, 40, replaces Darran Foster, who quit the club last week after the playing budget had been cut and several players left Communications Park.

Chesham United have announced that young midfielder Ryan Towner has taken the opportunity to move to League One side Barnsley.

Towner has been on trial at Oakwell recently with Chesham`s blessing and they have now offered him a permanent deal that will see him playing under-21 Development football, whilst trying to push into the first-team squad. The 18-yearold joined Chesham in the summer, having been in the Stevenage academy.

Scotsman Smart started his playing career north of the border with then Highland League side Inverness Caledonian before being signed by Preston for £15,000 in 1994. He went on to make twenty-one first-team appearances for North End and also had loan spells with Carlisle and Northampton before joining the Cumbrians on a permanent basis in 1996.

He played forty-five times for Carlisle before earning a move to Watford two years later. He helped them gain promotion to the Premier League in 1999/2000 and scored a dozen times in fifty-six appearances for the Vicarage Road outfit before leaving

Chesham boss Andy Leese, who also coached Towner in youth football, said “We wish him well with his career, and on a personal note I am really pleased having been involved with Ryan’s development as young lad in youth football. He has done well in his short time with us and I hope his career continues to progress.”

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in 2001. Short spells with Oldham, Dundee, Crewe, MK Dons, Bury and Irish side Portadown followed before, in July 2007, he joined then Conference North side Burscough on a season-long loan. When the loan deal expired, Smart made the move permanent after his contract had expired with Portadown.

After the departure of Manager Liam Watson from Burscough, Smart became Player/Assistant-Manager.

In September 2009 he took up a full-time job as Head of Youth Development at Conference Premier outfit Southport, while temporarily remaining in his role at Burscough.

More recently Smart has been coaching part-time at Blackburn Rovers` Academy and graduated with a degree in Broadcast & Media.

Assisting Smart at Communications Park is former Daventry Manager Ady Fuller. Fuller took Daventry into the Southern League as Champions of the United Counties League in 2009/10 and then looked like making it back-to-back titles as they looked like winning Division One Central until being docked six points for fielding an ineligible player. They still managed to finish third but were beaten 2-0 by Hitchin Town in the Play-off Final. Despite that he was asked to step aside and was replaced by former Republic of Ireland international Mark Kinsella.

SPIERS PUT IN TEMPORARY CHARGE AT BASHLEY

Club Chairman Angela SpeechleyPrice has announced that her husband Graham has stood down as Manager. Speechley-Price took over on his own after joint-manager Andy Darnton left the Foresters last month.

Angela Speechley-Price said “We have been actively looking for a new management team after Andy Darnton stepped aside as he felt the team had limitations moving forward without a budget. We spoke as a committee and then with Graham and he agreed that if we find somebody who could advance the club he would then step sideways.

The club`s priority is to maximise its financial opportunities which as chair I am unable to do with all the other duties I am attending to currently.”

“Graham has friends who individually can’t help but if he co-ordinates them by doing the running around we can progress the other areas not currently being addressed. Therefore

Martin Spiers has been given the interim manager’s job and Andy Howard will be taking up reserve team duties. Martin will be able to call on Graham if the need arises but will take complete control of team matters until a full-time manager is appointed. The club is hoping to organise many functions and events and some of these may take as many as twenty hours a week to make sure they’re a success and move the club forward making the changes necessary now.”

DIAPER TAKES TEMPORARY CHARGE OF BOATMEN AFTER MARSH BOWS OUT

good work and time he has donated to the club over the past decade and wish him all the best for the future.”

“I will be taking over as Manager with immediate effect and Dave Fear has been asked to stay at the Club. A further statement will be made from the club regarding long term plans over the next few days” BARRY TAKES OVER AS ALFREDIANS’ BOSS AFTER ACKLING RESIGNS Wantage Town - Following the resignation of Gary Ackling at the weekend, the Club has announced the appointment of Daniel Barry as First Team Manager.He takes over from Ackling with immediate effect, stepping up from the reserve team where he helped them win promotion last season. He will be assisted

by Ian Lovegrove and coach Rob Wytchard, who is staying on. Former assistant boss Andy Lyne has joined Ackling in standing down.

Sholing – Club Chairman David Diaper has issued the following statement: “After a brief conversation with Mick Marsh it was agreed that he would be stepping down as Manager. Mick has a demanding job and I think he was finding it increasingly difficult to fulfil his duties as Manager. On behalf of the club, I would like to thank Mick for all the

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THE BEAUTIFUL GAME

LET ME ENTERTAIN YOU I don’t know about you, but for me, as a football supporter, the most frustrating aspect of following a club is the commitment [or lack of it] from the players on match day.

Losing a game is never a problem for me, as long as I’m content that the 11 boys out there have given their best for the duration of the game. Even if we lose the game 4-0, as long as they fight for every loose ball, put in a challenge at every opportunity, show real desire and then leave the pitch dripping with sweat having tried their hardest, I’m ok with that! I appreciate that for other fans, it’s all about winning the game and I agree, the results are what count, even if it’s the scrappiest 1-0 victory. However, having paid the entry fee into the ground, we are within our rights to expect a certain degree of entertainment aren’t we?

We are entitled to see the ‘act’ we came to see, turn up and commit themselves to ‘putting on a show’ for the paying attendees.

throughout the evening, I would feel cheated and demand my £3 ticket money back [it can’t be any more than that to see them can it?]

They would not have fulfilled my expectation of them and I would be dissatisfied. Why then, should we have to accept this kind of lacklustre performance at a game of football?

It’s all down to the commitment of the players and their attitude on the day, both of which should be focused on giving their best performance and exhibiting their desire and willingness to win the game. When we hear of the likes of Raheem Stirling pulling out of the

We often hear in post-match interviews, players and managers using that old favourite ‘we just didn’t turn up today’ after getting beaten. This not acceptable for me and I think of it this way, very hypothetically, if I paid for a ticket to see 1D [One Direction] in concert and at the concert they stood on the stage and sang nursery rhymes England starting line-up against Estonia because he’s ‘too tired’ is outrageous. It’s not as though he’s done his bricklaying day job and then has to play football in the evening is it? He should be proud to pull on the National shirt and WANT to start every game. The very next night after the game, he was out on the razz in London until 3am partying with pals.

How exhausting!

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And then in stark contrast to Sterling, there’s Roy Carroll, the Notts County shot stopper. Only 18 hours after playing for Northern Ireland in Romania, he’s swapping the National shirt for his Notts County number one [or 37, 46, 83 whatever number] shirt and taking to the pitch at Coventry’s Ricoh Arena for the League One encounter. That is what we want to see as fans, players who show real commitment and really have that desire to turn out and perform for their club. Although Carroll conceded 2 goals in the game in Romania, he kept a clean sheet at Coventry as County beat the Sky Blues 1-0!

Whilst other modern footballers would whinge about playing two games in the same week, here’s a guy who plays two games within 24 hours. This is how players earn our respect. They exhibit as much love for the game as we do.

Hopefully, we’ll be entertained in today’s game and the 11 fellas out there show some ‘Roy Carroll spirit’ during the game. Who knows, as an added bonus, a win would be great too!

ADE

TODAY’S VISITORS

CAMBRIDGE CITY

A club in exile in a groundshare at Histon, Cambridge City are still working towards developing a new stadium to replace Milton Road.

A very special welcome to Cambridge City our visitors this evening who are making their third visit to the town for a Southern League Premier Division engagement. So far this has been a happy hunting ground for our visitors having returned home with maximum points from our two meetings here – both winning by the odd goal. Now in a ground share with neighbours Histon after losing their Milton Road stadium, Cambridge City are eagerly looking forward to being able to develop a new facility but these matters take time and lots of frustration.

Last season with Histon in the Conference North City was condemned to playing their home weekend matches on Sunday’s when their landlords were at home – at least they do not have that problem

this season with the Stutes also in the Premier Division of the Southern League. Last season City made a six figure killing in the FA Cup competition thanks to two matches with Milton Keynes Dons but like us they bowed out this season before the big financial rewards kicked in. However I am sure they have a nice little nest egg stowed away somewhere to expend on their new ground whenever it comes to fruition.

