on as Se /22 21 4 20 e : u Iss
vs
Stafford Town FC Monday 30th August 15:00 pm Kickoff ///master.unites.education
Admission Adults - £6.00 Concession - £4.00
www.eccleshallfc.co.uk
Eccleshall FC
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Eccleshall Football Club - Season 2021/22 Pershall Park, Chester Road, Eccleshall, Staffordshire. ST21 6NE
Telephone 01785 851351 (match days only) Club Entity: Eccleshall FC is an unincorporated association. Club Officials:
Chairman: Neil Washington Vice-Chairman: Antony Johnson Secretary: Jim Tunney Treasurer: David Heelis Programme Editor: Shaun Rogers Clubhouse Management: Bill Grinham Club Welfare Officer: Jim Tunney Commercial Manager: Dave Dale Media Officer: Shaun Rogers
Committee / Directors
Neil Washington, Antony Johnson, Jim Tunney, Bill Grinham, David Heelis, Paul Cox, Ernie Jackson, John Martin, Harvey Collins, Colin Leese, Diane Washington, Richard Marsh, Sid Kelly, Andy Gough, Paul Heler, Liz Leese. Fundraising Sub-Committee Neil Washington, Antony Johnson, John Martin, Jim Tunney, Colin Leese First Team Management: Dave Dale, Jake Robinson, John Hamnett Junior Section Chairman: Andy Gough Secretary: Gareth Davies Under 15s Team Manager : Paul Heler Under 13s Team Manager: Dave Hislop Under 13s Team Manager: Jon Edensor Under 12s Team Manager: Andre Parcian Under 9s Team Manager: Kieran Healey Members of the North West Counties League, Midland Junior Premier League, North Staffs Junior Youth League, Mid Staffs Junior League.
Affiliated to Staffordshire FA Eccleshall FC is an England Accredited Club
MICHAEL WINCOTT PHOTOGRAPHY www.michaelwincottphotography.com
The Dugout View with Jake Robinson
It’s ironic how today’s article is the first to be written by myself this season when it’s Stafford Town visiting Pershall Park. Firstly a warm welcome to Stafford Town but namely stalwart Calvin Bailey who for those old enough with remember marshaling the defensive line in the blue shirt of Eccleshall. Stafford are undoubtedly a club with the infrastructure of Step 4 level club within the non-league pyramid, with great facilities put in place by Gordon Evan’s and a focus on their sizeable youth sector. Town is a club only 2 minutes’ walk from my home and is the club of one of my best friends to which I don’t believe we have spoken for a couple of weeks ahead of this game having not been on opposing teams for probably 16 years. If that wasn’t enough personal motivation for me, I myself departed Stafford Town in early 2020 at the start of the pandemic, having gained invaluable lessons personally, on the pitch, and ethically. With a trophy and promotion in my full season with the club to which I’m extremely proud. That said … this crossing of the paths has been somewhat inevitable for both clubs since the mooted restructure and allows both Eagles and Red’s to resume a long halted rivalry. Today should see an entertaining game as a style of play that is a little more prominent in the Midland League rather than the North West Counties will be on display. Public holiday weekends hold plenty of issues for clubs at this level, absences are high with holidays and with both Creamfields and Leeds festivals taking in a lot of the playing personnel’s demographic for the weekend. This provides an opportunity for one or two faces who perhaps have been on the peripheral of the starting lineup early on the season and a chance to see what depth and external resources teams hold. We can’t hide behind Friday’s performance with all the excuses of it was Friday night game, away from home, bank holiday weekend, traffic was poor. Sadly the fact of the matter is that the 2nd half performance is not something which is associated with Eccleshall football teams of past or these players. Coming into this weekend we hadn’t the opportunity to prepare our structure or potentially look at some revitalisation of the team, something which we hope to progress through September. As we move forward we all need to be accepting accountability for our actions, whether it’s the performances on the pitch or decisions made of this. It is not a time to be feeling sorry as this is another opportunity for us to change the narrative of our season, something only we can collectively do by being brave and collective. There is no questioning the emotional attachment the group holds with the club and now is the time to start channeling that into gaining results. Over the next couple of weeks, you will hear more from John Hamnett and I, as we share our perspectives and extend our welcome to our visiting opponents, supporters and groundhoppers.
