St Neots Town Vs Arlesey Town

THE OFFICIAL MATCHDAY MAGAZINE £2.00

Southern League Premier Division V

Arlesey Town Issue 21

Fe Ne at w ur e!

14 08 The Best Midfielders In The World Today / We begin the count down from 10 starting with Modric and Fabregas!

Fe Ne at w ur e!

04

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Managers Notes / Batchy reflects on the Banbury win

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Mascot Feature / Benjamin Williams (10) is our Mascot

Where Are They Now? / Looking back at some famous names

Owner Mike Kearns

Club Secretary Gary Wilson

Physio Chris Budd

Club Photographer Claire Howes

Pitchcare Working Turf

Chairman Mike Kearns

Fixture Secretary Marian Izzard

Site Manager Irmantas Sabaliauskas

Design & Marketing Blue Prawn

Managing Director Lee Kearns

Life President John Walker

Functions and Events Coordinator Louise Spark

Chief Liaison Officer Mike Green

Print XL Press Limited

Director Iain Parr

Team Officials Darren Plowman (Goalkeeping Coach)

Football Manager David Batch Assistant Manager Steve Eastaugh

Youth Liaison & Development Mick Hunt

St Neots Town TV Editor Adam Ridley Club Merchandise Linda Walters Programme Editor Mark Davies

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Programme Sales Charlie Green Matchday Music / Scoreboard Simon Hutchinson

INSIDE

Issue 21 V Arlesey Town Southern League Premier Division

Fe Ne at w ur e!

Also Inside 06 Action Replay 08 Match Report - Banbury United 16 Chairmans’ Views 20 Read All About It

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46

22 The Beautiful Game 27 Bizarre Football Stories 28 Commentators Gaffes 30 Pull-Out Poster

Match Report / Our recent trip to the South Cost

Stews Views / The closest football league finishes

32 Greenies Greetings 36 Away Days 38 Brian Clough Feature 44 MD’s Views 48 Leagues Review 53 Season 2014/15 Fixtures Matrix

24 Todays’ Visitors / A warm welcome to the Blues!

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

40

54 The Non-League Paper 56 Season 2014/15 Statistics 58 Premier Division League Table 60 Home & Opposition Squads

Introducing Tom Ward / A key player in the Saints back line 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

DAVID BATCH A warm welcome to Nicky Ironton, the players staff and officials from Arlesey.

It was great to see the club commemorate Paul Bastock’s 1000th league game last Saturday.

We made him Captain for the day so he could lead the team out but only did that because he is a character who wouldn’t let that or anything else get in the way of his first priority - keeping goal.

As it turned out, he didn’t have a great deal to do most of the afternoon due to the excellent defensive effort put up by a Banbury side who packed their defence, making it very difficult for us to penetrate.

Whilst the game was pretty much one-way traffic, with four centre backs and three midfielders against us it was always going to be difficult delivering a quality pass in their final third - mainly due to the defensive numbers that were there.

Whilst everyone was clearly pleased with the finish from Drew Roberts near to the end of the game, I was more delighted because it was actually him that started the move for us, six passes before the ball hit the back of the net, by chasing a lost cause and winning possession from their goalkeeper.

before the goal went in. THAT led him to scoring the winning goal.

Young Sam Harty had a good debut in an unfamiliar position at right back. Brought in to bolster a Midfield area where we were quite thin on the ground (Adam Tann and Jack Wilkinson ably deputising in recent weeks), Sam was introduced to give us more attacking threat which he did very well.

I was also pleased with the contribution of Lorenzo Ferrari when introduced to the game. He will surely cause all sorts of problems if he is direct with his play and that is his challenge from now on.

Local derby, three important points that we will never have the chance of winning again - so we have to display the attitude today of a team desperate to get them.

Enjoy the game.

Batchy.

Drew’s goal wasn’t the result of him being in the right place at the right time, it was the result of sheer persistence and desire to go and win the ball back in the 60 seconds

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NOT SUCH A GOOD DAY SEVEN YEARS AGO

UCL Premier Division (9/February/2008) Long Buckby

3-1

St Neots Town

St Neots produced their worst performance of the season to inevitably suffer their first away league defeat of the season at Long Buckby. The sheer ineptness of the performance can be shown by disclosing that they played for more than an hour against ten men after a Buckby player had been red-carded and in the entire ninety minutes they failed to produce a single shot that the home keeper had to save.

With all of the other teams in the top seven of the UCL Premier Division winning on the day it seems that St Neots lingering hopes of the championship and promotion to Level Four next season courtesy of their recent seven match unbeaten run finally ebbed away and they can blame no one but themselves.

The only crumb of comfort was that another debutant striker Chris Johnson almost scored with his first touch when introduced as a second half substitute and then went on to claim St Neots goal that was too little even to be regarded as a consolation.

With three defeats away from Rowley Park in their last four matches (the other two in Cup competition) it is now time for the Managers to go back to the drawing board.

They could not have got off to a worse start when after three minutes a clumsy challenge by McElroy on

Blackwood produced a penalty kick clinically put away by Ben Foster.

Things never really improved in the next half hour as Foster was put clear only to be foiled by a fine save

by Jon Chatfield and Darren Lynch netted for Buckby but to St Neots relief he was flagged offside.

St Neots first attempt on goal came after 24 minutes when a well delivered free kick by McElroy found the head of Andy Findlay who put his effort over the bar. Five minutes later Buckby firebrand Darren Harmon received a straight red card after raising his hand to Findlay after he had failed to win a free kick.

Buckby quickly reshuffled and although Barrington Belgrave though he had been denied a penalty St Neots had little to offer against a side making light of their numerical disadvantage. They continued to dominate and could have scored twice more before the break with Chatfield bravely blocking at the feet of Lynch and the impressive Steve Blackwood rattling the crossbar with a rising shot from 25 yards.

Early in the second half St Neots opted for a fresh approach bringing on Johnson for the disappointing Mark Franklin and Ivan Finch for Danny Marlow. Johnson sent a shot over the bar with his first touch but Buckby effectively put the match

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beyond the visitors with their second goal.

It was set up by a brilliant back heel by Darren Lynch that took out two defenders and released Steve Blackwood to cut in from the left to score. Within two minutes St Neots only really inspiring move produced their goal.

A Paul Bloss free kick was won in the air by Tony Russell and his knock down found Steve Dogbe whose cross released Chris Johnson and he dived full length to head home.

However that was the only real chance for the visitors and both Lynch and Foster wasted good openings to extend Buckby’s lead.

However it was appropriate that the home side should have the last word which they did three minutes from time when Jon Crockett’s through ball released Ben Foster and he showed fine pace and a pair of heels to his marker as he claimed his 28th UCL goal of the season.

St Neots: Chatfield, McElroy, Bloss, Dogbe, Russell, Hoggett, Franklin, Marlow, Belgrave, Findlay, Barry.

Subs: Johnson (for Franklin 57 mins), Finch (for Marlow 57 mins), Francis, (for Barry 71 mins), Fisk & Fox. Man of the Match: Dean McElroy

ST NEOTS TOWN 2 BANBURY UNITED 1 31:01:2015 / Southern Premier Division / Att 319 / Referee: Sam Lewis (Flitwick) Drew Roberts saved his side potential embarrassment three minutes from time when he netted a typical opportunist goal to seal all three points against bottom of the table Banbury United.

It was the striker’s first goal in five games but it took his total to 24 for the season to equal the tally of last season’s top scorer Lewis Hilliard.

Banbury were a poor side but they never gave up trying and their pace in attack always made them look potentially dangerous on the break.

St Neots paraded their latest signing the experienced Mat Mitchel-King recently with Dartford in the Football Conference but who can number amongst his former clubs Crewe Alexandra and AFC Wimbledon in the Football League. He slotted into midfield in place of the now departed David Hutton who has gone to near neighbors Biggleswade Town and made a solid start as his side threatened much but delivered little in terms of goal scoring chances.

Also making his St Neots debut as a second half substitute was full back Sam Harty who became the fourth new signing for Manager David Batch.

There was a slow start to the game and St Neots got a shock in Banbury’s first attack after nine minutes when the visitors’ snatched a surprise lead. Adam Tann conceded a careless free kick that was crossed to the far post by Jordan Green and when the home defence failed to clear Lerou Tahin

pounced to score from close range.

Mitchel-King had an early impact heading on a long throw from Max York to bring a full length push clear from visiting keeper Leigh Bedwell and then he had a threatening shot blocked by a defender.

Drew Roberts broke clear on the left to cross to the far post when Ben Mackey just failed to get a touch and then at the other end lone striker Tahin put a snap shot just wide. St Neots’ approach play was neat and concise but their final ball lacked quality and accuracy but they drew level after 34 minutes when a long cross from the left by Josh Bickerstaff saw a rare glancing header by Lewis Hilliard elude the despairing dive of Bedwell to creep in at the near post.

It was no less than St Neots possession deserved and three minutes later Ben Mackey netted again only to be ruled fractionally offside and just before the break he had another net bound effort deflected for a corner.

Max York was withdrawn at half time with new man Sam Harty deputizing and he quickly set up Hillard for a weak finish. However just past the hour a Matt Spring corner was scraped off the line by Bedwell as far

as Hilliard and his well directed shot towards the top corner of the net brought the save of the match from the visiting keeper.

Tahin looked lucky only to pick up a yellow card after what looked like an elbow on Tann and in a bid to insert more pace to their attack St Neots sent on Lorenzo Ferrari. In a rare Banbury sortie forward the versatile Jack Wilkinson moved from midfield to full back did well to clear off the St Neots line meantime frustration was growing with several promising St Neots attacks ended by the offside flag.

