Good afternoon everybody and welcome to Addison Road for our match with Milton Keynes Irish FC. I would like to extend a special welcome to all those connected with our visitors today.
As I write this, the weather continues to hamper the re-start of the season following the Christmas break and both sides have only played once since the turn of the year. For the Easington boys, training has been severely affected for nearly two months now. I noticed comments from Andy Wing, the Banbury United manager, bemoaning the lack of sports facilities in the Banbury area for training and matches. This is something Cherwell District Council really need to get to grips with as Climate Change is here to stay. It is increasingly common to have waterlogged pitches at Sports. However, the flip flopping between torrential rain and then frost is a new challenge in recent years. We continue to push for improvements but I continue to be frustrated with these talks, especially at a time when the Football Foundation is desperate to invest into improvements in the local area.
I am not sure what type of game to expect, as the pitch is heavy and will almost certainly cut up. After a bright start against our opposition at the beginning of the season, Milton Keynes Irish were comfortable winners on the day. At this stage of the season the table doesn’t lie and so I am expecting a tough game for our lads. With both sides keen to get the season back underway I hope we get a fully committed performance from Easington and that we take our chances. It will be important to the first points on the board in 2023
I hope you have an enjoyable afternoon with us at Addison Road and have a safe journey home!
Best wishes
Richard Meadows Chairman
First things first – A very belated Happy New Year!! Hope all connected with the club had a nice break! For me personally it was nice to take a break away from football, since taking over in June it has been not stop all the way through to Dec, our first friendly game was July 02nd away at Banbury! As a coaching team we have put everything into it, so It was nice to spend time with the family and not constantly bore them about football talk (well I tried not to!) – It was also a much needed break for some of the players who have young families so it has been nice for them to spend time with them & recharge the batteries.
What we didn’t predict was just how long we would go without a game due to the very cold & wet weather and in the end it has been really frustrating. When you are not playing games you want to keep the squad match fit and ticking over, this has almost been impossible with the extreme lack of facilities around Banbury. For the size of the town I find it embarrassing that there is no 3/4G facility available. It has been a problem for a number of years yet nothing has been done.
We finally managed to a get game in last sat against a very strong Coventry Utd, on a really difficult 3G pitch I thought we manged the first 60 mins very well and frustrated the home side by slowing the game down. It took a brilliant goal to break us down and finally beat the in form Doyle. From then onwards we were second best, the lads gave everything but in the end we looked tired and were well beaten. Coventry will not lose many games at home, they were well drilled and played the pitch to perfection. With games coming thick & fast we move on quickly to MK Irish in what will be another tough game, it was a very close game at their place where we had so many early chances that we didn’t take and in the end came away empty handed. We have trained well this week and if we can repeat the performance we showed at our last home game it will be another exciting game!
As we approach the second half of the season it is key that we build on what we have already achieved & learn from our mistakes, a big part of that will be to keep bringing the youth players through the system which has been very exciting for the club with Ollie Rose & Jack Herbert coming through and impressing, I will be spending much of the season watching the youth games on a Sat/Sun looking for potential, there are so many good players amongst our very exciting youth section. We will also look to bring in players that will make us stronger as we already have. Liam Howards has been a great signing and has improved by the game as his fitness & confidence grows, also Kyle Wynne is now back in training and is getting sharper. There are also a couple of other potential signings we are looking at & very close to sealing, competition for places is getting stronger and we are all ready for remainder of the season!
Finally a massive thanks for all your support so far this season, hopefully you will be looking forward to get back watching the lads! Get behind us as normal and lets bag another 3 points!
Enjoy the game, Sharm
Venue: Coventry United FC
Date: 21st January 2023
Ref:
Score: 4-1
ESFC: Doyle, Snelling, Kinch, J Rose, Watkin, Smith, Eyre ©, Watts, Convey, Swann, Coombes
Coventry United:
Sports finally return to action 49 days since last game.
Hosts dominate second half as Doyle shines in goal
On a frozen 4G at Butts Park Arena Sports returned to action. Howards missed the game as unavailable but it was good to see Barton and Fountain taking part in the warm up as well as new signing Lemar Carlin.
Sports got off to a difficult start against an inform Coventry side who had been playing during the adverse weather. A long ball over the top was finished well to give them the lead. Sports reacted immediately and counter attacked well. A Convey free kick found Watkin whos shot was saved. The rebound fell to Coombes who finished well.
Coventry United dominated the ball for most of the first half but Sports shape was good and restricted them to a few shots.
The second half saw Sports lack of match time show. A fantastic curled shot by the impressive Carey found the top corner. Soon after it was three after a whipped in cross was turned into his own net under pressure by Watkin. The forth came soon after from a deflected shot in the box.
In truth it could have been more but for Doyle who made some incredible saves.
A positive was Sharman finally giving game time to all 16 in the squad.
