SOUTHERN LEAGUE CHALLENGE CUP
ROYSTON TOWN FC vs BARWELL FC Tuesday 9th November 2021 Kick Off: 7.45pm
Royston Town FC would like to welcome tonight's opponents Barwell FC for their visit to Garden Walk for this Pitching In Southern Football League Premier Division Central fixture. We wish their Players, Officials and Supporters an enjoyable evening and hope that the match will be a keenly contested and entertaining game.
We also welcome tonight’s Match Officials and hope they too have an enjoyable game.
OFFICIAL SPONSOR OF ROYSTON TOWN FC
Royston Town Football Club President Chairman Secretary
Founded 1875 Alan Barlow Steve Jackson Terry McKinnell 9 Valley Rise, Royston, Herts SG8 9EY
07772 086709
Treasurer Welfare Officer Fixture Secretary Executive Board
Webmaster Programme Editors Official Photographer
email: secretary@roystontownfc.co.uk Jeff Gill Angela Baulk Steve Endacott (07971 512402) Trevor Burrows, Andy Toovey, Eric Joyce, David Baulk, Angela Baulk, Chris Coote, Duncan Easley, Giles Parnwell, Neil MacLeod, Matt Clowery Steve Endacott Angela Baulk, Neil MacLeod Kevin Richards
Football Management Team First Team Manager First Team Asst Manager Reserve Team Manager U18 Team Managers Women's Team Manager Vets Team Manager
Steve Castle Chris Watters Lewis Endacott Dan Evans/Matt Campany Lewis Endacott Lee Wilkinson
Ground
Garden Walk, Royston, Herts SG8 7HP Telephone (01763) 241204
Colours
First XI Reserves U18 Women's Vets
White/Black/White White/Black/White White/Black/Black White/Black/White White/Black/Black
Members of: The Hertfordshire Football Association Southern League Premier Division The Herts Senior County League Thurlow Nunn Youth League Eastern Region Women’s Football League The Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire Ladies League Royston Town Football Club is an unincorporated association controlled by its members under the Constitution of RTFC
CLUB HONOURS WINNERS Herts County League (Div I) 1969-70, 1972-73 Herts County League (Premier Div) 1976-1977 South Midlands League (Div I) 1977-1978 South Midlands Reserve League (Div II) 1978-1979 South Midlands Reserve League (Div I) 1979-1980 North Herts (Div IV) League Cup, 1978-79, 1979-1980 Herts Charity Shield, 1981-82, 1989-90, 1996-1997 Herts Intermediate Cup, 1988-1989 Chiltern Youth League (Div I) 1989-1990 South Combinations Reserve Floodlight Cup, 1992-1993 Chiltern Youth League Cup, 1992-1993 South Midlands Challenge Trophy, 1995-1996 Eastern Region Women’s League (Div II) 1998-1999 Eastern Counties Youth League Cup, 2001-2002 South Midlands Reserve Challenge Cup 2004-2005 KB Tyres Division III Champions 2006-2007 South Midlands League (Div I) 2008-2009 South Midlands League Cup (Div I) 2008-2009 South Midlands Floodlit Cup 1994-1995 2008-2009, 2009-2010, 2010-2011, 2011-2012 South Midlands Reserve League (Div II East) 2008-2009 South Midlands Reserve Challenge Cup 2008-2009 KB Tyres Division I League Cup 2009-2010 South Midlands Reserve Floodlit Cup 2009-2010 BIS Cambs League Division 2A 2010/2011 BIS Cambs League Divisional Champions 2010/2011 Veterans Cambridgeshire Invitation Cup 2010/2011 South Midlands Premier League 2011/2012 South Midlands Premier League Cup 2011/2012 Suburban League North Division 2012/2013, 2013/2014 Joint Winners of the Hinchingbrooke Cup 2013 Eastern Region Women’s League Plate 2013/2014, 2014/15 Suburban Premier League 2015-16 Eastern Region Women’s League Division 1 West 2015/16 Southern League Div 1 Central 2016/17
RUNNERS UP South Midlands Challenge Cup, 1978-1979 Herts Charity Shield, 1978-79, 1998-99, 2004-05, 2008-2009 South Midlands League (Premier Div) 1979-1980 North Herts (Div IV) 1979-1980 North Herts (Div III) 1981-1982 North Herts (Div II) 1982-1983 South Midlands Res Section Trophy, 1982-1983 Chiltern Youth League Cup, 1986-87, 1988-1989 Herts Intermediate Cup, 1989-1990 Herts County Youth Cup, 1992-1993 North Herts (Div I), 1993-1994 South Midlands Floodlit Cup, 1995-1996 Herts F.A. Women’s Cup, 1998-99, 2001-2002 2013/14 Eastern Region Women’s League (Div I) 1999-2000, 2013/2014 2014/15 Eastern Junior Plate, 2001-2002 KB Tyres Division I 2008-2009, 2009-2010 South Midlands Reserve Challenge Trophy 2009-2010 South Midlands Reserves Floodlit Cup 2010/2011 Hertfordshire Women’s County Cup 2013/2014 Eastern Region Women’s League, League Cup 2014/15 Southern League Division 1 Central 2014/15 2015/16
