Tring Athletic vs Watford FC

Official Programme

Picture courtesy of James Cotterill

Tring Athletic v Watford Thursday 21st December 2023, 19:45pm Herts Senior Challenge Cup Match Sponsor— Dolan Accountancy

Grassroots Talk

Good evening & welcome to the Michael Anthony Stadium for the visit of Watford FC in the Herts Charity Shield. We welcome their players, officials and supporters and wish them a safe journey home afterwards.

This evenings sponsor are Dolan Accountancy & we thank them for their ongoing support. You can find out more about them on page 4. Just click on their advert to take you to their website!

If you are able to volunteer for the club on a regular basis or even just occasionally please speak to a committee member. We are always grateful for extra support.

Grassroots Talk

This is the fourth season of producing online only programmes. If you click on any of the logos or adverts it should direct you straight to our sponsors websites. This also means we can bring you features such as match highlights at the click of a button.

Today’s programme includes •

Pages 7 - 15 - Chairmans message

•

Page 29 - Today’s match squads.

•

Pages 30 - 31 - Today’s opponent history.

•

Page 34 - The latest winners on the 100 club. You can join for just £1 a week.

•

Pages 35 - 42 - U23, Zebras, U18, U16 team results and tables.

•

As always keep an eye on our website for all the latest information, fixtures and results.

Our Match Sponsor Dolan Accountancy At Dolan Accountancy we do things a little differently than you might be used to. We were set up by Simon Dolan, the man behind the well-known brand SJD Accountancy.

Simon sold SJD Accountancy in 2014 and since then has been thinking about how he could do things better and provide even better value and service. Perhaps you were one of his clients and aren’t happy. Moving to Dolan Accountancy couldn’t be easier.

The outcome is Dolan Accountancy – dedicated contractor accountants delivering a combination of experience, service and technology for just £105 + VAT per month; one of the lowest rates in the industry. No more hidden costs, no switching accountants every few months, no more outsourcing to other internal and external teams, just the service you have grown to love over the years at its very best. Dolan Accountancy is proudly fully FCSA Accredited, so you can rest assured you’re in safe hands.

With the IR35 legislation changes in the public sector in 2017, Simon has decided to offer all contractors complete flexibility. As a client of Dolan Accountancy, you can use our award winning umbrella service completely margin free, for those contracts that are better suited to umbrella employment.

Our Match Sponsor Dolan Accountancy

Highlights & Social Media Follow, Like & Share… click on the icon to visit our pages

Chairmans Message

Club Chairman - David Blair To all members, spectators, and visitors – welcome to Tring Athletic FC and we hope you enjoy today’s match. We are a very fortunate club, as we play in one of the area’s most pleasant surroundings and benefit from one of the most open and welcoming clubhouse facilities at our level of football. A great place to be for a game of football, most definitely.

The club is in the middle of a very busy end exciting period of its near 60 year existence. This season, we are home to no less than 7 teams, 5 of which play at the newly named Michael Anthony Stadium and 2 who play up at the club’s top pitch, further up Cow Lane.

Chairmans Message Senior Teams The First Team – playing in the Spartan South Midlands FL Premier Division, has had a commendable past three seasons. Two years ago, the team finished 13th in a tightly packed mid table, and then went on to win the Premier Division Cup, with success over Flackwell Heath, dominating the game and winning 3-0 in the final. Season 22/23, they played some exhilarating games, scoring 59 goals and finishing a worthy 9th. This year, currently mid-table, the team is developing even further, with some established and experienced players guiding some young and fresh talent in the side. A superb 2-0 away win to highly rated FC Romania is evidence that the journey upwards continues. Managed by Ryan Sturges, an ex-TAFC player, and ably supported by PSA coach Lee Groves, ex-Watford player Ian Richardson and the evergreen Micky Vipond, the team are in very capable hands. Let’s hope the good football being played on the pitch is partnered with positive results for the remainder of the season.

U-23s – Following on from last year’s establishing season in the Suburban League, we welcome a new and aspirational side, showing real early promise.

With club stalwart Colin Phillips and PSA coach Mike Thomson in the dugout, ably supported by Stuart “Beamer” Stedman, performances on the pitch have been excellent so far, and at time of writing are 2nd in the Suburban League (North Division). Very importantly, the u23’s team represents “The Player Pathway” for all at the Club, enabling them to progress through to training, getting onto the bench and eventually playing for the first team.

The Zebras – Playing in the local Aylesbury & District Premier League, this is the second season for our local heroes managed by Ryan Shefras. Playing on the top pitch on Saturday afternoons, these guys play hard, have superb commitment to their cause and enjoy the game immensely. Players from all other TAFC squads who may be recovering from injury, regaining form or simply need more game time are able to play with the Zebras. Additionally, the Zebras is also a team from where talent can emerge and be further developed at u18 or u23 level.

Chairmans Message Youth Teams U-18s EJA – Led by manager Saul Philpot and ably assisted by Simon Roffe, this very talented side is made up of mainly local lads who have been playing together for many years. Playing their league games at the stadium, usually on Sunday mornings in one of the strongest divisions of the Eastern Junior Alliance, these lads are all capable of performing at a very high level. Indeed, on Wednesday 11th October, they had a terrific 2-1 home win against Hemel Hempstead Town u18 in the Magnus Midweek Cup. So, keep an eye out on the upcoming fixtures list and come down to cheer them on.

