OFFICIAL MATCH PROGRAMME SATURDAY 5th JANUARY 2019 SPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION
BIGGLESWADE UNITED v OXHEY JETS FC
What’s Inside • Welcome • The Players • Guillem Balague on Biggleswade United • Premier Division Round Up • Current League Standings • Next Up at Second Meadow • Biggleswade United Under 23s • Biggleswade United Ladies FC • Our Forthcoming Fixtures • Our Club History • Oxhey Jets Club History • Venue for Hire • Programme Statement
Welcome Welcome to Second Meadow Good afternoon and welcome to Second Meadow for today’s Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division fixture. We extend a warm welcome to the players, officials and supporters from OXHEY JETS FOOTBALL CLUB. We also welcome our three match officials and hope that you all enjoy your short stay with us. Match preview – Courtesy of Leon Waite @leonwaite98 United’s winning run may have been halted by local rivals Biggleswade FC as the league leaders grabbed a stoppage-time equaliser to earn a 2-2 draw at Second Meadow. However, Emilio Gutierrez’ men responded by prevailing in another local derby as they defeated Potton United 2-1 at The Hollow. Two fiercely contested matches that would have had a fatiguing effect on a squad that has benefitted from no midweek fixtures recently and having the meeting with Potton on a Friday afforded the team eight days of recuperation ahead of this week’s clash with Oxhey Jets. Today’s opponents Oxhey Jets The Jets sit 13th in the table as they seek to improve on 19th, 15th and 17th place finishes in the past three years- they recorded the same number of points as last season’s bottom two with goals scored and goal difference respectively keeping them above those sides. Tim O’Sullivan’s side most recent outing saw them beaten 3-0 at Colney Heath but they recorded a few decent results prior that and scored plenty of goals in the process. They thumped London Tigers 5-0 and knocked neighbours Oxhey FC out of the West Herts St Mary’s cup- courtesy of a 6-0 success- before picking up draws against Baldock Town and North Greenford United. The latter game concluded 4-4 and encounters between United and the Jets could use an infusion of goals with both matches ending 0-0 last term. United claimed a 1-0 win at home the year before with the reverse fixture seeing them prevail 4-3. The Hertfordshire-club’s last win against United came in April 2016 as they completed a double over them that year with a 3-2 triumph at The Boundary Stadium. Up Next With no midweek fixture, our next match is a trip down the A1 to Colney Heath on Saturday. (Kick Off 3pm).This is followed by a short journey to Arlesey Town on Tuesday 15th January. Kick Off .45pm.
FINALLY: On behalf of the Board members of Biggleswade United FC, I would like to wish all our players, coaches, supporters, sponsors, Biggleswade FC and today’s match officials a very Happy New Year!!
The Players..
Picture courtesy of GUY WILLS PHOTOGRAPHY
Balague on Biggleswade United GUILLEM BALAGUE Biggleswade United Chairman, Guillem Balague, provides this weekly column for The Biggleswade Chronicle.
Our last match of the year was a Seasons greetings from me to Friday night game against Potton everyone, not just those at United and proved what I have always Biggleswade United but to the whole suspected, namely that people love community that we are all so proud to starting their weekend with a game, be a part of. in this case a match watched by a crowd of over 300. Here's hoping that from a footballing point of view 2019 can be as Many clubs prefer not to play on successful as the latter part of 2018 Friday but personally I see so many proved to be. If it is we should have benefits. It doesn't compete with any very little to complain about. other sporting fixture and also frees up the weekend for those people You have to go back to the 6th of players, official and fans - that might, October to find the last time we were occasionally, want to do something beaten in a league game which is 12 else on a Saturday. matches (ten wins and two draws) and 32 points ago. But should football be their overriding passion, it also means that the first team and the Under 23s are playing at It will be wonderful if our recent run different times so it frees up players of good form can be translated into and fans to come and watch each more and more people getting others games if they so wish. involved with our club, in one form or another. I am more aware than Friday night football is just one way of anyone that in terms of matches trying to achieve our aim played it's only half time, but the of attracting more people to the portents are good. If we can continue ground and I think the type of football in the same vein we could well be we are playing is the perfect starting there or thereabouts at the final point for bringing this about. curtain.
