A SHORT KING; IN HEIGHT AND REIGN

Having mentioned Port Vale FC yesterday and the club's nickname, here's a list of Football League club nicknames from a little while back. Not all present clubs are here (e.g. new ones) and one or two may have left the PL/FL. A test would be to see if you can reorganise the "92". I hope you can make out the small print!

 While football, these days, drags on during the Spring and often into Summer, the football season in past years, had its conclusion earlier, often with an England match against Scotland in March, along with the other "home internationals". 

England had beaten Scotland in early April, at Hampden Park in 1927, 1-2, with Dixie Dean scoring both goals. Almost a year later, Wembley entertained the Scots, soon to be known as the "Wembley Wizards", in front of over 80,000 people. In the previous two home internationals, England had already lost to Ireland 0-2 and Wales 1-2, in the Autumn of 1927. Below: Dean 5'10".....

On March 31st 1928, the annual match between England and Scotland was played at Wembley, when the "Wembley Wizards", a Scottish team of some influence, made its mark and a place in history. Scotland won 1-5! 

Robert Kelly (16 November 1893 – 22 September 1969) scored the England goal and later he broke the British transfer record when he moved from Burnley to Sunderland for £6,550 in 1925. He then joined Huddersfield Town and later played for Preston NE. He made 14 appearances for England between 1920 and 1928, scoring eight goals.

The English press had described the Scottish team as "undernourished" with a forward line no taller than 5' 7". Previously in the Championship, the Scots had drawn 2-2 with Wales in Cardiff and lost to Northern Ireland 0-1 at Hampden, so the Scottish selectors "tore up" the past team sheets and started again. Eight of their new team were playing for clubs in England. Tom "Tiny" Bradshaw was given the task of marking Dixie Dean. The tricky, dribbling Scots, however, made England look like "helpless small boys, chasing butterflies", as reported in The Observer. 

Below is the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VIII meeting the Scots- he was 5'5" tall and reigned for 325 days. Compare heights!

This diminuitive team scored 5 and England could only reply with a single goal towards the end of the match. England came bottom of the 1928 "Home Championship" table with no points, 2 goals for and 9 against.

In 1929 the Scots beat England again, 0-1 at Hampden, in front of a crowd of over 110.000. Scotland topped the table and England came second. The next season, 1930, England topped the Championship table and when Scotland visited Wembley (5th April 1930) England won 5-2. Phew! They then topped table in 1931 and 1932.

IRONOPOLIS, BLADES AND POTS

On March 30th there were plenty of goals in the English First Division fixture at Molineux where Wolves beat Middlesbrough 5-3. Probably the most notable goal was scored by Middlesbrough’s left-back Bobby Stuart (below)– an own goal! It was his fifth own-goal of the season – a League record which stands to this day. Ironically he went on to play 247 League matches for Middlesbrough, scoring just twice at the right end!   https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/ranked-15-greatest-own-goals-ever

Middlesbrough FC by the way originated from Middlesbrough Ironopolis, after the local industry.

AND in 1982, Fourth Division (the Blades) Sheffield United, (at the time), recorded their best home attendance of the season with 24,593 watching a 1-1 draw against Yorkshire rivals, Bradford City. The average League crowd that season was a shade under 14,900. Three years later, March 30th 1985 another Yorkshire club, Halifax Town FC, recorded their lowest League crowd of the season, 890, when Torquay United turned up to beat Halifax 0-1. The average home attendance was 1,381.

Fourth Division Sheffield United recorded their best home League attendance of the season – 24,593 in the 1-1 draw against Bradford City. Their average home League crowd was 14,891. Exactly three years later – on March 30 1985 – Fourth Division Halifax Town recorded their lowest home League crowd of the season – 890 in the 1-0 defeat against Torquay. Their average home League attendance for the season was 1,381.

Published March 27th 2022.

