OFFICIAL MATCH PROGRAMME Tuesday 3rd March 2020 North Beds Charity Cup – Semi Final BIGGLESWADE UNITED v BARTON ROVERS What’s Inside
• Welcome • The Chairman’s View – Guillem Balague • (published Friday 28th February 2020) • The Players • Match Report v Harefield United • Highlights from our recent games • Current Premier Division Standings • Current Southern League Standings • Premier Division Results and Fixtures • First Team Results and Fixture Dates • Biggleswade United Under 23 • Biggleswade United Ladies FC • Next Up at Second Meadow • Latest addition to the Biggleswade United Wall of Fame – Jordan Henderson • Our Club History • Barton Rovers FC – The History • First Team Appearances and Goals • Our First Team Forthcoming Fixtures • Our Under 23 Forthcoming Fixtures • Venue For Hire
Welcome Welcome to Second Meadow Good evening and welcome to Second Meadow for tonight’s North Beds Charity Cup Semi Final tie. We extend a warm welcome to the players, officials and supporters of our visitors BARTON ROVERS 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
No fixtures in the SSML Premier Division survived the weather at the weekend with the Second Meadow pitch taking enough of a battering to declare it unplayable 24 hours before it was set to stage a local derby against Arlesey Town.
So United have had a full week to recover from their resounding 4-0 win at Harefield United last week where manager Chris Devane had already rotated his squad somewhat with four changes to his previous lineup.
And all four players made an impact with Mahmut Caglar assisting Alie Bangura for one of his two goals and Mason Wilson-Rhiney and Mulik Rickman also getting on the scoresheet.
That’s the level of depth needed as the season approaches its climax with plenty of important games to come in the league and a North Beds Charity Cup semi-final against Barton Rovers midweek.
Our Visitors Today – Barton Rovers FC The Rovers play in the Southern League Division One Central - a step above United - where they finished 16th last term but are faring better this year as they sit 8th.
They had lost four consecutive league games with all of them coming away from home - including defeats at the last two SSML champions Biggleswade FC and Welwyn Garden City respectively.
But Tony Fontenelle’s men have rallied since then to win their last three matches, beating St Neots Town and Didcot Town at home before ending their poor run on the road with a remarkable 6-4 success at Yaxley that puts them five points off the play- offs.
The latter result sums up this team, whose goalscoring record (63) is only bettered by the top two in the division yet only the bottom three have conceded more (54). United have visited Sharpenhoe Road in each of the past two seasons, winning 2-0 in the North Beds Charity Cup in 2017/18 before losing 3-1 in the semi-final of the Beds Senior Cup last year.
The Chairman’s View
Chairman Guillem Balague
I never fail to be amazed at the passion The break was so bad that he would have and genuine affection that the best to spend months in a plaster cast from footballers in the world have for the lower ankle to hip while his parents came to league sides such as my beloved terms with the fact that there was a very Biggleswade United. strong chance that from that day on their son would spend the rest of his life But it was only recently when I had the walking with a limp. privilege of interviewing the legend that is David Villa, who with 59 goals in 98 internationals is by a country mile Spain's When he was finally allowed out of bed highest ever goalscorer that I finally months later, he still faced months in completely understood why this is so. plaster. When his father returned from a long shift at the pit the young David And it's because players like David Villa would hop into the small yard at their understand totally what every youngster house, where, until nightfall, his Dad and those closest to them have to go would roll the ball to him and David through simply because it is a journey would pass it back with his weaker left they themselves have made. foot.