WHO'S GOT WHO? Tonight's other fixtures TUESDAY 9th NOVEMBER 2021 Banbury United v Rushall Olympic Bromsgrove Sporting v Tamworth Hednesford Town v Stratford Town St Ives Town v Redditch United
SCORES ON THE DOORS! LEAGUE TABLE PITCHING IN SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER CENTRAL DIVISION
SO WHEN DID IT ALL BEGIN? The history of Royston Town FC After some intensive research, the evidence is that the club came into existence in 1875 making Royston the third oldest Club in Hertfordshire after Hitchin and Bishop Stortford. The Club’s very first honour came in 1911/12 when they won the Creake Charity Shield beating Wisbech 1-0 in extra time. The Club’s first major honour in more recent times came in the guise of promotion to the Herts County Premier League in 1969/70 and they went on to be champions in 1972/73 and 1976/77. In 1978 we rejoined the South Midlands League and won the Division One title at the first time of asking. Success continued with a final appearance in the Herts Charity Shield for the first time in 1979 and runners up spot in the South Midlands League Premier Division in 1980. The Herts Charity Shield was won in 1981/82 and two years later the Club joined the Isthmian League Division Two North where we remained for 10 seasons before returning to the South Midlands League in 1994. After a period in the doldrums that culminated in relegation from the South Midlands League Premier Division at the end of 2006/07, Paul Attfield was appointed manager with ex-Spurs favourite Tony Galvin returning to Garden Walk 1st Team Coach in November 2007. Paul immediately set about building a new 1st Team squad and a run of 17 games undefeated saw the Club move from the bottom of the table to finish in 5th place in the League. The foundations had been laid for the 2008/09 season and the first team took the South Midlands Division One League title with one of the best sets of stats for any Step 6 Club in the country W33, D4, L3, GF138, GA30, GD+108, PTS 103. The 2011/2012 season will be seen as a watershed in our history with winning the South Midlands Premier Division title and promotion to Step 4 in the shape of the Evo-Stik Southern League Division One Central. In our first season back at Step 4 after an absence of 19 years, it was hard to know what to expect and how we would perform. Most of our supporters felt a mid-table position would be an acceptable target for the season, but we quickly found ourselves exceeding all expectations as our performances propelled us towards the top of the table. Four straight wins in the first four games set the tone and a run of nine wins with just one defeat between October and December saw us maintain a play-off position. In the very last game of the season a playoff was still a possibility and having gone 2-1 up away at AFC Hayes with just a few minutes of the game left it looked a near certainty. But it was not to be as Hayes scored an 87-minute equaliser and our play-off place was lost. In our second season at this level, our steady progress to claim a place in the playoff zone was given a severe jolt when Paul Attfield announced his resignation as first team manager due to ill health at the beginning of November. The search for his replacement began almost immediately and we were inundated with applications from some very well know and successful managers. After an exhaustive selection process, the Board appointed Steve Castle at the end of November and on Boxing Day Steve officially took over securing a 0 – 0 draw against the League’s form team and eventual champions Dunstable Town. Our 2014/15 season opener was at home against one of the promotion favourites Rugby Town but an impressive team display ensured their threat was stifled and we ran out winners 2 -1. That victory really did set things buzzing but we were quickly brought back down to earth when on the following Tuesday night Bedworth United were the visitors winning the game 3 – 1. As we all know consistency in performances provides the key to long term success and although the early stages of the season produced good results against the likes of Daventry Town and Beaconsfield these were punctuated by dismal performances against the likes of Aylesbury and Egham Town. From mid-November to mid-December We really lost our way with six defeats in seven games but our rollercoaster ride saw an incredible run of form over the Christmas period and into the New Year with five straight wins which helped us maintain a position in the playoff places.
