etVictor Southern League Premier Division entral...7 50/50 DRAW During our friendly against...
Transcript of etVictor Southern League Premier Division entral...7 50/50 DRAW During our friendly against...
BetVictor Southern League Premier Division Central
Saturday 31 August 2019 Matchday programme £2
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When Leiston played Felixstowe in the last
friendly of this pre-season, three Spaniards
took the field: our own Albert Serra
Parrondo and Sebas Pons Llado, plus
‘Fernando’, the opposition centre-back. It
took me back to ‘The Three Amigos’ of
Jesús Seba, Isidro Díaz and the better-
known Roberto Martínez who joined
Wigan Athletic somewhat incongruously in
1995.
Wigan Athletic was a club on the up.
Promoted into the Football League in the
1980s, they were now owned by ex-
professional footballer and successful local
sports retailer Dave Whelan. He was put
in touch with the three, who were plying
their trade at Real Zaragoza B, by the man
in charge of Whelan’s sports stores in that
city. The arrival of the three amigos piqued
local interest - though Díaz was later to
recall, ‘I remember turning to Roberto and
Jesús and asking why the fans were
wearing Mexican sombreros when we’re
Spanish’ - and they did much to raise
Wigan’s media profile as well as enhance
their success on the field.
Martínez went on to become a club
legend, managing the club in the latter half
of their unlikely nine-year stay in the
Premier League, adapting their style of
play to a more patient, passing approach
despite some hair-raising experiences
during that tactical transition, including an
infamous 1-9 defeat at Tottenham. Most
famously, Martínez led Wigan to an
improbable, yet joyous FA Cup win at the
expense of Roberto Mancini’s Manchester
City. Memorably, Martínez said before the
game that Wigan would have to be perfect
on the day to achieve their goal. Perfect,
they were. For ninety minutes, every
player gave his all, playing to well-drilled
instructions, but with no little skill. It was
an outstanding performance from players
whose collective discipline and endeavour
saw them overcome their considerably
Wigan Athletic’s three amigos: Jesús Seba, Roberto Martínez and Isidro Díaz.
Roberto Martínez with Wigan’s 2013b FA Cup-winning goalscorer Ben Watson.
All for one and one for all
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more illustrious and prosperous local rivals.
Martínez had led an unfashionable club with a
middling supporter base to continued status
on the highest national stage, culminating in
indelible success in the nation’s flagship
knockout tournament.
After last Monday’s game at Needham Market,
many of the travelling Leiston supporters were
talking about how to arrest the early-season
series of disappointing results, and it struck me
that there are several parallels between
Leiston FC and that friendly, relatively small
yet pugnacious and proud north-western club:
not merely a former-player-turned manager
and the surprising addition of players from
Spain, but a stubborn attachment to club ethos
and principle; the bonding together of team
and supporters - in Leiston’s case, under the
banner of #weareaclub. These will be crucial
factors in confronting and overcoming the
trials that this season will inevitably continue
to present. Leiston FC have punched
impressively above their weight for some years
to be playing competitively at this level, and
the task has been made even harder with the
unforgiving fortnightly journeys into and
across the midlands, a factor that should not
be discounted when considering the pool of
players from which the club is able to recruit,
and a situation exacerbated by the new-found
purchasing power of certain noisy neighbours
to the west of the county.
Having enjoyed the successes of the past few
years, we are now in new territory. We all
need to get behind the team and management
and demonstrate that, as a club, we are more
than just the collective sum of our parts.