Mitchel-King volleyed over the bar and when another disappointing draw looked to be St Neots fate they snatched a winner three minutes from time.

Harty set up the chance with a cross from the right and when Ferrari’s initial shot was blocked Drew Roberts displayed his predatory skills being in the right place at the right time with a clinical finish.

A second goal had always looked likely to clinch the points and it could have been even better at the death but for a smart save by Bedwell from Matt Spring.

John Walker

St Neots Town

Banbury United

Bastock, York, Bickerstaff, Mitchel-King, Tann, Ward, Hilliard, Spring, Mackey, Roberts, Wilkinson Subs: Harty (for York 46), Ferrari (for Bickerstaff 67), Vieira (for Mackey 74), Ford and Plowright.

Cards: None Goals: Hilliard (34 mins), Roberts (87 mins)

Bedwell, White, Martin, Cray, Hartigan, Ryan, Green, Martin, Tahin, Howards, Brown Subs: George (for Howards 55), Walcott (for Gilbert 67), Lewars (for Tahin 75) Tappin and Pope. Cards: Green (Y – 44), Tahin (Y – 63). Hartigan (Y – 77) Goals: Tahin (9 mins)

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WWW.STNEOTSTOWNFC.CO.UK / PAGE 09

A SUPPRISE FOR PAUL AS HIS SON CALLUM IS THERE

Last Saturday saw brothers Jack (11) and Arthur (6) Gore share club Mascot duties against Banbury Utd. The brothers braved the cold leading the Saints out before cheering a late winner from Drew Roberts with St Neots Town coming out 2-1 winners!

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Mascot feature Mascot Fact File Name: Benjamin Williams Age: 10 Favourite St Neots Player and why: Lewis Hilliard, he plays well.

Who do you play for: I don’t play football for a team, I play at school.

What position do you play in: I tend to play in all sorts of positions Who do you support: Arsenal Favourite food: Pasta Favourite television programme: The Sparticle Mystery What do you want to be when older: I want to work for Lego

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/STNEOTSTOWNFC / PAGE 13

WORLD’S BEST MIDFIELDERS 10. LUKA MODRIC

Tottenham stood firm during the summer of 2011, rejecting two mega-money bids from Chelsea for their Croatian playmaker.

Spurs were rewarded for their refreshing stance with more inspired displays from the midfielder, who may not score as many goals as he should, but compensates for that with the sort of tempo-setting performances that make him such a precious commodity in world soccer. Resembling Xavi in style, Real Madrid finally snared Modric from Tottenham in 2012 for a reported fee of $50 million and in 2014 he helped them win with Champions League.

“I must say that I am genuinely disappointed about what Levy said to me. He didn’t care about what I was telling him. It all only convinced me further that I was right to consider moving on to another club.

“I reminded the chairman of our gentlemen’s agreement when we were in Dubrovnik last summer and I agreed a contract extension with Tottenham. Then I had an open chat with Levy — that if a bigger club came in with a concrete offer, we would consider it and agree the best solution for all concerned.”

Luka Modric Height

5’8” (1.75m)

Weight

148 lbs (67 kg)

Age

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29

Date of Birth

09.09.1985

Place of Birth

Croatia

Strikers may score most of the goals, but many of the game’s real artisans reside in midfield. Here are 10 of the best of the very best in the world today.

09. CESC FABREGAS Fabregas finally secured his desired move from Arsenal to boyhood club Barcelona in 2011 but he failed to hit the heights in Catalonia, struggling to adapt to the system, despite a respectable goals return in his three years at Camp Nou. Arsenal reportedly passed up the opportunity to re-sign him in 2014, and he instead joined London rivals Chelsea where he is set to see out the best years of his career. The Spaniard is the new heartbeat of the Blues midfield, his passing and creativity making him one of the first names on Jose Mourinho’s team sheet.

“I do feel that I have unfinished business in the Premier League and now is the right time to return. I considered all the other offers very carefully and I firmly believe that Chelsea is the best choice. They match my footballing ambitions with their hunger and desire to win trophies.”

Cesc Fabregas on joining Chelsea in 2014.

Cesc Fabregas Height

5’8” (1.75m)

Weight

150 lbs (68 kg)

Age

27

Date of Birth

04.05.1987

Place of Birth

Spain

WWW.STNEOTSTOWNFC.CO.UK / PAGE 15

THE CHAIRMANS’ VIEWS

THE RIGHT ATTITUDE Welcome to the Officials, Players and supporters of our near neighbours Arlesey Town for today’s fixture, I hope you enjoy your day with us.

Well after my last few notes of my behind the scenes and recent activity of being First team manager for just the two games which really was as they say “A bridge too far” for me. Never again I can assure you all of that, but a wonderful experience to understand that side of the business.

I think I just about got away with it and was very lucky not to be the focal point of the media and having adverse comments made about the Chairman wanting to do everything.

Quite surprised really and thank you to everyone who understood the situation I was in at the time. So Mike Bassett football manager has well and truly retired, one win and one loss an even record, I will have to ask John Walker if that is the best managerial record of a manager since he kept records.

So now back to the football and just what’s been happening on the player front. Well there has been plenty of activity that’s for sure over the last five weeks or so. Usually when a new manager comes into a club it is because the club are struggling to get results and languishing in the lower regions of the league table, well typical St Neots we bucked the trend a little and our new manager found himself with a very good squad of players near the top of the league table of which he needed to

tweak a little to add in his style of play and as you have all seen his style of effort and total commitment to the cause.

I know from speaking to David that he demands total dedication on and off the field of play. He also likes to have a squad of players that can be comfortable in other positions they are asked to play in. So his new signings are just that and I don’t really like to single out any individual but as young Jack Wilkinson has already played in numerous positions with left back his preferred position, Jack is a great example of what David is looking for in a player.

Players have been asked to “Fill” in in other positions to help the cause and a great example was when we had Nathan sent off away to Paulton after just half an hour. Drew went over to the bench and said ‘I will fill in and cover the right side of midfield to help out’ and he did just that to great effect.

That match really was what I always say we want, as in the club motto.

“All for one and one for all” Just imagine if you had the whole squad of players who had the attributes that

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David wants, wow you would have some team that’s for sure.

Some may ask “why have we added to the squad in the way we have” well with the addition of ex professional players like Adam Tann and Mat Mitchel-King plus the other new recruits gives the team that added boost to push on for a play off place at least. I wanted to give ourselves every opportunity to do just that and we all know that results in this league can be quite strange every week. So all is never lost until it is mathematically impossible. I still think we can, and will get to at least a play off position as I really do believe that we have not played a better team than us this season, no team has been outstanding and it has been proven that any team can beat another on any day. There is so much to play for with many twists and turns yet to come and if you look at the fixtures over the next say four weeks you will see just why I am quite optimistic about things. So lets all get behind the manager and the team as we always do and have that final big push together. Lets get it on.

ALL FOR ONE AND ONE FOR ALL Mike

WHERE

ARE THEY

NOW

?

We look back on some famous n what they are doing in their life

PAUL MCGRATH: ASTON VILLA If your supporters start to call you “God,” it’s fair to assume that you have achieved legendary status.

Paul McGrath, who spent seven years at Aston Villa, still has his name sung by the club’s supporters. Although his career was hampered by injury and a long-running battle with alcoholism, McGrath was still one of the best defenders in the early days of the Premier League.

After being bought for £400,000 from Manchester United in 1989, the Ireland international made an instant impact on his side, helping them to a runners-up spot in the then-First Division. The following season he was named the PFA’s Player of the Year and, in the first year of the Premier League, Villa finished second behind Manchester United.

Renowned for not being able to train properly with the side, due to a chronic knee problem and reported drinking habits, McGrath made an extraordinary 322 appearances for the Villans, where he won two League Cups. The defender had brief spells with Derby County and Sheffield United before retiring in 1998.

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“I ran round the pitch trying to hold my breath on occasions.

Mainly because the person I was up against would know that I’d had a drink and I didn’t want them to. I swear Alan Shearer must have smelled it on one particularly bad occasion.”

According to reports like this in the Irish Examiner, McGrath continues to be troubled by his battles with alcohol.

The 53-year-old also launched a singing career in 2011, when he released his debut album Goin’ Back.

us names and see fe after football.

GIANFRANCO ZOLA: CHELSEA It’s hard for fans of any club not to warm to Gianfranco Zola. Like Juninho, his diminutive stature, big smile and incredible skill endeared him to all in the ‘90s.

Zola signed for Chelsea in 1996 and quickly became a key player for Ruud Gullit’s side. Without playing a full season for his new team, he was voted FWA Player of the Year—the first Chelsea player to win the accolade.

It was still years before Roman Abramovich’s wealth came to Stamford Bridge when the Italian was helping Chelsea to a win in the League Cup, a second FA Cup, UEFA Cup Winners Cup and UEFA Super Cup. In his seven seasons at the club, Zola scored 80 goals and was twice named as player of the year. He was also voted as the side’s greatest-ever player in 2003, via the club’s official website and Chelsea have unofficially retired his No. 25 shirt.

WHERE

ARE THEY

NOW

?

He began a coaching career in 2008 with West Ham, who dismissed the Italy international two years after he’d taken the job.

He has been at Championship side Watford since 2012. In his first season with the Hornets, they narrowly missed out on promotion to the Premier League.

Zola is now currently manager of his home club Cagliari.

“I like people like Robert De Niro and Anthony Hopkins.

And Gianfranco Zola, who played for Chelsea and Italy.

He’s an artist with his feet.”

Phil Daniels

Zola’s Chelsea career came to an end in 2003, the forward signing for Italian side Cagliari.