Last season City earned for themselves a play off place by finishing third behind Hemel and Chesham but lost to St Albans at home in the semi-final play off place with the ‘other’ Saints going on to defeat league runners up Chesham to earn their place in the Conference South where they are currently doing very well. This season has not been

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so easy for City and at the time these notes were prepared they were in 13th place in the table following their fifth home draw at the Glassworld Stadium with Arlesey Town. In fact it is their home form which has been the problem for after nine home fixtures they had won just twice.

However the season is a marathon not a sprint and there is still almost two thirds of the season to be completed.

CLUB HISTORY The club was formed in 1908 as Cambridge Town, winning several titles and cups in its early years.

Cambridge moved on to the Spartan League, winning three league titles between 1945-50. When Cambridge was granted City status in 1951, Town and Eastern Counties League neighbours Abbey United both applied to change their name to Photos copyright Cambridge City FC

Year founded: 1908 Nickname: The Lilywhites Chairman: Kevin Satchell

Website: www.cambridgecityfc.com Stadium: Bridge Road (Groundshare)

Previous Meetings: St Neots 1-2 Camb City (13/14) Camb City 3-2 St Neots (13/14)

Cambridge City. Town’s application was first to arrive at the Cambs FA and was accepted, leaving Abbey United to change their name to Cambridge United. City finally left the amateur game in 1958 and joined the Southern League, gaining promotion in their first season at the expense of Cambridge United and going on to win the Premier Division in 1962/63, again edging out United in an enthralling title race.

The absence of a pyramid system and automatic promotion put a lid on City’s ambitions. Nevertheless, City were regular challengers for the title and had the highest attendances in non-league football up until the mid-1960s. But City lost their way and were relegated to Southern League Division 1 in 1967-68.

Promotion back to the Premier Division followed in 1969/70, but this

was the same season Cambridge United was elected to the Football League. City were left to reflect that, in 12 Southern League seasons together, they had finished above United in 8 of them. City went on to finish Southern League runners up in 1970/71,

championship was won on the last day of the season. City have reached the 1st round of the FA Cup five times and the 2nd round once since 1993 - this is a far better record than achieved by the more illustrious City sides of the 1960s.

The period from1975-1985 was dreadful. Relegation in 1975/76 was followed by dwindling crowds and a Board decision in 1977 to return to amateur status by joining the Isthmian League. However, as in 2006, Directors were to find they could not ignore the views of City supporters. Protests forced out most of the Board and the club remained in the Southern League.

Manager Gary Roberts has stayed loyal to the club through its recent uncertainties and is now in his 8th season as manager. The enthusiastic fans of the ‘Shed’ made Milton Road one of the noisier grounds in Conference South. However at the start of the 2013/14 season they were made homeless and entered in to ground share arrangement with former Conference neighbours Histon.

City improved and a new generation of fans mobbed their heroes after the 1985/86 Southern League South

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/STNEOTSTOWNFC / PAGE 25

WHO’S WHO

THE LILYWHITES

GARY ROBERTS

GARY ROBERTS. Gary was appointed manager in January 2003.

He previously took St. Albans from a relegation situation to promotion candidates and before that the same with Baldock Town. His playing career included over 200 games for Brentford and spells with Barnet, Maidstone and Welling in the Conference. In the early ‘90s he enjoyed a short time as a player at City.

JOE MILLER. Joe is a fully qualified sports therapist having previously had experience at Millwall, Watford and Fisher Athletic. He runs a private physio clinic at his home in Hertfordshire. Joe is in his fourth season with City.

ZACHARY BARRETT (26) Zac is a goalkeeper who joined Luton Town at the age of 11 and progressed through their colts teams into their Academy. He earned a 3 year contract and was a regular in the reserve team through season 2006/07 but injury curtailed his appearances. He was released from his contract on financial grounds and signed for City in September 2008 and has been ever present since then.

JOSH DAWKIN

BUSTER HARRADINE

RICHARD KNIGHT (35) Richard is a vastly experienced goalkeeper having played for numerous Football League and Conference clubs. He now earns his living as a freelance goalkeeper coach.

TOM PEPPER (26) Tom is essentially a rightback but can also play on the left. He is now in his third spell at City having initially being signed from Hitchin Town. He returned to Hitchin in 2012 before coming back to city and had a brief spell at Royston Town at the start of next season.

CHARLIE DAY (20) Charlie is a product of Histon’s Scholarship programme and made his 1st team debut at the age of 17 and has gone one to make over 50 appearances at leftback or midfield. He signed for City in summer 2014.

LEE CHAFFEY (30) Lee is a centreback/leftback signed by City after being released by Ipswich Town after five years in the Portman Road Academy. Lee, now in his eleventh season at City, played initially at leftback before forming a formidable central partnership initially with Glen Fuff and latterly Dave Theobald.

Lee is also the teams emergency goalkeeper. Lee’s loyalty was rewarded in the summer of 2013 by

PAGE 26 / ST NEOTS TOWN F.C. V CAMBRIDGE CITY ISSUE 13

ADAM MURRAY

being handed the captains armband.

CLADIU VILCU (27 ) Claudiu is a Romanian national. He plays at centre half. He signed for City in early October from Essex Senior League side FC Romania. He signed a contract with Barnet in August 2013 but couldn’t get a work permit. His last club before coming to England was FC Nistru, Moldova and before that Dinamo Bucharest.

BUSTER HARRADINE (29) Buster joined City in the summer of 2014 after two successful seasons with Soham Town Rangers where he scored freely. Buster plays on either wing and prior to his spell at Soham, he plied his trade with several county league clubs. Buster scored four times against City last season in the semifinal of The Cambridgeshire Invitation Cup. JOSH BEECH (25) Josh joined City in summer 2013 having spent the previous two seasons at Bedford Town. He is equally at home at the heart of defence or midfield and also proved to be a capable striker as well last season.

ADAM MARTIN (25) Adam joined City last November from Burnham having previously been with Photos copyright Cambridge City FC

Andrew Phillips (Forward) Drew is a striker who scored freely at Bedford Town before trying his luck with Histon last season.

That didn’t work out too well so he moved over to City in March last season.

TOM PEPPER

CLADIU VILCU

Wealdstone. He is very strong and combative but also playmaker in centre midfield.

HEIDAR JULIUSSON (27) Heidar hails from Iceland and has represented his country at under 21 level. He has recently been playing for HamKam FC (Hamarkameratene) in Norway and previously with Swedish Division 2 club IFK Uddevalla. Heidar plays in midfield.

DANNY KELLY (23) Danny signed for City in August 2011 having previously played for Eastbourne Boro, Dover Athletic and Barnet. Danny scored freely in this spell including two hattricks in consecutive matches.

Unfortunately for City, Danny decided to give life a chance in Australia. On his return to England last March, he had no hesitation in rejoining City and helped the team to a play-off place.

CHRIS BACON

NEIL MIDGLEY (35) Neil is a product of Ipswich Town’s Academy but he made his name at Barnet where he scored freely. He moved on to Kettering Town via Canvey Island.

Neil had a three month loan spell with City in 2006 before returning to Kettering for three weeks when he made the move to City permanent.

He can play as a striker or anywhere across midfield. Neil completed his 200th appearance for City two seasons ago. In summer 2013 Neil was appointed as first team coach.

IEUAN LEWIS (26) Ieuan was signed from Hitchin Town in October 2012

ANDREW PHILLIPS

after making 200 appearances for the Hertfordshire club. He is equally at home on right or left of midfield.

Ieuan played for Arlesey Town and Stevenage Town before Hitchin.

JOSH DAWKIN (22) Josh is English born but has represented Wales at under 17 and under 19. He is a product of Norwich City’s Academy and had spells with Braintree Town and Lowestoft Town before joining City in the summer of 2013. Josh featured in all but one league game last season, finishing as second leading goalscorer from left wing.

CHRIS BACON (30) Chris is a striker who spent a couple of months with city last season before moving to New Zealand where he played for Cashmere Technical. He previously had a prolific spell with Wisbech Town (70 goals in 2 seasons). He has also played for Kings Lynn and Australian side Sunshine Coast.

WWW.STNEOTSTOWNFC.CO.UK / PAGE 27

Introducing our new St Neots Town Football Club Chaplain...

My name is Helene Tame and my family and I have just moved to Love’s Farm in order for me to take up the post of Love’s Farm community chaplain.

