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As much as I enjoyed February, it was certainly difficult on the media front......
Welcome to the supporters of Sungate FC, we hope you enjoy this afternoon’s match.
Well the dark mornings and evenings are starting to brighten as we emerge from another winter. They certainly seem to be coming round very quickly, but that could just be my age. At 47, I’m sure time is speeding up!!
We’re back at the Len Forge, following two home games at Southend Manor’s Southcurch Park Arena. They were cold evenings I can tell you. Note to self.....remember gloves when photographing during the winter months. No word of a lie, my fingers were burning, they were so cold.
I really enjoyed February. Catching up with league fixtures by playing Saturday and Tuesday/ Wednesday’s certainly made the month fly past and gave me a reason to leave the wife and daughter at home to enjoy the wind, rain, and freezing temperatures. Needless to say, the height of enjoyment was met with the task of producing the matchday programme. It’s quite rare for clubs at our level to produce a matchday programme, but I think it is something that, even digital versions, provide both informative and enjoyable reading, as well as a commercial avenue which could provide some form of income. This is my aim going forward.
My production of a programme goes back to when I was media manager for Great Wakering Rovers and after seeing some of those programmes in my loft recently, I think I’ve come a long way in both design and content. One thing that hasn’t changed is doing this on my own, but then, how many club’s at our level have a dedicated volunteer to run the media side of the club. Everyone can thank Trenks for getting me over here 4-5 years ago, and I’d like to think the club has gone from strength to strength with its media offerings each year.
I got fined by the players for not charging the VEO camera for the Toby game, which I took on the chin. I paid my fiver but charged it back to my daughters pocket money as she took the plug out of the wall from the extension lead to charge her Nintendo DS. ‘Honest guv’nor I’m innocent’!!
So we’re back in league action following a close fought defeat on Saturday under some strange circumstances. A referee blowing for pushes all game, but doesn’t in the final minute and we concede the winner.....but.....that’s football. We dust off, and concentrate on the next game.
How good is it that we have two players in the top 5 of the league’s golden boot list. Step forward Aaron Baldwin and Liam Oliver, who have both performed superbly well this season. It will come down to the wire who will pick up the club golden boot award at our presentation evening but, so long as they grab a few more before the end of the season, we’ll push Hutton & Rayleigh Town as much as we possibly can.
Let’s hope today is a little warmer, PLEASE!!!! Enjoy the game.
Rob Lilley Media Manager, CUFC
Len Forge Centre, Eastwoodbury Lane, Southend-On-Sea, SS2 6UH
President - Paul Marsh
Chairman - James Paviour
Secretary - Warren O’Neill
Treasurer - Grace Harding
Media Manager - Rob Lilley
Manager - Simon Thomas
Assistant Manager & Coach - Tom Harding
Physio - Emily Mackler
Reserves - Eamonn Kearney
Saturday A - Fabio Peluso
Saturday Vets - Paul Hodges
Sunday First - Andrew Doherty
Catholic Athletic - Rory Gregory
Programme Editor - Rob Lilley
Programme Contributors - Rob Lilley, Simon Thomas, Michael Sammut, Andy Wilkins
Photographer - Rob Lilley
Videographer - Rob Lilley
Facebook - facebook.com/catholicutdfc
Twitter - @catholicutd
Instagram - @catholicutdfc
YouTube - youtube.com/@catholicutdfc
Website - catholicutd.co.uk / essexbhoys.co.uk
Club Secretary - secretary@catholicutd.co.uk
Media - media@catholicutd.co.uk
Catholic United Football Club registered address: 20 Cottesmore Gardens, Leigh-on-Sea, SS9 2TG
After a bitter defeat in the Anagrams Trophy last weekend, today is when we put things right.....
Hello and welcome to the management team and players from Sungate football club.
February finished and we remained unbeaten, drawing just one game and winning the rest. I am absolutely delighted with how the month went for us. We played 7 games in 25 days which is a lot of football for a team at our level and all of the boys put a shift in and enjoyed the challenge at the same time.
The Toby match had a sort of ‘derby’ feel about it, such was the way the game progressed to be a battle due to the conditions. It was a very tough, physical game but we didn’t shy away from it. This squad have shown a number of times, that we can mix up our style and we’re happy to go toe to toe physically with anyone aswell.
The pitch conditions did make things harder on the night but we dealt with it quickly and I would say we had put ourselves in a great position at half time being 3-0 up. The second half was more about game management and the clean sheet was fully deserved.
Saturday away at Chipperfield was a bitter pill to swallow, especially in the fashion in which we lost the game with the very last kick. We battled hard on a horrible pitch and against a very physical team. Although we had quite a few players missing, it was nice to be able to call upon a few of the reserve boys and they fitted in nicely as always.
We’ve had to dust ourselves down quickly, train and prepare for today’s game.
Liam Oliver has found his stride now and getting fitter each game,. He is enjoying his football and working hard and that’s why he is getting his rewards in front of goal and finding the back of the net. Two hattricks this season and scoring in his last five games isn’t to be sniffed at!
