Woods THE OFFICIAL NORTHWOOD MATCHDAY PROGRAMME 2017-18 MATCHDAY THE OFFICIAL NORTHWOOD versus BEDFORD TOWN Saturday 24th February 2018 Kick-off 3.00 pm EVO-STIKEVO-STIK LEAGUE LEAGUE SOUTH, SOUTH, EAST EAST Northwood FC UP Founded: 1926 FRONT Northwood Park, Chestnut Avenue, Northwood HA6 1HR VICE-CHAIRMAN & EDITOR Tel. 01923 617081 KEN GREEN elcome back to Northwood Park this afternoon, and we are pleased to see all Wour supporters new and old, and also extend our welcome all connected with Bedford Town FC; we trust they enjoy their stay with us Life President: Pat Byrne and have a safe journey home later. Chairman: Ian Barry Vice-Chairman: Ken Green Bedford are currently just above mid-table in the Club Secretary & Treasurer: Alan Evans current reckonings and no doubt have an eye on (Tel. 07960 744349) getting into the end-of-season play-offs, though 46 Webster Gardens, Ealing W5 5ND they are currently eight points adrift of the top six. Commercial Manager: David Mosely Which is considerably closer than where we find the Youth Officials: Lisa Bennett & Richard Elderfield very inconsistent Woods… Additional committee members: David Blincko, Shamira Hamirani, Despite having no less than five players ruled out Marc Harding, Sarah Wheeler through injury, we gave a dogged performance to Interim Manager: Jake Heracleous take a deserved point when the sides met at Bedford Physio: Dan Daggett back in October. The game ended goal-less, with both defences generally in command and there were few chances at either end, though Jermaine Osei had a couple of opportunities in the first period, and Evans Kouassi and Arash Abdollahi went close Matchday Programme: Ken Green after the break, but I think we were fairly happy with Photographs: James Brown the draw. Not so happy, though, with Tuesday evening’s point, when second-bottom club Barton Rovers held us CLUB HONOURS to a 1-1 draw here at Chestnut Avenue. There were two more debutants in the Northwood side, keeper Isthmian League Division One North champions: 2003 Ashley Harris appearing more than ten years after Isthmian League Division Two runners-up: 2000 his last Northwood appearance, with Isthmian League Division Three promotion: 1997 Isthmian League Cup winners: 2002 Ned Clarke coming into the attack. Evans Isthmian Charity Shield winners: 2002 Kouassi fired the Woods ahead on 37 minutes, but Isthmian Associate Members Trophy winners: 1993, 2000 we couldn’t hold onto the advantage and Rovers Middlesex Senior Cup winners: 2007, 2016 levelled in the 58th minute. Middlesex Senior Cup finalists: 2000, 2002, Middlesex Senior Cup semi-finalists: 1992, 1993, 1997, Thanks for your support here this afternoon; this 1999, 2006, 2008, 2010 really is appreciated by us all. Next Saturday, the Middlesex Senior Charity Cup finalists: 1994, 2003, 2005, 2012 Middlesex Intermediate Cup winners: 1979 Woods are on their travels with a Southern League Middlesex Junior Cup winners: 1938 trip to Aylesbury United, whilst we are back at Middlesex Junior Cup finalists: 1935, 1936 Chestnut Avenue on Tuesday week, 20th February, London Spartan League Premier Division champions: 1992 with a re-arranged game against a Barton Rovers London Spartan League Premier Division runners-up: 1990 outfit who have surprisingly struggled this season London Spartan League Cup winners: 1990, 1992 Hellenic League Division One champions: 1979 after reaching the play-off final last time around. Hellenic League Premier Division Cup finalists: 1982 Kick-off is at 7.45 p.m.; we hope to see you then! Hellenic League Division One Cup winners: 1979 Middlesex League Premier Division champions: 1978 Middlesex League Premier Division runners-up: 1972, 1977 Middlesex League Challenge Cup winners: 1975, 1977, 1978 Ken Harrow, Wembley & District League champions: 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1948, 1949 2 Northwood v Bedford Town CHAIRMAN IAN BARRY ood afternoon and welcome to recently. Harry was a massive football fan Chestnut Avenue for today’s Evo-Stik and player himself, recently transferring from GLeague fixture. We extend our Farnborough to Basingstoke. Our thoughts welcome to our visitors from Bedford Town and prayers are with Harry’s devastated family FC and trust you enjoy your short stay here. at this horrendous time. I’m not sure where to start when writing If anyone can help me on Wednesday by these notes, as I’m bang in the middle of an putting up some gazebos, please let me know extremely busy period for the club; our friends today if you can. We will do all we are able for from Bosch are here no less than four times in Harry’s family on Wednesday and in the future. just over a week, where we cater for and look after no less than 125 of