U-18s Midweek – Following on from David Lawless’ side superb season in the Allied Counties Midweek Floodlit League 2022/2023, where that team reached the 3rd Qualifying Round of the FA Youth Cup, we are very pleased to have a new side playing this time in the Southern Counties Floodlit Midweek League.

This side consists of 16 to 18-year-olds, many having come through the Pro Sports Academy (PSA) organisation, where ex-Tring Athletic player Kieran Turner is the founder and principal. Additionally, some players from both the u16 and u18 Tring Athletic EJA Sunday teams are either permanent members of this squad or have commenced training, with a view to further development of their skills. This symbiotic relationship augers well for the future. At the time of writing, this u18 midweek team have just reached the 1st round proper of the FA Youth Cup and have a great chance in the next round at home against local rivals Berkhamsted. Managed by Mike Thomson and Danny Wicks, with Kieran overseeing cup matches, we are very pleased to welcome this talented group of players and coaches to Tring Athletic FC.

Chairmans Message U-18s Bucks – Led by manager Stu Darrington, this is another group of mainly local lads who have played together for many years, with Tring Tornadoes Junior Sports Club up to u16 and moving up to Tring Athletic last season. Playing in the Wycombe and South Bucks Minor League Division 2 on the Cow Lane top pitch on Sunday mornings, this team are enjoying what for many will be their final season in Youth Football. A tough season so far, however they very much enjoyed a terrific 7-4 away win against local rivals Berkhamsted Raiders u18 Whites three weeks ago in the league. I wish this squad all the best for the 23/24 season.

U-16s EJA – Led by manager Matt Bowyer and ably supported by Albert de Beer and ex-Chelsea, Leeds United, Reading and the mighty St. Johnstone centre back Michael Duberry, these under 16s have a very promising future at the Club. Again, consisting of lads mainly from the local area, this side have won both of their opening league matches against high quality opposition. Given the young age of many of this team, there is good potential here for the next couple of seasons at least.

Our Sponsors Clearly, having this number of teams takes a lot of organisation and financial support, and the latter is provided by a growing list of sponsors in our community.

They all provide the crucial financial backing needed to operate a football club at this level and in return we are able and proud to be able to promote their businesses to the local community and further afield to visitors and social media readers. Before I offer thanks to our current sponsors, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank local philanthropist and entrepreneur David Evans for his decades of support for Tring Athletic FC. The stadium as you see it today was made possible through his personal benevolence.

Chairmans Message We are delighted to have the following key sponsors for the 2023/2024 season and beyond: Michael Anthony Estate Agents – Holding the stadium naming rights and the main shirt sponsorship for our u18 midweek team, Paul Swindlehurst and his team at Michael Anthony have been long-standing supporters of Tring Athletic FC. Additionally, they are vital sponsors of one of the local Aylesbury District Leagues and other sports in the area.

The Cook Partnership – One of the area’s leading Chartered Accountants, The Cook Partnership are not only sponsors for the 1st team home kit, but they are also advisers to the Club relating to business and financial matters, a critical role on both fronts!

N P Electrics & Solar – The owner of one of Tring’s most successful and visible businesses, Nicky Petrou has been a vital supporter of the Club for many years. A keen footballer himself, playing for a local vets team, Nicky has on many occasions gone the extra mile to help our football club maintain its power system. Nicky is also the sponsor of the u23s home shirts and one of our away kits.

Pendley Day Nursery – During the day Monday to Friday, we have a fantastic group of dedicated child carers who look after and educate many young children in Tring and its surroundings. This provides invaluable income for the club, and I’d like to express our gratitude for all that Pendley Day Nursery do for our club.

I’d also like to thank the following local organisations for their long-term support and sponsorship of our Club, it is greatly appreciated.

VolksTec EIC Insurance Tring MOT R O Allum A.S & Sons Ltd TFGI HR Projects Roy Chapman Phil Casserley Grant & Stone Terra Firma Ground Investigations

Tree Monkey Chiltern Transport PowerRod Sinfield Services Dae Ha UK Online Wine Tasting Greenfleets Highlights Floodlights Tring MOT Centre Dolan Accountancy

Chairmans Message Our Committee In addition to our sponsors, Tring Athletic FC is reliant on a dedicated committee and group of volunteers to operate and maintain the club. I’d like to thank them all.

Tony Stedman – Secretary and Treasurer, who has given thousands of hours of his time to helping manage fixtures, finances, and sundry other responsibilities.

Mark Weston (Westy) – Vice-Chairman. A long-standing fan and operations manager at the club, he has dedicated a huge amount of time and energy over the years to making the ground and clubhouse look as good as it does today.

Neil Foskett (Dynamo) – Vice-Chairman. A former TAFC player, Neil has recently joined the committee and brings with him a wealth of business experience gained in the construction industry. Highly organised, Neil helps the difficult things run smoothly.

Graham Bright – Committee Member and Membership and Sponsorship Lead.

Responsible for running the various membership programmes and growing the sponsorship base, Graham brings a great deal of experience in business to the Club, and his input and guidance on many issues is much appreciated and invaluable.

Darrell Osborne – Committee Member and Community Engagement Lead.

A well-known local businessman, Darrell has recently joined the committee. He has a wide local network and brings great ideas for closer community engagement with the club.

