Welwyn Garden City Football Club

Transcription

1 TODAY S LINE UPS WELWYN GARDEN CITY CHESHAM UNITED RESERVES (Claret and Sky Blue) (Yellow and Black) SCOTT O DONOGHUE Manager PAUL BURGESS PABLO ARDILES Ass t Manager Welwyn Garden City Football Club JOE CROFT 1 JAMES ROBINS PABLO ARDILES 2 NATHAN FEELY NATHAN BOWDEN 3 JACK HATCHER RYAN GORDON 4 KENDELL ALLEN STUART BAILEY 5 RYAN LUKE JASON COUGHLAN 6 MAX FARRELLY KIERAN WEEKES 7 KARL LEWIS BEN AWAD 8 CHRIS MASON ROBERT GREGORY 9 JACK READ CHARLIE FAIRHEAD 10 WILL ORCHARD JONATHAN WALSH 11 SAM BOHNELL MATT McARDLE 12 CLAUDE SEANLA AFFUL YEBOAH 14 ADAM BALLETTA NICK BOULAMATIS 15 DEAN DAVIS JOE SCALES 16 LEWIS ROLFE KOFI YEBOAH 17 SAM BARKER REFEREE PETER SAGGARS (Bushey) ASSISTANT REFEREE MARIOS ARTEMI (Welwyn Garden City) ASSISTANT REFEREE GREG POPE (Chingford, London) Spartan South Midlands League Division One Welwyn Garden City v Chesham United Reserves Saturday 13th October 2012 Kick Off : 3.00pm Official Programme of Welwyn Garden City Football Club

2 WELWYN GARDEN CITY FOOTBALL CLUB Herns Lane, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire AL7 4BB Telephone: (01707) Club Website: CHAIRMAN FOOTBALL SECRETARY FOOTBALL COMMITTEE PROGRAMME EDITOR RAY FIVEASH KAREN BROWNE RICHARD DUNNING, CERI BOWMAN, ALAN SKELTON, KAREN FISHER, SUE TEIXEIRA, PAUL GOWER, SIMON BRAINE KAREN BROWNE CLUB HONOURS SOUTH MIDLANDS LEAGUE CHAMPIONS 1973/74 SOUTH MIDLANDS LEAGUE RUNNERS-UP 1985/86 SOUTH MIDLANDS DIVISION ONE CHAMPIONS 1981/82 SOUTH MIDLANDS LEAGUE CHALLENGE TROPHY FINALISTS 1974/75, 1981/82, 1988/89, 1996/97 HERTS CHARITY SHIELD WINNERS 1927/28, 1986/87, 1987/88 HERTS CHARITY SHIELD FINALISTS 1948/49, 1994/95, 1996/97, 2003/04, 2007/08 HERTS SENIOR CENTENARY TROPHY WINNERS 1984/85 HERTS SENIOR CENTENARY TROPHY FINALISTS 1988/89, 2003/04 SOUTHERN COMBINATION CUP FINALISTS 1996/97 SML RESERVE DIVISION ONE RUNNERS-UP 2005/06 SML RESERVE DIVISION TWO RUNNERS-UP 2003/04 SML RESERVE DIVISION TWO EAST RUNNERS-UP 2002/03 NORTH & MID HERTS LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION RUNNERS-UP 2009/10 SML RESERVE CHALLENGE TROPHY WINNERS 1986/87, 2005/06 SML RESERVE CHALLENGE TROPHY FINALISTS 2006/07 RESERVE SOUTHERN COMBINATION CUP WINNERS 1996/97 HERTS COUNTY UNDER 18 CUP WINNERS 1981/82

3 CLUB NOTICEBOARD FIRST THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH Welwyn Garden City FC Quiz Nights Cash Prize of 60 to winning team Entry 2 members 3 non members, Call or Text Karen on VOLUNTEERS REQUIRED We Need You! Can anyone help us with volunteer roles required on matchdays? Small jobs that will make a big difference Can you spare a few hours a week? Yes, then Welwyn Garden City FC needs you. We are looking for the following:- Cleaners: Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, a couple of hours on each of these days. Match Day Assistants: To help sell raffle tickets, scratchcards along with looking after the match officials. (Must be over 18). Exclusive Indian Take- 166 Holly Bush Lane, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire AL7 4JU Proud Main Shirt Sponsor Interested then contact Karen Fisher on CLUB LAPEL BADGES Welwyn Garden City FC have a number of lapel badges for sale. The badges cost 3.60 and are available either from Mick Barnett or by post. Orders by post will cost 4.50 (this covers postage and packing), Cheques to be made payable to:- Welwyn Garden City Football & Social Club and sent to Mick Barnett, Welwyn Garden City Football Club, Herns Lane, Welwyn Garden City, Herts. AL7 4BB. Welwyn Garden City Football & Social Club