The Club was formed in the immediate post-war period of 1945/46 to fulfil the sporting and social needs of the young people of the Easington housing estate in Banbury, many of whom were returning from war service. The Club, then known as ‘The Clan’, soon prospered, as there was an obvious need for such a facility, and formed a cricket, tennis and a ladies section. Football was, however, the main branch of the Club’s activity, and they began playing in the local Junior Leagues as Easington Sports F.C.
The football was played on pastureland to the west of Wykham Lane, and for a few years endured the lack of facilities enjoyed today by almost all clubs. (No water available on site, no real changing facilities to name but two of the privations to be met on a cold winter’s afternoon). Fortunately, this situation was soon to change after tireless fund raising by stalwarts such as Gordon Vivash, Tim Fountain and many other committed club members, the prospect of a new ground owned by the Club became a reality.
The purchase of the Addison Road ground and the building of a clubroom, together with the Club’s entry to the Oxfordshire Senior League was the beginning of senior football for Sports, and to their credit they proved to be a formidable force at that level. Sports became winners and finalists in the Senior Cup and led the Premier League table on two occasions in the early and mid-fifties. In view of their success at county level the Club sought entry and was accepted into the old Warwickshire Combination, which at that time counted professional and semi-professional teams including Aston Villa ‘A’ and West Bromwich Albion ‘B’
Although having moderate success in this competition, as with many other amateur clubs; finance played its part in the decision to return to the Oxfordshire Senior League, where the expenses, in particular travelling, were much more in line with the club’s limited income. Looking to raise their standards once more, the Club sought entry to the Hellenic League. Subject to certain ground improvements they were readily accepted and remained as members until 2021 In 2018/19 Ben Milner and squad won promotion to the Premier League being crowned Champions before two Covid affected seasons. A review of the NLS saw Sports move into the United Counties League South and a new challenge. In our first season in the UCLS, Matt Giles managed the squad to 14th with impressive wins including those against Coventry United and Rugby Town.
In 2021/2022 Andy Sharman managed the Development squad to the UHL Division 2 title and OFA Intermediate Cup Final. With Matt Giles stepping down, Andy Sharman was appointed managed with Tommy Kinch and Mark Boyland assisting. Sharman will once again focus on using local Banbury based talent to compete in the UCL, giving a chance to many from the Development and Clan squads.
In 2022 the club were awarded Level 3 FA Accreditation, with 38 affiliated teams and over 600 players. Our youth teams include both boys and girls and our open age section now includes three male, two female, a pan disability squad and over 50’s football. We also work in partnership with Oxford United in the Community, offering free Women Wellbeing, Premier League Kick and Primary Stars sessions as part of the programme. Relocation remains a priority for the committee and trustees to ensure that our facilities match the growth and needs of the club. We remain committed to providing those in the local community with a pathway into football.
PHOTOS BY E BARSON
PHOTOS BY E BARSON
ANDY SHARMAN MANAGER
TOMMY KINCH ASSISTANT MANAGER
MARK BOYLAND COACH
RICKY HOGAN COACH
WALLY HASTIE COACH
ALI WHITROW PHYSIO
To sponsor any of the players, programme, match day event or pitch side banner, please contact easingtonsports@hotmail.com to discuss all opportunities. With a social media reach of over 20000 people per week in the local community what better way to promote your business with the fastest growing club in North Oxfordshire and Oxfordshire Football Association Charter Standard Club of the Year 2019-2020.
Finally a game of football, although the result and performance on Saturday wasn’t the best it was good to be back out there.
Tonight’s game is going to be a tough one, they are fighting for points and we know they will be bang up for it.
At Easington Sports FC our Wildcats centres have now been running for over 5 years. In that time, we have seen the integration of over 100 new girls players across six affiliated girls teams within the Oxfordshire Girls Football League.
The sessions are ran by ESFC Ladies players Tammy Starr and Emily Alcock, supported by volunteers from our Under 16 girls squads. The sessions are fun based football games for girls new to football with a view to providing them a pathway into an affiliated team.
We are hugely proud of our girls section and the progress this has made.
New for 2022 / 2023 we are delighted to announce our partnership with EMD Inpsire. EMD Inspire will support our Wildcats sessions as we look to welcome more new girls to football and #TheClan.
Children looking to develop new football skills in a fun and supportive environment are being encouraged to sign-up to Oxford United in the Community’s half-term holiday camps. The football club’s official charity will operate three camps for children of all abilities aged 4-13 and 4-15 at The Oxford Academy in Littlemore and Easington Sports Football Club in Banbury between Monday, February 21, and Friday, February 25. The fun programmes teach new football skills and techniques while focusing on the development of agility, balance and coordination. All abilities are welcome with the emphasis on the comfort, enjoyment and safety of all children. Sessions are being delivered at both venues as part of Oxford United in the Community’s commitment to providing every person aged ‘two to 92’ living in the county with a positive connection to the football club.
Chris Lowes, Head of the Charity, said: “Our flagship half-term holiday camps are a fantastic way for children to stay active, make new friends, boost their wellbeing and learn new skills via team-based challenges and activities.
“We’re grateful to The Oxford Academy and Easington Sports FC for their continued support by allowing us to host our popular programme of half-term activities which help players of all abilities reach their full potential.
