OFFICIAL MATCH PROGRAMME - Tuesday 29th September 2020 Spartan South Midlands League - Premier Division BIGGLESWADE UNITED v EYNESBURY ROVERS
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OFFICIAL MATCH PROGRAMME
Tuesday 29th September 2020
Spartan South Midlands League – Premier Division
BIGGLESWADE UNITED v EYNESBURY ROVERS
What’s Inside
• Welcome
• The Chairman’s View – Guillem Balague
• (published Friday 25th September 2020)
• The Players
• Match Report v North Greenford United
• Current Premier Division Standings
• Premier Division Results and Fixtures
• Forthcoming Fixtures
• First Team Results and Fixture Dates
• Next Up at Second Meadow
• Our club history
• 1959-1999
• 2000 – 2020
• Eynesbury Rovers Club History
• Meet the players
Welcome Welcome to Second Meadow Good evening and welcome to Second Meadow for tonight’s Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division fixture. We extend a warm welcome to the players, officials and supporters of our visitors EYNESBURY ROVERS FOOTBALL CLUB. We also welcome our three match officials and we hope that you enjoy your short stay with us. Match Preview – Courtesy of Leon Waite @leonwaite98 For the fourth consecutive match, United found themselves trailing at halftime on Saturday when they travelled to North Greenford United - the scene of last season’s opening day win. However, unlike the previous three outings, they were able to summon their powers of recovery to execute a majestic second-half display and clinch their first league win of the season in a 5-2 thumping. Three of the goals were of the highest quality and all involved the irrepressible Dave Parkinson who, in combination with Man-of-the-Match Charlie Clayton, highlighted the importance of retaining some remnants of last year’s success after another summer of significant turnover in the squad. The circumstances which saw Clayton enter the pitch were unfortunate as another key player from the last campaign Codi-Lee Spavins came off injured but the striker certainly made his mark. He provided a focal point to the attack allowing Parkinson to drift into dangerous areas across the forward line and also got on the scoresheet with a composed poke past the advancing goalkeeper. Overall, it was an encouraging 45 minutes that manager Cristian Colas will hope to translate across the full 90 against Eynesbury Rovers midweek and ensure his side aren’t chasing the game at the halfway stage again. Our Visitors Today –Eynesbury Rovers FC It’s reasonable to conclude based on their points tally and those of the sides around them that Rovers would most likely have finished 8th last term - they were 9th when the league was cancelled - having placed 6th in the United Counties League before being transferred to the SSML. And you’d expect them to once again be comfortably top half if not closing the gap to the teams at the top with a settled squad that’s won its last two league games. They beat Crawley Green 3-1 and Broadfields United 2-1 at home after sustaining a troubling 4-1 defeat at Potton United on the opening day, while their FA Cup journey began with 7-3 thrashing of Desborough Town before losing 3-1 at Ely City in the subsequent round. United were embarrassed by Rovers on two occasions last season, beaten 5-0 in their first home league game with the team very much in transition but even with a strong, in-form lineup Chris Devane’s men went down 4-1 in the final fixture before lockdown.
The Chairman’s View
Chairman Guillem Balague
It's great to have football and the fans With COVID restrictions meaning that
back at Second Meadow fans are unable to watch the bigger sides
although it certainly hasn’t happened in they normally follow, then those eager to
the way any of us could ever have enjoy their weekly fix of live football
imagined. action can do so by watching clubs such
as ours that play in the lower leagues.
How long it will last for in what is a
constantly changing scenario remains to There is a maximum of 300 tickets
be seen, but for the time being let's enjoy available on a first come first served basis,
it while we can and celebrate the fact that a figure set deliberately higher than our
for once being a small club playing in the normal attendance to take into account
lower leagues has come to our aid with the, as yet, unknown demand from away
fans - both home and away - being able to fans and also that of any new fans unable
buy tickets to watch our games from our to watch their usual team.
club website
on https://biggleswadeunitedfc.seatedl Let's hope we can give all our fans - both
y.com/ old and new - something worth watching
and finally get our season up and running
Or biggleswadeutd.com and follow the following a a week that saw us lose three
link. games in three different competitions,
including a defeat to local rivals Potton
At the moment fans can only buy tickets United in the FA Vase last weekend.
on-line, however by the end of the month
they will also be able to buy an annual On the plus side a spirited display in the
membership, sponsor a player and buy second half against Potton almost
club merchandise and memorabilia. All at brought us back into a game that once
a click. again cost us because of avoidable errors
that saw us fall behind early.