Meanwhile in the Potteries, Port Vale FC, founded 1876, although others say it was probably formed in 1879 as an offshoot of Porthill Victoria F.C. The Valiants has been "flagged" up to me by a Walking Football colleague, Grant. I know he would appreciate having his name in print, especially with my huge following! Sky Bet League Two side, Port Vale, gave themselves a real boost in their promotion charge at the weekend as they beat fellow promotion hopefuls Sutton United 2-0 at the weekend. Port Vale is the only club in the top four leagues (presumably now) to have beaten all 91 clubs in competitive league games. 

The badge includes, two Portland Vases, representing the industrialist, Josiah Wedgwood, the Scythe coming from the house crest of the Sneyd family and the silver cross appearing from the house crest of the Audley family (local land owners), as well as the Stafford Knot, in orange above the crest.

These days, Port Vale Football Club is based in Burslem, Stoke on Trent.  The team competes in EFL Two, the fourth tier of the EFL. 

Port Vale is one of the few English league clubs not to be named after a geographical location, their name being a reference to the valley of ports on the Trent and Mersey Canal system. They have never played top-flight football, and hold the records for the most seasons in the EFL(110) and in the second tier (41) without reaching the first tier, After playing in local Corbridge and in Hanley (where Stanley Matthews was born), the club returned to Burslem when Vale Park was opened in 1950. The club's traditional rivals are Stoke City of course, and games between the two are known as the Potteries Derby, where a smashing time is had by all,

IVORY COAST

 

The "Ivory Coast" national football team, known as The Elephants, played its first international match, against Dahomey (now known as Benin) on April 13th 1960, which it won 3-2 This was the team's first appearance in the Africa Cup of Nations. Supporters of the Elephants are known to be among the most colorful in Africa. At Ivory Coast matches, the Elephants supporter sections typically include a percussion band that mimics the sounds of an elephant travelling through a forest. The Ivory Coast, in West Africa, is known for its chocolate. The country produces more cocoa than any other place in the world.

From 1964 to 2020, a 50,000-seater stadium in Abidjan, was the main venue used to host home matches. In 2020, the 60,000-seat Stade National, also in Abidjan, was opened ahead of the 2023 African Cup of Nations. Here is the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny. Abidjan pop: 4.4m

Félix Houphouët-Boigny, affectionately called Papa Houphouët or Le Vieux, was the first president of Ivory Coast, serving from 1960 until his death in 1993. A tribal chief, he worked as a medical aide, union leader and planter before being elected to the French Parliament. 

The nation's recent results are:

12/01/22	ACO	Equatorial Guinea	0 - 1	Côte d'Ivoire	View events
16/01/22	ACO	Côte d'Ivoire	2 - 2	Sierra Leone	View events
20/01/22	ACO	Côte d'Ivoire	3 - 1	Algeria	View events
26/01/22	ACO	Côte d'Ivoire	0 - 0 P	Egypt
25/03/22	FRI	France	2 - 1	Côte d'Ivoire	View events
29/03/22	FRI	England	19 : 45	Côte d'Ivoire

BICESTER FC and ARDLEY "UNITE" AND FOLD

The club was established in 1873, a merger of Bicester Rovers and Bicester Harriers. They joined the Oxfordshire Senior League after winning the County Shield in 1903. They won various cups in the county and then in 1953 they were founder members of the Hellenic League, finishing as runners-up in its second season. They were placed in the Premier Division when the league gained a second division in 1956, and won the league title in 1960–61.

The club performed with varied success at this level but relegated at the end of the 2009-10 and despite finishing second in Division One West the following season, it folded after a dispute with their landlords.

The club was reformed in 2015 and rejoined the Hellenic League Division One East for the 2015-16. They held their own here but the club resigned from the league shortly after the start of the 2018-19.