Continued Overleaf
Balague on Biggleswade United GUILLEM BALAGUE Continued We are trying to set new trends with interested in taking part. the growing popularity of our YouTube channel and generally by doing things both on and off the pitch And it will see us continue our as professionally as possible. constant battle with the authorities for better facilities, not just for us but for the whole We would love to hear from the community, culminating, hopefully, in town's people about what ideas they a 3G facility somewhere in our area might have that can help us to that can benefit everyone. This has to represent our Community better. Any be our number one aim and we must thoughts you may have will be keep the pressure on if we are to gratefully received and should be succeed. sent to us at info@biggleswadeunited.com We begin our 2019 campaign with the And 2019 is the year that will see us visit to Second Meadow of Oxhey Jets reaffirm our commitment to today strengthening our women's football section as well as all our young sides, I can't wait. both male and female. I also believe that plans are afoot to try to start a futsal team. Once again we would be pleased to hear from anyone
Premier Division Round-up Friday 28th and Saturday 29th December: Karen Browns Tring Athletic end the year as the top side in the SSML as they recorded a 3-1 home success against struggling Cockfosters. Biggleswade FC were surprisingly held 1-1 at home by bottom club Stotfold. Yours truly made a rare appearance at a SSML game when being part of the healthy 318 crowd for the Potton United v Biggleswade United ‘B1040 derby’, current form team Biggleswade United (unbeaten in their 12 league games) came out on top by the odd goal in three. Special mention to the excellent hospitality at Potton United, definitely a 99 out of 100 mark from me (they lose a point due to no chocolate biscuits at half time, sorry Bev a bourbon does not count). Hadley remain third as they saw off troubled Leverstock Green 3-0, the visitors will be hoping that the new manager can restore the club to their pre-season expectations. At the bottom Harpenden Town returned from their short trip to London Colney with a full haul of points while London Tigers remain in the heated relegation battle after a 0-4 reverse at Edgware Town. Wembley improved their relegation fears with a 5-2 win against visiting North Greenford United FC. Elsewhere Baldock Town, Crawley Green and Colney Heath all recorded home wins against Leighton Town (2-1), Arlesey Town (4-1) and Oxhey Jets (3-0) respectively. Full results and goalscorers (where known) are listed below. 1-2 Potton United v Biggleswade United (Webb) / (Williams, Holmes) Attendance: 318 2-1 Baldock Town v Leighton Town (Bull, Barnes) / (Murphy) Attendance: 147 1-1 Biggleswade FC v Stotfold (McCafferty) / (Cyrus) Attendance: 102 3-0 Colney Heath v Oxhey Jets (Clarke-Mardel, Westmore, Blunden) Attendance: 77 4-1 Crawley Green v Arlesey Town (Meyrick, Watson, Williams, Randall) / (Smith) Attendance: 42 4-0 Edgware Town v London Tigers (Hunte [2], Fisher, Benavides) Attendance: 46 3-0 Hadley v Leverstock Green (Anwar, Linton, Hammond) Attendance: Unknown 1-2 London Colney v Harpenden Town (Unknown) / (Robinson [2]) Attendance: 42 3-1 Tring Athletic v Cockfosters (Verney [2], Ironton) / (Mosanya) Attendance: 128 5-2 Wembley v North Greenford United FC (Iley, Femi-Gil, Ejimfor, Berchiche, Ebonine [pen]) / (McLeish, Manitou) Attendance: 43
Current League Standings
Results and Fixtures
Next Up at Second Meadow SPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION SATURDAY 19th JANUARY 2019 KICK OFF 3pm
BIGGLESWADE UNITED V STOTFOLD FC SPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION TUESDAY 22nd JANUARY 2019 KICK OFF 7.45pm
BIGGLESWADE UNITED V COLNEY HEATH
Biggleswade United Under 23
Biggleswade United Ladies
BEDFORDSHIRE & HERTFORDSHIRE WOMEN’S FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION 3 SUNDAY 6TH JANUARY 2019 KICK OFF 2pm
BIGGLESWADE UNITED LADIES V WOBURN & WAVENDON LIONESSES
Our Forthcoming Fixtures
Our History 1959 - 1999 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 15-year 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 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.
