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<strong>EDITORIAL</strong><br />
GODALMING TOWN vs AFC RUSHDEN & DIAMONDS<br />
SATURDAY 14 TH NOVEMBER, 3pm<br />
EVO-STIK LEAGUE<br />
SOUTHERN CENTRAL DIVISION<br />
£2
<strong>EDITORIAL</strong><br />
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Club Officials<br />
Club President: Bill Kyte<br />
Chairman: Kevin Young<br />
Vice-Chairman: Ian Curtis<br />
Treasurer: Peter Vickerman<br />
Football Secretary: Ross Mose<br />
Club Secretary: Jane Phillips<br />
Youth Team Secretary: Peter Hirons<br />
Catering Manager: Jane Phillips<br />
Press Officer: Ed Stubbs<br />
Groundsmen: Bill Kyte, Kevin Shepherd<br />
Commercial Manager: Kevin Marshall<br />
Programme Editor: Nick Mitchell<br />
Website Manager: Nick Mitchell<br />
Minutes Secretary: Ross Mose<br />
Child Welfare Officer: Peter Hirons<br />
Safety Officer: Ian Curtis<br />
Committee Member: Colin Mitchell<br />
Committee member: Sarah Mitchell<br />
Honours<br />
Concours Challenge Trophy<br />
winners 1982/83<br />
Southern Combination Challenge winners<br />
1997/98<br />
Reserve Section League<br />
Champions 1995/96, 1996/97<br />
Reserve Section Challenge Shield winners<br />
1996/07<br />
Combined Counties League<br />
Champions 1983/84, 2005/06<br />
Combined Counties League Cup<br />
winners 2005/06<br />
Surrey Senior Cup<br />
winners 2009/10, 2012/13<br />
Good afternoon<br />
and welcome<br />
to Wey Court<br />
for this Evo-Stik<br />
League Southern<br />
Central Divison match<br />
against AFC Rushden<br />
& Diamonds. A warm<br />
welcome is extended<br />
to our visitors and the<br />
match officials this<br />
evening.<br />
Tuesday night saw us<br />
defeat Guildford City in<br />
the Surrey Senior Cup<br />
in front of a fantastic<br />
crowd of 296. A Darren<br />
Wheeler goal proved<br />
to be enough, but on<br />
the balance of play it<br />
should have been more<br />
comfortable than it was.<br />
Today sees our first<br />
ever meeting with AFC<br />
Rushden & DIamonds.<br />
The club were formed in<br />
2011 by supporters, after<br />
Rushden & Diamonds<br />
were expelled from the<br />
Football Conference and<br />
liquidated.<br />
After winning the United<br />
Counties Premier League<br />
last season, AFC Rushden<br />
& Diamonds have wasted<br />
no time adjusting to life at<br />
step 4, currently unbeaten<br />
and sitting in 5th place,<br />
but with games in hand<br />
thanks to their good FA<br />
Cup run.<br />
Tuesday night sees us<br />
travel to the in-form<br />
Egham Town in the<br />
Red Insure Cup, before<br />
another tough away game<br />
at Aylesbury. Following<br />
that we have back to<br />
back home games<br />
against Hanwell Town and<br />
Leighton Town.<br />
Enjoy the game.<br />
WWW.GODALMINGTOWNFC.CO.UK<br />
3
“They also have<br />
a fantastic away<br />
record so we<br />
will need to be<br />
at our very best<br />
to get anything<br />
today.”<br />
ANDY<br />
<strong>EDITORIAL</strong><br />
HUNT<br />
FROM THE DUGOUT<br />
Good afternoon and<br />
welcome to Wey Court<br />
for today’s Evo-Stick<br />
Southern Central League<br />
fixture against AFC<br />
Rushden & Diamonds<br />
FC. I hope everyone<br />
visiting us today will<br />
enjoy a good game and<br />
have a safe journey<br />
home.<br />
What a fantastic test we face<br />
today. Newly promoted and<br />
a huge club, this is easily our<br />
biggest game of the season.<br />
An old football league<br />
club that unfortunately had<br />
financial difficulties and<br />
reformed in 2011. They<br />
also have a fantastic away<br />
record so we will need to<br />
be at our very best to get<br />
anything today. I really love<br />
these challenges when you<br />
face such a tough game<br />
but I know we’ll be ready<br />
and capable of putting in a<br />
performance that will make<br />
all G’s fans happy and<br />
proud of the team.<br />
Tuesday evening was a<br />
fantastic cup game against<br />
our local rivals Guildford<br />
City. The Surrey Senior<br />
Cup 2nd round saw a<br />
large crowd of 296 attend<br />
the derby match, where<br />
winning was everything to<br />
both clubs. With their new<br />
manager bringing more<br />
local interest after his recent<br />
appointment, it was really<br />
set up for a great game<br />
and it didn’t let us down. I<br />
thought we played very well<br />
on the night, it’s never easy<br />
playing against lower level<br />
sides and that has always<br />
been a problem for us but<br />
on Tuesday I thought we<br />
were very professional. We<br />
dominated and controlled<br />
the game from start to finish.<br />
Wheeler was causing a<br />
constant threat down the<br />
left and looking back to his<br />
best, which was great to see<br />
after a tough few weeks.<br />
Louis was making some<br />
wonderful passes to stretch<br />
their defence and get us on<br />
the attack too. We scored<br />
a really well worked goal<br />
early into the second half,<br />
with Adam Cornell making a<br />
great run to beat the offside<br />
trap and then had the<br />
composure to get his head<br />
up and square it to Darren<br />
for a simple tap in. We had<br />
other chances but couldn’t<br />
extent our lead, we hit the<br />
post twice and missed the<br />
target on a few occasions<br />
so the score stayed at 1-0.<br />
City did have a late chance<br />
as they threw everything at<br />
us but we held strong Ozzie<br />
made a good save to give<br />
us a vital and well-deserved<br />
victory.<br />
In our next few games<br />
we face the hardest and<br />
toughest of opponents,<br />
Rushden today then Egham<br />
away in the league cup<br />
and Aylesbury away next<br />
Saturday. We will need your<br />
very best support as always<br />
and the players are excited<br />
about the challenge. We<br />
feel as the management<br />
team that we are starting<br />
to have the desired affect<br />
on the squad now in how<br />
we want to set up and play.<br />
I’m working very hard in a<br />
search for improving the<br />
squad and we will get the<br />
right people in.<br />
Enjoy the game and support<br />
the G’s<br />
COYG<br />
Andy Hunt<br />
4<br />
WWW.GODALMINGTOWNFC.CO.UK
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P W D L F A +/- Pts<br />
1 St Ives Town 15 8 5 2 26 14 +12 29<br />
2 Royston Town 15 9 1 5 34 16 +18 28<br />
3 Chalfont St Peter 15 9 1 5 35 23 +12 28<br />
4 Egham Town 14 9 0 5 32 10 +22 27<br />
5 AFC Rushden & Diamonds 11 8 3 0 26 12 +14 27<br />
6 Aylesbury 15 8 3 4 28 16 +12 27<br />
7 Ware 16 8 3 5 23 23 0 27<br />
8 Beaconsfield SYCOB 16 8 2 6 32 21 +11 26<br />
9 Kings Langley 13 8 1 4 25 14 +11 25<br />
10 Northwood 14 8 1 5 26 20 +6 25<br />
11 Potters Bar Town 14 6 2 6 20 24 -4 20<br />
12 Uxbridge 15 6 2 7 22 27 -5 20<br />
13 Bedford Town 15 5 3 7 20 22 -2 18<br />
14 Barton Rovers 14 4 5 5 22 24 -2 17<br />
15 Petersfield Town 13 4 4 5 22 26 -4 16<br />
16 Arlesey Town 15 5 1 9 17 33 -16 16<br />
17 Godalming Town 14 4 3 7 15 20 -5 15<br />
18 Hanwell Town 15 4 3 8 14 22 -8 15<br />
19 Fleet Town 14 3 3 8 18 34 -16 12<br />
20 Leighton Town 14 3 2 9 12 30 -18 11<br />
21 Aylesbury United 15 3 2 10 19 38 -19 11<br />
22 North Greenford United 14 2 2 10 19 38 -19 8<br />
Results<br />
Tuesday 10th November<br />
Royston Town 3-1 Bedford Town 143<br />
St Ives Town 1-0 Hanwell Town 242<br />
Uxbridge 3-0 Leighton Town 81<br />
Fixtures<br />
Saturday 14th November<br />
Arlesey Town<br />
Aylesbury<br />
Aylesbury United<br />
Egham Town<br />
Godalming Town<br />
Kings Langley<br />
Leighton Town<br />
Potters Bar Town<br />
St Ives Town<br />
v Fleet Town<br />
v Northwood<br />
v Uxbridge<br />