Until World War 1, the club played at several different grounds; starting at the Cricket Field in 1896 before moving to Banbury Road, then Station Road and London Road. Following the war the club returned to the Cricket Field, before moving to a new ground on Oxford Road that had formerly been used as a golf course A stand was built in the early 1930s and later extended, with a clubhouse and changing rooms built in 1960s. By 2004 the ground had a capacity of 2,000, with 250 seated; the record attendance was 955, set for a friendly game against Portsmouth in 1994.

A dispute with Bicester Sports Association, the ground's owners, forced the club to fold in 2011.  When they reformed in 2015, the club started playing at Ardley United's Playing Fields ground.

But then there is a Bicester United FC playing in the Oxfordshire Senior League.

Bicester Colts F.C. organises teams from ages 5 through to 17 at facilities based at Akeman Street, Chesterton, where local cricket is played.

NORMAN BAILEY (no relation-that I know of...!!)

March 26th 2008.The first player to be capped 10 times by England was Norman Bailey, who played his 10th match in an 8–1 away win against Ireland on 23 February 1884 in the 1883-4 British Home Championship. His final match, in which he earned his 19th cap, was the 3–1 home defeat to Scotland on 19 March 1887. He played (scoring once) for England, between 1878 and 1887 and was thus the first player to make more than ten appearances for his country. He  captained his country fifteen times.

In The Athletic News, published on January 22nd 1923, the death of N. C. Bailey, was published. He was one of the best centre half-backs who ever played for England. In his day, when there were many fine half-backs, he stood alone.
Norman Coles Bailey, born at Streatham on July 23, 1857, was educated at the Westminster School, between 1866 and 1874, and there became a footballer and a cricketer. 

Later he assisted clubs such as Clapham Rovers, the Old Westminsters, the Swifts, and the Corinthians. He was centre half-back of Clapham Rovers when they won the Association Cup in 1880, he played for England on 19 occasions. For ten years (1878 to 1887), against Scotland, he was captain in the last seven matches. Sturdily built, he was yet very supple in joints, and while running could kick a ball behind him!! But he was not a mere trickster, for judgment characterised his every move and touch. His interception of passes and his bestowal of the ball caused him to be called 'the prince of halves.'

In this period he was an FA Cup runner-up in 1878-9 and a winner 1879-80, both matches with Clapham Rovers.

He attended the formation meeting of the Corinthians, was on the committee of the Football Association, and succeeded Mr. J. H. Clark, of Maidenhead, as a vice-president of that body in 1887. Although the late N. C. Bailey was an amateur to the core, we should like to recall that at the annual meeting of the F.A. at the end of February in 1884, he seconded the motion of Mr. C. W. Alcock that "professionalism should be legalised". Norman Bailey was too big a man to harbour narrow views. He had the broad mind of the true sportsman, and to the end he was very popular with all who knew him." - Athletic News, Monday, 22 January 1923. A solicitor, he was FA Vice-President 1887-90. 

The England appearance record is held by goalkeeper Peter Shilton, which was set on 7 June 1989, in a 1–1 away draw with Denmark, in a friendly. Shilton's last match for England was the third-place match against Italy on 7 July 1990 in the 1990 FIFA World Cup finishing his England career on 125 caps. David Beckham won his 100th England cap in a 1-0 friendly defeat in France. He was the fifth England centurion after Billy Wright, Bobby Moore, Bobby Charlton and Peter Shilton.

LADY DAY

25th March  In the West, Lady Day is the traditional name in some English-speaking countries of the Feast of the Annunciation, which is celebrated on 25 March, and commemorates the visit of the The Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary, during which he told her that she would be the mother of Jesus Christ, the on of God! So, Lady Day, New Year's Day, meant that the new year began on 25 March from 1155 until 1752, when the Gregorian Calender was adopted. 

In 1807, The Slave Trade Act abolished the slave trade in the British Empire. Did you know that on this day, March 25, 1954, the first color TV went on sale? The set had a 15-inch screen and was sold for $1000, which would be worth $7,850 in today’s money. On the same day in 1857 Frederick Langenheim took the first photo of a solar eclipse. In 1807 The Slave Trade Act was passed in the British Government, but it did not abolish the slave trade in the British Empire, it only fined those found transporting slaves, at £120 GBP per slave.  By the way it's Aretha Franklin and Jordan Sancho's birthday.

