Dunstable Town v Bishop's Stortford - Sat 7th Sept by Dunstable Town

THE OFFICIAL MATCHDAY PROGRAMME OF DUNSTABLE TOWN FOOTBALL CLUB 2019/2020

CREASEY NEWS

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BISHOP’S STORTFORD Saturday 7th September 2019 Kick Off 15:00 The Emirates FA Cup

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OUR CLUB HONOURS LIST

Southern League Central Division Winners 2013-2014 Southern League Championship Trophy Winners 2013-2014 Spartan South Midlands Premier Division Winners: 2002–03, 2012-2013 Bedfordshire Senior Cup Winners (12): 1895–96, 1956–57, 1959–60, 1979–80, 1982–83, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89, 2002–03, 2006–07, 2008–09 Bedfordshire Premier Cup Winners (4): 1980–81, 1982–83, 1990–91, 2006–07, 2011-2012 Bedfordshire Intermediate Cup Winners: 1999–2000, 2008–09, 2018-19 Bedfordshire Floodlit Cup Winners: 2007–08 Eastern Junior Cup Winners: 2006–07 Colwyn Cup Winners: 2006–07, 2009–10

WHO’S WHO AT CREASEY PARK Playing Staff Gareth Jackson - First Team Manager Ryan Sturges - Assistant Manager Wayne Upton - Coach Rory McMullen - Goalkeeper Coach Tasos Psarras - Sports Therapist Justin Lucas-Hill - Club Medical Consultant Colin Lauder - Development Team Manager Valentino Qoku - Assistant Manager Samir Amadu - Coach

Non-Playing Staff

Neil Barker - Chairman Andrew Amu - Vice Chairman Andrew Madaras - Club Secretary Dudley Peacham - Treasurer Kristy Lewington - Club Welfare Officer and FA Charter Standard Coordinator Stephen Lewington - Press Officer, Social Media, and Youth Engagement Officer Chris White - Social Media Manager and Club Photographer Katrina Peacham - Committee Clerk and Turnstile Manager Nikki Lauder - Events and fundraising Patrick MacKay - Match-day Merchandising Coordinator Peter Burrows - Community Engagement Officer Vince Dunnell - Youth Section Chairman and Assistant Youth Welfare Officer Adrian Dunne - Youth Section Vice Chairman and Events/Fundraising Kristy Lewington - Youth Section Secretary and Club Welfare Officer Christian Baxter - Youth Treasurer and Assistant Youth Welfare Officer Brad Cawthorne - Match day Camera man Jacqui Dunnell - Match day Hospitality Bradley Fields - Match day Volunteer Jon Keenan - Match day Volunteer

FROM THE BOARDROOM A very warm welcome to Creasey Park this afternoon. It’s our third FA Cup date of the season and again we’ve been drawn at home. We welcome our visitors Bishop’s Stortford, who join the competition this afternoon. We last met two seasons ago in the Southern Premier and we look forward to resuming the on field competition. In the last round we ran out 4-1 winners in an entertaining encounter with Shortwood United. They were magnanimous in defeat and they represented their club with dignity and no little skill . It was a real pleasure to host them and we wish them well for the rest of the season. One of the key features of the afternoon was the off field support. You supporters really did embrace the occasion and gave the sort of vocal support that lifts the team. We’ll certainly need that this afternoon. Today we have the chance to be ‘giant killers’ , a prospect that I’m sure Bishop’s Stortford will want to avoid . We learned that to our cost at AFC Hayes last weekend in the FA Vase, when after a flying start we succumbed to a style of football, which while not aesthetically pleasing, proved to be effective. There were other disappointing aspects of the afternoon which made the defeat hard to swallow, but it’s a defeat nonetheless, and I know the lads are keen to put that right this afternoon. Over the weekend of 24th/25th August we held our annual Youth Tournament. I want to thank all those who worked so hard to

make this event a success. It’s an intense couple of days, coupled with this year’s very high temperatures. I really enjoyed watching some of our emerging talent displaying their skills. You did the club proud with all your efforts! In the next couple of weeks we will be announcing at least three new sponsors. This will include pitch side, programme and website advertising. It is vital that we build on this and as I’ve previously asked, please do not be shy to put us in touch with potential partners. Talking about our programme, I hope you’ve welcomed the reintroduction of our match day magazine. Many people have commented on the quality and we encourage you to purchase on match days for the competitive sum of £2 . We also have some back copies available on the stadium stall. Can I remind supporters that we have signed up to the FA’s RESPECT campaign and that we are keen that our club embraces this initiative, particularly in how we interact with match officials, opposition players and spectators, and also the language we use. Finally and as always, let’s really get behind Gareth, Ryan and the boys. A cup upset would not go amiss!

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GAFFER’S NOTES Good afternoon and welcome to Creasey Park for another exciting FA Cup match. My greeting extends warmly to Steve, his staff, players and all of the officials and supporters of Bishop’s Stortford. I hope you all have a pleasant afternoon with us and a safe journey home. I fondly recall my last encounter with Bishop’s Stortford 2 seasons ago, being a cold Tuesday night match away. Where after a very hard fought game Tony and I sat for a drink and a great chat and laugh with Kevin Watson and his staff. A welcoming and friendly club and I certainly wish them all the very best for the season. The last 2 games for us have certainly shown some of the best, and worst that we have to offer. Two weeks ago saw me filled with pride at how we outplayed, outfought, dismantled and managed a strong Shortwood team in the last round of the FA Cup. Then last Saturday saw us lose, very disappointingly, to AFC Hayes in the FA Vase. The players know full well that this was an unacceptable performance, that left both Ryan and I very frustrated in the manner that we lost our focus at key times and at key situations during the game. This is something that the lads know they need to be wiser to, as the season moves on, with today being an absolute test of what we have learned in the past games.