We have also now got Aaron Baldwin back from a small injury issue so they will both be chomping at the bit to keep pushing the team and each other forward on the goal front. It is fantastic healthy competition to have, especially as they are both in the league top scorers chart in the top 5 at present.
I hope both of them stay focused and keep helping the team. Their teamates are creating chances so they will both get more opportunities to increase their tally before the end of the season.
Enjoy the game today and have a safe journey home.
We continue our introductions into Celtic Supporters Clubs. This issue, we hear from the Romania CSC.
In some ways, the story of the Romania Celtic Supporters Club is the story of Celtic itself: a story of passion and pride, immigration and identity, and most of all, a home away from home.
In other ways, it’s the story of pure chance. It just so happened that, when Marius Codrea caught a glimpse of Celtic supporters on local TV in 1997, something clicked. A good deal of cumbersome research on the dial-up later, he was hooked –by a club with a founding date that only beat our own nation state’s emergence by a few years. So much unbroken history, and Marius found himself living it in that season of all seasons. It won’t be lost on any fan how much emotion that campaign inspired, and that emotion was powerful enough to transcend the physical distance. In internet cafes and rare newspaper reports, through highlight shows and good old Ceefax, a Bhoy was born in the Transylvanian city of Cluj.
Years went by and for all the world, it looked like it would always be that way: a Bhoy, singular. Stopping the 10, rediscovering glory in the Martin O’Neill era, European adventures that brought increased exposure on Romanian television –highs and lows experienced in relative solitude. But chance had yet more in store.
Further down south in Romania, in the city of Brașov, Danny Coposescu’s childhood passion for Scotland and Ireland was meeting his newfound love of football. And again, one look at those famous green and white hoops were enough to spark love at first sight. It was 2003, another year that means so much in Celtic’s rich legend. By then, technological change was rushing in at the speed of Didier Agathe. Dial-up was still very much the norm, turning every desperate search for results into a family row over phone bills. Ceefax was still a staple of following the team, which made 2005’s Black Sunday a special kind of agony. But with message boards, chatrooms, and forums cropping up, it was only a matter of time until Romania’s two Bhoys chanced across each other.
Together or separately, we chased Celtic wherever we could. Away trips in Europe offered unique possibilities, and the occasional visit to Paradise was always an event to plan your year around. Then came the 2014 Europa League group stage draw, and suddenly – finally –Celtic were coming to us. Giurgiu, a tiny town meant only for driving through on the way to Bulgaria, suddenly became the centre of our universe.
Seeing thousands of fans paint Bucharest green and white in the run-up to the game was like some sort of fever dream. The voices, the songs, the sights and sounds we’d been experiencing virtually and oh so rarely in person were suddenly all over the streets of Romania, two worlds colliding in an explosion of colour. That magic may not have been matched by the 90 minutes down in Giurgiu, where a blanket of fog mercifully hid most of a drab 1-1 draw with Astra. But it still left a permanent mark, when one of the many friends we made that night asked a fateful question: “So where can we find you?”
All this time, we had brushed off any suggestion of forming a supporters club. We didn’t think we had the numbers. That night set us right and taught us something we really should have known. It wasn’t just two of us. We were already part of the Celtic family. All that was needed was for us to speak our name.
So on December 1, 2014 ¬– as chance would have it, our country’s national day – we formed the Romania Celtic Supporters Club.
Life’s twists and turns made gave our CSC a somewhat unique shape.
Marius quickly set up a base at the Old Shepherd’s Pub in Cluj, where anyone visiting can always count on a place to see the Hoops. Vlad, another Romanian who fell for Celtic, found the pull so irresistible that he moved to Scotland just to be closer to Paradise. Danny, meanwhile, has always been more of a wanderer, and he’s flown the Romania CSC flag everywhere from Vienna to Edinburgh, Dresden to New York City. Along the way, the good people at the HWEUCSC, Dresden CSC, and New York Fenian Bhoys were there to extend a warm welcome and a cold pint.
European away trips have also been plentiful since our formation. There was Milan in 2015, where Celtic fans were clapped out of the San Siro by the Inter support. City fans were far less friendly in 2016, but Munich’s Marienplatz will never forget the Stuart Armstrong song being belted out for an entire sunny afternoon. Leipzig, Prague, Copenhagen, they all hold special memories. But two away games in 2019 made our dreams come true.
That’s when we came full circle, as Celtic returned to Romania to face CFR Cluj. The first encounter remains overshadowed by what happened at Parkhead in the return leg of the Champions League qualifier, but the second gave the Romania CSC something priceless: it allowed to do our bit to fulfil the ethos of Celtic Football Club. On December 11 in the Old Shepherd, with tunes playing and drinks flowing, we organized a collection for the Missionaries of Padre Pio, a local charity helping to feed and clothe the poor and the homeless. The generosity of Celtic fans was on full display that night, and delivering trolleys-full of essential foodstuffs was the culmination of everything we love about this football club.
It’s part of the reason why this is classed as an “away trip,” even though it took place in our country. The Romania CSC is an expression of a simple truth: our true home is Celtic.