v Beaconsfield SYCOB<br />
v AFC Rushden & Diamonds<br />
v Petersfield Town<br />
v Chalfont St Peter<br />
v Barton Rovers<br />
v North Greenford United<br />
WWW.GODALMINGTOWNFC.CO.UK<br />
7
Godalming Town<br />
kept up their recent<br />
unbeaten record<br />
against rivals<br />
Guildford City as a<br />
second half Darren<br />
Wheeler goal saw the<br />
Gs progress to the 3rd<br />
round of the Surrey<br />
Senior Cup in front of<br />
a bumper Wey Court<br />
derby-day crowd.<br />
Since City’s reformation<br />
in 1996 Godalming have<br />
lost just once to their<br />
biggest rivals, back in<br />
2005, and some felt<br />
a resurgent Guildford<br />
under new, local<br />
manager Dean Thomas<br />
had their best shot at<br />
ending that run against<br />
an out-of-form Gs side.<br />
However, the hosts<br />
were always on top in a<br />
tie low on chances and<br />
did enough to get their<br />
name in the hat for the<br />
next round.<br />
GODALMING TOWN 1<br />
GUILDFORD CITY 0<br />
Tuesday 10th November<br />
The visitors were<br />
without striker Matt<br />
Anton, prolific at step 8<br />
Godalming & Farncombe<br />
Athletic before following<br />
his old manager to<br />
City in September, and<br />
recently courted by Gs<br />
boss Andy Hunt, but<br />
they went close after just<br />
4 minutes when former<br />
Chelsea trainee Adam<br />
Nditi bent a free kick just<br />
wide. Johnny Gray was<br />
playing a more advanced<br />
role in holding midfield<br />
as Nick Hutchings<br />
returned to his place at<br />
full-back, and the former<br />
shot over before City<br />
‘keeper Liam Beach<br />
smothered a Wheeler<br />
free-kick after an initial<br />
spill.<br />
Gray saw another effort<br />
fizz off target before,<br />
in the 34th minute, the<br />
hosts created the best<br />
opening of the half when<br />
Louis Hutton played<br />
a short free-kick to<br />
Wheeler who skinned<br />
Tom Booth before<br />
crossing to George Frith,<br />
and his knockdown<br />
found Tom Willment, but<br />
his effort rebounded<br />
back off the post.<br />
The tie seemed to be<br />
lacking that bit of quality,<br />
particularly in the final<br />
third, with neither side<br />
looking particularly<br />
penetrative. However,<br />
a moment of class from<br />
Adam Cornell just 4<br />
minutes after the break<br />
presented a golden<br />
chance for Wheeler,<br />
and the winger wasn’t<br />
about to waste such an<br />
opportunity. Chris Wales<br />
played the ball forward<br />
and Cornell did superbly<br />
to turn, leaving Bradley<br />
Pegg for dead, and he<br />
rolled the ball across<br />
the 6-yard box where<br />
Wheeler was on hand to<br />
side foot home in front<br />
of the Shed End, his<br />
8th goal of an already<br />
productive season for<br />
him.<br />
The lead should have<br />
been doubled on the<br />
hour mark, and this<br />
time Cornell on the<br />
score sheet, as Sealand<br />
international Booth<br />
played a back pass too<br />
short and the striker was<br />
onto it in a flash. His first,<br />
placed effort hit the post<br />
and came back to him<br />
for a second attempt,<br />
and he opted for power,<br />
but the shot flew well<br />
over Beach’s bar.<br />
As the tie wore on the<br />
visitors began to probe<br />
slightly more, and former<br />
Gs midfielder Andy<br />
Ottley forced Richard<br />
Ossai into his first<br />
meaningful save of the<br />
night with 16 minutes<br />
to go, his 25-yard shot<br />
well stopped by the Gs<br />
number one. Guildford’s<br />
golden chance to take<br />
the tie to penalties came<br />
in stoppage time when a<br />
free-kick fell to substitute<br />
Josh Everand, who did<br />
well to create the space,<br />
but Ossai was on hand<br />
to thwart him from close<br />
range.<br />
Certainly not a classic,<br />
but the Gs will be<br />
pleased to progress in<br />
a cup competition, and<br />
make it back to back<br />
wins at Wey Court.<br />
Next up is a visit from<br />
unbeaten AFC Rushden<br />
& Diamonds on Saturday<br />
before Andy Hunts side<br />
visit Egham Town in the<br />
League Cup.<br />
Attendance: 296<br />
Goals: Wheeler 48’<br />
XI: Ossai; Wales,<br />
Hutchings, Willment,<br />
Musgrove; Frith,<br />
Wheeler, Gray (Laidler<br />
66’), Hutton; Cornell<br />
(Lewington 78’), Purdy.<br />
Not used: Edwards,<br />
Lloyd, McGarry<br />
WWW.GODALMINGTOWNFC.CO.UK<br />
8 9
10
B.L.<br />
<strong>EDITORIAL</strong><br />
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The end of the 2010/11 football<br />
season saw the sudden and<br />
cruel demise of Rushden &<br />
Diamonds football club. After<br />
nineteen years of numerous<br />
highs and lows since the<br />
club was formed by the<br />
merger of Rushden Town &<br />
Irthlingborough Diamonds,<br />
a small group of the club’s<br />
supporters decided to take it<br />
upon themselves to try and<br />
ensure that those memories<br />
survived, that the friendships<br />
built up during that period<br />
could continue and prosper,<br />
and that the name Rushden<br />
& Diamonds would not be<br />
condemned to the footballing<br />
annals of yesteryear. The result<br />
was the birth of AFC Rushden<br />
& Diamonds.<br />
A huge amount of work had<br />
already begun behind the<br />
scenes, but the inauguration of<br />
the ‘Phoenix’ club really took<br />
place on July 1st 2011 following<br />
a meeting of approximately<br />
170 supporters at the<br />
Pemberton Centre in Rushden.<br />
Those in attendance voted<br />
overwhelmingly in favour<br />
of creating a new club, and<br />
decided upon the name AFC<br />
Rushden & Diamonds.<br />
The ethos right from the outset<br />
was to create a community<br />
club controlled by the fans, for<br />
the fans, with no one person<br />
having a definitive say in how it<br />
is run. Hence the slogan “One<br />
fan, one vote, one community,<br />
one club.”<br />
The creation of AFC R&D<br />
THE OPPOSITION<br />
HISTORY<br />
came too late to feasibly put<br />
together a senior side for<br />
the 2011/12 season, so it was<br />
decided that the club would<br />
run only an under 18s side for<br />
the first year of its existence.<br />
The aim would then be to<br />
assemble a senior side for the<br />
2012/13 season with a view<br />
to competing in the United<br />
Counties League. The club<br />
successfully applied to enter<br />
the Northants Senior Youth<br />
League Western Division for<br />
2011/12, and another open<br />
fans’ meeting decided that<br />
the club would play its home<br />
games at Kiln Park, home of<br />
Raunds Town FC.<br />
On July 18th 2011, less than<br />
three weeks on since the<br />
inception of AFC Rushden &<br />
Diamonds, the club announced<br />
a major coup with the<br />
appointment of Mark Starmer<br />
as manager for the club’s<br />
inaugural season. Starmer<br />
brought with him a terrific<br />
pedigree in youth football,<br />
having just led the Rushden<br />
& Diamonds U18s side to a<br />
league and cup double.<br />
It was a great desire of<br />
everyone involved in the<br />
formation of AFC R&D that<br />
something be done to honour<br />
the memory of Dale Roberts,<br />
the popular Rushden &<br />
Diamonds goalkeeper who<br />
tragically passed away in<br />
December 2010. A memorial<br />
cup was arranged in his name<br />
and will be played every year<br />
between AFC R&D U18s and<br />
Cleveland Juniors, Dale’s first<br />
club. Cleveland Juniors won<br />
the first ever game 3-2, but<br />
the result was immaterial as<br />
around £3000 was raised for<br />
the Dale Roberts Memorial<br />
Fund. As a further tribute<br />
to Dale, the number 1 shirt<br />
was retired indefinitely and<br />