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Leiston FC
Club Information:
Club Officials:
President: Robin Watson
Chairman: Andy Crisp
Vice Chairman: Peter Mayhew
Club Secretary: Trevor Elmy
Director of Football: Trevor Elmy
Fixtures Secretary: Steve Cooper
Welfare Officers: Peter Douglass , Alastair Browning
Safety Officer: Target Zero Safety Solutions
Team Management:
First Team Manager: Stuart Boardley
Reserves Manager: Ian Cornforth
Reserves Assistant Manager: Paul Stannard
U18 Manager: Rick Kerry
U18 Assistant Manager: Matt Morling
A Team Manager: Trevor Elmy
A Team Assistant Manager: Roger Hitchman
Club Goalkeeper Coach: Nigel Ling
Coach Development: Steve Foley
Physio: Sports-Med East
Head Groundsman: James Mayhew
Asst. Groundsman: Matt Murphy
Kit Manager: Trevor Harrison
Filming Tech: Peter Phillips
Financial Board Members:
Robin Watson, Andy Crisp, Peter Mayhew,
Steve Coulter, Peter Douglass, Trevor Elmy,
Alisdair Douglas
Matchday Committee:
Sue Tugwell Chris Barker, Steve Coulter
Gerald Bray, Kevin Smith, James Spink,
Roger Cowley, Stephen Barker,
Lance Freeman, Craig Cooper, Steve
Cooper
Hospitality: Kevin Smith
Press Officer: Craig Cooper
Match Reports: Craig Cooper
Programme Editor: Laurence Ball
Website Administrator: Peter Douglass
Marketing/Advertising: Jenny Cooper,
Leiston FC is an unincorporated association controlled by its members under the constitution of Leiston Football Club and the LTAA.
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50/50 DRAW During our friendly against Felixstowe & Walton United, we sold 120 50/50 tickets
giving a prize fund of £60.00.
The draw mas made by Karen Cornforth of Total Football, and the winner was a
local gentleman who wishes to remain anonymous. He kindly donated his winnings
to club funds.
We thank him for his kindness and generosity, and thanks too to all those who take
part in the 50/50 draw and support our club.
Please help your club by participating in today’s 50/50 draw. Tickets will be on sale
around the ground during today’s first half. Good luck, everybody.
Don’t forget that new scarves are available in the club shop, too.
Steve Coulter
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Today’s visitors
Lloyd Ransome – Goalkeeper DoB 27/07/96 Signed from Walsall Wood pre-season. Yet to make competitive debut due to injury. Joshua Bradley-Hurst – Goalkeeper DoB 10/01/02 Signed on Work Experience from Birmingham City and made clean sheet debut v Hitchin Town on 17/08/19. Previously with Celtic and Scottish U16 International. Josh Ezewele – Full Back DoB 21/01/97 Ex West Brom trainee who has joined from AFC Fylde. Sought after by several higher clubs and made his competitive debut v Kidderminster Harrier in WFA Senior Cup on 17/07/18. Jamie Willets – Defender DoB 02/08/92 Signed from Hereford, and a key figure in their double-winning season and trip to Wembley in the FA Vase. Made ‘Church debut v Coventry United on 29/10/16, where he scored a late winner. Natural leader and man mountain of a defender who leads by example. Kyle Morrison – Defender DoB 15/03/96 Returned to Church for second spell last season after joining from Halesowen Town. Can play central defence or full back. Pace and composure. John Atherton – Midfield DoB 30/06/97 Signed pre-season from Walsall Wood. Pacey winger with two good feet. Made competi-tive debut v Royston Town on 10/08/19. Kyle Rowley – Defender DoB 04/09/96 Signed from Walsall Wood pre-season. Made competitive debut v Royston Town on
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Jordan Goddard – Midfield DoB 09/09/93 Signed pre-season from Highgate United. Composed skilful player. Babucar Sauane – Midfield DoB 04/02/95 ‘Baba’ returns for a second spell at Church after he left last season to play for Wolves Sporting. Bags of energy and a welcome return Stuart McNaught – Midfield DoB Experienced midfielder, joined from Walsall Wood pre-season. Jordan Smith-Williams - Defender DoB 08/12/95 Signed from Walsall Wood pre-season. Yet to make competitive debut. Peter Till - Midfield DoB 07/09/85 Experienced midfielder who was with Walsall Wood last season and is now part of the manage-ment staff at Church. Made competitive debut as sub v Barwell on 13/08/19 Kevin Da Veiga Monteiro – Midfield DoB 21/03/94 Joined from Walsall Wood. Previously with Rushall Olympic. Javia Roberts – Striker DoB 03/07/94 Joined from Walsall Wood pre-season and previously a former Church player. Ben Usher-Shipway – Striker DoB 24/08/98 Joined on loan from Solihull Moors. Developed at Boldmere St Michaels, where he played last sea-son. Pacey winger who can pick out a pass. Made competitive debut v Royston Town on 10/08/19.
