ASHFORD TOWN (MIDDLESEX) FOOTBALL CLUB The Bostik League—Senior South Central Division Saturday 11th August 2018—KO 3PM Ashford Town (Mx) v Hertford Town FC Todays Matchday Sponsors The Greyhound Kew Green Welcome to the Robert Parker Stadium OFFICIAL MATCHDAY PROGRAMME Season 2018/2019 - For all the latest club news, visit our website at www.ashfordtownmiddlesexfc.com Ashford Town (Middlesex) Football Club Limited The Robert Parker Stadium, Short Lane, Stanwell, Middlesex, TW19 7BH Tel: 01784 245908. W: www.ashfordtownmiddlesexfc.com E: [email protected] Members of the Southern, Suburban, Isthmian Youth and Greater London Women’s Football Leagues. Affiliated to Middlesex & Surrey FA’s. Company Registration Number: 07904731 Company Limited By Guarantee Club Directory Nick Bailey, Dan Butler, Alan Constable, Paul Blair, Steve Clark, Geoff Directors Knock, Robert Parker Patrons Mr Ray Dorset, Mr Russell Grant - The Lord of Ashford (Middlesex) President Mr Bob Parker Life Members Mr Alan Constable, Mr Bob Parker, Mr Steve Clark Vice-President Ms. Lynne Morgan, Mr Gareth Coates, Mr Bob Lewis. Chairman Mr Nick Bailey & Mr Alan Constable [email protected] Vice-Chairmen Mr Nick Bailey General Secretary Mr Alan Constable [email protected] Football Secretary Mr Paul Blair [email protected] Finance Director Mr Steve Clark Programme Editor Mr Graham Felce Press Secretary Mr Larry Mansell [email protected] Groundsmen Mr Liam Balmer & Mr Steve Honey Membership Secretary Mr Chris Canderton Webmaster Mr Gareth Coates [email protected] Safety Officer Mr Liam Balmer Welfare Officer Mrs Emma Bailey [email protected] Football Development Officer Mr Ben Murray Mr Daryl Watson, Mr Jamie Brunton, Mr Graham Felce, Mr John Gully Mr Club General Committee Roger King, Miss S Cooley, 1st Team Manager Mr Ben Murray Assistant Manager Mr Mark Green Goalkeeper Coach Mr Steve Honey Physiotherapist Mr Martin O’Connell Kit Manager Mr Chad Beadle Ladies Team Manager Mr Will Boye Youth Team Manager Club Photographer Mr Steve McCarthy @ashfordtownmx @ashfordmiddxlfc @ashfordtnythfc . 2 For all the latest club news, visit our website at www.ashfordtownmiddlesexfc.com Good Afternoon everyone and very warm welcome back to Short Lane at the start of a new season. Our first duty is to welcome everyone connected with Hertford Town FC, who visit us for the first time since October 2004, when we met in the 2nd Qualifying Round of the FA Cup. We managed to come out on top that day, winning 3-1, our goals coming from Anthony Eggington, Steve Battams and Andy Frost. That took us through to a 3rd Qualifying Round match away to Aylesbury, where we pulled off a major shock at the time, winning 1-0. It wasn’t so rosy in the 4th Qualifying Round as we lost 0-4 at Hayes, who then travelled to Wrexham in the 1st Round Proper. We have also only met our visitors in one previous season in the League and that was in our very first season in the Isthmian League, 2000-2001 when we drew at home one apiece and won away 3-0. Last season Hertford finished in 15th place in Division One North of the Bostik League As we return for our third stretch in the Isthmian (Bostik) League, it will be inter- esting to compare life with that in the Southern League. We attended a pre- season meeting last Sunday at Aveley’s new ground and frankly it was quite daunting with all the rules and regulations laid down to us. One area where we mustn’t fall down is to incur cards for dissent as there will be scathing punish- ments it seems if any club receives too many. On the other hand, there are to be some rich, or fairly rich, rewards for those clubs that finish at or near the top of the “dissent” league and we have already said that if we were to do well in that respect, the money will go to the players as a reward. It would seem also that we will receive frequent visits from league officials which certainly didn’t happen in the Southern League Continued over page . 