ISTHMIAN LEAGUE | SOUTH EAST DIVISION TUESDAY 19TH NOVEMBER 2024 | KICK OFF 7.30PM
EAST GRINSTEAD TOWN FC
The Vistavis Community Stadium College Lane | East Grinstead | RH19 3LS
Tel: 01342 325885
WELCOME
Good evening and welcome to tonight's visitors, the league leaders Ramsgate. Having just missed out on promotion in the play-offs last season it's no surprise that the Rams are again setting the pace. They have dropped just two points in the league although it needed a stoppage-time penalty from Joe Taylor to secure Saturday's 3-2 victory at Sevenoaks. A few miles away at the Homelands Stadium we were going down to a 3-0 defeat to Ashford United, who completed the double over us having won 3-1 here a few weeks ago. The damage was done in the first half which ended with us trailing 30. The second half was an improvement but once again inconsistency plagued us.
LAST HOME GAME ...
It was the same here last Tuesday where we gave away to poor goals to go out of the Sussex Senior Cup 2-0 against Lancing. Tonight is the first of three successive home games with Burgess Hill and Lancing to come before the end of November. Needless to say we need to get back to our best to collect points and keep that healthy cushion between ourselves and the bottom four. COME ON THE WASPS!
East Grinstead Town FC is an unicorporated association . members club and a Community Amateur Sports Club (reg no 02270)
Followuson:
ClubManagement:
Chair & Treasurer: Richard Tramontin
Secretary & Vice chair: Brian McCorquodale
Senior Football Officer: Steve Norris
Head of Recruitment: Matt Wheeler
Commercial Manager: Steve Norris
Club Welfare Officer: Brian McCorquodale
Disability Welfare Officer: Stuart Gibson
Safety & Facilities Officer: Barry Bryant
Bar Manager: Stuart Gibson
Press Officer: Bruce Talbot
ED&I Officer: Andy Dodson
FootballManagement
Manager: Drew Cooney
Assistant Manager and Team Coach: Ian Nicholls
Assistant Team Coach: Steve Sargent, Matt Wheeler
Physiotherapist: Kate Moss
Kit manager: Adam Robinson
Disability Team Manager: Ant Bowler
Youth Coordinator & Development: Jay De Vito
Under-18 Managers: Lewis McDonnell & Kevin Wright
Under-16 Amber Manager: Lewis McDonnell
Under-16 Black Manager: Nigel Leach
Under-14 Manager: Sean Clarabut
Under-12 Amber Manager: Ted Symes
Under 12 Black Manager: Tom Butcher
Under 11 Manager: Ben Payne
FROM THE Dugout
GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO TONIGHT'S GAME AGAINST RAMSGATE.
Ramsgate have had a great start to the season and sit two points clear of Beckenham with three games in hand. I always had them and Sittingbourne down as my league and promotion favourites so tonight’s game will be very difficult.
It’s been another really tough week, losing 2-0 last Tuesday in the Sussex Senior Cup followed with a 30 away defeat to Ashford United on Saturday. It’s down to me now to try and pick the boys up for tonight’s task of facing Ramsgate.
More than anything we need to start seeing some better individual performances, as this will be crucial to us standing any chance against our visitors. Joe Taylor is already on 26 goals for the season which is just ridiculous given we are not even in December! Although he is head and shoulders in my opinion of any striker at step 3 and 4 he is not the only threat Ramsgate carry with strength in depth throughout their squad.
We have to be realistic over the next week and more than anything look for good team performances both against Ramsgate and Burgess Hill on Saturday. Both these teams have put everything into gaining promotion this year and we have to understand that.
As long as my lads can take on information and start upping individual performances and cutting out the mistakes that we are getting punished for we can come out of this bad run of form and really kick on.
We have brought in young Luke Harrison from Horsham YMCA who played the second half against Ashford and I thought was absolutely superb. We are hoping to have Tom Cadman back in training this Thursday and also Matt Pierson. This will allow us to go back to our preferred shape.
More than ever I ask our fans to get behind the lads and the rest of the management team, both tonight and going forward.
Drew
RAMSGATE TheAwayEnd
2024-25 player profiles
Tom Hadler – 28-year-old Canterbury-born shot-stopper who came through the Gillingham Academy and made his Football League debut in April 2018. Tom has kept 24 clean sheets in 65 appearances for the Rams.
Aaron Barnes – 28-year-old powerful full back who signed from Hythe Town in the summer of 2024.
Tom Carlse – 30-year-old left sided full back who rejoined the Rams in the summer of 2024 from Ashford United. He made 21 appearances last season scoring twice. Tom has also had spells with Cray Wanderers, Greenwich, Sittingbourne, East Grinstead Town, Erith Town and Corinthian Casuals.
Joe Ellul – 35-year-old defender. Fan favourite Joe returns for his second spell at Ramsgate as player/coach for the 2024/25 season. Joe has played for Billericay, East Thurrock, Braintree, Tasman United (New Zealand) and Maidenhead.
Jay Leader –. 34-year-old defender. A physical, ball playing centre half that started his career at Southend.