4 Commercial News MATCH SPONSORS London Lions London Lions (FA Vase) Wodson Park Haringey Borough (LCT) P.S.G. Maintenance Kentish Town (D1C) Chesham United Reserves Colney Heath New Bradwell St Peter Letchworth Garden City Eagles (HSCT) Winslow United P.S.G. Maintenance Sun Postal Sports Bedford Langford P.S.G. Maintenance Southall Hoddesdon Town Cockfosters Buckingham Athletic Harpenden Town Kings Langley Codicote WELWYN GARDEN CITY FOOTBALL CLUB MANAGEMENT FIRST TEAM Scott O Donoghue (Manager) Pablo Ardiles (Assistant Manager) Chas Roberts (Coach) RESERVE TEAM Mark Slater (Manager) Dave Tripp (Assistant Manager) GROUNDSTAFF Mick Barnett (Groundsman) TODAY S MAN IN THE MIDDLE Our match referee this afternoon, Peter Saggars (59), is a retired Police Officer who is a resident of Bushey, Herts. He now works as an Ambulance Driver at Edgware Community Hospital. Played football for Chorleywood Common FC until aged 35 and started refereeing in 1998 serving on the Herts Senior County League and Ryman League. Now referees on the Spartan South Midlands League and Capital Midweek League. Married to Alison and has two children Dan (22) and Laura (24). from the middle Peter enjoys keeping fit (running and spinning) and looking after his garden. Peter is accompanied at Herns Lane this afternoon by Marios Artemi from Welwyn Garden City and Greg Pope who hails from Chingford, London. We trust they all have an enjoyable afternoon with us. Crawley Green P.S.G. Maintenance Amersham Town Next Home Match V Colney Heath Herts Charity Shield Quarter Final Wednesday 17th October Kick Off 7-45pm The views expressed in this programme are not necessarily those of Welwyn Garden City Football Club but of those of individuals This Season s Programme Welwyn Garden City s programme this season has been printed by Prime Impressions Limited Based in Welwyn Garden City they offer out of this world printing at down to earth prices. For further details ring