SUPPLIERS OF PRIZES FOR THE FAMOUS ROYSTON TOWN FC MEAT RAFFLE
On a miserable Tuesday evening in February, we travelled to lowly AFC Hayes and after an abject performance, we lost the game 2 – 0. This prompted our Chairman to tell Steve Castle that he had given up on this team making the play–offs and said that we should start preparing instead for next season. That message was conveyed to players and we witnessed a most remarkable transformation in our results with a 14 game unbeaten run during which we scored 29 goals and conceded just seven resulting in us achieving the runners up spot to league champions Kettering Town and securing our place in the playoff semi-final where we met local rivals Barton Rovers. After an incident-packed 90 minutes and extra time the game ended in a goalless draw but it was not to be our night and we lost the shoot out 4-5 and had to suffer the agony of all the emotions which go with being defeated in this way. We started the 2015/16 season strongly and between the end of December and the end of March we produced a rich vein of form with only one defeat in 14 games and this ensured we were sitting on top of the league with just 7 games to go and with the expectation that we could win promotion outright ran high throughout the whole club. However, three games in succession proved our downfall when we could only draw 0 – 0 with Bedford and lost to Egham away 3- 1 and Godalming at home 1- 0 and once again we ended up in the play offs against AFC Rushden but we failed to turn up and went out tamely to our opponents 2 - 1. Having finished runners up for two years in succession Steve Castle was determined to make it third time lucky and began to recruit some experienced new blood in the shape of John Frendo and Adam Murray whilst at the same time giving youngsters Gus Scott Morris and Josh Castiglione extended runs in the first team. However, the season didn’t start well and after four games we’d only mustered five points whilst promotion rivals Farnborough just couldn’t stop winning. Although results did improve, defeat in the FA Cup to Heybridge Swifts 4 – 1 and a thrashing by Barton Rovers at home 6 – 3 at the end of September didn’t do a great of good for our confidence. Things took a dramatic turn thereafter with 12 successive league wins which ended with defeat 2-1 at Kidlington in early January 2017, interspersed by a magnificent run in the FA Trophy including a victory against Step 2 outfit Hampton and Richmond Borough before in the replay against Dulwich Hamlet we eventually went down 1 -0. With cup football out of the way, the team put together an incredible run of 16 league games undefeated including a 5 – 0 thrashing of closest rivals Farnborough which saw us maintain the top spot until the end of the season by a margin of 12 points and the highest number of goals scored, 120, across all three Evostik Leagues. Promotion to the Southern Premier League means that the Club was playing at the highest level in its 142-year history! Season 2017/18 saw The Crows exceed all expectations in our first season at Step 3. Throughout the season we managed to maintain our hopes of a play-off place until they were finally put to bed with two successive defeats against the eventual play-off winners Slough Town and we had to be satisfied with a seventh-place finish. The signing of Adam Marriott, a proven goal scorer who had played for Lincoln City, Stevenage and Cambridge United was without a doubt a real coup and he was to play a key role in the progress made by the Club by becoming our leading marksman with 31 goals. A good run in the FA Trophy with wins against Enfield Town and Leatherhead came to an end against Eastbourne Borough when having managed to draw at their place we lost the replay on penalties. We managed to get to the final of the Herts Senior Cup where we played Borehamwood from Step 2 and in spite of a brave performance we never really had the power to compete and lost 2 – 1. Given where we had started from we definitely exceeded our own and many other peoples’ expectations and this has provided us with the building blocks to face this season in the newly constituted Southern Premier Central League.