When I was looking at the job one of the things that drew me (honestly!) was the fact that the FC was a part of the community. Why? Because I have always loved football. It all began in the school playground, throwing a tennis ball with the boys aged about 6. One of the boys suggested we kick the ball instead of throw it – I objected, saying that if they did that I wouldn’t be able to.

“Yes, you will!” they said – and they were right, I could! Actually I could kick it rather well and from that my passion for football grew! A few years on my dad was a cub-scout leader and one time I went with him to a local cub-scout football tournament. One of his pack hadn’t turned up and so he suggested I go on in his place. My hair was bundled up under a cub’s cap and on I went.

All was well until I fell following a tackle – the cap flew off and my long hair revealed. The ref blew his whistle and I can still hear his words ringing, “Get that girl off the pitch!” Off I went! 40+ years on of course it’s all quite different and there are plenty of opportunities for girls to compete at all levels!

As for me, I can still kick a ball, manage a few ‘keepie-uppies’ and beat the odd goalie at school fayres!

But what about football and faith – why would a FC need, or make room, for a chaplain? My response is a simple one – If life was just about football – or all about football there

If life was just about football – or all about football there would be no need but we all know that however great the beautiful game is, there is more to life! And because there is, it’s good to make provision for those bits of life that football just doesn’t reach. would be no need but we all know that however great the beautiful game is, there is more to life! And because there is, it’s good to make provision for those bits of life that football just doesn’t reach. Not many of us these days would think of ourselves as religious people but lots of us would say that we are spiritual people, which is really just another way of saying we’re more than what we eat, work at, or who we play

PAGE 28 / ST NEOTS TOWN F.C. V CAMBRIDGE CITY ISSUE 13

for! And if we’re spiritual people taking care of our spirits – staying connected to all the other important facets of our life – is as good a thing to do as taking care of our bodies and staying fit.

I’m always happy to talk about football or faith – so if you see me around or want to be in touch I’d be happy to chat!

Sponsored by Steve Ridley

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Extended Match Highlights Post-Match Analysis and Interviews All the Goals, Outtakes and Behind the Scenes Coverage Tune in to your club... www.stneotstownfc.co.uk

A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS

GREENIES GREETINGS

PASSION FOR THE GAME Credit must go to both sets of supporters who displayed their passionate support in the right manner.

Good evening ladies and gentlemen and welcome to Rowley Park – The Cozy stadium, for tonight’s Evostik League Southern Premier Division match. Tonight we extend a very warm welcome to our friends from Cambridge City Football Club and we hope their Players, Officials and Supporters enjoy their brief stay with us here at Rowley Park before heading home along the A428 later tonight.

The games are still coming thick and fast and with what has been a run of home games, causing us somewhat of a headache with deadlines for production of this wonderful magazine but hey-ho, we’ve got there again and here it is, another masterpiece I think you’ll agree. Thanks to everyone who has contributed as ever, seeing the

final product makes all the blood, sweat and tears worth it, even more so when we sell out, like we did Saturday as we could probably have sold another 50-100 but you just never know how many are going to sell.

THE OFFICIAL MATCHDAY MAGAZINE £2.00

F.A Trophy 2nd Round Qualifying V

Darlington 1883 Issue 12

Back to Saturday...... a fantastic day all round. The lads put in a great performance culminating in a brilliant result, watched by a huge crowd (which would be lovely to see a few more of that size if results keep coming) and not a hint of trouble all afternoon. Credit must go to both sets of supporters who displayed their passionate support in the right manner. I think everyone who was here supporting The Saints will have gone home extremely pleased and thinking that was well worth the money spent on admission. The quality of our goals was top notch as was the general performance and Lewie’s celebration after his first goal

PAGE 32 / ST NEOTS TOWN F.C. V CAMBRIDGE CITY ISSUE 13

was equal to the strike itself.

The win puts us in the hat for the next round (Third Qualifying Round), which was due to be drawn yesterday (Monday) lunchtime and the tie will take place on Saturday November 29th, replacing our scheduled home league game with Slough Town. This will now, of course, be re-scheduled for a later date. Another piece of history made for the Club as we have previously never reached this stage, so a massive well done for that feat too.

Ok, short and sweet from me today.

Get behind the lads tonight for yet another ‘derby’ game. Saturday illustrated how good vocal support can lift the boys and drive them on. Keep on playing your part and together we will achieve our goals PUMP UP THE VOLUME GREENY

DREW ROBERTS FIRES IN THE SECOND!

AWAY DAYS

THE SPORTS GROUND Our next away day is a visit to the Sports Ground the home of Bideford AFC. manager Sean Joyce pushed the club to a very creditable 8th position in the league in season 2013/14.

Bideford. In 9 miles turn left into town. Ground on right hand side as entering town centre.

The clubs playing record for season 2013/14 is as follows: W 18 D13 L13 F75 A64

A long trip awaits us for our next away day to “The Sports Ground” the home of Bideford in North Devon.

Bideford from north Devon won promotion to The Southern League Premier Divison in season 2011/12 from division one south and west.

The club under the guidance of

This season they have failed to make the impact they did last season and a consolidation season looks like the target. The Robins are currently in 19th place in the Southern League Premier Division.

THE SPORTS GROUND Kingsley Road, Bideford, Devon, EX39 2LH Adults = £10 Concessions = £6 Children under 16 = £3 Capacity: 2,000

A long, long trip for us to make but lets hope we can come away with all three points.

Wheelchair Access: Yes

DIRECTIONS TO THE GROUND Leave M5 at Junction 27. A361 to Barnstaple. Turn left onto A39 to

Round Trip from (PE19 6SL): 379 Miles

PAGE 36 / ST NEOTS TOWN F.C. V CAMBRIDGE CITY ISSUE 13

Car Parking: Yes Matchday Magazine: £2.00

THE FINAL PART SERIES OF BRILLIANT READING

‘CLOUGHIE' Brian Clough, the greatest English manager of all time, never to be forgotten

PART 4 OF 4 RIFT WITH TAYLOR

Peter Taylor, Clough’s friend and longtime assistant at Hartlepools, Derby, Brighton and Forest, retired from football in 1982, bringing to an end their partnership. Several events had strained their friendship in the past: while at Derby, Taylor was riled when he learned that Clough had accepted a pay rise from Sam Longson without telling him; Taylor did not get one.

Then in 1980, Taylor released a book, With Clough, By Taylor, which detailed their partnership, but had not told Clough that he was writing the book.

Six months after retiring, Taylor was appointed Derby County manager.

When their teams met in the FA Cup third round in January 1983, the two managers ignored each other.

When Taylor signed John Robertson from Forest without informing Clough, it was, according to Robertson, “the straw that broke the camel’s back” and the two men would never speak again. In a tabloid article, Clough called Taylor a “snake in the grass” and declared that “if his car broke down and I saw him thumbing a lift, I wouldn’t pick him up, I’d run him over.” Taylor retorted that Clough’s outbursts were “the sort of thing I

have come to expect from a person I now regard with great distaste.”

The rift had not been repaired by the time Taylor died in October 1990.

Clough and his family attended Taylor’s funeral. According to Taylor’s daughter Wendy, Clough was “deeply upset” by Taylor’s death and telephoned her when he heard the news. Clough dedicated his autobiography in 1994 to Taylor and when he was given the freedom of Nottingham he also paid tribute to him, as he did in September 1999 when a bust was unveiled of himself at the City Ground.

CORRUPTION ALLEGATIONS In the 1990s Clough was implicated in the “bungs” scandal in English football. Under particular scrutiny was his involvement in the transfer of Teddy Sheringham from Nottingham Forest to Tottenham Hotspur in 1992.

Then-Tottenham chairman Alan Sugar claimed under oath to have been told

by Spurs manager Terry Venables that Clough “liked a bung”, an illicit payment made to ensure a transfer deal went through. Sugar sanctioned a cash payment of £58,750, which he believed would be paid to an agent, but instead it was handed over to Ronnie Fenton, Clough’s assistant at Forest. Sugar, protected by legal immunity as a court witness, never repeated the allegation out of court during the rest of Clough’s life.