presented to his parents,<br />
George and Isabel Roberts,<br />
prior to the game.<br />
By the time the new club<br />
played their first competitive<br />
game on August 25th 2011,<br />
around 40 enthusiastic<br />
volunteers were assisting the<br />
Acting Committee run the<br />
club. The NYSL game against<br />
Daventry Town was attended<br />
by 470 supporters, a record<br />
attendance for the league.<br />
As things began to come<br />
together on the pitch, the<br />
hard work continued behind<br />
the scenes. With the help of<br />
Supporters’ Direct, a Club<br />
constitution was drafted and<br />
the club became a Community<br />
Benefit Society. A membership<br />
scheme was then launched,<br />
with members receiving one<br />
ordinary share in the club and<br />
giving each member one vote<br />
in future club decisions, and<br />
is referenced in the club’s<br />
Mission Statement.<br />
The commercial side of the<br />
club was now developing as<br />
sponsors were sought and<br />
acquired in good numbers.<br />
Locally, fundraising events<br />
were planned and held,<br />
helping the club to engage<br />
with the community. Links<br />
were formed with other<br />
local football clubs and<br />
businesses. The development<br />
as a Community Club was<br />
now progressing quicker than<br />
expected; the club agreeing to<br />
closely cooperate with South<br />
Rushden Junior Football Club.<br />
This significant step ensures<br />
a clear pathway for young<br />
players from age 5 through to<br />
senior level.<br />
During that first season the<br />
U18 side entertained and<br />
surprised most supporters<br />
by their increasing maturity<br />
and development. After a<br />
slow start the team reached<br />
the Northants Senior Youth<br />
League Knockout Cup Final,<br />
against AFC Kempston Rovers<br />
at the neutral venue of Corby<br />
FC which they won 4-1 in front<br />
of almost 500 fans.<br />
After enjoying the midweek<br />
hospitality at Kiln Park, home<br />
of Raunds Town FC for the<br />
youth team games during 2011-<br />
12, there was a need to find a<br />
ground where games could<br />
be played at the weekend,<br />
and after a fans vote on the<br />
options they overwhelmingly<br />
supported a partnership<br />
with Wellingborough Town<br />
which meant AFC Rushden &<br />
Diamonds would play at the<br />
Dog and Duck from the 2012-<br />
13 season onwards.<br />
In May 2012 the FA League<br />
Committee gave approval for<br />
the AFC Rushden & Diamonds<br />
Senior team to play in Division<br />
One of the United Counties<br />
League in the 2012-13 season<br />
(Step 6 of the Non-League<br />
Pyramid). By this time the club<br />
had appointed Mark Starmer<br />
as the manager of their senior<br />
team, and he had brought in<br />
Andy Peaks as his assistant<br />
(who brought extensive nonleague<br />
experience as well<br />
as being a former player at<br />
R&DFC). He then added Scott<br />
(Biff) Carlin as first team coach.<br />
The club also announced to<br />
formation of a ladies team, a<br />
multi-disability team, and the<br />
continuation of the Under-18<br />
team in the Northants Senior<br />
Youth League for the 2012-13<br />
season, with Mark Walsh as<br />
their manager.<br />
Work over the summer by the<br />
Diamonds team of volunteers,<br />
in partnership with the efforts<br />
of Wellingborough Town<br />
volunteers helped to upgrade<br />
a number of facilities at the<br />
Dog and Duck, including the<br />
introduction of an additional<br />
matchday bar, known as Dale’s<br />
Bar in memory of Dale Roberts.<br />
On Saturday 18th August 2012<br />
AFC Rushden & Diamonds<br />
played their first ever senior<br />
fixture when a crowd of 784<br />
saw them defeat Thrapston<br />
Town 3-0 at the Dog & Duck.<br />
That inaugural 2012-13 season<br />
saw the Diamonds only<br />
lose two league games as<br />
they achieved promotion by<br />
finishing as runners-up in the<br />
League. They also had a good<br />
run in the FA Vase, reaching<br />
the third round proper before<br />
losing to Ashington FC.<br />
As well as the Senior Team<br />
achieving success in their first<br />
season, the AFC R&D Ladies<br />
team won their league in 2012-<br />
13, the Northants Women’s<br />
Football League Division 2,<br />
and they also won the NWFL<br />
KO Cup Plate.<br />
The Diamonds Under-18 team<br />
continued their good record,<br />
with Mark Walsh leading the<br />
team to the Northants Senior<br />
Youth League West Division<br />
title in 2012/13, although they<br />
were unable to defend their<br />
League KO Cup crown as<br />
the poor weather meant the<br />
competition was not held in<br />
2012/13.<br />
The 2013-14 season started<br />
with a meeting of the<br />
Diamonds members, where<br />
it was agreed that a top six<br />
finish in the UCL Premier as<br />
well as a good run in the FA<br />
Cup and FA Vase were the<br />
targets for the season. These<br />
targets were delivered, as the<br />
side finished third in their first<br />
season at non-league Step<br />
5, as well as having excellent<br />
runs in both cup competitions.<br />
In the FA Vase they won five<br />
ties to reach the fourth round<br />
proper. In their debut season<br />
in the premier Cup competition<br />
they won four ties to reach the<br />
third qualifying round of the FA<br />
Cup, including a victory over<br />
step 3 side Cambridge City.<br />
Diamonds player Russ Dunkley<br />
won the FA Player of the round<br />
award for the first qualifying<br />
round.<br />
Despite all of these<br />
achievements Diamonds’<br />
Manager Mark Starmer<br />
resigned in March 2014, with<br />
his assistant Andy Peaks being<br />
appointed to replace him<br />
shortly afterwards.<br />
The 2014-15 Season was the<br />
club’s most successful to date.<br />
The club clinched the United<br />
Counties Premier Division<br />
title and promotion to Step 4<br />
football, with an unbeaten run<br />
of 17 league games at the end<br />
of the campaign ensuring they<br />
kept ahead of their rivals.<br />
The unbeaten run was<br />
stretched to 20 games in all<br />
competitions as the Diamonds<br />
clinched the UCL League and<br />
Cup double in early May 2015<br />
with a 3-0 victory over Potton<br />
United in the UCL Knock-Out<br />
Cup.<br />
Further success came from<br />
the newly formed partnership<br />
at U18 level, as the link with<br />
the Malcolm Arnold Academy<br />
brought the English Colleges<br />
Football Association East<br />
Midlands Category 2B League<br />
Title for the 2014/15 season.<br />
The scholars also reached the<br />
final of the NFA David Joyce<br />
U18 Cup.<br />
WWW.GODALMINGTOWNFC.CO.UK<br />
14 15
Goalkeepers<br />
Matt Finlay joined the club<br />
from Cogenhoe United at<br />
the end of January 2014. The<br />
35-year-old goalkeeper joined<br />
the Cooks in August 2013 after<br />
playing in the Northern Premier<br />
League Division One South to<br />
help Stamford win promotion<br />
to step 3 in the 2012-13<br />
season, joining the Daniels<br />
from Banbury United. He had<br />
previously played for Woodford<br />
United, helping the Reds win<br />
the UCL Premier Division title<br />
and then playing for them<br />
in the Southern League. He<br />
has also played for Raunds<br />
Town, Bedford Town, Daventry<br />
Town, Brackley Town, St Neots<br />
Town, Wellingborough Town<br />
and Oxford City. He made 13<br />
appearances for the Diamonds<br />
in 2013/14, but became a<br />
mainstay of the side as they<br />
won the League and Cup<br />
double in 2014/15, appearing<br />
46 times.<br />
Defenders<br />
Delroy Gordon is a 31-year-old<br />