their staff, with two The football needs to lift my mood, as that’s funeral receptions and a home game for both why I got involved here in the first place. Let’s us and London Tigers sandwiched in between. hope this happens today! No more excuses. When I decided to refurbish the club, I Enjoy the game. genuinely hadn’t anticipated the work I would Up the Woods! end up doing here; it’s quite relentless and leaves me little time to do anything else. Someone has to order stock, arrange staff, Ian arrange events through to the night itself, deal with sponsors etc., and so much more besides. I’ve asked countless times for help, to little “ Before you criticise, avail. Not sure how long this can continue in all honesty, so again I ask you all to have a think if you can help, as I’m tired. have you volunteered? “ I saw a sign at a club we visited earlier in the season with the words “before you criticise, have you volunteered? “ Next Wednesday, we are hosting a funeral reception for Harry Rice, who sadly passed away, aged 17, in a tragic incident in Hayes www.northwoodfc.com 3 CLUB MATTERS ALAN EVANS Minutes Silence Charley Barker is 19 and has just completed a several month with Isthmian Premier side There will be a minutes silence prior to this Wingate & Finchley and is a third-year scholar afternoon’s game in memory of the three young with the Orient, possessing a squad number boys who were killed when a car crashed into (32). He is joined by teammate Andrew Camilo- them in Hayes back on 26th January 2018 while Tayaca, an 18-year old defender who is a they were walking to a birthday party. The second-year scholar. Both have settled in well in youngsters were 16-year-olds George Wilkinson the last couple of games. and Josh McGuinness plus 17-year-old Harry Another youngster who has made a couple of substitute appearances recently is more home- grown. Femi Azeez is still only sixteen but has been impressing all season for our Under-18s and has not looked out of place, especially when he came on against Chalfont St. Peter. Defender Hamilton Bunga is 22 years old but has recently played for Thurrock, Kingstonian, Ware, Arlesey Town and Royston Town before joining the Woods. Another youngster, striker Ned Clarke signed on a month’s loan for the Rice. Harry was a youth footballer who had Woods earlier this week from Wingate & been with Farnborough and had recently Finchley where he has been a regular goalscorer transferred to join up with Basingstoke Town. for their Under-23 side. He has just had a similar His funeral takes place on Wednesday this week loan spell at Hanwell Town and is another and family and friends are meeting here @ 18-year-old. theWoods clubhouse afterwards. With Xavi Comas unavailable on Tuesday night, Player News we brought in our tenth goalkeeper of the season in 32-year-old Ashley Harris who was There has still been plenty of comings and playing for Haringey Borough earlier in the goings, keeping me busy with registrations and season, playing in their FA Trophy fixture against loan forms to both league and the FA in recent Leyton Orient. Ashley is not completely new to weeks. We have now registered no less than Northwood as he played the first three games of 77 different players this season and it’s hard to our 2007/08 season more than a decade ago. keep track of them all sometimes! Finally, we were delighted to secure the services However, a few new players have come into the of central defender Sam Tring on a month’s loan squad in the last few games. Two youngsters from Evo-Stik South Premier side Kings Langley have joined on Work Experience terms from and he has been particularly impressive in the National League side Leyton Orient. Midfielder last few matches. Sam is 20-years-old and had 4 Northwood v Bedford Town previously played for Luton Town Cedars before forwards up front (alongside the evergreen joining Kings Langley and has made over 30 Barry Hayles) have all made it into the quarter- appearances for the Hertfordshire club. finals They also have a third ex-Northwood player in their ranks in George Gould who Some players have also left the club. Goalkeeper appeared for the Woods in the Steve Hale era. Brendan Hazlett, who did really well for the Woods before going away for Christmas, has And they were joined by Spartan South re-joined Beaconsfield Town. Matt Nolan, who Midlands League side Leighton Town a week made one appearance in goal for our game later after they won their rescheduled fifth at Hayes & Yeading, has joined up with former round match 5-4 away at Wolverhampton boss Simon Lane at Egham Town while left-back Sporting, who had been the last remaining Step Romelle Alomenu has returned to Royston 6 club in the competition.