ChromaSport & Trophies
United Counties Football League
General Secretary/Treasurer: Wendy Newey, United Counties League, Riverside Pavilion, Candy Street, Peterborough PE2 9RE
Telephone: 01733 566605 Fax: 01733 345454 E mail:
web sites www.thefa.com/full-time/ucl or www.unitedcountiesleague.co.uk
Newsline telephone 09066 555 885
CHROMASPORT & TROPHIES UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE
NEWSLETTER NO. 273 JANUARY 2013 PAGE 1
Stones pair in Star switch
Peterborough Northern Star have appointed Blackstones co-managers Darren Jarvis and Michael Goode to their managerial post following the departure of Jamie Weston.
Former March manager Weston took the Star reins in the summer following Chris Plummer’s departure, but was forced to leave Chestnut Avenue in mid-December following a change of work commitments.
Jarvis and Goode had been in charge of Blackstones for two and a half seasons, leading them to successive 9th and 11th placed finishes in the Premier Division, and also guided the Stamford based club to Lincolnshire Senior Trophy success in their first season at Lincoln Road.
Coaches Wayne Oldaker and Seb Hayes have also made the move to Chestnut Avenue.
First signings made by the new Star management are Blackstones central defender Luke Hunnings and Eynesbury wide man Aaron Greene who played for the new Star managers at Blackstones last term while another former Stones man linking up with Star is full back Max Avory.
Harborough appoint from within
Harborough manager Andy Wilson left Bowdens Park in December after a five and a half year reign which saw the club win three promotions in five seasons as they progressed from Division One of the Northants Combination to UCL Premier football.
Wilson has linked up with Conference North club Histon, joining the coaching staff at Bridge Road.
The club has promoted from within naming Chris Church and Mick Ogier as joint managers Church is a former Leicester City youth team captain and has a long term involvement with Harborough, initially in the junior set up before a spell as assistant to Wilson. Ogier originates from Guernsey where he played for one of the island’s leading clubs Belgrave Wanderers and represented the island. He too is a long standing member of the Town backroom staff.
Rob Wake will be assistant manager with Luke Carr named as coach, he has previously worked at the Northampton Town academy and is an ex-Town player.
Rob Barnett, top scorer in last season’s promotion winning side, has rejoined Town from Stewarts & Lloyds.
CHROMASPORT & TROPHIES UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE
NEWSLETTER NO. 273 JANUARY 2013 PAGE 2
Moran steps up at Quorn
Reserve manager Dennis Moran has been promoted to first team duties at Quorn after the Leicestershire club parted company with summer appointee Tommy Brookbanks in mid-December.
Former Stamford manager Brookbanks and assistant Mark Harvey, who took the Farley Way reins in May, had lost only three out of 21 league games since taking the reins at the Leicestershire club.
The club then saw a host of first team regulars leave Farley Way. Among the departures were a number moving to step 3 and 4 football including Dean Gent (Carlton), Luke Edwards (Coalville), Dan Marshall (Stamford) and Nathan Watson (Grantham)
New boss Moran steps up after two years running the club’s second string in the Midland Combination. The reserve side were league and cup runners-up last season and were unbeaten this season.
Jimmy Harrison will assist Moran and ex-Belper, Arnold and Hucknall manager Gary Hayward will also be helping out behind the scenes.
The new management’s first game at the senior helm saw them knocked out of the Leicestershire & Rutland Challenge Cup at Northern Premier League Loughborough Dynamo, but the step 4 club needed extra time to secure a 2-1 win over Quorn’s new look side.
The first addition to the squad made by Moran is Loughborough defender David Leak.
Wright joins Wellingborough management team
Former assistant manager Craig Adams has now been appointed as permanent manager of Wellingborough following the departure of Phil Mason. Joining him in the Doughboys management team is experienced UCL and Southern League player Jamie Wright, who has been with league rivals Cogenhoe as a player this season, and prior to that was with Southern League Woodford in a player coach role.
Recent player movement at the Dog & Duck has seen experienced goalkeeper Michael Freeman arrive from Irchester and Raunds front runner Jason Taylor check in, he scored on his debut at Holbeach but was unable to prevent the Tigers running out convincing winners. Former Northampton Town midfielder Hussein Mohammed is another recent recruit to Doughboys colours. A trio of ex-Woodford men Rashid Koriya, Gokhan Ulker and Scott Liebscher have also linked up with the Doughboys.