That said though, the squad are in great spirits and are excited with the opportunity to play against higher opposition and just maybe go against the odds! I’m sure whatever the outcome that the lads can make everyone proud with a level of desire that will keep you all singing, clapping and cheering! So please get behind us and with the will of everyone together, great things can happen!

ues l B u o y n Come o Gareth

BISHOP’S STORTFORD HISTORY The club was established at the Chequers Hotel on 28 January 1874. Initially playing in crimson and green, their first match was played two weeks later, losing 2–1 to East of England Non Conformist Grammar School. In 1885 they were founders of the Hertfordshire County Football Association, and subsequently started playing in local leagues in the 1890s. They joined the Stansted & District League, winning it in 1910–11 and 1912–13, and also entered a team in the Saffron Walden & District League during the same era, winning it in 1911–12, 1912–13 and 1913–14. After World War I the club won both the Stansted & District League and the East Hertfordshire League in 1919–20. In 1921 they joined the North-Eastern Division of the Hertfordshire County League. In 1923 the league was reduced to a single division, and it disbanded entirely in 1925, making a brief comeback in 1926–27, when Stortford were one of only six clubs to play in it. In 1929 they joined the new Division Two East of the Spartan League, which they went on to win in 1931–32, earning promotion to Division One. Following World War II, the league resumed in 1945, with the club in the Eastern Division. Despite finishing in last place in 1945–46, they were placed in the Premier Division the following season. However, after finishing bottom of the Premier Division in 1948–49, they were relegated to Division One. In 1951 the club were founder members of the Delphian League, which they won in

1954–55. After the league disbanded in 1963 they joined Division Two of the Athenian League, winning Division One in 1965–66 and the Premier Division in 1969–70. In the 1970–71 season they reached the first round of the FA Cup for the first time, losing 6–1 at Reading. In 1971 the club switched to the Isthmian League, and in 1973 they reached the second round of the FA Cup, losing 3–1 at Peterborough United after a replay. They also reached the semifinals of the FA Amateur Cup, losing 1–0 to Slough Town. However, the following season they won the last ever edition of the cup, beating Ilford 4–1 at Wembley. In 1974–75 they reached the FA Cup first round again, but lost 2–0 at Leatherhead in a replay. The following season they reached the second round again, losing 2–0 at Aldershot. In 1977–78 the club finished bottom of the Isthmian League Premier Division, and were relegated to Division One. They returned as Division One champions in 1980–81, a season in which they won the FA Trophy with a 1–0 win over Sutton United at Wembley, becoming the first club to win both the FA Amateur Cup and the FA Trophy. In 1982–83 the club beat Football League opposition in the FA Cup for the first time, winning 2–1 at Reading in the first round. After beating Slough Town 4–1 in the second round, they held Second Division Middlesbrough to a 2–2 draw at

BISHOP’S STORTFORD HISTORY Ayresome Park, before losing 2–1 at home. They reached the first round again in 1984–85, 1985–86 and 1986–87, but failed to progress on each occasion, with the club losing to Brentford, Peterborough United and Colchester United respectively. In 1991–92 Stortford finished bottom of the Premier Division, and were relegated back to Division One. They returned as champions in 1993–94, but were relegated again in 1998–99. After a second-place finish in 2001–02 the club returned to the Premier Division, and after finishing eleventh in 2003–04, were placed in the newly formed Conference South. The 2003–04 season also saw them reach the FA Cup first round again, eventually losing 6–0 at Mansfield Town. In 2006–07 another first round appearance resulted in a 5–3 defeat to King’s Lynn. Rushden & Diamonds’ expulsion from the Football Conference led to the club being transferred to the Conference North in 2011. In 2012–13 they reached the FA Cup first round for the twelfth time, losing 2–1 at home to Hasting United. At the end of the season they were transferred back to the Conference South, and the following season saw another FA Cup first round appearance, a 2–1 defeat at home to Northampton Town. The 2016/17 season was a disaster for the Club and probably the worst in the history finishing in the second-from-bottom place to be relegated to the Evo Stik Southern League after 13 seasons in the Conference set-up. Stortford had two management

teams running affairs before ex Spurs, Swindon, Rotherham United, Reading and Colchester United midfielder Kevin Watson was appointed manager late in the season. Stortford did reach the County Cup Final but lost 2-1 to Hitchin Town. With a young squad Kevin Watson took the Blues to 18th place in the 2017/18 campaign with their best performances against Slough Town collecting four points against the Rebels who were eventually promoted into the Vanarama National League South via the play-offs. Watson left the club at the end of the season with Adam Flint, from Witham Town, stepping into the manager’s shoes with the Club back in the Isthmian League. However, Flint resigned in September and Steve Smith along with former Premiership striker Jamie Cureton took charge. They took the Club to 7th place in the League and almost a promotion “play-off” place. In addition the Club reached the Semi-Final stage of the Velocity (League) Trophy before being beaten by the eventual winners Enfield Town.

TAKE FIVE BISHOP’S STORTFORD LAST FIVE SEASONS SEASON

LEAGUE

POS

2014-15 CONF-S

16/21

2015-16 NAT-S

11/22

2016-17 NAT-S

104

21/22

2017-18 SOUTH-P

18/24

2018-19 ISTH-P

7/22

LAST FIVE RESULTS Sat 10 August