defender who joined the club<br />
in July 2015. After starting his<br />
career as a junior with Rushden<br />
& Diamonds FC, Delroy has<br />
played at the highest levels<br />
of non-league football,<br />
including spells in the Football<br />
Conference for Kettering Town<br />
and Nuneaton Town. After<br />
starting the 2014-15 season<br />
with Nuneaton he moved to<br />
play for Leamington FC in the<br />
Conference North. He has<br />
also spent time at Corby Town,<br />
Stamford, Oxford City, Banbury<br />
United and Rugby Town.<br />
THE OPPOSITION<br />
PLAYER PROFILES<br />
Liam Dolman is a 28-year-old<br />
defender, who joined the club<br />
from Daventry Town during<br />
June 2014. Liam can either play<br />
at centre back or full back and<br />
was club captain at Daventry,<br />
as well as being named<br />
Supporters’ Player of the<br />
Season in 2013/14. He is from<br />
Northamptonshire, and started<br />
his career with Northampton<br />
Town, progressing from youth<br />
level to the first team, making<br />
his league debut at the end<br />
of the 2006/07 season and<br />
making over 50 appearances<br />
in League and FA Cup games<br />
for the Cobblers in the next<br />
two seasons. He then had a<br />
short spell playing Conference<br />
Football for Kidderminster<br />
Harriers in 2009/10 before<br />
joining Banbury United. He<br />
then moved to Daventry<br />
Town where played at Step 4<br />
level in the Southern League<br />
Division One Central. He had<br />
a successful first campaign<br />
with the club, picking up the<br />
Manager’s Player of the Season<br />
award in 2014/15, as well as a<br />
Player of the Month award for<br />
February 2015 when he scored<br />
6 goals from 4 games from his<br />
centre-back role. His goal at<br />
Long Buckby was also chosen<br />
as goal of the season.<br />
Ollie Wilkinson is a 27-year-old<br />
defender who joined the club in<br />
June 2015 from Bedford Town,<br />
where he was club captain<br />
during the 2014-15 season after<br />
rejoining them from Daventry<br />
Town, where he had played<br />
alongside several members of<br />
the Diamonds squad. He has<br />
played at Step 3 level with both<br />
Bedford and Corby Town. He<br />
also played for Long Buckby<br />
alongside Bunting during their<br />
UCL title winning season in<br />
2011-12. He had spent some<br />
time with Rushden & Diamonds<br />
during his teenage years.<br />
Jack Ashton is a 25-year old<br />
defender, who joined the<br />
Diamonds on a dual registration<br />
basis with Stamford AFC in<br />
March 2014. He joined the<br />
Daniels in 2013 from Banbury<br />
United, with whom he had two<br />
spells either side of playing<br />
for Oxford City. He originally<br />
joined Banbury from Cogenhoe<br />
United, having previously had<br />
a spell at Long Buckby. He<br />
appeared in the final six games<br />
of the season in 2013-14, and<br />
won the April 2014 Player of<br />
the Month award. He picked<br />
up two further Player of the<br />
Month Awards in 2014/15, and<br />
also won the Fans Player of the<br />
Season award as well as the<br />
Players’ Player of the Season<br />
trophy.<br />
Sam Brown is a 23-year-old<br />
defender who was a junior at<br />
the Centre of Excellence at<br />
Rushden & Diamonds FC. He<br />
joined AFC Kempston Rovers<br />
in 2009, aged 16, and helped<br />
them to reach the UCL Premier<br />
in 2010. Sam made 35(1)<br />
appearances during 2012-13,<br />
scoring two goals towards<br />
the end of the season, and<br />
winning the club Player of<br />
the Month award in January<br />
and April 2013. He also won<br />
the Manager’s Player of the<br />
Season award in 2012-13. He<br />
made 48 appearances for the<br />
Diamonds in 2013/14. In 2014/15<br />
he reached his century of<br />
appearances for the Diamonds.<br />
Charlie Butt is a 20-year-old<br />
right back / midfielder who<br />
joined the club in October 2014.<br />
Although most recently signed<br />
with Corby Town, he started<br />
out with the Peterborough<br />
United Academy before moving<br />
to Kings Lynn Town, and has<br />
also had short spells at Lincoln<br />
United and Wisbech Town.<br />
After starting as a fringe player<br />
he began to get more gametime<br />
as the season progressed,<br />
and went on to make 21<br />
appearances in 2014/15.<br />
Midfielders<br />
Richard Bunting is a 34-yearold<br />
midfielder who joined the<br />
club from Kings Lynn Town<br />
in November 2013. He had<br />
captained the Linnets to the<br />
Northern Premier League<br />
Division One South title in the<br />
2012-13 season. In the previous<br />
season he was captain for<br />
Long Buckby when they won<br />
the United Counties Premier<br />
League title. He played for<br />
Cogenhoe United, Raunds<br />
Town and Brackley earlier<br />
in his career. He made 14(4)<br />
appearances for the Diamonds<br />
in 2013/14 with his goal at<br />
Newport Pagnell picking up the<br />
goal of the season award. He<br />
became club captain in 2014/15<br />
helping the Diamonds pick up<br />
the League and Cup double in<br />
the UCL.<br />
Andy Hall is a 29-year-old<br />
midfielder who joined the club<br />
from Stamford AFC in October<br />
2015. Andy is best known as a<br />
winger, but can also play in a<br />
more central role, and he has<br />
had recent success with both<br />
Stamford and Kettering Town,<br />
helping both clubs achieve<br />
promotion from Step 4 to Step<br />
3. As well as two spells with<br />
both of those clubs he has also<br />
featured for Corby Town, Kings<br />
Lynn Town, Hinckley United and<br />
Nuneaton after starting out as a<br />
junior with Coventry City.<br />
Dan Quigley is a 25-year-old<br />
midfielder who joined the club<br />
in June 2015 from Kings Lynn<br />
Town where he played for them<br />
at Step 3 level, having played<br />
alongside Richard Bunting to<br />
help the Linnets win promotion<br />
from Step 4. He played for Long<br />
Buckby during their UCL title<br />
winning season in 2011-12.<br />
Brad Harris is a 25-year old<br />
midfielder who joined the<br />
club from Desborough Town<br />
in December 2012. He can<br />
play in central midfield or at<br />
centre-back. He started his<br />
career at Rugby Town, and<br />
played at Daventry Town and<br />
Long Buckby before joining<br />
Northampton Spencer where<br />
he played under Diamonds<br />
Manager Andy Peaks. After<br />
joining the Diamonds he<br />
made 19(3) appearances in<br />
the remainder of the 2012-<br />
13 season. He made 33(9)<br />
appearances for the Diamonds<br />
in 2013/14, picking up the<br />
Player of the Month award<br />
in March 2014. In 2014/15<br />
he reached his century of<br />
appearances for the Diamonds,<br />
scoring some memorable goals<br />
which helped him earn two<br />
further Player of the Month<br />
awards.<br />
Claudiu Hoban is a Romanianborn<br />
23 year-old midfield<br />
player (also known as Claudio),<br />
who often plays wide-left, but<br />
he can also play centrally or on<br />
the right. He joined the club in<br />
August 2015, and previously<br />
had two spells with Corby<br />
Town, including at the end of<br />
the 2014-15 season. He was a<br />
junior with Leicester City, and<br />
after an injury problem led to<br />
him being released he went<br />
to Rugby Town and then on<br />
to Daventry Town and Histon.<br />
During this period he was a<br />
finalist in the Samsung “Win<br />
A Pro Contract” competition.<br />
Since then he has been with<br />
Sutton United and Tamworth<br />
before a spell with Kettering<br />
Town and then rejoining the<br />
Steelmen.<br />
Elliott Lamb-Johnson joined the<br />
