DOING THE LEICESTERSHIIRE ROUND-WHY NOT?

I did travel to the Leicestershire Round yesterday and walked part of it this morning. What? Well it's a long story but I know that I had to miss watching an FA Trophy fixture over the weekend the nearest I got to was Loughborough Dynamo v Leek town. Matters were too demanding, so I was not allowed to indulge in non-league matters.

I ended up in Oady and whilst surrounded by Tigers and rugby, I did pass the Oadby Town FC ground at Freeway Park on the outskirts of the Premier League champions' city. The Poachers, as they are known, play in the United Counties Premier (Div One champions in 2012-13) and were at home to Huntington Town FC, clearly having been dispatched from any cup involvement. They won 7-0.

Founded in 1937 as Oadby Imperial, Freeway Park holds 3,000 (average attendance is more like 155) and is named after a sponsor, Freeway hire. Who?

The club changed its name in 1951 as it worked its way through the Leicestershire Senior Leagues and then moved onto the Midland Alliance by 2000 and were semi-finalists in the FA Vase in 2003,losing to Brigg Town.

In 2011-12 Oadby had another decent run in the Vase and were the only team from below Step 5 to reach the 5th Round losing to Staveley Miners Welfare, a town you may have seen off the M1.

Famous players on the club's books at any stage in history are few and far between but Julian Joachim comes into the frame, very briefly, having played for Leicester, Villa, Coventry, Leeds, Walsall, Boston, Darlington la, la, la etc. He is presently plying his trade at Newark Town. Not sure if that is a crazy haircut on Julian or the bloke's behind him? Good on you Julian.