Issue 19 Chippenham Town

ST NEOTS TOWN Chippenham Town ISSUE 19: THE OFFICIAL MATCHDAY MAGAZINE £1.50 The Evo-Stik League Southern Premier Division

Function Room Hire available from January 2016

Due to our Scholars moving into their new classroom at Rowley Park both Function rooms (including the large Gregory Suite) at St Neots Town FC are now available to hire during the day time from January 2016.

We have already catered for Toddler groups, Zumba classes, Weight watchers meetings etc and can now extend this to day time hire. We have ample parking and easy access.

Please contact Lou on 01480 470012 or email stneotstownfunctions@stneotstownfc.co.uk

Coming Soon

WELCOME What better stage for our lads to get back on track and throw a spanner in the works?

Good afternoon everyone and welcome back to The Premier Plus Stadium, home of St Neots Town Football Club and The Mick George Academy, for today’s Evostik League Southern Premier Division match.

Today we extend a warm welcome to the players, officials and of course, the travelling supporters of Chippenham Town FC and we hope you experience an enjoyable stay with us up here in Cambridgeshire today.

was very harshly sent from the field for an alleged elbow on ex Premier League player Barry Hayles, who, in my opinion after watching him play on various occasions, is a master of influencing officials decisions.

Another tough looking game this afternoon then against (at the time of writing on Sunday morning) second placed Chippenham Town, who, hot on the heels of their fine 4-3 victory over fellow promotion hopefuls Leamington on Saturday, will obviously come here full of confidence and looking to further cement their place in the playoff positions.

We will now lose Mat for a number of games which is so very frustrating as he really does give us an extra dimension when he plays.

What better stage for our lads to get back on track and throw a spanner in the works?

A week last Tuesday saw us put in a much improved performance down at Chesham United however, despite leading one-nil courtesy of a Tom Meechan strike, we eventually ended up losing three-one, a result which I’m told greatly flattered the home team, especially as we played for over an hour with ten men after MMK

While Chippenham were climbing to second spot on Saturday, our lads had an unexpected day off due to adverse weather conditions down at Frome Town, which now means a long midweek trip to look forward too sometime between now and the end of April.

Tuesday evening saw us (weather permitting ) entertain high flying St Ives Town in the Hunts Senior Cup Semi Final.

I hope it turned out to be the cracker of a game I expected it

to be, especially after they had stuck four past top of the table Chalfont on Saturday away from home. Hopefully there will be a report from the game elsewhere in this issue.

Finally, a mention for Iain Parr, who has recently been appointed Director of Football.

This guy has, with the help of others, transformed the day to day goings on at the club with the implementation of our successful Youth Academy and Learning Partnership Scholarship Programme.

Well done Iain from everyone who knows you and all the efforts you have put in over the last few years, a fully deserved recognition of all you have done.

Right then, on with the game and I know it’s sometimes hard when things aren’t going so well but lets get behind the boys from the off. They’re hurting as much as us on the sidelines and are desperate to put things right.

BE LOUD, BE PROUD, BE A SAINT……

Mike Green

TODAY’S VISITORS

CHIPPENHAM TOWN Founded: 1873 Nickname: The Bluebirds Chairman: Neil Blackmore Website: www.pitchero.com/clubs/

After several mid-table finishes in the Premier division of the Southern League the Bluebirds are soaring this season.

A special welcome and a very Happy New Year to Chippenham Town our second visitors of 2016. In the two past seasons out Wiltshire guests have been our final visitors of the season and it is a fair bet that they would be very happy if that were the situation today. If it were so they would be guaranteed a place in the play offs and probably a home tie as well because when these notes were written Chippenham were sitting proudly in second place in the table behind long term leaders Poole Town.