club from Cogenhoe United at<br />
the end of May 2014, Now aged<br />
20, he can play on either wing,<br />
as well as in a more central<br />
role. He made 28 appearances<br />
for Cogenhoe in the UCL,<br />
scoring 5 goals and scooping<br />
the “Young Player of the Year”<br />
prize at the end of season<br />
awards. He played in 34 games<br />
for the Diamonds in 2014/15,<br />
scoring 6 goals and picking up<br />
16 assists.<br />
Joe Ackroyd was a member<br />
of the Diamonds U18 and U21<br />
setups when he made his<br />
first-team debut in the UCL KO<br />
Cup quarter final in May 2015.<br />
having recently turned 17. He<br />
had graduated through two<br />
junior levels of the AFC R&D<br />
Academy before joining the<br />
AFC R&D / MAA setup. He is a<br />
versatile player who has played<br />
as sweeper for the U21 side,<br />
and in midfield for the U18 side.<br />
Still aged 17 he then appeared<br />
for the first team as a substitute<br />
in their FA Cup Third Qualifying<br />
Round victory in October 2015.<br />
Strikers<br />
Steve Spriggs joined the club<br />
in early August 2015 from<br />
Kings Lynn. The 27 year-old<br />
winger / striker had a number<br />
of spells at The Walks, playing<br />
at Step 3 level for them in the<br />
2014-15 season, and he was<br />
the all-time top scorer for the<br />
reformed club, scoring 80<br />
times in 216 appearances. He<br />
started his senior career with<br />
Ely City, after being with the<br />
Cambridge United Academy,<br />
before making his debut for<br />
Kings Lynn in 2007. Between<br />
his various spells at The Walks<br />
he has had significant spells<br />
with Mildenhall Town, Wroxham<br />
(where he appeared for them at<br />
Wembley in the FA Vase final)<br />
and AFC Sudbury.<br />
Scott Joseph is a 27-year-old<br />
striker who has had two spells<br />
with the club. He originally<br />
joined from AFC Kempston<br />
Rovers at the end of March<br />
2014, and scored 5 goals for<br />
the club in the remainder of<br />
that season before moving<br />
back to Kempston. He rejoined<br />
the Diamonds in October<br />
2014. He scored 14 goals in 25<br />
appearances during the 2014-<br />
15 season, picking up the final<br />
Player of the Month award for<br />
that season.<br />
WWW.GODALMINGTOWNFC.CO.UK<br />
16 17
FIXTURES & RESULTS<br />
Key: Sub on: Sub off: Yellow Card: Red Card: Goalscorer: <br />
FA Trophy: (FAT) FA Cup: (FAC) League Cup: (LC) Surrey Senior Cup: (SSC)<br />
Date Opposition V Score Att. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 14 15 16 17<br />
Sat 8th Aug Leighton Town A D 0-0 122 Ossai C.Hutton Hutchings Laidler Rushe Willment Frith W.Hutton Purdy L.Hutton Wheeler Cornell Roberts Mazzone Musgrove<br />
Tue 11th Aug Uxbridge H D 2-2 111 Ossai C.Hutton Hutchings Laidler Musgrove Willment Frith W.Hutton Cornell L.Hutton Wheeler Purdy Mazzone Roberts Wales<br />
Sat 15th Aug Bedford Town H W 2-1 161 Ossai C.Hutton Hutchings Laidler Rushe Willment Frith W.Hutton Cornell L.Hutton Wheeler Purdy Mazzone Roberts Musgrove Lunn<br />
Tues 18th Aug Hanwell Town A W 2-1 127 Ossai C.Hutton Hutchings Laidler Rushe Willment Frith W.Hutton Cornell L.Hutton Wheeler Purdy Mazzone Roberts Musgrove Lunn<br />
Sat 22nd Aug Potters Bar Town H L 1-0 117 Ossai C.Hutton Hutchings Laidler Rushe Willment Mazzone W.Hutton Cornell L.Hutton Wheeler Purdy Roberts Wales Musgrove Lunn<br />
Sat 29th Aug Marlow (FAC) A D 1-1 116 Ossai C.Hutton Hutchings Laidler Rushe Willment Roberts W.Hutton Cornell L.Hutton Wheeler Purdy Mazzone Wales Powell Lunn<br />
Tue 1st Sept Marlow (FAC Replay) H W 2-1 aet 139 Ossai C.Hutton Hutchings Laidler Wales Willment Roberts W.Hutton Purdy Wheeler Frith Cornell Mazzone Powell Lunn<br />
Sat 5th Sept Beaconsfield SYCOB H W 2-0 117 Ossai C.Hutton Hutchings Laidler Wales Willment Frith W.Hutton Mazzone Wheeler L.Hutton Cornell Powell Rushe Musgrove Lunn<br />
Sat 12th Sept Kidlington (FAC) H L 1-0 152 Ossai C.Hutton Hutchings Laidler Wales Willment Frith W.Hutton Mazzone Wheeler L.Hutton Cornell Purdy Roberts Musgrove Lunn<br />
Sat 19th Sept St Ives Town A D 1-1 290 Ossai Beswick Hutchings Laidler Wales Rushe Frith L. Hutton Purdy Wheeler Cornell Mazzone Lunn W.Hutton Powell<br />
Sat 26th Sept Arlesey Town H L 2-0 129 Lunn C.Hutton Hutchings Laidler Wales Rushe Frith L.Hutton Purdy Wheeler Cornell Mazzone Roberts Beswick Powell<br />
Tue 29th Sept North Greenford United A L 2-1 65 Ossai C.Hutton Hutchings Laidler Wales Willment Frith L. Hutton Purdy Mazzone Roberts Wheeler Lunn W.Hutton Cornell Beswick<br />
Sat 3rd Oct Taunton Town (FAT) A L 4-1 215 Blackmore C.Hutton Hutchings Laidler Wales Willment Frith L.Hutton Cornell Wheeler Roberts Purdy W.Hutton McGarry Mazzone <br />
Sat 10th Oct Ware A L 2-1 77 Blackmore Wales Hutchings Frith McGarry Willment W.Hutton Laidler Cornell L.Hutton Wheeler Purdy Roberts Mazzone C.Hutton<br />
Tue 13th Oct Burnham (LC) H W 6-0 67 Ossai McGarry Hutchings Roberts Rushe Willment W.Hutton L.Hutton Purdy x2 Mazzone x3 Wheeler Musgrove Powell Beswick Laidler Frith<br />
Sat 17th Oct Barton Rovers H L 2-1 126 Ossai W.Hutton Hutchings Roberts Rushe Willment Laidler L.Hutton Purdy Mazzone Wheeler Cornell Frith McGarry Wales<br />
Sat 24th Oct Royston Town H W 1-0 148 St Louis-Hamilton McGarry Hutchings L.Hutton Lloyd Musgrove Frith Laidler Purdy Wheeler Roberts Beswick Lewington Powell Edwards<br />
Tue 27th Oct Chalfont St Peter A L 4-1 56 St Louis-Hamilton McGarry Hutchings L.Hutton Lloyd Musgrove Frith McClurg Purdy Wheeler Roberts Cornell Lewington WIllment Edwards<br />
Tue 3rd Nov Fleet Town A L 2-1 145 Ossai Musgrove Gray Roberts Lloyd Willment Frith Laidler Purdy L.Hutton Wheeler Hutchings Lewington Powell McGarry <br />
Tue 10th Nov Guildford City (SSC) H W 1-0 296 Ossai Wales Hutchings Gray Musgrove Willment Frith L.Hutton Purdy Wheeler Cornell Laidler Lewington Lloyd McGarry Edwards<br />
Sat 14th Nov AFC Rushden & Diamonds H<br />
Sat 21st Nov Aylesbury A<br />
Tue 24th Nov Hanwell Town H<br />
Sat 28th Nov Leighton Town H<br />
Tue 1st Dec Uxbridge A<br />
Sat 5th Dec Aylesbury United A<br />
Sat 12th Dec Egham Town H<br />
Sat 19th Dec Potters Bar Town A<br />
Sat 26th Dec Fleet Town H<br />
Sat 2nd Jan Petersfield Town A<br />
Sat 9th Jan Kings Langley H<br />
Sat 16th Jan Beaconsfield SYCOB A<br />
Sat 23rd Jan St Ives Town H<br />
Sat 30th Jan Aylesbury H<br />
Sat 6th Feb Bedford Town A<br />
Sat 13th Feb Arlesey Town A<br />
Sat 20th Feb North Greenford United H<br />
Sat 27th Feb Barton Rovers A<br />
Sat 5th Mar Ware H<br />
Sat 12th Mar Aylesbury United H<br />
Sat 19th Mar Egham Town A<br />
Sat 26th Mar Kings Langley A<br />
Mon 28th Mar Petersfield Town H<br />
Sat 2nd Apr Chalfont St Peter H<br />
Sat 9th Apr Royston Town A<br />
Sat 16th Apr Northwood H<br />
Sat 23rd Apr AFC Rushden & Diamonds A<br />
WWW.GODALMINGTOWNFC.CO.UK<br />
18 19
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LADIES TEAM<br />
YOUTH TEAM<br />
P W D L GD PTS<br />
1 Victoire Ladies 7 6 0 1 23 18<br />
2 Crystal Palace Development Reserves 8 5 3 0 12 18<br />
3 Clapham United Reserves 9 5 3 1 5 18<br />
4 Surrey Eagles 5 4 1 0 17 13<br />
5 Godalming Town 7 3 2 2 5 11<br />
6 Colne Valley Reserves 6 3 2 1 3 11<br />
7 AFC Phoenix Reserves 8 2 2 4 -2 8<br />
P W D L F A PTS<br />
1 Guildford Saints United 5 4 0 1 22 4 12<br />
2 Cranleigh Youth 4 3 1 0 14 4 10<br />
3 Horsley Youth Crusaders 5 2 2 1 9 6 8<br />
4 Ashtead Colts 4 2 1 1 12 9 7<br />
5 Badshot Lea Y&C Rays 4 1 0 3 8 15 3<br />
6 Godalming Town 5 1 0 4 8 18 3<br />
7 Claygate Royals Swans 5 1 0 4 6 23 3<br />
8 Carshalton Athletic Reserves 7 2 1 4 -18 7<br />
9 Balham Panthers 8 1 2 5 -21 5<br />
10 Denham United Development 7 0 1 6 -11 1<br />