Some things never change. We wait with bated breath for European draws, in the hope that we might be able to travel to a couple of games. Trips to Celtic Park are still planned months in advance, and the list of friends to visit while we’re there is ever growing.
But so is the Romania CSC. Marius’ wife Alida is a convert to the cause, Danny’s girlfriend Linda is also a signed up member, friends and family are taking an interest in the club’s fortunes, and in 2018, a significant milestone was reached: wee Danny Codrea became the first-ever Romanian to be born into Celtic.
So maybe after all that, the story of the Romania CSC is actually a love story.
2023 ESSEX FA GRASSROOTS MEDIA MANAGER OF THE YEAR
ESSEX BASED FREELANCED FOOTBALL PHOTOGRAPHY SERVICES
How important is it to get a reaction from the lads against a tough Sungate side following last weekend’s disappointing Anagram Records Trophy exit?
It’s going to be very important for the lads to give a big reaction from last week’s defeat in the cup, obviously it’s disappointing but we can’t dwell on it, we have the league to focus on now and to keep grinding out 3 points week after week pushing us up the table, Sungate will be a good test for us and you will most definitely see a reaction against them.
From a personal point of view, Howe felt about your performances? You currently average over one goal involvement per game which must be very pleasing.
A personal point of view from my performances have been good, 5 goals and 6 assists in 9 games that ain’t bad, over the past 2 games I have also dropped into midfield picking up assists aswell so now feel comfortable in that position aswell which is a massive asset to add to my game.
Playing in a similar position to the gaffer, how influential & what advice has Simon given you since being a Hoop?
Since being a hoop Simon has given me loads of advice, playing in a similar position has definitely helped me because he can give me the right advice and is experienced in what he is saying and I trust him 100%, I take every word on board in my head as I feel it will all help my game in the future.
How much have you enjoyed the step up to adult football over the past 18 months & where do you think your game has improved as a result?
I have enjoyed every minute of adult football since I stepped up, over the last 18 months I feel like my game has improved a lot, definitely the physical side of the game, I can hold the ball up a lot better now and I can see it in the games I play with the u18s
Sitting in second place 10 points behind Hutton & with two games in hand, do you believe Catholic United can still win the league?
Second place is a good place to be, we are currently 8 unbeaten in the league so we need to keep that run going all the way to the end of the season, if we win are 2 games in hand there’s only a 4 point gap between us, this means that Hutton will not have no chance for slip ups.
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In this programme, resident ‘cockney’, Rob Lilley, takes a look at systems, and the future belonging to teams willing to be a little more flexible......
There is no such thing as a 4-3-3, the same thing goes for the formations that are hardwired into soccer history. Even the fabled, fading 4-4-2, they are familiar reflexive, but none of them exist, not truly.
The way a team lines up to start a game, for example, most likely will bear very little relation to what it looks like during it as players whirl around the field, engaged in what anyone who has not watched a lot of mid-table Premier League soccer might describe as a complex, instinctive ballet.
Most teams will adopt one shape when blessed with the ball, and another without it. Increasingly, many will shift their approaches in the course of the game, responding to the lunges, the parries and the ripostes of their opponents.
A team presented in a 4-3-3 on a graphic before kickoff might be playing a 3-52 while that image is still fresh in the memory.
A coach might choose to drop a midfielder between the central defenders to control possession, or push the fullbacks daringly high, or draw a forward a little deeper. The nominal 4-3-3 might, if it all comes off, be more accurately denoted as a 3-1-4-1-1. Sort of. Maybe.
And besides, every manager will have a different sense of what each of those formations means. As Thiago Motta, the Bologna coach, has said: a 3-5-2 can be a front-foot, adventurous sort of a system, and a 4-3-3 a cautious, defensive one. How the players are arranged does not, in his view, say very much at all about their intentions.
None of that is to say that formations are completely meaningless. As a rule, managers tend to scoff at the very mention of them. They assume that hearing any value ascribed to the idea of “formation” is a surefire sign that they are in the helpless company of a slow-witted civilian, or perhaps a child.
They are, though, useful shorthands: broad-brush, big-picture guidelines that fans and opponents can use to try to find a pattern in what can look — at first — like unfettered chaos. They are a way of establishing what you think a team might look like once it takes the field, what it might be trying to do, how it might be attempting to win.
Or, at least, that is what formations have always been. It may not last. There is a chance, now, that soccer’s great leap forward will render all of those old, comfortable ideas almost entirely moribund.
The future, instead, seems to belong to the teams and coaches who are willing to be a little more flexible and see their role as providing a platform on which their players might extemporize.
Real Madrid, of course, has always had that approach, choosing to control specific moments in games rather than the game itself, but it has done so with the rather significant advantage of possessing many of the finest players on earth.
That others, in less rarefied climes, have started to follow that model is much more instructive. Luciano Spalletti’s Napoli, the most captivating team in Europe, is barreling toward the Serie A title thanks to a free-form, virtuosic style that does not deploy the likes of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Victor Osimhen as puppets but encourages them to think, to interpret, for themselves.