Club History The club was formed in 1873 and in 1904 the Club took the decision to join the Western League and play alongside Trowbridge, Radstock, Welton Rovers, Staple Hill, Bristol East, and the reserve teams of Bristol Rovers, Swindon Town and Bristol City. Chippenham’s playing record was poor and the Club came bottom the first season and third from bottom the next. It was then decided to withdraw and play in the local Wiltshire League – a move that resulted in the Town winning their new league in 1907-08 and 1908-09. After playing at four different locations during the early days, Chippenham made Hardenhuish Park their HQ on the 24th September 1919 and they rejoined the Western League for the 1930-31 season. The Club went on to win the Western League title

for the only time in its history in 1951-52 but in the 1960’s and 1970’s the club had spells in the Wiltshire League and the Hellenic League and promotion to the Premier Division of the Western League was gained in 1981. The 1999-2000 season saw a superb increase in support at Hardenhuish Park with the highest attendance figures in the country achieved for the fifth, sixth and semi-final rounds of the F.A. Vase. This culminated in a crowd of 20,083 the second highest in the history of the competition attending the final at Wembley against Deal Town which unfortunately the Bluebirds lost by one goal to nil but the Club finished fourth in the League. Success continued on and off the pitch for the Bluebirds in the 2000-2001 season with the club finishing the season second in the league thereby qualifying for promotion to the Dr. Martens Southern Football League. The 2001-2002 season was meant to be one of consolidation but as the season progressed so did the team’s performances and much to everyone’s surprise we finished as league runners-up thus securing promotion to the Dr. Martens Premier Division at our first attempt. The club adapted well to life in their first season in the Dr. Martens Premier Division.

They finished fifth in the league and were semi-finalists in the League Cup. The 2004-2005 season saw the Bluebirds finish runners-up in the Southern

League Premier Division their highest ever league finish, but unfortunately they just failed to win promotion via the play-offs when they were beaten one nil

by Hednesford Town in the final.

The 2005-2006 season proved to be another excellent one for the Bluebirds. They just failed to win promotion for the second season running via the play-offs when they were beaten 3-2 at home by Bedford Town to a last minute goal in the play-off final. However, the club reached the first round proper of the FA Cup for only the second time in its history finally losing in a replay away to Worcester City.

During the 2006-2007 season Adie Mings was appointed Manager and brought about a much needed improvement in the teams’ fortunes, moving the club forward. During the next three seasons the club was continuously around the play-off zone and with Adie’s policy of using young players the future looked bright. Season 2009-2010 saw the club have great runs in the two main FA Competitions and following a fantastic run at the end of the season found ourselves in the end of season play-offs. A cracking two nil home victory over Hednesford Town in the semi-final saw the team pitted against big spending Nuneaton Town away in the play-off final.

However, despite scoring first the team were unlucky to lose out eventually by two goals to one.

Scorelines..

A brief round up of the recent results from the teams that matter Premier Division 09 January 2016 Second in the table Chippenham Town, two up at the interval, were pegged back level when Leamington scored twice in five minutes midway through the second half but the home side restored their two goal lead within ten minutes and closed the gap on leaders Poole Town whose game at Stratford Town was postponed, with a 4-3 victory.

Third placed Hitchin Town increased their unbeaten run to eleven games when a goal in each half gave them a 2-0 win at Weymouth.

Hungerford Town were beaten 1-0 when they conceded a goal in time added on at Dunstable Town who leapfrogged the visitors into fourth place. Kings Lynn Town scored twice in the first half to secure a 2-0 home win against Chesham United.

Merthyr town took the lead from a penalty just before the midway point of the second half and went on to complete a 3-0 home victory over Histon. A goal in the seventh minute was sufficient to give Cirencester

Town a 1-0 success at third from bottom Bedworth United.

Division One Central 09 January 2016 Chalfont St Peter maintained their top spot despite crashing 4-1 at home to St Ives Town who struck twice in each half. AFC Rushden & Diamonds missed out on the chance of going back to the summit when, after taking a fifteenth minute lead, they needed a strike twelve minutes from time to secure a 2-2 draw at Northwood.

Royston Town moved into third place when two goals in each half gave them a 4-1 home victory over third from bottom Aylesbury United.

Kings Langley jumped to sixth in the table with a first half strike securing a 1-0 success at Godalming Town.