WWW.STNEOTSTOWNFC.CO.UK / PAGE 19

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

WEYMOUTH FC Connor RileyLowe and Jamie Reid have joined Weymouth on month`s loan from Sky Bet League Two side Exeter City.

First-year pro Riley-Lowe has made three appearances in City colours since joining the first-team ranks in the summer, deputising for Craig Woodman at left-back.

Meanwhile a persistent groin injury has kept 20-year-old striker Reid out of first-team action since March 2014, but he has made appearances in reserve fixtures recently after returning to full training. The pair could feature in as many as nine games for the Terras over the next month. Meanwhile, Luke Winsper and Conor Jevon have moved away from the Wessex Stadium on dualregistration terms, as manager Jason Matthews seeks to secure game time for the pair. Winsper has returned to Toolstation Western Leaguers Sherborne Town, where he played a handful of games earlier in the season for the Zebras, and Jevon has linked up with former Terras’ coach Shane Traynor, who has been appointed permanent manager of Sydenhams Football (Wessex) Premier Division side Hamworthy United.

BURNHAM Burnham have announced the signing of striker Adam Dickens from PAGE 20 /

Uhlsport Hellenic League Premier Division side Binfield. Dickens will be in tonight’s line-up for the local derby clash against Slough Town in the Evo-Stik League Southern Premier Division.

Twenty-eightyear-old Dickens joined the Moles for the 2014/15 season with a great pedigree as the Hellenic Premier Division player of the season last year after scoring 41 goals for Flackwell Heath.

FROME TOWN Steve Oliver has returned to Bideford with manager Sean Joyce admitting he made a “massive mistake” in letting him go. With the departure of Grant Fisher to Toolstation Western League Premier Division side Buckland Athletic, Joyce has confirmed Oliver will return as first-choice goalkeeper for the Robins after leaving for Carlsberg South West Peninsula League Premier Division outfit Witheridge at the start of the season. Oliver was Bideford’s first-choice goalkeeper last season after joining from Ilfracombe Town.

He continued: “I want us to be as professional as we can in how we go about our work. “We have got good players at the club and I saw that on

ST NEOTS TOWN F.C. V ARLESEY TOWN ISSUE 21

Saturday and in training. “We need players who want to be here and take up the challenge of getting us out of the position we are in.”

CAMBRIDGE CITY Gary Roberts, manager of Cambridge City, has completed the loan signings of Fejiri Okenabirhie and Matt Lowe. Okenabirhie, is an 18-year-old striker who joins the Lilywhites from Sky Bet League Two outfit Stevenage, and will be with City for the rest of the season.

As a youth he was with Arsenal before signing for Stevenage in 2012.

He made his first-team debut in April last year and has also had loan spells with both Bedford Town and Farnborough. Midfielder Lowe joins City on loan for a month from League Two neighbours Cambridge United.

He is a product of the United youth system and is no stranger to the Glassworld Stadium, having previously been on loan at landlords Histon earlier this season. Roberts said: “I am delighted to have managed to bring the two players on loan to City. I would like to thank both Stevenage and Cambridge United for their co-operation and hope both players will impress their parent clubs during their time with us.”

ARLESEY TOWN Nicky Ironton, manager of Arlesey Town, has added midfielder Louis Lee from Southern Division One Central side Barton Rovers to his squad. Twenty-six-year-old Lee joined Rovers this year after several seasons in the Southern Premier Division with Hitchin Town and Cambridge City. He started out with Stotfold and also played for Boreham Wood. Capable of scoring spectacular goals, he is a hard working central midfielder with a great ‘never say die’ attitude. A tremendous work rate and an ability to influence games with his passing ability.

Ironton has also seen George Boot leave for Southern Division One Central side Royston Town and Elliot Bailey to league rivals Dunstable Town.

REDDITCH UNITED Liam McDonald, manager of Redditch United, has announced the signing of Courtney Baker-Richardson. The much-sought after striker has chosen Redditch ahead of higher league teams to play his football, which McDonald is delighted. He started out with Coventry City, and although

he failed to make the breakthrough with the Sky Blues, he played in the Conference with Tamworth during a loan spell last season. Upon his release by Coventry, BakerRichardson signed for Evo-Stik Northern Premier League First Division South side Romulus, for whom he has scored 7 times this season.

Nineteen-year-old Baker-Richardson stands at 6’2” and is blessed with lightning pace, complimented by his physical attributes and scored double figures for Romulus earlier this season before moving to Vanarama Conference side Nuneaton Town in November. McDonald said: “I`m really looking forward to working with Courtney. He’s a special player and has all the attributes to progress into full-time football.”

CHIPPENHAM TOWN Striker Jack Odam has left Dorchester Town to join rivals Chippenham Town on dual registration with Vanarama Conference South outfit Gosport Borough. Odam was brought to the Avenue Stadium in October by former boss Graham Kemp.

He joined Gosport in the summer of 2014 from Southern Division One South & West side Bashley.

Previously at AFC Totton, he is a lively player who has no fear and an abundance of pace. He has

represented England Colleges at international level.

CORBY TOWN Corby Town have agreed a loan deal to bring defender Hervé PepeN’Goma to Steel Park on loan from Barclays Premier League side Leicester City. N’Goma is an 18-year-old central defender, who was voted as the Barclays Premier League club’s Academy player of the year last season. The Frenchman, who has progressed through the academy at Leicester, captained the under-8’s in 2013/14 and has been tipped for a very bright future in the professional game.

He already has experience of playing at Steel Park, having completed 90 minutes for the Leicester City XI against Corby during pre-season.

Steelmen manager Tommy Wright said: “I am delighted to have Hervé on board, he is an extremely talented player who has the potential to have a big future ahead of him.

“It is great for us to add another solid central defender to our pack, especially with Edi Appleton’s impending suspension coming up.

“I would like to thank Leicester City for allowing Hervé to join us and we look forward to playing a role in his continued development.”

WWW.STNEOTSTOWNFC.CO.UK / PAGE 21

THE BEAUTIFUL GAME

DRESSED FOR SERVICE You wouldn’t turn up for work without the necessary uniform or safety gear would you? If you did, you’d probably be sent home to rectify the issue.

Having said that, I do have a reoccurring dream that I get to work and have no socks on, or that I’m wearing pink sandals. That’s totally outrageous really as I don’t even own a pair of pink sandals! Anyhow, what’s the deal with Millwall turning up at Sheffield Wednesday recently with no kit to play in? (pictured above) You could understand it from a Sunday morning pub side but not a professional club surely?

How embarrassing for them and especially for the kit man who eventually turned up with the players’ gear so they could change at the interval into their own strip. Having played the first half wearing an old (borrowed) Sheffield Wednesday strip, Millwall then took to the turf at the restart in their own colours.

It must have been very confusing for both sets of supporters watching 45 minutes of Sheff Wednesday v Sheff Wednesday?

We’re very proud of our colours and for us fans; we show this by wearing the replica shirts as worn by our players. This however, is only a recent possibility. We’ve only been able to do so since the 1980’s as replica shirts didn’t get produced until then. Prior to the 80’s a rosette or scarf was the nearest we’d get to showing our colours at games. That must be really difficult

to comprehend for the younger generation reading this, those that have never watched a black and white portable TV (with a coat hanger for an aerial) or can imagine life before mobile phones existed!

1945/46 season, when they finished bottom of the Cheshire League. With wartime having only just ceased, the local sport shop that supplied their kit could only supply blue and white, hence the kit of today.

Our clubs’ shirt gives us, and helps shape our identity. In the words of Liverpool’s Brendan Rogers ‘a football strip fuses a team together, it is a club’s uniform for players and fans alike’. I wonder if he feels the same about this seasons Liverpool away kit and 3rd kit. The reintroduction of ‘diamonds’ by US kit manufacturer Warrior would probably be enough of a turn-off to make any Liverpool fan switch to the blue of Everton – yes, the away and 3rd kits really are that bad!

Then there’s the tale of Juventus and Notts County. Juventus, until 1903 had played in Salmon pink shirts and a black tie. Continuous washing and the Italian heat caused the shirts to fade so Juve asked one of their team (an Englishman called John Savage) if he had any contacts back home.

John had a mate in Nottingham who was a Notts County fan, he sent over some black and white stripey shirts [probably worked at Footlocker?] and as sure as night follows day, Juve have sported the same Black and White stripes ever since, although they did re-introduce the pink shirt for the 2012/13 Centenary season. Not with the black tie though - which was a real shame?

Some clubs go that extra mile with their club colours. In 2008 Plymouth Argyle claim to be the first club to produce an ice cream in their club colours.

They were handing out free tubs to fans in a game against Hull City calling it ‘Pilgrims Passion’. Sadly, the passion didn’t spread to the pitch on the day – they lost 1-0.

Some clubs change the design of their shirts almost as often as the wind changes direction, although this is normally the big greedy clubs cashing in on us demanding fans, as [some of us] will buy anything new that the club shop make available!

Obviously, in the olden days, clubs have been forced to adopt new colours because of financial restrictions. Wigan Athletic used to play in red and white until the

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Don’t feel sorry for the Millwall kit man [although he’s probably been relieved of his duties by now]. The one you should feel sorry for is Helen Perschky. Helen was 25 at the time (1998/99 season) and was appointed as kit manager for the then Conference side, Stevenage Borough. However, she received a call the following day informing her that club boss Richard Hill had vetoed the appointment because she was deemed ‘too attractive and would distract the players’. Perhaps she should now apply to Millwall FC? Enjoy today’s game and make some noise for the boys!!

Ade

TODAY’S VISITORS

ARLESEY TOWN

Just a point above the relegation zone Arlesey are struggling to find consistency of results.