Membership will be charged at £40 per
season and allows members reduced fee We are not yet there as a unit at the
entry to home games (£4), a club badge moment, but in truth we have only really
and an invitation to quarterly members been comprehensively outplayed once
Match days with free hot drinks and a this season at Cambridge in the FA Cup.
free drink from the bar.
In fact everything I have seen in the two
Sponsoring a player is £75 per season and subsequent competitive games suggests
gets you or your company a mention at that with a bit more concentration,
home games and in the match application and a few tweaks to our line
programme. up we can be every bit as competitive as
we were last season.
The Players..
Biggleswade United 5
North Greenford United 2
Report from Leon Waite
A stellar second-half display earned United
a resounding victory at North Greenford
United to open their account for the new
season.
Goals from Charlie Clayton, Ross Taylor,
Dom Morgillo as well as a brace from Dave
Parkinson helped the visitors overturn a
halftime deficit and end a run of three
straight defeats in all competitions.
In all of those matches, United have been
behind at the break and it was a similar case
at Berkeley Fields after Joe Mills converted
a penalty just minutes in.
There was plenty of possession for the
visitors but little penetration as they
laboured through a half that saw North
Greenford look more dangerous in their
quick bursts with the ball.
And Dan Clifton nearly embarrassed Ollie
Leslie (pictured) in the United goal, lobbing
the ball from distance just over the
backtracking keeper’s crossbar.
A crucial moment occurred prior to halftime
as Codi-Lee Spavins’s determination to
recover a ball he’d lost saw him injure
himself, prompting Charlie Clayton’s
introduction from the bench and he went up
front with Milo Keane filling Spavins’s role at
right-back.
There was still time for Conor Molyneaux to
arrive on to a bouncing ball in the middle
and head over as the home side nearly
inflicted further damage.
It would remain 1-0 and in the second
period, United turned the contest on its
head.
Continued overleaf
Biggleswade United 5
North Greenford United 2
Continued
Jordan Wright was pushed in the box as the
referee pointed to the spot for the second
time this afternoon and Parkinson stepped up
confidently to restore parity on 56 minutes.
United were playing fluid, intense football and
the two players who already have an
established connection from last season
became increasingly influential with
Parkinson combining to good effect with
Clayton.
And it was the latter who completed the
turnaround on the hour mark as he rounded
off a beautifully crafted move with an
impudent poke beyond the goalkeeper.
Ten minutes later and United hadn’t relented
as Parkinson curling delivery to the back post
was volleyed home by Taylor (pictured) to
extend their lead.
The two-goal advantage felt secure as the
away side pinned the Blues back but there
was a momentary scare when Wright -
having won a spot-kick at the other end -
handled in the box allowing Mills to score his
second from 12 yards on 87 minutes.
However, in the final minute of normal time,
Dom Morgillo fired towards goal from the
edge of the area and it deflected beyond the
helpless keeper.
And in the 92nd minute, Clayton slid in
Parkinson to lift the ball over the advancing
keeper with the confidence of a man who had
been utterly unplayable in the second half as
an emphatic win was confirmed.
