THE CITIZENS POST WCFC v Thatcham Town FC Tuesday 21st August 2018 Evo-Stik League South Division One South Winchester City Football Club is a committee run members club and as such is an unincorporated association. THE CITIZENS POST FROM THE BOARDROOM Good Evening all and welcome to the Simplyhealth City Ground for our first home league game of the 2018- 19 season, against Thatcham Town. The Kingfishers are still riding on the crest of a wave following last seasons’ league success, not to mention the FA Vase. It is great to welcome back to the Simplyhealth City Ground, Danny Robinson, Matt Benham, Andy Jenkinson, Michael Miller and Matt Scott this evening too. It has been a successful summer on the pitch with victories against Cove, Kidlington, Eastleigh, Dorchester Town and Hungerford Town. There were also creditable draws with Weymouth and Salisbury, not to mention winning the Dave Jose Memorial Trophy away at Bashley on penalties. Off the pitch, there have been several new additions to the committee, we welcome to the committee: Jo Brocksom Ryan Andress Allan Higgs Ken Raisbeck Liam Difford Thank-you to all Members and Season Ticket Holders that have renewed for this 2018-19 campaign, your support is very much appreciated! New sponsors Shorewood Homes and Holiday Inn Winchester are on board for the new season, with others set to follow. It is an exciting time to be a Citizen and we thank-you for your continued support. Thanks to all the supporters that made the journey to Mangotsfield United to support the boys on Saturday. It was a difficult game but a fantastic three points to start the season with. Our leader, Craig Davis, of course missed the game due to illness (Davo was in fact in Hospital) and this was the first game he has EVER missed. He is on the mend now though, get well soon Craig! Enjoy the game tonight and see you all back here on Saturday when we welcome Bournemouth Poppies to the Simplyhealth City Ground in the FA Cup! Up the Citizens! Matt Richbell, Club Secretary. THE CITIZENS POST DAVO’S DIARY Good evening and a warm welcome to everyone back for a new season at the Simplyhealth stadium. We are delighted to welcome Thatcham Town in their return to Southern league football, they have certainly earned the right to be here winning a tight Hellenic league and winning the vase, genuinely delighted for Danny Robinson for his success which is well deserved. I go back with both Danny and his assistant Andy Darnton a long way and I am good friends with them, so it will be good to have a battle with them tonight, we know it will be a tough game, but we look forward to it. I wish all their players, supporters and officials a pleasant stay with us and a safe trip home. It has been a long preseason, extended by a week due to the FA cup needing sides from step 4 to enter, this meant they moved the official league start date back a week, this happened just as we were starting back so it felt a long time, I have to say though that the efforts the boys (and my staff) have put in has been massive! We have assembled a group of lads who want to work for each other and the 6/7 weeks of preparation has been great, some excellent results but more importantly good performances with us working on so many different situations that can arise in a game, so pleased to have a group of lads like it, we know that in reality not a lot is expected of us compared to a lot of other clubs, however there is so many aspects of football that finances is not an excuse for, effort, preparation, attitude, spirit to name a few and it’s what we will be using to bridge that gap. I am pleased with what we have, and we will see how far we can go. Saturday was a very good day, forgetting anything that I had to deal with, I am so proud of the lads, they followed the game plan and battled and battled for a brilliant 2-1 away win with Oli and Tyrell getting the goals, well done to the rest of my staff for rallying around and putting the plans into operation! You get out of something what effort you put in!! Well done boys. Finally, on a player note, we are without Rob Carr for a while due to his long honeymoon, also Liam Gilbert is still injured although on his way back! Matt Andrews, I have dual registered short term to Fleetlands to get some games and he has scored 3 in 2 games and won both their games after losing their first 3, he has made a massive impact there so