Well, I guess it was inevitible really. The Winslow Derby in the first round proper of the FA Vase.
We will make the 0.5 mile, 1 minute journey from our Winslow Centre base to Winslow United's ground for what is sure to be a thrilling cup tie. Could this be the shortest distance ever travelled for a Vase tie?
I personally have a huge amount of respect for Winslow Utd's setup. Damian Wiffin and Spike Marsden are great guys and are doing a great job trying to get Winslow Utd back up there in South Mids football.
The pair of them have both been adversaries of mine in the past, I have interesting memories of a very combative Spike Marsden in his Padbury Utd days and two of my greatest victories at Deanshanger Athletic came against Damian Wiffin's all conquering Steeple Claydon side.
It will be a great occasion and we need to get the whole town involved.
See you there.
Saturday 24 September 2011
A Great Day
What a great day for BTFC today a rare reward in what has been a difficult time. Well done to Kit, Neil, the rest of the management team and of course the players for an outstanding result.
I can't wait to see who we get next!
It feels like things are on the up again with positive reports coming back from the development side too. One of many positives from the development side was the performance of 16 year old Zac Wade in goal, a player recommended to me by Pete Riches- Thanks Pete, sounds like young Zac will be a real find for us.
Thanks to Ross Baldwin for taking the development side and of course big thanks to Eddie for getting the facility at Brackley Leisure Centre ready (amid some hostilities from the locals!)
Onwards and upwards.
See you soon.
I can't wait to see who we get next!
It feels like things are on the up again with positive reports coming back from the development side too. One of many positives from the development side was the performance of 16 year old Zac Wade in goal, a player recommended to me by Pete Riches- Thanks Pete, sounds like young Zac will be a real find for us.
Thanks to Ross Baldwin for taking the development side and of course big thanks to Eddie for getting the facility at Brackley Leisure Centre ready (amid some hostilities from the locals!)
Onwards and upwards.
See you soon.
Friday 23 September 2011
Development Side
For anyone who can't make the trip to Ascot tomorrow, the Development Side are playing at Brackley Leisure Centre- 3pm kick off vs Southcott.
Although the hunt for a manager goes on we will see the side at its strongest so far tomorrow. The squad is a work in progress and tomorrow represents a difficult game against a good side from Leighton Buzzard who are 3rd in the league. There are 13 players available tomorrow including a number of new recruits. As well as the new recruits we are lucky to have Daley Cross, a first team regular last season who will be looking for fitness after a couple of weeks away, Scott Whitmore who played well in pre season continues to gather experience of mens football which will help his development in the long term and I don't feel he is far off a chance in the first team.
Jamie Hyde who filled in well for the first team at the back end of last season will be there along with David Pollard who also made a couple of sub appearances in the senior side last term. Josh Whitehead who was also a regular in the senior squad most of last season will continue and hopefully benefit from the extra game time. Darryl Phillips who joined our ranks in the summer will be pushing for a spot in the first team squad also, I watched him in training last night and he looked very sharp. These players are all between 18-21 which is exactly what the development side is all about and although it has been a struggle so far it is coming together more each week.
The Development Squad will be mentored by first team squad member Ross Baldwin tomorrow, Ross is a Level 2 coach already and currently coaches a youth team. However, he wants to concentrate on playing when he fully recovers from the injury he sustained earlier in pre season so I really appreciate him stepping in tomorrow and I know he'll do a fantastic job for Buckingham Town FC, great attitude.
Mike Burnham will be attending the game also and I was pleased he got back in touch with me about returning to the fold, I'm glad he was able to take his place on the current management team setup, welcome back Mike.
Good luck to the First Team tomorrow, lets hope our name is in the hat for the next round.
Although the hunt for a manager goes on we will see the side at its strongest so far tomorrow. The squad is a work in progress and tomorrow represents a difficult game against a good side from Leighton Buzzard who are 3rd in the league. There are 13 players available tomorrow including a number of new recruits. As well as the new recruits we are lucky to have Daley Cross, a first team regular last season who will be looking for fitness after a couple of weeks away, Scott Whitmore who played well in pre season continues to gather experience of mens football which will help his development in the long term and I don't feel he is far off a chance in the first team.