Season 2018/19 saw us finishing in a respectable 9th position in what proved to be a very strong Premier Division Central. During February/March we recorded six wins out of seven league games to give us a faint hope of a playoff spot, but three straight defeats in April put paid to our chances. We suffered another early at AFC Sudbury in the FA Cup and in the FA Trophy we progressed through two rounds before being beaten in a replay at Needham Market. Season 2019/20 will go down in the Club’s history as one of the most successful and exciting but ultimately one which ended in bitter disappointment. Steve Castle was quick to ensure we had players who were proven goal scorers and the arrival of Matt Bateman, Brandon Adams and Claudio Ofosu did not disappoint. Perhaps the only sadness that our young and highly talented left wing-back Joe Newton had created so much interest from EFL Clubs that in the end, it was inevitable he would have to leave us and Joe was signed by Coventry City. No Crows fans will ever forget the team's brilliant performances in both the FA Cup and FA Trophy and although our FA Cup run ended with defeat to the very talented Maldon and Tiptree in front of a record crowd for Garden Walk of 1152. The interest generated in the Crows both locally and beyond was immense and set the scene for what was to come in the FA Trophy. It all started with very comfortable wins against Brightlingsea Regent and Haywards Heath and then were drawn away at Step 2 table-topping Wealdstone which for many was one of the games of the season as Royston shot into a 2- 0 lead before Wealdstone hit back to pull the tie level 2-2. In spite of being under constant pressure, the Crows mounted a great counterattack down the left and the cross was despatched by Brandon Adams to give the Crow’s victory 3-2. What followed was truly historic with home wins against Step 2 teams Boreham Wood 2-0, Chester 3-0 and away at National League Ebbsfleet 2-0, to set up a quarter-final tie away at Concord Rangers. In the run-up to the game, the rain had been falling heavily but our opponents declared the pitch playable and the invasion of six coach loads of Royston supporters and a convoy of cars and mini-buses descended on Canvey Island. As we started arriving for the kick-off the match referee declared the pitch unplayable and with a sense of extreme disappointment and also a lot of anger we all returned home. The following Tuesday the game went ahead but it was not to be and we were defeated 2-1. There is no doubt the Clubs achievements in the FA Trophy marked a watershed in our history which will be remembered for a very long time. Running alongside the cup success it was easy to forget that we had got ourselves in contention to win the League with a run of only two defeats in 20 league fixtures. With 3 games in hand and only 2 points behind Peterborough Sports and Tamworth and playing some of our best football, we looked nailed on to win the League. Then out of the blue, the Covid crisis hit all levels of football and with what many felt was indecent haste the League decided to null and void the whole season. All our achievements were suddenly for nothing and the taste of bitter disappointment amongst all supporters of the Crows was very hard to swallow. Season 2020/21: As the pandemic took hold it seemed like the chances of seeing a new season start were remote but by summer 2020 there had been a massive improvement and by July the lockdown ended albeit with a host of restrictions in place. By the time we had assembled a squad, we were without key players such as Matt Bateman who moved to Hemel Hempstead and Claudio Ofosu who joined Hartlepool and with a lot of the momentum and energy generated by the now-defunct season now dissipated we were finding it hard to get going again. In the League, we seemed to slip into the habit of conceding goals when in a winning position and a string of draws meant we languished in the lower half of the division. The FA cup again promised to provide excitement with wins against Newmarket, Wroxham and AFC Stamford before losing to our old rivals Bishops Stortford. We won our first two ties in the FA Trophy against Hythe Town and Tamworth before going out 3-2 away at Brackley by which time the League season was yet again declared null and void as the second wave of Covid took its stranglehold. A comprehensive history of the Club can be found in The History of Royston Town FC 1875 2012 first published in 2013. The book was written by the Club’s President, Alan Barlow following more than five years of painstaking research and can be purchased via the Club.
WHO'S WHO OF THE CROWS Joe Welch (Goalkeeper) Joined us from Chelmsford City in 2016/17, Joe started his career at Southend United before joining Histon where he played over 50 games and earned a loan deal at Stevenage. Joe’s other clubs include Ebbsfleet, Bromley and St Albans City. Ed Asafu-Adjaye (Defender) Versatile defender who re-joined the Crows in 2019 after spending a season at Hayes & Yeading. Started his playing career at Luton Town and broke into the 1st team during the 2008/9 season. In total he made 64 appearances for The Hatters before moving to Forest Green Rovers and then to Hemel Hempstead Town. Adam Murray (Defender) Adam joined us at the beginning of 2017/18, having spent the previous two seasons at Cambridge City where he made 60 appearances. He quickly settled into the squad and has proved to be a formidable addition for the Crows. Ronnie Henry (Defender) Signed for the Crows at the beginning of this season after spending a season at Billericay Town. Ronnie was a product of the Spurs youth system, before going on to play 502 games for Stevenage (the club’s all-time record appearances) in two spells either side of two seasons at Luton Town. Daniel Brathwaite (Defender) Club skipper, Dan joined the Crows from Chesham United for the start of 2015/16. He is an experienced defender whose former clubs include Boreham Wood and Dover Athletic. Dan Newton (Defender) Joined the Crows early into season 2020/21, Centre-Back Dan's previous clubs were Biggleswade FC and Northwood. He is a calm and confident defender and cousin of former Crow Joe Newton. James Brighton (Defender) Experienced full-back who joined us in November 2019 from Kettering Town, where he had spent a successful four seasons. James has previously played for Hemel Hempstead Town, Cambridge City & Cambridge United. Scott Bridges (Midfield) Scott re-joined the Crows in season 2020/21 after spending the previous season at Hayes & Yeading, having been a Crow for four years previously, scoring 71 goals in 194 appearances. Originally with Aston Villa until 2007, Scott then played most of his football at Banbury United. Spyros Mentis (Midfield) Versatile, hard-working and tough-tackling midfielder or defender, Spyros re-joined The Crows in 2018/19 after a season away at Hayes & Yeading, he previously played just under 100 games for us from 2013 during his first spell at Garden Walk. Tom Newman (Midfield) Joined the Crows at the start of 2018/19, Tom has impressed when called upon and has chipped in with some useful goals from midfield. Isa Rotimi (Midfield) Young midfielder who signed for the Crows at the beginning of season 2019/20, Isa previously spent two seasons at Colney Heath.