Our Current League Standing
Premier Division Results and Fixtures
BIGGLESWADE UNITED FC FIRST TEAM FORTHCOMING
FIXTURES
Competition Date Day Kick Off Opposition Home /
Away
League 29 Sept Tuesday 7.45pm EYNESBURY Home
ROVERS
League 3 Oct Saturday 3pm TRING ATHLETIC Home
League 6 Oct Tuesday 7.30pm ARLESEY TOWN Away
League 10 Oct Saturday 3pm LEIGHTON TOWN AWAY
League 17 Oct Saturday 3pm BROADFIELDS Home
UNITED
League 20 Oct Tuesday 7.45 LEVERSTOCK AWAY
GREEN
BIGGLESWADE UNITED FC UNDER 23 FORTHCOMING
FIXTURES
Competition Date Day Kick Off Opposition Home /
Away
League 3 Oct Saturday 2.30 FLITWICK TOWN Away
League 10 Oct Saturday TBA CRANFIELD Home
UNITED
League 17 Oct Saturday 2.30 WILSTEAD Away
League 24 Oct Saturday TBA CRAWLEY GREEN Home
League 31 Oct Saturday 2.30 KEMPSTON TOWN Away
League 07 Nov Saturday 2.00 SHEFFORD TOWN AwayFirst Team Results and Fixtures
Next Up At Second Meadow
Saturday 3rd October
SPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS LEAGUE – PREMIER DIVISION
BIGGLESWADE UNITED
V
TRING ATHLETIC
KICK OFF 3pm
MATCH SPONSOR: Rt. Hon ALISTAIR BURT
Saturday 10th October
BEDFORDSHIRE COUNTY FOOTBALL LEAGUE
PREMIER DIVISION
BIGGLESWADE UNITED U23
V
CRANFIELD UNITED
KICK OFF TBAOur History 1959 - 1999 Biggleswade United Football Club was re-formed on the 16th July 1959. However, local history records indicate that there was a Biggleswade United side playing at Second Meadow as early as 1929. Our first season (1959/60) saw us competing in Division Three of the North Herts. League (NHL). After 10 successful years in the NHL the club made the step up to South Midlands League (SML) football. But towards the end of a 15-year association with the SML the club began to struggle and after three years of finishing in the bottom three of Division One we sought fresh fields. The club joined the Herts. Senior but club continued to find the going tough. In 1986 we elected to return to local League football, joining the Bedford and District Football League and began to build again. The appointment of Brian Swords as first team manager in 87/88 proved to be the turning point in the club's fortunes. During the next ten years the club achieved a tremendous amount of success on and off the football pitch. Our record of League and Cup honours speak for themselves but aligned to this a great deal of work went on behind the scenes to match the on-field success. The club now boasts one of the best clubhouse and ground facilities in the Mid-Bedfordshire area. The success of the club has also attracted many new players as well as commanding a great deal of loyalty from those players who helped the club progress from Division Three of the Bedford and District League to County Senior Club status in just 15 years. The 1995/96 season was the most successful in the club's history - winning five major honours; the Beds Intermediate County Cup, Bedford and District League Championship, League Cup Championship and as the League's representatives the club won the Beds. FA Centenary Cup. Having won every major Bedford League honour the club felt it was time to move on and made the decision to make the step up once again and returned to Division One of the SML. In an exceptionally successful first season we celebrated a Division One "double" by winning the Championship and the Division One Cup. We also retained the Beds. FA Intermediate County Cup, only the second club in the competition's history to achieve this feat. To crown our success the club were awarded the SML Special Achievement Trophy in July 1997. In the season 1997/98 we finally achieved Senior status. This was achieved not only through the endeavours of the players on the field but ultimately as a result of an extremely hard working committee. With the help of the Biggleswade Town Council a new stand was erected and perimeter fencing installed. And two seasons later the club erected floodlights and on the evening of 26th October 1999 we played our first-ever floodlit game at Second Meadow, Ryman League side Leighton Town were the visitors in the Bedfordshire Premier Cup.
Our History 2000- 2020
The next eleven years saw the first team led by Steve "Snowy" Wright and
under his management the club continued to enjoy a very high level of League and Cup success
ultimately achieving promotion to the Molten Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division
and with it the opportunity to compete in the FA Cup. And under Snowy the club made three
Beds FA Senior Challenge Cup final appearances, winning two of the three with victories over
Stotfold (4-1) and Leighton Town (1-0) but missed out in 2006/07 going down 2-0 to Dunstable
Town. Snowy's other cup successes came in the form of the Hunts Premier Cup, North Beds
Charity Cup, Hinchingbrooke Cup, the SML Division One Cup and the SML Special Achievement
Award once again. The end of the 2006 2007 saw Snowy step down as manager with his
assistant, Nick Burton taking over the first team reins. January 5th 2009 saw the club embark on
further ambitious ground improvements. With financial backing from Biggleswade Town Council,
Mid Beds District Council and the Football Foundation we installed a 260-seater stand, fully
enclosed the ground with a double turnstile entrance and players' secure walkway, which raised
the ground to Grade E status.