11 Greenhouse Sports FC 8 0 1 7 -13 1<br />
Date Time Opposition Venue Score Competition<br />
Sun 30th Aug 2pm Orpington A W 4-1 Cup<br />
Sun 6th Sept 2pm Greenhouse Sports FC A D 2-2 League<br />
Sun 13th Sept 2pm Victoire Ladies A L 3-2 League<br />
Sun 20th Sept 2pm Clapham United Reserves H L 3-1 League<br />
Sun 27th Sept 2pm Carshalton Athletic Reserves A W 5-0 League<br />
Sun 4th Oct 2pm AFC Phoenix Reserves H W 4-3 League<br />
Sun 11th Oct 2pm Denham United Development A W 3-1 League<br />
Sun 18th Oct 1.30pm Greenhouse Sports FC H W 6-1 Russell Cup<br />
Sun 1st Nov 2pm Luton Town Development H L 2-1 Memorial Trophy<br />
Sun 8th Nov 2pm Crystal Palace Development Reserves H D 1-1 League<br />
Sun 22nd Nov 2pm Balham Panthers A League<br />
Date Time Opposition Venue Score Competition<br />
Sun 13th Sept 10am Cranleigh Youth H L 6-1 League<br />
Sun 27th Sept 10am Claygate Royals Swans A W 5-1 League<br />
Sun 4th Oct 10am Guildford Saints United H L 5-0 League<br />
Sun 11th Oct 10am Ashtead Colts A L 4-1 League<br />
Sun 18th Oct 10am Badshot Lea Y&C Rays H L 2-1 League<br />
Sun 8th Nov 10am Curley Park Rangers A L 2-2<br />
(2-4<br />
pens)<br />
County Cup<br />
Sun 15th Nov 10am Oxshott H League Cup<br />
Sun 22nd Nov 10am Cranleigh Youth A League<br />
Sun 6th Dec 10am Claygate Royals Swans H League<br />
Sun 13th Dec 10am Guildford Saints United A League<br />
Curley Park Rangers 2-2 Godalming Town Youth (4-2 on penalties)<br />
On a poor pitch at Lightwater the teams involved in this game put on a great spectacle for the supporters.<br />
It was however the home side whom took early hold on game to go quickly into a 2 goal lead after<br />
15 minutes. To the credit of all the Godalming Town squad no one gave up and started to play some nice<br />
football which lead to a fine looping header from Rory Cole to reduce the deficit to 2 -1. Will Edwards<br />
making his debut for Godalming made some excellent saves and with Godalming coming back into<br />
game went in at half time losing 2-1. The second half was pretty even but Godalming had the better<br />
chances apart from a couple of efforts which were saved well again by Will. The pressure by Godalming<br />
paid off with 20 minutes to go when Shaun Harper slid in to get a well deserved equaliser.<br />
The game finished level at 2-2 and went straight to penalties. Curley Park winning the shoot out 4 -2.<br />
WWW.GODALMINGTOWNFC.CO.UK<br />
22 23
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24
from inbedwithmaradona.com<br />
BLOOD IN THE WATER<br />
Sport is defined by its<br />
iconic and unforgettable<br />
moments and within<br />
those moments are<br />
the photographs which<br />
encapsulate them.<br />
Water Polo has its<br />
iconic moment too. In<br />
the photography a man<br />
stands by the side of<br />
a swimming pool with<br />
blood pouring down<br />
the right hand side of<br />
his face, looking hazily<br />
into the distance having<br />
been punched by an<br />
opponent.<br />
Next year will be the<br />
sixtieth anniversary of<br />
both the summer Olympics<br />
in Melbourne and the<br />
Hungarian uprising against<br />
Soviet rule, and the two<br />
events are inextricably<br />
linked. As Budapest became<br />
a battleground between<br />
idealised Hungarians and<br />
their Soviet oppressors, the<br />
two countries prepared to<br />
face each other in a grudge<br />
match where there was<br />
much more at stake than<br />
the final score.<br />
Six months before both the<br />
uprising and the Olympics<br />
the two sides played each<br />
other in Moscow. The match<br />
ended in dressing room<br />
violence and accusations<br />
of biased officialdom - the<br />
referee was a Muscovite. At<br />
another fixture, in Hungary,<br />
fans turned their backs on<br />
the Soviet team as they<br />
were led out into the arena<br />
and heckled the national<br />
anthem. It was clear that<br />
on a personal level that<br />
the two sides did not like<br />
each other but there was<br />
professional respect, at<br />
least from the Soviets.<br />
Hungary’s water polo<br />
pedigree at Olympic level<br />
dated back to the 1932<br />
Los Angeles Games. Viktor<br />
Ageyev, a member of<br />
the Soviet team in 1956<br />
acknowledged, “They<br />
were our idols, they were<br />
significantly better than<br />
us.” Hungary’s Istvan Hevesi<br />
concurred that, “They<br />
copied down everything<br />
that we did. The next day<br />
they did the same thing.”<br />
Nevertheless, despite<br />
the respect afforded by<br />
the Soviet team to the<br />
Hungarians, this rivalry was<br />
going to be brought to a<br />
head by external political<br />
events. Following the end of<br />
World War II the Hungarian<br />
people elected a coalition<br />
government under the<br />
leadership of Zoltan Tildy<br />
which was increasingly<br />
undermined by the<br />
Communists who held sway<br />
over the state police. Soon<br />
afterwards the Communists<br />
took full control of the<br />
country and the repression<br />
began. Thousands were<br />
arrested, tortured, executed<br />
or deported to the USSR.<br />
The educational system<br />
was overturned in favour of<br />
a programme of compulsory<br />
Russian language tuition<br />
and Communist political<br />
study. Hungary suffered<br />
from hyperinflation, war<br />
reparations and unrealistic<br />
growth forecasts.<br />
A fall in living standards<br />
and an increase in food<br />
shortages meant that<br />
there was fertile ground<br />
for anybody wanting to<br />
express resistance to the<br />
harsh regime and those<br />
who were caught doing so<br />
faced those most draconian<br />
of punishments, yet there<br />
was opposition to the<br />
Communist rule. Students<br />
became emboldened and<br />
violence finally erupted on<br />
23rd October 1956 outside<br />
the Radio Budapest building<br />
as the secret police opened<br />
fire on protestors.<br />
By 3rd November Soviet<br />
tanks surrounded Budapest<br />
and they entered the<br />
city in the early hours of<br />
the following morning.<br />
Resistance against the<br />
Red Army was fruitless<br />
and by 11th November the<br />
uprising was over. 2,500<br />
Hungarians were dead<br />
and 20,000 wounded.<br />
Vengeance in the aftermath<br />
of the uprising was harsh.<br />
Tens of thousands were<br />
arrested and sentenced<br />
to prison, with hundreds<br />
more executed or sent to<br />
labour camps in the USSR.<br />
It was also estimated that<br />
200,000 refugees fled<br />
Hungary.<br />
The Hungarian water<br />
polo team, who were<br />
at a training camp in<br />
the mountains outside<br />
Budapest, were aware that<br />
something had occurred<br />
but not exactly what. They<br />
could hear gunfire and<br />
see smoke rising in the<br />
distance, but, shut away<br />
in their mountain retreat,<br />
they were isolated from any<br />
news.<br />
It took the team three<br />
weeks to make the journey<br />
to Australia and it was<br />
only upon arrival that they<br />
began to fully appreciate<br />
what had happened back<br />
home in Budapest. Miklos<br />
Martin began to translate<br />
from newspapers to his<br />
teammates huddled around<br />
him in the airport. Fellow<br />
player Ervin Zador stated<br />
that it was whilst he was in<br />
the airport restaurant that<br />
he fully appreciated what<br />
had occurred and made a
startling proclamation to<br />
his colleagues. “I stood up<br />
with a glass of water or<br />
whatever I was drinking and<br />
announced I was not going<br />
home.”<br />
Zador knew he was taking<br />
an enormous risk by coming<br />
out with such a forthright<br />