Peace in caretaker charge
Blackstones have placed reserve team manager Gary Peace in caretaker charge of the senior side after the departure of Darren Jarvis and Michael Goode to take over at Peterborough Northern Star.
Peace has been successful with the Stones second string but is not looking to take on the senior job on a permanent basis. Over the Christmas holiday he has been assisted by Stones legend Trevor Smith, the club’s record appearance holder and a former assistant boss at Lincoln Road. He too will have only a short term involvement due to his commitments as captain at Greetham Valley Golf Club.
The club hope to make a permanent appointment early in the new year.
CHROMASPORT & TROPHIES UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE
NEWSLETTER NO. 273 JANUARY 2013 PAGE 3
Youngsters join Poachers
Boston Town managers Ian Dunn and Matt Hocking have added a number of youngsters to their squad in recent weeks. They have signed Lincoln City trainees, full back Ryan Leggett and midfielder Matthew Cotton, on work experience, while another addition to the squad is goalkeeper Callum Bostock who has been on Nottingham Forest’s books.
Bostock is the son of legendary Boston United custodian Paul, but had a debut to forget after being concussed in a collision with team mate Ollie Pinner at Sleaford on Boxing Day. His second game went rather better as he kept his first Town clean sheet in a 3-0 win over Long Buckby.
Bostock’s injury gave Pinner the chance to show his versatility by deputising between the posts, having already played in defence, midfield and attack in his Town career.
Another Poachers capture is versatile Bourne man Alec Robinson who has shone in the Wakes attack in recent weeks with seven goals in his last three games for the Division One side.
Spalding add to squad
The new year looks set to be an exciting one for Spalding as they chase honours on several fronts.
Manager Pat Rayment has added a number of new faces to his squad. Former Lincoln City striker Gary King has linked up with the Tulips, joining from Northern Premier League Stamford, while another recruit from step 4 is goalkeeper Alex Street who helped Kings Lynn win promotion from the UCL last season. Experienced midfield man Chris Gray has been recruited from title rivals Quorn.
A couple of younger additions to the squad are teenage goalkeeper Jordan McCready who was with Peterborough United last season and Boston United front runner Charley Sanders who has an impressive scoring record in the Pilgrims’ youth and reserve sides.
Defender Jay Smedley has now returned to full fitness and Lee Canoville is on the way back after having the plaster cast removed from his leg.
New strikers for Swans
Newport Pagnell have added a couple of new strikers to their squad in recent weeks. Former AFC Kempston men Ash Farmer and Danny Watson have been reunited at Willen Road, with one time England schoolboy cap Watson joining the Swans after a brief spell with Long Buckby.
The arrival of the pair is timely as top scorer Dom Lawless has left Willen Road to join Ampthill.
Another new addition to the Newport squad is Arlesey defender Sol Davis who played extensively in the full time game with Swindon, Luton and MK Dons making over 300 appearances in the pro game.
Two new faces for Romans
Irchester continue to add new faces to their squad in the search for a winning line up.
Goalkeeper Craig Patterson has made the move from Rushden & Higham while Romans boss Colin Ridgway has signed his son Dane who has been out of the game for two years with an ankle injury.
Irchester ended 2012 with a run of fifteen games without a win and are hoping for a turn round in fortunes in the new year.
CHROMASPORT & TROPHIES UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE
NEWSLETTER NO. 273 JANUARY 2013 PAGE 4
Walnut Boys mourn President
AFC Kempston Rovers are mourning their former club President Doug Jack who passed away over the holiday period following a short illness.
Doug had a lengthy involvement with the club dating back to 1964 and he scored an amazing 63 goals in his first season with Rovers after signing from Hitchin. After ending his playing days he became a member of the club’s committee, and served the club as groundsman, linesman, secretary and chairman before becoming President in 1998.
Recent squad movement has seen goalkeeper Martin Conway join Conference North club Hinckley but an addition to the playing staff is midfielder or forward Joe Bradbury from Stotfold. Full back Mark Bunker has also rejoined the Walnut Boys after a spell playing in Australia for Pine Hills.
In form Cuckoos sign two
Yaxley ended the old year as one of the Premier Division’s form teams, winning four and drawing two of their last six matches of 2012.