Colin Phillips – New Committee Member and Football Co-ordinator. Colin has been in and around the club for many years, in various capacities. Not only does he jointly manage the u23s, he also creates the positive player/coach/team environment, sharing skills and knowledge across all of our teams.

Chairmans Message Bob Winter – Having served many years on the committee, recently 3 years as Chairman, Bob remains an ever-present at the club, when he is in the UK. With the club’s interest always at heart, Bob, alongside Tony Stedman and Ian Butler have been instrumental in the development of the Pendley Day Nursery as one of the key club sponsors. Although Bob is no longer a committee member, his sage advice has been extremely helpful to me, and for that, thank you Bob. This also seems a good opportunity to let you know that having served in the role of Club Chairman with such poise and distinction, Bob Winter has been appointed as a Club Vice-President. In this new role, Bob will act as a Tring Athletic ambassador to officials and committee members at both home and away fixtures.

Not only does this activity promote our club to the outside world but it is also a very good source of new information and intelligence that our club can benefit from. Thanks, for your continued support, Bob.

Pictured (L-R) - Darrell Osborne, Colin Phillips, Tony Stedman Our Volunteers In addition, we have many volunteers who give freely of their time and should be recognised as being part of the fabric of this wonderful club.

Dave Stacey (Stace) – A trusted goalkeeper for Tring, he has dedicated a huge amount of time, energy, blood and sweat to this club. He knows every nut and bolt, post and pole and is a massive helper to us all. Thanks Dave.

Darrell Bodimeade (Dazza) - Cutting, rolling and nurturing every blade of grass on the pitch is an incredibly difficult thing to do. Dazza has produced some of the best pitches in the area for many years and we are hugely grateful for his efforts.

Chairmans Message Our Volunteers David Whicker (Whicksy) – A club stalwart with over 500 games to his name, Dave is the “football” guy behind the scenes. He motivates the players, meets and greets spectators and players from both home and away teams and helps create the special atmosphere at The Michael Anthony Stadium. Club legend is no exaggeration.

Ralph Griffiths – A man who has forgotten more about Tring Athletic than most people know about it, Ralph is an evergreen at the club who is always there to help us when we need it. Thanks Ralph.

Stefan Drumea – An expert behind the bar and at organising functions, Stef has established for himself a key role at the club as the new face at Eldo’s Bar.

Andy Ayres – Andy has been involved at all levels of this club, been present at hundreds of TAFC matches and has helped with matchday operations. For all that you do Andy, many thanks.

Trevor Langley – Behind the scenes, Trevor is instrumental in the smooth running of the player registration and match arrangement processes. Regularly, there is very little time to sign players before a match, Trevor manages somehow to do it.

Thanks Trevor.

James Cotterill (Cotters) – Although he has been coming to the ground for many years, James has recently become involved in the increasingly important world of social media and IT infrastructure. Welcome James.

Pictured (L-R) - David Whicker, Andy Ayres, Ralph Griffiths

Chairmans Message So, as you can see, we are blessed with a talented group of people who want only what’s best for the club. If you feel that you’d like to join this band of merry men and women and help us to grow Tring Athletic in the future, then please express your interest by emailing me at davidgblair@gmail.com.

Additionally, if you would like to express your support for the club by becoming one of its sponsors, then please contact Graham Bright at bright5@virginmedia.com who will guide you through the process.

Soon, I hope to be able to write to you on our plans for future development at this amazing club.

Finally, enjoy every minute of every game, we are fortunate to be here today.