Andrew Tirivanhu - Strong Zimbabwean-born central defender who signed for the Rams in the Summer of 2024. He has previously played for Waltham Forest, Enfield 1893, Ware, Northwood, Witham Town, Aylesbury United and Waltham Abbey.
Archie McGonigle– 18-year-old defender. A ball playing central defender that has spent two years in the Southend academy.
Leo Todd – 18-year-old defender. Was a part on the Ramsgate U23s squad during the 2023/24 season. He made three first team appearances for the first team in cup competitions.
Leo Moore – 17-year-old defender. A member of the Ramsgate U23s squad for the 2023/24 season. Leo had a spell at Woodnesborough last season.
Myles Judd – 25-year-old defender. Myles started his career at Leyton Orient making 73 appearances with his debut coming at the age of 16.
Tom Clifford – 25-year-old midfielder. Combative player who is just as comfortable at left back as he is in midfield, Tom joined the club in the summer of 2024.
Roarie Deacon – 32-year-old midfielder. Roarie counts Crawley Town, Stevenage, Dundee, Sutton United, Havant & Waterlooville and Maidstone among his former clubs. During his career Roarie has made 370 appearances scoring 43 goals.
Lewis Gard – Former Southend United midfielder. Lewis made the switch to the Rams in the summer of 2024 and will be looking to stamp his authority on the engine room in midfield this season.
Tijan Jadama – TJ has appeared for the club on 201 occasions, scoring 43 goals.
Connor Wilkins – 25-year-old midfielder. Connor joined the Rams in the summer from Sheppey United.
Lee Martin – 37-year-old midfielder who came through the youth ranks at Manchester United, and counts Ipswich, Millwall, Gillingham and Exeter among his former sides. Lee moved to Ramsgate in the summer of 2023 and last season made 46 appearances, scoring six goals.
Alfie Paxman – 26-year-old-winger who appeared in Ramsgate’s youth set up and played a starring role when he returned to the club last season. He scored 14 goals and provided countless assists in his 48 appearances.
Joe Taylor – 33-year-old striker who started his senior career at Ramsgate in 2009 and has now scored 137 goals in all competitions for the club.
FIXTURES & RESULTS
AUGUST
Sat 3 AugAGlebeFA Cup EP2-0192Folkes, Tighe
Sat 10 AugAMargateIsthmian South East0-0402
Sat 17 AugHRedhillFA Cup P1-3193Spinks
Fri 23 AugHAFC Croydon AthleticIsthmian South East2-1228Lawson, Weaire
Mon 26 AugASevenoaks TownIsthmian South East2-2107Harris, Daniel
Sat 31 AugHDeal TownIsthmian South East2-3124Daniel, Tighe SEPTEMBER
Tue 3 SepHMersthamVelocity Cup 20-1115
Sat 7 SepAHartley WintneyFA Trophy 1Q1-2163Harris
Tue 10 SepHBroadbridge HeathIsthmian South East1-293Folkes
Sat 14 SepAPhoenix SportsIsthmian South East2-186Daniel, Weaire
Sat 28 SepABurgess Hill TownIsthmian South East1-2415Humpherston OCTOBER
Tue 8 OctANewhavenSussex Cup 21-1Harris East Grinstead Town win 7-6 on penalties
Sat 12 OctASteyning Town CommunityIsthmian South East3-2110Andrade Filipe, Tighe, Folkes
Tue 15 OctHAshford UnitedIsthmian South East1-3113Tighe
Sat 26 OctAThree BridgesIsthmian South East1-066Christmas NOVEMBER
Sat 2 NovHErith TownIsthmian South East0-4123
Tue 5 NovABroadbridge HeathIsthmian South East2-4107Daniel, Tighe
Sat 9 NovHPhoenix SportsIsthmian South East4-2101Harris, Humpherston, Christmas, Daniel
Tue 12 NovHLancingSussex Cup 30-277
Sat 16 NovAAshford UnitedIsthmian South East0-3434
Tue 19 NovHRamsgateIsthmian South East7.30pm
Sat 23 NovHBurgess Hill TownIsthmian South East3pm
Sat 30 NovHLancingIsthmian South East3pm DECEMBER
Sat 7 DecABeckenham TownIsthmian South East3pm
Sat 14 DecAHerne BayIsthmian South East3pm
Sat 21 DecHHythe TownIsthmian South East3pm
Thu 26 DecAEastbourne TownIsthmian South East1pm
Sat 28 DecHMargateIsthmian South East3pm JANUARY
Wed 1 JanHSevenoaks TownIsthmian South East3pm
Sat 4 JanASittingbourneIsthmian South East3pm
Sat 11 JanHSheppey UnitedIsthmian South East3pm
Sat 18 JanALittlehampton TownIsthmian South East3pm
Sat 25 JanALancingIsthmian South East3pm FEBRUARY
Sat 1 FebHBeckenham TownIsthmian South East3pm
Sat 8 FebAMersthamIsthmian South East3pm
Sat 15 FebHSteyning Town CommunityIsthmian South East3pm
Sat 22 FebARamsgateIsthmian South East3pm
MARCH
Sat 1 MarHThree BridgesIsthmian South East3pm
Sat 8 MarAErith TownIsthmian South East3pm
Sat 15 MarHHerne BayIsthmian South East3pm
Sat 22 MarAHythe TownIsthmian South East3pm
Sat 29 MarHLittlehampton TownIsthmian South East3pm APRIL
Sat 5 AprASheppey UnitedIsthmian South East3pm
Sat 12 AprHSittingbourneIsthmian South East3pm
Sat 19 AprADeal TownIsthmian South East3pm
Mon 21 AprHEastbourne TownIsthmian South East3pm
Sat 26 AprAAFC Croydon AthleticIsthmian South East3pm
TEAM LINE UP
EAST GRINSTEAD TOWN F.C.
