Woods THE OFFICIAL NORTHWOOD MATCHDAY PROGRAMME 2017-18 MATCHDAY THE OFFICIAL NORTHWOOD versus AFC DUNSTABLE Saturday 9th December 2017 Kick-off 3.00pm 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 AFC Dunstable; we trust they enjoy their stay with us and have a safe journey home later. Life President: Pat Byrne Last season’s meeting here was the final game of a Chairman: Ian Barry very disappointing season for the Woods, but it was Vice-Chairman: Ken Green a fixture that AFC Dunstable went into knowing Club Secretary & Treasurer: Alan Evans that only a victory would maintain their hopes of a (Tel. 07960 744349) play-off place in their first season at this level. Louis 46 Webster Gardens, Ealing W5 5ND Bircham – now in AFC Dunstable’s squad – fired Commercial Manager: David Mosely the Woods ahead on 38 minutes, before Dunstable Youth Officials: Lisa Bennett & Richard Elderfield levelled the scores midway through the second Additional committee members: period, and the game ended in a 1-1 draw. Results David Blincko, Shamira Hamirani, elsewhere meant that the visitors couldn’t have Marc Harding, Sarah Wheeler made the play-offs even had they won, but the Manager: Simon Lane shared spoils meant that it had been an incredible Assistant Manager: Rob Patwell sixteen matches since the last Northwood victory Coach: Jake Heracleous – which represents the worst ever run in the club’s Physio: Dan Daggett history. But, new season, new manager and new squad at Matchday Programme: Ken Green Chestnut Avenue has meant that there are a few Photographs: James Brown more smiling faces around the place these days. There has been a succession of injuries of late, but despite these, Simon Lane’s young charges have CLUB HONOURS chalked up two creditable away draws since the last home outing. Isthmian League Division One North champions: 2003 Isthmian League Division Two runners-up: 2000 A battling 3-3 draw at Thame United on Tuesday Isthmian League Division Three promotion: 1997 last week, which included the first two goals for Isthmian League Cup winners: 2002 the club for Wilson Chingoka, was followed last Isthmian Charity Shield winners: 2002 weekend with an extremely spirited performance at Isthmian Associate Members Trophy winners: 1993, 2000 Middlesex Senior Cup winners: 2007, 2016 third-placed Beaconsfield Town. The home side led Middlesex Senior Cup finalists: 2000, 2002, with two slightly fortuitous deflected goals, but the Middlesex Senior Cup semi-finalists: 1992, 1993, 1997, spirited Woods fought back well to level the scores 1999, 2006, 2008, 2010 before the break – and there were more first-time Middlesex Senior Charity Cup finalists: 1994, 2003, 2005, 2012 goalscorers in Tom Gilbey and Isaac Olurunfemi. Middlesex Intermediate Cup winners: 1979 Middlesex Junior Cup winners: 1938 Next Saturday we have a trip down to the Middlesex Junior Cup finalists: 1935, 1936 London Spartan League Premier Division champions: 1992 Portsmouth area for our first-ever visit to London Spartan League Premier Division runners-up: 1990 Moneyfields; the promoted side have had an London Spartan League Cup winners: 1990, 1992 excellent start to their first season at this level, and Hellenic League Division One champions: 1979 currently hold fourth place in the table. Hellenic League Premier Division Cup finalists: 1982 Hellenic League Division One Cup winners: 1979 And the Woods are back here at Chestnut Avenue Middlesex League Premier Division champions: 1978 on Saturday 23rd December with a visit from Hartley Middlesex League Premier Division runners-up: 1972, 1977 Middlesex League Challenge Cup winners: 1975, 1977, 1978 Wintney at the usual time of 3.00 p.m. – don’t Harrow, Wembley & District League champions: 1933, miss it!! Ken 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1948, 1949 2 Northwood v AFC Dunstable CHAIRMAN IAN BARRY ood afternoon and welcome to You’ll see our fantastic Grotto outside the Chestnut Avenue for today’s Evo-Stik building ready for the visit of Santa tomorrow GLeague fixture. We extend our from 2pm to 7pm. Please spread the word, as welcome to our visitors from AFC Dunstable he comes here seven times between now and and trust they enjoy their short stay here. Christmas. The money raised will go towards a great cause and I’ll announce this on 23rd Not having written about football for a short December, where we are having a few drinks while, I’ll start with us of course; a mixed and a chat before the big day. bag if