Jamie Hyde who filled in well for the first team at the back end of last season will be there along with David Pollard who also made a couple of sub appearances in the senior side last term. Josh Whitehead who was also a regular in the senior squad most of last season will continue and hopefully benefit from the extra game time. Darryl Phillips who joined our ranks in the summer will be pushing for a spot in the first team squad also, I watched him in training last night and he looked very sharp. These players are all between 18-21 which is exactly what the development side is all about and although it has been a struggle so far it is coming together more each week.
The Development Squad will be mentored by first team squad member Ross Baldwin tomorrow, Ross is a Level 2 coach already and currently coaches a youth team. However, he wants to concentrate on playing when he fully recovers from the injury he sustained earlier in pre season so I really appreciate him stepping in tomorrow and I know he'll do a fantastic job for Buckingham Town FC, great attitude.
Mike Burnham will be attending the game also and I was pleased he got back in touch with me about returning to the fold, I'm glad he was able to take his place on the current management team setup, welcome back Mike.
Good luck to the First Team tomorrow, lets hope our name is in the hat for the next round.
Wednesday 21 September 2011
Ascot United
Ascot play at Step 5 (we are Step 6) in the football pyramid system.
They are 13th out of 21 in the Hellenic Premier League after 10 games. Their record in the league this season is won 3, drawn 1, lost 6 They have scored 14 goals, 7 of them were scored by Jon Bennett. Bennett has netted in 7 different games, usually when they have been comprehensively beaten but his goal against Ardley Utd did earn them a point. Ascot have conceded 22 goals in their ten league games.
They lost 4-2 on Saturday against Holyport who were recently knocked out of the FA Vase by our neighbours Winslow Utd (Step 7).
Their Manager and his assistant both play for the first team too which obviously leaves a third person in charge from the sidelines which is not ideal.
They started the season playing 4-4-2 but have switched to a 4-3-3 in the last two games with top scorer Bennett playing on the right of three up top.
They are susceptible to quick breaks and pacy players in general.
They are a step above but it is a winnable game.
They are 13th out of 21 in the Hellenic Premier League after 10 games. Their record in the league this season is won 3, drawn 1, lost 6 They have scored 14 goals, 7 of them were scored by Jon Bennett. Bennett has netted in 7 different games, usually when they have been comprehensively beaten but his goal against Ardley Utd did earn them a point. Ascot have conceded 22 goals in their ten league games.
They lost 4-2 on Saturday against Holyport who were recently knocked out of the FA Vase by our neighbours Winslow Utd (Step 7).
Their Manager and his assistant both play for the first team too which obviously leaves a third person in charge from the sidelines which is not ideal.
They started the season playing 4-4-2 but have switched to a 4-3-3 in the last two games with top scorer Bennett playing on the right of three up top.
They are susceptible to quick breaks and pacy players in general.
They are a step above but it is a winnable game.
Saturday 17 September 2011
STATEMENT
I would like to give my thanks to Dan for all his hard work, he leaves the team in a much better place than when he found it and I can genuinely say he has turned the team around in a short space of time.
The season has started well with four points from two games and today we got through to the next round of the County Cup.
Whilst Dan has been juggling his new job and family, Kit has stepped up and shouldered the responsibility for training and match day preparations and on occasions he has taken the team match days, this has not gone un-noticed by my self, he has a vast experience in managing and coaching and following a meeting this week he has agreed to take over as first team manager. Kit has brought in Neil Quinn as his assistant.
I along with the committee wish them all the best in the future with Buckingham Town FC.
The season has started well with four points from two games and today we got through to the next round of the County Cup.
Whilst Dan has been juggling his new job and family, Kit has stepped up and shouldered the responsibility for training and match day preparations and on occasions he has taken the team match days, this has not gone un-noticed by my self, he has a vast experience in managing and coaching and following a meeting this week he has agreed to take over as first team manager. Kit has brought in Neil Quinn as his assistant.
I along with the committee wish them all the best in the future with Buckingham Town FC.
ANNOUNCEMENT
It is with a heavy heart that I have to announce my decision to step down as First Team Manager after today's victory over Great Linford.