Football is not a game defined by the occupation of space. It is centered, instead, on the ball: As long as players are close to it, what theoretical position they play does not matter in the slightest. They do not need to cleave to a specific formation, to a string of numbers coded into their heads.
Instead, they are free to go where they wish, where their judgment tells them. If it makes it all but impossible to present a shorthand of how the team plays, then so much the better.
After all, systems are designed by coaches with the express purpose of stripping the game of as much spontaneity as possible. Managers want, understandably, to control what a player does in any given circumstance. They crave predictability. They yearn for it.
In that environment, it is only natural that unpredictability becomes an edge.
Our second visit to the Southchurch Park Arena and another chilly evening within walking distance of the seafront. Toby FC were the visitors who were on a good little run of results and aiming to continue their moves up the league. United were looking to cap an unbeaten February with the only dropped points being a 2-2 draw against rivals Leigh Ramblers.
The match couldn’t have started any better for United, as Kofi Goodrum’s cross was met by the head of Liam Oliver within three minutes. Toby began to get into the game but were not finding the target to worry young keeper Woody Wells.
United doubled their lead 20 minutes later, Oliver pouncing on a Michael Sammut through ball to beat a contested offside, to blast the ball past visiting stopper Charlie Perry.
Kofi Goodrum and Joe O’Kane were constant headaches for Toby and it was the aforementioned Goodrum who drove into the box only to be brought down with a tackle from behind. The resulting spot kick was the responsibility of Oliver, which he duly blasted home.
The second half was great for the neutral, with end to end play, but as much as Toby created, they found a spirited Woody Wells and a well marshalled defence. The half remained goalless and ensured February remained an unbeaten month, full of some great performances, goals and defensive displays.
Next up a tricky away trip to Springfield FC, who, under new management have refreshed the squad and become an unknown quantity this late in the season.
Liam
Oliver completes his first half hattrick from the spot ......
Sharing club values of being open and inclusive to all, to encompass and represent all members in the community and society in which we operate
As our ties with Celtic Football Club grow stronger following Calvin Carter-Vickers permanent transfer from Tottenham in 2022, we’ve created a tie with Lurgan Celtic, making them an official allegiance club. As an allegiance club, we share the same values of being open and inclusive to all, and do our utmost to represent all members in our community.
In this programme, we hear their progress over the last month.
Lurgan Celtic kickstarted the month of February with a league encounter at home to high flying Keady Celtic. In testing conditions, the home side dominated albeit against a dogged and skilful opposition side that will be there or thereabouts come the end of the campaign. Lurgan Celtic got the all important first goal with 20 minutes played, when striker Reynolds forced a save from the Keady keeper, dynamic midfielder McConville was on hand to tuck away the rebound. Buoyed by this the Lurgan side were on the front foot and forced several fine saves and last ditch blocks from the Keady rearguard.
With time all but up in the first half Lurgan Celtic doubled their lead when an exquisite ball over the top by Toman allowed striker Reynolds to defly lob the Keady keeper from an acute angle. The visitors got back into the contest early in the second half, when a left wing cross was diverted into his own goal by Lurgan Celtic captain Niall Lavery. Keady’s aspirations of taking something from the contest were further lifted when the Lurgan team were reduced to 10 men following the dismissal of McAlinden, however substitutes Crawford and
Next up for the Lurgan Hoops was a trip to Dungannon to face West End Hibs in league action. The Lurgan side were quick out of the blocks with a pinpoint Judge cross field pass finding Crawford on the edge of the Hibs penalty box and he expertly controlled and fired the ball across the keeper and into the far corner of the net.
Celtic keeper McGuigan was forced into several fine saves, whilst defender Burns also cleared a goalbound shot off the line.
On the stroke of halftime the visitors doubled their tally when Toman was felled in the penalty box, and dusted himself down before dispatching the resultant penalty kick into the back of the net.
Celtic winger Douglas was a constant pain in the side of West End Hibs, creating several fine chances, although with Celtic pressing heavily for a third goal, they found themselves only a goal to the good when a breakway Hibs attack won a penalty which they slotted home to put the game back in the melting pot.
Celtic were the better team and were rewarded for their efforts when striker Reynolds headed home a Toman cross on the hour mark. Settled by the retention of their cushion, they soon extended their lead further when Toman again drifted a freekick to the back post and onto the head of defender Haughian, who’s looping effort beat the keeper and nestled into the corner of the goal. Hibs were deflated as time ticked down and Celtic got a fifth courtesy of Gilmore, following good work from both Withers and Reynolds, whilst a sixth came late on via an own goal by a West End defender. Final score read 6-1 to Lurgan Celtic.
Lurgan Celtic’s final league outing in February saw the side host Armagh Celtic, another team that sat in the upper reaches of the League table prior to play. The home side, as had been a key trait in recent outings, were quick out of the blocks and pressing for an early goal. A combination of dogged defending and also the woodwork came to Armagh’s rescue on several occasions.