Eccleshall FC Club Honours 1973-74 Mid Staffs Div.3 Cup Winners 1973-74 Mid Staffs Div.3 Runners-up 1975-76 Mid Staffs Div.2 Cup Winners 1980-81 Staffs County (N) League Div.2 Champions 1981-82 Staffs County League (N) Premier Division Champions 1981-82 May Bank Cup Finalists 1982-82 May Bank Cup Winners 1982-83 Mid Staffs Div.2 Cup Winners 1983-84 Staffs County League (N) Premier Division Champions 1983-84 May Bank Cup Winners 1983-84 Staffs FA Vase Finalists 1984-85 Staffs FA Vase Finalists 1986-87 May Bank Cup Finalists 1987-88 Mid Staffs Borough Cup Finalists 1989-90 Staffs Senior League Champions 1999-00 Springbank Vending Midland League Runners-up 1999-00 Staffs County League Champions 2001-02 Springbank Vending Midland League Champions 2002-03 Springbank Vending Midland League Champions 2002-03 Staffs FA Vase Winners 2002-03 Staffs County League Champions 2002-03 Sentinel Cup Winners (under 18s) 2002-03 Sentinel Shield Winners (u/16’s) 2002-03 Leek Cup Finalists 2005-06 Staffs FA Vase Finalists 2017-18 Staffs FA Youth Cup Winners (Under 18s) 2017-18 Potteries Junior Youth Cup Winners (under 18s)
Reformed 1971 Nickname The Eagles Ground Pershall Park Chester Road Eccleshall ST21 6NE Telephone 01785 851351 (Matchdays Only)
Record Attendances: League - 2,011 vs FC United 5.11.05 Cup - 368 vs Wisbech Town FA Vase Rd2 11.91 Previous Leagues Mid Staffs League Staffs County League (N) North Staffs Alliance Midland League (formerly known as Staffs Senior league, Refuge Assurance Springbank Vending)
Proud members of
Eccleshall FC There has been football in the town of Eccleshall for over 100 years but very little archive material is available from those early years. However, we do know that Eccleshall Football Club was reformed in 1971 with the team being made up of locals and staff from the Eccleshall Secondary School which also provided training and playing facilities. At that time, the club was called Eccleshall Old Boys Football Club. In 1974, the team won their first trophies; the Mid-Staffs 3rd Division Cup and were also runners-up in that division, gaining promotion to Division 2. Old Boys was dropped from the club’s name and in 1979 the first team joined the Staffordshire County League (North) and a third team was formed. In 1981, with the help of grants, fund raising and a loan, a four-acre field was purchased at Pershall. Then manager, Ted Dickinson, was the driving force behind the fund raising. In the same year, the first team moved into the Premier Division of the Staffordshire County League (North). Work began converting the field into a football ground. In 1982, a building was purchased from British Telecom and, with a lot of hard work over the next couple of years on the building, car park and pitch, Pershall Park, as it was christened, was ready. In the 1983-84 season, the first team won the Staffordshire County League Premier Division Championship, the Premier Division Cup and the May Bank Cup. During the 1989-90 season, the first team won the Staffordshire Senior League title and the 1990-91 season saw the club entering the FA Vase for the first time. In 1991-92, the club reached the FA Vase 2nd round having gone through all the preliminary stages but lost at home to Wisbech Town 2-0 in front of a then record crowd of 368. The first team fared well in the league in the mid to late 90’s, finishing 3rd (97-98), 6th (98-99), 2nd (99-00) and 3rd (00-01). Eccleshall reserves won the Staffordshire County League (North) in 1999-2000 moving to the West Midlands (Regional) League Division One (North) for the start of the following season. In the 2001-2002 season, the first team won the Springbank Vending Midland League Championship.