Our History 2000- 2018 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. Cristian was assisted by former professional player, Stuart Bimson, and under their guidance the team finished in eighth spot in the Premier Division in 2017 2018 - the highest position in the club’s history. Having built a strong reputation for their outstanding coaching ability and playing philosophy Cristian and Stuart moved up to Step 3 level club, Staines Town, for the start of the 2018 2019 season. Guillem was again in search for a high quality coach and Jimmy Martin came highly recommended by his predecessor, Colas, who worked with Jimmy at Stevenage FC Academy. Jimmy was appointed Manager in May 2018 and will be assisted by a former United playing legend and well respected character in SML football, Dean Bull. Also on the coaching staff is Spanish coach Emilio Gutierrez. 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 understands 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 - not just the football season 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.
The History of Oxhey Jets FC
The current General Manager John Elliott founded Oxhey Jets in 1972. Playing their first season as an under 12 team in the South West Herts Youth League, having been playing friendly matches as the 2nd Oxhey Boys Brigade team for two years before that. A winning start in the League cup final on the last game of the season saw the club move on, and more youth sides were added to the clubs structure, with the original side moving up through the age groups. In the 1978-79 season the team having outgrown youth football moved to the Watford and District men’s Saturday league, and at the first attempt won the Division one championship without dropping a point, this prompted an application to the Hertfordshire Senior County League, which was turned down because their home ground was an open playing fields. We instead went into the West Herts Saturday league, and started to prepare the old school pitch at the Chilwell Gardens site ready for another application to join the County League. Chilwell was ready for use and the runners up spot was secured with Three matches to spare, and became the first Oxhey side in history to win The Watford Peace Memorial Shield. The Herts Senior County League was increased in size and Oxhey were elected into Division one in 1981 and were promoted to the Premier division in 1983. The Biggest change to happen to the club was in the 2000-2001 season having moved from their old Chilwell Gardens site, to a new Two million pound complex in Altham Way (using Met Police Bushey for a season), Jets new ground; "The Boundary Stadium" was built to almost Rymans League standard. While the ground was being built, the First team secured there highest ever Honour, Premier Division Champions of the Hertfordshire Senior County League, and the reserves finished Champions as well. This was to be the start of the best run the club, and county had ever seen. The following season the first team retained the Championship, while becoming the first team to add the prestigious Aubrey cup and the Hertfordshire Senior Charity County Cup in the same season, the Reserves also retained the championship and added the reserve cup as well to become another first in the County league, winning the double-double. 2002-03 saw the records come tumbling again as all were retained by the first and reserves and the Rickmansworth Charity cup was added to the haul on Easter Monday by the first team for the first time, giving the clean sweep. 2003-04 started with only one aim, promotion to the Minerva South Midlands league, with all the ground improvements complete, the team needed to do the job one more time, as this time the application for the much earn promotion would be made. This aim has been achieved as the First team secured a top two place. They also won the Rickmansworth charity cup again and were Winners of the Highly Prestigious St Mary’s Cup. The Reserves retained the World Class Homes Reserve Division one Championship and won the Minerva South Midlands Reserve Floodlight Cup at the first attempt beating holders Dunstable in the final. The 4th team finished R/up in the West Herts League Div 2 and the Sunday team crowned a great season by winning the Marathon Sunday Leagues Charity Cup and were runners up in the League. 2004-05 Season was beyond anybody's dream in the club, the first team winning a treble trophy season. The Minerva Division one Championship was won at the first attempt, winning the division by seven points clear, this was added to the Hertfordshire Centenary Trophy that had been won at The Letchworth County ground in April, beating Hatfield Town 2-0. The triple was sealed in the last game of the season, beating Tring Athletic in the Minerva Floodlight cup final on penalties after a 0-0 aet game. The division one-cup final was lost to Biggleswade United.