3 For all the latest club news, visit our website at www.ashfordtownmiddlesexfc.com Pre-season has been problematic this summer, starting firstly with the sad and unexpected loss of our Chairman Dave Baker. We knew he was ill but he had seemed to be doing so well and then suddenly it was all over. Hopeful- ly we will still see plenty of Carmel and Dave’s extended family as they all bought in to the Ashford way. It also means an end to Dave’s sumptuous boardroom cooking after matches which will certainly be missed by many of our visitors. On the field, as supporters will know, various of our stalwarts have moved on in the summer, mostly to try their luck at Step 3 and we wish all of them the best and thank them for their valuable service, some over a number of seasons. It has meant that manager Ben Murray has been busy recruiting replacements and the 2-0 win over Farnborough on Monday suggests that they are starting to gel rather well. We welcome all our new players and wish them a happy stay with us. Ben has not wanted to talk too much about them partly as we didn’t want to see them whisked away before they had even started but you will soon get to know them. The pitch has been a problem as this area has seen virtually no rain all summer. The lads have done their best with it and it certainly looked better on Monday but it is not yet back to its sumptuous best. Once again we are running our “Boost the Budget” scheme. If any of our supporters are willing to donate a small sum to the club every month it can be of huge assistance. Please see any member of the committee if you may be able to help in this way. Our League Cup draw sees us drawn at home to Hayes & Yeading and that will be our first cup match on Tuesday 21 August. Our next league match is next Saturday when we travel to old rivals Chipstead and finally, in the Southern Combination Challenge Cup we have been drawn at home to Chessington & Hook United, date tba. Enjoy the Game, Alan, . 4 For all the latest club news, visit our website at www.ashfordtownmiddlesexfc.com . 5 For all the latest club news, visit our website at www.ashfordtownmiddlesexfc.com Hertford Town FC The club was established in 1901 as Port Vale Rov- ers, but were soon renamed Hertford Football Club to gain recognition as the town's main club.Following a merger with Hertford United, the club was renamed Hertford Town. After absorbing two more clubs – Blue Cross and Horns – in 1908, the club joined the Eastern Division of the Hertfordshire Senior County League for the 1908–09 season, which saw them finish as runners-up. League reorganisation in 1909 saw Hertford placed in the Central Division. They finished bottom of the division in its first season, before they were moved back into the Eastern Division in 1910.[5] The club was also playing in the East Herts League, which they won in 1912–13. The following season saw the club retain the East Herts League title and finish second in the Eastern Division of the Hert- fordshire Senior County League. After switching to the Middlesex League for the 1920–21 season, the club joined Division One of the Spartan League in 1921.Following league reorganisation in 1928, Hertford were placed in Division One East, with an eleventh-place finish seeing them moved to Division One the following season when a Premier Division was created. In 1938–39 Hertford were Division One runners-up and promoted to the Premier Division. However, the following season was abandoned due to World War II and when the league restarted in 1945, Hertford were placed in the Central Division, finishing bottom of the table in the 1945–46 season.Despite their poor performance, the club were placed in the Premier Division the following season, but went on to finish bottom of the table again. The club lost the use of its ground in 1947 and left the league for a season before returning to the Spartan League in 1948, when they were placed in Division One East.After winning the division in 1949–50, they were promoted back to the Premier Division in 1950 and were runners-up in 1955–56 and 1956–57. In 1959 Hertford transferred to the Delphian League and were runners-up in their first season.They went on to win back-to-back league titles in 1960–61 and 1961–62. The 1962–63 season was abandoned due to bad weather, but Hert- ford won both the League Cup and the Eastern Section of the emergency com- petition, going on to lose the title decider to Western Section Champi- ons Edmonton 5–2 on aggregate. 6 For all the latest club news, visit our website at www.ashfordtownmiddlesexfc.com . They also won the East Anglian Cup by beating Boston United 1–0 in the final, a match played at home in front of a 3,000 crowd. When the Delphian League was disbanded at the end of the season, Hertford joined the new Division Two of the Athenian League alongside most of the other former Delphian League clubs. A fourth-place finish in 1963–64 was enough to earn promotion to Divi- sion One at the first attempt and the club went on to win the league's Memorial Shield in 1967–68.