I’m honest, with a few indifferent performances but culminating in a very good Enjoy the game today! showing at Beaconsfield last Saturday in a game I was disappointed not to win in the Up the Woods! end. As we enter the second half of the season, I’m looking for more consistency and a more settled side and I’m sure we will finish the season well, after a run of five games, starting today against teams all above us. These results Ian will dictate how we fare for the remainder of the season. Away from here, shocking revelations from former Premier League Referee Mark Battenburg have captured headlines this week; from a character who always sought the “ Santa comes here limelight. I was at the ‘Battle of the Bridge’ and can only say his performance (or lack of) was shocking! His failure to administer the laws seven times between of the game was a disgrace and he now says he didn’t send off three Spurs’ players as he didn’t want the headlines. Really? The spray now and Christmas ” tanned, wigged self-promoter is now earning £10k a week in Saudi Arabia, yes, the football hotbed of Saudi Arabia! His whole career is now brought into question. Hopefully, the authorities take legal action against him. www.northwoodfc.com 3 MANAGER SIMON LANE ood afternoon and To see a top side playing welcome to time out for a draw against a GNorthwood Park bunch of kids at home after for today’s visit of AFC being two goals up spoke Dunstable following a volumes about us. It marks couple of away games. good progress again, as I’m sure we could have folded if The squad has been that was a couple of months hampered recently with a ago. number of injury absences and as was always going to So today we face another be the case for us, this caused team which is riding high us massive challenges. in the Evo-Stik Southern League and having ith high The last two matches have expectations this season. This produced two really good is in the midst of a period of performances, both ending in extremely tough fixtures all draws despite our having to the way into the New Year. play with depleted teams. Let’s see how we go.... Away at Thame United with Enjoy the game! half the team unavailable we played some super football Up the Woods! at times and were the better side, despite our youth. This pleased me, as did our excellent draw at high flyers Beaconsfield Tow, where we Simon went two down in 12 minutes due to two deflected shots and then our young boys showed great character to come back, running the game and getting level. 4 Northwood v AFC Dunstable www.northwoodfc.com 5 WELCOME TO AFC DUNSTABLE FC Dunstable started life as Old run the FA Cup saw them get through three Dunstablians Football Club in 1981. The rounds eventually going out to Northwood Aname Old Dunstablians originated from after a replay. an organisation formed in 1888 for old boys from Dunstable Grammar School. The club After the team being managed by the most started in the Dunstable Alliance for a couple successful pair in the club’s history Alex Butler of seasons then moved onto the Luton District and Dermot Butler, they decided to step down and South Bedfordshire League in 1983. Success after 9 years at the helm half way through was limited with the 1st team runners up twice 2013-14. This left the team in disarray, which in Division One and runners up in the William saw many stalwarts of the team leave. The club Pease Cup. They did land the Bedfordshire Junior decided to appoint current manager Steve Cup beating Leighton Athletic on penalties in Heath and the club went on a re building 1989–90. exercise. The club were promoted to SSML Division 2014-15 saw the team secure third place in the One for 2009-10 season and finished a very SSMFL Premier Division as they challenged creditable 5th in its first season. History was for the title all season. They also equalled made in 2010-11, as the team was accepted to their best run in the FA Vase getting to the participate in the FA Vase. A fine run through to 3rd Round proper. 2015-16 was the season the 2nd Round Proper was achieved. Looking that the team broke all club records. Before to improve on the league position the previous clinching the SSMFL Premier Division title, they season, the team went all out for promotion progressed through 2 rounds of the FA Cup and finished runners up in the league and before finally going out to Ryman Premier gained promotion to the Premier Division at leaders at the time Leiston 1-0 in the 1st their 2nd attempt.