well done Matty! Also, Callum Kitcher has dual registered with Bemerton in order to gain some experience, look forward to him being back again soon. Look forward to the game tonight and hearing everyone roar us on, we are ready for a really tough test and let’s hope for a positive result! Up the Citizens!! Davo THE CITIZENS POST TODAY’S VISITORS – THATCHAM TOWN FC CLUB HISTORY Thatcham Town Football Club was founded in 1894. The club were originally known as Thatcham, with ‘Town’ added to its name in 1974. In the early years Thatcham played at The Marsh on Dunston Green, Brownsfield (home of the Cricket Club), Station Road, and in 1949 moved to Lancaster Close. In January 1983 a friendly was played against Fulham FC to commemorate the switching on of new floodlights. To provide improved facilities the club moved to Waterside Park in 1992/93. The club joined the Reading Temperance League in 1896, winning the Division Two title in 1905/06. In 1953 Thatcham became founder members of the Hellenic League and won promotion to the Premier Division as Division One champions in 1958/59, 1964/65 and 1972/73. The club then won the Hellenic Premier Division title in 1974/75. Following spells in the Athenian and London Spartan Leagues, the club joined the newly formed Wessex League in 1986 and won the title in 1995/96. After finishing second in 2005/06, ground requirements were met earning promotion to step four. The Kingfishers spent eight seasons in the Southern League Division One – seven in the South & West Division and one (2012/13) in the Central. After sixth-placed finishes in 2006/07 and 2008/09, the club achieved its highest ever position in 2010/11. Despite being in the bottom half of the table at Christmas, the club earned 38 points from the final 15 matches to finish in fifth, however Thatcham were beaten at Sholing in the play-off semi-final. Once safety was assured in 2013/14, the club resigned from the Southern League to cut costs by playing at a lower level. Town finished twelfth in their first campaign back in the Hellenic Premier, and finished second and fourth the next two seasons. However, in 2017/18 the club embarked on an incredible 40 game unbeaten run which saw them overtake long-time leaders Highworth Town and eventually pip Bracknell Town to the title on goal difference. In 1989 Thatcham reached the last eight of the FA Vase, and in the same competition a record attendance of 1,400 was set when Aldershot Town won 1-0 at Waterside Park in 1993/94. However, in 2017/18, Thatcham went all the way and rounded off a magnificent season by lifting the trophy at Wembley Stadium! A fifth-round win against Bromsgrove Sporting brought realisation the club could be on the verge of something special, then over 2,200 attended the quarter-final victory at Melksham Town as cup fever swept the town. Thatcham defeated 1874 Northwich 1-0 and 3-2 in the two-legged semi-final and took over 5,000 fans to Wembley as Stockton Town were beaten 1-0 in the final. The club’s 2017/18 trophies: the Hellenic League Premier Division Shield & the FA Vase 1996/97 saw Thatcham’s best FA Cup run as they reached the Fourth Qualifying Round, but the club are yet to progress beyond the Second Qualifying Round of the FA Trophy. Thatcham completed the Hellenic league and cup double, by lifting the Hellenic First Division Cup in 1972/73 and the Premier Division Cup in 1974/75. Also, in 2017/18 the club reached both league cup finals, only to lose to Bracknell in the Challenge Cup and Binfield in the Floodlit Cup. Meanwhile during the 1990s Thatcham won the Wessex League Cup on four occasions, completing the double in 1995/96. In 1974/75 the club lost the final of the Berks & Bucks Senior Cup but were awarded the trophy following a dispute between Wycombe Wanderers and the Berks & Bucks FA. Following Thatcham Town’s best ever season, the club are hungry for further success and will play in the Southern League Division 1 South during 2018/19. Meanwhile a Development Team will play in the Hellenic League D2 East to help bridge the gap between the Youth and First teams. THE CITIZENS POST TODAY’S VISITORS – THATCHAM TOWN FC PLAYER PROFILES CHRIS RACKLEY (GK) – Played every minute of last season’s Hellenic League campaign and kept a clean sheet in the FA Vase final win at Wembley. GARETH THOMAS (DEF) – Former player-manager with over 250 appearances under his belt for Town.