VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE SOUTH PROMOTION FINAL WEYMOUTH vs. DARTFORD THE BOB LUCAS STADIUM, RADIPOLE LANE, WEYMOUTH SATURDAY 1ST AUGUST 2020 – KICK-OFF 1PM OFFICIAL SOUVENIR PROGRAMME £ 3.00 THE NATIONAL LEAGUE 4th Floor Waterloo House 20 Waterloo Street Birmingham B2 5TB Telephone: (0121) 643 3134 thenationalleague.org.uk PRESIDENT Brian Lee MBE VICE PRESIDENTS Jack Pearce, Lord Faulkner of Worcester, Charlie Clapham MBE BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHAIRMAN Brian Barwick CONTENTS VICE CHAIRMAN Jack Pearce CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 5 WELCOME TO THE GAME Michael Tattersall A Welcome to the game from Vanarama National League Chairman, Brian Barwick and VanaramaUs Andy Alderson DIRECTORS Shahid Azeem, Caroline Barker, Sid Blain, 7/8/9 SEASON REVIEW Anthony Kleanthous, Jim Parmenter, Sam Elliott looks back at the 2019/2020 season Richard Parsons, Garry Plant, Steve Thompson MBE, Tony Wilson, 10/11 THE STORY SO FAR Graham Wood A Brief look back at the Eliminators and Semi-Finals OPERATIONAL SUPPORT DIRECTOR Colin Peake 22/23 CHAMPIONS CORNER LEGAL ADVISOR Mel Stein Sam Elliott and Oliver Osborn look at the Champions, Wealdstone HEAD OF PLAYER DEVELOPMENT Gary Owers 26 NATIONAL LEAGUE UNDER 19 ALLIANCE HEAD OF FINANCE Steve Brookfield OPERATIONS MANAGER 27 NATIONAL LEAGUE TRUST Michaela Garrard REGISTRATIONS & EVENTS 29 FACTS & FIGURES MANAGER Louise Edwards A look back at how the season ended with final tables and leading scorers ADMINISTRATION OFFICER Melissa Whitmore 31 TEAMS ADMINISTRATION OFFICER A check on todayUs Squads and Match Officials Michelle Gibson MEDIA AND OPERATIONS OFFICER Oliver Osborn LIFE MEMBERS W.J. King, D.R. Reynolds, N. White, G.E. Smith, P.D. Hunter CONTRIBUTORS: Sam Elliott, Tom Scott, Dec O’Reilly (Wealdstone), Ryan Asman, Josh Barton (Weymouth), Jack Smedley, David Shafford (Dartford), Alfie Gates (Dorking Printed and Designed by Wanderers), Henry Deacon (Havant & JJ Sports Promotions Ltd Waterlooville), Ollie Bayliss, Daryl West, Telephone: 07771 802 048 Sue O’Brien, Graham Hill. 01.08.20 WEYMOUTH V DARTFORD 03 WELCOME TO THE GAME BRIAN BARWICK THE VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAIRMAN has caused a curtailment to the tremendously to their new regular season and play-offs to take surroundings in the Vanarama place behind closed doors. National League. In times of suffering and great The prize of promotion is now within challenge, we have seen a reach for the two Clubs competing in phenomenal amount of hard work the concluding match of a from the 18 participating play-off memorable season. clubs to ensure these matches are played within a safe environment. For one Club, there will be much joy Credit must go to those behind the at the full-time whistle, while the scenes at these wonderful football other will be in desolation, having A very warm welcome to the clubs, who are not always recognised fallen at the final hurdle. Vanarama National League South for their herculean efforts. May I close by wishing both clubs Promotion Final matchday Congratulations to newly crowned and their supporters the very best of programme. Today’s game between luck. Today is one where the saying Weymouth and Dartford, at the Bob champions Wealdstone for their tremendous performance in ‘win with style, lose with grace’ is of Lucas Stadium, is an exciting the upmost importance. prospect. achieving promotion. The blueprint for further success has been BRIAN BARWICK The world has faced unprecedented provided for them and the winners times with the outbreak of Covid-19. of today’s match. Three of last Chairman For The National League, Covid-19 season’s promoted sides adapted The Vanarama National League SPONSORS WELCOME FROM THE COMPETITION SPONSOR - VANARAMA A monumental effort by all involved thousands of pounds more for and the reason we have a great final Prostate Cancer UK and raised to look forward to today. further awareness of this awful disease. A huge thanks to the clubs Both clubs here today might have of The Vanarama South and their thought that the opportunity of fans for getting involved in their promotion was off the table a few numbers. months back - yet here they are. That makes for an exciting Having football back provides a light encounter and an opportunity to at the end of the tunnel following a end this season on a high. difficult period. So, enjoy the live stream of today’s final and I’m sure For Vanarama and The National it won’t be long before you’re all A warm welcome to the Vanarama League, the 2019/2020 season has back in the stands cheering on your National League South Promotion continued to see award-winning team. Final between Weymouth and success. Dartford. I hope you all have a fantastic day Our MANarama campaign won supporting your team and the best The past few months