Today we offer our usual warm welcome to our visitors for our next engagement in the Evo-Stik Southern League Premier Division. They are the players, Directors and supporters of Arlesey Town and we extend to them our usual warm Cozy Stadium welcome. Arlesey have always been a bit of a ‘bogey’ team for St Neots because records show that of our fourteen league and cup meetings to date home and away our visitors have won eight, drawn three and lost just three. The first victory for St Neots came back in the 1984/85 season – the year that Arlesey were champions of the Premier Division of the United Counties League.

Having lost 8-2 at our former ground at ‘Shortsands’ our lads travelled to Arlesey and delayed their charge to the title with a 1-0 victory with the goal coming from midfielder Nicky Charter. However our most recent three Southern League meeting have

resulted in an improvement of fortunes for us because we have won two and drawn the other. Just a point above the relegation zone at present Arlesey are struggling to find consistency of results and a glance at the records shows that they have only won twice in their last seven matches whilst losing the other five.

However their victory away at Frome was significant because it kept them above their struggling Somerset hosts.

Our recent close links with Arlesey have become less tenuous with the departure from St Neots this season of the Abbey brothers and Gary King but of course we still have Ryan and Nathan Frater who number Arlesey amongst their previous clubs.

CLUB HISTORY Arlesey Town Football Club celebrated their centenary in 1991, having been formed by a group of local people before the turn of the last century.

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Before the Second World War, Soccer was played on a localised basis, and in common with many clubs in the area, Arlesey competed in the flourishing Biggleswade & District League and entered the Biggleswade Knock-out Cup. The first competitive match under floodlights was played in January 1981 against the now defunct ‘Pirton FC’ and two months later the Blues played host to Luton Town for the official opening in front of over 1,000 spectators.

Playing fortunes have fluctuated since the war and season 1950-51 saw the Blues finish as runners-up to Bletchley Town in the S.M.L. Premier Division. The following season the 1st XI lifted the championship crown and the second string were crowned S.M.L. Division Two champions with the Youth team winning three trophies. The 1952-53 season began North Beds Charity Cup final win over Biggleswade Town (the match was Photos copyright Arlesey Town FC

Year founded: 1891 Nickname: The Blues Chairman: Manny Cohen

Website: www.arleseyfc.co.uk Stadium: Armadillo Stadium Capacity: 2,920 (150 seated)

Previous Meetings: 2013/14 St Neots 3-1 Arlesey 2014/15 Arlesey 3-1 St Neots

held over from the previous season), and ended with a second successive championship win, Arlesey amassing S.M.L. record 52 points.

South Midlands League Challenge Trophy once. The club then crossed the pyramid to the United Counties League and after two indifferent terms in the U.C.L., Arlesey lifted the Premier Division crown in season 1984-85.

in 1991-92 it was decided to resign from the United Counties League and cross to the familiar surroundings of the South Midlands League. A successful first year campaign saw the Blues finish in third place and in their second season finished sixth in the league and lifted the Premier Division Cup. The club also gained national recognition following a marvellous run in the FA Vase to the quarterfinals where they faced old U.C.L. foes Boston in a thrilling game and lost out to an injury time winner.

With changes to support and playing staff for 1994/5 the results exceeded expectations. The South Midlands League championship was won with a record 107 points, but even this memorable feat was eclipsed when Arlesey Town defeated Oxford City at Wembley Stadium in front of over 13,000 spectators to lift the F.A. Carlsberg Challenge Vase on May 13, 1995.

In February 1954, the developing Arlesey Town Colts, local players, reached the 4th round of the F.A. Youth Cup and were drawn away to Portsmouth. The 1950’s had seen the Blues compete in the South Midlands and Parthenon Leagues.

Season 1968-69 saw one of Arlesey’s favourite sons in charge of team affairs; Roland Legate, (who played football professionally for Luton Town) took the helm as playermanager and during his four-year spell, he took the Blues to a league runners-up spot. The start of the 1975-76 season saw Legate return as manager and the trophies came with him, 3 Hinchingbrooke Cup successes, one Beds Senior Cup, the Biggleswade K.O Cup twice and the

For season 1997-98 teams were unable to keep pace and their championship aspirations soon evaporated. An FA Vase 3rd round exit occurred in Cornwall’s Porthleven in December and the Blues’ last chance of picking up any silverware disappeared at the hands of arch rivals Stotfold who loosened Arlesey’s grip on the Hinchingbrooke Cup with a 2-0 semi-final victory. After a lengthy campaign the club finally received planning permission for a new ground just a few hundred yards along Hitchin Road.

With the rising cost of UCL travel and the attraction of more ‘local derbies’

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/STNEOTSTOWNFC / PAGE 25

WHO’S WHO

THE BLUES

NICK THOMPSON

ANDRE MALTAY

ARAFAT KABUYE

CHRISTIAN TEVERNIER

HALEAJAH

HARRY CARR

JAMES HATCH

LIAM MCGOVERN

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ST NEOTS TOWN F.C. V ARLESEY TOWN ISSUE 21

Photos copyright Arlesey Town FC

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!

Check these beauties out!

Give These Teams a Break!

Did Somebody Say Own Goal?

Back on to the unusual again and we travel to Scilly to spend some time in the Isles of Scilly Football League, which is officially the smallest football league in the world.

Our final bizarre world football story is a personal favorite of mine and one that comes from the Madagascan football league—another league that some you might not have spend a vast majority of time in, though I can’t for the life of me think why not. Pretty much, all you need to know is that AS Adema beat Stade Olympique de L’Emyrne 149-0 and they did it without scoring a single goal of their own.

The league features just two teams—Garrison Gunners and the Woolpack Wanderers—who play each other every week in the league to determine who will be the champion for that season.

Played from mid-November to late-March, the two teams play each other 17 times over the course of a season, with the champion coming from a typical first-past-the-post system.

But the pair still receive plenty of knockout action as well, with The Wholesalers Cup and the Foredeck Cup—which are both played over two legs—as well as a Charity Shield that customarily kicks off the action-packed season ahead.

The only time that the two teams don’t play each other in the league is when they meet in the Cup, which again, is only played between themselves.

In the second last week of the tournament, SOE had been held to a 2-2 draw by DSA where a controversial late penalty decision had done away with SOE’s 2-1 lead. The draw squandered any chance that SOE had to beat AS Adema in the championship race, so in their following game, they decided to protest the harsh decision by scoring own goals.

Repeatedly. 149 of them.Spectators at the game say that SOE would kick the ball off and shoot it all the way back to their own goal, where their goalkeeper would watch it go in. Following the match, the Madagascan Football Federation suspended the SOE coach Zaka Be for three years and four of the team’s players until the end of the season. All the other players from both teams received an official warning for their involvement in the incident.

The result stands as not only one of the most stupid protests ever made in world football, but also the largest defeat in the history of professional football.

WWW.STNEOTSTOWNFC.CO.UK / PAGE 27

!

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!

Tony Cottee “The thing about goalscorers is that they score goals”

Ian Wright “I don’t want Rooney to leave these shores but if he does, I think he’ll go abroad”

Iain Dowie “Belgium are outside dark favourites to win the group”

“The one significant change is in fact the second significant change” Jonathan Pearce

David Pleat

Chris Kamara

“I feel sorry for Wolves at the moment but not sorry for them”

“It’s so daft it’s almost stupid”

Alan Pardew

Paul Merson

“Sometimes you want Obertan to open his legs and do something a bit exciting”

“Six yards out and Wheater headers it over”

Stan Collymore

Micky Quinn

“Fernando Torres needs a new leash of life”

“Luis Suarez is a victim of his own make-up”

Dwight Yorke “The game is not over until it is”

Ian Abrahams “Matt Taylor ran half the length of the field, width-wise”

Ray Parlour ”The last six games of the Invincibles season were the most pressurised, because we were under pressure”

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Graham Beecroft “He’s got a lot of self-belief in himself”

Paul Merson “When Everton knock it long, they don’t knock it long”

ST NEOTS TOWN F.C. V ARLESEY TOWN ISSUE 21

Milan Mandaric “With Harry, two plus two always makes five, not three”

Garry Birtles “They were numerically outnumbered”

Tony Mowbray “It was goalposts for jumpers”

Chris Waddle “Rolando’s been given a second yellow for arguing with the life support.... er, the linesman”

Eddie Mitchell “However people have interpretated that is up to them”

Sponsored by Steve Ridley

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Official TV Channel

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

DREW SCORES THE WINNER

GREENIES GREETINGS

BAZZA’S BIG DAY ENDED IN THE CORRECT MANNER Good afternoon everyone and welcome back to Rowley Park – The Cozy Stadium, for today’s Evostik League Southern Premier League match.

Today we extend our usual warm welcome to the players, supporters and of course, the travelling supporters of Arlesey Town Football Club and we hope you enjoy your brief stay with us here this afternoon before hopping back over the County border back into Bedfordshire and travelling safely home back down the A1.

As I write these notes the first proper snowfall of the winter has come and largely gone and we have just had another very light dusting of the white stuff. If you are reading this

publication, that means that the Big Man upstairs has been looking down on us favourably and we’ve got ourselves a game of football today.

In all honesty, I can’t yet remember

a game involving ourselves being cancelled for inclement weather this season so we really shouldn’t complain.

Last Saturday was of course Paul Bastock’s big day as he celebrated making his 1000th competitive league appearance and it of

course turned out to be a good day all round as we scored a late winner to overcome a very stubborn Banbury United side, take the three points and keep the pressure on the teams currently sitting in the playoff positions. The game obviously didn’t start as we would have liked as we conceded from a free kick which we really shouldn’t have given away but an equaliser from Lewis Hilliard (a rare header at that too) and Drew’s late winner saw us over the line and ensured Bazza’s day ended in the correct manner.