Bedford Town conceded a penalty after seven minutes and, despite equalising just after the half hour, went behind again on the stroke of half time but snatched a 2-2 home draw with Fleet Town when they struck with just four minutes remaining.

Potters Bar Town scored twice in the opening twentyfour minutes to win 2-0

at second from bottom Leighton Town. Hanwell Town, level at one each at half time, scored twice after the break to secure a 3-1 victory at Arlesey Town.

Division One South & West 09 January 2016 Top of the table Cinderford Town were leading 2-1 when their home match against Wimborne Town was abandoned when conditions worsened just before the hour mark leaving Taunton Town to move to within a point in second place with a 3-1 success at Mangotsfield United after being a goal ahead at the break.

Evesham United moved up into eight place when, after taking a thirteenth minute lead, they scored four after the interval to complete a resounding 5-0 home win over fourth from bottom Bridgwater Town and, in the day’s only other game to beat the weather, AFC Totton, level at a goal each at the interval, went ahead with five minutes remaining but had to settle for a 2-2 draw when visiting Marlow struck in the third minute of time added on.

UCL Premier Division (20/January/2007) St Neots Town 3-1 Long Buckby The points were priceless as St Neots hauled themselves five points above the foot of the table and the result looks relatively comfortable but this was a case of the final score line not giving an accurate assessment of the contest.

For the final fifteen minutes of normal time with St Neots clinging on to a slender 2-1 lead their goal was under almost constant siege as the visitors dominated play. Then in the fifth minutes of injury time (sounds familiar – it happened in their last match) St Neots broke away to score a goal that eased their nerves and those of their long suffering supporters. However on the balance of play on the full ninety minutes St Neots deserved their victory because they failed to make possession pay particularly in the first half.

Long Buckby have never won a match at Rowley Park and with St Neots scoring twice in the first thirteen minutes it quickly looked as though their barren record was to be extended.

The action began in the third minutes when a cross from Russell Lawes caused confusion in the visiting defence and the ball was deflected in the path of Wes Byrne who claimed his sixth goal in as many matches.

Ten minutes later before Buckby had mounted a credible attack Craig Reynolds collected the ball on the right and moved inside a defender to unleash a fine left footed strike that seemed to surprise the visiting goalkeeper passing over his shoulder into the net. Buckby replied with a shot well off target from Richard Wesley and both Byrne and John Coley squandered chances to increase St Neots’ lead. Then seven minutes before the break a seemingly innocuous cross from the right from Andreas Kattos was headed on by Adam Baptist to find Kevin Slinn unmarked on the far edge of the six yards box and he reduced the arrears. Long Buckby could have been level at half time but for a brilliant last ditch tackle by Russell Laws to rob Courtney Herbert after he had burst clear of the defence.

St Neots replaced Joe Jordan at half time by Mark Franklin and he added both pace and invention to St Neots’ left flank.

After 53 minutes Coley looked certain to increase the lead but he stabbed his shot wide after great work by Jason Darvall.

The visiting keeper then saved bravely at the feet of the same St Neots player but gradually

the visitors were getting more of the play. Slinn wasted an excellent opening with a wild finish but St Neots were still creating chances and Coley had a shot acrobatically tipped over the bar and from the corner a Kevin Ashby header was well saved on the line. The visitors’ pressure began to tell but despite swarming around the St Neots penalty area they created few clear chances.

When Herbert did get the ball in the net his effort was cancelled out by an offside flag and then in added time Mark Franklin produced an electric burst of pace to create the clinching goal. He carried the ball three quarters length of the pitch leaving the last two defenders in his wake and his low shot was pushed away by Paul Warnecki but only to the feet of John Coley who joyously planted it in the unguarded net.

St Neots: Ryan Hunt, Tom Malins, Russell Lawes, Kevin Ashby, Richard Beckett, Craig Reynolds, Ben Singleton, Jason Darvall, Wes Byrne, John Coley, Joe Jordan (Mark Franklin 46 mins).