5 Answers:- 1. Brian Little (Aston Villa, 1996 Coca-Cola Cup). 2. Harry Redknapp. 3. Dixie Dean. 4. None. 5. SV Hamburg. 6. Sheffield United (Spurs won 4-2 at White Hart Lane). 7. Switzerland. 8. Billy Wright. 9. Rodney Marsh. 10. Alan Cork (Wimbledon). 11. Nigeria. 12. True (for Distillery v Benfica in 1963). 13. Alex Stepney. 14. Gary Charles. 15. Neville Southall. 16. Thursday. 17. Terry Neill. 18. Alan Shearer and Teddy Sherringham, both of whom netted twice. 19. True (Don Revie was part of the 1959 side when Billy Bremner made his debut). 20. St Albans City Reserves. TODAY S HALF TIME TEASERS (answers at bottom of page) 1) Who was the last English manager to win a major football trophy in the 20th Century? 2) Which manager sold Jamie Redknapp to Liverpool in 1991? 3) Who is the only England player to score a hat-trick in successive internationals? 4) How many times did Gordon Banks captain England? 5) For which club was Kevin Keegan playing for when he won back-to-back European Footballer of the Year awards? 6) Which Yorkshire team were Tottenham Hotspur s first opponents in their Division Two campaign? 7) Belgium, Denmark, France, Holland, Spain and Sweden are six of the seven founder members of FIFA in Who were the seventh? 8) Who holds the record of 70 consecutive England caps without being dropped, rested or injured? 9) Who won more England caps, Peter Osgood or Rodney Marsh? 10) Who is the only player to score in each of the Premiership, Division One, Division Two, Division Three and Division Four? 11) Cameroon, Morocco, South Africa and Tunisia were four of the five African teams that qualified for the 1998 World Cup Finals in France. Who were the fifth? 12) True or False: Tom Finney played in the European Cup? 13) Who was England s third choice goalkeeper in the 1970 World Cup Finals? 14) Who did Paul Gascoigne tackle when he seriously injured himself in the 1991 FA Cup Final? 15) Who was the last goalkeeper to be named FWA Footballer of the Year? 16) What was the day of the week when Celtic became the first British club to win the European Cup? 17) Who was manager of Arsenal when they signed Charlie Nicholas? 18) Who scored England s goals in their 4-1 win over Holland at Euro 96? 19) True or False: Billy Bremner played in the same Leeds United side as Don Revie? 20) Finally, prior to Chesham United Reserves last season, who were the last team that the Citizens played for the first time in South Midlands football? The Editor s Epistle Good afternoon and welcome to Herns Lane, the home of Welwyn Garden City Football Club. Today we extend warmest greetings to the players, officials and supporters of Chesham United Reserves for a Spartan South Midlands League Division One fixture. Since our last home game we have enjoyed mixed fortunes, firstly ten days ago saw us defeat Kentish Town 3-1 in a Division One Cup fixture, we were made to work hard for the win and we left it late with two goals in the last ten minutes securing a trip to Langford in the next round.. Last Saturday saw a trip to league newcomers Southall, one of the sides tipped to be challenging for the title, and despite getting off to a flying start with Ben Awad s first goal for the club inside ten minutes we failed to build upon our lead. Our hosts levelled the game on the stroke of half time and went on to run out 3-1 winners. With our league form of late not at its best it s important we get back on track quickly to avoid being sucked into a relegation dog-fight. Our opponents this afternoon will prove to be another stern test, having won both our meetings last season. However the positive attitude we have shown in recent games is a good platform on which to build, so three points today would be most welcome. Following today we welcome Premier Division opposition to Herns Lane on Wednesday night when we face neighbours Colney Heath in the Herts Charity Shield, this is followed by a trip to Buckingham Athletic next Saturday. Our Reserves saw their quest for silverware dented last weekend when exiting the Reserve League Challenge Trophy at the first hurdle. Today Mark Slater and Dave Tripp take their charges to Ampthill Town for a difficult league encounter, hopefully they can return with something to show for their efforts. Enjoy the game and let s get behind the lads, your vocal support is very much appreciated. Go Citizens Karen

6 WELWYN GARDEN CITY FOOTBALL CLUB RESULTS AND FIXTURES SEASON JULY Date Opponents Comp Venue Res Score Att Goalscorers Sat 21 Leverstock Green HCS Won 2-2p 52 Leader, Osobu. AUGUST Sat 4 Hatfield Town DS Lost 0-1 Sat 11 Harpenden Town SML Drew Wed 15 LONDON LIONS SML Lost Sat 18 Bedford SML Won Brunton, Stickland. Tue 21 Sun Postal Sports SML Lost Sat 25 Kings Langley SML Lost Draper (pen). SEPTEMBER Sat 1 LONDON LIONS FAV Lost Wed 5 STONY STRATFORD TOWN SML Won Weekes (2), Jones. Sat 8 CRANFIELD UNITED SML Lost Weekes. Tue 11 Hoddesdon Town SML Lost Weekes. Sat 15 KENTISH TOWN SML Drew Sat 22 WODSON PARK SML Drew Coughlan (pen). Wed 26 HARINGEY BOROUGH LCT Lost Walsh. Sat 29 Amersham Town SML Lost Boulamatis, Coughlan (pen), (A) Yebeoh. OCTOBER Wed 3 KENTISH TOWN D1C Won Weekes (2), Jones. Sat 6 Southall SML Lost Awad. Sat 13 CHESHAM UNITED RES SML Wed17 COLNEY HEATH HCS Sat 20 Buckingham Athletic SML Sat 27 NEW BRADWELL ST PETER SML NOVEMBER Sat 3 Crawley Green SML Sat 10 LETCHWORTH GARDEN CITY EAGLES HSCT Making Your Business, Look The Business Unit 1-3 (Predator Motor Sport) South Mundells, Welwyn Gdn City Hertfordshire, AL7 1EP Telephone: wgc@allsignsallprint.com

