V
Biggleswade United Colours: Red / Navy
Biggleswade
Colours: Green
1
Josh Mollison
1
Dan Green
2
James Cooper
2
Adam Hunt
17
Kane Farrell
3
Alex Marsh
4
Lee Bilcock
4
Lawrie Marsh
5
Andrew Iwediuno
5
Joal Ives
6
Nick Elliot Š
6
Nathan George
7
Jaiden Irish
7
Darren Woodend
8
Zak Guerfi
8
Conor Inskip
9
Abraham Eze
9
Ryan Inskip
10
Jay Taylor
10
Lee Northfield
11
Carlos Correia-Dias
11
George Riley
12
Richard Christie
12
Pat McCafferty
14
Charisma Agyemang
14
Tom Cookman
15
Ross Taylor
15
Justin Leavers
16
Alix Girdlestone
16
Josh Holmes
3
Jordan Wright
17
Taishan Griffith
GK
Reece Voller
18
David Lenton
19
Dave Iwediuno
19
Tom Coles
20
Matt Cooper
20
Bradley Stewart
Head Coach: Cristian Colas Becerra
Manager: Dave Northfield
Asst Coach: Stuart Bimson Conditioning Coach: Albert Martinez
Asst Manager : Mark Inskip Coach: James Petty
Physio: Ikera Williams
Physio:
Match Officials Referee: Mr I Stewart Assistants: Mr T Burns and Mr M Bright
The legal name of the club is Biggleswade United 1959 Biggleswade United is a members club
Saturday 23rd December 2017 Official Match Programme The Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division Biggleswade United FC V Biggleswade FC Visit us:www.BiggleswadeUnited.com Follow us:@Biggleswadeutd Support Us: Here
BIGGLESWADE UNITED – OUR HISTORY (1) Biggleswade United Football Club was re-formed on the 16th July 1959. However, local history records indicate that there was a Biggleswade United side playing at Second Meadow as early as 1929. Our first season (1959/60) saw us competing in Division Three of the North Herts. League (NHL). After 10 successful years in the NHL the club made the step up to South Midlands League (SML) football. But towards the end of a 15year association with the SML the club began to struggle and after three years of finishing in the bottom three of Division One we sought fresh fields. The club joined the Herts. Senior but the club continued to find the going tough. In 1986 we elected to return to local League football, joining the Bedford and District Football League and began to build again. The appointment of Brian Swords as first team manager in 87/88 proved to be the turning point in the club's fortunes. During the next ten years the club achieved a tremendous amount of success on and off the football pitch. Our record of League and Cup honours speak for themselves but aligned to this a great deal of work went on behind the scenes to match the on-field success. The club now boasts one of the best clubhouse and ground facilities in the Mid-Bedfordshire area. The success of the club has also attracted many new players as well as commanding a great deal of loyalty from those players who helped the club progress from Division Three of the Bedford and District League to County Senior Club status in just 15 years. The 1995/96 season was the most successful in the club's history - winning five major honours; the Beds Intermediate County Cup, Bedford and District League Championship, League Cup Championship and as the League's representatives the club won the Beds. FA Centenary Cup. Having won every major Bedford League honour the club felt it was time to move on and made the decision to make the step up once again and returned to Division One of the SML. In an exceptionally successful first season we celebrated a Division One "double" by winning the Championship and the Division One Cup. We also retained the Beds. FA Intermediate County Cup, only the second club in the competition's history to achieve this feat. To crown our success the club were awarded the SML Special Achievement Trophy in July 1997. In the season 1997/98 we finally achieved Senior status. This was achieved not only through the endeavours of the players on the field but ultimately as a result of an extremely hard working committee. With the help of the Biggleswade Town Council a new stand was erected and perimeter fencing installed. And two seasons later the club erected floodlights and on the evening of 26th October 1999 we played our first-ever floodlit game at Second Meadow, Ryman League side Leighton Town were the visitors in the Bedfordshire Premier Cup.