Clough was also alleged to have made illegal payments to players and backroom staff in breach of FA rules, something confirmed by former Forest chief scout Alan Hill. Clough himself denied the allegations, saying “Asking

PAGE 38 / ST NEOTS TOWN F.C. V CAMBRIDGE CITY ISSUE 13

me what it’s like to make money out of transfers is like asking ‘What’s it like to have VD?’ I don’t know, I’ve never had it.” Clough was charged with misconduct by the FA, who later dropped the case due to Clough’s ill health. Former Premier League chief executive, Rick Parry, who led the inquiry, said: “On the balance of evidence, we felt he [Clough] was guilty of taking bungs. The evidence was pretty strong.”

LATER LIFE Much of Clough’s retirement was spent concentrating on his fight against alcoholism, ill-health and corruption allegations. His battle with alcoholism dated back to the 1970s and was chronicled in part by Duncan Hamilton in his award-winning book Provided You Don’t Kiss Me: 20 Years With Brian Clough. He considered applying for the job as manager of Wolverhampton Wanderers on the resignation of Graham Taylor in October 1995. Nothing came of it, however, and Clough’s managerial career was over.

Nottingham Forest honoured him by renaming the City Ground’s largest stand, the Executive Stand, the Brian Clough Stand. Clough was made an inaugural inductee of the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002 in recognition of his huge impact as a manager. In 1993 he was awarded the freedom of the city of Nottingham. In 2003, the city of Derby followed suit.

He wrote a column for Four Four Two magazine up until his death.

In January 2003, the 67-year-old Clough underwent a liver transplant; 30 years of heavy drinking had taken

its toll and doctors said that Clough would have died within two weeks without a transplant, as his liver was severely damaged. The transplant gave Clough a new lease of life for the next 20 months; he took up light exercise again and appeared happier than he had for many years.

Clough died of stomach cancer on 20 September 2004, on Ward 30, in Derby City Hospital, at the age of 69, having been admitted a few days earlier.

Such was his popularity, fans of Derby County and Nottingham Forest, usually the fiercest of rivals, mourned together following his death. A memorial service was held at Derby’s Pride Park Stadium on 21 October 2004 which was attended by more than 14,000 people. It was originally to have been held at Derby Cathedral, but had to be moved because of demand for tickets.

town’s Albert Park through which he usually walked on his way from home to Ayresome Park, Middlesbrough’s former stadium.

In August 2000, a tribute website was set up in honour of Clough with the backing of his family. This helped to raise money for a statue of Clough,

“I WOULDN’T SAY I WAS THE BEST MANAGER IN THE BUSINESS. BUT I WAS IN THE TOP ONE.”

LEGACY

which was erected in Nottingham’s Old Market Square on 6 November 2008. In December 2006, the Brian Clough Statue Fund in Nottingham announced it had raised £69,000 in just 18 months for a statue of Clough in the city. The winning statue was selected from a choice of three designs in January 2008. The site chosen for the statue is at the junction of King Street and Queen Street in the centre of Nottingham. On 6 November 2008 the statue was unveiled by Mr Clough’s widow Barbara in front of a crowd of more than five thousand people. The tribute website brianclough.com is still attracting

visitors from around the world and was praised by Barbara Clough on its tenth anniversary in 2010. Mrs Clough said she hoped it would continue to be a success for many years. “Brian Clough Tribute Website”. www.brianclough.com. In 2007/08 a redevelopment scheme building new houses on the old Middlesbrough General Hospital site named roads after famous former Middlesbrough F.C. players including Willie Maddren, George Camsell and Clough.

Derby County and Nottingham Forest competed for the inaugural Brian Clough Trophy at Pride Park Stadium on 31 July 2007. In future, any league, cup or friendly game played between Derby and Forest will automatically become a Brian Clough Trophy game.

Proceeds from the game will go to charities in the East Midlands.

In April 2009, Derby County announced that they would erect a statue of the former Rams’ managers Clough and Peter Taylor, at Pride Park, with sculptor, Andy Edwards, who previously produced the Steve Bloomer bust already in the stadium, commissioned for the statue. The Brian Clough and Peter Taylor Monument was officially unveiled in a family service on 27 August 2010 and publicly on 28 August 2010.

In August 2005 the stretch of the A52 linking Nottingham and Derby was renamed Brian Clough Way. His widow Barbara expressed her gratitude to Nottingham City Council, saying: “Brian would have been amazed but genuinely appreciative”.

Since the opening of the Nottingham Express Transit system, tram No. 215 has been named Brian Clough.

After a long process of fund-raising, his home town of Middlesbrough commissioned a statue of Clough, which was unveiled on 16 May 2007.

Although there was a movement to erect a statue in Grove Hill, his birthplace, the site chosen was the WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/STNEOTSTOWNFC / PAGE 39

INTRODUCING

NATHAN FRATER Another promising striker added to our impressive forward line Nathan, younger brother of centre half Ryan, is regarded as a major talent. Tall, strong and very quick, he looks to be a great acquisition for the club. His previous clubs are Hitchin Town, Arlesey Town and of course, Dunstable Town.

PAGE 40 / ST NEOTS TOWN F.C. V CAMBRIDGE CITY ISSUE 13

WWW.STNEOTSTOWNFC.CO.UK / PAGE 41

RECENT SIGNING TOM WARD

MD’S VIEWS

NICE TO SEE YOU, TO SEE YOU NICE! That’s what I call a great day’s football, Performance, result, atmosphere and attendance.

Big thank you to all those that attended on Saturday and made it such a fantastic team win. Its testament to us as a club that we heard so much positivity from the away supporters, not just about our facilities and setup but also about the welcoming feeling they received from us as a football family. Our next FA Trophy match has been drawn and it’s another home game this time against AFC Sudbury who play one level below us but as our FA cup defeat showed nothing should ever be taken for granted.

I like the idea that we are nice people who are open and welcoming, I think it says a lot about the makeup of the club and it’s one of our big strengths.

The tie in with Stevenage is under way with a number of games having already taken place for various age groups. I’m not sure what the scores

have been but in many respects it is a moot point because it’s all about developing the lads at this stage. Iain is putting together the first list of lads that will start a rota of training with the Stevenage Academy lads down at their place and this I’m sure you will agree will give them a yard stick as to the level they need to attain. Everyone develops at different speeds but I guess that over time we will see a balance of talented lads populate all age groups from 8’s-21’s but as ever being mindful that football should be available for all levels of ability. This year so far has been a real difficult one in so far that it’s another transitional period for all of us, however it should never be forgotten how much time, effort and energy goes into each age group by volunteers and its right that we

PAGE 44 / ST NEOTS TOWN F.C. V CAMBRIDGE CITY ISSUE 13

should show our appreciation even if there is a conflict of opinion. From a personal point it’s always better to be honest even if the honesty is a poor reflection on the club.

We have at the end of November an Oasis Tribute band night which has almost sold out. This band (the original not the tribute) defined a time and a place for me as I’m sure it does for many others so I have no doubt it will be a great night had by all.

Welcome to all of our friends from Camb City, officials, staff and supporters, have a great evening and I hope you all go home (regardless of the results) thinking off us as nice people and a nice club.

LEE

STEWS VIEWS

Why Non-League football is better than the Premier League Poor quality pitches? Wildlife living on the grass?

No scoreboards? (There is at ours!) Tiny stadiums?

Freezing cold winter mid-week nights? Awful food and drink? What could be better in the footballing world? Premier League football maybe? Of course not, don’t be silly.

Yes, I’m talking about the wonderful institution that is English non-league football, a league which plays host to some truly fantastic matches, matches that despite not being played by the most gifted players of all time, still offer some of the best action for the all round footballing experience even better than what the Premier League can offer, in my opinion.

Why am I making such a bold statement? Have I gone mad? Well, I haven’t gone mad (Yet) but the reasoning behind this statement is pretty simple, in non-league football the players really do care, something that is a dying art in the higher leagues.

at the end of the day if their team loses they lose and that’s it whilst in non-league football the players care, really care about their team and are willing to throw themselves into any tackle without thinking twice about it, strikers help out in defence when they’re needed without moaning about having to do it, the players care and appreciate the support they get from their fans and don’t need a linesman to tell them to applaud them for their support at the end of the match.

