OFFICIAL MATCH PROGRAMME Friday 27th December 2019 Spartan South Midlands League – Premier Division BIGGLESWADE UNITED v POTTON UNITED What’s Inside

• Welcome • The Chairman’s View – Guillem Balague • (published Friday 20th December) • The Players • Highlights from our recent games • Current League Standings • Premier Division Fixtures • First Team Results and Fixture Dates • Biggleswade United Under 23 • Biggleswade United Ladies FC • Next Up at Second Meadow • Our Club History • First Team Appearances and Goals • Our Forthcoming Fixtures • Our Under 23s Forthcoming Fixtures • Venue For Hire

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 POTTON UNITED 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 2019 is nearly over and United will hope they can end a year of tremendous progress and evolution with a victory but just getting a game on would be a start. Saturday’s trip to Eynesbury Rovers was the latest match to be postponed amid the wintry weather, meaning it will be nearly three weeks since the last time the team took the field should Friday night’s local derby proceed as planned. While there has been nothing to report on the pitch, the departure of top scorer Lorrell Smith this week has provided a significant story off it. The pacey frontman’s 17 goals have helped earn him a move to National League North outfit Brackley Town and Smith was quick to praise the level of training he’s received since arriving at the club in the summer. A great example of the type of opportunities hard work and quality coaching can yield for a player - even if he will be sorely missed.

Our Visitors Tonight – Potton United FC Potton United were promoted from the United Counties League Division One in 2017/18 and subsequently transferred to the SSML Premier Division where they finished 7th.

They currently sit 15th in the table but are unbeaten in five in the league having drawn four consecutive games before winning 1-0 at Crawley Green. Add a 5-1 triumph over Eynesbury Rovers in the Premier Division Cup and their most recent outing on December 10, a 4-3 success over Step 4 Barton Rovers, and they’re undefeated in seven across all competitions.

Ahead of their trip to United, it is worth noting The Royals have been far more effective on the road with 4 wins from 9 games compared a single win from ten at The Hollow. United won both meetings between the sides last term and the pair actually met twice the season before in the FA Cup with Potton prevailing 2-1 in a replay at Second Meadow after a 0-0 draw in the initial tie.

The Chairman’s View

Chairman Guillem Balague – published Friday 20th December

When it comes to commenting on the as is the fairness of the fees that we are contributions made to local football in the being charged so eight sides of differing area by our local council and governing ages can train on them. On behalf of bodies, it's fair to say that in the past I everyone at the club, many thanks. haven't always been particularly complimentary. Grateful thanks also to the enormous help of the Bedfordshire FA Football That said, the financial constraints they Development Manager, James Petty who are compelled to work under means they has given us invaluable advice and face the thankless task of trying to please assistance with regards to who we need everyone, something we understand to contact, what boxes we need to tick perfectly well, precisely because the and what path we need to negotiate in paucity of funds we live with means we order that we can strive to secure the also struggle to function on a day to day maximum funding that we can for our basis. club.

The lack of money is a serious enough The current weather conditions are truly problem but it is currently being dreadful. Last weekend's game at high- compounded by the elements that have flying Colney Heath was called off, as was recently conspired, not just to lead to the our game at Harefield United, scheduled postponement of matches, but also to for last Tuesday night. Our Bedfordshire disrupt training for all of our sides. Senior Cup game against neighbours Biggleswade Town also fell foul of the It is for that reason that we are weather and we have been unable to play inordinately grateful to the powers that a game, home or away, since December 7. be at Biggleswade Town Council, and in particular to, Works Manager, Bob Catchpole for the help and support he and the council have given us by allowing us to train on the municipal facilities in the town at the Stratton Way and Eagle Farm Road playing fields.

The sterling efforts they have made to Continued overleaf keep the facilities in as tip-top a condition as the elements allow - especially considering the swamp-like deluge the whole country seems to be currently enduring - is a tribute to them,

The Players.. BIGGLESWADE UNITED TV With thanks to Chris Thomas – our intrepid cameraman To watch the highlights from our recent games click on the links below.

Leighton Town v Biggleswade United

Biggleswade United v Leverstock Green

Harpenden Town v Biggleswade United

Biggleswade United v Dunstable Town.

Biggleswade United v Harpenden Town

Biggleswade United v Berkhamsted (friendly)

Biggleswade United v Wembley

Our Current League Standing Premier Division Results and Fixtures First Team Results and Fixtures Biggleswade United Under 23 Bedfordshire County League – Premier Division Biggleswade United Ladies Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Women’s League – Division 3

Pictured above: Biggleswade United Ladies FC with mascots from Biggleswade United Under10s Girls

Next Up At Second Meadow

SATURDAY 4TH JANUARY 2020 BEDFORDSHIRE COUNTY LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION BIGGLESWADE UNITED U23 V CRANFIELD UNITED

TH SATURDAY 11 JANUARY 2020 SPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION

BIGGLESWADE UNITED V NEWPORT PAGNELL TOWN KICK OFF 3pm

Our 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- 2019 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. The club start the 2019-2020 season with a completely overhauled squad and have brought in experienced coach Chris Devane. Chris will be assisted by Trishnan Patel and Spanish Conditioning Coach, Bernat Puig-Vall. The club has certainly come a long way in relatively few years but we could not have done it without the help of a very supportive Town and District Council who clearly understand the benefits of having a community based club in Biggleswade. Our success is also very much down to a very hard working committee who throughout the year - not just the football season - continue to volunteer their time and commitment to the club, to help it continue to thrive and be a source of enjoyment for our supporters and the Biggleswade community.

Our First Team Forthcoming Fixtures

Day Date Comp. Opposition H/A KO

FRIDAY 27th League Potton United H 7.45pm December

Saturday 4th January League Crawley Green A 3pm

Tuesday 7th January Prem Div Newport Pagnell A 7.45pm Cup Town

Saturday 11th League Newport Pagnell H 3pm January Town

Saturday 18th League Broadfields A 3pm January United

Tuesday 21st January Beds Biggleswade Town H 7.45pm Senior Cup

Saturday 25th League North Greenford H 3pm January United Our Under 23s Forthcoming Fixtures

Day Date Comp. Opposition H/A KO

Saturday 4th January League CRANFIELD H TBC UNITED

Saturday 11TH League AFC OAKLEY A 3pm January Biggleswade United FC Clubhouse is available to hire for every occasion – Birthdays*, Children’s parties, wedding parties, christenings, naming ceremonies and lots more…

The clubhouse can accommodate up to 100.

Hire charges are from £25 to £100.

For more information contact Petula Hunt on 07779 411579

* We are unable to accommodate 18th birthday parties