Chances went abegging for the Lurgan Hoops as it looked as though they would be made rue not having a lead their play merited, but with the halftime whistle about to blow, a fantastic freekick by captain Lavery rattled the Armagh crossbar, and quickest to react was striker Withers to slot home the rebound and allow the home side to enter the halftime break with the lead they fully deserved. Youngster Magee was instrumental in a lot of Lurgan Celtic’s positive play whilst Devereux was also solid in his defensive duties, restricting the visitors chances at every opportunity.
Lavery capped a fine game of his own with a strike early in the second half, and with midfielders Gilmore and Toman at the heart of the game, the lead never looked in any serious doubt. With less than 10 minutes remaining the win was obtained when a Crawford drive and cross to the back post was headed home by Withers, leaving the Armagh side on the wrong end of a 3-0 result. The clean sheet gave management duo of Smyth and McCourt as much pleasure as the goals scored, as the defence had been instrumental in the key wins throughout the month as the goalscorers.
The month of March will present a key period for promotion ambitions for Lurgan Celtic as they will face several stern league encounters and as the games come thick and fast, it will be a case of one game at a time, but with plenty to play for, the end of March will present a more telling tale with the business end of the campaign looming ahead.
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A visit to an unknown quantity is always tricky to plan for, as was Springfield FC, with new manager Matt Cardy in place for just his second week in charge. New players brought in to refresh the squad had brought mixed results since Cardy’s appointment (D-W-L) so United manager Simon Thomas was under no illusions of the task in hand.
The fast start in recent weeks continued for United, as James Warder fired home a sweet right foot shot from outside the box following a lovely lay-off by Kofi Goodrum. Goodrum has been a menace of late to sides with his wing play and has added some assists to his name.
Pitch conditions added to the up and down nature of the game and United keeper Woody Wells did well two minutes later to push away a well aimed shot. Both teams kept plugging away in an up and down first half but United went in at the break a goal to the good.
Twenty minutes into the second half, United could have taken the lead as a freekick by Woody Wells was chested down by Liam Oliver only for Kofi Goodrum to fire just wide whilst under pressure.
As the game moved into the dying seconds, a ball into Harrison Day was well controlled and his reverse through ball was perfect for Liam Oliver to beat the offside and steer the ball through the legs of the keeper.
The win ensured United keep the pressure on Rayleigh Town and leaders Hutton.
Hall Green Lane
Hutton, CM13 2QT
Saturday 25th March 2pm.
BY ROADMake your way to the A127 toward Brentwood and take the exit for the A128 toward Brentwood., taking the 3rd exit at the roundabout. Travel for 3 miles and take the 2nd exit onto Running Waters. Continue to Pondfield Lane, turning left slightly becoming Hanging Hill Lane. Travel for 1 mile and turn right onto Hall Green Lane, continue on for 1 more mile before turning left onto Shelley Road. Destination will be on the left.
From Len Forge Centre, make your way to Kent Elms Corner. Take the X30 toward Southend-on-Sea, departing at Holiday Inn at Southend Airport. Take Greater Anglia train toward Liverpool Street Station and depart at Shenfield. Take a 1.4mile walk to Hall Green Lane, Hutton.
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We take a look back atthe history of British football magazines, their evolution and where we are today........
The evolution of what we now know as the football magazine started with weekly newspapers with high football content. Then came “Boys Papers” the newspaper with only football content but were aimed at the children’s market featuring short stories on football matters (the forerunners of comics). Slowly the market called for 100% football content, which coincided with technological advances in printing in 1951 enabling the Charles Buchans Football Monthly to be the first modern looking football magazine, with colour covers and better quality paper.
First Football newspaper : The Goal: The Chronicle of Football was first published 22nd November 1873. According to J.A.H. Catton it was issued by a Mr E.M. Fraser of the Crescent,169 Camden Road, London ,N.W.The British Library has it running for only 21 or 22 editions and ceasing on April 25th 1874.
The Bell’s Life in London and Sporting Chronicle was an English weekly sporting paper published every Saturday as a broadsheet between 1822 and 1886.
The “Athletic News” was established in Manchester in 1875 as a “weekly journal of amateur sport”.
The Athletic News was the leading football paper between the 1880s and the 1920s and was referred to at its peak as the ‘Times of football’. In September 1888 with the onset of the Football league teh penny paper moved from a Saturday publication date to a Monday.Sales were 25,000 in 1883 and were 170,000 by 1919.
The ‘Referee’ newspaper was founded in 1877 as a weekly publication primarily covering sports news.
The “ Boy’s Own Paper “ launched on January 18th, 1879 with a cover picture entitled “My first Football Match”, unfortunately at this date this translated as a Rugby game.
In 1882 the short lived “Football: A weekly record of the Game” appeared which merged with Pastime the following year which in turn ran until at least 1895.
From the late 1890s football clubs started producing their own programmes and newspapers started to produce football based editions.
Early club specific publications included:
“The Football Programme and Weekly Calendar, Manchester”, 11 October 1890 till 28 February 1891
“The Official Programme: The Official Organ of Manchester City, Newton Heath, Broughton Rangers & Salford Clubs”, 3 September 1898 till 28 April 1900
“The Official Programme: The Only Official Organ of the Everton, L’pool, New B’ton, R’k Ferry & Tranmere Clubs”, 1 September 1898 till 29 April 1899.