Continued overleaf
The History of Oxhey Jets FC Continued The 2005-06 season, our first in the premier division, saw us finish in 13th place. We entered the FA Cup for the first time and reached the semi-final of the Herts FA Senior Challenge Cup where we lost to Bishop’s Stortford in extra time. Our path to the semi-final gave us our first ever fixture against football league opposition when we met Barnet at home. Our 2 – 1 victory was watched by a club record crowd of 257, an event that was marked by a presentation to the club, from Barnet, to commemorate the occasion. The 2006-07 season was without doubt the Clubs best ever season, finishing 7th in the Premier Division and reaching the Premier Division cup final where we lost to Edgware Town by the only goal of a closely fought cup tie. The highlight of the season was in the FA Cup when we visited AFC Wimbledon in the second qualifying round, where despite defeat we all spent an unforgettable day. In the FA Vase we reached the third round proper where we lost at Ipswich Wanderers. Our giant killing act continued in the Herts Senior Challenge Cup when we defeated St. Albans City by 4 goals to 1 before losing, in the next round, to Borehamwood in extra time, after drawing 1 – 1 at the end of normal time. The 2007-08 season was a difficult one for the Club due to the long term injuries suffered by many of the key players. We finished in 19th position in the league and lost to Welwyn Garden City in the Herts FA Charity Shield semi-final. We did however reach the final of the St. Mary’s Cup where we were soundly beaten 5 – 1 by Hemel Hempstead Town from the BGB Football League. The 2008 – 09 season saw us finish in 13th position in the league and we reached the final of the South Midlands Floodlight Cup where we lost by 2 goals to 1 to Royston Town. The 2010-11 season saw us finish in 19th position, which equalled our worst ever position since joining the league. During the 2011-12 season, as we approached the club’s 40th anniversary, we were once again a successful cup team despite our lowly 17th position finish in the premier division. We were only the second South Midlands side to reach the Herts Senior Challenge Cup Final where we met and were well beaten by Bishops Stortford. Our second county final saw us beat Kings Langley in the Herts FA Charity Shield to lift the title for the second time in the last three seasons. Our third cup final was The St Mary’s Cup where we again met Hemel Hempstead Town, and the only goal of the game from Andrew Lomas secured victory for us over our old rivals in this competition. During the season we broke our club attendance when a total of 376 supporters watched as we were narrowly beaten by Hendon by 2 goals to 1 in the FA Cup.
Continued overleaf
The History of Oxhey Jets FC Continued The 2012-13 season was the clubs most successful league season. Due to the worst weather for many years we finished the last few weeks of the season playing 3 matches each week and the runners-up spot was lost on the last day of the season. We finished in 3rd position behind Aylesbury United and Dunstable Town, who completed the season without losing a league fixture. We retained the Herts FA Charity Shield defeating Hertford Town 4 – 0 in the final, and the last match of the season in mid May saw us beat Cockfosters to win the South Midlands Floodlight Cup. In Her Majesty the Queens 2013 birthday honours list the club founder John Elliott was awarded the British Empire Medal for services to young people and the community in South Oxhey. This was a great and much deserved reward for over 40 years of hard work creating and managing Oxhey Jets.. The start of the 2013-14 season was a difficult one for the Club as we found out that all except three of last season’s team had decided to move to other clubs. With just two weeks to kick off Wayne Gladdy was appointed as manager to try and put a team together. At the end of January with just 20 points gained, Wayne started to recruit new players and from then on we only lost one league match which secured our status for the new season. We also reached the final of the St Mary’s Cup where we beat Leverstock Green 3 – 2. Our reserves finished as runners-up in the Herts FA Intermediate Cup and our Academy team were winners of the Allied Counties East Division. The 2014-15 season saw us continue building for the future under our manager Wayne Gladdy and we finished mid table in 12th position with 57 points. Our Third team, consisting of our most senior players, reached two cup finals run by the West Herts Saturday league but unfortunately finished as runners-up in both.