The atmosphere and environment at non-league matches is a completely different kind of atmosphere and environment to what you can find in

Yes, the players may be technically superior in the Premier League, yes the players in the Premier League are bigger names in the footballing world and have won endless trophies, cups, pots and pans but at the end of the day the majority of the players in the Premier League play for money, for the career, for the life that it brings and that is reflected in their performances because despite being paid ridiculous sums of money PAGE 46 / ST NEOTS TOWN F.C. V CAMBRIDGE CITY ISSUE 13

the Premier League or in any other top tier league, the atmosphere is warm and friendly, everyone is interested in getting to know you and there’s a friendly rivalry with travelling fans that doesn’t have to get out of hand, perhaps this kind of friendly atmosphere between home fans, at least, is reminiscent of times gone by in top tier English football.

For me, non-league football is proper football, how it was meant to be played, fairly. In all my years of watching and keeping an eye on the lower leagues I have never witnessed acts such as diving and cheating to win the game perhaps because there isn’t such a great economical prize at

stake or maybe because non-league players understand how football should be played... Non-league players seem to understand better than some Premier League players what loyalty and respect to a club actually is and their loyalty isn’t a paid loyalty like in the top tiers, it’s a loyalty that was born out of love, the only way.

I have attended many Premier League matches but despite the money and the players, I never have as much fun as I have when I visit Rowley Road home of the mighty St Neots Town FC to watch some proper football, because at the end of the day, something that is born out of love for a sport is always going to be better than something that is born out of a need for money and a career from a sport.

It isn’t half entertaining!

Much of the snobbery aimed at non-league football usually comes from people (who have usually never attended a non-league game in their life) deriding the quality of the football on show. Obviously, you are not going to witness the

Messis and Ronaldos of the world, but it is because of this that you get to witness some enthralling, full-blooded and genuinely endto-end games. Ask me what’s the best game I watched on my travels in the last couple of season and I would not reel off one of the Premier League games that I witnessed, or any international contests attended; no, without thinking I’d declare it was the thriller between my beloved St Neots Town FC playing at, The Walks, home of Kings Lynn Town FC, a game which had absolutely everything you could possibly want from a football match: good goals, plenty of cards, penalties, real tackling (with no diving or rolling around on the floor for ten minutes), a woeful, yet entertaining refereeing team, some great passages of play with Webb, Tolley and Jacobs doing the damage to seal the 3 points. It was truly breathtaking stuff.

Ashley Williams, Craig Dawson, Anthony Pilkington, Michael Kightly and Chris Smalling are just a few examples of players who have gone from non-league football to the Premier League in the past decade.

Only recently Dwight Gayle (opposite) was scoring his first Premier League goal for Crystal Palace, yet (as the commentators are surely to let us know every time he scores from now on) little over two years ago he was scoring goals for Bishop Stortford and Stansted in the basement leagues of English football. There is certainly plenty of quality to be found in non-league football and it really is a great breeding ground for future talent. I recently took a very good mate to his first ever nonleague match and when I asked him at the final whistle what he thought of it, the first thing he said was that he couldn’t believe how good the quality of the football was. This was in The EvoStik Southern Premier Division – the 7th tier of English football. Yes, believe it or not there is some genuinely quality football being played in non-league. Don’t be put off – quality, and definitely entertainment, is there in abundance in non-league football.

Yours Aye Craig

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/STNEOTSTOWNFC / PAGE 47

Scorelines..

Action from last Saturday’s League & Cup Matches FA Trophy 2nd Round Qualifying Banbury United, behind in the opening minute, scored three times before conceding a second with five minutes to go to the break and went through with a 3-2 home victory over Marine and Hereford United scored a goal in each half to secure a 2-0 home win over Division One South & West Mangotsfield United while Division One Central Bedford Town scored after seven minutes and doubled their lead from the spot midway through the first half to set up a 2-1 home success against Premier Division Chippenham Town.

Premier Division leaders Poole Town, a goal down at the interval, scored twice in four minutes just before the hour mark to win 2-1 at Biggleswade Town while Redditch United recovered from going behind in the fifth minute to complete a resounding 5-2 win against visiting Trafford and St Neots Town, who took the lead with just twenty minutes to go, won 3-1 at home against fancied Darlington 1883. Didcot Town scored twice before the interval to set up a 2-1 victory at Uxbridge and Wimborne won 2-1 at home after taking a fourteenth minute lead against Northwood while Truro City scored two minutes from time to go through 1-0 at Witham Town.

Arlesey Town twice came back from being two goals down to force a replay with a 4-4 draw at East Thurrock United and Merthyr Town, a goal down at the break, scored thirteen minutes from time to force a 1-1 draw at Premier Division Slough Town while Weymouth were held to a 0-0 draw at home by Burnham.

Histon conceded a goal in each half to go down 2-0 at home against Cray Wanderers and Paulton Rovers, having fought back to level after trailing two behind at the interval, lost 3-2 at Leiston while Stratford Town, three down at half time, crashed out 5-0 at Northern Premier League Premier Division Rushall Olympic. The most unfortunate team of the day was Sholing, who will have to repeat the 400 miles round trip to Dereham Town on Tuesday after today’s tie was abandoned because of fog with eighteen minutes remaining and the score at 1-1.

Premier Division Cirencester Town, a goal up at the interval, conceded and equaliser six minutes into the second half but secured a 3-1 home win over Frome Town with two late goals including a penalty in the final minute while Cambridge City, two goals behind four minutes into the second half, fought back to claim a 2-2 draw at

PAGE 48 / ST NEOTS TOWN F.C. V CAMBRIDGE CITY ISSUE 13

Dorchester Town with an equaliser two minutes from time.

Division One Central Kettering Town scored twice in the opening twenty-five minutes and, despite conceding a penalty eight minutes from time, completed a 2-1 win at Aylesbury to move five points clear at the top after second placed Hanwell Town, behind after four minutes but level at the break, lost 2-1 at home to St Ives Town who scored nine minutes into the second half while Bedworth United, a goal up after three minutes but pegged back on the quarter hour, scored three times in the final eight minutes to move into third place with a 4-1 victory at Potters Bar Town and Rugby Town, who had led twice until conceding an own goal ten minutes from the end, scored with just two minutes remaining to win 3-2 at Aylesbury United.

Marlow scored a penalty two minutes from time to secure a 1-0 win at bottom of the table AFC Hayes while Chalfont St Peter scored twice in each half to complete a comprehensive 4-1 home win over Egham Town and Daventry Town scored twelve minutes from time to defeat visiting North Greenford United 2-1.

There’s never a dull moment supporting your favourite team, the beautiful game has been kicking around for years but will always throw up some lunacy!

Perhaps We Just Call It a Draw?

Nothing Like a Merseyside Derby

Postponed matches in the English Premier League and FA Cup aren’t that unusual, but consider for a moment just how many times the match between Lincoln City and Coventry City was postponed because of a bad winter in the season of 1962/63.

With Goodison Park (Everton’s home ground) just around the corner from Anfield Road (Liverpool’s home ground), the two clubs have grown in their hatred and disposition for the other—with the desire to beat their rival one of their biggest goals at the start of the season. However, what you might not have known about the two clubs is that before the rivalry had existed, Everton’s home ground was in fact Anfield Road— the very ground that Liverpool now call their home and one of the tougher places to travel to in world football. According to Everton’s official website, the land at Anfield Road was leased to the club during the late 1800s by the Orrell brothers, who were local brewers.

Due to play each other on January 5, 1963, the fixture between Lincoln and Coventry was called off inclement weather and scheduled for a few days time.

Then it was called off again. And again.

And again.

The fixture was called off a total of 15 times before a match was finally played—chalking up 66 days between the start of the “round” and the end of the “round.”

Coventry City eventually beat Lincoln City 5-1 on March 6.

The Toffees would play their first game at Anfield against Earlestown on September 27, 1884, and would play their first Football League match as a professional club on September 8, 1888. Liverpool, of course, would not be founded for another four years after that date. Everton would leave Anfield Road on January 25, 1892—opting to move to the north side of Stanley Park, to the ground and area now known as Goodison Park. Liverpool (who wanted to be called Everton Athletic at the time) would then claim Anfield Road as their home ground.

So yes, Everton were in fact at Anfield before Liverpool!

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/STNEOTSTOWNFC / PAGE 49

DREW ROBERTS BLASTS THROUGH

ES!

COMMENTATORS FOOTBALL GAFF

You can always rely on the good old football commentator to come out with a classic during the big match! Here are a few howlers!