March 25th 1882 was the day (and year) that the Old Etonians, the 1881 losing Cup finalists, played the professionals, Blackburn Rovers and beat them 1-0 at The Oval. 6,500 attended and the first ten finals included only SIX clubs:-

The Wanderers (1872-3-6-7-8), Royal Engineers (1875), Oxford University (1874), Old Etonians (1879), Clapham Rovers (1880), Old Carthusians in 1881.
The Rovers, professionals, intruded on the domination of the southern amateurs and having been unbeaten all season, they went to The Oval with a collection of 28 goals in six games, on their way to the final. Fergus Suter, recruited from Darwen FC (who appears in The English Game on TV's Netflix), had raised the bar and thousands of supporters were at the railway station to see the chaps off. 

The Old Etonians were full of zest and energy, making sure that they kept the cup in amateur hands. The OEs won 1-0, a goal scored by Anderson.

This was the end of an era, as the professionals took over next when Blackburn Olympic beat the Cup holders 2-1 at The Oval.
Lord Arthur Kinnaird (shown in the picture) did a handstand in front of the pavilion, after the game, to celebrate his fifth cup win.

In the 1883 Final, the OEs lost 1-2 to Blackburn Olympic (Below, the first northern club to take the cup) who had used "professional" training methods to raise their game. Olympic had only been formed five years before and they were organised systematically, switching the ball from wing to wing to stretch the OEs. They trained on the beach at Blackpool for a week prior to the game, sharpening their game! They had beaten the Old Carthusians 4-0 in the semi-final at Whalley Bridge! It was their first fixture against Southern opposition.

Arthur Dunn, Old Etonian and England international, who gave his name to the Arthur Dunn Cup (for old boys' teams playing in the south based Arthurian League), was injured and had to leave the match early on. Oympic won in extra time.
Blackburn Rovers won in 1884, and '85 and '86 and '90, '91* and 1927-8.
They were runners up in 1881-2 and 1959-60.

Rovers 1884-5
* In 1891, James Forrest (below) for Blackburn Rovers  (1883-95) became the  first and only professional to win 5 FA Cup winners medals. He was also the first professional to play for England, winning 11 caps between 1884-90. He later became a director of the club and died aged 59. He played 148 games for the Rovers and then finished off at Darwen in 1895-6.

The same day, 1980, on the other hand, Ian Botham was best known as a cricketer but on this day in 1980 he made his debut as a footballer for Scunthorpe United, coming on as a sub in the Division 4 match at Bournemouth. He couldn't be described as a footballing legend at the Old Show Ground - he didn't make his starting debut for another 2 years (and that a 7-2 home defeat by Wigan) and in all played for Scunthorpe in 11 League matches and an FA Cup tie. With a record like that, he was awarded a benefit match later....against Manchester United.

He was a talented all rounder at school, but had to choose between cricket and football as a career. He chose cricket but, even so, he played professional football for a few seasons and made eleven appearances in the Football League for Scunthorpe Utd, becoming the club's president in 2017. He is a keen golfer, and his other pastimes include angling, especially on TV and shooting. He has been awarded both a knighthood and a life peerage.

EIGHT-A-SIDES (on a full pitch!)

Yesterday was the Northern Independent Schools' FA, Eight-a-sides, a small sided tournament, held on full size pitches, hosted brilliantly by the King's School, Chester. I went across the Pennines to meet up with past and present coaches/teachers and to watch the tournament.