Subs not used: Stuart Richardson, Tom Moran, Rory McKay, Steve Young Goals: Wes Byrne 3 mins, Craig Reynolds 13 mins, John Coley 94 mins Man of the Match: Jason Darvall

ST NEOTS TOWN 0 KINGS LYNN TOWN 1 Southern League Premier Division / 02.01.2016 / Attendance: 520 / Referee: Chris Ward (Doncaster)

St Neots worst ever run of results in the Southern League was perpetuated as Kings Lynn stole all three points with a late goal.

It is now eight matches without a win and only two wins in the last fifteen games and alarm bells must be ringing.

Despite two more players returning from their injury list St Neots were lacking in ideas and finishing and their afternoon was clearly summed up when skipper Ryan Frater fluffed the simplest of chances of an equalizer when he fired over the bar with the net gaping five minutes into added time.

Lynn defended well and will have been delighted to take full points but St Neots must arrest their freefall if they are not to convert play off ambitions into a relegation battle. They had the bonus of Shane Blackett and Matt Mitchel-King both returning from injury absence but their approach to the match seemed woefully short of confidence and with Drew Roberts still injured their decision to play Tom Meechan as a lone striker starved the team of scoring opportunities. They have now scored just four goals in their last five matches and with Roberts’ fitness a long term doubt Manager David Batch might be having to strengthen in that department but his main concern will be his players’ apparent lack of belief in themselves and the team. With six league matches and a Hunts Senior Cup semi-final in quick

succession January is beginning to look a critical month. With the two teams looking fairly matched the first half was rather a pallid affair and despite playing being end to end neither goalkeeper had a serious save to make in the first 45 minutes.

St Neots could have been ahead in the second minute when from an Isaac Galliford corner Shane Blackett saw a shot blocked but the ball fell kindly for Ryan Hawkins who skied it high over the bar. At the other end Jacek Zielonka finished in similar fashion and despite both sides looking prepared to go forward in search of goals the finishing from both was very poor and too often well off target. Robbie Sweeney on loan from Stevenage making only his second start volleyed over the bar whilst for the Linnets Lee Stevenson had a shot blocked to present Liam Hurst with the visitors’ best first half chance but he shot high over the bar.

St Neots persevered with a 4-41-1 formation with alternately Galliford and Sweeney playing behind Meechan and created very little so the goalless first period was very predictable.

Lynn came out looking very much more positive and determined and had much the better of play for twenty minutes or so. Jacek Zielonka played clear shot weakly wide and then Liam Hurst put Michael Clunan

in on goal and only a full length stop by Andy Wilton saved St Neots after 49 minutes. Two minutes later Wilton left his line only to be lobbed by Lee Stevenson but Ryan Frater galloped back to clear off the line and then Stevenson beat the thinly disguised St Neots offside trap but shot wide with just the keeper to beat. St Neots sent on Remy Gordon to boost their attack but the visitors also introduced fresh blood and defender Ryan Fryatt went close from a set piece. Another St Neots tactical change saw Lee Clarke on in midfield with Adam Tann moved to full back in place of Jamie Anton just after the defender had seen his long cross steered off the line by Stevenson. However in the last 15 minutes St Neots looked the stronger and more positive side with visiting keeper Alex Street saving at the feet of Meechan.

Ironically during their best spell of the game St Neots conceded the match winning goal five minutes from time as they failed to cut out a Clunan corner and substitute David Bridges forced the ball in at close range. Twice in the last five minutes St Neots were denied what looked like good shouts for penalties as Lynn blocked several close range shots but the Referee waved away the appeals and booked Matt Mitchel-King for protesting too loudly.John

St Neots Town

Kings Lynn Town

Wilton, Anton, Longden, Tann, Frater, Blackett, Hawkins, MitchelKing, Meechan, Galliford, Sweeney Subs: Gordon (for Galliford 61), Clarke (for Anton 75), Ofosu, Hobbs and Mailancol. Cards: Tann (Y – 56), Mitchel-King (Y – 86) Goals: None

Street, Fryatt (R), Yong, Miller, Gaughran, Smith, Clunan, Hurst, Zielonka, Stevenson, Friend Subs: Mulready (for Zielonka 64), Bridges (for Smith 67), Edge (for Friend 85), Castellan and Fryatt (L) Cards: None Goals: Bridges (85 mins)

LAST TIME WE MET

PROGRESS, THE FUTURE

CHAIRMANS’ VIEWS First and foremost we have to recognise there is a problem.