Dan Green (Midfield) Joined us in December 2018 from Chesham United, Dan is an experienced midfielder whose other previous clubs include St Albans City and Dunstable Town. Brandon Adams (Forward) Signed for the Crows in 2019, Brandon previously spent four years at Queens Park Rangers which included loan deals at Malaysian club Perlis and Linfield in Northern Ireland. After leaving the R’s in 2018 Brandon dropped into non-league hoping to catch the eye of pro clubs and has certainty impressed. After a short stint at Enfield Town he moved to Ware in 2018/19 and bagged an impressive 23 league goals in 25 games. Josh Williams (Forward) Signed for the Crows at the start of last season after spending the previous season at Ware, where he scored 17 goals in 30 appearances, Josh previously played for FC Romania. Isaac Galliford (Forward) Previously with Hitchin Town, St Neots Town & Hemel Hempstead after starting out with Luton Town. Isaac signed for us for the beginning of last season. Whilst with The Canaries Isaac’s performances earned him an England ‘C’ call-up. Matt Bateman (Forward) Re-joined us for the start this season from Hemel Hempstead, where he spent last season after moving from the Crows. Matt signed for the Crows at the start of season 2019/20 and scored an impressive 24 goals in 41 games during that season to earn his move to Hemel. Previous to that Matt played a big part in Berkhamsted’s push for promotion in 2018/19 where he netted 43 times in 54 appearances for The Comrades. Harry Draper (Forward) Signed for the Crows on loan from Stevenage at the start of this season. Harry has been with Stevenage from the age of eight, he signed his first professional deal at Boro’ in summer 2019 and then spent that season on loan at Hitchin Town. Finlay Titchmarsh (Defender) Young defender who signed for the Crows at the beginning of this season, Finlay was originally with Barnet before having spells with Staines Town and Ware.
COME ON
YOU
CROWS!
TODAY'S OPPONENTS Barwell FC Club History The Club played for the first time in the Midland Combination under the name of Barwell FC in the 1992/3 season when Barwell Athletic from the Leicestershire Senior League joined forces with Hinckley FC. Barwell became one of the founder members of the Midland Football Alliance League on its formation in 1994/95. The Sports complex with its bowling, cricket, football facilities and sports club is situated just out of the centre of the village making it an ideal venue for local residents. The facilities of the complex include a cricket pitch - which was used for two Leicestershire first eleven county championship matches just after the Second World War, is a current venue for some Leicestershire second eleven and youth team matches. There is an outdoor bowling green and a magnificent indoor bowls centre complete with a bar and restaurant serving a wide range of drinks and meals at prices to suit all pockets. Floodlights were installed prior to the 1992/93 season and have been updated to comply with current FA lighting regulations. A covered stand was built prior to1996/7 season and during the 1997/8 close season, the ground was enclosed, an important step in our quest for higher status. Towards the end of 2000/01 season, a new 250 seat cantilever stand was erected at Kirkby Road and officially opened by goalkeeper Chris Kirkland on 31st July 2001 a Barwell lad. A new Manager, Bob Steel, took over the reins at Barwell in February 2004 and brought in Steve Greenhill and Ian Blyth as Assistant Managers ( with Ian also being coach). He steadied the side and instilled his way of playing into the players and is gradually getting the squad he wants. 2005/6 finally put some silverware on the shelf when Barwell won the Polymac services league cup final at Walsall’s Bescot Stadium, beating Leamington 3-1. 2006/7 saw Barwell finish in a disappointing 6th position and come runners up in both the Westerby Cup and the Rolleston Charity Cup. It was also the first season for Barwell’s Youth team who played in the Leicestershire Midweek Floodlit Youth League finishing a creditable 6th in the League and to round things off the reserves also finished 6th with a great run of results to finish the season. 2007/08 was a somewhat mixed season for the Club. The first team saw two change of Manager, Bob Steel stood down in November to take on the running of the Sports Bar on the complex and his Assistant Ian Blyth took over as manager, after a run of indifferent results and the team slipping toward the bottom three the club decided to appoint a new Manager in Marcus Law. Marcus took over the reins in February and with a run of good results lifted the club to a respectable mid-table finish. The Reserves had a great season, despite losing a lot of players to the first team, finishing 3rd with the Youth team finishing runners up. 2008/09 was Marcus’s first full season at the Club and he has brought in Paul O’Brien as his Assistant with Coach Lee Knibbs and Gk Coach Pat Pattinson and Physio Alan Cooke. This was The Clubs best season to date, they finished runners up in the League on 91 points and also won the Westerby Cup beating Quorn 2-0 at the Walkers Stadium. Barwell have started the new season on a high by lifting the Joe McGorrian trophy at Market Drayton by beating the home team 4-0. 