The competition is named after Barry Burns (son Jimmy Burns is second from right in picture). Although not a teacher, Barry was a local Lancashire business man, an old boy of Shrewsbury School (A Salopian) and a man who loved school football, especially playing, being the "beating" heart of the Liverpool Ramblers FC. The Ramblers are the northern equivalent of the Corinthan Casuals; truly amateur footballers, both clubs that promote the "proper way" of playing the game. (in the photo, from left, Talan Gill from the hosts, Mike Askham, Jimmy and Mark Dickson from ISFA Committee and committed footballing school masters! ).

18 Northern Independent Schools came out in full force to play 8 a-side football on full sized pitches, a game needing considerable skills and particularly stamina! 

There is, of course, a national small sided competition, when North meets South. The first National tournament was held in 1957 and won by Malvern College. Charterhouse won this once in 2003!

Winners of the Barry Burns' 8s (2022) were Repton School from Derbyshire who beat Queen Ethelburga's from York. Shrewsbury School and Manchester GS were losing semi-finalists

The Grange, from Hartford, Cheshire, won the Plate, a competition for losing First Rounders! They beat Cheadle Hulme of Greater Manchester. Birkdale School from Sheffield and Oswestry School were losing semi-finalists.

Below is an historic list of independent school boys who have made their way in professional football.

Olly Lee – Brentwood School, Elliot Lee – Brentwood School, Frank Lampard – Brentwood School, Max Kretzschmar – Hampton School, James Beattie – QEGS Blackburn, Quinton Fortune – Forest School, Nedum Onuoha – Hulme Grammar School, Dan Harding – St. Bede's School Hailsham, Neil Mellor – St Bede's College, Manchester, Adam Virgo – Ardingly College, Andy Frampton – Lancing College, Neil Harris – Brentwood School, Chris Porter – QEGS Blackburn,  Robin Shroot – Alleyn's School, Lawrie Wilson – Millfield,  Fraser Forster – Royal Grammar School, Newcastle, Jordan Spence –Chigwell School, Josh O'Keefe – QEGS Blackburn, Frank Fielding – QEGS Blackburn, Johnny Gorman and Will Hughes –Repton School, Duncan Watmore – Cheadle Hulme, Solomon March – St. Bede's School, Hailsham.

I suspect there will be a few young lads on show today, who might join this impressive list.

There are also other soccer competitions for all independent boy and girl schools and further information can be found on the ISFA website.  https://www.isfa.org.uk/

Kings School were extremely good hosts!

JV-T

From Downing St press conferences, to the Jakeman's Community Stadium! Jonathan Van-Tam takes friend Chris Whitty to watch his beloved Boston United for his 'leaving do'.  

JVT became a household name during Covid, famed for his colourful metaphors. The deputy chief medical officer is set to step down from his role. A diehard Boston United fan, JVT took his colleagues to a match as his send-off . Sir Jonathan Van-Tam invited fellow Covid guru and friend Sir Chris Whitty to watch his beloved Boston United at his 'leaving do' this weekend. The Pilgrims play in the Natio,nal League North. Founded in 1933 as a successor to Boston Town FC.The club is known as 'the Pilgrims' in reference to the Pilgrim Fathers, who left England and sailed to North America and settled near, though did not found, Boston, Massachusetts. The club's crest features the pilgrim fathers' ship, the Mayflower. 

JVT, as he has become affectionately known, is a life-long fan of the Pilgrims, going to his first match with his grandfather when he was seven. Due to step down as England's deputy chief medical officer in the next fortnight, he said this was 'one of the last opportunities' to show his colleagues what a 'fantastic club' Boston was. 

Sir Chris and other Department of Health colleagues were among 1,600 fans who witnessed the National League North side lose 2-1 to top of the table Gateshead. Before kick off at the Jakemans Community Stadium, JVT told BBC Radio Lincolnshire: 'They'd heard so much about Boston United and what a fantastic club it is, I think they all just wanted to see it for themselves.  'With me moving on this was one of the last opportunities to do that.' 

