3 minute read
BISHOP’s STORTFORD FC
Smith took sole charge ahead of the two COVID hit campaigns, although the Blues did manage to reach the FA Cup First Round during those difficult years, eventually going out on penalties to National North side Brackley Town having had the BT Sport TV Camera’s in town for the previous round with a famous 2-0 victory over St Albans City coming in front of a sell out crowd 600, all that was allowed during the pandemic, with most fans having to settle for watching live on TV.
Advertisement
The 2021/22 campaign was one of the most memorable in recent years with a settled squad setting about on a remarkable campaign that saw the club taste defeat just five times in 42 league outings, amassing 87 points to finish second behind Champions Worthing. The clubs all time clean sheet record was also broken, with an astonishing 1088 minutes without conceding a goal during the season. Unfortunately the team fell just short, suffering injury time heartbreak in a 2-3 defeat at home to eventually promoted Cheshunt but with the bulk of the squad retained and new additions strengthening the playing options, the club are hopeful of going one better in 2022/23.
FA Amateur Cup Winners 1973-74
FA Trophy Winners 1980-81
Isthmian League:
Division One Champions 1980-81, 1993-94
Division One Runner-up 2001-2002
Promotion to Conference League South 2003-2004
Isthmian League Cup Winners 1998–99
FA Cup First Round
Saturday 3 November 2012
Attendance: 1,212
12
Matt Johnson
7’Sean Ray 70’ Zac Attwood 88’
Zac Attwood's 88th-minute strike saw Hastings United progress to the second round of the FA Cup for the first time in the clubs history at Bishop's Stortford.
Hastings had to come from behind after Matt Johnson gave the Bishops a seventh-minute lead.
Player-manager Sean Ray volleyed Hastings level from a corner after top-scorer Bradley Goldberg had gone close.
Attwood reacted quickest to tap in Goldberg's shot which was parried by goalkeeper Luke Chambers.
Bishop’s Stortford
Hastings United
1 Matt Armstrong-Ford
2 Elliott Cox
5 Sean Ray
6 Josh Jirbandi
3 Jono Richardson
4 Lee Carey
7 Scott Manning
8 Jamie Crellin
11 Danny Ellis
10 Zac Attwood
9 Bradley Goldburg
Subs:
17 Joe Winchester
12 Jack Dixon
14 Matt Whitehead
6,000 vs Peterborough Utd - FA Cup 2nd Round 1972-73
15Dee Okojie
16Bailo Camara
Biggest Victory: Bishop’s Stortford 7–0 Leatherhead
25 September 2021 Att 333
Heaviest Defeat: Bishop’s Stortford 2–5 Kingstonian
21 August 2021 Att 326
Highest Attendance: 1,504 vs Cheshunt Play-off Semi-final
27 April 2022 Lost 2-3
Highest Regular League Attendance: 621 vs Worthing
15 March 2022 Won 3-0
Lowest League Attendance: 242 vs Haringey Borough
12 October 2021 Drew 1-1
Top Goalscorers: Frankie Merrifield 21
Jake Cass 15
Date H/AOpponentCompetitionResultAttScorers
Sat 13 AugustHHaringey BoroLeague2 - 1388Merrifield, Peters
Tues 16 AugustAPotters Bar TownLeague1 - 0252Harris
Sat 20 AugustALewes League1 - 2741Merrifield
Fri 26 AugustHCray WanderersLeague1 - 1399Merrifield
Mon 29 AugustAHornchurchLeague1 - 2723Harris
Sat 3 SeptemberHSt Neots TownFA Cup 1QR0 - 2431
Tues 6 SeptemberHLeverstock GreenHerts Cup 1R5 - 0136
Tues 13 SeptemberABillericay TownLeague2 - 2480Olufemi (pen), Harris
Fri 16 SeptemberHAveley League2 - 0429Merrifield (2)
Tues 20 SeptemberHBowers & PitseaLeague2 - 0312Giles, Merrifield
Sat 24 SeptemberAHorsham League2 - 0947Johnson, Merrifield
Sat 1 OctoberHWingate & FinchleyLeague0 - 0424
Tues 4 OctoberHFolkestone InvictaLeague3 - 0257Peters, Giles, Olufemi
Sat 8 OctoberAHerne BayFA Trophy 3QR2 - 1429Johnson, Foxley
Charlie Allum
Midfielder
Blues Academy graduate who made his Senior debur last season against Lowestoft Town in the Emirates FA Cup.
RYAN CHARLES
Midfielder
Ryan headed into the 2022/23 season with 26 goals to his name in 98 appearances for the Blues. The fan-favourite, nicknamed ‘Spider’, also featured for Concord Rangers at Wembley in the 2019/20 FA Trophy Final.
Anthony Church
Midfielder
Anthony returned to the club in 2021 for a second spell, and had racked over 22 goals in 159 appearances leading in to the 23/23 season. He was with the Blues between 2013 and 2016, before joining up again with Rod Stringer at Chelmsford City, spending five years at the Clarets before his return.
Darren Foxley
Midfielder
Darren started his career with Soham Town Rangers and Cambridge City before his first spell with the Blues in the 2017-18 season. He left for Hungerford Town, and subsequently represented St Albans City and East Thurrock United before returning to the Blues in the summer of 2020. He scored the first goal in a 2-0 over his former club St Albans in front of the BT Sport camera’s. Had a brief spell with Billericay Town before returning to the Blues and ahead of this season had 28 goals in 95 appearances for the Blues.
