NORTH GREENFORD UNITED £1.50 A Warm Welcome where sold To Berkeley Fields BRIMSCOMBE & THRUPP 2020-21 Emirates FA Cup Extra-Preliminary Round Tuesday 1st September 2020 Kick off 7.45pm Match Sponsor Andrew Swanzy Offi cial Matchday Programme WELCOME TO BERKELEY FIELDS We extend a warm welcome to the players, offi cials and supporters of Brimscombe & Thrupp for this Emirates FA Cup Extra-Preliminary Round tie. We hope you enjoy a pleasant stay with us, along with the referee Ahmad Rafi que and his assistants Antony Cox and Michael Oakes plus our match sponsor And if we are successful we will be Andrew Swanzy and wish you all a safe entertaining Cinderford Town, a side in the journey home. heart of the Forest of Dean, not too far from the Welsh border. Does the FA think that North Greenford is a picturesque village in the Cotswolds? It With scenarios like this, I wonder about is usually assumed that the early rounds of whether those at the FA excelled at The Emirates FA Cup involve local matches. geography when they were at school. You And given the impact of Covid-19 you would may remember the few seasons, about 10 expect that this season. years ago when Gloucester City were in the Northern League and Worcester City were in This is not the reality though as far as North the Southern League. Greenford United is concerned. Last season we were handed a tie at Tuffl ey Rovers, which Correct me if I am wrong when I have the readers from our opponents Brimscombe travelled on the M5, Gloucester is more & Thrupp, will know is a Gloucester side. southerly. It certainly was when I lived there, After a replay, we had another trip, this time when I was on the sports desk for The to Cirencester Town and in recent years we Citizen and Pink Un. So yes, I am aware of have had to go to Bishop’s Cleeve for an Brimscombe and Thrupp especially when we early-round tie. had to do pre-season pieces for that brilliant Saturday evening sports paper,which ceased And the pattern continues despite the in 2004, and round-ups of the weekend pandemic where generally it has been advised results. to have local games where possible. This has been the case in cricket where they At the time, around the turn of the century, suspended the County Championship and Brimscombe & Thrupp, if my memory replaced it with the Bob Willis Trophy with the serves me well, were in the Gloucestershire basis being three local groups. Northern Senior League. What progress they have made since then to be one of the For North Greenford, we seem to be still in high-fl yers in the Hellenic Premier Division. the group that includes Gloucestershire clubs Congratulations on your success. and as a result we are entertaining a club from the Cotswolds – Brimscombe & Thrupp. Graham White 2019-20 North Greenford United v Brimscombe & Thrupp 3 NORTH GREENFORD UNITED FC BERKELEY FIELDS, BERKELEY AVENUE GREENFORD, MIDDLESEX, UB6 0NX TEL: 020 8422 8923 www.pitchero.com/clubs/northgreenfordunitedfc Patron: Marc Todd First XI Managers: Colin Jones President: John Bivens First XI Assistants: Chairman: John Bivens Paul Mills, Gary Brown Vice Chairman: Richard Rooney Under-18s Manager Dino Pashias Treasurer: Barbara Bivens Under-18s Assistants: General Secretary: Richard Rooney Mark Warwick, John Webb, Andy Martin Football Secretary: Barbara Bivens Club Coach: Chris Paladino Assistant Football Secretaries: Club Physio: Barbara Bivens Pat Hillier, Andy Martin Welfare and Safety Offi cers: Programme Editor: Graham White Barbara Bivens, Richard Rooney Website: Darren Barden Commercial and Development Offi cers: Groundsman: Steve Goldfi nch Barbara Bivens, Richard Rooney NORTH GREENFORD UNITED IS A MEMBERS CLUB RUN BY AN ELECTED COMMITTEE Affi liated to: The Middlesex Football Association Members of: The Spartan South Midlands Football League and The Allied Counties Youth League SPONSOR OPPORTUNITIES AT NORTH GREENFORD UNITED We are looking for sponsorship partners for North Greenford United play in The Spartan our club for the forthcoming season. South Midlands League Premier Division. Options can include: Pitch Perimeter Boards or Banners They regularly compete against local teams giving you increased advertising exposure in Web Site Advertising local communities. Match Day Sponsorship For more information contact Barbara Bivens Football Shirt Number Sponsorship on 07915 661580 or email barbarabivens@ talktalk.net WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT 4 North Greenford United v Brimscombe & Thrupp PREVIEW OF THE BLUES BIG GAME Welcome to this evening’s Emirates FA Cup Extra-Preliminary Round match against Brimscombe & Thrupp. We extend a warm welcome to our visitors, to the Lilywhites