Last week saw a couple of new additions join up with the squad, namely Mat Mitchel-King, arriving from Vanarama Conference outfit

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Dartford and youngster Sam Harty coming in from Wroxham FC. Both players were involved on Saturday with Mat getting 90 minutes in the centre of midfield and Sam coming on at the start of the second half, when replacing the largely ineffective Max York, and setting up the winner in the dying embers of the contest.

Welcome to you both and here’s to long and successful stays for you both here at the Saints. At the same time, to balance the books a little I suppose, David Hutton has departed the club and moved on to....... yep, you’ve guessed it, Biggleswade Town. Thanks for your efforts during your somewhat short spell with us here at the Cozy and the best of luck to David in his future career.

This last week has seen the Club finally manage to tie up all the loose ends on a deal with the two local senior schools, Ernulf and Longsands. A partnership which will benefit all parties greatly and allows us to offer so much more to potential scholars. I believe Lee Kearns has spoke about this at some depth in his notes elsewhere in this issue.

Ok then, the normal great vocal support is required once again today.

Let’s get behind the boys from the off and hopefully, come 4:50, another three points will be in the bag.

BE LOUD...BE PROUD...BE A SAINT GREENY

PAUL WITH HIS SON CALLUM CELEBRATING 1000 LEAGUE GAMES!

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AWAY DAYS

THE GORE Next Saturday the 14th is a visit to “The Gore”, home of Burnham FC Burnham are currently sitting in 22nd place in the league in the relegation zone, but do not under estimate them as they do have a decent record against the top teams, taking many of them to just a single goal defeat.

Many will remember last seasons encounter on a very uneven surface of a pitch of which no doubt cause us some problems on this visit.

DIRECTIONS Burnham FC is approximately 2 miles from the M4 junction 7, approximately 5 miles from the M40 junction 2 and approximately 15 miles from M40 junction 4.

FROM THE M4 From junction 7 of the M4 you need to take a left turn at the roundabout onto the A4 signposted Maidenhead.

You go straight through a set of traffic lights and when you reach a roundabout with a Sainsbury’s Superstore on your left you turn right into Lent Rise Road. Follow this road

through the traffic lights, under the railway bridge (height limit 13’3’’), over the double mini roundabouts passing the petrol station on your right, past the BRICKMAKERS ARMS on the right, past THE PHEASANT on your left, straight through the double roundabouts and then fork right into Wymers Wood Road. Look for the sign PINES HOTEL. The entrance to the ground is 50 yards on the right after turning into Wymers Wood Road.

FROM THE M40 OUT OF LONDON Or off the M25 from the Hertfordshire area avoiding Heathrow area From junction 2 of the M40 follow the A355 to Slough and take a right turn onto the A4. When you reach the roundabout with M4 signposted to the left follow the directions above.

It is not advisable to take any short cuts cross country from the M40(J2) as Dropmore Road is impassable for coaches or mini-buses.

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THE GORE Wymers Wood Road, Burnham Bucks, SL1 8JG Adults £10, Concessions £5, U16s £2 Wheelchair Access: Yes Car Parking: Yes Matchday Magazine: £2 Capacity: 2,500 Round Trip from (PE19 6SL): 102 Miles

FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE

BRIAN CLOUGH Some great stories about the people who knew and worked under the great man Motorway Madness Forest ace PETER DAVENPORT

that season. But the gaffer wasn’t used to having obstructions put in his way and had hatched a cunning plan.

Cloughie used to joke he could walk on water. While that might be a bit beyond even him, I have to admit that his sheer presence meant he could remove obstacles from his path where lesser mortals would have found themselves in all sorts of bother.

Poor Albert our much loved coach driver almost had a heart attack when cloughie set about his novel way of speeding things up.

I admit I was terrified of him at times, but it was nice to know his powers stretched far outside the dressing room.

One of the funniest things I’ve ever seen came back in October 1983, when we were on the team coach driving down to a game at Tottenham.

It seems hard to believe now, but this was the very first “Live” match to be shown on TV. It wouldn’t have been screened at all but for cloughies powers of persuasion and a policeman who went above and beyond the call of duty.

We had set off down the M1 Only to find we were losing a desperate race against time because of the horrendous roadwork’s on the M1.

“Just stop here Albert,” he barked at the driver and the bus came to a halt. What happened next, takes some believing, but there were too many witnesses for it to be anything but the truth….

The motorway was down to one lane and all the lads were commenting that we weren’t going to make it.

The whole situation seemed so much more desperate because of the fact that the game was on live, one of ten scheduled for PAGE 38 / ST NEOTS TOWN F.C. V ARLESEY TOWN ISSUE 21

Cloughie got off the coach and started removing some of the Traffic “Cones” in the road so that we could get into one of the ‘off limits’ lanes and instructed poor Albert to take this alternate route.

No one on the coach could believe it as we made our way down the closed lane past all the other standing traffic, only to have a policeman flag us down to a halt.

We could image the press having a field day with this.

“JUST STOP HERE ALBERT,” HE BARKED AT THE DRIVER AND THE BUS CAME TO A HALT. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT, TAKES SOME BELIEVING, BUT THERE WERE TOO MANY WITNESSES FOR IT TO BE ANYTHING BUT THE TRUTH...

You could tell the policeman was gob smacked the moment he recognized it was the one and only Brian Clough, and just as we were contemplating the prospect of the boss being handcuffed and led away, we relised the extent of his powers.

Cars were slowing down to a crawling pace to have a look at the copper with his hand up telling Albert to stop.

“What the hell do you think your doing? the policeman asked as Cloughie gets out of his seat and jumps off the coach.

“Hey we are on the telly live down at Spurs and we are going to be late he said’ Can you help us Cloughie shouted to the copper.

The policeman agreed to give us an escort as far as he was allowed and we ended up dodging all of the traffic to get to White Hart Lane with about 10 minutes to spare.

We got changed in an instant and dashed out onto the pitch without anyone realising that but for Cloughie, we would not have got there at all.

Maybe he could walk on water.

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/STNEOTSTOWNFC / PAGE 39

INTRODUCING

TOM WARD Tom Ward joined the club from St Albans City where he helped the club to promotion in season 2013/14. A commanding centre half and still only 24 years old.

Tom signed a contract with the Saints until the end of season 2015 / 2016.

His previous clubs being Boston United where he was offered a contract but declined and signed for Gainsbrough Trinity,h e then moved on to St Albans City initially on a months loan but then made the move permanent.

PAGE 40 /

Tom has many attributes to make him a first class centre half he is good in the air and has that turn of pace needed for his position.

He has already made the centre back position his own with some outstanding displays for the club and has been ever present since he signed his contract.

ST NEOTS TOWN F.C. V ARLESEY TOWN ISSUE 21

WWW.STNEOTSTOWNFC.CO.UK / PAGE 41

MAT MITCHEL-KING

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/STNEOTSTOWNFC / PAGE 43

MD’S VIEWS

FOUR YEARS IN THE MAKING Four years ago I had a meeting with Ernulf Academy, the idea was for St Neots Town FC to put into place a football Development and Academic programme based at the football club with Ernulf/Longsands delivering the academics, it never came to fruition for a number of reasons.

Undeterred Parry and I had a number of meetings with other possible academic providers including a number of colleges. Colleges, we thought, were the logical path to pursue because they already had sports based Btec programmes in place. However it soon became clear that Colleges view things in a slightly different way to what we had envisaged would work for us at St Neots Town FC. There continued to be this nagging truth that the two local Academy schools would be the very best option for us because we believed that they would offer the strongest academic options for our Scholars.

To me, school (and those that teach in schools) are without doubt the best academic providers. You’re in school for 12 years being taught by hugely experienced staff who by definition are academic teachers.

Get it?

So we asked again and once again we came away frustrated that we couldn’t quite get over the line.

We felt we had to move on so we looked at and committed to two academic providers and to be perfectly honest they have both done us proud. We are now two years into our scholarship programme and have to date had great success in nurturing potential while at the

same time making the most of their academic talents.

how important it is to make the most of the education you receive.

However our opinion never changed with regards to working with the two Academy Schools, Longsands and Ernulf because you see we are painfully aware that you only get one chance to make the most out of your educational pathway.

But that’s not all. Because our academics are being delivered by SNLP we have options!

So we spoke to both Schools again.

St Neots Town FC now has a new Academic Partner, The SNLP (Longsands and Ernulf Academies)

What Does this Mean?

We believe this is now a pretty unique opportunity for Scholars to make the very most of their footballing talent while at the same time ensure they get the very best education that is available to them as school leavers.

The entire Btec Scholarship programmes (level 2 and Level 3 Triple) will be based and delivered at Rowley Park by highly qualified, experienced staff. These teachers have vast experience and will teach our scholars in classrooms at Rowley Park. It cannot be overstated

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A levels or A Level Btec combinations, other none sport based Btec units and access to Maths and English resits will also be made available.

So let’s give you an example: Lionel Messi wants to join our scholarship programme. He’s pretty switched on so opts for the Btec Triple but also wants to do an additional A level in Maths, no problem Lionel lets sign you up but only if you stop being so bloody greedy.

It’s been four years in the making but wow it’s going to be worth it!

NB. Any additional academics outside our Btec level 2 and Btec triple programmes will be delivered at one of the Academy schools. All football development regardless of programme will be delivered at Rowley Park.

LEE

WWW.STNEOTSTOWNFC.CO.UK / PAGE 45

STEWS VIEWS

THE 10 CLOSEST FOOTBALL LEAGUE FINISHES With our own league pretty much either Poole Town FC or Weymouth Town FC’s to win, the next in the series of “Football Top 10’s” takes a look at nail biting end of the season finishes With this season’s Premier League title race about to ravage as many fingernails as bookmakers’ biros, we could be looking at one of the most open and exciting final run-ins ever witnessed.