Kind regards in the meantime,

David Blair Chairman

League Table 1

Real Bedford

19

17

1

1

69

13

56

52

2

Milton Keynes Irish

19

15

3

1

62

12

50

48

3

St Panteleimon

19

11

6

2

42

20

22

39

4

Leverstock Green

20

12

3

5

44

34

10

39

5

FC Romania

20

10

3

7

49

37

12

33

6

Cockfosters

17

7

6

4

36

27

9

27

7

Biggleswade United

17

8

3

6

40

37

3

27

8

London Lions

20

6

7

7

40

40

0

25

9

Harpenden Town

17

7

4

6

32

32

0

25

10

Potton United

20

7

3

10

26

38

-12

24

11

Tring Athletic

19

6

5

8

29

35

-6

23

12

Colney Heath

18

7

2

9

23

33

-10

23

13

Dunstable Town

17

5

5

7

28

31

-3

20

14

Aylesbury Vale Dynamos

18

6

2

10

34

47

-13

20

15

Baldock Town

21

7

1

13

42

57

-15

19*

16

Crawley Green

19

4

4

11

28

46

-18

16

17

Stansted

15

4

3

8

22

33

-11

15

18

Shefford Town & Campton

15

3

4

8

23

46

-23

13

19

Arseley Town

16

3

3

10

14

40

-26

12

20

Sawbridgeworth Town

16

0

4

12

16

41

-25

4

Club Officials Life President Life Vice Presidents

Mick Eldridge BEM David Evans MBE, Barry Johnson, Jean & Les Robins, Ralph Griffiths, Harry Bowden, Pete Stillwell, Alan Foskett, Pete Oakley, Keith Hamilton, Barry Simmons, Dave Stacey Chairman David Blair Vice Chairman Neil Foskett & Mark Weston Hon. Secretary Tony Stedman Hon. Treasurer Tony Stedman Commercial Manager Graham Bright Match Secretary - South Midlands Tony Stedman Registration Secretary Trevor Langley Community Officer Darrell Osborne Club Welfare Officer Kirstie McNeil First Team Manager Ryan Sturges First Team Assistant Manager Lee Groves First Team Coaches Mick Vipond First Team Technical Advisor Ian Richardson Goalkeeping coach Gary Looker Under 23’s Management Michael Thompson, Colin Phillips, Stuart Stedman TAFC Zebras Ryan Shefras Under 18' Management (Southern Counties) Danny Wicks Under 18's Management (Wycombe) Stuart Darrington Sports Physio Hannah Childs Football Co-Ordinator Vacant Press Officer Vacant Website Darrell Osborne Social Media James Cotterill , Bob Winter Programme Editor James Cotterill Groundsman Darrell Bodimeade Facilities Manager David Whicker Membership Secretary Graham Bright Catering Isalie Bar Manager Stefan Drumea

Executive Committee Members David Blair, Neil Foskett, Tony Stedman, Mark Weston, Darrell Osbourne, Graham Bright

Committee Members Bob Winter, Ian Butler, Neil Foskett, Graham Bright, Andy Ayres, David Whicker

Our Charity Partner

Click on the photo for information or to donate

Pendley Day Nursery is a brand-new nursery set in a unique setting in the heart of Tring, and provides quality childcare and development opportunities for children aged 6 months - 5 years.

We have created a premier nursery, which will provide a fantastic experience for your child to enable them to 'Grow, Learn & Develop'. Just read our TESTIMONALS page to see the lovely things parents are saying about us.

The nursery has both expansive indoor and outdoor space, and provides an ideal environment for children to learn and play in a safe and secure environment.

Pendley Day Nursery is led and managed by leading childcare practitioner Natasha Young, who is also part owner of the nursery.

Natasha is Level 6 qualified and she and her team will provide the highest of quality care and development opportunities for your child.

We will ensure that your child's best interest are at the heart of everything we do.

We have invested significantly in the setting and, with lots of brand new equipment and toys, we offer the highest of standards throughout.

Our excellent facilities include: • Fully trained, dedicated staff – many at level 3 and above • Fully equipped kitchen and trained cooks (hot lunch, tea and snacks) • Large play areas, inside and out • Large, safe front car park for easy drop off and collection • Open 8.00 – 18.00, Monday – Friday (51 weeks)

• Flexible hours (mornings or afternoons) • Dedicated to children 6 months – 5 years The nursery is run by local owners who, through their team, are committed to providing stimulating activities in a caring environment, promoting all aspects of children’s development.

Match Sponsorship Match sponsorship only costs £50 and includes • Name/Logo on the matchday sign on the front of the stadium • Two complimentary admissions • Free pre-match drink for two people • Company/Personal details on the front cover of matchday programme • Overview of Company within matchday programme • Mention on Chairman's notes and on the PA system • Post match presentation/photo with the man of the match

Contact Graham Bright on 07722 240963 or via email to tringathleticfc@hotmail.com

Match Sponsorship Arlesey Town— Dolan Accountancy Aylesbury Vale Dynamos — Ralph Griffiths Baldock Town — Dolan Accountancy Biggleswade United— Pendley Day Nursery Cockfosters— Dolan Accountancy Colney Heath — Pendley Day Nursery Crawley Green— Pendley Day Nursery Dunstable Town— Pendley Day Nursery FC Romania— Pendley Day Nursery Harpenden Town— Pendley Day Nursery Leverstock Green— Michael Eldridge London Lions— London Lions Milton Keynes Irish— Cambridge Motors Potton United— Dick Lovelace Real Beford— Sinfield Services Sawbridgeworth Town— Pendley Day Nursery Shefford Town & Campton— Dolan Accountancy Stansted— Sinfield Services St Panteleimon— Sinfield Services

Long Buckby— Dolan Accountancy

Fixture List CC

22/07/23 15:00

Leverstock Green

2-4

Tring Athletic

PREM

01/08/23 19:45

Tring Athletic

1-1

Harpenden Town

FAC

05/08/23 15:00

Tring Athletic

0-2

Nailsea & Tickenham

PREM

12/08/23 15:00

Baldock Town

0-2

Tring Athletic

PREM

15/08/23 19:45

Tring Athletic

1-0

Colney Heath

PREM

19/08/23 15:00

Arlesey Town

3-3

Tring Athletic

PREM

26/08/23 15:00

Tring Athletic

2-4

Biggleswade United

PREM

29/08/23 19:45

Milton Keynes Irish

5-0

Tring Athletic

PREM

02/09/23 15:00

Tring Athletic

0-4

Real Bedford

PREM

09/09/23 15:00

Stansted

3-0

Tring Athletic

PREM

12/09/23 19:45

Tring Athletic

2-3

Crawley Green

PREM

16/09/23 15:00

Tring Athletic

4-0

Sawbridgeworth Town

HCS

19/09/23 19:45

Tring Athletic

3-1

Harpenden Town

PREM

07/10/23 15:00

Biggleswade United

3-2

Tring Athletic

CC

10/10/23 19:45

Hadley

0-1

Tring Athletic

PREM

14/10/23 15:00

Tring Athletic

1-0

Dunstable Town

Fixture List PREM

21/10/23 15:00

Tring Athletic

2-2

FC Romania

PREM

04/11/23 15:00

Tring Athletic

1-3

Milton Keynes Irish

FA Vase

11/11/23 15:00

Tilbury

4-0

Tring Athletic

PREM

18/11/23 15:00

Crawley Green

1-1

Tring Athletic

HCS

21/11/23 19:45

Tring Athletic

2-2 (4-3)