After two managerial changes at the start of the 2015-16 campaign we found ourselves in a relegation battle during the second half of the season. Bob Wyatt took over the reins and following many new signings a more settled side was found for the last two months and a 17th position was achieved. The re-building will continue next season. Our Academy provides a source of new talent and several members have played at both reserve and first team levels during the season. Our Vets team reached the Webster cup final and finished runners-up losing to the only goal of the game. The 2016-17 season saw us continue the rebuilding process under manager Lee Stedman and a 15th position with a points total of 49 was achieved. Our final run in saw us lose just one of our last eight league fixtures and we were awarded team of the month for April. Our Vets team for the third year running reached the Webster cup final and again finished as runners-up. They did however finish as Division 1 champions beating their closest rivals The Engineer in the last match of the season. The 2017 – 18 season saw us struggle to achieve a mid -table finish and with just a few matches left to play we were in a relegation position. With the help of new managers Tim O’Sullivan and Pat Fallon we won our last two fixtures to secure our premier division status. We now look forward to the new season.
Biggleswade United FC Clubhouse is available to hire for every occasion – Birthdays*, Children’s parties, wedding parties, christenings, naming ceremonies and lots more… The clubhouse can accommodate up to 100. Hire charges are from £25 to £100. For more information contact Tracey James on 07714 661827 or 01767 316270
* We are unable to accommodate 18th birthday parties
Match Programmes – a Statement As club secretary I have been producing a match day programme for almost all Biggleswade United first team matches since 1987 – even when we competed in the Bedfordshire County League at Step 7 when there was no obligation to do so. The programmes were produced at no cost to the club and no charges were made for a programme to the spectator. Until very recently – when the quality of the covers and inserts were of a higher quality than my home printer would allow - all costs incurred were paid for by myself.
To date, our digital programme has been read by almost 2,800 people with almost 19,000 viewing it at least once. Compare this to the last hard copy match programme I produced which was purchased by just three people for £1.00 (£3.00) at a cost to the club of £45. It just doesn’t make financial or promotional sense.
I fully accept that there are individuals who like to purchase a match programme as a collector’s item or as memento of their visit to the match / ground. And so far this season, I have received This continued for the next 30 years - 20 / 40 / 50 just two complaints that a programme was not match programmes almost every other week of available and on each occasion I have taken the the season and taking anything from 3 hours to 5 time and trouble to print off a copy and send by hours to compile, print, sort and staple. mail to the spectator after the match. I am happy to meet such requests. However, I hope our In recent years the demand for a match day supporters, opposition supporters and programme has reduced significantly. Access to programme collectors understand that times are instant and up to date information through changing rapidly – who remembers daily various social media and internet sites has, in my newspapers? – and the financial and time opinion, rendered the match day programme a constraints that Non League clubs are faced with thing of the past. It was also very disheartening to require us to look at alternative and more modern take the time to produce 50 programmes on a methods of producing match day information. Friday evening, only to find them scattered across changing rooms, left in Boardrooms untouched or As a club, we have agreed to review the situation left as debris in the spectators stands. at the end of the season but in the meantime we will continue to produce our match day It was for this reason – as well as one of cost and programme in digital format only. time saving – that I recommended to the Biggleswade United FC board the option for Tracey James producing a match programme through a digital Programme Editor format. This enabled a global opportunity to promote our club through the availability of a match programme for the live streaming of our matches whereas the printed version was only available to those who came through our turnstiles.
Picture courtesy of GUY WILLS PHOTOGRAPHY
Pictured: James Smith