Phil Babb “Ireland need fresh impotence”

Ray Parlour “Is it the case that 50% of West Ham fans want Avram Grant sacked and the other half want him to stay?

Or is it the other way around?”

Neil Warnock “We didn’t give them any opportunities, but unfortunately they took one.”

Michael Owen “England have players who can rattle anyone’s feathers”

Kevin Keegan “Every picture paints a thousand words and that one said ‘goodbye’”

Aidy Boothroyd “What’s changed is that nothing’s changed”

Glenn Hoddle “I don’t think that this clean sheet was a shut-out”

“Jose Enrique’s strength is that he’s very strong” Kevin Keegan

Jason Cundy

Matt Murray

“The one thing you get from Martin Allen is honesty. Ask him a question and he’ll avoid it”

“You either love or hate Neil Warnock and I like him”

Rob Hawthorne “Real Madrid came out the traps like a thoroughbred racehorse”

Harry Redknapp

Sam Matterface “Olsson has taken a large portion of Andy Carroll from behind”

Gary Neville

“We’ve won 10 out of 11. You can’t do any better than that”

“When Gareth Bale opens his legs like that, it’s just a magnificent sight”

Stan Collymore

Jimmy Armfield

“Martin O’Neill rules with a rod of fear”

“The first half has gone how I almost half-anticipated”

Alan Green

Roy Hodgson

“It’s Wolves 0, Swansea 2 and that is an accurate scoreline”

“We had a setback against Stoke which set us back a bit”

Matt Le Tissier

Paul Merson

“It’s 2-2-all”

“Today will open the title race wide back up”