Baldock Town

PREM

25/11/23 15:00

Colney Heath

2-1

Tring Athletic

PREM

02/12/23 15:00

Tring Athletic

P-P

Long Buckby

PREM

09/12/23 15:00

London Lions

0-0

Tring Athletic

PREM

12/12/24 15:00

Tring Athletic

P-P

Shefford Town & Campton

PREM

16/12/23 15:00

Potton United

1-4

Tring Athletic

PREM

21/12/23 19:45

Tring Athletic

vs

Watford FC

PREM

27/12/23 19:45

Tring Athletic

vs

Aylesbury Vale Dynamos

PREM

30/12/23 15:00

Leverstock Green

vs

Tring Athletic

PREM

06/01/24 15:00

Tring Athletic

vs

Stansted

PREM

09/01/24 19:45

St Panteleimon

vs

Tring Athletic

Fixture List PREM

13/01/24 15:00

Cockfosters

vs

Tring Athletic

PREM

20/01/24 15:00

Tring Athletic

vs

Leverstock Green

PREM

27/01/24 15:00

Tring Athletic

vs

Cockfosters

PREM

10/02/24 15:00

Baldock Town

vs

Tring Athletic

PREM

13/02/24 19:45

Aylesbury Vale Dynamos

vs

Tring Athletic

PREM

17/02/24 15:00

Tring Athletic

vs

Potton United

PREM

24/02/24 15:00

Tring Athletic

vs

London Lions

PREM

02/03/23415:00

Tring Athletic

vs

Arlesey Town

PREM

09/03/24 15:00

Harpenden Town

vs

Tring Athletic

PREM

16/03/24 15:00

Sawbridgeworth Town

vs

Tring Athletic

PREM

19/03/24 19:45

Tring Athletic

vs

St Panteleimon

PREM

23/03/24 15:00

Shefford Town & Campton

vs

Tring Athletic

PREM

02/04/24 19:45

Dunstable Town

vs

Tring Athletic

PREM

06/04/24 15:00

Real Bedford

vs

Tring Athletic

PREM

20/04/24 15:00

Tring Athletic

vs

Baldock Town

Today’s Squads

Tring Athletic FC Eric Negraru (GK) Victor Andrei Cristea (GK) Lee Stobbs © Jamie Ovington Tommy Smith Dave O’Connor Lennie Armstrong Adam Sawyer George Carbery Frankie Hercules Harry Jones Jack Harvey Max Hercules Josh Chamberlain Greg Deer Harrison Mead Harry Shepherd Jamie Rudd Harrison Cornick Guieppe Delgaudio Jake Cowley Harry Seabrook Ryan Sharkey Luke Peerless

Watford FC Jonathan Macaulay Myles Roberts Alfie Marriott Aidan Coyne George Abbott Alistair Gould Luigi Gaspar Charlie Davis Zak Fraser-Grante Dawid Hamiga Junior Gyamfi Jack Grieves Jake Watkiss Toby Adeyemo Laken Torres

Manager - Ryan Sturges

Manager: Charlie Daniels

Asst Manager- Lee Groves

Coach: Richard Shaw

Coach—Ian Richardson & Mick Vipond, GK Coach - Gary Looker

Coach: Gary Phillips

Physio—Hannah Childs

Today’s opposition—Watford FC History - Club History 1881-1939: The Formative Years The beginnings of the club can be traced back to 1881, when Watford Rovers was formed by Henry Grover and a group of fellow teenagers who had been given permission by the Earl of Essex to kick a football around in Cassiobury Park.

Friendly matches began in 1882, with various sites in the town being used for matches. The first competitive game was an FA Cup tie against Swindon Town in 1886. In 1890 West Herts Club and Ground was set up in Cassio Road (where it remains to this day) and Watford Rovers moved in as the football section, changing name to West Herts in 1893.

Regular league football began when West Herts joined the Southern League Division 2 in 1896, and the club turned professional the next year. In 1898 the rival town club Watford St Mary’s was absorbed, and the club’s name became Watford.

Watford were promoted to the Southern League Division 1 as champions in 1900, but were relegated in 1903. At this point Ralph Thorpe stepped in as a benefactor, and the great former England captain and double-winner John Goodall was appointed as manager. Watford were promoted again as unbeaten champions of Division 2 in 1904.

Today’s opposition—Watford FC Harry Kent took over as manager in 1910, and in 1915 led the club to the Southern League championship. Watford can be regarded as one of the leading clubs in the south of England at this point.

Operations were suspended during the First World War, and restarted in 1919 with the local Benskin’s brewery as club benefactor – an association that would last over 40 years. In 1920 Watford became members of the Football League when the Southern League joined en masse.

Vicarage Road became the home ground in 1922. However the mid-1920s was a troubled period. By 1926 the club was in financial crisis, caused by the costs of the move, and launched a public appeal. In 1927 Watford finished 21st of 22 in Division 3 South and had to apply for re-election.

The 1930s saw fortunes improve. The club enjoyed its most successful period to date, with five consecutive top six finishes in Division 3 South from 1935 to 1939, and a share of the Southern Section Cup with Millwall in 1937. In 1939 the Second World War intervened.