Ryan Nesbitt – Striker DoB 02/04/98 On loan from Solihull Moors. At Sutton Coldfield Town last season where he scored 23 goals. Previ-ously with Hednesford Town, Boldmere St Michaels and Chasetown. Natural goal scorer. Ben Cassidy – Striker DoB 08/07/02 Still only 17 and success product of our Academy U18s. Made it through to 1st team last season, making debut as substitute v Highgate United in Birmingham Senior Cup on 09/10/18. Miracle Okafor – Striket DoB 06/05/01 Previous clubs, Scunthorpe and Frickley Athletic. Made competitive debut v Royston Town on 10/08/19. Rahis Nabi – Midfield DoB 15/04/99 Ex WBA academy and Burnley FC player. Made debut as substitute at Lowestoft Town on 15/12/18. Attacking midfielder. Lewis Archer – Striker DoB 31/08/98 Signed from Dudley Town and previously with Hednesford Town. Pace to burn.
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Alvechurch Football Club, with its
picturesque ground providing a grandstand
view of the rolling Worcestershire hills in the
Arrow Valley and its steadily-developing Lye
Meadow facilities presents a far different
picture from when the club was founded in
1929. Then, the team had to change in a pub
and walk over the road to the local playing
fields to contest their minor league matches.
The move to Lye Meadow in 1957 was the
turning point in the club's history and it
began to go from strength to strength.
It took a little while after the war for
Alvechurch Football Club to re-establish
itself. Several village lads, after
demobilisation, joined the factory football
team which was a successful club playing in
top class amateur football. When the village
team was revived it attracted a number of
these players. By 1948, a strong football
committee and supporters’ club were
formed under the chairmanship of Tom
Atkins. The club prospered from fund-raising
events, and few village clubs at the time
could own and use three different coloured
strips in a season, let alone have a
committee who ensured that the kit was
washed after each match. The level of
support for Alvechurch F.C. was such that for
a needle match against Feckenham, six
coach loads of supporters travelled from the
village.
During this successful period, matches were
still being played at the Meadows, but as this
venue belonged to the village, no admission
charge could be made. A box would be
passed round for donations, so the club
agreed to relocate to a new ground, a field
situated below the church, where it was
possible to make an admission charge.
However, when the land was required for
housebuilding, a further move was
necessary. The club was offered a field on
Redditch Road for £1,000. As a result of
determined fund-raising, this sum of £1000
was raised in five years, thus providing a
permanent home at Lye Meadow.
Following the move to Lye Meadow in 1957,
the club captured the imagination and
enthusiasm of the midlands with its giant-
killing runs in the FA Amateur Cup. In
1964/65, ‘Church reached the quarter-finals,
and then the semi-finals the following year,
where a defeat against Wealdstone at
Stamford Bridge denied the village club a
Wembley appearance.
In their second year in the FA Cup, ‘Church
reached the 1st Round proper in 1971/72
after an 11-hour, six- match marathon in the
4th Qualifying Round against Oxford City.
This tie is now recorded in the Guinness
Book of Records. However, Alvechurch, then,
went down 4-2 to Aldershot after a brave
struggle in a match that was the 12th in
three weeks for some of the team. In
1973/74 ‘Church reached the FA Cup 3rd
ALVECHURCH FC — A HISTORY
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Round, going down 4-2 at Bradford City after
beating Exeter City at St James Park in the
First Round.
The 1981/82 season produced a see-saw
battle to retain the League Championship, but
Nuneaton finished the stronger to push
Alvechurch into the runners-up position.
During that season, Alan Smith gained
international honours when representing the
England Non-league team, and subsequently
joined Leicester City. He then joined Arsenal
for £800,000 where he gained full
international honours playing for England.
Financial speculators gained control of the
club in 1992 resulting in closure the following
November 1993. In 1994 a dedicated band of
supporters resurrected the club as Alvechurch
Villa, rebuilding the seated stand and
refurbishing the clubhouse to gain admission
to the Midland Combination Premier Division,
finishing in fifth position in the league and
beaten finalists in the Smedley Crook Cup. The
team went on to reach the League Cup Final
the following season
In 1996 the club reverted to its original name,
Alvechurch. The next few seasons were a
struggle, but 2002/03 witnessed ‘Church’s
best season in 20 years with the Combination
Premier League and Challenge Cup. At the end
of the season, Church were promoted into the
Midland Football Alliance.