They understand that it is a journey that By the time he was five years old David is about courage, commitment, Villa was as strong on his left foot as he determination, and the love and support was on his right. He would say later: "That of those closest to you and dealing with ability started because of my father adversity and remembering, as someone sacrificing his time to roll the ball over once said that "rejection is nothing more and over again to my left foot when I was than a necessary step in the pursuit of four years old. As much pain as I was in, success." his back was probably in more agony after a long day in the mine. But he never David Villa ("El Guaje" - The Kid) was complained." brought up in a family, short of money but full of love, the son of a miner in Tuilla, a small mining village in Asturias in "From that day on, my father was always Northern Spain. From the moment he by my side watching whenever I played. I could walk, football became his overriding have never been alone on a football passions and then aged just four, his tiny pitch." world came crashing down when while playing football one of the older boys landed on him shattering his right femur. Continued overleaf
The Chairman’s View
Continued It was just the first step along a rocky road But what we do promise is that we, along to greatness. Rejected by Real Oviedo, with the help and support of those closest one of the region's top sides, because to you, will do everything we possibly can they thought he was too small, he came to make you the best you can be both as a close to quitting football to pursue a player and a person. career as an electrician but with backing of his family opted to give it one more try. And if you can make it to the top of the He promised his mother that it he hadn't tree it will be because you were never made the grade as a footballer within the willing to give up, never give it less than nest two years he would resume his your best, never frightened to fail. As ice electrician's apprenticeship. hockey's Wayne 'The Great One' Gretzky once wisely remarked, "You miss 100 per Two years later his parents were among cent of the shots you don't take." 16,000 fans in the stands at El Molinon when he made my professional debut for Back to business, and today we welcome Sporting Gijón. Arlesey Town to Second Meadow before higher league ranked, Barton Rovers visit "My mother cried that day," he would us for the semi-finals of the North Beds later say. " We had no idea that in 10 Charity Cup on Tuesday night (ko years, I would be raising the World Cup 7.45pm). trophy for the first time in Spain’s history. (My father cried that day). The only thing we knew then was that my electrician career was on hold."
The rest of course is history with 440 goals in 865 games for club and country in a professional career spanning the whole of the 21st century.
Here at Biggleswade United we are not looking to discover the David Villa's of this world and would never pretend to any youngsters that merely by joining our club you are going to become like him, a world class player. You almost certainly won't.
Pictured: David Villa signing a Biggleswade United shirt
The Players.. Harefield United 0 Biggleswade United 4 Report from Leon Waite United recorded an emphatic win on the road as they dismantled Harefield They remained defensively secure, United on Tuesday night, repeating the however, until the 26th minute when result they achieved at Preston Park on Jack Thomas tripped Harefield’s Lenny their last visit there in 2015. Farhall and the striker stepped up to take the resulting penalty, only to be The visitors knew victory would close denied by Josh Mollison diving to his the gap on 2nd-place Tring Athletic to right to palm it clear. three points but they were unconvincing in the first half as Farhall was frustrated by Mollison once Harefield, who missed a penalty, were more as United looked stretched with unfortunate to go in behind after Alie an unusually high number of turnovers Bangura’s strike. in midfield.
United accelerated through the gears Harefield failed to take advantage of in the second period, though, as their best spell in the match and were Bangura made it three goals in his punished seven minutes before the opening two matches for the club break when Dave Parkinson’s cut-back before Mason Wilson-Rhiney and rebounded off the goalkeeper then the Mulik Rickman both netted for the first defender and finally presented itself to time to complete the scoring. Bangura to tap home.
The night began well as the away side The visitors preserved their lead to the appeared sharp with manager Chris interval but knew a similar Devane making four changes from performance in the second half may Saturday’s 3-1 win over Edgware Town not be enough to secure the three and one of those newcomers, Mason points. Wilson-Rhiney, shot straight at the goalkeeper in the opening minutes.
Ten minutes passed and United were largely camped in their opponent’s half but the momentum gradually began to shift in The Hares’ favour as the visitors’ build-up became increasingly Continued overleaf disjointed.
Harefield United 0 Biggleswade United 4 Continued They emerged from the tunnel And 77 minutes in, they gave the reinvigorated and nearly doubled their scoreline a bit more gloss when advantage when Mahmut Caglar’s Parkinson’s phenomenal pressing saw whipped corner to the back post found him steal the ball high up and he Charlie Briggs, who saw his effort advanced into the penalty area before headed off the line. sliding it across for Rickman (pictured) to finish. Caglar tried again and this time the delivery picked out an unmarked Charlie Clayton, fresh from FA Sunday Bangura for a simple header into the Cup hat-trick at the weekend, came off net in the 48th minute. the bench and almost added a fifth after meeting Spavins’s cross from the A Harefield supporter remarked he right as his shot was saved impressively hadn’t even returned from the by the keeper. clubhouse by the time his side were effectively out of the contest as two Victory had long been sealed, though minutes later a loose kick by the as United ensured they took advantage goalkeeper found Codi-Lee Spavins and of their game in hand on Tring in the he put Wilson-Rhiney through to slot in battle for promotion and Arlesey Town the third goal. are next up at Second Meadow on Saturday, KO 3pm. The hosts regrouped and set about reducing the deficit with Mollison needed again to pull off a typically marvellous save to tip a close-range shot over the bar.