have been Brand Activation of the year at the of luck to both Weymouth and tough, and I’d like to thank The Football Business Awards, beating Dartford. National League and its 68 clubs for off the likes of Barcelona and their hard work in completing the Liverpool in the process! ANDY ALDERSON season behind closed doors. More importantly we raised Vanarama CEO and Founder 01.08.20 WEYMOUTH V DARTFORD 05 BY SAM ELLIOTT A lot was expected of Slough Town this time around but a difficult first eight games left them off the pace. That changed in September, wins over Hemel Hempstead, Eastbourne Borough, Hampton & Richmond Borough and Dartford rubbished the Rebels’ slow start. But everyone was still impressed by Wealdstone, winners in ten of their first twelve games. Dartford were not expecting such a disastrous first few months. It was time for change as Jamie Coyle and Adam Flanagan moved on. Steve King said yes when the VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE SOUTH board asked - but he had a warning when he was back in work in October. King told fans SEASON REVIEW to forget about a promotion push of any kind. When the Vanarama National was not how they imagined they League South season kicked off would be doing it. Goals were the “We’re looking to stay up, build eleven months ago, everyone order of the day on the first day of for next season and have a go seemed split on the race for the season. then,” he insisted. promotion. Hemel Hempstead Town kicked Oxford City hadn’t made the Back in August, there was of off things in style under Sammy start they wanted, and manager course no sign of what was in Moore with an emphatic 4-1 win Mark Jones said his goodbyes front of us. Little did we know over Hungerford Town. with the club second from back then how things would play Chelmsford City dispatched bottom. out on and off the pitch in the Hampton & Richmond Borough by months ahead. the same scoreline, while It just didn’t work out for Lee Weymouth announced Bradbury at Eastbourne With many of the sides themselves by beating fancied full- Borough, either. strengthening well, the message timers Maidstone United. appeared to be clear - the top prizes were up for grabs. Wealdstone didn’t go about their business quietly - they hammered Few knew with any air of authority Dartford 4-1 to give clues to the where the title was heading, but challenge ahead. Dean Brennan’s fewer still could predict how it Stones indeed ended August five would eventually be won. points clear of the rest as they The curtain came down early, the raced out of the starting blocks. season paling into insignificance You may not have got long odds compared to what was going on on the first managerial exit coming globally but before it we had some at Billericay Town. In the middle of moment to remember. September Harry Wheeler had a Things were really getting going deja vu - he left the club after a but ultimately it was to be slow start, the second time he Wealdstone celebrating - even if it exited the Essex side. 01.08.20 WEYMOUTH V DARTFORD 07 VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE SOUTH SEASON REVIEW By the end of November, as they also progressed in things were starting to the FA Trophy. take shape. But as they will always Wealdstone’s lead was tell you, a busy six points, but below December is often the was a cluster of clubs. month you separate Weymouth continued to the men from the boys. defy expectation and sat Leaders Wealdstone’s in second, with Slough, fantastic home run continued Havant and Bath City all in sight. - but after losing at Slough over With the Sports in sixteenth, he Christmas, they lost a great departed Priory Lane - Danny Braintree Town began to slide chance to put daylight between Bloor eventually asked to try and though - and Glen Driver themselves and the chasing pack. turn their season around. resigned. He wasn’t there for long but Slough’s joint managers are Dorking were on the climb and Mark Collier was October’s still going strong. Neil Baker and ended 2019 in second place, wins Manager of the Month recipient, Jon Underwood took charge of over Weymouth, Chippenham Chippenham unbeaten in a month their 500 Rebels game together Town, Eastbourne Borough and that saw them triumph over proving two heads really are John Still’s Maidstone signing off Slough Town, Whyteleafe and better than one. the year in style. Concord Rangers. Paul Doswell was named The New Year brought a return to Though it couldn’t inspire them to Manager of the Month - Havant the division for Bradley Quinton - an FA Cup victory over League winning three of their four and the former promotion winner Two Northampton Town. National League South matches quickly turned things around at 08 VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE SOUTH PROMOTION FINAL Park View Road as Welling began they had a game in hand.