Welcome to the Playing Field Somerset Premier Cup First Round WELLINGTON versus Wells City Wednesday 9th October 2019 WELLINGTON AFC North Street Car Park, Wellington, Somerset TA21 8LY Telephone: 01823 664810 www.wellingtonafc.co.uk Affiliated to the Somerset FA Members of: Toolstation Western League Macron Devon & Exeter League Invest Southwest Taunton Saturday League Somerset County Women’s League Western Counties Floodlight Youth League Taunton Youth League & Mini League Somerset Girls Football League CLUB OFFICIALS ALAN SHIRE - President MIKE HALL – Chairman GRAHAM ASPIN - Vice-Chairman JEFF BROWN - Secretary REG OXBY - Treasurer JANE BROWN – Assistant Secretary/Membership Secretary REG & JENNY OXBY – Clubhouse Managers COLIN WALLER - Welfare Officer/Youth Team Co-ordinator KEN BIRD – Website and Social Media Officer CLIVE JONES - First Team Manager PAUL POCOCK - Reserve Team Manager LUKE O’HARA – A Team Manager WELLINGTON AFC Club History Formed in 1892 we are proud to be an FA Charter Standard Community Club. Initially the Club played in leagues based around Taunton and Tiverton. In the early 1960s it gained promotion to the Somerset Senior League and succeeded in achieving Western League status in 1978 which has been retained ever since, making the Club one of the League’s longest continuously serving members. The First Team entered the Western League in the First Division in 1978/79 season and has played at Premier Division level from 1981/82 to 1984/85 and 2008/09 to 2010/11. The team were promoted as First Division Champions at the end of the 2016/17 season. In their first season back in the in Premier Division the team finished a creditable 15th, they also reached the semi-final of the Somerset Premier Cup losing 4-1 away to Southern League Paulton Rovers. Last season the team finished in 16th place but are hoping to improve on this in the forthcoming season. All other seasons were played at Division One level. The Club’s Reserve side play in the Devon and Exeter League Division One. Having finished eighth for two seasons, unfortunately, the team struggled during the 2017/18 season and last season improved to once again finish in eighth place and will play at the same level this year. Having played in the Devon and Exeter League for a number of seasons the A Team transferred to Division Three of the Taunton Saturday League last season where they finished a very creditable third and could be promoted to Division Two for the forthcoming season. The Club’s Ladies side finished ninth in the Somerset County Women’s League First Division last season but, with the introduction of new players are hoping to improve this season. The team play a full role in both the playing and non-playing aspects of the club. This season the Club will be running 21 teams in its Youth and Mini Sections. These teams see both boys and girls playing from the age of eight right through to eighteen. The Club also has three Disability teams. Six of the Youth Teams won the Sportsmanship Awards for their Age Groups last season and the Disability Teams won the Somerset FA Award for Disability Club of the Year. During the last year the Club launched its new website – www.wellingtonafc.co.uk and is making full use of its Facebook and Twitter accounts which have all proved very successful. We continue to work with the local Council’s and Wellington Sports Federation on the Taunton Deane Pitch Strategy which will hopefully result in the Club moving to a larger ground and bring the majority of football pitches in the town to one site. Outside of its core footballing activities the Club is home to several darts and skittles teams and it runs a full programme of social events for members and non-members alike. The Function Room and Lounge are available for hire. (Please contact the Clubhouse Manager – Jenny Oxby on 01823 665410 for details) CLUB MEMBERSHIP Reminder that the New Club Membership Year began on 1st September and memberships should be renewed as soon as possible. Membership fees are as follows: Family (Parents plus Children Under 18) - £18.00; Couple - £17.50 Single - £12.50; Concession - £7.50; Youth (Under 18) - £7.50 Forms are available in the Clubhouse and should be returned with the fees to Membership Secretary – Jane Brown Man of the Match Joe Wylie was named man-of-the- match for the game against Exmouth by match sponsor Jeremy Smith of Bray Accountants, who is pictured presenting the award. MATCH REPORT WELLINGTON 0 2 EXMOUTH TOWN Wellington failed to build on their surprise midweek success over Tavistock as they were beaten by much-fancied Exmouth Town before a bumper crowd at the Playing Field on Sunday. The game was moved back a day to be the