Real Bedford #TownTogether T WN THIS IS OUR saturday 10th february 2024 KICK OFF 3:00PM Dudley Latham Memorial Premier Division Cup 1883-2023 140 YEARS DUNSTABLE TOWN FC
PROUD CLUB SPONSORS OF DUNSTABLE TOWN FOOTBALL CLUB BEDS COUNTY BRANCH gmbbedscounty.org.uk 0300 300 8280
DUNSTABLE TOWN FC MATCHDAY PROGRAMME 1 DUNSTABLE TOWN Creasey Park Drive, Brewers Hill Road, Dunstable, LU6 1BB Dunstable Town FC is a Community Benefit Society. It is registered under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014 as Dunstable Town Football Club Ltd. Registration Number 8667. DIRECTORS Chair/Secretary: Andrew Madaras Vice Chair & Social Media: Matt Carrington Partnerships: Neil Barker Fundraising: Peter Bottom Youth Football: Vacant CBS Growth & Marketing & Treasurer: Lee Nania Commercial & Marketing: Julian Nutley Diversity, Inclusion & Accessibility: Dan Roberts COMMUNITY BENEFIT SOCIETY TEAM Membership Administrator: Amanda Madaras Mental Health Ambassador: Yvonne Verla Walking Football: Ian Bateman Chums and Crumbs: Lee Nutley Sphere, S.O.U.L & Minds2gether: Andrew Madaras COACHING STAFF Head Coach: Joe Deeney Assistant Head Coach: Kyle Durcan Coach: Anthony Christophi Lionesses: Dan Lawrence & Matt Collins U18s: Ciaran Alexander Vets: Chris Golding Sports Therapist: Adam Ashton Kitman: Steve Lewington CLUB OFFICERS & OFFICIALS Commercial Manager: Andy Watts Digital Manager: Brad Cawthorne International Supporters’ Ambassador: Jeffrey Roy Marketing & Advertising Manager: Abby Slough Events Manager: Claire Lewis Community Activities: Wayne Upton MATCHDAY TEAM Matchday Manager: Wayne Upton Matchday Hospitality Manager: Jackie Carrington Club Photographers: Chris White, Liam Smith Turnstile & Matchday Merchandise: Dan Roberts Matchday DJ: George Lewington Matchday Stewards: Chris Gray, Craig Nicholson, Nick Goodman & Mark Williams YOUTH SECTION Chair: Steve Chiswell Vice Chair: Matt Carrington Welfare Officer & Secretary: Correy Voo Secretary: Luke Mitchell & Dan Lawrence Assistant Welfare Officer: Jeff Abraham Football Development: Wayne Upton Social Media: Karl Clarke, Steve Lewington Parents Rep: Jeff Abraham For inquiries about supporting the club and sponsoring a match, feel free to get in touch with Andy Watts. You can reach him at [email protected] to explore various sponsorship options. TODAY’S SPONSORS
2 DUNSTABLE TOWN v Real Bedford Good afternoon and welcome to Rob Sinclair, the players, supporters and everyone associated with Real Bedford ahead of this afternoon’s clash. Today’s league game has been moved to accommodate this game against Real Bedford. Real Bedford find themselves flying this season and full credit must be afforded to them for the start they have made. Their Manager Rob Sinclair has got them playing exceptionally well and today will be an incredibly tough game. Rob is someone I have known for a long time. He was a couple of years younger than me when we were coming through the Luton Town Academy as players. I later signed Rob as a player at both Oxford City and Hemel Hempstead and he had a brief stint with us on the coaching staff when we first took the job. Real Bedford are heading for back-toback promotions which is an incredibly difficult achievement. As usual at any level any time a club has “resources” people are very quick to dismiss a team’s success. There are teams at this level that have massive budgets with poor attendances and a very precarious future should a wealthy owner hang up the keys to the boardroom. Fair credit to Real Bedford who have a local Chairman that had a vision and has created an excellent brand, media outlets and given the Town of Bedford another club to get behind. From all the teams I have seen this season they deserve to be top of the league and whilst Rob is someone I get on well with personally, when the whistle goes It is business and my sole aim is to win the game. Today’s game is above and beyond all about The Bateman family. 2 years ago, we lost Aaron in the most tragic of circumstances and I am sure like everyone who had the pleasure and privilege to have met Aaron will echo my sentiments. The mark of a person when they are no longer here is how they are talked about and how they are remembered. I find these notes incredibly difficult to write on a personal level. It’s very easy to say disingenuous things about someone when they pass away but every single person I have spoken to since we lost Aaron has never had a negative word to say. Most frequently when people regale about stories of Aaron a smile encapsulates their face. Writing the notes 2 years on is always a painful reminder of the tragedy that hit the entire Dunstable Town family. How on earth can I put into words the admiration I have for the entire Bateman family? Words alone will never simply be enough to honour Aaron’s legacy and nor can I be able to sum up the adoration for Ian and Charlotte for what they have managed over the last 2 years. Ian is the humblest person I have ever met in my life, whenever people like me praise him, he emphatically deflects. HEAD COACH JOE DEENEY 1883-2023 140 YEARS DUNSTABLE TOWN FC