Eccleshall FC In 2002-2003 Eccleshall’s first team joined the North West Counties Football League after securing both the Springbank Vending Midland League title and Staffordshire FA Vase. In probably the most successful season in the club’s history, our second team were also Staffordshire County League champions and our Under 18s won the Sentinel Cup. For good measure, our Under 16s won the Staffordshire FA County Cup, the Mid-Staffordshire League Cup and the Sentinel Shield. Regarding the Sentinel competitions, the last time a club had won both trophies in the same season had been some twenty five years previously – a great achievement. The 2012-13 season marked the completion of 10 years in the North West Counties League and saw the club achieve its highest ever placing of sixth in Division 1. In 2017-18, our Under 17s had a very successful season, winning the Potteries Junior Youth League Cup, Staffordshire FA Youth Cup and finishing runners up in the league. Over the years since 1981-82, significant work has been undertaken to develop both the ground and the facilities to the required standard of the National League Pyramid which the club now enjoys. This includes enclosing the ground, the installation of floodlights, building a covered seated stand and pitch levelling. In 2019, a new toilet block was installed and previously the clubhouse was refurbished and upgraded with the addition of a treatment room and a security system. Prior to the 2018/19 season, a new kitchen and refreshments bar was added. For the 2021-22 season the team dugouts have been replaced and more spectator improvements made. Further developments to the ground are planned for the future. All of this has been achieved by a strong committee management team behind the scenes, a number of which have given many years of service to Eccleshall FC together with the addition of new members who are helping to take the club forward. The club has now added a number of junior teams as we look to develop a junior section. Our second pitch has been upgraded and improved to accommodate this. 2021 sees Eccleshall Football Club celebrate its 50th anniversary and, as can be seen from the above, much has been achieved over that time. We look forward to seeing what the future brings. We consider ourselves a friendly club and look forward to welcoming you to Pershall Park in the future and hope you will enjoy the facilities and the football.
MICHAEL WINCOTT PHOTOGRAPHY www.michaelwincottphotography.com
Welcome to Stafford Town Gordon Evans formed what was then Stafford F.C. in 1976. The Club played at Burton Manor Sports & Social Club in the old Staffs County League South. The Club moved into the Midland Combination Div. 2 in the 1977/78 season, and won the league the following year, being denied promotion to Div.1 because they were a nursery side for Stafford Rangers. The Club moved to the Staffs County League North in 1981/82 and changed its name to Stafford Town. They won the Bourne Sports Trophy and Staffs Vase in 1984, and shortly afterwards they went into the Staffs Senior League. After losing the Staffs Vase Final in 1988 the team moved from Burton Manor to Stafford Cricket Club in 1990. Then, in the early 90’s Stafford Town merged with the highly successful Sunday League team MSHD who had just won the Midland Sunday Cup. In 1991/92 they just missed out on the Staffs Senior League, despite losing only 2 games all season. After finishing 3rd in the same league the following season, they were accepted into the West Midland League playing at Rowley Park Stadium. In their 1st season they secured the Championship and in order to gain promotion, they had to move to Marston Road, the home of Stafford Rangers. During the 90’s Allan Somerville took over the reins. The 1999/2000 season was without doubt Town’s most successful. The Club won West Midland League Premier Division and were promoted to the Midland Football Alliance; they were also runners-up in the Staffs FA Vase and the League Cup. Town’s first season in the MFA saw them have a superb FA Cup run beating both Paget Rangers from the Southern League Div.1 and Moor Green from the Southern League Premier Division. They then drew Harrow Borough in the 3rd qualifying round, and despite drawing away at Harrow Borough, they lost 3-1 in the replay at Marston Road. Following a disastrous season in 2003/04, Gordon Evans returned to the Club as chairman. At the end of that season the Club decided to leave Marston Road, move back to Rowley Park, and drop down into the West Midland League Div.1 to regroup. Steve Dockerty and Calvin Bailey were then appointed and stayed with the Club until the end of 2011/12 Season.2005/06 saw the formation of Stafford Town Ladies. In 2006 the Club became a Charter Standard Community Club. The Club now provides football for everyone in the community and has teams for men, women, boys girls and adults and children with special need, It has over 30 teams in total. For the 2009/10 season the team started at Rowley Park Stadium, playing in Division 1 of the West Midland League, but moved to its own ground Evans Park behind the Cricket Club on Riverway, playing the 1st match on 6th March 2010, gaining promotion to the Premier Division and losing in the final of the Hunt Cup.