last in the league’s seven ‘Groundhopper Weekend’ matches and, as a result, attracted an attendance of 315 from all over the UK and even overseas. Manager Clive Jones was forced into defensive changes as he was without both new signing Mike Harrison and central defender Tom Hawkings against the former champions, who have returned to the league this season. The visitors almost went ahead after two minutes when Jordan Harris charged down a clearance from keeper Tom Welch but the ball rolled just wide while, at the other end, Jack Bryant brought a spectacular save out of Chris Wright with a long-range volley. It was nip and tuck in the opening exchanges before Exmouth broke the deadlock on 32 minutes as the ball was played over the top of the home defence for Harris to cut inside Glen Wright before shooting home. Mark Lever had a header cleared off the line before the visitors extended their lead with three minutes of the half remaining. Wellington gave the ball away and Aaron Denny was played in to finish neatly past Welch. That goal rather took the sting out of the game and the second half was pretty uneventful although Welch did well to save a Harris volley and then turned a free- kick from Adam Bilcock on to the bar. There were a few feisty challenges flying in and matters boiled over with 15 minutes remaining as wide-man Josh Wadham was sent off for Wellington. He received a yellow card for a challenge and the referee then sin-binned him for dissent but the player’s red mist turned into a red card for his subsequent reaction. Ironically, the dismissal saw Wellington play some of their best football and they almost pulled a goal back when they were awarded a free kick eight yards out after the visiting keeper picked up a back-pass. Skipper Sam Bryant’s shot was blocked and so was sub Connor Pengelly’s effort from the rebound. Shortly afterwards, striker Conor Bryant brought a good save out of Wright but Exmouth saw the game out for the points. TONIGHT’S VISITORS WELLS CITY Wells City Football Club was founded on May 27th 1890 when a meeting was held in the Star Hotel in Wells. Success was immediate winning the first ever Somerset league title a feat repeated the following year. In 1892/93 Wells entered the Bristol & District league, the forbearer of today’s Toolstation Western League of which Wells is a founder member. It was recorded that it was a Wells player who scored the first ever goal on the opening day of the season in a 2-0 victory Vs Mangotsfield. In 1893/4 Wells re-joined the Somerset Senior league as well as moving to their present location at Rowdens Road. Wells were invited back into the Western League in1928/29 and competed in both the Somerset and Western leagues eventually leaving the county league in 1931. After the war years Wells competed in Div. 1of the Western league eventually winning being crowned champions in 1949/50 pipping Poole Town on goal difference. Success became more difficult in the following years and Wells City re-joined the Somerset Senior League in 1960-61 with the Reserves competing in the Mid- Somerset Football League. The club finished very much mid –table until 1965-66 when they were third behind Street and Welton Rovers Reserves. They were Runners-Up behind Paulton Rovers in 1971-82. Between 1977 and 1998 Wells suffered from the yo-yo effect, promotion to the Premier division one year, relegation the next. It wasn’t until the 1999/2000 season that Wells once again cemented themselves in the County’s premier division. Wells City became Somerset Senior Cup champions in 2006-07 season defeating Burnham on Sea at Weston super Mare’s Woodspring Stadium 2-1. After an absence of almost 50 years, Wells City returned to the Western League Division 1 in 2008-09 with a mid-table finish. Wells City was crowned Toolstation Western League Division One Champions at the end of 2009-10 season. In 2011 Wells reached the 2nd qualifying round of the FA Cup with a home tie to Woking Fc with the visitors coming away comfortable winners. That was to be the highlight for Wells as after only a brief spell of 3 seasons in the Premier division found them relegated back into Division 1 in 2012-13. A period of rebuilding was needed and a few seasons in the lower mid table positions followed. A change in direction late 2014 which has seen a gradual change in fortunes resulting in Wells having their most successful season to date; gaining promotion back to the Toolstation Western League Premier Division and becoming Champions of Somerset beating Taunton Town, Frome Town, Weston S Mare and a thrilling 2 – 1 victory over Larkhall Athletic in the final to lift the Somerset Premier Cup for the first time in the clubs history.