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Kayte Lane Bishops Cleeve Glos. GL52 3PD Tel; 01242 676166 Email; [email protected] Website; www.pitchero.com/clubs/bishopscleevefc Affiliated to; Gloucestershire County F.A. Members of The Hellenic League Cheltenham Football League Midland Floodlit Youth LeagueLeague

Chairman David Walker Cleeve Colts Managers Vice Chairman Hanif Tai U6 – Jim Wyatt – [email protected] Secretary – Nigel Green U7 – Liam Beames – [email protected] Board Members Hilary Green U8 – Marc Blackford U9 Colts – Kevin Debonis – [email protected] Jon Symonds U9 Rovers – Ian Fletcher – [email protected] U10 Colts – Darly Field – [email protected]

U10 Rovers – Stephen Dolman – Press Officer Matt Jones [email protected] U11 Colts – Andrew Hyatt – [email protected] First Team U11 Rovers – Paul Bignell – [email protected] Manager Stephen Cleal U12Colts – Tony Debonis – [email protected] Asst. Manager Matt Jeynes U12 Rovers – Jason Burge – [email protected] Coach Alex Lumsden U12 United – Louis Averiss – [email protected] Asst Coach Nicki Dubonnis U13 Colts – Andy Moss – [email protected] Physiotherapist Pat Cleal U14 United – Rich Gill – [email protected] U15 Colts – Becky Verhoest – [email protected]

“A” Team Girls Teams Manager James Trigg U10 Colts – Anjie Winter – [email protected] Match Secretary John Hunt U12 Colts – Rob Winter – [email protected]

U12 Rovers – Toby Harris – [email protected] Development Team U14 Colts – Dipak Karadia – [email protected] Manager Chris Gough U16 Colts – Chris Gough – [email protected] Asst. Manager Dan Pulley

Under 18 Youth Manager Richard Gill Asst Manager Jon Symonds Coach Derek Lightstone Physio

Good Evening and welcome to all players staff officials and supporters for Oldland Abbottonians FC for this county cup tie. We hope you enjoy your brief visit to Kayte lane.

This is the first of 3 cup home games we have and that is exciting but also brings its own challenges as we would rather be accumulating league points but that said it’s important to keep a winning habit / mentality.

Injuries are getting more and more so there will be a number of changes for tonight but we have a good squad here so we should be able to ensure we are still strong.

Saturdays win against Tuffley was pleasing as we didn’t play anywhere near what we are capable of so to pick up 3pts is massive.

It was also good to see Bates back on the score sheet in a Cleeve shirt and hopefully it’s the first of many.

Ben Tunnicliff was taken to hospital Saturday after suffering a nasty fall but early signs are that there is no bone damage so hopefully he won’t be out for too long.

Enjoy the game

Thank you Mitres fans for your continued support.

Enjoy the game

Soots

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BISHOPS CLEEVE FOOTBALL CLUB BRIEF HISTORY

Founded 1905 County Members Gloucestershire Football Association Southern League History 2006 – present day Hellenic League History 1983 – 2006 Principal honours 2011/12 & 2015/16 Glos. Senior Challenge Trophy Runners-Up ===== In their long history Bishops Cleeve have led a much more nomadic existence than many clubs, but have now been settled in the impressive Kayte Lane ground since 1997. For many years the club played on a ground in Stoke Road – with facilities rebuilt and reopened in 1971 by the then secretary of the Football Association, Ted Croker. The enforced move to Kayte Lane came about due to the old ground being sold by the landlord. The club enjoyed a brief period of success in the late 60s – gaining promotion from the Cheltenham League and winning four Championships in their six seasons in the Glos. Northern Senior League. After dropping back to the Cheltenham League, Cleeve gained promotion into the Hellenic League in 1983, quickly becoming a force in that division, finishing fourth in their first two seasons in Div. One. This great start was followed up with a third place finish, then winning the Championship and gaining promotion to the Premier Division at the fourth attempt, and winning the ‘double’ by adding the Glos. Amateur Cup. A fantastic achievement. The five seasons in the Premier Division proved to be a struggle for the Club, although the team followed up their Cup success by adding another trophy to their collection, winning the Premier Cup at the first attempt. The return to Division One proved the catalyst for a period of rebuilding, on and off the pitch. The Club needed to enter into a number of ground share agreements to preserve their League status – Forest Green Rovers, Moreton Town, Wollen Sports and Highworth all allowed us to use their grounds. This difficult period galvanised our club members, and the club was kept running by the dedicated efforts of a few stalwarts – notably Cheltenham Town legend, Dave Lewis, whose efforts were recognised by Carling Brewery, awarding him their ‘Clubman of the Year’ accolade (and a year’s supply of beer!) After approval for the Kayte Lane site was given in 1997, club members started the building of the clubhouse and changing rooms – using materials kindly donated by Smiths Aerospace (now GE Aviation) There followed a great transformation in the team’s fortunes, and they duly secured another promotion in 2001 back to the Hellenic Premier Division. In order to take this opportunity the club entered into another ground share at Evesham United! 2003 & 2004 proved to be a landmark period for the club – returning to ‘The Lane’ after the new Stand and floodlights were approved, achieving FA Charter Standard for Football in the Community, and the completion of the building and facilities. In 2006 the team gained promotion to the Sothern League, joining the Midland Division before being moved to the South & West Division a few seasons later, where the club currently reside. The club has enjoyed mixed fortunes in their Southern League time, generally enjoying mid-table security, with the highlight being season 2011/12 when the club finished with their best ever points haul (in a creditable 11th) and reached the Gloucestershire Senior Cup final, played at Bristol City’s Ashton Gate ground, where we unfortunately succumbed to a Bristol City side featuring two Full Welsh Internationals! With the departure of Alex Sykes to County rivals Shortwood United, the ex-Cheltenham Town professional John Brough took the helm but left towards the end of the season to join Cinderford Town.