After several years of stability in terms of first team managers the next six years saw a regular
turnover of first team and reserve team managers with Nick Burton, Dave Elkin and Phil Childs
all taking over the first team reins for a time.
At the start of the 2013-2014 season we appointed Mick Reardon and Mark Royal as first team
managers both of whom had enjoyed success as coaches at the higher levels of football. Their
disciplined approach was quickly adhered to and responded to by the players and under their
stewardship we achieved the highest Premier Division position in nine years and first silverware
in seven years winning the North Beds Charity Cup for the first time in the club’s history.
In November 2014 the club took a further positive step to realise our ambitions with the
appointment of Sky Sports Presenter and renowned author, Guillem Balague as Biggleswade
United’s Director of Football. Following Mick and Mark’s decision to step down at the end 2014
2015, Guillem was quick to act and recruited a new Head Coach in Cristian Colas Beccera.
Cristian was assisted by former professional player, Stuart Bimson, and under their guidance the
team finished in eighth spot in the Premier Division in 2017 2018 - the highest position in the
club’s history. Having built a strong reputation for their outstanding coaching ability and playing
philosophy Cristian and Stuart moved up to Step 3 level club, Staines Town, for the start of the
2018 2019 season. Guillem was again in search for a high quality coach and Jimmy Martin came highly
recommended by his predecessor, Colas, who worked with Jimmy at Stevenage FC Academy. Jimmy was
appointed Manager in May 2018 but he tendered his resignation in October 2018 having been offered a
“hard to refuse” opportunity to take up a coaching role at Premier Division club Watford. Despite the
setback the first team went on to record their highest ever League placing – a fourth spot in the Premier
Division.
In the season 2019 2020 the club were sitting in a highly commendable third position in the Premier
Division and under the management of Chris Devane and Trishnan Patel were hoping for a promotion
play off opportunity. However, in March 2020 the season was declared Null and Void by the FA after the
devastating outbreak of the Coronavirus. The club were also to learn that Chris and Tishnan had
accepted the offer to work at Step 4 and departed the club at short notice. Fortunately the club were
able to call upon the services of former Head Coach Cristian Colas and former assistant manager Mark
Royal who will take over the first team reins for season 2020 2021 – whatever that may look like.EYNESBURY ROVERS FC – The History The club was established in 1897. They continued to struggle, finishing in After playing friendly matches, they the bottom two for five of the next eight joined the Biggleswade & District seasons, although they did win the League, before switching to the St Senior Cup again in 1969–70.[5] At the Neots Junior League.[1] The club won end of the 1971–72 season they the league in 1910–11 and went on to finished bottom again and were win their first major honour, the Hunts relegated. In 1976–77 they won the Senior Cup, in 1913–14.[2] They won (now-renamed) Division One and were the Hunts Junior Cup in 1921, 1927 promoted back to the Premier and 1932, and were champions of Division.[2] The club won the Hunts Division Two of the Bedford & District Senior Cup in 1984–85 and then three League in 1926–27, 1930–31 and times in a row between 1990–91 and 1931–32.[1] In 1934 they joined 1992–93.[2] Further wins were Division Two of the South Midlands achieved in 1995–96 and 1999– League and were promoted to Division 2000.[5] One at the end of the first season in In 2000–01 Eynesbury finished bottom the leaguem which saw them finish as of the Premier Division and were Divisiom Two runners-up.[3] After World relegated to Division One.[4] The War II the club switched to the United following season they won their Counties League.[4] They won the fifteenth Senior Cup.[5] In 2012–13 the Hunts Senior Cup four times between club were Division One runners-up 1946 and 1951,[5] and the Hunts and promoted to the Premier Premier Cup in 1951, before joining Division.[4] They won the Senior Cup the Eastern Counties League in 1952, again in 2016–17.[6] At the end of becoming the most westerly club ever the 2018–19 season the club were to play in the league.[2] transferred to the Premier Division of Eynesbury won the Hunts Senior Cup the Spartan South Midlands League. again in 1954–55 and 1956– 57.[5] However, financial problems forced the club to revert to amateur status.[2] In 1960–61 they failed to win a league match all season and gained only three points, finishing bottom of the league.[4] Although they won the Cambridgeshire Invitation Cup the following season, in 1962–63 they again finished bottom of the league and left to rejoin the United Counties League.