PAGE 52 / ST NEOTS TOWN F.C. V CAMBRIDGE CITY ISSUE 13

Image credit: TalkFootball

13-Dec

2 -- 0

4 -- 1

07-Mar

Histon

31-Jan

4 -- 1

06-Dec

3 -- 1

20-Dec

14-Feb

07-Feb

18-Apr

tba

Paulton Rovers

Poole Town

Redditch United

Slough Town

St Neots Town

Truro City

Weymouth

06-Dec

2 -- 1

06-Apr

03-Jan

22-Nov

4 -- 0

26-Dec

29-Nov

Hitchin Town

Hungerford Town

1 -- 0

4 -- 2

2 -- 3

17-Jan

Hereford United

03-Jan

Dorchester Town

26-Dec

6 -- 2

25-Apr

4 -- 2

18-Apr

5 -- 1

06-Dec

2 -- 3

tba

26-Dec

28-Mar

4 -- 1

7 -- 2

21-Mar

06-Apr

28-Feb

3 -- 2

tba

14-Feb

24-Jan

03-Jan

3 -- 3

14-Mar 29-Nov

5 -- 1

3 -- 2

Corby Town

17-Jan

28-Mar

Cirencester Town

3 -- 0

Frome Town

3 -- 0

Chippenham Town

25-Apr

07-Feb

Dunstable Town

21-Mar

Chesham United

04-Apr

tba

1 -- 1

Burnham

06-Apr

Biggleswade Town

Cambridge City

21-Mar

3 -- 0

Bideford

tba

2 -- 2

10-Jan

28-Feb

Arlesey Town

0 -- 2

Banbury United

Arlesey Town

Bideford

Banbury United

01-Jan

Biggleswade Town

20-Dec

07-Mar

17-Jan

1 -- 1

18-Apr

1 -- 0

14-Feb

28-Mar

14-Mar

3 -- 0

2 -- 1

1 -- 2

1 -- 0

0 -- 1

tba

29-Nov

03-Jan

07-Feb

1 -- 1

24-Jan

11-Apr

18-Nov

21-Feb

Burnham

28-Mar

31-Jan

3 -- 1

03-Jan

06-Dec

08-Nov

3 -- 0

26-Dec

18-Apr

18-Nov

2 -- 5

1 -- 2

4 -- 2

1 -- 0

07-Mar

25-Apr

14-Mar

06-Apr

17-Jan

1 -- 0

07-Feb

29-Nov

Cambridge City 10-Jan

1 -- 0

18-Nov

07-Mar

2 -- 4

28-Mar

tba

2 -- 0

06-Apr

26-Dec

2-0

2 -- 1

25-Apr

2 -- 2

24-Jan

14-Feb

11-Apr

4 -- 4

1 -- 2

21-Feb

13-Dec

2 -- 0

0 -- 2

Chesham United tba

0 -- 3

2 -- 3

0 -- 3

2 -- 2

13-Dec

07-Mar

11-Apr

24-Jan

21-Feb

14-Mar

14-Feb

04-Apr

0 -- 0

1 -- 1

2 -- 2

22-Nov

1 -- 0

01-Jan

tba

17-Jan

20-Dec

18-Nov

0 -- 0

Chippenham Town 24-Jan

tba

18-Apr

tba

2 -- 1

29-Nov

26-Dec

10-Jan

tba

1 -- 3

07-Feb

06-Apr

5 -- 1

0 -- 1

14-Feb

1 -- 1

28-Mar

06-Dec

tba

0 -- 2

20-Dec

07-Mar

Cirencester Town 21-Feb

1 -- 4

07-Mar

18-Nov

tba

2 -- 1

2 -- 1

13-Dec

0 -- 0

11-Apr

01-Jan

14-Mar

0 -- 3

07-Feb

2 -- 1

17-Jan

31-Jan

1 -- 3

20-Dec

04-Apr

0 -- 2

0 -- 5

22-Nov

Corby Town 18-Apr

10-Jan

26-Dec

07-Feb

21-Mar

25-Apr

31-Jan

3 -- 0

03-Jan

06-Apr

1 -- 2

06-Dec

1 -- 2

22-Nov

0 -- 0

0 -- 2

0 -- 1

2 -- 2

0 -- 3

28-Feb

04-Apr

tba

1 -- 2

Dorchester Town 1 -- 2

18-Apr

tba

1 -- 2

2 -- 2

1 -- 1

31-Jan

29-Nov

20-Dec

2 -- 0

26-Dec

1 -- 2

21-Feb

24-Jan

Dunstable Town

2 -- 0

24-Jan

06-Dec

20-Dec

tba

01-Jan

18-Apr

31-Jan

07-Mar

28-Mar

06-Apr

06-Dec

10-Jan

tba

2 -- 2

0 -- 0

07-Mar 17-Nov

1 -- 0

4 -- 0

19-Nov

14-Feb

28-Mar

6 -- 1

28-Oct

10-Jan

04-Apr

1 -- 5

4 -- 1

21-Feb

2 -- 1

1 -- 0

2 -- 2

Frome Town 4 -- 2

tba

20-Dec

18-Apr

2 -- 0

7 -- 0

21-Feb

1 -- 1

29-Nov

1 -- 2

28-Mar

28-Feb

21-Mar

11-Apr

3 -- 1

01-Jan

3 -- 0

31-Jan

3 -- 1

1 -- 2

4 -- 0

10-Jan

Hereford United 04-Apr

06-Dec

1 -- 0

2 -- 0

26-Dec

0 -- 0

1 -- 2

21-Mar

25-Apr

0 -- 0

22-Nov

13-Dec

3 -- 0

21-Feb

06-Apr

2 -- 1

tba

28-Feb

10-Jan

31-Jan

3 -- 3

1 -- 5

1 -- 1

2 -- 1

Histon 31-Jan

20-Dec

4 -- 0

1 -- 1

22-Nov

2 -- 0

04-Apr

1 -- 0

07-Feb

17-Jan

03-Jan

1 -- 3

28-Feb

01-Jan

06-Dec

1 -- 0

2 -- 1

6 -- 0

21-Mar

1 -- 1

14-Mar

18-Apr

Hitchin Town 2 -- 2

3 -- 0

21-Feb

22-Nov

31-Jan

11-Apr

3 -- 0

2 -- 1

tba

20-Dec

04-Apr

21-Mar

2 -- 1

2 -- 0

10-Jan

28-Feb

0 -- 1

01-Jan

13-Dec

tba

2 -- 1

0 -- 3

0 -- 2

Hungerford Town 3 -- 1

2 -- 1

14-Mar

01-Jan

tba

1 -- 0

20-Dec

14-Feb

2 -- 1

0 -- 2

07-Mar

07-Feb

1 -- 0

17-Jan

18-Apr

0 -- 1

06-Dec

2 -- 1

2 -- 2

22-Nov

1 -- 0

24-Jan

04-Apr

11-Apr

Paulton Rovers 1 -- 3

10-Jan

18-Nov

0 -- 1

31-Jan

Poole Town

18-Nov

2 -- 0

1 -- 1

4 -- 2

07-Feb

1 -- 0

25-Apr

1 -- 0

29-Nov

24-Jan

tba

17-Jan

13-Dec

4 -- 1

03-Jan

1 -- 1

2 -- 2

tba

21-Feb

3 -- 2

24-Jan

0 -- 1

4 -- 5

0 -- 0

06-Dec

14-Feb

07-Mar

26-Dec

14-Mar

06-Apr

20-Dec

tba

04-Apr

18-Apr

14-Mar 22-Nov

28-Feb

1 -- 0

01-Jan

28-Mar

Redditch United 14-Feb

29-Nov

0 -- 3

1 -- 7

17-Jan

1 -- 0

21-Feb

4 -- 0

28-Mar

1 -- 2

0 -- 4

2 -- 1

14-Mar

19-Nov

24-Jan

1 -- 2

0 -- 1

03-Jan

11-Apr

13-Dec

07-Mar

01-Jan

25-Apr

Slough Town 3 -- 2

1 -- 2

29-Nov

28-Feb

2 -- 1

2 -- 2

06-Apr

28-Mar

10-Jan

2 -- 2

13-Dec

11-Apr

25-Apr

1 -- 2

21-Mar

21-Feb

26-Dec

3 -- 3

0 -- 2

3 -- 3

31-Jan

tba

1 -- 0

St Neots Town tba

2 -- 3

04-Apr

2 -- 0

28-Feb

10-Jan

15-Nov

3 -- 4

24-Jan

0 -- 2

25-Apr

01-Jan

11-Apr

1 -- 3

1 -- 1

13-Dec

3 -- 3

21-Mar

14-Feb

2 -- 2

22-Nov

1 -- 1

1 -- 3

Truro City 01-Jan

0 -- 2

14-Mar

04-Apr

3 -- 0

1 -- 2

2 -- 0

17-Jan

25-Apr

11-Apr

07-Feb

22-Nov

1 -- 2

1 -- 0

28-Feb

21-Mar

03-Jan

1 -- 1

2 -- 2

3 -- 2

1 -- 3

14-Feb

13-Dec

06-Apr

2 -- 0

17-Jan

1 -- 1

07-Feb

21-Mar

03-Jan

0 -- 3

3 -- 0

29-Nov

tba

1 -- 3

26-Dec

13-Dec

0 -- 3

2 -- 3

28-Feb

0 -- 1

22-Nov

25-Apr

tba

11-Apr

14-Mar

Weymouth

HERE at The Non-League Paper, we support the Football Association’s Respect campaign by publishing our NLP Fair Play table in the paper and on our website each week.

The table lists all Step 1-4 clubs in order of their disciplinary record with the winner picking up the Fair Play prize at our end of season National Game Awards. Most managers will tell you discipline is near the top of their priorities, but Tommy Lawson, manager of last year’s winners Skelmersdale United, maybe said it best when he told me: “It depends what mood the referee is in!”

One of football’s oldest clichés suggests these things even themselves out over the season, so a load of yellow and red cards can’t just be blamed on trigger happy officials – especially when we focus more on avoidable punishments such as dissent cautions as well as dismissals for abusive language and violent conduct. Another cliché claims it’s often harder to play against ten men. But by looking at the stats, does keeping your full complement on the pitch necessarily mean more success?

At the time of writing, the three teams currently at the top of our Fair Play table, and thus the best behaved clubs in Non-League, are Burgess Hill Town, Leek Town and Shortwood United. Interestingly all three are Step 4 clubs and the Ryman, Northern Premier and Southern Leagues are represented – there’s no geographical bias here!

Perhaps even more interesting is the fact that all three clubs have started the season very well. Burgess Hill are still unbeaten in the Ryman South and have only been knocked off the top spot due to their run to the FA Cup fourth qualifying round.

Shortwood United, who themselves enjoyed a decent FA Cup run to the third qualifying round after reaching the competition proper last term, sit seventh in the Southern League South & West and could well be higher if they had turned a couple of their five draws into victories.

Last but not least, Leek have won eight of their 12 league games so far in the NPL Division One South and will climb into the play-off spots when they have caught up with their outstanding games. Just below that trio you have AFC Fylde and Spennymoor Town – again clubs that have started the season positively both in terms of discipline and results.

So, how about the other end of the spectrum? Are the sinners struggling in the league tables? Fortunately I didn’t have to look far with three of the four worst behaved sides all plying their trade in the Ryman North!

Heybridge Swifts and Redbridge, with the former picking up ten dissent cautions already this season,

PAGE 54 / ST NEOTS TOWN F.C. V CAMBRIDGE CITY ISSUE 13

are in 17th and 21st respectively.

Mark Stimson’s Thurrock somewhat buck the trend and currently sit in third, but they certainly do seem the exception rather than the rule.

Other clubs at the wrong end of our table are Wantage Town, who sit 20th in the Southern League South & West, and Paulton Rovers reside 19th in the Southern Premier.

AFC Hayes are rock bottom of the Southern Central with just two wins all season – less than half of the amount of dissent cautions they have already picked up – and VCD Athletic are struggling, sitting third bottom in the Ryman Premier.

Although a small sample size, it does seem from first impressions that good behaviour on the pitch does indeed correlate with positive results.

And with all of our badly behaved clubs from the Ryman and Southern Leagues, maybe the infamous “dirty northern b*******” chant will be gone from our terraces for good!

Steven Coney Follow us on twitter: @NonLeguePaper @SamElliott_NLP @Stuhammonds_NLP @MattBadcock_NLP

Opposition in CAPS denotes home fixture. Player name in BOLD CAPS denotes goal scorer.