1939-1959: Post-War Struggles The outbreak of war in September 1939 brought an immediate end to Football League competition. Regional leagues ran during the war years, with guest players, servicemen and amateurs often featuring in team line-ups. The FA Cup resumed in 1945-46, and league football in 1946-47, with Watford finishing in 16th place in the first post-war season. Read More 1959-1969: Moving On Up In the new gold shirts, 1959-60 was a golden year. Watford finished fourth in Division 4 for a celebrated promotion – the first since joining the Football League in 1920 – and also reached the FA Cup 5th round. Read More

Today’s opposition—Watford FC 1969-1977: Back To Square One The sixties had been a successful decade, as Watford progressed from lowerleague also-rans into a third division force, and in 1969 reached Division 2.

Read More

1977-1987: Golden Days And what a time it was. Graham Taylor breezed into Watford Football Club, then dozing in the backwaters of Division 4, in the summer of 1977. His 10 years in charge brought unimaginable success, and laid the foundations for the club we know today. Read More 1987-1996: Sliding Backwards After 10 years as Watford manager, at the end of the 1986-87 season Graham Taylor decided it was time to further his career. Read More 1996-2001: Back On The Map After Graham Taylor left in 1987, it took Watford 10 years to find another manager as good. When they did, it was Graham Taylor again. Read More

2001-2012: Crises And Surprises As it turned out, this was the start of a lengthy period in which the next offfield drama never seemed far away. Read More

Today’s opposition—Watford FC 2012 to present: The Pozzo Era The Pozzos brought a new model of ownership to English football. They had sold the family business and gone into football, acquiring the Italian club Udinese in the 1980s, and more recently Granada in Spain.

They had been successful with both. Udinese was a small club compared to the giants of Italian football, but had remained in Serie A throughout their tenure; Granada had climbed rapidly from the third tier up to La Liga. Among other features, the model involved an extensive worldwide scouting network and the identification and development of players who were sold on at a profit to fund reinvestment.

A large number of new players soon arrived. Many were contracted to Udinese or Granada and joined Watford on loan, largely for reasons of convenience due to the limited time available in putting a squad together for the 2012-13 season, an approach which some observers thought controversial.

Gianfranco Zola was appointed as head coach, and adopted an attacking style of play. Watford were comfortably the Championship’s top scorers with 85 goals and operated in the upper reaches all season, but missed out on automatic promotion thanks to ill-fortune in the final home game against Leeds.

The consequent “here’s Hogg…Deeney!” experience in the home leg of the play-off semi-final against Leicester will be remembered forever by those who watched it. However the play-off final against Crystal Palace brought disappointment.

The 2013-14 season was less memorable. Perhaps there was a play-off hangover. Zola left mid-season, replaced by Beppe Sannino, and the final table showed Watford in 13th place.

Today’s opposition—Watford FC However, 2014-15 was a different story. The squad was re-stocked, and survived a series of changes of head coach in the autumn – Sannino, then Oscar Garcia, then (due to Garcia’s ill-health) Billy McKinlay, finally Slavisa Jokanovic.

Things really clicked in the new year. Performances were impressive and progress relentless: the final 21 games included 15 wins and three draws. Odion Ighalo hit the form of his life, and with Troy Deeney and Matej Vydra also providing plenty of goals, automatic promotion was achieved with a game to spare. Watford were back in the Premier League.

Meanwhile the Pozzos were making the long-overdue improvements to the stadium. The Rous Stand was re-named after Graham Taylor, and during 2014 -15 the main stand and its extension, condemned some years earlier, were replaced with the new Sir Elton John Stand. The corporate facilities were then enhanced, and the Sensory Room followed. Vicarage Road was now fit for purpose as a smart, compact stadium hosting Premier League football.

Despite many predicting a third single-season stay in the Premier League, Watford soon found their feet. The squad was upgraded, and Quique Sánchez Flores hired as coach. A memorable 3-0 home win over Liverpool reminded fans from the 1980s of what things used to be like when Watford overturned the big teams, and the Hornets stood in 7th place at Christmas. The second half of the season proved harder going, but 45 points were enough to secure 13th place. An FA Cup run saw Watford reach the semi-final only to bow out with another Wembley disappointment against Crystal Palace, but the 2-1 victory away to Arsenal in the sixth round was the season’s highlight for many, with Adlène Guedioura’s goal a glorious moment of power and beauty.

Today’s opposition—Watford FC The 2016-17 season followed a similar pattern. There was a new coach, in Walter Mazzarri. Results were impressive up to December, featuring the first wins over Manchester United, Everton and the reigning champions (Leicester) for 30 years. There was also a drop-off in performances thereafter: Watford reached the 40-point mark usually considered the target for survival with six games to spare, but lost all of those games to finish in 17th position. Even so, they had secured a third year in the topflight.

The saddest moment in the season was the death of Graham Taylor in January 2017.

His loss was keenly felt at the time, and remains so. It feels appropriate that, at the time of his passing, Watford’s status in English football had returned to the level of his greatest years.

Once again, 2017-18 saw Watford make an encouraging start, then drop back, but finish in mid-table. The team produced some vibrant football early on under new coach Marco Silva, with the highlight a televised 2-1 home win over Arsenal. But performances declined as autumn turned into winter, and Silva was replaced as coach with Javi Gracia. Watford beat reigning champions Chelsea 4-1 early in Gracia’s tenure, and the team finished the season safely in 14th place with 41 points.