In 2013/14, the club reached the 3rd Round of
the FA Vase before going out 1-0 to
Westfields. 2015 saw Tividale’s management
team switch to Lye Meadow, bringing the bulk
of their Northern Premier League side to
Worcestershire. ‘Church pushed reformed
Hereford all the way, registering a record 101
points in claiming the runners-up spot.
Next season found ‘Church playing catch-up
to Westfields who established a commanding
points advantage alongside their impressive
FA Cup run. By the end of November, ‘Church
held top spot, and by the beginning of March,
Westfields’s challenge had faded. The title
was claimed with one game to spare in April.
A 2-1 win in the League Cup final at Walsall’s
Banks’s Stadium was followed a week later by
a 4-1 win over Wednesfield at Wolves’s
Molineux Stadium. Promotion was confirmed
with ‘Church’s acceptance into the Evostik
League South for the 2017/18 season,
heralding a return to this level exactly 25
years after leaving the Southern League in
1992.
In 2017/18, there were strong runs in the FA
Trophy and FA Cup, with higher league
opposition in the form of Grantham Town and
Cambridge City despatched along the way.
‘Church registered only seven league defeats
all season as they secured runners-up spot
and promotion to the Evostik South Premier
Central Division.
2018/19 saw ‘Church reach the play-offs in
the Southern League Premier Central Division.
The current season has seen a large turnover
in playing staff as several members of last
season’s playing and management teams
decamped to Stourbridge FC.
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BVSCP SLC FAC FAT SPC TOTAL
Kyle Hammond 5 5
Jerry Kamanzi 5 5
Harry Knights 5 5
George Keys 3 3
Byron Lawrence 5 5
Joshua Hitter 3 (2) 3 (2)
Matt Blake 5 4
Rhys Henry 4 4
William Davies 2(1) 2(1)
Charlie Beckwith 3 3
Thomas Woerndl 4 4
Robert Eagle 3 (1) 3 (1)
Kyran Clements 3 (1) 3 (1)
Jake Jessup 2 2
Sebastia Pons Llado (2) (2)
Albert Serra Parrondo (3) (3)
Mason Sinclair (1) (1)
McKeown 2 2
Ryan Sharman 1 (1) 1 (1)
1st Team Appearances 2019/20
Barwell v Kings Langley
Bromsgrove Sporting v Banbury United
Hednesford Town v Needham Market
Hitchin Town v Tamworth
Leiston v Alvechurch
Nuneaton Borough v Lowestoft Town
Peterborough Sports v Stourbridge
Redditch United v AFC Rushden & Diamonds
Royston Town v Rushall Olympic
St Ives Town v Coalville Town
Stratford Town v Biggleswade Town
Today’s fixtures
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BVSCP SLC FAC FAT SPC TOTAL
Matt Blake 1 1
William Davies 1 1
Rhys Henry 1 1
Goalscorers 2019/20
BetVictor Southern League Premier Division Central Premier
Pos. Team P HW HD HL HF HA AW AD AL AF AA +/- Pts
1 Rushall Olympic 5 3 0 0 13 2 1 1 0 3 2 12 13
2 AFC Rushden & Diamonds 5 3 0 0 8 1 1 0 1 3 3 7 12
3 Hednesford Town 5 2 0 0 5 1 2 0 1 5 2 7 12
4 Stourbridge 5 2 0 1 5 5 2 0 0 4 1 3 12
5 Royston Town 5 1 1 0 4 1 2 0 1 6 2 7 10
6 Coalville Town 5 2 1 0 9 6 0 2 0 2 2 3 9
7 Kings Langley 4 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 10 6 4 8
8 Redditch United 5 1 1 0 5 3 1 1 1 5 5 2 8
9 Banbury United 5 2 1 1 6 4 0 1 0 0 0 2 8
10 Tamworth 5 1 0 2 4 5 1 1 0 3 2 0 7
11 Stratford Town 5 2 1 0 8 5 0 0 2 2 7 -2 7
12 Lowestoft Town 5 2 0 1 4 3 0 0 2 4 7 -2 6
13 Bromsgrove Sporting 4 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 6 5 1 5
14 Needham Market 5 1 2 0 6 3 0 0 2 1 3 1 5
15 Peterborough Sports 4 0 2 0 3 3 1 0 1 4 3 1 5
16 Barwell 5 1 0 1 3 3 0 1 2 5 7 -2 4
17 Alvechurch 5 1 1 1 7 4 0 0 2 0 6 -3 4
18 Nuneaton Borough 5 1 0 1 1 3 0 1 2 4 8 -6 4
19 Biggleswade Town 5 1 0 2 2 8 0 1 1 2 4 -8 4