Interesting fact: if the Premier League title race can’t be decided on points, it goes to goal difference, then goals scored. If there’s still no winner, there’s a play off. Alas, that’s incredibly unlikely. In fact, the last time one of Europe’s big five leagues

10

(England, France, Spain, Italy and Germany) had to be decided by a tiebreaker was in the Series A back in 1963-64. However, the tie-breaker in Italy, in those days, was used as the way to separate sides who finished on equal points. Goal difference was ignored. So, essentially, it’s never happened.

Prior to 1976, goal difference wasn’t used to separate teams that finished on the same points, but rather goal average, calculated by taking the

number of goals scored and dividing it by the number of goals conceded.

Bright sparks spotted that this actually encouraged scoring less goals so goal difference was created, which favoured sides that score more. You’ll find both methods in the following list.

Crikey, that was a very long-winded intro into our top 10 closest English top flight finishes. Hopefully we’ve all learned something...

1998-99 Congratulations: Man United Commiserations: Arsenal Beaten by: 1 point

The seventh season of the FA Premier League saw Manchester United finish champions for the fifth time, one point ahead of Arsenal - who had themselves triumphed by a solitary point over United the season before. Alex Ferguson made his intentions of winning the season clear signing Jaap Stam, Dwight Yorke and Jesper Blomqvist. At one stage Arsenal looked like they would do an encore, their defence leaking only 17 goals all

season (20 less than United), and boasting the same goal difference as Man Utd with two games to go.

However, things went pear-shaped in penultimate game of the season against Leeds United, as Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink scored the only goal of the match in the 87th minute. Manchester United had grabbed a point against Blackburn, and went to the last game with a point ahead of the Gunners. A win for the Red Devils in the last game,

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against Arsenal’s rival Tottenham, rendered Arsenal’s 1-0 victory over Aston Villa meaningless.

09

1976-77 Congratulations: Liverpool Commiserations: Man City Beaten by: 1 point This was the very season that the Football League revamped the tie-breaking criteria for teams level on points, replacing goal average with goal difference. A point proved the decider, though. It was also the season when coloured red and yellow cards were introduced for the first time in domestic English football. After a season long neck and neck battle with Manchester City that came down to the final

08

1994-95 Congratulations: Blackburn Rovers Commiserations: Man United Beaten by: 1 point

It was last game of the season heartache for United as Kenny Dalglish (pictured) steered Rovers to their first silverwear since 1913.

Goals galore from Alan Shearer, who netted 34 that season, combined with big name signings like Chris Sutton (a record £5 million from Norwich City) spurred Rovers on. Blackburn travelled to United’s

07

game, Liverpool retained their league championship trophy and won their first European Cup to confirm Bob Paisley (pictured) his legendary status on Merseyside. It was also one of the closest finishes in the history of the League at the wrong end of the table. The relegation dogfight saw Tottenham Hotspur go down and five points separate the bottom ten clubs.

arch rivals, Liverpool, and could only muster a 2-1 defeat. Had Man United toppled 14th placed West Ham they would have won the league, but the Hammers held them to a 1-1 draw, gifting gold to Rovers. Worth remembering this was the season that Eric Cantona “kung fu” kicked a Palace fan.

As you do.

1971-72 Congratulations: Derby Commiserations: Leeds, Liverpool,Man City Beaten by: 1 point

In a four horse race that went to the last day of the season, Brian Clough won the first major trophy of his managerial career, guiding Derby to their championship, trumping all the three runners up by a solitary point. Derby’s defeat at Man City in their penultimate match saw them drop to third with the title race wide open. City, having completed their fixtures, led the table with 57 points, but knew they would not remain there. Second placed Liverpool were a point behind, ahead of

Derby on goal average with two to play, the first of them being Derby.

Leeds lay fourth on 55 points, also with two matches remaining and a superior goal average. Derby ended

their season with a 1–0 win over Liverpool, leaving them on 58 points from 42 games, with Leeds now on 57 from 41 and Liverpool on 56 from 41. Derby’s destiny was not in their own hands and they left the country to escape the pressure; Clough holidaying with his family in the Isles of Scilly, while the players went to Majorca. Leeds needed a draw and Liverpool a win to overtake Derby. In the event, Wolves overcame Leeds 2–1 and Liverpool could only record a 0–0 draw at Arsenal.

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/STNEOTSTOWNFC / PAGE 47

Scorelines..

A brief round up of the recent results from the teams that matter Premier Division

win 2-1 at home against second from bottom Burnham.

Poole Town moved five points clear at the top of the table when three goals in each half gave them a resounding 6-0 win at Bideford but third placed Weymouth, a goal behind after eight minutes, went down to a 2-0 defeat at Hungerford Town who moved into the play-off places while Truro City kept up their challenge when two second half goals gave them a 2-0 home victory against Chippenham Town.

Hungerford Town lost ground on the leading pack when Dorchester Town went ahead from a fifth minute own goal and struck a second in time added on at the end of the first half to secure a 2-0 away victory which took them out of the bottom three while Cirencester Town, two up at the break, consolidated seventh place with a comfortable 3-0 win at Chesham United but St Neots Town, behind in the eleventh minute, needed a strike two minutes from time to win 2-1 at home against bottom of the table Banbury United.

(w/c 26th January)

In Tuesday’s other game, Paulton Rovers made it three away wins on the run when a goal ten minutes into the second half secured a 1-0 victory at Cirencester Town.

WEEKEND (31st January) Weymouth took the lead in time added on at the end of the first half and went on to complete a 3-0 home victory over Histon which took them into second place replacing Corby Town, who slipped to fourth when a penalty thirteen minutes from time gave Paulton rovers a 1-0 home success while Truro City moved up to third when, having had their third minute lead cancelled out, they scored on the stroke of half time to

A goal twenty minutes into the second half gave Chippenham Town a 1-0 home win over Dunstable Town while Bideford, ahead in the opening minute, completed a 2-0 home win over Slough Town when they converted a penalty three minutes before half time. Arlesey Town v League leaders Poole Town, Cambridge City v Frome Town, and Redditch United v Hitchin Town were all postponed.

Division One Central (w/c 26th January)

Fifth in the table Hanwell Town were held to a 0-0 draw at St Ives Town

PAGE 48 / ST NEOTS TOWN F.C. V ARLESEY TOWN ISSUE 21

but Daventry Town took a first minute lead and doubled in a minute before the break to set up a 3- 1home victory over Chalfont St Peter.

WEEKEND (31st January) Bedworth United, behind after eighteen minutes, scored twice in five minutes to lead at half time and went on to secure a 3-1 home win over North Greenford United which took them to the top of the table but, with other leasing teams suffering postponements, Hanwell Town missed the opportunity of closing the gap when a goal five minutes after the interval gave third from bottom Beaconsfield SYCOB a 1-0 home victory while Chalfont St Peter, trailing at half time, scored ten minutes from time to draw 1-1 at Egham Town. In the only other game to beat the weather Northwood conceded an equaliser in first half stoppage time but grabbed a 2-1 home win over Daventry Town with a strike two minutes from time. AFC Hayes v Aylesbury, Aylesbury United v Potters Bar Town, Barton Rovers v Uxbridge, Kettering Town v Leighton Town, Marlow v Godalming Town, and Royston Town v Bedford Town, and St Ives Town v Rugby Town all fell to the weather.

SAM HARTY

WEYMOUTH 1 ST NEOTS TOWN 0 20:01:2015 / Southern Premier Division / Att 409 / Referee: Sam Ogles (Eastleigh)

Paul Bastock marked his 998th league appearance by saving a Weymouth penalty in the 79th minute, but his efforts were not enough to earn St Neots Town a point as they went down to a 1-0 loss on the south coast.

His career began 27 years ago and his football travels has seen him play for nine different clubs including Cambridge United, Boston United, Rushden and Diamonds and St Albans City. Bastock’s heroics in the 79th minute came just moments after Stewart Yetton had given the hosts a decisive lead. He stopped Yetton’s spot kick and in doing so gave the visitors hope but despite some late chances the best of which fell to Lewis Hilliard and Lorenzo Ferrari David Batch’s men were unable to get back on terms.

After their long trip around the motorway system Batch named a side containing just two fresh faces from Saturday’s home victory with Ryan Plowright preferred to Theo Davis at full back and Ben Ford coming in for Ed Adjei.

Weymouth started the match brightly but St Neots enjoyed some early opportunities, with Jack Wilkinson having a shot blocked and Drew Roberts hitting a half-chance over the Weymouth bar inside the opening 10 minutes. However Saints created very little after those chances and Weymouth began to take control and Bastock was forced into action saving at the feet of Yetton and with their greater possession the hosts

always looked likely to make the breakthrough.

St Neots did well to keep the score at 0-0 though as Chris McPhee shot just off target from long range and Adam Kelly had a shot deflected wide. The visitors were again indebted to Bastock just before the interval, as made a good save to keep out Tim Sills after good work

by Yetton.

St Neots adopted a more positive approach in the second half with a slightly different tactical line up with a back three of Ryan Frater, Max York and Tom Ward and this gave them a greater share of the midfield possession. Hilliard brought an excellent save from Weymouth keeper Jason Matthews and Roberts also went close to giving St Neots the lead when his shot fizzed just past the post.

Weymouth was looking to get back to top spot in the league table and they were soon back on the front foot and made good use of the wide areas of the pitch.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 68th minute when a cross from the left by Ashley Wells was won in the six-yard box by Yetton and

he made no mistake to score from close range. St Neots found it hard to create any chances and when the hosts won a penalty in the 69th minute when Adam Tann was judged to have pushed an opponent it seemed as though the contest would be all over.