With Gracia at the helm in 2018-19, the club reached new heights and the team enjoyed its most successful season in more than 30 years. In the league, the Golden Boys achieved a highest ever points total (50) and highest ever finish (11th) in the Premier League era.

The Hornets also reached an FA Cup final for the second time in their history. After dispatching Woking, Newcastle United, Queens Park Rangers and Crystal Palace, the road to the final seemed to have reached its end when Wolverhampton Wanderers took a 2-0 lead in the semi-final at Wembley Stadium. But Gracia's side rallied and goals from Gerard Deulofeu and Troy Deeney at the death levelled the scores, with Deulofeu netting again in extra-time to earn Watford victory. Although Manchester City proved too tough a test in the final, the faithful Hornets supporters made the club proud with outstanding support throughout.

Next Up

Come & watch the 1st team against Aylesbury Vale Dynamos on the 27th December at 19:45pm

FREE £8.00 £8.00 FREE £5.00

Today’s Officials

Kyfer Mayhew Carl Jones Charles Wilkinson

The TAFC 1

Club

Support Tring Athletic, Join our 100 Club. This is one of the most popular fund raising activities in the UK, probably the easiest to enter, and the size of the weekly/monthly prize will depend upon the number of people participating. The more people the larger the prize. 50% of all takings go in cash prizes.

At the current time we have a Monthly 1st prize of £100, 2nd prize of £50 and 2x £20 prizes. It costs just £1 per week. Ask a committee member for details.

November Winners The monthly 100 club draw was undertaken recently.

The lucky winners were: July £100— Sean Rutherford £50— Paul Brannan £20— John Perry £20— Ralph Hall Once again winnings will be paid directly to the winners bank accounts.

TAFC Under 23’s - Sponsored by NP Electrics & Testing Results TAFC 1 - 0 Wokingham & Emmbrook Reserves CB Hounslow United U23’s 0 - 3 TAFC Brook House Reserves 2 - 1 TAFC TAFC 6 - 7 Aylesbury Vale Dynamos U23 TAFC 2 - 1 Chalfont St Peter U23 TAFC 5 - 3 Brook House FC Reserves Sandridge Rovers Reserves 2 - 1 TAFC (County Cup) Marlow U23’s 1 - TAFC 2 TAFC 2 - 1 Alton Reserves (Michael Bidmead Cup) TAFC 2 - 3 Wokingham & Emmbrook Reserves Flackwell Heath Development 3 - 2 TAFC Hartley Wintney Reserves 0 - 1 TAFC

Our reserves are sponsored by NP Electrics & Testing

TAFC Under 23’s - Sponsored by NP Electrics & Testing Suburban League—North Division POS Team

P

W

D

L

GD

PTS

1

Wokingham & Emmbrook Reserves

13

8

1

4

8

25

2

Flackwell Heath Development

8

6

1

1

17

19

3

CB Hounslow United U23

9

6

0

3

12

18

4

Tring Athletic U23

10

6

0

4

5

18

5

Marlow FC U23

12

6

0

6

4

18

6

Chalfont St Peter FC

12

4

2

6

-6

14

7

Brook House FC Reserves

10

3

1

6

-9

10

8

Aylesbury Vale Dynamos U23

8

3

1

4

-10

10

9

Hartley Wintney Res

9

2

2

5

-11

8

10 St Albans City FC Academy

6

0

2

5

-10

2

ENTRY TO UNDER 23 MATCHES AT HOME ARE INCLUDED IN YOUR TAFC MEMBERSHIP. IF YOU CAN’T TRAVEL TO WATCH THE FIRST TEAM, THEN PLEASE COME AND SUPPORT OUR YOUNGSTERS.

TAFC Zebras Aylesbury and District League — Premier Division POS Team

P

W

D

L

GD

PTS

1

AW FC Firsts

10

6

3

1

13

21

2

Great Missenden First

8

5

2

1

6

17

3

Aylesbury Vale Toqeers Titans First

8

5

1

2

3

16

4

Stoke Mandeville FC First

5

5

0

0

22

15

5

Elmhurst First

9

5

0

4

9

15

6

Wingrave First

11

3

2

6

-11

11

7

Chesham United Youth FC

9

3

0

6

-18

9

8

Wendover First

9

2

0

7

-7

6

9

Tring Athletic Zebras

9

1

0

8

-17

3

Recent Results TAFC 0 - 2 AW FC First Elmhurst First 4 - 0 TAFC Aylesbury Royals FC 2 – 1 (AET) TAFC (Marsworth Senior Cup) Wendover First 4 - 2 TAFC TAFC 1 - 0 Steeple & Ludgershall Utd (Presidents Cup)

ENTRY TO RESERVE TEAM MATCHES AT HOME ARE INCLUDED IN YOUR TAFC MEMBERSHIP. IF YOU CAN’T TRAVEL TO WATCH THE FIRST TEAM, THEN PLEASE COME AND SUPPORT OUR YOUNGSTERS.