“The camps are a real highlight among our experienced and qualified coaches who enjoy engaging with participants and helping them overcome challenges through the power of teamwork, communication and listening.
“We can only offer a limited number of spaces, so we advise parents to book on via our website in advance to avoid disappointment.”
The three half-term camps organised by Oxford United in the Community this February half term are:
Easington Sports FC Holida camp
Tuesday, April 19th until Thursday, April 22nd. 9am – 3pm. Suitable for children of all playing abilities aged 4-13. This is an indoor camp and will take place in the sports hall only each day.
Book here.
All Oxford United in the Community coaches are FA qualified and have up to date safeguarding, first aid training and CRC checks. Children must bring their own bottle of water and a healthy packed lunch each day and arrive between 8.45am and 9am each morning to sign-in. They are also required to wear clothing suitable for physical activity and football, including shinpads, boots, t-shirt and shorts.
Spaces are available on a first come, first served, basis. Oxford United in the Community is the football club’s official charity and helps inspire people to live happier and healthier lives in better connected communities using the power of football.
Manager: Andy Sharman
Assistants : Tommy Kinch, Mark Boyland, Wally
Hastie, Ricky Hogan
Physio: Ali Whitrow
Manager : Terry Shrieves
Assistants: Glyn Creaser, Lee Brown, Timothy Elie
We are delighted to announce that we will be partnering with MDH Teamwear for the 2022/2023 season as our provider for kit and equipment across all teams.
MDH will offer a range of Joma products available to teams / sponsors / parents to order.
A selected range has been chosen in consultation with MDH to ensure that moving forward all ESFC teams wear the same kits, in the same colours.
Details of our new online shop will be released soon.
We are looking forward to working with MDH and thank Andy Sparrow and team for giving us this exciting opportunity.
On June 1st 2020 the club was formed when Milton Keynes Robins, Unite MK and Milton Keynes Irish Veterans joined together to operate as one club going into the 2020/21 season, Milton Keynes Irish FC! The first team playing at Step 6 in the Spartan South Midlands Division One, the newly formed reserve team playing in the UCL Reserve Division and the Veterans playing in the Veterans League Division One, who did the treble in 21/22. There is also an adult team in the Milton Keynes Sunday League who were promoted to the Premier Division in 2022.
Our first season as a club was unfortunately brought to an early finish due to the effects of COVID-19. The 2020/21 season was looking to be very promising as we found the first team sitting second in the table after 9 games played with the best PPG in the league and went on an exciting run in the FA Vase which saw us get knocked out in the 3rd round on penalties after advancing through 4 rounds beating three higher league opposition. The season was officially curtailed, however due to performances under Milton Keynes Robins, the club earned promotion to the Spartan South Midlands Premier Division (Step 5) based on PPG over the previous 2 seasons.
2021 also saw the addition of an U18 Floodlit team (run by MK College under the Adopt a Team Scheme) and another 5 youth teams who came over to join under the MK Irish banner from Scot FC, increasing the number of teams to 11, another 2 youth teams were added in 2022.
2022 the first team were laterally moved to the United Counties League Premier Division South
This is the fifth year we have run the programme and since its development we now have 6 affiliated girls teams and loads of new players to the game – which is awesome. The sessions will be run by Tammy Starr and Emily Lambden – ESFC Ladies players on Tuesday evenings 6-7pm at BGN school. Any girls aged 5-11 years are welcome, contact easingtonsports@hotmail.com for more info. Start date TBC.
We are a volunteer driven football club, and all of what we achieve is done through the amazing volunteers that we have associated with the club. As ever, and in line with our expansion, we are looking for more people to join The Clan. Below is a list of roles we currently need assistance with – Can you help?
Pitch Preparations – To ensure pitches prepared and marked each Friday before the busy weekend at Addison Road. To include open age and youth team pitches. Pitches to be cut when needed and line marked.
Match Day Hospitality – To coordinate with the First Team Committee and Club House Manager and to provide hospitality for those officials joining us at Addison Road from opposing teams in the UCLS
Match Day Videos – We are looking for a film / sports enthusiast who would be interested in filming the first team games and producing match day edited highlights. Sponsorship / Marketing Manager – To work alongside the Committee and seek new sponsorship opportunities and to engage with the local business community. For more information contact easingtonsports@hotmail.com
2022/23 sees the new Over 50’s team compete in the Oxon Over 50’s League. Following the initial session we have now had over 40 players register their interest which is a fabulous start. More new players welcome….
We have now confirmed the dates for our 2023 Youth Tournament which will take place on 3/4th June. Details to be released soo.
If you could live Anywhere where would You live……. Anywhere hot
Biggest fear……. Playing out from the back
Where do you see yourself In 5 years…… Vets captain with 300 appearances
What are your hobbies…… Getting the run around by My two boys
Three items youd take with you
On a desert island……. Bed, food, pair of sliders
Favourite football team……. Chelsea
Any pet peeves……. A few nit picks