2013/14 saw local lad Stephen Cleal take charge with Derek Lightstone, as his assistant, both had a long history with the club and they forged a close link with our Second and Third teams – as well a community tie to Bishops Cleeve Colts Youth section – the future of the club seemed much more secure on and off the field of play. After surviving relegation in their first season they put together a competitive team finishing 12th in the league and losing 1-0 to Forest Green Rovers in the County FA Senior Cup. 2016/17 saw another first for Steve winning the club’s first FA Trophy game. 2017/18 saw the arrival of Matt Jeynes to the management team another who had played for the club in recent years and they later joined by Alex Lumsden Unfortunately a number of players left the club and the season didn’t get off to a good start. The team did rally towards the latter part of the Season but were relegated after losing the last game. So after 12 years we now look for a speedy return to Step 4 of the NLS.

BBiisshhooppss CClleeeevvee FF..CC.. 22001188--1199 Lewis Clayton – Goalkeeper Former Cheltenham Town Scholar and local lad, signed for the Mitres this season having appeared last season on loan.

Sam Gilder – Goalkeeper Experienced ‘keeper whose previous clubs include Cinderford Town and Evesham United.

Ryan New – Defender Former Cheltenham Town scholar who appeared for North Leigh on loan last season. A local lad and a solid defender who can play in midfield.

Adam Mace – Defender “Macey” returns to the Club after a number of years away where he played a big part at Slimbridge AFC. Excellent set piece quality and an eye for goal.

Liam Wright – Defender Signed this season from Tuffley Rovers, the former Forest Green Rovers Academy player is a strong attacking full back with a few tricks to boot. Ben Tunnicliff – Defender “Tunni” signed midway through last season from Tuffley and proved a valuable asset in the Centre-back area. A tough tackling no nonsense defender Jordan Staten – Defender “Stats” is a former England Schoolboys International who remains with the Mitres despite relegation – an old head on young shoulder with the grit to match.

Harrison Iddles – Midfield “H” is now in his second season with the Mitres. Works like no other and has the ability to get around the park and dictate play.

Ashley Davies – Midfield “Ash” signed this season following spells at Shortwood United, Cinderford Town and Tuffley Rovers, an experienced hardworking midfielder who is good on the ball.

Lee Llewellyn – Midfield A neat and tidy footballer who was captain of Cheltenham Town’s Under 18’s , he spent a short time on loan down the Lane last season. Mike Ford – Midfield “Fordy” is now in his second season with the Mitres. A hard working midfielder who can read the game well. He can also play at full-back. Brad Martin – Attacker Proven goal scorer at this level and good all-round centre forward. Signed from Longlevens and has also appeared in the Southern League for Slimbridge

Ieuan Crowe – Attacker A strong, quick and powerful forward who joined the Mitres i 2016 and stayed with us despite interest from Southern League clubs.

Elliot Kennedy – Attacker A product of the Youth team Elliot is an energetic pacey winger who has quick feet and knows where the goal is.

Jack Watts – Attacker “Wattsy” is now in his 4th season the club, the quick winger will be looking to recapture his goal scoring form and fire the club to success this season. Ben Hailwood – Attacker A local lad who has pace to burn – former Cheltenham Town Scholar who is trying to kick start his career.