TAFC U18 Midweek - Sponsored by Michael Anthony Southern Counties Floodlit Youth League - Corinthian POS Team

P

W

D

L

GD

PTS

1

Winslow United U18 Southern

6

5

1

0

9

16

2

Tring Athletic U18 Midweek

4

4

0

0

12

12

3

Leighton Town U18

5

4

0

1

13

12

4

Aylesbury Vale Dynamos FC U18

7

4

0

3

7

12

5

Kings Langley FC U18

7

4

0

3

0

12

6

Hemel Hempstead Town U18

5

3

1

1

10

10

7

Leverstock Green U18

9

3

0

6

-2

9

8

Dunstable Town U18

9

2

0

7

-22

6

9

Berkhamsted FC U18

4

1

0

3

-4

3

6

0

0

6

-23

0

10 Buckingham Football Club U18S

Recent Results TAFC 4 - 0 Jersey Bulls (FA Youth Cup) Hanwell Town U18 2 - 3 TAFC (Challenge Cup) Leyton Orient Academy 3 - 1 TAFC (FA Youth Cup) TAFC 4 - 0 Dunstable Town U18

TAFC U18 Sunday - Sponsored by Volkstec Wycombe and South Bucks Minor Football League - U18 Division 2

POS Team

P

W

D

L

PTS

1

Flackwell Heath Minors U18

8

6

1

1

19

2

Ickenham Youth FC U18 Sharks

7

4

2

1

14

3

Marlow Youth U18

7

3

2

2

11

4

Westwood Part U18

7

3

2

2

11

5

Chesham United U18 Titans

10

3

2

5

11

6

Berkhamsted Raiders Youth U18 Whites

8

3

0

5

9

7

Aston Clinton Colts JFC U18

9

2

3

4

9

8

Tring Athletic U18 Bucks

5

1

0

4

3

Recent Results Ickenham Youth FC U18 Sharks 4 - 0 TAFC TAFC 1 - 3 Aston Clinton Colts JFC U18 Westwood Park U18 2 - 1 TAFC (Cup) TAFC 3 - 4 Berkhamsted Raiders Youth U18

TAFC U18 EJA Eastern Junior Alliance - U18 Blue POS Team

P

W

D

L

GD

PTS

1

Cheshunt Youth U18 EJA Ambers

9

8

0

1

24

24

2

Newport Pagnell Town U18

7

7

0

0

17

21

3

Royston Town Youth U18

10

7

0

3

7

21

4

Leighton Town Youth U18 (EJA)

9

5

1

3

1

16

5

8

4

0

4

7

12

8

3

1

4

-5

10

7

Hemel Hempstead Town Youth U18 Blue Aylesbury Vale Dynamos FC U17 Dynamos Harpenden Town U18 EJA

8

3

1

4

5

10

8

St Margaretsbury Youth U17 Reds EJA 10

2

1

7

-22

7

9

2

0

7

-3

6

8

0

0

8

-31

0

6

9 10

Barnet FC Barnet FC U18 (EJA) (Canons Hi Tring Athletic U18 EJA

Recent Results Newport Pagnell Town U18 2 - 1 TAFC Hemel Hempstead Town U18 4 - 1 TAFC Hornchurch Youth U18 5 - 0 TAFC (Inglilby Cup) TAFC 0 - 5 Hemel Hempstead Town U18 (Magnus Cup) Royston Town Youth U18 5 - 1 TAFC Barnet FC U18 9 - 0 TAFC

TAFC U16 EJA - Sponsored by Dae HA UK, TFGI, HR Project Links & AS & Sons Ltd Eastern Junior Alliance - U16 Black POS Team

P

W

D

L

GD

PTS

1

Tring Athletic U16 EJA

9

6

1

2

7

19

2

Histon FC U16 EJA

7

5

1

1

17

16

3

Godmanchester Town U16

9

4

2

3

1

14

4

Arlesey Town U16

5

3

1

1

11

10

5

St Ives Town FC U16

8

3

0

5

-9

9

6

Dunstable Town U16 Lions

7

2

2

3

-5

8

7

LGCE Youth U16 LGCE

7

2

0

5

-5

6

8

Cambridge City FC U16

5

1

1

3

-8

4

9

Aylesbury Vale Dynamos FC U16 Dynamos

5

1

0

4

-9

3

Recent Results TAFC 4 - 1 Welwyn Garden City Development (RT Litho Cup) LGCE Youth U16 2 - 3 TAFC TAFC 1 - 0 Arlesey Town

Supporting Tring Athletic FC since 2014 Insurance Reports Landlord Certification Commercial Lighting New Installations

Emergency Call Out Contact www.np-electrics.co.uk

hello@np-electrics.co.uk T: 01442 828315 M: 07917 100813

EIC is a trading name of E I C Insurance Services Ltd who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England and Wales as E.I.C. Insurance Services Ltd, Company Number 02331080 Registered Address: Unit 1b Tring Business Estate, Upper Icknield Way, Tring, Hertfordshire, HP23 4JX

TAFC Membership

GOLD - £99 (£75 concessions) Free entry to all home league games. 20% discount at the bar. Please see the opposite page for additional offers from local businesses.

SILVER—£50 (£40 cons) Free entry to the first six matches each season.

20% discount at the bar.

BLACK—£20 (£10 cons) Club membership and 10% discount at the bar.

Click on the Gold Card below to go to our membership page & application form

TAFC Membership Benefits

Team Sponsors First Team

Reserves

U18 Midweek

U16s EJA

U18 Sunday

U18s EJA New sponsor wanted.

Please contact Graham Bright for more information

HR Project Links AS & Sons Ltd