JORDAN WRIGHT (Capt) Experienced defender and returning to United after a two-season absence having played at Potton United and Kempston Rovers. Takes over the captain’s armband. Leader
OLLIE LESLIE Third season with United. Last season was beset with injury but hoping to have an injury free season this time around. Tall, commanding ‘keeper and great shot stopper.
TAYLOR HADDOW A great prospect making his name at Senior Level having played at international level for England Schoolboys. Was nominated Man of the Match in his first outing at Woodbridge Town in the FA Cup.
ROSS TAYLOR Returns to United after two seasons with Arlesey Town. One of the first players on Colas’ shopping list on his return as Head Coach. Great left foot who will develop further in a United shirt.
CODI-LEE SPAVINS A product of the United Under 18s and Under 23s Codi has been a regular feature in the United first team for the past two seasons. Scores some amazing goals but equally adept at full back.
ETHAN FALANGAN Another young prospect who will develop under the guidance of Cristian Colas and the experienced players around him. Outstanding introduction at Woodbridge and will be a great addition to the squad. Previously with Leverstock Green and Northwood
NYASHA SAGWETE Forced to take time out of playing following serious injury, but made a fantastic contribution to the club in coaching the Under 10s and our Under 23 side. Now looking to re- establish himself as a first team player.
JORDAN JARROLD Experienced player who has played at Step 3 for most of his career. Joined United at the start of the season. Previous clubs include Bedford Town, Kempston Rovers and Cambridge City.
GARETH HUNT Another playing returning after two seasons out at Potton and Kempston Rovers. The team’s link player who was previously a “first name on the teamsheet” player
DOM MORGILLO A newcomer this season who has experience at Bedford Town, Arlesey and Leighton Town. Made his first team debut at Woodbridge. Skilful and dangerous on the ball.
CHARLIE BLACK Joined United back in 2014 and had a great first season scoring some spectacular goals. He stepped up to Step 4 with Dunstable Town then spent last season at Arlesey Town. Returns to United on a dual registration with Barton Rovers.
CHARLIE CLAYTON Despite his young age, Charlie has gained experience at Step 3 and Step 4. Joined United at the start of last season and the Clayton / Parkinson partnership was an instant success with 25 goals between them.
DAVE PARKINSON A favourite amongst the United supporters, “Bullet” has been the club’s top goalscorer for the past three years. Powerful and pacy he is a defenders nightmare when he is at full throttle.
NACHO NOVO Former professional with Glasgow Rangers who celebrated two SPL titles and many cup wins with the Scottish side. United are looking to the 41 year old Spaniard to bring his wealth of knowledge and experience on to the pitch and in the changing room.
MILO KEANE Second season at United and will be looking to make this season the time to break in to a regular first team place after recording the highest goal tally with the Under 23s last season. Has a great deal of potential that will be unlocked with the experienced players around him.
ALIX GIRDLESTONE Another young player making his return to United after two seasons away from the club. Steady midfield player who works hard for the side. Kept a clear head to score the winning penalty at Woodbridge.
MAURICE ALI- HASSAN Recent signing who made his debut against Newport Pagnell. Skilful and tricky wing back who uses his blistering pace to good effect.
CHARISMA AGYEMANG The name could not be more apt. Another with great potential that is as yet untapped. Needs to be patient and prepared to learn from those around him and we will see great things from him as witnessed by his last minute strike in the game at Woodbridge.
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