Oldland Abbottonians - History

2010 was Oldland's centenary Year after Bristol and District League handbooks of the 1920's revealed that the team was founded as St. Anne’s (Oldland) in 1910. St. Anne’s (Oldland) won the GFA Minor Cup at the end of the 1921/22 then lifted the 1925 GFA Junior Cup but had to wait until the 1950's for further success. Little is known about the club's fortunes between the wars but they became founder members of the Bristol Premier Combination in 1962 and were promoted to the Gloucester County League in 1973, remaining there for twelve seasons until being re-elected as Oldland Decora in 1986. The 1970's was a successful period for the club; the reserves were District League division 5 and 4 champions in two successive seasons (1975 and 1976) and the first team won the GFA Senior Amateur Cup in 1977. In 1995 the first team were relegated from the Gloucester County League but bounced straight back as Bristol Premier Combination champions the following year. ABBOTONIANS Pupils at Hanham Abbots school launched Abbotonians football club as juniors in 1947 and they enjoyed many league and cup successes in the early years, including Cup wins in 1961, 1966 and 1972. The club also won the GFA Intermediate Cup in 1962 and 1969 and the 1968 GFA Minor Cup. It also became the Bristol Churches League Under 16 league winners in 1959 and 1961 and Under 18 league winners in 1960. Whilst playing at Longwell Green, Abbots were guided by long serving and now sadly passed away secretary George Threader, manager Jeff Evans and chairman Bill Holloway, whose son Ian has enjoyed tremendous professional success as a player with Bristol Rovers, Wimbledon and QPR and is now a successful football league manager. OLDLAND ABBOTONIANS The two clubs merged in 1998, playing in the Somerset Senior League. The late Alan Bush was appointed chairman of the newly merged club. Oldland Abbotonians won the Somerset Senior League Division One in 2004/05, were Premier Division runners up in 2005/06 and eventually promoted to the Toolstation League in 2006/07. Derek Jones has remained with the club ever since and is now Chairman. Lee Gibbs had led the club into the League before passing over to ex-Arsenal, Bristol Rovers and Portsmouth player David Hillier at the start of the 2008/09 season; Hillier helped them become the first ever Division 1 side to win the Les Phillips (league) cup, securing 7th place in the league as well. Replacement manager Spencer Thomas and his squad managed to debut in the FA Cup and gain runners-up spot during the 2010/11 season but promotion was snatched away as the ground was not up to the League's strict regulations so he and most of the squad left for Longwell Green. A new management team of Paul Britton and Gary Brown arrived, planning permission was granted for floodlights and these were unveiled in November 2011. The pair stayed at Castle Road for two seasons and led the side to a 5th place finish in 2012/13, ending with a 19-game unbeaten run but they too left and took most of the squad, this time to local rivals Bitton. They were replaced by Nigel Lee but shortly before Christmas, Nigel left being replaced by Dale Dempsey. Having finished 4th and been assured that promotion was imminent at the end of 2015/16 Oldland were disappointingly not promoted and had to start again. 2016/17 was a pivotal year as although the football side disappointed, through fundraising and grants the club spent in excess of £70,000 on ground improvements including safety fencing, pitch maintenance equipment,a new stand and CCTV system and it is hoped that the dream of Premier Division status can now be achieved. In 2017/18 the team were led by former Southampton trainee and Bristol Rovers professional Scott Armstrong but he stood down for personal reasons in September 2018. Current manager Jon Toy is a former player with a wealth of experience at a higher level. The Reserves are managed by Wes Frith and from 2018/19 a newly formed adult third team, The Colts, plays in the Bristol & District League, managed by Sam Jones. The Under 18s are managed by Tony Podluzny. In total, the club now runs three adultsides, a ladies team and Under-18s plus following a merger in the summer of 2013 at youth level with Deerswood Youth FC, 13 junior sides from under-6’s to under-16’s training and playing under the club's valued FA Charter Status banner. PROFESSIONAL CONNECTIONS Oldland has often been described as a nursery for Bristol Rovers with Vic Lambden, Peter Sampson, Brian Bush and Mike Tippets all playing for the club before turning professional at Eastville. Former Rovers favourite Bobby Jones was one of many successful Oldland managers, a list which includes David Hillier. Abbots rose to heady heights under the leadership of Alan Bush in the 1980's with the help of former Rovers players Jeff Meacham, Steve Talboys (Wimbledon) plus Rovers favourites Graham Day, Peter Aitken and Phil Bater. Among other youngsters who left Abbots to play for Rovers were Stuart Taylor, Phil Kite and Kevin Westaway.