manager Sam Prior, his management team and players, along with the club’s committee members and supporters, and hope you all have a safe journey home after the game. Brimscombe & Thrupp are currently members of the uhlsports Hellenic League Premier Division. At the end of the 2018-19 season the club came agonisingly close to gaining promotion to Step Four, fi nishing runners-up to Wantage Town after the team’s best ever league performance. They did not perform as well last season, lying in 17th position on 27 points after COLIN JONES playing 24 games when the Covid-19 The game against Uxbridge was one of seven lockdown in March led to both the Hellenic pre-season friendlies arranged by Colin – an and the Spartan Leagues taking the decision impressive programme in the circumstances to declare the season null and void. which, like the well-organised training We were in an even worse position at that sessions that preceded it, were run strictly point in time, even though we had managed according to the various FA Covid-19 guidance to lift ourselves off the foot of the table documents. following an excellent unbeaten run in which The games, with wins against Wollaston, the team chalked up 17 out of a possible 24 Southall, British Airways, Pitshanger and points to take us above London Colney. Brentham, and defeats by AFC Hayes and Unfortunately, that run came to an end Uxbridge, ensured the players were suitably following a disappointing second half prepared for the forthcoming competitive performance at Potton United in what, as it games, which begin tonight against happened, was to be the last game we would Brimscombe and Thrupp. play that season. It was particularly pleasing to see how many One benefi t of the Lockdown, though, was it of last season’s fi rst team regulars have did mean the club were able to avoid having returned to the club. Nine of those named on to play 16 games in six weeks with 12 of page six on the most used Blues players list, those at home. have again been selected for this evening’s squad. It also provided time for some signifi cant drainage work – within the bounds of the Let’s hope they can perform to their potential then social distancing requirements – to be in what will inevitably be a tough, competitive carried out of the pitch. Paul, Gary, Mac and contest. Our opponents will be equally as Dino, along with several of the youth team determined to start their new campaign with players, did an absolutely magnifi cent job, a win, particularly as this is a cup tie for tested following a very heavy downpour prior which there is so much at stake. to the evening pre-season friendly against COYB!! Uxbridge, a test the pitch passed with fl ying colours! Pat Hillier THIS PAGE IS SPONSORED BY STEVE GOLDFINCH North Greenford United v Brimscombe & Thrupp 5 MEET THE MOST USED UNITED BLUES 2019-20 30 - GEORGIE BROWN (Midfi elder): A talented 21 - ANDREW MANITOU (Midfi elder): An ex-NGU Under-18s midfi elder who re-signed for experienced midfi elder who played for NGU the club in July 2019. under Steve Ringrose and returned to the club in 28 - CONOR MOLYNEAUX (Forward): An December 2018 having played for Edgware Town. experienced and versatile forward who joined He signed again for the Blues in July 2019. NGU from Delaford Colts towards the end of last 18 - RIDWAN EUBA (Defender): Left-sided season and re-signed for the club in July 2019. defender who signed for NGU in October 2017. 27 - TOM WARD (Defender): An experienced and 16 - DANIEL CLIFTON (Midfi elder): A strong versatile defender who signed for NGU in July and versatile midfi elder who signed for NGU in 2018 having played for Broadfi elds the previous July 2019 and whose previous club was Harefi eld season. He signed again for the First Team in July United. 2019. 16 - JAMES BARNETT (Forward): A promising 26 - SAM HOUSE (Goalkeeper): Experienced young striker who was a regular in NGU’s Under keeper who signed for NGU in July 2019 and 18s side. He signed for the fi rst team in August whose previous club was AFC Hayes. 2019. 23 - JOE MILLS (Midfi elder): A talented young 16 - MARK WEBB (Midfi elder): A hard-working central midfi elder who was a regular in last and versatile central midfi elder who was a regular season’s successful Under-18s side. He signed in last season’s successful Under-18s side. He for the fi rst team in July 2019. signed for the fi rst team in July 2019. 22 - SAM MOLYNEAUX (Midfi elder): An 13 - RYAN KIRWAN (Defender): Talented and experienced and versatile midfi elder who joined pacey young full-back who signed for NGU in NGU from Delaford Colts towards the end of last August 2019. season and re-signed for the club in July 2019.