Welcome to Stafford Town The 2012/13 season saw the team transfer to the Midland Football Combination and the arrival of the new management team headed by Adam Cunningham and the return to the Club of Calvin Bailey as General Manager. In 2013 the Club were presented with The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. In 2013/14 the team finished 8th and won the Les James Challenge Cup at Walsall’s Banks’ Stadium. In 2016 Adam Cunningham left after a disappointing 18th place finish and Dave Downing was appointed as First Team Manager. Dave Downing resigned in January 2018 and Jake Robinson took over the team with Calvin Bailey. At the end of a difficult season we found ourselves relegated back to the Staffordshire County Senior League by the FA Leagues Committee. Gordon Evans received the British Empire Medal for services to football in Stafford in the New Years Honours list. At the end of the 2018-2019 season Gordon decided to step down from the Chairman's role and concentrate on family life and handed over the role to Paul Beedell. Promotion back to the Midland League was achieved in 2019 as well as winning the League Cup. At the end of the curtailed 2019/20 season Dom Heath and Steve Barrow returned to the Club as joint Managers as we look forward to the 2020/21 Season. Following another curtailed season we were laterally moved into the North West Counties Football League Division One South following the Football Association’s restructuring for 2021/22 and we are looking forward to the new challenge.
Welcome to Stafford Town Honours Midland Combination Division Two Champions 1978/79 Staffordshire FA Vase Winners 1983/84, 1992/93 Finalists 1987/88, 1994/95, 1999/2000 Bourne Sports Trophy Winners 1983/84 Staffordshire Senior League Runners Up 1991/92 West Midlands (Regional) League Division One Champions 1993/94 Runners Up 2009/10 West Midlands (Regional) League Premier Division Champions 1999/2000 West Midlands (Regional) League Premier Division Cup Finalists 1999/2000 MFA Polymac Services Best Disciplinary Award Winners 2000/01 West Midlands (Regional) League Division One Cup Winners 2005/06 Finalists 2007/08 J.W. Hunt Cup Finalists 2009/10 Les James Challenge Cup Winners 2013/14 Barmouth Challenge Cup Winners 2017 Staffordshire County Senior League Challenge Cup Winners 2018/19 Leagues Staffordshire County League (South) Premier Division 1976-77 Midland Football Combination Second Division 1977-82 Staffordshire County League (North) Premier Division 1982-84 Staffordshire Senior League 1984-93 West Midland (Regional) League Division One 1993-94 West Midland (Regional) League Premier Division 1994-00 Midland Football Alliance 2000-04 West Midland (Regional) League Division One 2004-10 West Midland (Regional) League Premier Division 2010-12 Midland Football Combination Premier Division 2012-14 Midland Football League Division One 2014-18 Staffordshire County Senior League 2018-19 Midland Football League Division One 2019-21 North West Counties Football League Division One South 2021-
5
EAGLES CRASH AT BARNTON
1
With manager Dave Dale unavailable, coaches Jake Robinson and John Hamnett took charge of team matters for the Friday night visit to bottom of the table Barnton. Zak Noble was recalled in goal and new signing Callum Parker made his debut up front. Eagles began kicking up the slope and an early Liam Tomlin cross almost brought an own goal with a deflection. Louis Downs then shot wide. For Barnton, the pacy Matthew Waller cut inside and fired over the bar. Keeper Arran Lyons was forced to rush out to clear as Parker ran on to a through pass. Tomlin was causing problems down the right and another cross had Lyons watching anxiously as the ball landed on top of the net. Eccleshall took the lead on twenty minutes when George Woodroffe was upended in the box and Jordan Benton fired the spot kick past Lyons. Then a cross by Callum Feeney to the back of the box saw Woodroffe volley over. On 27 minutes, Barnton equalised when Ross Avies cut inside and his shot went under Noble into the net. Moments later, the same player was left clear and Noble came out to block his effort. Parker then had a shot blocked for a corner which came to nothing before Downs ran through and chipped over the bar. It hadn’t been a bad half for the Eagles as they went in for the interval. HT: Barnton 1 