Welcome to Second Meadow…. Good afternoon and welcome to Second Meadow for this Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division fixture. Today we welcome the players, supporters and officials of BIGGLESWADE FC for this, the first ever meeting of the two clubs. We also welcome our three match officials and hope that you all enjoy your short stay with us. Firstly, let me start by wishing all of our supporters, players, coaches and fellow Board members a very Merry Christmas and, as we will be away on 30th December, a Happy New Year!! For the first time in many years we have a Xmas fixture that has the footballing fraternity buzzing with anticipation and excitement. The last time we played an all Biggleswade Premier Division Xmas fixture was on 27th December 2005 when we travelled to Biggleswade Town and suffered a 2-1 defeat. However, that was our first season in the Premier Division and we finished a very creditable 9th and Town finished 15th.
Like so many clubs that rise from Division One, today’s opponents, Biggleswade FC, have enjoyed a great start to life in the Premier Division and are currently sitting in sixth place with nine League wins. Managed by former Biggleswade United player, Dave Northfield, the newcomers to the local football scene have established themselves as a formidable force sine their inception just a season and a half ago. They will be eager to prove themselves today in front of what we will be hoping will be a sizeable crowd with the game being streamed live from the gantry on the Biggleswade United You Tube Channel. As for ourselves, we will be hoping that last Saturday’s excellent performance that saw us inflict a 5-2 defeat on in-form Leverstock Green will be the much needed confidence booster after a poor November. Currently in 8th place, a win today could see us move up to 7th for Xmas. Here’s hoping!! Our next fixture is a trip to Leighton Town for a New Year derby on Saturday 30th December (Kick Off 3pm). Then on Tuesday 2nd January 2018 our Under 23 side entertain Leighton Town Development at Second Meadow. Kick Off 7.45pm. Let’s hope for an enjoyable and entertaining game this afternoon.
Tracey James, (Secretary and Programme Editor)
BALAGUE ON BIGGLESWADE UNITED Our Director of Football, Guillem Balague, writes this weekly column for the Biggleswade Chronicle.
Gosh, where has this season - make that this year - gone? And now as we approach the festive season we approach the match of the season so far, by which I don't mean the Classico featuring Real Madrid v Barcelona but the much awaited visit of Biggleswade FC to Second Meadow today. I believe, though I stand to be corrected, that our opponents cut their teeth as the Under 18 side of Biggleswade Town before becoming an entity in their own right about a year and a half, although they still use the facilities of the club.
Since then they have come on leaps and bounds and done it, I am reliably informed, by playing the game the way it should be played. Last season they won promotion into the Premier Division of the Spartan League and have made more than a good fist of their season at a higher level Running a club is an enormous onerous responsibility and despite some struggles to establish themselves they are a glowing example of how playing together as a group for a number of years can always help to make the whole entity so much bigger than the sum of all of its parts. I can't wait to see the game.
Following a winless run of five games we go into the derby buoyed by a very satisfying 5-2 win over Leverstock Green, although as convincing as the victory was we still managed to show on a number of occasions where we need to make improvements. There were however a number of real positives to take from the game not least the excellent hat trick from our striker Abraham Eze and the goalkeeping debut of under 18 goalkeeper, Josh Mollison. Unfortunately I was not able to be at the game and I also will miss Saturday's match because I will be on duty at Sky Sports along with Thierry Henry on the Clasico. What I can tell you however is that alongside the screen showing the game there will be another one showing our match on our YouTube channel that Thierry and I will watch alongside the Clasico. The success of this venture has far exceeded my wildest expectations and continues to ensure that we are one of the most popular and supported clubs outside of the football league. We currently have 13,000 subscribers to our Youtube channel The after match interview with hat trick hero Abraham has been watched on YouTube by no fewer than 14,000 people which as club secretary, Tracey James told me afterwards must constitute some kind of non-league record. Needless to say we are desperately keen to maximise the potential of such a wonderful following and we are urging local business almost on a daily basis - so far with only limited success - to take advantage of the fan base we have and to come on board and help support us on this journey. I would love to hear from you.