2009/10 proved to be our most successful season to date. The season started well with the lads winning the Joe McGorian Cup at 2008/09 league winners Market Drayton. After 16 seasons in the MFA, we finally won the league and promotion to The Evo-Stik Northern Premier League. The League was won in style with the team playing 42 games winning 36 and drawing 6 with no losses and amassing a League record 114 points. They also scored 125 goals and conceded only 18. The season was also a successful one in the FA Vase where we reached the semi-final losing in the last minute of the second leg to the eventual Vase winners Whitley Bay. 2010/11..again proved to be a very successful season. The season started where the last one had finished on a winning streak. In September the Manager Marcus Law left, with our best wishes, for a full-time post at KetteringTown. Assistant Manager Paul O’Brien took over with Jimmy Ginnelly taking the post of Assistant Manager, unfortunately, Paul had to step down due to work commitments and so he and Jimmy swapped places for our 3rd change in two months. As always with a new Manager, there are comings and goings but Jimmy managed to retain most of the Squad and won the Evo Stik Division 1 South at the first attempt. 2011/12..During the closed season Barwell were put into the Evo Stik League Southern Premier Division and so for the first time were competing at level 3. Paul O’Brien left the Club during the close season to take up a coaching position with Ex. Manager Marcus Law now at Tamworth, Martin Hier stepped up to Assistant Manager and Craig Woodley joined the Club as Coach, Rob Lawrance also came on board as GK Coach. Craig Woodley left for a job in America and Steve Anastasi came on board as coach. The team finished a creditable 9th in their first season and now look forward to improving on this in the forthcoming season.
2012/13..The Club sat in the top 5 of the League for the major part of the season but form dipped in the last couple of months and they lost out on a play off place with a draw on the last day of the season leaving Barwell in 8th position. Two or three experienced players joined at the start of the season and with a mixture of youth and experience improved on last season. 2013/14..Barwell were moved from the Southern League back to the Northern Premier League. A very difficult season lay ahead, after settling in the Southern League they now had to get used to the ways of the North. They had a reasonable start but dipped badly during the Middle part of the season and were down in the relegation battle but they turned it round and finished in a creditable 14th position. 2014/15..In their second season back in the Northern Premier League Barwell did not make the start they hoped for and after a few weeks found themselves bottom of a very strong League. A couple of players then returned from injury/suspension and they began to put results together and at the end of the season finished a creditable 7th=. They also had a good FA Cup & Trophy run and topped the season off when they won the Westerby Challenge Trophy at the King Power stadium beating neighbours Coalville Town 2-1 with goals from Nigel Julian & Jamie Hood. 2015/16..Finished a creditable 9th in the League after a great run in January/February where they had 12 straight wins. They also recorded their best FA Cup run when they got to the 1st round proper losing to National League South team Welling United 2-0. Craig Woodley joined the coaching staff as fitness coach. 2016/17..A poor start to the League saw Barwell finish 14th at the end of the season. Poor FA Cup and Trophy results saw quite a disappointing season. The highlight was winning the Leicestershire Challenge Cup at The King Power Stadium beating our neighbours Coalville Town. 2017/18 2018/2019 After finishing a creditable 9th in the 2017/18 campaign Barwell were moved to the new Southern League Central Premier League. Our first season in this league, which has greatly reduced our travelling, saw a change in manager when Jimmy Ginnelly decided to take on his local team Nuneaton Borough and try to turn their fortunes around our Assistant Manager Guy Hadland took over as manager and brought in the experience Martin Sockett as his number 2, he also brought in ex Barwell top goalscorer Kevin Charley. Guy put his stamp on the team and although Barwell finished a disappointing 16th they were starting to gel well and play some lovely football. 