20 St Ives Town 5 0 1 1 1 3 0 0 3 0 4 -6 1
21 Hitchin Town 4 0 0 2 2 4 0 1 1 1 6 -7 1
22 Leiston 5 0 1 1 2 3 0 0 3 1 14 -14 1
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Age - 24 Previous clubs - Cambridge academy, West Ham academy, Southend academy, St Neots, Soham, Cambridge City Place of birth – Cambridge, and live there still Position - striker/no.10 What are your playing strengths? - hold up play, heading, passing, shooting, movement. What brought you to the club? - gaffer really wanted me, good reputation at the club, higher level, new challenge. Which team are you most looking forward to playing this season? - Biggleswade - up against a centre half who is a good friend of mine Which club, apart from Leiston, do you support? - Liverpool Best and worst footballing memory/experience? (as a player or a supporter) - as a player on a tour in Japan with West Ham playing in the final of a tournament at the Ecopa Stadium (55,000 capacity - 2002 World Cup stadium where Ronaldinho scored against England) - as a supporter watching Liverpool win the FA cup against West Ham. Who’s your best friend at the club? - everyone, but has to be car school: Byron and Blakey What’s your job outside football? - operations manager at Premier (teaching company) What’s your favourite tv programme and film? Why? - TV programme Only Fools and Horses (also dad’s favourite) and film is any of the Marvel films (love a superhero movie) What’s your favourite type of music? - all genres Best holiday you’ve ever had or favourite place in the world and why? - New York - unreal place would love to live there one day What interests do you have outside of football? - all sport, cinema (love a film), travelling the world Who is your favourite footballer of all time? Why? - Steven Gerrard - idol growing up - best English midfielder of all time Any advice for aspiring footballers? - work hard, listen to your coaches, dream big Who has the worst dress sense at the club? - Blakey - doesn’t own a Rolex Who is the best player you have ever played with / against? - with - Luke Chadwick - ex pro at Man Utd with premier league medal (can’t get the ball off him) Against - Glen Little (Ex pro, also can’t get the ball off him) Who is the biggest joker in the group / who makes you laugh the most? - Blakey/Byron, good laughs in the car Who is the hardest/most technically gifted/dedicated player in the squad? - hardest - me and Blakey
, technically gifted - Byron/Hitter, dedicated - Hammo (skipper) Who spends most time in front of the mirror? - Blakey doing his make up for the Ming outfit Who is the most cultured and clever player in the squad? - Byron Finally – What is your favourite aspect about playing for Leiston Football Club? - new challenge, young squad but hungry with good team spirit, great club with big potential, also a higher level for myself and looking forward to doing well and giving my all for the club.
Ryan Sharman
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Opponents Score Att. 1 3 4 Date 2 5
Aug.
Sat. 10 Coalville Town 1—1 218 Beckwith Woerndl Kamanzi Hammond Knights
Tues 13 AFC Rushden & Diamonds 1—5 446 Beckwith Woerndl Kamanzi Hammond Knights
Sat. 17 Rushall Olympic 0—6 186 Jessup Eagle Clements Hammond Knights
Sat. 24 Tamworth 1—2 242 Jessup Woerndl* Kamanzi Hammond Knights Clements
Mon. 26 Needham Market 0—3 474 Beckwith Woerndl* Kamanzi*** Hammond Knights Clements
Sat. 31 Alvechurch
Sept.
Sat. 7 FA Cup
Sat. 14 Stourbridge
Tues. 17 Biggleswade Town
Sat. 21 FA Cup
Sat. 28 Peterborough Sports
Oct.