HOME AWAY OVERALL

POS P W D L F A W D L F A W D L F A GD PTS

1 Brackley Town Saints 19 6 1 1 22 9 8 1 2 24 13 14 2 3 46 22 24 44

2 Brimscombe & Thrupp 19 5 1 2 22 15 7 2 2 24 16 12 3 4 46 31 15 39

3 Ascot United 20 6 3 1 26 10 4 3 3 21 16 10 6 4 47 26 21 36

4 Royal Wootton Bassett Town 22 9 1 2 29 18 1 3 6 19 27 10 4 8 48 45 3 34

5 Wantage Town 15 6 1 1 25 11 3 2 2 12 8 9 3 3 37 19 18 30

6 Bishops Cleeve 16 4 2 2 17 13 5 1 2 21 9 9 3 4 38 22 16 30

7 Flackwell Heath 19 3 5 2 11 7 5 1 3 16 14 8 6 5 27 21 6 30

8 Lydney Town 19 6 3 4 18 20 2 1 3 14 17 8 4 7 32 37 -5 28

9 Holmer Green 21 7 1 4 23 18 1 1 7 2 24 8 2 11 25 42 -17 26

10 Windsor 16 3 1 1 13 7 4 2 5 19 18 7 3 6 32 25 7 24

11 Fairford Town 19 3 2 6 20 21 4 0 4 16 16 7 2 10 36 37 -1 23

12 Ardley United 20 5 0 4 20 19 2 2 7 18 29 7 2 11 38 48 -10 23

13 Virginia Water 18 2 2 3 11 12 3 4 4 14 18 5 6 7 25 30 -5 21

14 Reading City 16 3 0 3 13 14 4 0 6 21 27 7 0 9 34 41 -7 21

15 Binfield 13 4 0 3 13 11 2 2 2 11 10 6 2 5 24 21 3 20

16 Shrivenham 19 2 3 7 19 29 3 0 4 10 17 5 3 11 29 46 -17 18

17 Tuffley Rovers 18 1 2 5 15 19 2 2 6 12 23 3 4 11 27 42 -15 13

18 Abingdon United 17 0 1 7 8 21 3 2 4 11 17 3 3 11 19 38 -19 12

19 Longlevens 16 2 1 6 9 18 1 1 5 7 15 3 2 11 16 33 -17 11

Counting down: the joy and awe of small attendances

Forget statistics such as results and goalscorers, it is crowds that can provide fascinating context for matches, especially if they drop below the magical 1,000 22 November ~ The first football match I attended was Hereford United v Hartlepool United on Saturday March 21, 1987, aged 11. Hereford won 4-0. It was an afternoon of new experiences on many levels. I hadn’t previously witnessed so many people congregate in such a confined space. The attendance of 1,832 was modest even by Division Four standards of the day. But given my previous public outings had been limited to a few dozen shivering individuals at a firework display or midnight mass, it left an indelible mark. For reasons I’ve never truly understood, Edgar Street was the genesis of a fixation with attendance statistics. On the final day of the 1986-87 season, Burnley faced Leyton Orient in a game that would decide the former’s Football League status. I knew from meticulously scanning and recording the results section of the national press every week that the Clarets averaged around 3,000 at home. So, when 15,781 turned out at Turf Moor to see Burnley win 2-1, I was staggered by the deviation. Match reports focused on the former Division One champions avoiding relegation to the Conference. I was more interested in the numerical anomaly. Had Burnley been relegated, they would have faced the team I came to support, Kidderminster Harriers. League crowds at Aggborough in the 1987-88 season never dipped below 1,000, and for the next few years I took this arbitrary number to be a benchmark of stability. Occasionally it eclipsed the importance of the scoreline. Surreptitious phone calls to the eye-wateringly expensive Harriers ClubCall – essential when midweek travel to fixtures was impossible – ended in relief when the evening’s attendance was announced in four figures. Anything less would have left me with an impending sense of dread. Attendance figures became a staple of my football education. Particularly at the low end of the scale. When I learned Rochdale posted a crowd of just 588 for the Division Three visit of Cambridge United in February 1974, it generated an awe usually reserved for grainy photos of endless flat-capped rows on clinkered terraces. Part of this was no doubt down to upbringing. On a football club trip to watch Manchester United v Coventry City in 1989, I was left indifferent by the vast assembly inside Old Trafford. Witnessing a gate of this size was culturally detached. I grew up in a small market town and regularly watched non-League football in sparsely patronised grounds. Large vociferous gatherings had little relevance to my own life. By contrast, attendances in the Conference or Southern League, dutifully chronicled in the regional media and non-League directories, felt far more identifiable. I could comprehend and feel kinship with reports of a few hundred souls at Redditch United or Bilston Town in a way that 40,000 at Old Trafford would never allow me. Few things gave me greater pleasure in my formative football years than analysing lower-level crowds. The more inexplicable the better: if Bridgnorth Town had a twofold increase from their last home game, I’d spend many happy hours speculating why. Of course, had I known then what I know now, some of this indefatigable appeal may have been eroded. Football attendances have always been riddled with inaccuracy. Victorian and early Edwardian clubs typically counted turnstile receipts rather than clicks, leaving journalists to estimate the size of the crowd. Match reports in the first half of the 20th century would often feature wildly differing figures for the same game or be rounded to the nearest thousand. The situation is little better today. Last month, under a freedom of information act, the BBC revealed several Premier League sides significantly overstated attendances, publishing figures based on tickets sold, rather than those in the ground. And at non-League level, certainly from Step Three down, clubs are known to announce gates based on head count, estimate, or, as one official at a Step Five club told me, by simply making it up. Such duplicity has not affected the preoccupation with crowd numbers that has remained with me since childhood. Being deprived this all-important detail is like finding the last page torn out of a whodunit novel. Even now, when chatting to someone at a match, one of the first things I ask is “how many do you think are here?”. It’s a form of statistical Tourette’s. The only way to control it is watching a level of football so far down the pyramid that rather than comprise part of the attendance, I am the attendance. No need for questions then. Although I still record the figure for posterity. Mike Bayly