I started a new job on June 9th this year and it became painfully obvious a few weeks in to it that the extra demands were hampering my ability to do what needed to be done as Manager of this great club and it was all putting too much strain on my family life. Despite knowing since mid June that I couldn't carry on I wanted to make sure that I stayed until the season had started because there had been more than enough upheaval over the summer and I felt it would destabilise the club further if I left before our league campaign got underway.
We have had a reasonable start to this campaign and are currently unbeaten in 5 league games going back to the end of last season so I feel I leave the side in much healthier shape than when I arrived in March. There is no reason why this group of players can't push on and finish in the top 3 of the division this season.
I really enjoyed the back end of last season and nothing gave me greater pleasure than helping to put pride back into this club even if only for a short while. A few things changed within the setup this summer and it hasn't felt the same for some reason but I have massive respect for the Chairman, Vince looked at ways I could remain as Manager but whatever suggestions were made just weren't right for the club and as I've said on here before no one person is bigger than Buckingham Town football club, least of all me.
We have spent most of the last month talking to potential replacements to continue taking the club in the right direction because whoever takes over needs to follow the vision, I'd hate to think I was handing over the reigns to someone who can't see past the next game and doesn't act in the best interests of the club as a whole.
On a more positive note, I have decided to stay on at Buckingham Town FC in a "Football Development" role, I will be working closely with Vince on the new ground project and pushing forward with the plan to get a full youth setup as well as player recruitment for all BTFC sides among other duties. There will be regular updates on my progress in match day programmes so make sure you attend home games and buy one.
I started a new job on June 9th this year and it became painfully obvious a few weeks in to it that the extra demands were hampering my ability to do what needed to be done as Manager of this great club and it was all putting too much strain on my family life. Despite knowing since mid June that I couldn't carry on I wanted to make sure that I stayed until the season had started because there had been more than enough upheaval over the summer and I felt it would destabilise the club further if I left before our league campaign got underway.
We have had a reasonable start to this campaign and are currently unbeaten in 5 league games going back to the end of last season so I feel I leave the side in much healthier shape than when I arrived in March. There is no reason why this group of players can't push on and finish in the top 3 of the division this season.
I really enjoyed the back end of last season and nothing gave me greater pleasure than helping to put pride back into this club even if only for a short while. A few things changed within the setup this summer and it hasn't felt the same for some reason but I have massive respect for the Chairman, Vince looked at ways I could remain as Manager but whatever suggestions were made just weren't right for the club and as I've said on here before no one person is bigger than Buckingham Town football club, least of all me.
We have spent most of the last month talking to potential replacements to continue taking the club in the right direction because whoever takes over needs to follow the vision, I'd hate to think I was handing over the reigns to someone who can't see past the next game and doesn't act in the best interests of the club as a whole.
On a more positive note, I have decided to stay on at Buckingham Town FC in a "Football Development" role, I will be working closely with Vince on the new ground project and pushing forward with the plan to get a full youth setup as well as player recruitment for all BTFC sides among other duties. There will be regular updates on my progress in match day programmes so make sure you attend home games and buy one.
Monday 5 September 2011
Reserves/Development/Dads Army
Well , Well, Well
I see the second team is still causing debate- nothing wrong with that, shows people care. I can see all sides of the problem but I must say that I think it is a bit early to be writing it off. I believe it is the first time in well over a year that BTFC has been able to field two sides on the same day albeit with a lot of last minute rallying around by the Chairman and I think we should be applauded for that.
Vince's question about where do the players come from to cover those away or injured raises more interesting questions like where do the players coming back from injury or holidays go? straight back in the first team? if so where do the players who filled in go?. We need to remember that unfortunately we don't have a premier ground this season, from what I saw last term and the feedback from one or two players who have left us this season it is fairly obvious that Ford Meadow and the opportunity to play there was a major factor in people staying through bad times and coming back even when not selected for a few weeks. I feel fairly confident that players who don't regularly get in our first team would not keep coming back to the Winslow Centre (no disrespect intended) without the opportunity to prove themselves in the second 11.