7 Leading Goalscorers (Division One Clubs only) As at Friday 12th October 2012 SSML LCT FAC FAV DIC County Other TOTAL Emund Protain (Cockfosters) James Armstrong (Kings Langley) Phil Martin (Buckingham Athletic) Ben Andreos (Hoddesdon Town) Ashley Kersey (Bedford) Curtis Herbert (Southall) Sam Sloma (London Lions) Junior Scott (Southall) Gary Simmonds (Hoddesdon Town) Adam Bolle (London Lions) Chris Johnson (Bedford) 9 9 Lee Jones (Stony Stratford Town) Dean Barker (Cockfosters) Jamie Brandon (Hoddesdon Town) 8 8 Karl Penney (Sun Postal Sports) 8 8 Cyrus Vanterpool (Southall) 8 8 Adem Ali (Cockfosters) Aron Barnes (London Lions) Lorenzo Ferrari (Cockfosters) Adam Furness (Codicote) Emmanuel Richardson (Cranfield United) Danny Simpson (Stony Stratford Town) Louis Taylor (Langford) Shane Thomas (Amersham Town) NOVEMBER (Continued) Sat 17 Cockfosters SML Sat 24 WINSLOW UNITED SML DECEMBER Sat 1 Kentish Town SML Sat 8 SUN POSTAL SPORTS or SML Sat 8 Quarter Final HSCT Sat 15 BEDFORD SML Sat 22 Wodson Park SML Sat 29 LANGFORD SML JANUARY Sat 5 SOUTHALL SML Sat 12 HODDESDON TOWN SML Tue 15 Chesham United Reserves SML Sat 19 Codicote SML Sat 26 London Lions SML FEBRUARY Sat 2 COCKFOSTERS SML Sat 9 Stony Stratford Town or SML Sat 9 Semi Final HSCT Sat 16 Cranfield United SML Sat 23 New Bradwell St Peter SML MARCH Sat 2 BUCKINGHAM ATHLETIC SML Sat 9 HARPENDEN TOWN SML Sat 16 Langford SML Sat 23 KINGS LANGLEY SML Sat 30 Winslow United SML APRIL Sat 6 CODICOTE SML Sat 20 CRAWLEY GREEN SML Sat 27 AMERSHAM TOWN SML TBA Langford D1C

8 Jeffrey Haggerty Associates Consulting Building Engineers Party Wall Surveyors PLANNING BUILDING REGULATIONS PARTY WALL NOTICES PROJECT MANAGEMENT REPAIR / MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES STRUCTURAL SURVEYS SUBSIDENCE INVESTIGATORS 42 Daniells, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire AL7 1QX Telephone: Mobile: jeff.haggerty@ntlworld.com TO BE ARRANGED HATFIELD TOWN Hatfield Town New Bradwell St Peter Old Bradwell United STONY STRATFORD TOWN SUN POSTAL SPORTS Sun Postal Sports TOTTERNHOE TRING CORINTHIANS Tring Corinthians WINSLOW UNITED WODSON PARK P W D L GF-GA W D L GF-GA Pts Wodson Park Sun Postal Sports Crawley Green Hatfield Town Ampthill Town Harpenden Town Biggleswade United Totternhoe Stony Stratford Town New Bradwell St Peter Winslow United Old Bradwell United Buckingham Athletic WELWYN GARDEN CITY Tring Corinthians

9 WELWYN GARDEN CITY FOOTBALL CLUB RESERVE TEAM FIXTURES SEASON AUGUST Sat 18 NEW BRADWELL ST PETER Lost 0-3 Sat 25 BUCKINGHAM ATHLETIC Lost 0-2 P.S.G. MAINTENANCE Painting and Decorating. SEPTEMBER With a wealth of experience in all forms of Interior and Exterior Painting, P.S.G Maintenance can help brighten your home. Sat 1 Stony Stratford Town Lost 1-4 Walsh Sat 8 Totternhoe Lost 0-2 Painting Wallpapering Manifestation Domestic & Commercial Sat 15 Winslow United Lost 0-1 Free Quotations on Request Sat 22 Biggleswade United Drew 1-1 (C) Knight. Sat 29 OLD BRADWELL UNITED P-P Phone: psgmaintenance@hotmail.co.uk OCTOBER Sat 6 TOTTERNHOE RLCT Sat 13 Ampthill Town Sat 27 Wodson Park HIC Lost 1-4 (K) Yeboah. Construction Skills Certification Scheme Accredited NOVEMBER Sat 17 HODDESDON TOWN or CHIPPERFIELD CORINTHIANS Hair by Jane TO BE ARRANGED AMPTHILL TOWN Physio Vineyards Limited BIGGLESWADE UNITED Buckingham Athletic CRAWLEY GREEN Crawley Green HARPENDEN TOWN Harpenden Town THE NEW LOOK PROGRAMME The editor would welcome any comments regarding this season s new look programme, be they criticisms or congratulations. It is also hoped in future to feature a letters page so any comments would be most welcomed on any topic regarding Welwyn Garden City Football Club. An Independent Physiotherapy and Sports Injury Clinic Physio Vineyards The Vineyards 15a Codicote Road Welwyn Herts, AL6 9NE Tel: Fax: Mobile Hairdressing Service. WELLA LONDON City & Guilds Qualified 12 years experience in all aspects of hairdressing both Domestic & Commercial Covering Welwyn Garden City & Surrounding Areas. practice@physiovineyards.co.uk Website: THE CITIZENS CLUBHOUSE PLEASE NOTE THAT THE CLUBHOUSE WILL BE OPEN TO VISITING SUPPORTERS, BEFORE THE GAME AND BOTH AT HALF TIME AND FULL TIME THIS AFTERNOON Clinic Hours: Monday to Thursday Friday Member of the Organisation of Chartered Physiotherapists in Private Practice Call on:

10 Welwyn Garden City Appearances and Goals Appearances 2012/2013 Goals 2012/2013 Appearances Career Goals Career Citizen Debut Pablo Ardiles Hadley 07/089/2004 Ben Awad Leverstock Green 21/07/2012 Stuart Bailey Southall 06/10/2012 Alan Barker Sun Postal Sports 21/08/2012 Robert Barker Leverstock Green 21/07/2012 Owen Beale Kings Langley 25/08/2012 Nick Boulamatis Amersham Town 29/09/2012 Nathan Bowden Wodson Park 02/08/2011 Sean Brettell London Lions 01/09/2012 Scott Brunton Harpenden Town 11/08/2012 Jonny Butler Leverstock Green 21/07/2012 Michael Casey Amersham Town 29/09/2012 Neil Cheek Potters Bar Town 17/08/1999 Jason Coughlan Hoddesdon Town 10/12/1998 Joe Croft Wodson Park 02/08/2011 Marcus Cumberbatch St Margaretsbury 11/10/2005 Mark Draper Amersham Town 09/09/2003 Charlie Fairhead Cranfield United 08/09/2012 Ryan Gordon Royston Town 24/08/2004 Tony Gotobed Wodson Park 02/08/2011 Robert Gregory Haringey Borough 26/09/2012 Billy Jones Bedford 18/08/2012 Sam Lacey Harpenden Town 11/08/2012 MALMECH & MANNION Motor Engineers 4, Southfield, Chequers Industrial Estate, Welwyn Garden City, Herts Telephone: Free MOT with full service BEST BUY BABY EMPORIUM For Unusual Baby Gifts Our items include: Large Baby Gift Baskets, Small Baby Gift Baskets, Duck Shaped Baby Sock Gift Baskets, Baby Gift Bags, Unusual Gifts, Keepsake Items, Animal Style Flannels and Much More For More Details Contact Karen on or bestbuyemporium@gmail.com WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR COMPANY NAME HERE? If the answer is YES Contact Karen Browne on who will let you have further details. REMEMBER IT PAYS TO SUPPORT WELWYN GARDEN CITY S NUMBER ONE FOOTBALL CLUB

11 THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT Welwyn Garden City Football Club would like to express it s grateful thanks to the following: Roche Products Limited, Welwyn Garden City For their kind donation of 250 Our Advertising Sponsors For agreeing to sponsor the club by taking out a advert in this season s match-day programme. Calling All Potential Sponsors For full details of all the club s sponsorship and advertising packages contact Karen Browne on Welwyn Garden City Appearances and Goals Appearances 2012/2013 Goals 2012/2013 Appearances Career Goals Career Citizen Debut Jack Lawrence London Lions 15/08/2012 Brett Leader Leverstock Green 21/07/2012 Anthony Martin Sun Postal Sports 21/08/2012 Matt McArdle Haywood United 20/09/2003 Ben McCafferty Amersham Town 29/09/2012 Michael Nathan Leverstock Green 21/07/2012 Scott O Donoghue Tring Athletic 30/10/2004 Ade Osobu Brimsdown Rovers 19/08/2003 Lee Robinson Stony Stratford Town 05/09/2012 Joe Scales Leverstock Green 21/07/2012 Martin Stickland Hillingdon Borough 15/10/2004 Craig Walker Hoddesdon Town 11/09/2012 Jonathan Walsh New Bradwell St Peter 20/08/2011 Kieran Weekes Bedford 18/08/2012 Afful Yeboah Wodson Park 22/09/2012 Kofi Yeboah Haringey Borough 26/09/