Eccleshall 1 Pointless after five games, Barnton came out as though they had a point to prove and Jordan Monthe ran through from the half way line before testing Noble, the keeper diving to palm the ball away. Waller then had another effort saved before the home side went in front on 59 minutes when a poor headed clearance by Woodroffe was hooked by Monthe into the corner of the net. In response, Feeney struck an effort well over the bar. On 65 minutes, it was 3-1 when Monthe again running on to a pass, netted. Noble could have done better, only half blocking the striker’s run. Eagles now had a game on their hands and a deep cross by Tomlin was collected by Lyons as Parker ran in. A cross by Feeney was then headed over by Joel Mills. Kyle Goodwin and Peter Murphy were brought on but Barnton were having more of the play. A Feeney free kick was hit over the bar by Murphy before Barnton added to their tally on 82 minutes. Sub Deklan Hill ran through into the box and he rounded Noble to slot home, the keeper probably feeling he could have done better. Jay Lovatt was brought on for Andy Dodd but Eagles misery was complete when, in added time, Monthe curled a shot into the top corner giving Noble little chance – the striker completing his hat-trick to give the home side a 5-1 victory on the night. FT: Barnton 5 Eccleshall 1 After taking an early lead, Eagles supporters could be forgiven for not expecting the final result. Barnton had three pacy forwards who caused problems and it was a typical ‘banana skin’ fixture for Eccleshall who continued their poor run of form against a team who were pointless up until this match. Next up is a local derby against Stafford Town as Eagles drop into the bottom three following this defeat. Eagles: Noble, Collins, Woodroffe, Feeney, Mills, Langdridge, Tomlin (Murphy), Benton, Parker, Dodd (Lovatt), Downs (Goodwin). Unused subs: Hall, Azam. Referee: Mr Zeyad Ahmed Attendance: 136
UK international cup St George’s park 31 July / 1 Aug Teams from across Europe compete for the Uk International Cup - albeit European teams were not permitted this year, teams from England Scotland and Wales this year. 20 teams in u11s split into 4 groups. EFC topped group winning 3 drawing 1 scored 16 conceded 2. Beat eventual finalists in the group 2-0 ( Gairdoch FC ). Lost in Q:F 8-7 on penalties to Lionheart Academy after drawing 1-1 AET. Went on to win further 2 games to claim the 5/6 playoff and finish 5th. Over the course of the weekend we scored the second highest total goals of any teams there, other than the eventual winners Levels FC were the only team unbeaten in open play conceding 3 goals in 7 games and scoring 23.
Olly Stone was instrumental in both dictating play from midfield whilst holding shape when required to, with over 8 goal contributions throughout the weekend, several of the officials commented on the talented Eccleshall number 10 who was voted player of the tournament. Congratulations also to the U11's who also won the COSC Football Tournament recently, a very talented group of players for sure who we have no doubt will one day gogo on to play for the first team and perhaps ever higher.
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Tables correct as at 29th August 2021
Abbey Hey v FC Isle of Man Abbey Hulton Utd v Sandbach Utd Alsager Town v Barnton Cheadle Heath Nomads v Cheadle Town Eccleshall v Stafford Town New Mills v Stockport Town St Martins v Ellesmere Rangers West Didsbury & Chorlton v Maine Road Wythenshawe Amateurs v Cammell Laird
NEXT UP ///master.unites.education
Saturday 4th September Cheadle Heath Nomads Kickoff 3pm
ROAD TRIP ///bridges.liberated.engraving
Tuesday 7th September St Martins FC Kickoff 8:00 pm
Zak Noble Ryan Brown Conrad Betton Liam Tomlin Lewis Dunn George Woodroffe Samir Azam Jake Langdridge Harvey Collins Luke Lewis Jordan Benton Jack Dundas Jack Flanaghan Louis Downs Thomas Riley Jay Lovatt Peter Murphy Callum Parker Jordan Hall
Henry Smith Jacob Shelley John Pollard Charlie Swingwood Matthew Dudley Ben Douglas Nathan Scott Ben Wood Ryan Bradshaw Joshua Wilson Ryan Taylor Cydon Walker Kyle Ashman Oliver Dunne Dominic Heath Tom Duffy
Manager : Dave Dale Coach : Jake Robinson Coach : John Hamnett
Manager : Steve Barrow Manager : Dom Heath
Today's Match Officials Ref: Dave Critchlow Asst A: Roger Firmstone| Asst B: Joshua Cliffe