statement but Hungarian<br />
officials travelling with the<br />
teams were themselves<br />
unsure of the political<br />
situation back home. Zador<br />
was fairly sure that he<br />
wasn’t alone with such<br />
thoughts and felt it was a<br />
risk worth taking.<br />
Once the tournament began<br />
the Hungarian players<br />
progressed in a professional<br />
manner through the group<br />
stages despite uncertainties<br />
over both their own futures<br />
and the current welfare<br />
of their families. Victories<br />
against Great Britain, USA,<br />
Italy and a united German<br />
team saw Hungary face off<br />
in the semi-finals against<br />
the Soviet Union and the<br />
showdown that the players<br />
had been waiting for. The<br />
stage was set for 6th<br />
December and no quarter<br />
was to be given nor asked.<br />
For Hevesi the match was<br />
about revenge. “The fire<br />
inside us was beating so<br />
strongly.”<br />
The crowd was boisterously<br />
partisan, filled with<br />
Hungarian ex-pats living<br />
in Australia, and the team<br />
knew that they had to<br />
take advantage of the<br />
atmosphere. Zador later<br />
said that, “The Hungarians<br />
[in the crowd] were so<br />
charged…all these people<br />
in Australia just went<br />
absolutely berserk.” The<br />
captains from both sides<br />
refused the pre-match<br />
handshake and the<br />
Hungarians decided that,<br />
instead of using physical<br />
violence, they would sledge<br />
their opponents. Russian<br />
was a compulsory language<br />
taught in Hungarian<br />
schools so the team had<br />
no problems in verbally<br />
abusing their opponents.<br />
The simple theory behind<br />
the ploy was that the more<br />
they wound the Soviets<br />
up, the more that their<br />
opponents would want to<br />
start a fight. This would<br />
cause the Soviet team to<br />
lose their discipline and be<br />
open to counter attacks.<br />
This “verbal agitation” - as<br />
Zador playfully called it -<br />
brought about immediate<br />
results as three Soviet<br />
players were sin-binned<br />
along with two Hungarians.<br />
There were acts of violence<br />
both above and below water<br />
and the sledging continued.<br />
“We were yelling at them<br />
‘you dirty bastards, you<br />
come over here and bomb<br />
our country’ and they were<br />
calling us traitors,” Zador<br />
later recalled.<br />
The game’s defining<br />
moment occurred when<br />
Hungary were winning 4-0<br />
with only two minutes<br />
left to play. Zador was<br />
asked to mark Valentin<br />
Prokopov, possibly the<br />
Soviets’ finest player. Zador<br />
felt the request would be<br />
no problem for him. “I’ll<br />
tell him he’s a sorry assed<br />
loser and his mother’s<br />
a loser.” Zador, though,<br />
became distracted by the<br />
referee blowing his whistle<br />
and when he realised his<br />
mistake it was too late. “I<br />
saw that arm coming in my<br />
face and I heard the crack,<br />
suddenly I saw I think 48<br />
stars.” Blood began to pour<br />
from Zador’s face and cloud<br />
the pool. Many Hungarian<br />
fans began to rush down<br />
form their seats in a bid<br />
to attack the Soviet team.<br />
The referee finished the<br />
match and the Soviets were<br />
given a police escort from<br />
poolside.<br />
Hungary progressed to<br />
the final where they beat<br />
Yugoslavia 2-1 without<br />
Zador, who couldn’t play<br />
due to the injury he suffered<br />
whilst being punched; his<br />
wound had required eight<br />
stitches. He did manage to<br />
stand with his team-mates<br />
as they received their gold<br />
medals.<br />
After the match Zador stuck<br />
to his word and defected<br />
to the West, as did others<br />
involved in the team.<br />
Settling in San Francisco,<br />
his participation in water<br />
polo declined and he<br />
instead turned to swimming<br />
and began coaching; one<br />
of his protégés was the<br />
legendary Mark Spitz.<br />
His parents and brother<br />
eventually joined him<br />
in America and his two<br />
children both played water<br />
polo at college level. Zador<br />
never regretted his decision<br />
to defect. “Freedom is<br />
like breathing. Breathing<br />
openly.” He died on April<br />
28th 2012 in Linden,<br />
California.<br />
The match was made into a<br />
film documentary entitled<br />
Freedom’s, released in<br />
2006. Director Megan<br />
Raney stated that the<br />
former players had no<br />
qualms about meeting their<br />
opponents after 50 years.<br />
Time essentially healed the<br />
rift between the thirteen<br />
surviving players and that<br />
the reunion which took<br />
place in 2002 was poignant.<br />
Zador, perhaps most<br />
appropriately, has the final<br />
word. He believed that the<br />
Hungarian players were<br />
playing for far more than<br />
just themselves and their<br />
personal medal collection,<br />
and that even the Soviets<br />
didn’t realise how high the<br />
stakes were. “We felt that<br />
we were playing for not just<br />
for ourselves,” he said. “But<br />
for our whole country.”
KIT SPONSORSHIP<br />
Individual player kit sponorship is available for the 2015/16 season. The cost for<br />
full kit sponsorship is £50, shirt £30, shorts £20 and socks £10. Your name will<br />
appear next to a photo of the player in the matchday programme and on the<br />
website.<br />
Andy Hunt<br />
Kit Sponsored by<br />
The Hutton Family<br />
Mark Anderson<br />
Kit Sponsored by<br />
The Hutton Family<br />
Paul Dale<br />
Kit Sponsored by<br />
Osbornes Estate Agents<br />
Luke Mose (kitman)<br />
Kit Sponsored by<br />
Dave Jenner<br />
Chris Wales<br />
Kit Sponsored by<br />
Graham & Andrew Harris<br />
Steve Laidler<br />
Kit Sponsored by<br />
Beeline Cars<br />
Will Hutton<br />
Kit Sponsored by<br />
Matthew Clay & Jo Fox<br />
Louis Hutton<br />
Kit Sponsored by<br />
Matthew Clay & Jo Fox<br />
Richard Ossai<br />
Kit Sponsored by<br />
Club President<br />
Kallum Lunn<br />
Kit Sponsored by<br />
The Hirons Family<br />
Tom Willment<br />
Kit Sponsored by<br />
John & Christine Payne<br />
Chris Musgrove<br />
Kit Sponsored by<br />
Bill Hayhurst<br />
Liam Roberts<br />
Kit Sponsored by<br />
Graham & Andrew Harris<br />
George Frith<br />
Kit Sponsored by<br />
R.A.O.B. club Addlestone<br />
Darren Wheeler<br />
Kit Sponsored by<br />
Dave & Lin Allen<br />
Adam Cornell<br />
Kit Sponsored by<br />
Chris Jones<br />
Nick Hutchings<br />
Kit Sponsored by<br />
SSLAZIO<br />
Lee Rushe<br />
Kit Sponsored by<br />
Luke & Ross Mose<br />
Charlie Hutton<br />
Kit Sponsored by<br />
David Woolford<br />
Ashley Lloyd<br />
Kit Sponsored by<br />
AS Roma<br />
Jack Mazzone<br />
Kit Sponsored by<br />
Jane Phillips<br />
Graeme Purdy<br />
Kit Sponsored by<br />
KP Building<br />
30<br />
WWW.GODALMINGTOWNFC.CO.UK<br />
31
TRAVELLERS TALES<br />
MIKE LATHAM - SATURDAY 7 NOVEMBER 2015 - GRANGE 4-3 BOLTON-LE-SANDS;<br />
BAINES BAGGULEY PENHALE NORTH LANCASHIRE& DISTRICT FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION 2;<br />
ATTENDANCE: 45 (H/C)<br />
With heavy rain decimating<br />
much of the programme the<br />
search was on for a game at<br />
a new ground, not the easiest<br />
of tasks. Fortunately the<br />
North Lancashire League<br />
website came up trumps<br />
and the game at Division 2<br />
leaders Grange was confirmed<br />
as one of a handful to<br />
survive the deluge.<br />
I’d tried to visit Grange on several<br />
occasions in the past only<br />
to be denied by postponements<br />
so it was a relief to see the Yew<br />
Tree Road playing field full of<br />
activity on arrival despite the<br />
heavy rain showers sweeping in<br />