After the match, Sir Chris, who was knighted alongside his friend in the New Year's Honours list, was asked if he is also a football fan. He replied: 'Not as much as JVT. 'I heard about Boston every single Monday morning, so I feel I know about it better than anyone in the country.' Sir Chris, who was born in Gloucester, added: 'I do follow football, but I don't have a team in the way that JVT does — JVT is my team.' 

JVT announced he was stepping down as deputy CMO in January, just hours after Boris Johnson apologised to the nation for boozing with others in No10's garden. Government sources insisted that his exit wasn't related to 'partygate', claiming that his time was 'up' because he had been 'on loan' to Whitehall since 2017. Others saw the influenza expert's departure as a sign that the worst of Covid was over. Sir Jonathan will return to academical work at the University of Nottingham in May, taking up the position of pro-vice-chancellor for the faculty of medicine and health sciences. He will step down in March.

A straight-talking voice of calm, JVT shot to fame in the early stages of the pandemic for his use of football-related metaphors to explain complex science.Trialled on his wife and three children before being presented to the public, he has variously conjured up images of rail travel, football and flying over the last two years. He has fronted many Downing Street press conferences, attracting a legion of fans who have bought T-shirts with his face and phrases emblazoned across the front. 

Sir Jonathan has also not been shy to call out advisers for appearing to break the rules. He made his feelings clear on Dominic Cummings' infamous trip to Barnard Castle, declaring pointedly at a TV press conference: 'The rules are clear and they have always been clear. In my opinion they are for the benefit of all and they apply to all'.  

Sir Jonathan graduated in medicine from the University of Nottingham in 1987. After five years of hospital-based clinical medicine, he trained in public health and epidemiology developing an interest in influenza and respiratory viruses. He became a Senior Lecturer at Nottingham in 1997 before taking a number of high profile jobs as a medical director at British pharma giants. Sir Jonathan returned to the public sector in 2004 at the Health Protection Agency Centre for Infections, where he was Head of the Pandemic Influenza Office until October 2007. He has also chaired the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) Expert Advisory Group on bird flu, and was a member of the UK Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) during the 2009-10 pandemic. Since 2014 he has been Chair of the UK government's New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (NERVTAG). He took up the role of Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England on 2 October 2017. 

His love of Boston United and analogies on red cards, penalties and the Grand National helped JVT win the public's affection and he became a household name as he delivered health messages with dose of humour.  

Professor Jonathan Van Tam has regularly deployed fun metaphors to clearly explain complicated scientific ideas during the pandemic. Some of the former deputy chief medical officer's best moments include comparing the Government's relationship with coronovirus to a football game. He has also likened the vaccine rollout to a train that was ready to be boarded or a plane preparing for landing. 

MIKE DEAN-A REF NOT WITHOUT CONTROVERSY

Mike Dean, the FIFA referee, is reportedly set to retire as a Premier League referee. As I write, Mike is the subject as "Paddy Power's Person of the Week", announced on Talksport.

"It's ten years too late!" Neil Warnock takes a parting shot at Mike Dean, as the controversial Premier League referee announces his retirment, from this Summer. 

Dean, who is 53, (born June 2nd 1968) is said to be moving into a full-time role as a Video Assistant Referee (VAR). That way he can avoid taking the stick for decisions by hiding in the VAR Studio. 

Warnock couldn't resist a parting "dig" at Dean and the manager says the well qualified referee is too focussed on "putting himself out there" in games and is too keen to "get himself in the limelight".  The Premier League official has taken charge of 553 PL matches, including two Cup Finals, more than any other referee and he has also shown 2,026 yellow cards and (most)  114 reds and 184 penalties. He has also done the FA Community Shield the Football League Cup and the FA Trophy.

Dean was originally appointed to referee the 2006 FA Cup Final at the Millennium Stadium on 13 May 2006 but the FA later replaced him with Alan Wiley after concerns were raised about Dean's ability to be impartial towards Liverpool, who are based near his hometown in Wirral.