Last Saturday was the beginning of the development team, not a signal for it to end and I echo the Chairman's thanks to those who gave help.
The development side is a concept drawn up and decided upon by the committee before we lost our ground and there are a number of reasons for the difficulties we have faced culminating in saturdays events.
The essence of the concept was for last years under 18s players who are now too old to play at that level to come together with fringe first teamers and a few of the current under 18s and form "The development squad". We want the side to play in the same style as the first team with short passing and ball retention the key elements regardless of what sort of opposition they encounter.
Not everybody in the meeting was comfortable with going into the North Bucks league for reasons which have become fairly obvious, certainly to those who attended the first game but it was chosen for the logistical side and ease of administration etc. I spent a long time in the North Bucks leagues myself so I don't like openly criticising the standard, you should never forget where you came from.
The major blow to the development squad came when Steve Mercer and Steve Fisher were forced to find an alternative club for our/their U18s to play because of losing Ford Meadow and so the natural flow and pull through of players was lost. I'm still hopeful of resurrecting our tie up with the two Steves but I do feel that the decision to play north bucks football may have a bearing on their willingness to send players our way.
Another factor in the development squads problems is the fact that with everything going on I let players from last years U18s like Chris Foster, Joe Townsend, Josh Fagan, Harry Brock, Mark Edwards, Craig Knox and Kyle Bateman (to name a few) slip through the net. Some of these lads will probably be going to University but some have been lost to other clubs and I hold my hand up and fully accept responsibility for this failure.
As the Chairman says, the easy option would be to fold the reserves/development side but taking the easy option is what I'm afraid has cost this club time and time again down the years so we will continue and we will get it right.
I see the second team is still causing debate- nothing wrong with that, shows people care. I can see all sides of the problem but I must say that I think it is a bit early to be writing it off. I believe it is the first time in well over a year that BTFC has been able to field two sides on the same day albeit with a lot of last minute rallying around by the Chairman and I think we should be applauded for that.
Vince's question about where do the players come from to cover those away or injured raises more interesting questions like where do the players coming back from injury or holidays go? straight back in the first team? if so where do the players who filled in go?. We need to remember that unfortunately we don't have a premier ground this season, from what I saw last term and the feedback from one or two players who have left us this season it is fairly obvious that Ford Meadow and the opportunity to play there was a major factor in people staying through bad times and coming back even when not selected for a few weeks. I feel fairly confident that players who don't regularly get in our first team would not keep coming back to the Winslow Centre (no disrespect intended) without the opportunity to prove themselves in the second 11.
Last Saturday was the beginning of the development team, not a signal for it to end and I echo the Chairman's thanks to those who gave help.
The development side is a concept drawn up and decided upon by the committee before we lost our ground and there are a number of reasons for the difficulties we have faced culminating in saturdays events.
The essence of the concept was for last years under 18s players who are now too old to play at that level to come together with fringe first teamers and a few of the current under 18s and form "The development squad". We want the side to play in the same style as the first team with short passing and ball retention the key elements regardless of what sort of opposition they encounter.
Not everybody in the meeting was comfortable with going into the North Bucks league for reasons which have become fairly obvious, certainly to those who attended the first game but it was chosen for the logistical side and ease of administration etc. I spent a long time in the North Bucks leagues myself so I don't like openly criticising the standard, you should never forget where you came from.
The major blow to the development squad came when Steve Mercer and Steve Fisher were forced to find an alternative club for our/their U18s to play because of losing Ford Meadow and so the natural flow and pull through of players was lost. I'm still hopeful of resurrecting our tie up with the two Steves but I do feel that the decision to play north bucks football may have a bearing on their willingness to send players our way.
Another factor in the development squads problems is the fact that with everything going on I let players from last years U18s like Chris Foster, Joe Townsend, Josh Fagan, Harry Brock, Mark Edwards, Craig Knox and Kyle Bateman (to name a few) slip through the net. Some of these lads will probably be going to University but some have been lost to other clubs and I hold my hand up and fully accept responsibility for this failure.
As the Chairman says, the easy option would be to fold the reserves/development side but taking the easy option is what I'm afraid has cost this club time and time again down the years so we will continue and we will get it right.
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