2019/20 The season with no end ..we played our final game on 7th March beating Bromsgrove Sporting 4-1 and the everything was stopped due to Covid19, we were sitting in 12th place and had reached the final of the County Cup Final but all football (and sports in general) was postponed and eventually the league was made null and all results cancelled. Lets hope next season can commence and continue with no problems. 2020/21Once again a no go season. \the league kicked off late on 19th September and we played just 10 games before everything was postponed again and all results cancelled, lets hope 3rd time luck and next season continues as normal. The one change at Barwell next season is the laying of a new 3G pitch
WHO ARE YA? Barwell FC Player Pen Pics LIAM CASTLE - GOALKEEPER Very experienced Goalkeeper who has been with Barwell for over 14 seasons earning himself a position as a club legend. His shot-stopping antics have earned him many admirers and he is also well known for enjoying banter with opposition fans. His career started at Basingstoke Town and he also featured for Hinckley United. Liam has also been known to turn out in pads for Barwell Cricket Club. MAX BRAMLEY - GOALKEEPER Tall, young goalkeeper who joined in October 2019 from the Leicester City youth team. Kept 3 clean sheets in his first 3 games for us and really cemented the number 1 shirt for what was left of the 2019/20 season. Has been on trial in the USA. DECLAN TOWERS - DEFENDER Declan or ‘Dec’ is a no-nonsense Central Defender who is back with Barwell after a knee injury kept him out of the short 2020/21 season. Dec is a commanding presence in defence and is always ready to put his body on the line for the team. Declan has also played for Nuneaton Borough, Kettering Town and Hinckley United. EDDY NISEVIC - DEFENDER Eddy has been at Barwell since 2014 and was at Brackley Town prior to joining the Canaries. Eddy has been a dependable left-back for many seasons but missed nearly all of the 2019/20 season with a knee injury. Eddy is also comfortable playing in the middle of the defence. ELLIOT PERCIVAL - DEFENDER The former Leicester City and Sheffield Wednesday defender signed for Barwell in summer 2018 and has not looked back. Able to play at right-back or centre back and is now more available for selection than in recent seasons where his job as a Police Officer restricted his availability. TYREACE BROWN - DEFENDER Tyreace joined us in September 2021 and has made an instant impression in the heart of the defence. He joined from Romulus in Birmingham, where he was well thought of. He has also featured for Littleton FC, Lye Town and Bilston Town. WILLIAM EDJENGUELE - DEFENDER William joined Barwell in late September 2021 from Nuneaton Borough. Edjenguélé, born in Paris, began his career with CFF Paris before joining the reserve team of Le Mans Union 72. In 2010 he moved to Greece and Panetolikos, helping them be promoted to the Greek Super League. He then made the move to England in 2012 and appeared 33 times for Coventry City, scoring his first goal for them against Colchester United. Spells with Bury FC, Panteolikos again, another Greek team in Veria and then Dundee United followed. In 2019 he went on loan to Falkirk before joining Wealdstone and then Nuneaton Borough. KYRON STABANA - DEFENDER Stabana joined Derby County aged 7 as a striker. He was converted to a left and right winger aged 11 before eventually moving to right-back at 14 years old. Stabana represented England U17s five times during his scholarship at the club, getting one assist. He signed his first professional contract with the club aged 17. He then had loan spells at Boston United and Tamworth. He was released by Derby County at the age of 19 following his second year as a professional footballer at the club. He joined AFC Wimbledon from Derby and had loan spells at Tamworth and Cork City, where he made 4 appearances before Covid brought an end to the season in Ireland. He joined Tamworth for the aborted 2020/21 season before heading to Barwell in the summer of 2021. HERVE PEPE-NGOMA - MIDFIELD ‘Peps’ is a German-born player who came to Barwell from neighbours Coalville Town. He has had spells at Kettering Town, Boston United and Leicester City youth. A long term injury whilst at Boston has kept him out for a number of years but he is back making an impression in the middle of the park again. MICAH EDWARDS - MIDFIELD Midfield player who joined in Summer 2019 and was a Youth player for Derby County before having time with Ilkeston Town and Gresley.Made a real impact in his first season with Barwell and will be one to keep an eye on in 2021/22.