12 Today s Fixture List (Selective Fixtures) FA Carlsberg Vase First Round Proper AFC Dunstable v Hatfield Town Amersham Town v Flackwell Heath Barking v Dunstable Town Clapton v Cockfosters Colney Heath v Sporting Bengal United Hoddesdon Town v Hertford Town Oxhey Jets v Hanwell Town Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division Biggleswade United v Harefield United Hillingdon Borough v London Tigers Holmer Green v Ampthill Town St Margaretsbury v London Colney Stotfold v Haringey Borough Tring Athletic v Leverstock Green Spartan South Midlands League Division One Cranfield United v Winslow United Harpenden Town v Crawley Green Langford v Kings Langley Southall v Bedford Welwyn Garden City v Chesham United Reserves Wodson Park v Kentish Town Berks & Bucks Intermediate Cup Second Round Alpha Arms Academicals v Holmer Green Reserves Aylesbury Dynamos v Pitstone & Ivinghoe Bedgrove United v Mursley United Hale Leys United v Buckingham Athletic New Bradwell St Peter v Aylesbury Reserves P & IC United v Aston Clinton Risborough Rangers v Lane End Stewkley v Stony Stratford Town Wolverton Town v Olney Town Herts Senior Centenary Trophy First Round Broxbourne Borough v Belstone Sun Postal Sports v Knebworth Wormley Rovers v Tring Corinthians Spartan South Midlands League Reserve Division Two Ampthill Town Reserves v Welwyn Garden City Reserves FULL PLAYING RECORD AT A GLANCE P W D L GF-GA At Herns Lane At The Meadow TOTAL RECORD CITIZENS GOALSCORERS: v Chesham United Reserves, 2 Daryl Smith. 1 Jonathan Coverley (Own Goal)

13 PREVIOUS MEETINGS BETWEEN THE CLUBS Season. Competition. AWAY 2011/12 South Midlands League Division One CHESHAM UNITED RESERVES RECORD TO DATE Buckingham Athletic Lost 0-3 Codicote Lost 0-3 KENTISH TOWN Home Won 5-0 Stony Stratford Town Lost 2-3 HARPENDEN TOWN Won 3-1 Langford Lost 0-4 SUN POSTAL SPORTS Won 6-3 Chalfont Wasps (Berks & Bucks Intermediate Cup) Lost 1-2 London Lions Lost 0-5 TRING ATHLETIC (League Challenge Trophy) Won 3-2 BEDFORD Won 4-1 COCKFOSTERS Lost 0-4 HODDESDON TOWN Lost 1-2 Amersham Town Lost 1-4 Current Standings Spartan South Midlands League Division One Up to and including Friday 12th October 2012 P W D L GF-GA W D L GF-GA Pts Harpenden Town Cockfosters London Lions Codicote Langford Southall Kings Langley Hoddesdon Town Crawley Green Bedford Amersham Town Stony Stratford Town Buckingham Athletic Cranfield United Sun Postal Sports Chesham United Reserves WELWYN GARDEN CITY Kentish Town Wodson Park Winslow United New Bradwell St Peter

