Saturday 17Th October 2020 at the Second Meadow Stadium Fairfield Road Biggleswade Beds SG18 0AA BUY TICKETS THROUGH SEATEDLY

Official Matchday Programme Season 2020 / 2021

Saturday 17th October 2020 at The Second Meadow Stadium Fairfield Road Biggleswade Beds SG18 0AA BUY TICKETS THROUGH SEATEDLY

SPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS LEAGUE : PREMIER DIVISION BIGGLESWADE UNITED v BROADFIELDS UNITED KICK OFF 3.00pm What’s Inside

❖Who’s Who at the Club ❖Welcome ❖Chairman’s View ❖Match Report: v. Leighton Town ❖The Squads Today ❖Current League Standings ❖Premier Results and Fixtures ❖First Team Forthcoming Fixtures ❖Under 23s Forthcoming Fixtures ❖Ladies’ Forthcoming Fixtures ❖First Team Results and Fixtures ❖Our Under 23s ❖Our Ladies ❖Action Shots from our Ladies Team ❖Next Up at Second Meadow ❖Our Sponsors ❖Our Club History ❖Broadfields United – The Story So Far ❖SSML Midweek Round-Up ❖Player Sponsorship ❖Meet the Players

@biggleswadeutd Biggleswadeunitedfc www.biggleswadeutd.com Who’s Who

Chairman: Guillem Balague Secretary: Tracey James Treasurer: Brent Wilks Head Coach: Cristian Colas-Beccera Head of Media: Arya Yuyutsu Head Of Youth: Matt Burgess Physiotherapy Bernat Puig-Valls Investor Relations: Simeon Dixon Fundraising and Commercial: William Glasswell Child Welfare Officer: Karen Burgess Fixtures Secretary Heather Rennie

Board Members: William Glasswell, Karen Burgess, Simeon Dixon, Karen Digweed, Petula Hunt, Matt Burgess

Under 23 Head Coach: Cameron Omar Ladies Team Head Coach: Dean Foster

Media Team: Pete Lockyer, Aritra Bose, Leon Waite, Josh Roberts-Law, Ryan Madden, Matt Burling, Jodie Molloy

Hospitality Team: Karen Digweed, Petula Hunt, Tracey James, Heather Rennie, Del Digweed, Darren Hunt.

Grounds and Facilities Team: Heather Rennie, Steve Grenfell, Sam Humphreys, Geoff Hancock, Tracey James, Bob Miles

COVID 19 Officer: Tracey James (07714 661827)

Programme Editor: Tracey James

@biggleswadeutd Biggleswadeunitedfc www.biggleswadeutd.com Welcome Welcome and Match Preview by Leon Waite

Welcome to Second Meadow. This afternoon we extend a warm welcome to our visitors, Broadfields United FC, and to our three match officials. We hope you enjoy your visit to Biggleswade United. In the absence of a midweek fixture for the first time in three weeks, United had a full week to celebrate, recover from and reflect on the exceptional win at Leighton Town last Saturday.

It was a performance of remarkable discipline and quality for a team comprised of largely the same players that were embarrassed by Eynesbury Rovers just 12 days beforehand.

There was a determined effort out of possession that frustrated a free-scoring Leighton side and the confidence on the ball grew as the prospect of securing an unlikely win became increasingly achievable - particularly in a 10-15 minute period during the second half.

And it culminated in the winning goal two minutes from time from Dave Parkinson, who netted the decisive strike for the third consecutive game, to stun the 300-strong crowd at Bell Close.

There will inevitably be setbacks over the course of the season but demonstrating an ability to secure a result at one of the toughest grounds in the division is a vindication of the methods employed by the coaching team and helps instil a resilience within the group that it is vital when matches don’t transpire as positively.

Our Visitors Today – Broadfields United FC The Fighting Cocks were promoted as runners-up to former landlords Harefield United in 2018- 19 and were averaging about a point per game as they sat 17th last term with a slight chance of falling into the bottom two if North Greenford United made use of their five games in hand.