As well as early club specific publications there were also ‘Football Specials’ probably starting with Birmingham’s ‘Saturday Night’ which ran from 1882 to 1898. By the beginning of the twentieth century there were 170 provincial daily papers and about 100 evening ones and of course they would all feature sport.
The game changing ‘Book of Football’ was a serialised magazine published in 12 fortnightly instalments during the course of the 1905/06 season.
According to Adam Riches in his excellent book “Football’s Comic Book Heroes the childrens market” it was the ‘The Boys’ Realm’ which in 1909 eventually finally created its first truly football exclusive publication. This was very much a paper aimed at children and was predominantly short stories.
Into the twentieth Century we see the arrival of the “Football Chronicle”, which ran from 16 September 1911 till 25 April 1914 and continued after the war from 30 August 1919 till 19 December 1936.
The “ Football Favourite “ ran from 4 September 1920 till 30 April 1921, continued as The Football and Sports Favourite 7 May 1921 - 30 March 1929, then Boys’ Football Favourite, ultimately becoming Boys’ Favourite.
Amalgamated Press were seemingly trying 2 different football formats at the same time with Football Favourite (4/9/20-30/4/21) and Sports for Boys (20/10/20-21/4/21) to see which worked better and to find competition for the successful Topical Times published by DC Thomson. They ultimately came up with the winning and much more long lived “ Sports Budget .”
In 1911 the “Football Players Magazine-Official Journal of the Association Football Players Union” was launched under the editorship of Evelyn Lintott. A very far sighted move with the Football League and Football Association many years away from producing their own publication. There is an argument for this to be classed as the longest running football magazine as it became “ Soccer: The Official Journal of the Football Players Union “ in 1947 under the revitalising influence of Jimmy Hill. The Union became the Players Football Association under Jimmy Hill’s stewardship and their magazine “ Footballers World “ launched in 1993 and continues to this day.
The “Topical Times” ran from 1919 to 1940 producing over a 1,000 weekly issues in a newspaper format. Always at least half full of football content and offering occasional glossy cards featuring players. It was published by DC Thomson who went onto greater things with the Dandy and Beano.
An excellent publication came out in 1935 called the “Football Pictorial and Illustrated Review”. Followed by the “Football Weekly” in 1936. Marketed as “the great paper for the great game -every Wednesday 2d” was probably the best seller.This paper produced free gifts like the “1934 Football Weekly Book of 100 Famous Football Clubs
All these pre war periodicals were still missing the crucial element of full colour photography; in 1931 the first colour photo was printed in a British newspaper. (The Times).
The “FA Bulletin” the “Voice of the Football Association” commenced on the 20th September 1946 and would run monthly for the period of the football season. It changed to the “FA News” in August 1951 until 1956. It changed again to “FA Today” and finally ceased in October 1979.It is hard to call this a generally available magazine as it was sold on a subscription basis.
The first British Football magazine that fits my magazine criteria of colour, football only content, quality paper and available at the newsagents was edited by that man Charles Buchan. An honary mention should go to the December 25th 1948 issue of “Sport Weekly” as it featured a full colour team picture of England on the front cover.
Charles Buchan’s launched Football Monthly in September 1951 and the world had its first modern style football magazine. Amazingly with so many major publishing houses around he launched independently as Charles Buchan’s Publications Ltd based at 408 The Strand, London WC2.
“Raich Carter’s Soccer Star” started a year later on the 20th September 1952. Raich Carter was adamant that his publication was a magazine not a newspaper, whereas we would say nowadays that they were single spot colour on newsprint. In the June 5th issue 1954 his editorial was why his magazine didn’t carry up to date news. I was contacted by Ray Wellingson in early 2018 who now lives in Canada and is aged seventy. He remains in contact with David ‘Diddy’ Hamilton who used to contribute articles to the Soccer Star. He got to know him because was a freelance press photographer who began with Soccer Star when the Editor was Jack Rollin. He later went on to take photographs for World Soccer magazine. Jack Rollin would get him press passes to any game he wanted so he went to Highbury ,Spurs but also Millwall Charlton etc.
In the summer of 1955 the Raich Carter logo was dropped and it ran as Soccer Star until 19th June 1970 when it merged into “World Soccer””.
“World Soccer” was the world’s second oldest monthly football magazine when it started in October 1960 and is today the worlds longest running football magazine as it is still being published by IPC, with a monthly circulation today of around 52,000.
“ Jimmy Hill’s Football Weekly “ launched in 1967 followed by “Goal” magazine edited by Alan Hughes on the 16th August 1968 and published by IPC.
The next British magazine to show it’s face was the “Soccer Review”, ultimately to become the Football League Review (The Official Journal of the Football League). If you went to football matches from the late sixties and through to the mid seventies you will remember the insert from the Football League that came inside your clubs match day programme. It started in August 1965 and only appeared in some clubs programmes.
IPC had also launched Shoot magazine, a football magazine for children in August 1969 and by 1971 both Shoot and Goal were the market leaders with 220,000 weekly sales each.