14 TODAY S VISITORS - CHESHAM UNITED RESERVES F.C. 2012/2013 marks the second season that Chesham United Reserves have been in the Spartan South Midlands League Division One. One of the club s major objectives over the last few years has been to improve the opportunities for progression from our youth set up through to senior football and we were delighted to be accepted into the South Midlands League in Last year s side had an average age of under 20 years old over the course of the season as several under 18s stepped up to men s senior football for the first time. We were also delighted to see two Chesham United players, Tom Fouhy and Ben Mooney, represent England Schools U18s in the Centenary Shield home international tournament winning side. This year we are delighted to welcome a new management team of Paul Burgess and Paul Tomkins to The Meadow who are keen to further develop that progression route for our young players. The Chesham United first team play in the Southern League Premier Division at step 3 of the pyramid. Following relegation to the Southern League South & West Division in 2006, Chesham were transferred to the Midlands Division after a single season. In 2007/08 United finished 6 th and missed out on the play-offs by goal difference, and then last season, having finished 5 th, they stumbled at the semi-final stage of the play-offs losing out to two late goals at Nuneaton Town having led 1-0 for much of the game. In 2009/2010 a fourth place finish was enough to reach the play offs. A 1-0 victory away at Burnham set off a final at home against Slough Town with a crowd of 1,115 witnessing a 4-0 victory at The Meadow to secure promotion. The first season back in the Premier Division saw a creditable sixth-place finish as United just dropped away from the play-off places in the closing weeks of the season. Last season Chesham improved to finish 4 th in the Southern League before losing at AFC Totton in the play-off semi final, helped along the way by several players who had stepped up from the reserve side over the course of the season. The story of Chesham United has many highs and many lows. It was formed in 1917 following the merger of Chesham Town FC (who were founder members of the Southern League in 1894 when still known as just Chesham FC) and Chesham Generals (who took their name from the General Baptist Church in Chesham Broadway). The first competitive matches were played in 1919 when leagues recommenced following the war. Teams were entered into the Spartan League and the Great Western Suburban League. In 1921/22 Chesham teams won both the 1 st and 2 nd divisions of the Spartan League whilst also claiming the Berks & Bucks Senior Cup for the first time. Relative success in the following years paled into insignificance following the FA Amateur Cup run of 1967/68 when, against all the odds, little Chesham United went all the way from the Preliminary Round to the final of the FA Amateur Cup, finally losing 1-0 to Leytonstone in front of a 54,000 Wembley crowd. At a time when the population of Chesham was just 18,000 people, the club sold 22,000 tickets for this game. The club went into turmoil on May 3rd 1983 when the main stand burned down. A new stand was officially opened with the visit of a Graham Taylor Watford side containing former United manager Luther Blissett in Season 1987/8 marked the centenary year of non-league football in the town of Chesham, an achievement commemorated with a match against a full strength Arsenal side on 18th August In January 1991, promotion and the Division One title were secured. In its inaugural season, the Loctite Final was reached but the match was lost to Bishops Stortford on penalties. In October 1992, the Club went to the very top of the Isthmian league after a famous win at Enfield, where they remained until the end of the season, being crowned Champions on the last day of the season following a 4-0 win over Dulwich Hamlet. Witnessed by an average home gate of just short of 1,000, the season also saw the arrival of ex-liverpool star Mark Lawrenson. Promotion to the National Conference depended on ground improvements that could not be afforded. So, the season ended in disappointment after so much hard work. Since those days the club has been through many managers, including ex-england Internationals Graham Roberts and Luther Blissett, and literally hundreds of players, including a stint with Bruce Grobelaar between the sticks. In the early 2000s the club again had an eye on promotion to the Conference as Bob Dowie led a strong Chesham side to 6th in the Ryman Premier, possibly an under achievement when considering the resources at his disposable. The team that year included Wayne Andrews and Fitz Hall, both players having progressed to enjoy professional careers in the higher echelons of football. Two years later and the club were once again relegated back to Division One. With re-structuring on the horizon, the following season was all about finishing in the top six to gain promotion, avoid relegation, depending on which way you look at it. After a fairly disastrous start, the ever improving side climbed up the table to eventually take 4th spot in the Ryman Division One (North) and earn a place in the Southern League Premier Division. United s first year in the Southern League was certainly adventurous. At times they looked title contenders, and then they flirted with relegation and in the end were happy to finish in mid-table. The following summer the true price of years of over-achieving came to light. Nearly two decades of wealthy Chairmen helping to fund the club was over and it was time for The Generals to stand on their own feet, a task that proved too much. By February 2006 the club was truly on its knees. The front pages of local papers were highlighting the sorry plight of the club that had seen so much. A public meeting was called at the Town Hall to Save Chesham United it was a last desperate throw of the dice Fortunately the sorry tale had a happy ending. A local businessman, Charles Manchester, read the stories, visited The Meadow, showed an interest and helped get the club back on its feet. His intention was always to hand over the club to its supporters and he gradually brought more members of the Chesham United Supporters Trust onto the main club board whilst other Trust members took on many of the day to day tasks of running the club. Fittingly, after four years at the helm, he was able to stand down at the end of the 2009/2010 season with promotion back to the Southern League Premier Division secured and the club back on a stable footing.