Sat 4th Aug Ascot United H 3.00 Tue 7th Aug Brimscombe & Thrupp A 7.45 Sat 11th Aug Stotfold H 3.00 FA Cup Extra Preliminary Tue 14th Aug Royal Wootton Bassett H 7.45 Sat 18th Aug Wantage Town A 3.00 Tue 21st Aug Brimscombe & Thrupp H 7.45 Sat 25th Aug North Greenford United H 3.00 FA Cup Preliminary Mon 27th Aug Longlevens AFC A 3.00 Sat 8th Sep Wantage Town H 3.00 FA Cup Tue 11th Sep Lydney Town H 7.45 Sat 15th Sep Bitton A 3.00 FA Vase Sat 22nd Sep Windsor H 3.00 Sat 29th Sep Brackley Town Saints H 3.00 Bluefin Challenge Cup Sat 6th Oct Binfield A 3.00 Tue 9th Oct Lydney Town A 7.45 GFA Challenge Trophy Sat 13th Oct Ardley United H 3.00 Sat 27th Oct Holmer Green A 3.00 Tue 30th Oct Lydney Town A 7.45 Sat 3rd Nov Virginia Water H 3.00 Sat 10th Nov Shrivenham A 3.00 Sat 17th Nov Fairford Town H 3.00 Tue 20th Nov Royal Wootton Bassett A 7.45 Sat 24th Nov Tuffley Rovers H 3.00 Tue 27th Nov Oldland Abbotonians H 7.45 GFA Challenge Trophy Sat 1st Dec Clanfield ‘85 H 3.00 Bluefin Challenge Cup Tue 4th Dec Lydney Town H 7.45 Perpetua Floodlit Cup Sat 8th Dec Brackley Town Saints H 3.00 Sat 15th Dec Ascot United A 3.00 Sat 22nd Dec Wantage Town H 3.00 Wed 26th Dec Longlevens AFC H 1.00 Sat 29th Dec Reading City A 3.00 Sat 12th Jan Abingdon United A 3.00 Sat 19th Jan Binfield H 3.00 Sat 26th Jan Ardley United A 3.00 Sat 2nd Feb Holmer Green H 3.00 Sat 9th Feb Virginia Water A 3.00 Sat 16th Feb Shrivenham H 3.00 Sat 23rd Feb Fairford Town A 3.00 Sat 2nd Mar Tuffley Rovers A 3.00 Sat 9th Mar Flackwell Heath H 3.00 Sat 16thMar Brackley Town Saints A 3.00 Sat 23rdMar Abingdon United H 3.00 Sat 30th Mar Windsor A 3.00 Sat 6th Apr Reading City H 3.00

BBiisshhooppss CClleeeevvee O Ollddllaanndd AAbbbboottoonniiaannss Lewis Clayton 1 Liam Wright 2 Adam Mace 3 Freddie Ward 4 Ryan New 5 Jordan Staten 6 Harrison Iddles 7 Mike Ford 8 Tom Hall 9 Brad Martin 10 Jack Watts 11 Luke Tripconey 12 Joe Bates 14 Ben Hailwood 15 Aaron Drake 16 17

Referee A. Berrow

Assistant Referee D. McMillan

Assistant Referee M. Davies