It’s not always easy to accept but the grim reality is there is an undeniable (at the time of writing these notes) issue with the style of play and performance and I guess from all the comments being made both on social media, and to me direct, everybody feels the same way and like me has felt this for quite a while.

We all want the same thing 1.

A style of play that is good to watch

2.

To win more games than we lose

3.

To have a squad made up of ambitious, quality footballers who still have the drive and ambition to play at a higher level than step 3

4.

To feel excitement that we may have the ability and infrastructure to go up another league to step 2

5.

To develop and bring our own lads through the St Neots Town FC pathway

6.

To have a development relationship with a professional club that is hugely beneficial in respect of our player recruitment covering all ages from Under 7’s to the first team

We have been working very hard behind the scenes to get a number of these objectives in

place, yes I know you’ve heard it all before and yes I know the first team is the mountain top from which all our perspectives are viewed but it’s a process, everything we have put in place has gone through a process so now we turn our attention to the first team.

Iain Parr who has been working with me and who has been instrumental in putting in place the infrastructure of the club is now the Director of football.

This means that he is responsible for putting the playing DNA in place and although he will not be part of the first team coaching staff his remit will be to liaise with them to ensure there is a clear understanding of what is a considered expectation. This runs right through the entire club from the academy upwards.

We are not going to change what is registered at company house but that doesn’t mean we cannot have a more community feel to the place It’s no secret, we no longer have a pot of money to help finance the club, we are in a

considerably better position than we where only a year ago as far as the balance sheet is concerned but we do need to be mindful that we must be proactive in raising income to a level that allows us to carry on pushing forward, growing, functioning in the right way and have something left over to reinvest in projects that allow us to take another step forward.

We had the supporters meeting last night (although at the time of writing I have no idea on how it went) and hopefully the content of said meeting will demonstrate that we will continue to be open to ideas and that we have illustrated a willingness to listen and engage. We have booked our first of many club social entertainment evenings at the club, Saturday March 19th RockerSal Show. We will also be arranging a supporters game of football on the same day 3pm KO on the main pitch. Hopefully the supporters meeting will have seen to it that we now have two captains who will get the teams organised oh and if either team need a quality, versatile, technically gifted player I’m available................ to go out and find that player.

Lee

CLUB APPOINTMENT I am pleased to announce that Iain Parr has been appointed Director of Football with St Neots Town FC.

growing and progressive youth development policy. This will remain an integral part of his new remit.

Iain has held the position of Director of Youth Development for the last three years and as such has overseen an ever

His new position also gives him the opportunity to install a footballing DNA that runs through the entire club that

is both sustainable and considerate of expectations and as such will be liaising with all management and coaches we currently have working at the football club.

Lee Kearns - Chairman, St Neots Town FC

To be or not to be that is the question What’s wrong with Non League football clubs? Lets get to the real basics of just what is wrong with Non League football clubs.

Of all clubs lets say 99 out of 100 are really insolvent and the other one is not telling the truth.

No matter what anyone would say a non-league football club will struggle to make the books balance through a season.

They all start off the season carrying forward a financial burden and the biggest one is that most do not keep up with their Paye or Vat payments or even their other creditors of which are probably small local businesses, the whole situation is just chaotic.

not step 7 or 8 because step 5 is not the bottom rung of the pyramid.

So what do these clubs do to elevate these ongoing problems? Well the answer is they try hard but the demands from many clubs supporters for success is unbearable, and many want to win at any cost.

So the clubs start the season

There not ready yet or not good enough is always the answer, how do they know they haven’t been given a chance yet.

It is a case of; I need this size of playing budget to gain you promotion as I can do that because I’m good at what I do.

But we don’t have that kind of income for that size of playing budget and cannot afford it says the club.