However Bastock’s save gave them more hope and in the closing stages they went back on the attack despite losing Ryan Frater who limped off to be replaced by Theo Davis.

Hilliard and substitute Ferrari came closest to equalizing but it was not to be for St Neots as they were left to contemplate a long journey home empty-handed while Weymouth celebrated their return to the summit and revenge for a defeat at the Cozy Stadium earlier in the season.

John Walker

Weymouth FC

St Neots Town

Matthews, Wells, Riley-Lowe, McPhee, Laird, Brooks, Kelly, Rigg, Yetton, Sills, Fiddes Subs: Copp (for Yetton 80), Reid (for McPhee 83), West, Colwell, and Jevon.

Cards: None Goals: Yetton (68 mins)

Bastock, York, Plowright, Tann, Frater (R), Ward, Hilliard, Wilkinson, Frater (N), Roberts, Ford Subs: Adjei (for Ford 62), Ferrari (for Plowright 72), Davis (for Frater (R) 78), and Hutton.

Cards: Wilkinson (Y – 28), Roberts (Y – 61) Goals: None

PAGE 50 / ST NEOTS TOWN F.C. V ARLESEY TOWN ISSUE 21

WWW.STNEOTSTOWNFC.CO.UK / PAGE 51

MATT SPRING GETTING VOCAL

21-Mar

04-Apr

07-Feb

25-Apr

1 -- 5

14-Mar

3 -- 0

06-Apr

0 -- 4

1 -- 1

21-Mar

3 -- 0

28-Mar

3 -- 2

3 -- 1

Bideford

Biggleswade Town

Burnham

Cambridge City

Chesham United

Chippenham Town

Cirencester Town

Corby Town

Dorchester Town

3 -- 0

2 -- 0

06-Apr

2 -- 1

2 -- 1

4 -- 1

07-Mar

2 -- 0

tba

6 -- 2

3 -- 1

2 -- 0

14-Feb

07-Feb

18-Apr

3 -- 0

Histon

Hitchin Town

Hungerford Town

Paulton Rovers

Poole Town

Redditch United

Slough Town

St Neots Town

Truro City

Weymouth

2 -- 3

Frome Town

3 -- 2

tba

0 -- 0

4 -- 0

4 -- 2

5 -- 1

2 -- 3

Dunstable Town

3 -- 1

3 -- 0

tba

2 -- 2

0 -- 2

Banbury United

Arlesey Town

28-Feb

Banbury United

Arlesey Town

Bideford

2 -- 1

5 -- 0

28-Mar

4 -- 1

7 -- 2

21-Mar

06-Apr

28-Feb

3 -- 2

tba

0 -- 2

1 -- 1

3 -- 3

tba

6 -- 2

25-Apr

4 -- 2

18-Apr

5 -- 1

3 -- 0

2 -- 3

0 -- 1

Biggleswade Town

3 -- 2

07-Mar

2 -- 1

1 -- 1

18-Apr

1 -- 0

14-Feb

28-Mar

14-Mar

3 -- 0

1 -- 2

1 -- 0

0 -- 1

tba

tba

1 -- 1

07-Feb

1 -- 1

1 -- 1

11-Apr

2 -- 2

2 -- 1

Burnham

28-Mar

2 -- 1

3 -- 1

2 -- 2

0 -- 0

1 -- 0

3 -- 0

1 -- 0

18-Apr

2 -- 1

1 -- 2

4 -- 2

1 -- 0

07-Mar

25-Apr

14-Mar

06-Apr

tba

1 -- 0

07-Feb

0 -- 2

21-Feb

Cambridge City 1 -- 0

1 -- 0

0 -- 1

07-Mar

2 -- 4

28-Mar

1 -- 1

2 -- 0

06-Apr

1 -- 1

2 -- 1

25-Apr

2 -- 2

3 -- 1

14-Feb

11-Apr

4 -- 4

1 -- 2

21-Feb

tba

2 -- 0

0 -- 2

Chesham United 2 -- 1

0 -- 3

2 -- 3

0 -- 3

2 -- 2

tba

07-Mar

11-Apr

4 -- 1

21-Feb

14-Feb

04-Apr

0 -- 0

1 -- 1

2 -- 2

1 -- 1

1 -- 0

0 -- 2

1 -- 3

2 -- 1

1 -- 1

0 -- 3

Chippenham Town 0 -- 1

2 -- 0

18-Apr

2 -- 2

2 -- 1

3 -- 1

2 -- 1

0 -- 0

1 -- 1

1 -- 3

06-Apr

5 -- 1

0 -- 1

14-Feb

1 -- 1

28-Mar

1 -- 1

tba

0 -- 2

5 -- 0

07-Mar

0 -- 0

Cirencester Town 21-Feb

1 -- 4

07-Mar

1 -- 2

tba

2 -- 1

2 -- 1

1 -- 1

0 -- 0

11-Apr

14-Mar

0 -- 3

07-Feb

2 -- 1

2 -- 1

0 -- 3

1 -- 3

0 --1

04-Apr

0 -- 2

0 -- 5

1 -- 2

Corby Town tba 18-Apr

2 -- 0

2 -- 1

6 -- 5

2 -- 1

07-Feb 2 -- 4

3 -- 0

0 -- 0

18-Apr

0 -- 2

07-Mar

1 -- 0

tba

14-Feb

28-Mar

6 -- 1

2 -- 1

3 -- 2

04-Apr

1 -- 5

4 -- 1

21-Feb

2 -- 1

1 -- 0

Dorchester Town

21-Mar

25-Apr

1 -- 0

3 -- 0

tba

06-Apr

1 -- 2

1 -- 2

2 -- 1

0 -- 0

0 -- 2

0 -- 1

2 -- 2

0 -- 3

28-Feb

04-Apr

0 -- 5

1 -- 2

Dunstable Town 07-Mar

28-Mar

06-Apr

0 -- 3

2 -- 1

1 -- 0

2 -- 2

0 -- 0

3 -- 2

1 -- 2

tba

1 -- 2

2 -- 2

1 -- 1

1 -- 0

tba

1 -- 2

2 -- 0

0 -- 2

1 -- 2

21-Feb

0 -- 2

Frome Town 4 -- 2

tba

3 -- 1

18-Apr

2 -- 0

7 -- 0

21-Feb

1 -- 1

tba

1 -- 2

28-Feb

21-Mar

11-Apr

3 -- 1

1 -- 0

3 -- 0

tba

3 -- 1

1 -- 2

4 -- 0

1 -- 1

2 -- 2

Histon 3 -- 0

7 -- 2

4 -- 0

1 -- 1

2 -- 0

2 -- 0

04-Apr

1 -- 0

07-Feb

4 -- 2

1 -- 3

28-Feb

1 -- 0

2 -- 0

1 -- 0

2 -- 1

6 -- 0

21-Mar

1 -- 1

14-Mar

18-Apr

2 -- 1

Hitchin Town 2 -- 2

3 -- 0

21-Feb

2 -- 1

tba

11-Apr

3 -- 0

2 -- 1

1 -- 1

04-Apr

21-Mar

2 -- 1

2 -- 0

2 -- 3

28-Feb

0 -- 1

2 -- 4

0 -- 0

3 -- 7

2 -- 1

0 -- 3

0 -- 2

Hungerford Town 3 -- 1

2 -- 1

14-Mar

1 -- 2

0 -- 2

1 -- 0

2 -- 3

14-Feb

2 -- 1

07-Mar

07-Feb

1 -- 0

1 -- 1

18-Apr

0 -- 1

1 -- 2

2 -- 1

2 -- 2

1 -- 1

1 -- 0

1 -- 2

04-Apr

Paulton Rovers 2 -- 4

2 -- 0

1 -- 1

4 -- 2

07-Feb

1 -- 0

25-Apr

1 -- 0

tba

2 -- 0

0 -- 2

3 -- 4

4 -- 1

0 -- 1

1 -- 1

2 -- 2

14-Mar

28-Feb

1 -- 0

3 -- 0

28-Mar

11-Apr

Poole Town tba

21-Feb

3 -- 2

0 -- 4

0 -- 1

4 -- 5

0 -- 0

1 -- 0

14-Feb

0 -- 1

14-Mar

06-Apr

1 -- 0

tba

04-Apr

18-Apr

0 -- 2

1 -- 3

tba

0 -- 6

0 -- 1

tba

Redditch United 14-Feb

3 -- 2

0 -- 3

1 -- 7

0 -- 1

1 -- 0

21-Feb

4 -- 0

28-Mar

0 -- 4

2 -- 1

14-Mar

0 -- 0

3 -- 2

1 -- 2

0 -- 1

tba

11-Apr

2 -- 5

07-Mar

0 -- 0

25-Apr

Slough Town 3 -- 2

1 -- 2

0 -- 3

28-Feb

2 -- 1

2 -- 2

06-Apr

28-Mar

tba

1 -- 1

11-Apr

25-Apr

1 -- 2

21-Mar

21-Feb

0 -- 0

3 -- 3

0 -- 2

3 -- 3

2 -- 0

tba

1 -- 0

St Neots Town 1 -- 0

2 -- 3

04-Apr

2 -- 0

28-Feb

0 -- 0

10-Feb

3 -- 4

0 -- 0

25-Apr

1 -- 3

11-Apr

1 -- 3

1 -- 1

0 -- 1

3 -- 3

21-Mar

14-Feb

2 -- 2

1 -- 1

1 -- 1

1 -- 3

Truro City

1 -- 1

07-Feb

21-Mar

2 -- 0

0 -- 3

3 -- 0

tba

1 -- 3

0 -- 3

tba

0 -- 3

2 -- 3

28-Feb

0 -- 1

1 -- 2

25-Apr

tba

11-Apr

14-Mar

1 -- 0

0 -- 2

06-Apr

2 -- 0

14-Mar 3 -- 0

04-Apr

3 -- 0

1 -- 2

2 -- 0

1 -- 2

25-Apr

07-Feb

1 -- 2

1 -- 2

1 -- 0

28-Feb

21-Mar

3 -- 0

1 -- 1

2 -- 2

3 -- 2

1 -- 3

14-Feb

2 -- 3

Weymouth

Germany’s 2014 World Cup winners or Manchester United’s treble heroes of ‘99, every great team needs a great goalkeeper.