BRADY HICKEY - MIDFIELD Brady is team captain again this season and is well on the way to being a real club legend. The attacking midfielder re-joined Barwell after a brief spell at Nuneaton Borough in 2018/19 and led the team well last season. A skilful player who can also be combative in the middle of the pitch. He is well known for his ability to score goals and take excellent free kicks. DOMINIC BROWN-HILL - MIDFIELD Dom is back at Barwell for another season having been at Alvechurch more recently. A former Notts County youth player, Dom is well known for his dead ball skills but there is a lot more to his game than just those. ROSS OULTON - MIDFIELD Ross has joined Barwell for a second spell at the start of this season. He is a battling midfielder who wears his heart on his sleeve. Ross has been at Stratford Town, AFC Rushden & Diamonds and Daventry Town. LEANDRO BROWNE - MIDFIELD Back for a second spell at Kirkby Road, Leandro is an attacking midfielder who can be a real handful at times. Previously with Coalville Town, Belper Town and Burton Albion. TRISTAN DUNKLEY - MIDFIELD/ATTACKER Tristan is an experienced player who can light up a game with real skill and attacking energy. He likes to make himself a nuisance upfront and can score some spectacular goals. Has featured for Tamworth, Alvechurch and Worcester City amongst others. WILLIAM WARREN - MIDFIELD/ATTACKER Will is a recent signing from local Club Aylestone Park. JAHVAN DAVIDSON-MILLER - STRIKER Striker who missed a large part of recent seasons due to a long term injury. A Youth player for Derby County and made 15 appearances for them in the U18 Premier League. Has a good eye for goal and will be looking to make his mark on the league this season. HARRY BOWER - ATTACKER A pacey winger Harry is a former England College International and is on loan from AFC Telford United BEN STEPHENS - STRIKER A Leicester lad who started his senior career at Oadby Town after being a youth player at Leicester City. Ben played for Kettering Town and Stratford Town before joining Macclesfield Town in 2018. He made 45 appearances for the Silkmen before their demise in 2020. He then returned to Kettering Town for the aborted 20-21 season. LUCAS POWELL - STRIKER Young striker who started his career at Birmingham City. Signed for Barwell in September 2021 from Gresley Rovers.
BACK TO WINNING WAYS! Stratford Town match report by Duncan Easley ROYSTON TOWN FC 2 STRATFORD TOWN FC 1 Saturday 30th October 2021 Two first-half goals ended up being enough for the Crows to progress to the next round of the FA Trophy. Royston’s dominant first-half performance was the difference, as goals from Matt Bateman and a James Fry own goal left Stratford with too much to do in the second half. Bateman struck as early as the seventh minute as a good move down the right, ended with Tom Newman cutting the ball back for Bateman to slot home the opener, albeit with the aid of a small deflection. Newman was also the provider of the second goal, as his cross to the back post was met by Harry Draper. With keeper Liam O’Brien blocking the initial Draper volley, he could do nothing as his save rebounded off the unfortunate Fry into the net. Stratford came out stronger in the second half and were rewarded in the 59th minute as Enoch Andoh turned home an Owen James cross, but this was as good as it got for the Bards, as a controlled last half hour from the home side saw them safely over the line. Royston: Williams O, Asafu-Adjaye, Brighton, Henry (Titchmarsh 60), Murray A ©, Newman, Mentis, Newton (Williams J 60), Bridges, Bateman (Brown 91), Draper Unused: GK-Yates, Murray M, Galliford, Keely MOM – Ed Asafu-Adjaye
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SQUADS Tuesday 9th November 2021 Kick Off: 7.45PM
TODAYS OFFICIALS REFEREE: Matthew Norton ASSISTANTS: Andrew Tregoning / Elliott Mayer
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Joe Welch Ed Asafu-Adjaye Daniel Brathwaite Scott Bridges Adam Murray Ronnie Henry Finley Titchmarsh Harry Draper Brandon Adams Matt Bateman Isaac Galliford Tom Newman James Brighton Fred Brown Isa Rotimi Josh Williams Dan Green Spyros Mentis Dan Newton Ryan Towner
Steve Castle / Chris Watters Scott Taylor / Amber Murray
Liam Castle (GK) Declan Towers Eddy Nisevic Elliot Percival Tyreace Brown William Edjenguele Kyron Stabana Herve Pepe-Ngoma Micah Edwards Brady Hickey (c) Dominic Brown-Hill Ross Oulton Max Bramley (GK) Leandro Browne Tristan Dunkley William Warren Jahvan Davidson-Miller Harry Bower Ben Stephens Lucas Powell MANAGERS SPORTS THERAPISTS
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Guy Hadlan / Ian Drewitt Viv Coleman