BIGGLESWADE UNITED – OUR HISTORY (continued) The next eleven years saw the first team led by Steve "Snowy" Wright and under his management the club continued to enjoy a very high level of League and Cup success ultimately achieving promotion to the Molten Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division and with it the opportunity to compete in the FA Cup. And under Snowy the club made three Beds FA Senior Challenge Cup final appearances, winning two of the three with victories over Stotfold (4-1) and Leighton Town (1-0) but missed out in 2006/07 going down 2-0 to Dunstable Town. Snowy's other cup successes came in the form of the Hunts Premier Cup, North Beds Charity Cup, Hinchingbrooke Cup, the SML Division One Cup and the SML Special Achievement Award once again. The end of the 2006 2007 saw Snowy step down as manager with his assistant, Nick Burton taking over the first team reins. January 5th 2009 saw the club embark on further ambitious ground improvements. With financial backing from Biggleswade Town Council, Mid Beds District Council and the Football Foundation we installed a 260-seater stand, fully enclosed the ground with a double turnstile entrance and players' secure walkway which raised the ground to Grade E status. After several years of stability in terms of first team managers the next six years saw a regular turnover of first team and reserve team managers with Nick Burton, Dave Elkin and Phil Childs all taking over the first team reins for a time. At the start of the 2013 2014 season we appointed Mick Reardon and Mark Royal as first team managers both of whom had enjoyed success as coaches at the higher levels of football. Their disciplined approach was quickly adhered to and responded to by the players and under their stewardship we achieved the highest Premier Division position in nine years and first silverware in seven years winning the North Beds Charity Cup for the first time in the club’s history. In November 2014 the club took a further positive step to realise our ambitions with the appointment of Sky Sports Presenter and renowned author, Guillem Balague as Biggleswade United’s Director of Football. Following Mick and Mark’s decision to step down at the end 2014 2015, Guillem was quick to act and recruited a new Head Coach in Cristian Colas Beccera who at the age of just 23 gained his UEFA Level 3 Pro License and went on to become assistant coach at CD Masnou and later C.E. Europa both of who play in the Spanish 3rd division the equivalent of the English League Division Two. He then moved to Finland where he worked for Finnish third division side PK.K-U as head coach and with the club’s academy. This season Cristian will be assisted by Stuart Bimson and Conditioning Coach Albert Martinez. The club has certainly come a long way in relatively few years but we could not have done it without the help of a very supportive Town and District Council who clearly understand the benefits of having a community based club in Biggleswade. Our success is also very much down to a very hard working committee who throughout the year continue to volunteer their time and commitment to the club, to help it continue to thrive and be a source of enjoyment for our supporters and the Biggleswade community.
MIND YOUR LANGUAGE DELETE THAT EXPLETIVE!
Our club is fully supportive of the League’s “Mind Your Language” initiative, to eradicate offensive behaviour within our ground. It is our wish for everybody to feel comfortable here and to encourage everyone, especially younger people, to enjoy their time with us. This won’t happen if they are listening to constant foul and offensive language.
SPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS LEAGUE NEWSLETTER – 16TH DECEMBER By Bill Scholes As we approach the half way point in the season the race for the Premier Division title is still wide open, with possibly 5 /6 clubs still in the running for promotion. With the strong likelihood of 2 teams being promoted this season, due to league reorganisation above, there is all to play for as finishing runners up now comes into the equation.
