“The
vs.AFC Welwyn
Spartan South Midlands Division One
Tuesday 15thApril 2025, 7.45pm
Welcome to Hayden Road
Welcome to Hayden Road for tonight's game against AFC Welwyn.
First of all allow me to extend my sincerest congratulations to Danny Jackson and the boys for securing ourstepsixstatusforanotheryear.
If selected this evening Jory Mann will surpass the post 2007 merger appearance record for the club moving past the previous holder Ryan Kalla with his 324th appearance.
Of course the actual Lankies appearance record incorporating Higham Town’s records into the 1880s will probably never be beaten but one has to bestow the utmost respect upon any player who dedicates his efforts to a club forthebestpartofadecade.
Simon Swingler
Rushden & Higham United FC
Hayden Road
Rushden Northamptonshire
NN10 0HX
Admission: £6Adults
£3Concessions
£0Under12s
Chairman: AidyMann
Manager: DannyJackson
Secretary: ScottFreeman
Bar: GinaWrighton
Gate: HelenWhitehead
Programme: SimonSwingler
Committee: PhilSummers
Committee: JamieLoveday
Committee: BenHarrison
Twitter: @RandHUFC
Instagram: rushdenandhigham.fc
Email: rhufcsec@yahoo.co.uk
Many thanks to the following people for permission to use their photos:
Shaun Frankham
Phil Passingham
Finbarr Carroll
Niki Crook
AFC Welwyn History
The club was established in 2023 when they joined the Spartan South MidlandsLeagueinDivisionTwo.
In their first season (2023-24), the club won the Second Division, gaining promotiontoDivisionOne.
Following Saturday’s 5-0 victory over Desborough Town, Welwyn would appear to be hurtling towards their second promotion in two seasons and will probably be allocated a space in the Spartan South Midlands League PremierDivision.
2024/25 Player’s Stats
LankiesAppearance Records
If selected today Jory Mann will be bestowed with the honour of becoming theLankiesappearancerecordholder(post2007merger).
Since making his debut in 2010 Jory has accumulated 324 appearances, scoring97goals.
The Lankies Golden Boot winner for the 2011/12, 2013/14, 2018/19 and 2022/23 seasons has treated us to some spectacular goals over the years, the pinnacle of which I believe to be his last minute equalising free kick at Hayden Road against Winslow United on Valentines Day 2023 taken from a good thirty yards out which left the visiting goalkeeper clutching at thin air as the ball whistled past him andintothenet.
RUSHDEN & HIGHAM UNITEDAPPEARANCE TOPTEN
JORYINACTIONAGAINST CRANFIELD
The Lankies v Whitworths
Firstly allow me to thank everybody who turned up at Hayden Road on a fine sunny day on Saturday and who contributed to our first three figure attendanceoftheseason.
Itwasextremelyhearteningtoseesomanyyoungspectatorsinattendance also,hopefullytheyenjoyedthematchandwillbepesteringtheirparentsto takethemalongtoseeTheLankiesinactionagainverysoon.
Secondly please allow me to officially award The Lankies Man of the Match to recentsigningTroyJohnson.
Troy’s experience and aerial prowess was a stabalising influence on the entire backline.
Troy is kindly sponsored by DP Decorators.
TROYINACTIONAGAINST LONG BUCKBY
Fixtures
LeagueTable
GuestArticle
GuestArticle
Lankies Legend - WayneAbbott
Lankies Legend - WayneAbbott
Proud Sponsors of Ben Peaks
Proud Sponsors of Jack Bloodworth
The History ofThe Lankies
HIGHAM TOWN
The earliest recorded mention of Higham Town Football Club occurred in 1876 when the club was formed following a meeting held at the Griffin Public House in Higham Ferrers. The club initially competed in the Northamptonshire League during the latter part of the nineteenth century.
The Lankies’ golden age was undoubtedly in the 1920s, when they were reformed following the conclusion of the First World War. By this time competing in the Wellingborough & District League, they won the NFA Junior Cup also gaining admittance to the Northants League which they won in their maiden season along with the Northants Senior Cup.
The league title was retained a year later as well as Northamptonshire’s premier trophy, The Maunsell Cup. The same season (1921/22) the Lankies enjoyed a long run in the FA Cup culminating with a tie against Football League Chesterfield. More than matching our professional opponents we secured a 4-4 draw at Saltergate before succumbing by a single goal to nil in the replay.The Lankies were also the highest scorers in the FACup that season.
The History ofThe Lankies
In the 1923-24 and 1926-27 seasons the club were league runners up and in 1931 and 1933 they were also Northants Senior Cup runners cup. In 1936 the Maunsell Cup was once again secured withThe Lankies defeating NorthamptonTown in the final.
On resumption of the football calendar following the end of the Second World War The Lankies competed in the Rushden & District League where they remained before joining the United Counties League. During the period between 1950-1997 The Lankies finished runners up in the league on no less than seven different occasions.
In 1997 The Lankies finally secured the United Counties League Division One title which was the club’s first league title in seventy five years.
RUSHDEN RANGERS
Rushden Rangers were formed as a youth football side in 1978 by Steve Cavender who was inspired by watching local lads playing a jumpers for goalposts game in Melloway Park, Rushden. Steve would hold the position of Rushden Rangers’secretary until 1990.
In the club’s heyday it boasted numerous youth sides and two senior sides going on to secure the NFALower Junior Cup and the Northants Combination League title.
In 1994 Neil Gant offered the Hayden Road facility to Rushden Rangers which now lay vacant following Rushden Town’s merger with Irthlingborough Diamonds and subsequent move to Nene Park.
The History ofThe Lankies
MERGER
In 2007 the decision was made to merge Higham Town and Rushden Rangers, with the new club playing at Hayden Road in order to preserve their United Counties League status. With assistance from the Stadia Improvement fund the Hayden Road facility was brought up to the required standard.
THE MODERN ERA
Since the merger Rushden & Higham United has plied their trade at Step Six, initially in the United Counties League and more recently the Spartan South Midlands Division following a lateral move in 2021.
The club’s most famous day since the merger in 2007 came in 2013 when the NFAJunior Cup was secured with victory over Cogenhoe at NorthamptonTown’s Sixfields Stadium.
Rushden & Higham Utd AFC Welwyn
Mickey IBBESON
Mason JACKSON
Kian KING
Jack BLOODWORTH
Mitchell SHARPE
Austin BISHOP
Dennis PALMER
James LEWIS
Ralph OLUWOLE - SHIWOKU
Ben PEAKS
Jory MANN
Sven SARTAIN
Redha ZEKRI
Danny WELLS
Mohammed KHAN
Jack CULWICK
Tomas OLIVEIRA
Troy JOHNSTON
Jack EDISON
Kade BAGGE
jack BRADSHAW
Ashton BROOME -ALEX
Ibrahim CAMARA
Jhai DHILLON
Lee DYKES
Dan GREEN
Kendall GYAMFI
Courtney MASSEY
Sam NICHOLLS
Daniel SEARS
Bobby DANCE
Carter DONCASTER
Tawhid JUNEJA
Josh KEANE - QUINILIVAN
Jonathan DE MOURA
Match Officials:
Julian Ben Mark
Davis Pateman Wardell