Sat. 5 Hitchin Town
Sat. 12 Barwell
Tues. 15 St Ives Town
Sat. 19 Hednesford Town
Tues. 22 Kings Langley
Sat. 26 FAT
Nov.
Sat. 2 Bromsgrove Sporting
Sat. 9 Royston Town
Sat. 16 Banbury United
Sat. 23 Stratford Town
Sat. 30 Nuneaton Borough
Dec.
Sat. 7 Redditch United
Sat. 14 Peterborough Sports
Sat. 21 Hitchin Town
Thurs. 26 Lowestoft Town
Jan .
Weds. 1 Needham Market
Sat. 4 Coalville Town
Sat. 11 AFC Rushden & Diamonds
Sat. 18 Tamworth
Sat. 25 Rushall Olympic
Feb.
Sat. 1 Alvechurch
Sat. 8 Stourbridge
Sat. 15 St Ives Town
Sat. 22 Barwell
Sat. 29 Hednesford Town
Mar.
Sat.. 7 Kings Langley
Say. 14 Royston Town
Sat. 21 Bromsgrove Sporting
Sat. 28 Stratford Town
Apr..
Sat. 4 Banbury United
Sat. 11 Biggleswade Town
Mon. 13 Lowestoft Town
Sat. 18 Nuneaton Borough
Sat. 25 Redditch United
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Keys Lawrence Hitter Blake Henry Davies Gaffer Eagle Sinclair Clements
Keys Lawrence Hitter** Blake Henry* Davies Gaffer Eagle** Sinclair*** Clements*
Keys Lawrence Kamanzi Blake*** Henry** Hitter* Parrondo** Davies* Llado*** Woerndl
Clements Lawrence Eagle Blake* Henry** McKeown Hitter*** Ppns Llado Serra P** Sharman*
Clements Lawrence Eagle Sharman* Henry McKeown Keys Hitter* Llado** Parrondo***
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Fixtures Match Sponsor Ball Sponsor
Aug
Sat 10th 15.00 Coalville Town SLC Haven Logistics
Sat 24th 15.00 Tamworth SLCGodbold
Properties Mr Barry Spall
Sat 31st 15.00 Alvechurch SLC
Sept
Sat 7th 15.00 Tie to be announced FAC Brooks & Wood
Tue 17th 19.45 Biggleswade Town SLC Mr Barry Spall
Sat 21st 15.00 Venue TBC FAC
Oct
Sat 5th 15.00 Hitchin Town SLC
Tue 15th 19.45 St Ives Town SLC The Douglass Family
Sat 19th 15.00 Hednesford Town SLC Mr Barry Spall
Sat 26th 15.00 Tie to be announced FAT
Nov
Sat 2nd 15.00 Bromsgrove Sporting SLC
Sat 16th 15.00 Banbury United SLC
Dec
Sat 30th 15.00 Nuneaton Borough SLC Mr Barry Spall
Sat14th 15.00 Peterborough Sports SLC
Jan
Sat 1st 15.00 Needham Market SLC Tim Jacobs
& Alan Crane Tracey Bacon
Associates
Sat 11th 15.00 Rushden & Diamonds SLC
Sat 25th 15.00 Rushall Olympic SLC
Feb
Sat 8th 15.00 Stourbridge SLC Sue Tugwell & Steve Coulter
Sat 22nd 15.00 Barwell SLC
Mar
Sat 7th 15.00 Kings Langley SLC
Sat 14th 15.00 Royston Town SLC
Sat 28th 15.00 Stratford Town SLC Tracey Bacon Trop-
ic Skincare
Apr
Mon 13th 15.00 Lowestoft Town SLC Brooks & Wood
Sat 25th 15.00 Redditch United SLC
Season 2019/2020
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Match and Ball Sponsorship If you would like to be a match or a ball sponsor please contact Andy Crisp ([email protected]) or Peter Douglass ([email protected]). Match Sponsors receive 6 tickets & programmes, access to the boardroom for hospitality pre-match, at half time and post-match. They choose and present the Man of the Match. Ball Sponsors receive 2 tickets & programmes, access to the boardroom for hospitality pre-match, at half time and post-match. All sponsors will be acknowledged on social media and the website in the lead up to the game and after the game. On the matchday, sponsors will be acknowledged in the programme, on the stadium tannoy and on official teamsheets.