from Morecambe Bay.<br />
Grange-over-Sands is a genteel<br />
town with an ageing population,<br />
superbly situated on the Bay.<br />
It’s the sort of place an elderly<br />
Bishop may visit for his summer<br />
holidays to stay at one of the<br />
several splendidly appointed<br />
hotels in the resort. Historically<br />
part of Lancashire, Grangeover-Sands<br />
is now part of South<br />
Lakeland District Council and<br />
lies just off the A590 road that<br />
links Kendal and J36 of the M6<br />
to Barrow-in-Furness, and it<br />
close to Cartmel with its famous<br />
racecourse and sticky toffee<br />
pudding<br />
The town developed in the Victorian<br />
era and was transformed<br />
from a small fishing village into<br />
a popular seaside resort. The<br />
coming of the railway in the late<br />
1850s was instrumental to its<br />
transformation and the railway<br />
line runs adjacent to the football<br />
ground along the sea shore.<br />
If you’ve never been on the<br />
railway trip from Lancaster to<br />
Barrow then I’d recommend it,<br />
it must be one of the loveliest in<br />
England.<br />
There’s a long promenade looking<br />
out to sands and mudflats<br />
with dangerous quick-sands<br />
and a notorious sweeping tide.<br />
But though dangers lurk amidst<br />
the tranquillity of the stunning<br />
views, Grange is a genteel<br />
place and a relaxing location<br />
away from the hustle and bustle<br />
and stress of everyday life.<br />
Tourists came and still come to<br />
sample the bracing air and take<br />
the waters and a stroll down the<br />
main street with its varied number<br />
of private shops or around<br />
the gardens by the coast and<br />
its a great base to explore the<br />
South Lakes.<br />
Usually that is, but not on a<br />
day when the menacing and<br />
scudding dark clouds brought<br />
constant showers across the<br />
Bay and briefly the glorious<br />
views virtually disappeared until<br />
sunshine and blue skies briefly<br />
interrupted the rain.<br />
Grange FC are having a good<br />
season and went into the<br />
‘Sands derby’ against the<br />
visitors from across the Bay top<br />
of Division Two, the third tier<br />
of a well organised and highly<br />
competitive league.<br />
The estimable Lawrie Postlethwaite<br />
has been Secretary of the<br />
League for as long as anyone<br />
can remember, a bedrock<br />
of the local amateur football<br />
scene and the sort of person<br />
who should be recognised<br />
with a national award for all he<br />
has contributed to grassroots<br />
football. Lawrie, happily, has<br />
some good help, not least from<br />
Peter Boardman who oversees<br />
an excellent league website<br />
that keeps the league running<br />
smoothly.<br />
Around 40-50 spectators<br />
braved the conditions to<br />
witness a game typical of the<br />
league- competitive, hard<br />
fought but generally played in<br />
good spirit. The ground is a<br />
recreational ground on Yew<br />
Tree Road, to the left off Kents<br />
Bank Road just after the fire<br />
station on the Allinthwaite road<br />
leading out of Grange. There’s<br />
a changing pavilion, a tennis<br />
courts and a decent banking to<br />
get a good view not only of the<br />
game but the views across the<br />
Bay. But on a wet day there is<br />
precious little shelter from the<br />
elements. Inland the Cartmel<br />
Grange Care Home, built a<br />
century ago as a convalescence<br />
home for miners dominates the<br />
sky-line amidst some beautifully<br />
designed private houses.<br />
Grange kept their good run<br />
going, shading an entertaining<br />
game that was watched by a<br />
decent crowd. It was a relief<br />
to get in a new ground with so<br />
many postponements around<br />
and a thoroughly good afternoon<br />
despite the weather.<br />
WWW.GODALMINGTOWNFC.CO.UK<br />
32 33
WE<br />
NEED<br />
YOUR<br />
HELP<br />
Godalming Town FC relies on a small army of volunteers with nobody behind the<br />
scenes taking a penny from the club. There is always a lot to do and as the club<br />
gets more successful the workload continues to increase.<br />
We are therefore seeking individuals with some time (no matter how little) to come<br />
and volunteer with us.<br />
Volunteering is a great way to develop and gain all kinds of transferable skills that<br />
can be added to your C.V, and looks great to potential employers.<br />
Your contribution will also directly impact the on-field success of our First Team,<br />
Ladies Team and Youth Team.<br />
How To Get Involved<br />
Drop an email to info@godalmingtownfc.co.uk if you’re interested in helping out, or<br />
would like some more information.<br />
Alternatively, speak to any club official on a matchday.<br />
HALF TIME<br />
QUIZ<br />
1. Who was Millwall’s player-manager against Manchester<br />
United in the 2004 FA Cup Final?<br />
2. Floodlights have progressed from the days when they were<br />
stuck at the top of a pylon in each corner of the ground. This<br />
is a picture of a floodlight at which ground?<br />
3. Which club did Bradford City defeat in the two-legged<br />
semi-finals of the Capital One Cup (League Cup) in 2012/13?<br />
4. After scoring a Premier League goal against Southampton<br />
on Boxing Day 2012 who took off his shirt to reveal a message<br />
written on his t-shirt ‘Keep Calm and Pass Me The Ball.’<br />
5. In February 2013 two ex-Portsmouth players, Kevin-Prince Boateng and Sulley Muntari, scored the<br />
goals when which club beat Barcelona 2-0 in a Champions League Last 16 first leg tie?<br />
6. His former clubs included Nottingham Forest, Leeds, Everton, Chelsea and Blackburn with ‘The Last<br />
Fancy Dan’ being the title of his autobiography. Who?<br />
7. Nil Satis Nisi Optimum roughly translates as nothing but the best is good enough. Which club has<br />
the Latin phrase as part of its badge?<br />
8. The newspaper headlines were all along the lines of ‘What a divot!’ when goalkeeper Paul Robinson<br />
failed to connect with a Gary Neville back-pass which ended up in the back of the net. Who were<br />
England’s opponents on that evening in October 2006?<br />
9. Which “famous” club has its postal address as 748 High Road?<br />
10. Back in 1892 before a Lancashire Cup-tie against stronger opposition the Chairman of which club<br />
said ‘We shall shake ‘em’, those words giving the club the nickname they have had ever since?<br />
ANSWERS<br />
1. Dennis WIse 2. Bolton’s Macron Stadium 3. Aston Villa 4. Fulham’s Dimitar Berbatov 5. AC Milan 6.<br />
Duncan McKenzie 7. Everton 8. Croatia 9. Spurs 10. Bury are The Shakers<br />
34
GODALMING TOWN<br />
MANAGER: ANDY HUNT<br />
RICHARD OSSAI<br />
CHRIS MUSGROVE<br />
ASHLEY LLOYD<br />
TOM MCGARRY<br />
JOHNNY GRAY<br />
NICK HUTCHINGS<br />
TOM WILLMENT<br />
CHRIS WALES<br />
JAMIE MCCLURG<br />
LOUIS HUTTON<br />
GEORGE FRITH<br />
STEVE LAIDLER<br />
LIAM ROBERTS<br />
BRANDON LEWINGTON<br />
DARREN WHEELER<br />
ADAM CORNELL<br />
GRAEME PURDY<br />
AFC RUSHDEN & DIAMONDS<br />
MANAGER: ANDY PEAKS<br />
MATT FINLAY<br />
OLLIE WILKINSON<br />
SAM BROWN<br />
DELROY GORDON<br />
LIAM DOLMAN<br />
DAN QUIGLEY<br />
ANDY HALL<br />
RICHARD BUNTING (C)<br />
TOM LORRAINE<br />
TOMMY BERWICK<br />
CLAUDIU HOBAN<br />
BRAD HARRIS<br />
ALEX VITUE<br />
SCOTT JOSEPH<br />
CHARLIE BUTT<br />
TOM LIVERSEDGE<br />
NEXT UP | HOME<br />
HANWELL TOWN<br />
TUESDAY 24 TH NOVEMBER, 7.45pm<br />
SOUTHERN LEAGUE CENTRAL<br />
REFEREE:<br />
JAMES VALLANCE<br />
ASSISTANTS:<br />
SHELBY ELSON<br />
MARK HOUNSELL<br />
<br />
@GodalmingTown<br />
g o d a l m i n g t o w n<br />
w w w . g o d a l m i n g t o w n f c . c o . u k