Ultimately it is the Inland Revenue that has no option but to put clubs into receivership, as they certainly do not take any prisoner’s where owed tax is concerned.

The poor local creditors end up in a CVA or indeed just lose all of what is owed because the club folds and then starts up again as a phoenix club lower down the football league pyramid usually at step five, why

job as easy as possible, not many if any ask about the clubs set up or indeed what players the club have coming through the youth system that could save money on the playing budget.

not looking to cut the playing budget or indeed say hold on a minute we have historic debts to clear before we can even look at next season, these are of course brushed under the carpet hoping they will go away and a new season dawns.

A new manager comes in or existing managers more often than not will only be interested in how much he earns and manipulates the highest playing budget he can FERRARI get to make his LORENZO

Well the manager says I have a solution for that, what we do is start off with the playing budget I need and just for the first three months of the season over spend a little on the set budget, but don’t worry about that as we could have a good cup run in the FA Cup and FA trophy of which will bring the budget back to where the club want it to be, but I need a team capable of winning cup games for that to happen.

Great says the club that’s a good idea we will have early success play teams below our level which will bring us in so much revenue, have better gates and higher bar takings it all makes sense because we

have a great team of players who we are paying more than any other club so are better players who will win us games especially in the early rounds of the cups where we will be the strongest team.

What they have not thought of is that other clubs are doing exactly the same thing or what if they go out of the cups at an early stage and receive no prize money.

Don’t worry about that says the manager I have another solution for that, no problems I can sort that one out, we will just get rid of some players and get the budget down, anyway that’s not going to happen.

What about the contracted players who are earning the highest wages the club says, we cannot afford them and we have massively over spent in the first three months.

No problem says the manager, I can sort that one out, we need to keep the contracted players and surround them with young players or cheap loanees.

But that means the budget is still way over and we cannot get rid of the contracted players, Don’t worry about that I can still get us promotion if not then there will still be time once we are safe in this division to

transfer those high earners to the top clubs, we could even make money says the manager.

I will balance the books no need for panic.

Of course that never happens and everything goes pear shaped the Manager resigns because the club has no ambition has cut his players wage budget which means the club is not supporting the manager to do his job the players are upset that the manager has gone, and want to leave, and guess where they want to go, yes you guessed it follow the manager to his new job.

Or the other scenario is the club sacks the manager and is left with a complete mess of a team, no manager and even when a new applicant applies for the job the roundabout will begin all over again.

Club seriously over spends, debt has gone through the roof manager gets another job and does the same thing again, but does the club learn from all this?

You guessed it; of course not they go exactly the same way again, why? Because everyone demands success and not many if any manager out there would be willing to take the job on a long term plan within budget and build a team nor maybe would the supporters be patient enough to allow the club to do that.

There are of course a very few exceptions but certainly not

many and those exceptions are on a mission for survival and nothing else, nothing wrong with that at all but would everyone who follows the club accept that mission of survival, they might but then again just might not.

Fact or Fiction, True or False.

You make your own mind up on that one.

But the fact is how many clubs have gone to the wall how many are on the brink of going out of business, some go Boom and Bust in a big way and go out of business having to start again, we all know who they are, others don’t even get to the Boom before they go Bust, the majority of clubs just plod on every season racking up the debts hoping for that sugar daddy to turn up on the doorstep and make everything right. Problem with most so called sugar daddies is that they speak a good game but either don’t put the money where their mouth is or do not have the finances in the first place. Can all this be fixed? Well maybe it just can, and will clubs listen? Probably not.

So that’s it the pitfalls of a Non League football club, or is it?

What about the money grabbing no loyalty Jonny kickabouts, well that’s another story.

The busy footballing calendar over the festive period may be over but the New Year brings additional challenges and another one of the most hectic months in football.

January consists of some clubs trying to offload players and others trying to lure starlets away to new challenges. We may only be a week in to 2016 but the transfers have already begun with some of the most sought after Non-League talent having moved on to pastures new. League One side Barnsley have snapped up Westonsuper-Mare striker Bradley Ash on a two-year deal, in what is a career defining move for the 19-year-old. It is easy to see why Ash was scouted by a Football League side after his scintillating form for the National League South side. Having scored 14 goals in as many games for Weston, he also scored his first every hat-trick for the club and has made his way through the academy having joined aged 16.