The Three Lions’ goalkeeper coach Mick Payne understands the dilemma managers face.

“Not many managers, and I understand why, tend to go for a young goalkeeper,” he said. “It’s about results. But all keepers will make mistakes. It’s the ones who make the least.”

Manuel Neuer and Peter Schmeichel are the archetypal rocks behind the defence. There to make the big saves when it matters most, often after seeing little action in nip and tuck tactical chess matches we see on the big occasions.

Like night following day and England playing rubbish at a major tournament, mistakes are inevitable. It’s a curious, and often misunderstood, position on the football pitch. Lonely when things go wrong and often overshadowed when the job is completed without a hitch.

At the Ballon d’Or, Neuer stood alongside Ronaldo and Messi, voted as one of the best three players on the planet. It was good to see. Often derided as frustrated footballers, keepers deserve more credit. It also seems to be one of the hardest positions to break into first team football. England C are finding that, after an unusual amount of injuries to U23 keepers this season, there is a dearth of eligible keepers.

PAGE 54 /

Bettinelli played in the Conference for Dartford. He’s now Fulham’s first choice in the Championship.

A perfect illustration of how the loan system can work.

There are some promising keepers in Non-League football. And not that long ago James Shea was at

But how does a keeper get experience without playing? It’s a chicken-egg conundrum.

When someone gets his hands on a No.1 shirt it’s usually his to lose. The back-up tends to spend a season sat on the bench. It’s not like a young striker or midfielder who might get chucked on for 10 minutes at the end. Seasons can come and go with the warm-up the only real action.

Lots of clubs prefer to run the risk and use the space on the bench for an extra outfield player.

Ryman League Needham Market and Harrow Borough. Last week he faced Liverpool with AFC Wimbledon.

Understandably clubs at the top send keepers down to the ladder for game time. Last season Marcus

He had pedigree at Arsenal but had to drop down. He got some game time and kicked on. The really good ones don’t stick about for long.

ST NEOTS TOWN F.C. V ARLESEY TOWN ISSUE 21

Matt Badcock 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

322

SLP

0-1

3

Bastock

Deeney

York

Ford

Sat 22 Nov

Bideford

199

SLP

1-1

4

Bastock

Deeney

Adjei

Ford

Sat 29 Nov

AFC SUDBURY

431

FAT

1-1

-

Bastock

York

Adjei

Ford

Tue 02 Dec

AFC Sudbury

229

FAT (R)

0-1

-

Bastock

York

Adjei

Ford

Sat 06 Dec

DORCHESTER TOWN

292

SLP

6-5

4

Bastock

Deeney

York

Hutton

Tue 09 Dec

SLOUGH TOWN

299

SLP

0-3

5

Bastock

Deeney

Wilson

Hutton

Sat 13 Dec

Chippenham Town

285

SLP

1-0

4

Bastock

York

Ford

Wilson

Sat 20 Dec

FROME TOWN

307

SLP

3-1

5

Bastock

YORK

Davis

Cracknell

Fri 26 Dec

CORBY TOWN

462

SLP

2-4

8

Bastock

York

Ford

Cracknell

Thu 01 Jan

Dunstable Town

205

SLP

3-1

7

Bastock

York

Plowright

Ford

Sat 10 Jan

Paulton Rovers

167

SLP

0-0

8

Bastock

York

Wilkinson

Tann

Sat 17 Jan

BIGGLESWADE TOWN

491

SLP

2-1

8

Bastock

York

Davis

Tann

Tue 20 Jan

Weymouth

409

SLP

0-1

8

Bastock

York

Plowright

Tann

Sat 24 Jan

Histon

386

SLP

0-0

9

Bastock

York

Bickerstaff

Hutton

Sat 31 Jan

BANBURY UNITED

319

SLP

2-1

8

Bastock

York

Bickerstaff

Mitchel-King

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 ARLESEY TOWN ISSUE 21

F

T

B

F

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

Frater

Hoyte

Davies

Spring

Dillon

Roberts

Hilliard

Ferrari

Nolan

Frater

Ward

Davies

CRACKNELL

Dillon

Roberts

Hilliard

Mackey

Frater

Ward

Davies

SPRING

Dillon

Roberts

Hilliard

Mackey

Ferrari

Nolan

Frater

Ward

Cracknell

Spring

Mackey

Roberts

Ferrari

Hoyte

Hilliard

Davies

Ferrari

Hoyte

Ward

Davies

Spring

DILLON

ROBERTS 3

HILLIARD

Wilson

MACKEY

Cracknell

Ward

Hoyte

Davies

Spring

Dillon

Roberts

Hilliard

Mackey

Cracknell

Frater (N)

Deeney

Ward

Cracknell

Spring

Mackey

ROBERTS

Hutton

Plowright

Frater (N)

Hilliard

Frater

Ward

Hilliard

Spring

Mackey

ROBERTS

HUTTON

Davies

Plowright

Frater N Ferrari

Frater

Ward

Hilliard

Frater N

Mackey

ROBERTS 2

Hutton

Davis

Davies

FRATER

Ward

Ferrari

Wilson

FRATER N

ROBERTS

Hutton

Vieira

Davis

Frater

Ward

Hutton

Ford

Frater N

Roberts

Plowright

Adjei

Mackey

Frater

Ward

HILLIARD

Wilkinson

Frater N

Roberts

Adjei

Plowright

Hutton

FORD

Frater

Ward

Hilliard

Wilkinson

Frater N

Roberts

Ford

Adjei

Ferrari

Davis

Tann

Ward

Hilliard

Spring

Mackey

Roberts

Wilkinson

Vieira

Adjei

Ford

Tann

Ward

HILLIARD

Spring

Mackey

ROBERTS

Wilkinson

Vieira

Harty

Ferrari

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/STNEOTSTOWNFC / PAGE 57

SOUTHERN PREMIER DIVISION / 04.02.15

P

W

D

L

GF

GA

+/-

Pts

01

Weymouth

29

20

3

6

56

35

+21

63

2

Poole Town

26

20

2

4

52

15

+37

62

03

Truro City

31

19

3

9

61

44

+17

60

04

Corby Town

29

17

6

6

52

31

+21

57

05

Hungerford Town

31

15

8

8

41

26

+15

53

06

Redditch United

29

15

6

8

55

31

+24

51

07

Cirencester Town

31

14

9

8

59

37

+22

51

08

St Neots Town

30

14

8

8

55

47

+8

50

09

Hitchin Town

31

14

6

11

55

46

+9

48

10

Chesham United

31

12

10

9

55

43

+12

46

11

Dunstable Town

31

13

5

13

51

46

+5

44

12

Chippenham Town

32

11

10

11

35

39

-4

43

13

Paulton Rovers

31

11

8

12

49

48

+1

41

14

Slough Town

29

10

9

10

47

52

-5

39

15

Bideford

30

11

4

15

50

68

-18

37

16

Cambridge City

28

7

10

11

41

44

-3

31

17

Biggleswade Town

29

7

10

12

40

51

-11

31

18

Histon

29

8

5

16

32

52

-20

29

19

Dorchester Town

30

8

4

18

42

57

-15

28

20

Arlesey Town

30

7

3

20

30

62

-32

24

21

Frome Town

28

6

5

17

33

61

-28

23

22

Burnham (-3)

30

5

7

18

30

52

-22

19

23

Banbury United

29

4

7

18

30

64

-34

19

PAGE 58 /

ST NEOTS TOWN F.C. V ARLESEY TOWN ISSUE 21

Don’t succumb to just putting up a bookshelf, show your walls some love!

Wall Art

Wallpaper

Wall Stickers

www.ilovemywalls.co.uk

Manager: David Batch Assistant Manager: Steve Eastaugh Goalkeeping Coach: Darren Plowman

Manager: Nicky Ironton Physio: Karen Sterry

Goalkeepers

Nick Thompson

Paul Bastock

Brett Longdon

Jamie Greygoose

Dave Coran

Defenders

James Sage

Josh Bickerstaff

Waren Plowright

Adam Tann

Sam Willett

Ryan Frater

Martel Powell

Tom Ward

Christian Tavernier

Max York

Hallelujah Basmel

Ryan Plowright

Kim Forsythe

Jack Wilkinson

George Ironton

Theo Davis

Dean Gilbert

Midfielders

Harley Kelly

Dean Cracknell

Franck Kegni

Matt Spring

Nathan Hilaire

Lorenzo Ferrari

Josh Luther

Ben Ford Lewis Hilliard Edd Adjei Mat Mitchel-King Forwards Ben Mackey Bruce Wilson Chris Dillon Nathan Frater Matt Nolan Drew Roberts

Colours Dark Blue Shirts, Shorts & Socks

Colours Light Blue Shirts, Dark Blue Shorts/Socks

The match line up will be displayed on the electronic scoreboard Referee: Geoffrey Russell Assistants: Mark Wetherall / Craig Druce Next Home Game: St Neots Town v Hitchin Town Southern League Premier Division / Saturday 21st February / 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.