Local Teams Football
A while ago we did have a discussion that pointed out Bucks local teams in the lower leagues (Down to Step 4 or 5). I just thought that we could bring it back, celebrate the achievements and recognise all those other team in Bucks and give them a shoutout.
Maybe in the future, we could pick one weekend in the session and make an effort to arrange a meet up there (If Wycombe don't have a fixture or the away day is too far for some to travel to).
In the Extra Preliminary Round the following results:
Fairford Town 1 - 1 Aylesbury Utd (Won 2-1 on the replay)
Thame Utd 2 - 3 Bristol Manor Farm
Chalfont St Peter 1 - 3 Wallingford & Crowmarsh FC
Tuffley Rovers FC 2 - 2 Aylesbury Vale Dynamos FC (Aylesbury Vale Dynamos removed from competition - Played a non-registered player who came on as a sub)
Easington Sports FC 3 - 1 Burnham FC
Kidlington FC 0 - 3 Flackwell Health FC
Virginia Water FC 2 - 0 Risborough Rangers FC
Comments
I like the idea of a meet up @Otter87. I can't remember that original discussion, I would like to see the teams mentioned.
Perhaps at Long Crendon ?
Slightly closer, shall we say Thame?
Great idea for a thread. I’m not au fait with such things but is it possible to pin a post? As for reference it would be good to pin a message that states which leagues some of the local sides play in. (Have stretched local a little bit)
e.g
Step 1 - National League
Maidenhead United
Step 2 - National League South
Slough Town (booo)
Step 3 - Southern Premier South
Chesham United
Beaconsfield Town
Step 4 - Southern League Division One Central
Aylesbury United
Kings Langley
Marlow
Thame United
Step 4 - Isthmian League South Central
Uxbridge
Step 5 - Combined Counties Prem
Burnham
Chalfont St Peter
Flackwell Heath
Holyport
Risborough Rangers
Step 5 - Spartan South Midlands Prem
Aylesbury Vale Dynamoes
Step 6 - Hellenic League Division One
Long Crendon
Tring Athletic
Step 6 - Combined Counties Division One
Amersham Town
Holmer Green
Langley
Penn and Tylers Green
Windsor
You could go into Step 7 and below and start to uncover the delights of the Thames Valley Premier League, Spartan Div 2 etc but…
Wealdstone National League
Ah, I went as far that way as Uxbridge but yes, Wealdstone is a good standard and fairly local.
I went to watch one of my local teams, Holmer Green, last Saturday. My son is a junior there and I try and do the rounds and get down once or twice a season. They were thumped 5-1 and then 6-0 this Tuesday just gone. Another long, hard season ahead for them. Kudos to all the volunteers who keep these village clubs going, I don’t know how they manage on an average of 30-40 hardy souls each match day.
Flackwell, on the other hand, have been going great guns for a couple of years and it’s a brilliant set-up there with regular crowds of 150-200+ for Step 5. They’re in FA Cup Extra Prem action this Saturday (19th) against Cirencester.
Wouldn’t it be nice if WW sent a team pre-season to some of the local clubs like Flackwell Heath or Holmer Green. The additional income for these clubs would make a big difference to the costs at the start of each season.
With regard to the list of local clubs please don’t forget Berkhamsted FC (now in the Southern League Premier Division (Midlands).
Not forgetting the North Bucks teams at steps 5-6.
Buckingham FC (a new merger of Buckingham Ath and Buckingham Utd)
MK Irish (in Bletchley)
Newport Pagnell Town
Winslow United
Plenty of others at step 7.
@A_Worboys They used to but that was abandoned after the Burnham situation (I know because I was meant to be one of the officials!). For those that don't know, Burnham were meant to host Wycombe in an early pre-season friendly. However, Burnham's pitch wasn't ready. They had (badly) relaid their pitch and it hadn't bedding in. GA walked out to the middle of the pitch and was able to pull a roll of turf up of the pitch. Plus there were holes and bear patches all over.
Wycombe ended up doing a reverse friendly against them at the training ground but I think GA vowed never again as it threw their plans out the window for player preparation.
For local grounds, I like them all except Aylesbury Vale Dynamos. The pitch floods really easier and they often have up to 6 or 7 home games left at the end of the season as they can't play between Nov - Feb (sometimes April if March is wet too). Their club house was badly damaged last year due to a pipe burst.
Nicest grounds, facilities wise, from @williwycombe 's list would be Penn, Chesham, Beaconsfield or Risborough. The others are ok but all have an individual querk that can spoil an afternoon / evening. (In my opinion)
Is Aylesbury Vale Dynamos the successor to Aylesbury FC? If it's the ground I'm thinking of, I seem to remember a river running almost through the stand.