This is a proud moment for the club as he becomes one of the most successful graduates of their academy.

He made his debut in 2013 and has therefore experienced first team football for a prolonged period of time – a huge advantage at such a young age.

No doubt the Seagulls will miss his goals but they will also be proud of the player they have developed.

developed a player who has caught the eye of a Premier League side. The move will hopefully result in a prosperous career in full-time football.

But Ash is not the only source of Non-League talent that has been noticed recently.

Increasingly, clubs are seeing the potential of youngsters and Premier League Norwich City are no different.

With so many headlines dominated by former NonLeague starlet and now Premier League joint top scorer, Jamie Vardy, perhaps there will be another fairytale story in 2016.

Let’s hope so because this sometimes “infamous” transfer window can throw up some moves that show the obscene amount of money that is transferred at the highest level of the game.

They secured the signing of Dulwich Hamlet midfielder Diallang Jaiyesim as a secondyear scholar for the Canaries academy side.

It seems every year, there is a record fee for a player exchanged and it is no longer a shock. But already, we have seen Non-League players given the chance at a higher level. Following their careers with interest is surely a lot more rewarding for lovers of the grass-roots game – rather than how much Real Madrid may over pay for their latest goal scorer!

Having joined the club for an undisclosed fee, the potential that the Under-18s have seen in the attacking player shows just how much talent there is in the Non-League game.

The 17-year-old may have only made five appearances for Hamlet’s first team but the Ryman Premier high-flyers have

Although, one question that will be on everyone’s lips – will Vardy be lured away from surprise title contenders Leicester? I like to think not.

Sheridan Robins Follow us on twitter: @NonLeaguePaper

YOUNG ROB LOOKS FOR A CHANCE

ST NEOTS TOWN FIRST TEAM PLAYER STATS 2015/16

14 15 9 20 8 8 14 25 1 9 23 1 24 19 2 5 1 2 14 14 17 13

4

5 1

2

2

2

2

4 5

11 1

4 1 4

14

1 6 1 1 4 6 1

4 1 7 6 4

7 3 4

3 1 4 2 2 5 1

1 20 4 1

1

3 6 1 8 6 4

2 5 9 5 1 2 3 8 3 8 5 3

2 1 1 1

3

1

1

1 1 1

1

1 1

1

4

1

2 1

2 4 1

3 1 1

3 1 4

2 3 1

1 2 2

30 2 1 1 9 3 1 1 0 1 1 0 18 0 0 1 0 1 8 0 18 5 1 5 9 0 0 1 26 3 3 5 9 0 0 0 8 2 2 2 22 0 0 4 31 1 0 9 0 5 11 1 5 6 2 1 9 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 25 2 1 0 6 5 14 1 33 0 0 23 24 1 0 5 3 10 5 1 7 1 1 1 4 0 10 0 2 1 0 0 22 5 6 1 3 10 6 2 22 1 0 3 22 0 3 0 16 0 1 0

Details correct up to and including Saturday 9th January December

1

RED

GOALS

UNUSED SUB

APPS

1

USED SUB

TOTAL GOALS

UNUSED SUB

1 1

USED SUB

1 1 1

APPS

2 1

GOALS

23 6

CUP

UNUSED SUB

USED SUB

Anton Jamie Beech Josh Berkes George Blackett Shane Burton Ben Clarke Lee Frater Ryan Galliford Isaac (L) Gay Danny Gordon Remy Hall Connor Hawkins Ryan Hobbs Dan Horne Ryan (L) Jones Ben Lewis CJ Longden Brett Mailancol Guy Meechan Tom Mitchel-King Matt Ofosu Claudio Roberts Drew Sutton Ollie Sweeney Robbie-Lee Tann Adam Vieira Luis Ward Tom Wilton Andy Wilkinson Jack

APPS

LEAGUE

YELLOW

St Neots Town First Team Player Stats 2015/16

1

3 2 1

3

1

1 5 9

2

3 8

1 1

2 1 5 1 4 1 2

RYAN HAWKINS

READ ALL ABOUT IT We take a look at what other non-league clubs are doing that’s making the news this week.