Date

ATT

COMP

R

Pos

2

3

4

Sat 09 Aug

Opposition Hereford United

568

SLP

2-0

7

Abbey

Spence

Lee

Ford

F

Tue 12 Aug

Chesham United

331

SLP

3-3

5

Abbey

Spence

LEE

Spring

F

Sat 16 Aug

WEYMOUTH

312

SLP

2-0

2

Abbey

Powell

LEE

Bickerstaff

F

Tue 19 Aug

REDDITCH UNITED

310

SLP

0-3

9

Abbey

Powell

Lee

Bickerstaff

Sat 23 Aug

Truro City

503

SLP

3-2

8

Abbey

Spence

LEE

Bickerstaff

Mon 25 Aug

Corby Town

518

SLP

3-1

6

Abbey

Spence

Lee

Bickerstaff

Sat 30 Aug

PAULTON ROVERS

298

SLP

1-1

7

Abbey

Spence

Lee

Bickerstaff

Sat 06 Sep

Biggleswade Town

301

SLP

2-2

6

Abbey

Spence

Wilson

Bickerstaff

Tue 09 Sep

HISTON

401

SLP

4-0

4

Abbey

Spence

Lee

Farrell

Sat 13 Sep

DEREHAM TOWN

312

FAC

1-1

-

Abbey

Spence

Lee

Spring

Sat 20 Sep

Banbury United

281

SLP

1-1

5

Greygoose

Spence

Lee

Farrell

Tue 30 Sep

Arlesey Town

217

SLP

3-1

2

Greygoose

Spence

Bickerstaff

Hilliard

Sat 04 Oct

BURNHAM

282

SLP

3-1

3

Greygoose

York

Lee

Wilson

Mon 06 Oct

Hitchin Town

291

SLP

4-3

2

Greygoose

York

Lee

Wilson

Sat 11 Oct

POOLE TOWN

619

SLP

3-2

2

Bastock

York

Bickerstaff

Wilson

Sat 18 Oct

Cirencester Town

141

SLP

1-1

2

Bastock

York

Bickerstaff

Thorne

Tue 21 Oct

CHESHAM UNITED

233

SLP

2-3

2

Bastock

YORK

Bickerstaff

Thorne

Sat 25 Oct

HEREFORD UNITED

329

SLP

1-0

2

Bastock

York

Bickerstaff

Wilson

Mon 27 Oct

Redditch United

141

SLP

0-2

3

Bastock

York

Lee

Cracknell

Sat 01 Nov

ILKESTON TOWN

330

FAT

2-1

-

Bastock

York

Bickerstaff

Ford

Sat 08 Nov

TRURO CITY

299

SLP

0-2

3

Bastock

York

Bickerstaff

Ford

Sat 15 Nov

DARLINGTON 1883

715

FAT

3-1

-

Bastock

Deeney

York

Ford

Tue 18 Nov

CAMBRIDGE CITY

SLP SLP

Sat 22 Nov

Bideford

Sat 29 Nov

AFC SUDBURY

FAT

Tue 02 Dec

Hungerford Town

SLP

Sat 06 Dec

DORCHESTER TOWN

SLP

Sat 13 Dec

Chippenham Town

SLP

Sat 20 Dec

FROME TOWN

SLP

Fri 26 Dec

CORBY TOWN

SLP

Thu 01 Jan

Dunstable Town

SLP

Sat 03 Jan

HEREFORD UNITED

SLP

Sat 10 Jan

Paulton Rovers

SLP

Sat 17 Jan

BIGGLESWADE TOWN

SLP

Tue 20 Jan

Weymouth

SLP

Sat 24 Jan

Histon

SLP

Sat 31 Jan

BANBURY UNITED

SLP

Sat 07 Feb

ARLESEY TOWN

SLP

Sat 14 Feb

Burnham

SLP

Sat 21 Feb

HITCHIN TOWN

SLP

Sat 28 Feb

Poole Town

SLP

Sat 07 Mar

CIRENCESTER TOWN

SLP

Sat 14 Mar

HUNGERFORD TOWN

SLP

Sat 21 Mar

Cambridge City

SLP

Sat 28 Mar

BIDEFORD

SLP

Sat 04 Apr

Slough Town

SLP

Mon 06 Apr

DUNSTABLE TOWN

SLP

Sat 11 Apr

Dorchester Town

SLP

Sat 18 Apr

CHIPPENHAM TOWN

SLP

Sat 25 Apr

Frome Town

SLP

PAGE 56 / ST NEOTS TOWN F.C. V CAMBRIDGE CITY ISSUE 13

F

T

B

Player name in these colours denotes substitute

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

14

Frater (R)

Hoyte

Spring

Davies

Dillon

Hilliard

Powell

NOLAN

FRATER (N)

15

Frater (R)

Hoyte

DAVIES

Ford

Nolan

Hilliard

Powell

FRATER (N)

Frater (R)

Hoyte

DAVIES

Spring

Nolan

Ford

Frater (N)

Spence

Hilliard

Frater

Hoyte

Davies

Spring

Nolan

Frater (N)

Ford

Roberts

Ferrari

Frater

Hoyte

Davies

Spring

FRATER (N) 2

Ford

Powell

Roberts

Ferrari

Farrell

Frater

Hoyte

Ford

Spring

Frater (N)

ROBERTS 2

Farrell

FERRARI

Davies

Powell

Frater

Hoyte

Davies

Spring

ROBERTS

Farrell

Ford

Ferrari

Wilson

Powell

Frater

Hoyte

Davies

Spring

FRATER N

ROBERTS

Powell

Deeney

Nolan

Farrell

FRATER

Hoyte

DAVIES

Powell

Nolan

ROBERTS 2

Hilliard

Wilson

Ferrari

Bickerstaff

Frater

Hoyte

Davies

Wilson

NOLAN

Roberts

Hilliard

Ferrari

Farrell

Powell

Frater

Hoyte

DAVIES

Wilson

Nolan

Roberts

Hilliard

Ferrari

Ford

Frater

Hoyte

Davies

THORNE

FRATER N

ROBERTS

Wilson

Ferrari

Spring

Nolan

Frater

Hoyte

Davies

Spring

Frater N

ROBERTS 3

Hilliard

Thorne

Nolan

Peacock

THORNE

Hoyte

Farrell

Spring

FRATER N

ROBERTS

Hilliard

Ford

NOLAN

Ferrari

Frater

Hoyte

Davies

Spring

Frater N

ROBERTS 2

HILLIARD

Ford

Nolan

Thorne

Frater

Hoyte

Davies

Spring

Nolan

Roberts

HILLIARD

Ferrari

Ford

Frater

Hoyte

DAVIES

Spring

Nolan

Roberts

Hilliard

Cracknell

Ford

Frater

Hoyte

Davies

Spring

Nolan

ROBERTS

Hilliard

Frater N

Cracknell

Lee

Bickerstaff

Hoyte

Davies

Spring

Frater N

Roberts

Ford

Farrell

Hilliard

Ferrari

Deeney

Hoyte

Davies

Spring

FRATER N

Roberts

HILLIARD

Ferrari

Deeney

Hoyte

Davies

Spring

Frater N

Roberts

Hilliard

Ferrari

Dillon

Frater

Hoyte

Davies

Spring

Frater N

ROBERTS

HILLIARD 2

Cracknell

Dillon

Ferrari

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/STNEOTSTOWNFC / PAGE 57

SOUTHERN PREMIER DIVISION / 17.11.14

P

W

D

L

GF

GA

+/-

Pts

01

Poole Town

16

13

2

1

34

11

+23

41

02

Corby Town

18

11

4

3

31

20

+11

37

03

St Neots Town

19

10

5

4

38

28

+10

35

04

Redditch United

18

10

3

5

38

21

+17

33

05

Weymouth

14

10

2

2

30

17

+13

32

06

Truro City

20

10

2

8

32

30

+2

32

07

Cirencester Town

19

8

7

4

40

20

+20

31

08

Hungerford Town

19

8

4

7

24

16

+8

28

09

Dunstable Town

18

8

4

6

33

29

+4

28

10

Slough Town

18

7

6

5

34

34

0

27

11

Hereford United

21

7

5

9

31

31

0

26

12

Chesham United

17

6

7

4

32

23

+9

25

13

Cambridge City

20

6

7

7

33

31

+2

25

14

Chippenham Town

16

7

3

6

22

19

+3

24

15

Hitchin Town

17

7

2

8

24

25

-1

23

16

Biggleswade Town

17

6

5

6

22

23

-1

23

17

Histon

18

5

3

10

19

29

-10

18

18

Dorchester Town

19

5

3

11

22

33

-11

18

19

Bideford

18

5

3

10

34

49

-15

18

20

Paulton Rovers

18

4

5

9

26

31

-5

17

21

Burnham

17

5

2

10

27

36

-9

17

22

Arlesey Town

18

4

4

10

17

35

-18

16

23

Frome Town

17

4

2

11

20

44

-24

14

24

Banbury United

18

3

2

13

17

45

-28

11

PAGE 58 / ST NEOTS TOWN F.C. V CAMBRIDGE CITY ISSUE 13

Showcasing an incredible limited edition collection

by Mark Davies - available to buy online.

www.ilovemywalls.co.uk

Manager: Gary King Assistant Managers: Liam George & Matt Spring

Manager: Gary Roberts Player Coach: Neil Midgley

Goalkeepers

Harry Reynolds

Paul Bastock

Tom Pepper

Jamie Greygoose

Charlie Day

Defenders

Claudiu Vilcu

Josh Bickerstaff

Lee Chaffey

Ryan Frater

Adam Murray

Gavin Hoyte (C)

Ieuan Lewis

Jordan Ivey-Ward

Heidar Juliusson

Tom Ward

Danny Kelly

Max York

Chris Bacon

Midfielders

Josh Dawkin

Dean Cracknell

Andrew Phillips

Jay Davies

Buster Harradine

Matt Spring

Michael King

Ben Farrell

Olliver Emsden

Lorenzo Ferrari

Neil Midgley

Ben Ford Lewis Hilliard Edd Adjei Forwards Bruce Wilson Chris Dillon Nathan Frater Matt Nolan Drew Roberts Nat Peacock

Colours Dark Blue Shirts, Shorts & Socks

Colours White Shirts, Black Shorts & White / Black Socks

The match line up will be displayed on the electronic scoreboard Referee: Paul Forrester Assistants: John Wynne / Jon Panconi Next Home Game: St Neots Town v AFC Sudbury FA Trophy 3rd Qualifying Round / Saturday 29th November / KO 15.00

As a Club we support Grass Roots Football and stand firm against racism within football, visit www.thefa.com for more information on playing your part.