United drifted a bit and began conceding a number of needless fouls in their own half but retained an attacking threat throughout.
BIGGLESWADE UNITED TV Click on a link below to watch the highlights of our recent games With thanks to Chris Thomas – our intrepid cameraman
Harefield United v Biggleswade United
Biggleswade United v Colney Heath
Biggleswade United v Stotfold
Dunstable Town v Biggleswade United
Biggleswade United v North Greenford United
Biggleswade United v Biggleswade Town
Broadfields United v Biggleswade United
Biggleswade United v Newport Pagnell Town
Newport Pagnell Town v Biggleswade United
Crawley Green v Biggleswade United
Biggleswade United v Potton United
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
Our Current League Standing Barton Rovers’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 7th March 2020 BEDFORDSHIRE COUNTY LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION BIGGLESWADE UNITED V AFC KEMPSTON TOWN KICK OFF 2.30pm
Saturday 14TH March 2020 SPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS LEAGUE
PREMIER DIVISION
BIGGLESWADE UNITED V HAREFIELD UNITED KICK OFF 3pm
Wall Of Fame: Jordan Henderson
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.
BARTON ROVERS FC – The History
The club was established in 1898, and played in village football until World War II.[2] After the war the club joined the Luton & District League for the 1946–47 season,[2] where they played until joining Division Two of the South Midlands League in 1954.[3] They won Division Two at the first attempt, earning promotion to Division One. The following season saw them finish as runners-up in Division One, resulting in promotion to the Premier Division.[3] In 1962–63 the club finished bottom of the division and were relegated back to Division One. However, they returned to the Premier Division two seasons later after winning the Division One title in 1964–65.[3] This saw the start of a decade-long spell of success for Barton Rovers; their first five seasons back in the Premier Division saw them finish third on four occasions and runners-up once. They then went on to win three successive titles between 1970–71 and 1972–73, and after a third-place finish in 1973– 74, they won five consecutive titles.[3] The club also saw success in the FA Vase; in 1975–76 they reached the quarter-finals, and the following season saw them reach the semi-finals, where they lost 3–1 to Sheffield. They went one better in 1977–78, reaching the final, where they lost 2–1 to Blue Star.[3] Barton Rovers moved up to Division Two of the Isthmian League in 1979. The 1980–81 season saw them reach the first round of the FA Cup for the first time, eventually losing 2–0 at Torquay United. The following season they reached the semi-finals of the FA Vase again, losing 2–1 to Rainworth Miners Welfare.[3] League restructuring saw the club moved into Division Two North in 1984, before Division Two was restored in 1991. After finishing as runners-up in 1994–95, Barton were promoted to Division One, where they remained until finishing bottom of the division in 2000–01. After returning to Division Two, league restructuring saw them placed in Division One North in 2002, before they were transferred to the Eastern Division of the Southern League in 2004. More restructuring saw them join Division One Midlands in 2006 and Division One Central in 2010.[3] In 2014– 15 the club finished fifth, qualifying for the promotion play-offs. However, after beating Royston Town 5–4 on penalties in the semi-finals following a 0– 0 draw, they lost 2–0 to Bedworth United in the final.[3] The 2016–17 season saw the club finish third; in the subsequent play-offs they beat Marlow 2–0 in the semi-finals before losing 2–0 to Farnborough in the final.
Our First Team Forthcoming Fixtures
Day Date Comp. Opposition H/A KO
Saturday 7th March League Baldock Town A 3pm
Tuesday 10th March League Eynesbury A 7.45pm Rovers
Saturday 14th March League Harefield United H 3pm
Tuesday 17th March League Arlesey Town H 7.45pm
Tuesday 24th March League Colney Heath A 7.45pm
Saturday 28th March League Oxhey Jets H 3pm
Saturday 4th April League Tring Athletic A 3pm
Tuesday 7th April League Arlesey Town A 7.45pm Our Under23 Forthcoming Fixtures
Day Date Comp. Opposition H/A KO
Saturday 7th March League AFC Kempston H 2.30pm Town
Saturday 21st March League Riseley Sports H 2.30pm
Saturday 28th March League Flitwick Town A 2.30pm
Saturday 4th April League Biggleswade A 2.30pm FC
Saturday 18th April League Wilstead H 2.30pm
Wed 29th April League AFC Kempston A 6pm Town 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