However, Broadfields did end a torrid 13-game winless run in the league by triumphing at Baldock Town 3-1 in the final outing before lockdown so that could’ve sparked a rise into the safety of mid-table.

And they’ve enjoyed a solid start to this campaign with progression through the first rounds of the FA Cup and FA Vase respectively before exiting both those competitions in the subsequent round. Ryan Duffy’s men began with three games on the road in the league, beating Wembley 2-0 but losing narrowly to Eynesbury Rovers and Baldock. Fittingly they hosted their first league encounter at Tithe Farm - home of Rayners Lane FC - against their landlords of the previous six years and they saw off Harefield 1-0 on Tuesday night. United won both meetings between the two clubs comfortably last season, winning 4-1 at Second Meadow and 3-1 at Preston Park with Parkinson (2) and Charlie Clayton the scorers in the latter fixture.

@biggleswadeutd Biggleswadeunitedfc www.biggleswadeutd.com Chairman’s View Chairman: Guillem Balague

Running a football club on a shoestring budget and with the vital selfless dedication of a willing bunch of stalwart volunteers is a Herculean task at the best of times never mind during the current testing times we are all currently facing. We have never known it to be so My fear is that many clubs in our challenging or so stressful and we are tightly knit, footballing family won't almost certainly not alone. I'm sure actually make it over the bridge but that every single club is going we at least we are one of the 913 through the same trials and clubs fortunate enough to have tribulations as we are at the benefitted - in our case to the tune of moment. £4000 - from the £5.5m given to non- league football and distributed by the But it isn't all doom and gloom and Football Foundation. one good thing we can see about our present situation is the fact that we To say that we are grateful doesn't are all talking to each other, sharing even begin to describe our feelings problems, exchanging ideas. on receiving this money because it is impossible to over state just how We have been supported by the important life-saving injections of County FA from the outset and with cash such as this are to a club like every club in the same boat, the ours. spirit that has been generated between all the clubs is as heart warming as it is life-affirming and convinces me that when we do finally come out of this nightmare we will Continued overleaf do so stronger.

@biggleswadeutd Biggleswadeunitedfc www.biggleswadeutd.com Chairman’s View Continued

The grant money has enabled us to the taking of people's temperature, construct an extra facility outside making sure that people are socially that is functioning as a tea and distanced has been immense. snacks hut which helps to take the pressure of the clubhouse were the Their efforts are due testament to facility was previously housed. the love that the people feel for their On a busy night when it's cold clubs and their communities and outside people are going to want to merely saying thank you somehow come into the clubhouse and buy a doesn't seem to be remotely hot drink and some hot food, sufficient. something that would not have been Back to business and our first team possible under the current limitations will look to make it four wins on the on the movement of people and bounce when we welcome social distancing legislation in force. Broadfields United to Second Things like the bar, tea hut or burger Meadow (ko 3pm) while at the same van are often the difference between time our Under 23 side visit Wilstead. a a club being financially stable or Our ladies side got their season not. It's one thing for a club to get underway with a thoroughly people through the gates but you can entertaining 4-3 win over Hitchin effectively double your revenue with Belles and hope to continue in the these extra facilities and it is also for same vein when they visit Wootton many people part and parcel of the Blue Cross Lionesses tomorrow whole experience of going to watch a afternoon (ko 2pm). game. The pressure on our volunteers who now find themselves, in addition to their normal duties, having to manage things like track and trace,

@biggleswadeutd Biggleswadeunitedfc www.biggleswadeutd.com Leighton Town 0 Biggleswade United 1 Match Report from Leon Waite

United defied the odds to secure a memorable Mealing glanced wide at the back post and then victory at in-form Leighton Town as Dave Leslie was required again to deny a forward, Parkinson scored the decisive goal for the third who'd danced his way through the defence. game in succession. United's best opening in the half arrived when The visitors hadn't kept a clean sheet prior to Parkinson received a throw-in on the right and their trip to Bell Close but defended manfully shuffled into a position to find Charlie Clayton against their prolific hosts in a competitive (Pictured) in the box, who poked tamely into the encounter. keeper's gloves.