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The 4th Qualifying Round of the FA Cup being a club target, we look at our prospective opponents as we enter the competition at the 1st Round Qualifying stage. On 7 September, we travel to either FC Romania or Ware FC:
FC Romania FC Romania were founded in August 2006 by a group of Romanian workers in England who wanted to play football in their spare time. Ion Vintila entered the team into the Sunday London Weekend League playing their games on Hackney Marshes. FC Romania won their Division in the first -season and finishing runners-up in the next. In 2008, FC Romania switched to Saturday football and joined the Essex Business House Football League, playing at Low Hall Recreational ground in Walthamstow, north-east London. In 2010, the club moved to the Middlesex County Football League Division One, playing at Leyton Sports Centre, and finished runners up in the first season gaining promotion. The following season in the Premier league FC Romania finished runners-up but were denied promotion to senior football due to ground regulations.
2012 FC Romania started their ground-sharing relationship with Ryman League outfit, Cheshunt FC in Hertfordshire. They played another season in the Middlesex
County Football League and again finished runners-up. Also in this season FC Romania won the Middlesex County Senior Open Cup, beating Brantham 3-1 in the final at Uxbridge FC. The club applied for promotion to the Essex Senior League and played their first season in the ESL in 2013-14 finishing 5th. The following year FC Romania slipped one place to 6th
In 2012 -13 season the club entered the FA Vase for the first time only getting past the 1st round. In 2014-15, the club entered the FA cup reaching the 2nd qualifying round just losing out to Sutton United 3-2, after beating Haverhill Rovers, Heybridge Swifts and AFC Sudbury on the way.
The club has gained a lot of attention in its short life from various media outlets in England, abroad and, of course, in Romania. The club and the manager have appeared in sports newspapers and magazines, including BBC Sport, Gazzetta dello Sport, L’equipe, and FourFourTwo magazine, to name but a few, and on television in the UK on BBC, on Japanese TV with NHK, and on Romanian TV stations Pro TV and Digi Sport. The club has developed into a focal point for the Romanian community, but has also attracted many local and English fans as well.
The club has ambition to progress through the leagues and reach higher standards of football while developing the club further. The aim is to eventually have our own home and become a respected and establish part of English football encompassing all the good things about England and Romania and being successful in everything we do.
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Ware FC
The club was founded in 1892 and was instrumental in founding the East Herts League, winning it on two occasions. The club moved on to the North Middlesex League in 1907 and then to the Herts County League in 1908.
After the First World War, the club gained a league and cup double with a second Herts County League Championship and a fourth Herts Senior Cup win in 1922. The local paper reported that "Large crowds awaited the return of the special train to Ware, everybody being in high spirits. The Cup was marched through the town in front of a cheering throng." It was later recalled that the cup was taken through the town on subsequent nights and that stops were made outside public houses where it was charged with beer before being drained by the crowd.
Shortly after, Ware joined the Spartan League in which they were to enjoy several successes, winning the Division 2(B) Championship in 1926, Division 1 in 1951 with the highest "goals for" total ever, and the Premier Division in 1952. In these later years, the club also made significant progress in the old Amateur Cup meeting many famous sides on the way. One of these was Hendon, against whom Ware drew their largest attendance of 3,800 in the first round in January 1957.
Ware enjoyed another successful period in the
Delphian and Athernian Leagues. Two promotions, two league cup wins and two reserve championships paved the way for progress in the FA Cup. In this, Ware reached the first round proper for the first time in 1968 when they travelled to Luton Town. The opposition had a 100%, home record but the game was scoreless with 30 minutes to go before a judicious substitution broke the stalemate and left Ware beaten 6–1 at the final whistle.
In these successful circumstances, it was not surprising that Ware pressed for entry to the expanding Isthmian League. This was achieved for season 1975–76, and they have maintained their place in the league ever since. This is thanks most recently to their Division 2 championship season of 2005–06 which carried them into Division 1 just before Division 2 was disbanded. Another FA Cup 1st round appearance in 2007 has added further distinction with a narrow home defeat against Kidderminster Harriers being watched by 2,123 people, a record for the current ground at Wodson Park.