In September 2015, Arsenal Supporters launched a petition to prevent Dean from refereeing their team following a Premier League fixture against Chelsea, gathering almost 100,000 signatures within a week. The FA later rescinded a red card Dean issued to Arsenal defender Gabriel during the incident, and handed Chelsea striker Diego Costa retrospective three-match suspension for violent conduct.

On 2 April 2019, during a game between Wolves (at home) and Manchester United, Dean issued the 100th red card of his career, as a Premier League referee to Manchester United's Ashley Young, making Dean the first referee in Premier League history to reach the 100 red cards milestone.

In February 2021, Dean and his family received death threats following two controversial decisions which saw Dean give a red card to Southampton’s Jan Bednarek and West Ham’s Tomas Soucek in successive games, and asked not to officiate the following weekend Premier League fixtures. Both red cards were rescinded by the FA.

The Premier League will be far poorer without Mike Dean, who will retire from refereeing at the end of the season. He is in discussions to continue as a full-time video assistant referee, but his on-field officiating and character will be sorely missed. Mike has also awarded 184 PL penalties since his first match in the top-flight in 2000.

Dean stepped down from the FIFA international list at the end of 2013 at the mandatory retirement age of 45.

TalkSport lads suggest that Mike should come dressed in the "Bernie Clifton Ostrich" kit for his last match. The Premier League will be far poorer without him.

Ladbrokes offer 2-1 on him making an appearance in "I'm a Celebrity..."

Another "celebrity" appearance was at his favourite Prenton Park (Tranmere Rovers), as a supporter, when one of the appointed officials fell ill and Mike "stood" in as the fourth official against Walsall.

Dean began refereeing in 1985 and progressed to officiate in the Northern Premier League as a referee, becoming a F.L. Assistant Referee in 1995, then promoted to the full referees' list in 1997.

Dean made a cameo appearance as himself in Season 2, Episode 8 of the American television series Ted Lasso. Probably worth a watch...

THE SAINTS AND VILLAGERS

 

Known as The Saints, founded in 1897 and reformed 1945, they play at Ground Hall Park, a stadium with 5,000 seats! Darren Wildman is the 5th manager this season and with 219 goals against and a heavy defeat of 0-18 (a half time of 0-12) recently, there is much to impove.  I couldn't find any junior sides or female teams. Maybe that's the problem.

Through this season, the club has gone through 5 managers and 90 players. They have played in front of over 900 spectators, so there is some money to help?

Finances have been affected by Covid and hiring the New Saints Stadium in Oswestry, so there is little money around to attract better players!

The club was established in the 19th century and were playing in the Oswestry & District League by 1897. They were league champions in 1919–20 and won the Village Cup in 1930–31. The club was renamed St Martins United in the early 1930s, before becoming Greyhound Rangers in 1935 when playing at a field next to the Greyhound Inn pub. They moved across the border and joined the Cefn & District League. However, despite winning the League Cup in 1936–37, the club did not play again until 1939. War??

In 2017-18 the club entered the FA Vase for the first time. St Martins finished in 4th position in Div 1, following a 21-game unbeaten run. During this successful spell under manager Dan Stevens, Saints lifted the Div 1 League Cup to earn their first silverware in the West Midlands Regional League. St Martins FC progressed to step 6 football after being accepted into the North West Counties Division One South for the 2018-19 season, joining other local teams Oswestry Town and Ellesmere Rangers in making the move to North West Football. The 2021–22 season however saw the team finish bottom of the table and relegated.

This season is the club's 125th year, so there is hope for something special to happen. The committee is happy that there is a positive feeling in the club despite the dreadful results and there is a mentality of "togetherness", which is helping the club fulfil its fixtures and show off their sporty kit!

The last fixture was against the Isle of Man at The Bowl (below), Douglas,  a 9-0 win.

Next fixture? A league game versus Barnton, The Villagers, a busy club near Northwich, Cheshire, with 16 teams from adult to junior boys and girls.