And the longer they remained in the contest, the The away side had shown their discipline out of belief that they could snatch a winner possession but needed to be more productive strengthened with Parkinson striking in the 88th with the ball after the break minute.

It was always going to be an arduous afternoon where the Reds would put United under sustained periods of pressure and that's how the majority of the first-half transpired.

Leighton move the ball into attacking areas rapidly and produce plenty of shots with Marcus Mealing's looping header just about prevented from crossing the line by goalkeeper Ollie Leslie.

Parkinson headed over at the other end and Dom Morgillo saw his low shot held as United offered some attacking threat despite largely being coerced into a defensive shape.

Man-of-the-Match Ethan Flanagan was set to turn out for the U23s on his return from injury but received a late call from manager Cristian Colas, who elected to deploy him in an unfamiliar defensive midfield role.

The natural centre-back adapted impressively to provide an important shield for the back-four yet was powerless United being carved open by a through pass that prompted Leslie to come out and block a shot from close-range. Continued overleaf

@biggleswadeutd Biggleswadeunitedfc www.biggleswadeutd.com Leighton Town 0 Biggleswade United 1 Continued from overleaf

Winning the ball high up, United punched it A quick counter-attack culminated in quick into Clayton in a decent position as he Parkinson being slid in to the left of the dragged the shot wide. penalty area and he impudently put it beyond the keeper to spark jubilant celebrations Then shortly after halftime, Leslie was forced among the travelling party. off with an injury meaning Taylor Haddow would be introduced into the goal with a Leighton continued to push and were vociferous Leighton crowd bellowing behind unfortunate to run into an impregnable it. Haddow, who made a remarkable instinctive save from a few yards out along with strong The teenager wasn't overwhelmed, however, hand to a fierce near-post effort. as he commanded his box impressively and pulled several stunning saves. Both he and United survived the onslaught to claim their third win in a week against perhaps He wasn't able to collect a cross lofted in from the best side in the division. the right, though, and the loose ball was hooked over to United's relief.

A superb touch on the run by Morgillo enabled him to slide in Parkinson for his near- post shot to be saved as Colas's men grew as an offensive force midway through the second period.

Morgillo was the creative hub again, driving down the right before clipping a cross to the back post for Parkinson to head over.

It was United's best spell but they couldn't find a goal and the Reds inevitably responded, almost scoring with a deep ball palmed away by Haddow before the resulting corner was cleared off the line by Flanagan.

Both teams longed for the ectsasty of a late- winner while fearing the demoralising impact of conceding and it was United who pounced with a couple minutes of normal time remaining.

@biggleswadeutd Biggleswadeunitedfc www.biggleswadeutd.com The Squads

BIGGLESWADE UNITED V BROADFIELDS UNITED GK OLLIE LESLIE GK NATALMOND LEWIS- ROBINSON GK TAYLOR HADDOW BILLIE BUSARI ROSS TAYLOR MATTHEW FOLEY MILO KEANE ANDREW HAREWOOD JORDAN JARROLD DOMINIC RHONE JORDAN WRIGHT © SHAWN RICHARDS ETHAN FLANAGAN BILLY SMITH GARETH HUNT JULIAN SMITH DOM MORGILLO KYLE WATSON DAVE PARKINSON RYAN WHARTON CHARLIE CLAYTON DENE GARDNER CHARLIE BLACK ANTHONY THOMAS JAIDEN IRISH STEVEN BENAVIDES CODI-LEE SPAVINS LIAM O’KEEFE TAYLOR RHINEY GEORGE HARLOW MAURICE ALI-HASSAN RHYS JEAN COACHING TEAM MANAGEMENT TEAM CRISTIAN COLAS LIAM BIRD MARK ROYAL OLI LESLIE BERNAT PUIG RYAN DUFFY DEL DIGWEED STEVEN HOARE TODAY’S MATCH OFFICIALS Mr M Ball. Mr W Northcott and Mr J Rant @biggleswadeutd Biggleswadeunitedfc www.biggleswadeutd.com Current League Standings