Finlay Westen nn
Oliver Spinks nn
Tom Cadman nn
Michael Wilson nn
Matthew Weaire nn
Glenn Wilson (C) nn
Finlay Lovatt nn
Charlie Harris nn
Connor Tighe nn
Alex Andrade Filipe nn
Omar Folkes nn
Matthew Daniel nn
Kieran Humpherston nn
Jabari Christmas nn
Oluremi Onabanjo nn
Terlochan Singh nn
Khalifa Jabbie nn
Colours: Amber & Black
RAMSGATE
Dillion Addai nn
Tom Clifford nn
Jay Leader nn
Aaron Barnes nn
Myles Judd nn
Lee Martin nn
Tijan Jadama nn
Lewis Gard nn
Benny Bioletti nn
Joe Taylor (C) nn
Alfie Paxman nn
Josh Ajayi nn
Roarie Deacon nn
Joe Elull nn
Billy Munday nn
Kai Garrett nn
Colours:
NEXT MATCH
Burgess Hill Town
Saturday 23 November 3pm
MATCH OFFICIALS:
Referee: Josh Langley-Fineing
Assistant Ref: Tom Murray
Assistant Ref: Brendan Bailey
EAST GRINSTEAD TOWN
HISTORY
Programmes from the Past by Lester Medcalf
We have a couple of programmes from more or less the same time as this evening's match. We start with a Sussex RUR Charity Cup third round match East Grinstead v Ringmer on Tuesday 19 November 2013.
The front cover of the programme shows chairman Richard Tramontin receiving £50,000 from the FA's Steve Coppell following our award by Budweiser Club Futures. The award would enable us to add a third row of seating in our stand – work which would start in January. Other money – mostly through grants which Richard had negotiated – would be spent on the clubhouse, the changing rooms and the new turnstile block. All this work would bring the ground up to the level required for the Isthmian League.
Team manager Simon Funnell talks about “a frustrating week for us” - firstly a League Cup match on the previous Tuesday evening where “we battered away” at our opponents from Horsham YMCA only to lose by the only goal of the game halfway through the second half. And then on Saturday we had a tough-looking FA Vase match away to Hanworth Villa who scored a couple of goals in the last 20 minutes to turn 1-1 into a 3-1 win for themselves. The programme has a full match report on that FA Vase match – Michael Belli having scored our goal.
Let's now talk about the Charity Cup match against Ringmer. We were both in division one of the County League - we were in tenth place with Ringmer five places below us. We had not as yet played either of our league matches. Michael Belli again scored for us but again it wasn't enough to win the game as Ringmer went home with a 2-1 win.
Next up is an away game in the Isthmian League – South Park v East Grinstead on Wednesday 18 November 2015 though in a few places in the programme we are mis-spelt as East Grisntead. The programmes had a number of match reports from recent South Park games, though whether games played a month ago really qualify as recent I'm not sure.
Club programmes are always to be congratulated when they come up with an unusual feature and we have one in South Park's programme. Written by Steven Coney it talks about non-league clubs who have been in danger of losing their grounds. The article was prompted by the problems Truro City were having – some 9 years ago back in 2015 of course. Looking to develop a new ground they met with all sorts of problems which left them without a pitch of their own. And of course teams playing in Cornwall are always faced with problems and awkwardnesses getting to and from away matches.
Eventually Truro came to an agreement to use Torquay's pitch for their home games - though Torquay is about 100 miles from Truro! Other clubs such as Worcester City and Gloucester City were also having problems at that time with flooded pitches not helping. The programme's league table shows us third from bottom with ten points from our 16 games while South Park were doing well in fourth place with 35 points from their 18 games. We had already played them at home and had lost 2-0. So we were very pleased – and perhaps a little surprised – to come home with three points with a 3-1 win. 6ft 7in giant Melford Simpson in his first full game scored twice with Danny Leonard grabbing our third goal. If you’ve had your memory jogged by this article, then I’d be happy to hear from you on lestermedcalf@btinternet.com
EAST GRINSTEAD TOWN 4 PHOENIX
SPORTS 2
Action from our last home game with Toc Singh and Matt Wearie showing their commitment. Photos by Stuart Gibson.