Ahead of the 2015-16 season, following Clevedon Town's demotion from the Southern Football League, Ware were transferred from the Isthmian League Division One North to the Southern League Division One Central[1] but following further reorganisation by the FA Leagues Committee, 2016–17 saw them return to the Isthmian League.
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Good afternoon, everyone, & welcome to the
Watson & Hillhouse Stadium Victory Road for
more Betvictor Southern League Premier
Division Central action (I know, hardly rolls
off the tongue does it?) I think if we're all
brutally honest, the start of the season has
been fairly disappointing, with last Saturdays
2-1 home reverse to Tamworth a case in
point. Just like the Coalville game on the
opening day, we played OK & took the lead;
Rhys Henry took his first goal since his return
to the club really well, following up after the
keeper had made a great save to deny Byron
Lawrence. However, once the Lambs
equalised with half an hour to go you could
clearly see the nerves set in as we started to
drop deeper & deeper & we started to look
more & more vulnerable, & although we
probably deserved a draw, the heartbreak of
watching the Blues concede a 93rd minute
goal was hard to take. It was such a
straightforward goal to concede as well;
headed home from close range after we
failed to clear a corner. A couple of positives:
firstly it was great to see a crowd of over 240
in attendance, if not enjoying the result then
certainly the glorious sunshine, & also the
performance of new signing Rory McKeown
who is with us on a short term deal, I believe.
The left-sided player clearly has something
about him & is going to be asset in his time
with us, I feel! Welcome to the club, Rory.
Nonetheless, our third defeat on the bounce
left us rock bottom of the league with just a
solitary point.
The Lambs fans I spoke to as they came in
through the turnstiles were really friendly &
top people & represented their club in a
really positive way, & I would certainly wish
them all the best for the rest of the season.
However, I was slightly disappointed by the
conduct of one of their bench whose
aggressive & provocative reaction to their
late winner was both unnecessary & certainly
unwelcome, but there you go.
To cap a truly miserable afternoon, the
Reserves went down 5-2 at Haverhill Borough
to continue their poor start to the season
while Ipswich Town somehow went top of
League One after crushing Bolton Under 11s.
If Carlsberg made Saturdays, they certainly
wouldn't look much like that I can tell you. At
least the Sky Blues won!
Anyway, todays opponents Alvechurch arrive
in Suffolk on the back of a 3-0 loss at
Hednesford Town last Saturday, so they too
will be looking to bounce back this afternoon.
We are clearly going to have to scrap & fight
for every crucial point the season.
Fingers crossed there'll be some good news
from the Bank Holiday Monday fixture over
at Bloomfields as both Leiston & Needham
Market were looking to kick start their
seasons & move away from the lower end of
the table. Again, here's hoping...........
Enjoy this afternoon’s game, everyone.
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Leiston FC Alvechurch FC Blue shirts, white sleeves Green shirts
Blue shorts Green shorts
Blue socks Green socks
Stuart Boardley Manager Darren Byfield
Nigel Ling Asst. Manager Peter Till
Jake JESSUP 1 Josh BRADLEY-HURST
Kyle HAMMOND (C) 2 Kyle MORRISON
Tom WOERNDL 3 Kyle ROWLEY
Jerry KAMANZI 4 Stuart McNAUGHT
Harry KNIGHTS 5 Jamie WiILLETS
George KEYS 6 Kevin DA VEIGA MONTEIRO
Byron LAWRENCE 7 Joshua EZEWELE
Josh HITTER 8 Ben USHER-SHIPWAY
Matt BLAKE 9 Ryan NESBITT
Rhys HENRY 10 Javia ROBERTS
Will DAVIES 11 John ATHERTON
Ryan SHARMAN 12 Miracle OKAFOR
Albert SERRA PARRONDO 14 Lloyd RANSOME
Charlie BECKWITH 15 Jordan GODDARD
Sebastia PONS LLADO 16 Peter TILL
Robert EAGLE 17 Jordan SMITH-WILLIAMS
Referee: Joshua Crofts
Asst. referees: Ahmed Mohamed, Nathan Walker