Berkhamsted currently sit on top of the pile, but having recently been beaten by Tring Athletic in the FA Vase, they may be worried about losing their unbeaten league record to the same opponents this Saturday. Just a couple of points behind are Harpenden are in second spot, whilst Welwyn Garden City are hovering just a point behind them, but with 2 games in hand. Hoddesdon Town, in fourth place, are four points behind, but have played 4 games more than the leaders, and Biggleswade FC, another point behind, could still be the surprise packet. Just 3 points cover the bottom four clubs, a group which surprisingly contain some well known names. Just two Premier Division games survived the freezing conditions this weekend but there was still ten goals and plenty of talking points. Biggleswade United move upto 8th after coming from behind to beat Leverstock Green, 5-2. Matt Bateman headed home debutant Jack Waldron’s 7th minute cross to give Green the early lead before Abraham Eze took centre stage scoring a first half hat-trick. His first came from the penalty spot, his second an excellent near post finish into the top corner before completing his treble with a fine finish when one on one with the keeper. Ross Adams pulled one back for Green from a corner but Lee Bilcock and Charisma Agyemang scored late on to seal the win for United. Wembley also move into the top ten with an excellent 3-0 win at home to Colney Heath. Wembley scored twice from first half set pieces before adding a third late on.
Biggleswade United 5 Leverstock Green 2 Report by Leon Waite United ended Leverstock Green’s eight-game unbeaten run with an emphatic 5-2 victory over their visitors to Second Meadow. Cristian Colas’ side have been waiting for all the pieces to combine cohesively and formulate a winning performance and the Green felt the full force of that occurrence on Saturday. But after seven minutes fears that the win which had eluded the hosts in the previous five matches would go amiss once more began to arise as Matt Bateman headed Jack Waldren’s cross beyond teenage debutant Josh Mollison in the United goal to give the Green the lead. Those fears were quickly transformed into renewed optimism minutes later when Nick Elliot was upended inside the penalty area and potent striker Abraham Eze was afforded the chance to equalise from the spot; he confidently tucked the ball into the bottom left-hand corner. Bateman’s early strike was pushed further to the back of the minds of the United faithful as Eze doubled his tally shortly after drawing his side level, finishing superbly into the top corner from the left of the sixyard box.
Both teams displayed some enterprising football, however it was the referee who assumed centre stage prior to halftime when he disallowed a Leverstock goal for offside to vociferous cries of protest from the travelling support. And fans of the Hertfordshire-based club’s woes were exacerbated as Eze completed his hat-trick moments later, coolly slotting past the goalkeeper to consolidate United’s advantage in the contest. Eze remained dangerous in the second period as United enjoyed long periods of control without finding a fourth and most likely clinching goal and their superior position in the match became under serious threat when Ross Adams slid in from a corner to half the deficit thirteen minutes from time. Their joy was short-lived as Lee Bilcock restored United’s two-goal advantage when he met a cross in the centre and finished on the stretch. Substitute Charisma Agyemang then capped a positive surge into the box with an equally positive shot that picked out the bottom corner and rounded off an exceptional display from Colas’ charges. A richly deserved and pivotal triumph against accomplished opposition that sets United up perfectly for the hotly anticipated Biggleswade derby.
FIRST TEAM FORTHCOMING FIXTURES Date
Opponents
Comp.
H/A
KO
Sat 23 Dec
BIGGLESWADE
League
H
1.30
Sat 30 Dec
LEIGHTON TOWN
League
A
3pm
Sat 06 Jan
CRAWLEY GREEN
League
A
3pm
Sat 13 Jan
WEMBLEY
League
H
3pm
Sat 20 Jan
TRING ATHLETIC
League
H
3pm
Sat 27 Jan
COCKFOSTERS
League
A
3pm
Sat 3 Feb
HOLMER GREEN
League
A
3pm
Sat 10 Feb
HADLEY
League
H
3pm
UNDER 23 FORTHCOMING FIXTURES Tues 2 Jan
LEIGHTON TOWN
League
H
7.45
Sat 6 Jan
AFC DUNSTABLE
League
H
3pm
Sat 27 Jan
WINSLOW UTD
League
H
3pm
KICK OFF 7.45pm
Stay with us after our matches on Saturdays to watch Premier League football. All BT SPORT 1 matches will be shown in the clubhouse after our match.