On the 10th of January 1970 “Striker” was launched which ran for 113 issues from 10/1/70 to 4/3/72 inclusive.
In 1979 “Match” was launched (now owned by Emap) as competition to Shoot which also continues to this date but is more a comic than a magazine for grown ups.
“90 minutes” arrived in October 1990 and stopped again on the 17th of May 1997.
“Four Four Two” launched in September 1994a magazine surprisingly not owned by IPC but by Haymarket Publishing and still going strong today with the biggest circulation of the big 3 of around 112,000 every month.
He printed up his pictures and ran them over to Soccer Star in Argyle street and he usually had a few in each edition for which he paid ‘5 guineas a pop’ and was given a free copy of the magazine! He did it for about two years and also sold stuff to the News of the World when Frank Butler was the Sports Editor and other places too. He gave it all up went into banking before emigrating to Canada.
In June 2008 Shoot magazine closed a year short of it’s 40th birthday leaving “ Match” (130,000 copies) on it’s own in the football comic market.
We are a family-friendly club who support everyone to be all that they can be. As a club, we would like to raise awareness of, and break the stigma around, mental health.
We believe that sport can play a huge role in tackling stigma and its effects:
• in breaking down boundaries between people with and without mental health problems
• creating social integrations and boosting self-confidence
• tackling physical health inequalities
If you require any support, or someone to talk to, contact any of the organisations below:
Samaritans
Confidential, non-judgement emotional support, 24 hours a day, for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those which could lead to suicide:
116 123 or www.samaritan.org
SANEline
SANE provides practical help to improve quality of life for people affected by mental illness:
(0300) 123 3393
Mind and Rethink
The mental health charities who run the ‘Time to Change’ Campaign have a wealth of information and resources about mental health issues. There are also local branches of Mind and Rethink. The service that they provide varies, but there is likely to be a branch near you which will offer some support and information:
(0300) 304 7000
Under 35 and struggling with suicidal feelings, or concerned about a young person who may be struggling?
(0800) 068 4141 (Text 07786 209697)
Switchboard
If you identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, then call:
(0300) 330 0630
CALM
If you are male call:
(0800) 58 58 58
Students
If you are a student, then look on the Nightline website (www.nightline.ac.uk) to see if your university or college offers a night-time listening service.
A trip to rural Chipperfield greeted us last Saturday in the quarter final of Anagrams Trophy. After a lot of rain in the previous days, the surface was somewhat sticky but playable.
Manager Simon Thomas named a side which included a number of reserves after the unavailability of some first teamers. The opportunity was there to see players in a gritty cup competition match.
United continued their recent run of early goals, as Harrison Day pounced on a through ball to side foot the ball into the back of the net. The home side began to grow into the match but struggling to create decent chances on a very slanted pitch. It certainly doesn’t seem strange all 5 goals in the game were scored at the same end!!
United doubled the lead five minutes of the restart as Liam Oliver scored in his 5th game running and his 13th goal in 15 matches this season. Played through by Michael Sammut, he went round the last remaining defender before cooly lifting the ball over the keeper.
The downturn started five minutes later, the hosts scoring from a counter, with keeper Owen Wells unlucky not to get more of a hand to the ball. The ‘Chipps’ found themselves level with fifteen minutes left, the ball dropping to an oncoming midfielder who curled the ball into the top corner. The nail in the proverbial coffin came in the dying seconds, but in controversial conditions. The ball was crossed into the area, and despite the referee blowing for all pushes during the game, failed to blow for the push in the back of Matt Wilson. The culprit of the push was on hand to head home from close range, the referee blowing for fulltime with the ball having barely touched the back of the net.
Harrison Day turns to celebrate after opening the scoring for Catholic.....
We take a pictoral look back at Catholic United history.....
Our earliest picture, circa 1960, pre-green & white hoops.
1968 - The first time wearing the donated green & hooped kit donated to us by Celtic FC. The match, the 1968 Walton Cup Final was won 2-1 by Catholic United
EOFL
Our only game since the last matchday programme was a league fixture against bottom of the table AS Rawreth First. Off the back of an impressive cup win against higher league opposition the previous week and with some impressive wins across the season, we knew they were not to be taken lightly.
The CUFC First Team having played at Southchurch Park midweek meant that we were able to move the game to Len Forge. The larger and flat surface suits the type of football we try to play as a team and we tried to make the most of this and dominate possession with an adapted 3-4-3 formation..
Our boys started well and were awarded a penalty which Dan Williams unfortunately had saved by the Rawreth ‘keeper but he responded well, scoring the opener within a minute.
The remainder of game followed a similar pattern but it was especially good to see Fin Grant and Matt Creevy both on the scoresheet to wrap up a 3-0 win.
We now look forward to today’s game, which is the return fixture away at Rawreth. We know this will be a tough task on a very different surface and the boys need to make sure we’re up for the task as we look to continue the winning momentum and secure a top half finish.
Elsewhere, it’s been a really positive few weeks for some Reserve Team regulars who have played for the First Team. Matt Wilson, Tobias DeSouza and James Ainslie have all made appearances in recent weeks and not looked out of place.