Different clubs. At one time recently they were playing each other in the league, in the famous 'El Quackico'. The ground is adjacent to the River Thame, not a good location at all.
Ah ok - didn't Aylesbury United get up as high as the Conference back in the 90s?
Yes, Aylesbury FC folded and Aylesbury Vale Dyanmos is the phoenix club
Yeah, I saw them play Wealdstone in the FA Cup - must have been a good 10 years ago
Yes, in 1988-89, finished 20th out of 21 (Newport expelled), and relegated.
Of the ones I’ve visited…
Love a visit to Chesham. Very traditional, non-league ground and fairly big. They also get decent support and it’d be great to see them finally make the step up to NLS.
Beaconsfield is a smart facility now and the owner has put a bit of money into the club. They’re also doing a bit with their youth set-up and ladies teams. They play some nice football and you’re usually guaranteed goals at both ends. Crowds have slowly increased in recent years. Not great but not the 50 they were used to.
Marlow is a quaint old ground albeit I haven’t been for years .
Chalfont St Peter used to be my local club. They were punching above their weight at Step 4 and the ground has always been a bit shabby, not helped by local vandals who seem intent on always causing damage. They could really do with more support.
Penn and Holmer Green…much of a muchness but Holmer is a slight upgrade IMO. Penn is my closest now but as my son plays for HGFC I feel my loyalty lies there! HGFC has a tidy little bar serving delights such as Side Pocket. A small cup of Pepsi Max, orange squash and a Mars bar cost me £2.50 last week…
As mentioned, Flackwell is well worth a visit.
Aylesbury FC were a curiosity. They seemed to have a bit behind them 10 years ago (must've petered out) and had rights to say they were the town's premier club while the Ducks were truly on their backside.
I think I know who you are now, as you've refffed me before!
Black hair?
Yes, Aylesbury FC were the club going places which Aylesbury Utd were struggling to find themselves a ground they could play at as they travelled around looking for one. After being kicked out of the ground on Buckingham Road (the stadium is still there btw!), they went to Chesham, Leighton Buzzard, Thame and then back to Chesham. Now that they have a semi-permanent home, they have grown and easily overtook the other Aylesbury side. I believe that the money dried up at Aylesbury FC / Aylesbury Vale which caused all of their players to look elsewhere.
My first game in the area was an Aylesbury v (Sanchez era?)Wycombe pre-season friendly at Buckingham Road. Sad for the town that the club was not able to be saved and very sad to see a reasonable town centre non-league ground going to rack and ruin.
At article from Buckinghamshire Live has written that "Ideas to bring the Ducks back to the Buckinghamshire town were announced in August 2022 following a stadium plan submitted by Aylesbury Town Council to the Ernest Cook Trust and HS2. If successful, this venue could be built in the coming years, gloating a football stadium, an indoor sports hall and an education centre."
I do hope Aylesbury Utd do come back to the town as they are the laughing stock on the teams in their league, playing over 10 miles away from their home.
Everyone operating at that level knows the precarious nature of existence, so I very much doubt anyone in their division was "laughing" at them.
Marlow successfully appealed their lateral move to Southern Div 1 Central in the Summer, so have been returned back to Isthmian Div 1 South-Central.
God knows why they were moved in the first place, but since no team were swapped alongside them it has resulted in the stupid situation of Southern-1C having 19 teams and Isthmian-1SC having 21 teams. So Marlow back with Uxbridge and more of the west London based step 4 teams.
Speaking of Aylesbury United, they’ll be in FAC Preliminary Round action against Clevedon Town (at The Meadow, Chesham) this Friday night (7.45pmko).
All the clubs near me have moved around due to various collapses and financial difficulties, makes it very difficult to keep up when they are all renamed something odd or are playing in different locations, can't help much in attracting crowds or instilling the idea of going along to watch your local team.
The easiest ground from Wycombe is probably Flackwell Heath. Great tea bar with the Fat Lads Burger a highlight. Nice ground too. In fact, we have a lot of decent local clubs, having been to 1,210 grounds so far I go back to some of our local ones fairly often.
1210!
I assume that is absolutely exhausting all of England down to the level just above the Wycombe combination?
Maybe even the UK too?
Or do you still have loads available to do?
Still loads to do, it's never-ending. Four left in the top seven levels of England, another 15 at level 8. And over 100 at levels 9 & 10.
You best get busy.
I take it you very infrequently watch Wycombe, if you're needing to get all those done?