@biggleswadeutd Biggleswadeunitedfc www.biggleswadeutd.com SML Premier Division

@biggleswadeutd Biggleswadeunitedfc www.biggleswadeutd.com First Team Forthcoming Fixtures

Comp Date Day Opposition H / A Kick Off League 20th Tuesday LEVERSTOCK A 7.30pm October GREEN League 24th Saturday HAREFIELD A 3pm October UNITED League 27th Tuesday LONDON H 7.45pm October COLNEY League 31st Saturday WEMBLEY A 3pm October League 3rd Tuesday COLNEY H 7.45pm November HEATH League 7th Saturday EDGWARE H 3pm November TOWN League 10th Tuesday AYLESBURY A 7.30pm November VALE League 14th Saturday CRAWLEY A 3pm November GREEN League 18th Wed BALDOCK A 7.30pm November TOWN League 21st Saturday HARPENDEN H 3pm November TOWN League 28th Saturday OXHEY JETS H 3pm November League 1st Tuesday NEWPORT A 7.45pm December PAGNELL TN

@biggleswadeutd Biggleswadeunitedfc www.biggleswadeutd.com Under 23s Forthcoming Fixtures

Comp Date Day Opposition H / A Kick Off League 17th Saturday WILSTEAD A 2.30pm October League 24th Saturday CRAWLEY H 3.00pm October GREEN League 31 Saturday KEMPSTON A 2.30pm October TOWN League 7th Saturday SHEFFORD A 2.00pm November TOWN League 14th Saturday STEVINGTON H TBA November League 21 Saturday BEDFORD A 2pm November ALBION League 28 Saturday BIGGLESWADE H 3pm November FC

The Bedfordshire County Football League Premier Division

@biggleswadeutd Biggleswadeunitedfc www.biggleswadeutd.com Ladies Forthcoming Fixtures

Comp Date Day Opposition H / Kick Off A League 18th Sunday WOOTTON BLUE A 2pm October CROSS League 25th Sunday HOUGHTON H 2pm October ATHLETIC League 1st Sunday SHERRARDSWOOD A 2pm November League Sunday HITCHIN TOWN H 2pm 8th November League 15th Sunday LANGFORD A 2pm November League 22ND Sunday LETCHWORTH GC H 2pm November EAGLES League 29th Sunday ROYSTON TOWN A 2pm November

The Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Women’s Football League Division One

@biggleswadeutd Biggleswadeunitedfc www.biggleswadeutd.com First Team Results and Fixtures

@biggleswadeutd Biggleswadeunitedfc www.biggleswadeutd.com Our Under 23s

Our Under 23 team compete in the Bedfordshire County Football League Premier Division (Step 7). They are coached by Cameron Omar and Darren Hunt.

@biggleswadeutd Biggleswadeunitedfc www.biggleswadeutd.com Our Ladies

Our Ladies team compete in the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Women’s Football League and gained promotion to Division One last season. They are coached by Dean Foster and Bernat Puig- Valls

@biggleswadeutd Biggleswadeunitedfc www.biggleswadeutd.com Action shots from our Ladies match v Hitchin Belles

@biggleswadeutd Biggleswadeunitedfc www.biggleswadeutd.com Next up at Second Meadow

Saturday 24th October BEDFORDSHIRE COUNTY FOOTBALL LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION BIGGLESWADE UNITED U23 V CRAWLEY GREEN RES. KICK OFF 3pm

Sunday 25th October BEDFORDSHIRE AND HERTFORDSHIRE WOMEN’S FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION ONE BIGGLESWADE UNITED LADIES V HOUGHTON ATHLETIC LADIES KICK OFF 2pm

@biggleswadeutd Biggleswadeunitedfc www.biggleswadeutd.com @biggleswadeutd Biggleswadeunitedfc www.biggleswadeutd.com Our Sponsors

Biggleswade United are extremely grateful to all of the following companies who are sponsoring our adult and youth teams this season. Without your support our club would not be able to provide members of our community with the enjoyment and health benefits of playing football.