This shows not just the quality in our squad but the close link between our sides, a link we will be looking to build on as both sides chase league cup glory in the coming months.
Sponsoring the garb of a player is a great way to show your support for the club and your favourite EssexBhoy. We’ve kept our prices the same for a number of seasons and as you can imagine, every sponsorship is greatly appreciated.
If you are interested in sponsoring a player, drop us an email at media@catholicutd.co.uk
Home Kit
£50.00 Away Kit
Louis Godwin-Green Stuart Marshall
Patrick Kearney Vedran Deranja
Louis Robinson PK Electrical Services
Jack Leech Chris Clark
Ben Burrows William McCluskey
£50.00
Paul Marsh
SPEC Development Limited
Matt Hanan
Matt Creevy
MHS Radiators
Tom Elliott Ellen Flanagan
Mike Sammut Hail Cesar Whatsapp Group Wishaw Bhoys
Tom Kearney Tommy & Mechelle Timms
Compass London Markets
Phil Sands
Carl Read Aaron Bloxham Amandar Warder
Joe O’Kane Mrs HC
Matt Creevy
Aaron Clark Offside Photography Square One Electrical Services Limited
Luke Mackie Henriklubo
Joe Burton JK Holistic Therapies
James Warder Stewart & Liam Murray
Frank Craik Matt Hanan
Aaron Baldwin Medway Emarald 67
JJM Accountants
Thomas Sloan
John & Frances Pye
Crystalclear Leisure Limited
Liam McGeevor
Dan Regan Square One Electrical Installations Limited
Adrian Maponga Rowkirwan.Art
Harrison Day Paul MArsh
Liam Oliver Red Project Management & Construction Ltd
Peter McCann
Allan McNelis
Simon Thomas Jay Nash - Specifix Physiotherapy & Personal Training
Tom Harding
Emily MAckler
Crystalclear Leisure Limited
Pearse Connolly - RL Sports
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our player sponsors. The money raised from player sponsorship ensures playing staff have the necessary kit and other supplies for the season.
As good a shot stopper CUFC have ever had. Brave beyond the call of duty
Accountant by trade, mathematically read defensive situation and angles better than most. Cannot remember him ever being beaten in a one-on-one
Fantastic5ives’, is a 5-a-side dream team chosen by a player, committee member or a supporter. Everyone has their own, so it is great to see and read
Classy, great touch, great vision, gives you stability
I have to say on a 5-a-side pitch Joe could totally mesmerise an opposition. Highly gifted player, something to behold
In this week’s programme, we hear from our very own Club President, Paul Marsh, who provides us his Fantastic5ive and the reason each player made the team. The team is from CUFC from yesteryear and nobody knows players and stories as Paul.
I believe it is accepted that Martin has been the best player to have put on the CUFC shirt. Enough said. A different league to us mortals
If you would like to name your FantasticFive, email the club at media@catholicutd.co.uk and we will be happy to include you in a future programme.
John Gloyne Keith Exley John Pye Joe Britt Martin Britt Paul Marsh
SAT MAR 18th | 2PM | LEN FORGE CENTRE
EOFL PREMIER DIVISION
MANAGER
SIMON THOMAS
LOUIS GODWIN-GREEN
WOODY WELLS
OWEN WELLS
PATRICK KEARNEY
AARON CLARK
LANCE AKINS
JACK LEECH
CONNOR POLYBLANK
MATT WILSON
LOUIE HAY
LOUIS ROBINSON
BEN BURROWS
LUKE MACKIE
THOMAS KEARNEY
MICHAEL SAMMUT
TOM ELLIOTT
JOE O’KANE
JOE BURTON
KOFI GOODRUM
LUCAS POLYBLANK
FRANK CRAIK
JAMES WARDER
MANAGER
RICKY DEFREITA
STEFAN LEMACQ
ARIF OLAMIDE MUSTAPHA
JAKE WILLIS
HARRISON BRADBURY
IBRAHIM CONTEH
SOLOMON ASOMAH
LEE SAMWAYS
SCOTT TRUMAN
DANIEL CALLAWAY
JAMES SMITH
REECE HEWITT
BEN WILLIS
PETRIT ELBA
WILLIAM WELLS
JOSH ADDINALL
ALFIE JAMES OSBORNE
THOMAS ANDERSON
GILSON PEREIRA
HARRY PRINCE
JOSH STEEL
NATHAN TSHOLA
PIERCE KNIGHT
ELTON TETTEY
THOMAS DRAYTON
MARK OMOTOBORA
ROBBIE SCANLON
ADAM HATCLIFF NNAEMEKA UKAH AN OTHER
TODAY | 2PM
Galleywood v Bishops Stortford Swifts
Catholic Utd v Sungate
Kelvedon Hatch v Canning Town
Runwell Sports v Hutton
Toby v Old Southendian
TODAY | 2:30PM
Shenfield AFC v Rayleigh (Premier Cup)
IF YOU SEE OR HEAR ANY RACIST, HOMOPHOBIC OR ANY OTHER ABUSE PLEASE REPORT IT TO OUR TEXT LINE 07494 005429