BIGGLESWADE UNITED

CAMBRIDGE CITY

Positive mindset pushing Biggleswade United forward.

Gary Roberts, manager of Southern Premier Cambridge City, has released Josh Dawkin from his squad.

If I’ve learnt one thing in all my years of following football, it’s that, very often, the most important battles are not won on the training grounds and not in the dressing rooms writes Guillem Balague Those battles are won in the place that lies in those small, immensely complicated and little-understood areas that inhabit the space between the ears of all involved.

The mindset that cultivates confidence, or the lack of it, are a huge part of what defines the ultimate fortunes of every club, whatever level they happen to play at. And if you don’t believe me, ask any followers of either Leicester City at one end of the Premier League and Aston Villa at the other.

Here at Biggleswade United after what was a difficult and occasionally fraught learning process we find ourselves hurtling up the league table as Christmas and New Year approaches, complete with a newly acquired phobia to conceding goals. Long may it continue.

Dawkin, who is a product of the Norwich City academy, joined City at the beginning of the 2013/14 season but has been released due to a breach of club discipline. Also leaving City is John Kyriacou, who has returned to Vanarama National League South side St Albans City after a loan spell with the Lilywhites. To fill the gap left by the two players, the City manager has submitted a seven-day approach for a rightback and a wide midfielder.

TRURO CITY Truro stadium work gets underway.

Agreement has been reached to enable Truro City`s Treyew Road ground to be upgraded to Grade B standard.

The FA requires the grounds of clubs playing in the National League South to be of Grade B standard.

Having gained promotion last season, Truro City has until 31st March 2016 to achieve that grading level. The work required is as follows: • 50 undercover seats to be added to the existing 200 seat stand.

• New fencing to be erected by the sloping grass areas in front of the bar and media building • Capacity of each dug-out to be increased from 9 to 11 An agreement with Helical was needed in order for the upgrades to be made and this is now in place. Work has started and will be completed before an FA inspection of Treyew Road on Thursday 28th January.

The FA requires the upgrades to be made even though Truro City are only scheduled to play three games at Treyew Road between the March 31st deadline and the end of the season. These will, of course, be the last fixtures at Treyew before the ground is redeveloped.

Moreover, should the team reach the play offs at the end of the season, additional work will be needed since there are special grading requirements relating to those matches.

Without this work, Truro City would not be permitted to complete the 2015/16 season in the National League South.

The costs are being met entirely

by Truro City Football Club and this is another indication of the level of financial commitment required to compete at this level.

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Goalkeepers Andrew Wilton Ollie Sutton Defenders Brett Longden Adam Tann (Captain) Tom Ward Jamie Anton Shane Blackett Ryan Frater Midfielders Ryan Hawkins Lee Clarke Mat Mitchel-King Guy Mailamcol Remy Gordon Issac Galliford

Line Up From: 01: Kent Kauppinen 02: Luke Ballinger 03: Harry Grant 04: Michael Pook 05: Greg Tindle 06: Mark Preece 07: Alex Ferguson 08: Matt Smith 09: Matt Jones 10: Alan Griffin 11: Andy Sandell 12: James Guthrie 13: Oli Taylor 14: Omar Simpson 15: Ryan Campbell 16: Scott Bevan

Forwards Drew Roberts Tom Meechan Luis Viera Claudio Ofosu

Colours Dark Blue Shirts, Shorts & Socks

Colours Blue Shirts, Shorts & Socks

The match line up will be displayed on the electronic scoreboard Referee: Nicholas Cooper Assistant 1: Kenneth Reeves Assistant 2: Andrew Tyne

Next Home Game: Hitchin Town Evostik League Southern Premier Division Tuesday 19th November / KO 19:45

As a Club we support Grass Roots Football and stand firm against racism within football, visit www.thefa.com for more information on playing your part.