Manager Brett Whaley has continued to strengthen his squad despite the upturn in form. Wide man Matt Barber has joined the Cuckoos from league rivals Boston Town, while midfield man Ali Nyang, a member of Peterborough Northern Star’s squad which reached the FA Vase quarter finals last season, has arrived from Peterborough Sports on dual registration.
Turner joins pacesetters
Holbeach have boosted their bid for Premier Division honours by recruiting a proven marksman in Kings Lynn’s Jason Turner. The widely travelled striker has been one of the league’s leading scorers in recent seasons, plundering goals galore for Wellingborough before helping the Linnets to promotion last season.
Turner opened his account for Holbeach with two goals in the 4-2 victory at AFC Kempston, their tenth win in succession as they ended 2012 on a high.
Goalkeeper extends Huntingdon stay
Huntingdon have extended the stay of Cambridge City goalkeeper Enol Ordanez at Jubilee Park until the end of January in the continued absence of regular Dave Beeny.
The signing of experienced right back Pat Bexfield proved a short lived boost for Town as the ex-Kings Lynn man departed to join Needham Market after just one game in Huntingdon colours.
Another full back Ryan Spencer is likely to miss the remainder of the campaign after the postponement of his scheduled shoulder operation.
CHROMASPORT & TROPHIES UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE
NEWSLETTER NO. 273 JANUARY 2013 PAGE 5
Griffiths in Olney exit
Neil Griffiths has resigned as manager of Olney after two and a half years at the East Street helm. He joined the Nurserymen from MK Wanderers in the summer of 2010. The outgoing boss cites personal reasons as causing his exit.
Assistant Gary Thurston has also left Olney to resume his playing career.
Taking charge at East Street is Ed Wheatley. The former Ampthill player joined the Nurserymen as player coach in the summer, and took charge for the first time at ON Chenecks on Boxing Day. He is a UEFA B coach and has managed Mursley in the past Ken Speed will assist Wheatley.
Recent additions to the Nurserymen squad are Potton defender Haydon Jones and Stony Stratford midfielder Simon King.
Robson takes interim charge of Robins
Buckingham have handed senior player Chris Robson managerial duties on a short term basis. He takes over from Dan Kingston who had held the reins since Steve Orchard’s dismissal in October. Family commitments over the holiday forced Kingston to vacate the post.
The club hope to make a permanent appointment in mid-January with ex-Olney boss Neil Griffiths in the frame, but until then the long serving Robson will guide the side while he recovers from an injury which has restricted his appearances this season.
On the field the Robins have welcomed back defender Craig Ross and midfielder Ieuan Riley who both left for Irchester earlier in the campaign. An experienced addition to the squad is ex-Harrow and Dunstable man Michael Olatunde while Anthony Ellis, Dan Lydiatt, Alfred Mage and Joe O’Reagan have been recruited from Sunday football in the Luton area.
The visit of AFC Rushden & Diamonds to Manor Fields on 15th December drew Buckingham’s biggest crowd for a competitive game since their Southern League days, with 416 watching the Diamonds hand Buckingham a 9-0 drubbing.
Oadby add three new faces
Oadby have added three new faces to their squad in recent weeks as they strengthen up for a new year promotion push.
Young left back Callum Earls has joined the Poachers from Premier Division Spalding while widely travelled Nick Pollard made a scoring debut at Raunds after arriving from Shepshed. He numbers Bedworth, Coalville and Kirby Muxloe among his previous clubs.
Town’s biggest name recruit is midfielder Stefan Oakes. The former Leicester City star has joined on a short term arrangement while he is back in the UK between stints coaching in the United States. He also had spells with Walsall, Notts County, Wycombe and Lincoln in the pro game.
Defenders Tom Williams, Nick Brett and Danny Hodgkinson are recent departures from the club along with front runner Kris Stevenson.
CHROMASPORT & TROPHIES UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE
NEWSLETTER NO. 273 JANUARY 2013 PAGE 6
Goddard joins Corinthians backroom staff
Rothwell Corinthians have added Shane Goddard to their coaching staff. He played for Raunds last season and has also signed on as a player at Sergeant’s Lawn.
Injuries have bitten deep into the Corinths squad in recent weeks and with goalkeeper Brad Wilson among the casualties defender or midfielder Tom Judge showed his versatility by filling in between the posts against Northampton Spencer. To cover the specialist position Corinths have now signed youngster Domenic Roggero from AFC Rushden & Diamonds.