THE CITIZENS POST WCFC v Cirencester Town FC Saturday 6th October 2018 The Emirates FA Challenge Cup Third Qualifying Round Winchester City Football Club is a committee run members club and as such is an unincorporated association. THE CITIZENS POST FROM THE BOARDROOM Good Afternoon All, Welcome to the Simplyhealth City Ground for today’s Emirates FA Challenge Cup Third Qualifying Round fixture between Winchester City FC and Cirencester Town FC. We would like to welcome the players, officials and supporters that have made the journey from Cirencester and we hope you enjoy your afternoon with us. In the event of today’s game being a draw, it will go to a replay, which will then take place at Cirencester on Tuesday 9nd October. Tuesday was a difficult day for everyone associated with WCFC. We received the devastating news in the morning that our Life Vice President, Terry Bone, sadly passed away. Terry has been involved in the club in various capacities as well as being a dedicated supporter and he was a friendly face as well as a knowledgeable and supportive friend to us all. The club also sadly lost another one of its loyal followers, Tina Elkins, on Saturday 22nd September. Another who gave so much to the club and will never be forgotten. The club held a minute’s silence for Tina before the FA Trophy game on Tuesday night and we will be doing the same for Terry prior to today’s game. Tuesday night was, understandably so, a difficult night for all at the Simplyhealth City Ground. The club rallied round and the players gave their all on the pitch but unfortunately after a 3-3 draw after extra-time, we bowed out of the FA Trophy on penalties to Slimbridge. Slimbridge battled hard in both games, after of course grabbing a last-minute equaliser in the original tie, and will be tough opponents for Melksham Town in the next round. The winners of today’s FA Cup, will of course benefit financially, but equally they will then be in the Fourth Qualifying Round, a stage where the National League sides enter, so there is a lot at stake for both sides this afternoon. Following today, if the game is NOT drawn, we will entertain Hartley Wintney here in the Hampshire Senior Cup on Tuesday night, and just 24-hours later, the Under 18s will also host Hartley Wintney in the Midweek Floodlit Cup, so another exciting week is ahead of us. Thanks, all for your support. Let’s do Terry proud today! #youcitizens THE CITIZENS POST DAVO’S DIARY Good afternoon and a very warm welcome to Cirencester for today’s FA cup 3rd qualifying round match. There is no doubt that this is a huge game for both clubs and is sure to be an exciting game! I wish them a pleasant afternoon and safe trip home. When the draw came out, I have to say I wasn’t sure what to make of it...it’s a real 50/50 game playing against a much-fancied side in our league and they also have a good away record so even the Home advantage doesn’t necessarily mean an awful lot! However, the closer I have got the more exciting it is and we have a genuine chance of progressing. If we had drawn a ‘glamour’ tie it would have been great but realistically it’s unlikely we would win but both us and Cirencester will be one of the few step 4 sides definitely in the 4th qualifying round and that’s a fact, so what a prize is at stake! In terms of result, we desperately needed to get through a round or two for financial reason and so now we have, there is no pressure and anything else is all a bonus for us and I just want the lads to go out and enjoy the occasion and seize the opportunity as it doesn’t come around that often! Midweek was a disappointment, we had that tie in our grasps until a last-minute equaliser on Saturday and then again on Tuesday. We led 3 times and missed some massive chances to kill the game and were pegged back only to lose on penalties, very disappointing but one of those games that in the end they just seemed destined to win through. We will assess what went wrong and move on quickly and what better way than a massive game like this one! Player news, we are in a much better place than recent weeks with several close to a return and we will be able to field a full squad in the next couple of weeks so that’s all very positive. Finally, I just want to go on record to say how sad we all are at the loss of Tina Elkins who was a fantastic supporter for us and was even at our last round victory at Merthyr before sadly passing away. Then tragically just a week later we lose our very own Mr Winchester, Terry Bone. The outpouring of emotions from the football world just shows what respect everyone had for him and he was much loved by all at the club and it’s such a sad situation to have lost both him and Tina in such quick succession. We will continue to wear that badge with pride in their honour and let’s hope we can do something extra special for them this season. Enjoy the game and give us your loudest possible support, we will need it! Up the Citizens! Davo THE CITIZENS POST TODAY’S VISITORS – CIRENCESTER TOWN FC CLUB HISTORY Cirencester Town FC was formed in 1889 and played amateur football in the Cirencester & District League, Cheltenham League and eventually the Gloucestershire Northern Senior League. In the late ‘60s Cirencester joined the Gloucester County League, moving from there up to the Hellenic League in 1969. During that time, they had their first national cup run, reaching the 2nd round proper of the FA Amateur Cup. They won their first major piece of silverware, taking the Hellenic First Division Championship in 1973-74 to reach the Premier Division. Following a subsequent relegation, the modern phase of development was slowly established, with their Smithsfield ground being improved. Runners up to Cinderford Town in ‘90-’91 put the club back in the Hellenic Premier, and they also picked up the Hellenic League First Division Challenge Cup for the first time as well as the Gloucestershire Senior Amateur Cup (North). Premier Division Runners up ’91 – 92 behind Shortwood United in the Premier Division, they also lost 2-1 to Shortwood United in the GFA Challenge Trophy Final, but bagged that season’s Arthur Shipway Cup. Season 1995-96 was the start of the new era. In partnership with Cirencester College, the club began the groundbreaking Football Academy programme. Developing rapidly, first under Dave Hockaday and when he moved as Youth Team Manager to Watford FC, followed by Steve Lowndes, the Academy have been National College Champions in ’97 and in ’98, five times winners of the English Schools FA U19 Colleges Cup since 1998, and British Colleges Trophy Champions 4 times since ’97. The youngsters have regularly reached the latter stages of the FA Youth Cup as the last remaining non-league club in that competition and in 2008-09 reached the third-round proper before losing to Sunderland at the Stadium of Light. The success of the Academy has had the knock-on effect of providing CTFC with new blood and developing talent. Off field, a long planning process led to the development of the Community Club phase led by Chairman Steve Abbley and implemented over 3 years by Business Manager Anna Kocherhan. In summer 2002 Brian Hughes succeeded Ray Baverstock as manager. At the same time the club, having invested the proceeds of the sale of Smithsfield in the Corinium Stadium at Kingshill, moved into their new faciltity and renamed as “The Centurions”. This development was followed in November 2004 by the opening of The Arena, a state of the art full size indoor training facility. We have now been awarded the FA’s “Charter Standard Community Club” status and this summer we received the 2006 Gloucestershire FA Award for “Charter Standard Community Club of the Year”, which was presented to Steve Abbley by Sir Geoff Hurst. The Junior section of the club, with its philosophy of “football for all” and which has in the region of 300 members, is of vital importance to the club and with a thriving Ladies team in addition to the Men’s first team, the club really does provide a valuable service to the local community. With the Arena hosting approximately 70 teams in its 5-a- side and 6-a-side football leagues, and the Club being a thriving private and corporate event venue, the future of the Club is assured. In 2003-04, Cirencester Town battled hard with Champions Redditch United and runners up Gloucester City to finish third in the Western Division and joined the newly restructured Southern Football League Premier Division, where, in their first season, they finished seventh, only one point away from the Play Off places. In May 2006, after four highly successful years and having raised expectations at the club, Brian Hughes resigned as First Team Manager to be replaced by Neil Hards. Neil had taken a year out of football after his achievements at Winchester City where they gained “back to back” promotions and won the FA Vase in 2004.