Flawless Landscapes Ltd

IVEL GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING

@biggleswadeutd Biggleswadeunitedfc www.biggleswadeutd.com Our Club 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.

@biggleswadeutd Biggleswadeunitedfc www.biggleswadeutd.com Our Club History from 2000

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. In the season 2019 2020 the club were sitting in a highly commendable third position in the Premier Division and under the management of Chris Devane and Trishan Patel were hoping for a promotion play off opportunity. However, in March 2020 the season was declared Null and Void by the FA after the devastating outbreak of the Coronavirus. The club were also to learn that Chris and Trishan had accepted the offer to work at Step 4 and departed the club at short notice. Fortunately the club were able to call upon the services of former Head Coach Cristian Colas and former assistant manager Mark Royal who will take over the first team reins for season 2020 2021 – whatever that may look like.

@biggleswadeutd Biggleswadeunitedfc www.biggleswadeutd.com Broadfields United – The Story So Far

The club was established in the Premier Division for the 1993, and joined the Southern 2010–11 season. Olympian League. They were Division Four champions in In 2011–12 Broadfields won the 1994–95, after which they joined Premier Division Cup, retaining it Division One of the Middlesex the following season. In 2014– County League. The following 15 they finished fourth in the season it was renamed the Premier Division, allowing the Senior Division, and Broadfields club to be promoted to Division were champions, earning One of the Spartan South promotion to the Premier Midlands League. The club were Division. Despite finishing bottom Division One runners-up of the Premier Division in 1998– in 2018–19, earning promotion to 99, they were not relegated. the Premier Division. However, in 2003–04 the club finished bottom of the Premier Division again and subsequently left the league. They returned in 2007, joining Division One West. Despite finishing second-from- bottom of the division, they were promoted to the Premier Division for the 2008–09 season. They withdrew from the league towards the end of the 2009–10 season, resulting in their record being expunged, but returned to

@biggleswadeutd Biggleswadeunitedfc www.biggleswadeutd.com Premier Division Midweek Round Up

Compiled by Karen Browne (SML Fixtures Secretary)

Table topping Colney Heath Dunstable Town went down to . dropped two points at home a solitary goal defeat at for the second time in three Arlesey Town. Elsewhere matches as visiting Oxhey Jets Crawley Green overcame bagged a very late equalizer. visiting Leverstock Green 4-2 Eynesbury Rovers moved into in the ‘Green Derby’ and second place thanks to an odd Potton United inflicted further goal in five win against visiting misery on struggling London Baldock Town. At the bottom Colney with a 3-1 win at the life continues to be hard on home of the Hertfordshire Tring Athletic, despite another club. The night’s other action encouraging performance the saw Edgware Town Hertfordshire club lost 1-3 at entertaining neighbours Leighton Town, the hosts Wembley in the ‘Lion Derby’ scoring twice in the last ten and as expected it was a tightly minutes to bag all three contested affair which finished points. Broadfields United all square at 2-2. Full results picked three useful points at and goal scorers are listed home when defeating their below. former landlords Harefield United by a solitary goal while

1-0 Arlesey Town v Dunstable Town (Gilmartin) Attendance: 68 1-0 Broadfields United v Harefield United (Richards) Attendance: 96 1-1 Colney Heath v Oxhey Jets (Devine) / (Brown) Attendance: 139 4-2 Crawley Green v Leverstock Green (Watson [2], Draycott [2]) / (Wilkes, Peerless) Attendance: 0 2-2 Edgware Town v Wembley (McGleish [2] [1 pen]) / (Fehmi-Gil, Jones) Attendance: 60 3-2 Eynesbury Rovers v Baldock Town (Josh Brown, Jordan Brown, Danobrega) / (Hay, Furness) Attendance: 97 3-1 Leighton Town v Tring Athletic (Calcutt [2], McClelland) / (Butler) Attendance: 288 1-3 London Colney v Potton United (Reynolds) / (Gouldbourne p2], McArdle) Attendance: 47

@biggleswadeutd Biggleswadeunitedfc www.biggleswadeutd.com Player Sponsorship