DUNSTABLE TOWN FC MATCHDAY PROGRAMME 3 The dignity and class he has shown has been extraordinary. I like to think of myself as a very mentally resilient person but compared to Ian and Charlotte I am not so sure I am. Charlotte’s energy she shows and the strength I saw her display first-hand epitomises the people they are. Ian will inevitably give me a clip round the ear for what I am about to say I am sure as he is too humble to accept the praise he is rightfully given. As a dad to 3 daughters myself I really hope that I can raise them to grow up like Charlotte and hope they will respect me as a Dad the same way we all respect Ian. A top bloke, a top Dad and I hear not too bad at Darts either. I have no doubt whatsoever that Aaron would be incredibly proud of the strength that Ian and Charlotte have shown throughout the time. The class they have showed has been exemplary and despite the obvious pain they must feel their positive spirits every time we are in their company is truly inspiring. Every home game when we kick towards the Aaron Bateman stand always brings a strong emotion. Whilst we can unfortunately never change the events of what happened it’s all about the legacy Aaron leaves us all. In great darkness there has been light and for me on a personal level I have learned invaluable life lessons thanks to the Batemans. I can hear Ian’s voice now telling me, “Oi Joe thanks for the words but can we talk about the team now!”. If luck was a lesson, we were given at school then I must have been truant! That’s how it feels at times. The ability to compartmentalise things after a defeat or 2 recent draws that felt like defeats Is something I must improve. The wisdom of those around me has been a massive help without a doubt. I am not great at removing the emotion from things especially when I love my football and love the people I work with and for. Many a kind word from Andrew, Neil, and Matt who I speak with regularly after games and their ability to look at things from a different perspective goes a long way. The Regiment who stayed by the tunnel on Tuesday, Scottie (in shorts) during a rainstorm to clap us all off along with all our travelling support meant a lot. A lot of encouraging words helped cushion the blow. In the grand scheme of things, the lads worked their crown jewels off on Tuesday night but just didn’t have the quality that we needed during the big moments which I can take on the chin. Whilst the emotional side of me will not acknowledge excuses the logical human in me does have to recognise circumstances. We have been missing Luke Dunstan, Kyle DavisonGordon, Benji Crilley, Will McClelland, Ezra Forde (He has been playing hurt since he arrived), Danny Webb, Ethan Creary, James Lauder as well as Carl Knox who did so well last season for us. There would be an argument that we are missing 8 of our starting 10 outfield players and another top Goalkeeper to challenge Connor Coulson and Alex Desmond. That is some injury list. I have analysed these injuries relentlessly and so many of them seem to be freak injuries. We are hopeful Danny Webb will be available shortly. Ethan Creary returns from suspension, Will McClelland and Ezra Forde are making steady progress and James Lauder is expected to return to training which is a real plus for us. The lack of luck is unfortunate, but I am incredibly grateful for what we have and that is amazing. Management is lonely for most, but not me and that is credit to you all for making us feel in it together. Enjoy today’s game, lets embrace the adversity and enjoy every moment. I think there is only one way to conclude these programme notes and that is Aaron’s favourite lyrics, “In spite of it all, life is beautiful”.
4 DUNSTABLE TOWN v Real Bedford A warm welcome to Real Bedford, their committee, supporters, players, and coaching staff to Creasey Park for this afternoon’s 2nd round tie in the Dudley Latham (Premier Division) Cup. We hope they enjoy their afternoon with us irrespective of the final score & wish them a safe journey home. My thanks to all of you for coming out this afternoon on what is forecast to be a cold and drizzly afternoon, to watch the mighty Blues take on the League leaders in what I hope will be a good game of football and advert for the Spartan League. The lads gave a good account of themselves at Pancake Lane on Tuesday night in some of the worst weather conditions we’ve experienced. They’re a great bunch at Leverstock Green and we must pay tribute to the groundsman for getting the game on and making sure it could finish. Some of you may have seen the footage of the puddles on the pitch at Bell Close which caused the abandonment of the Leighton game v Baron Rovers. Creasey Park was in a similar paddling pool condition with areas of standing water developing due to the deluge of rain that descended from the skies. We were unlucky to lose on the night and I’m proud of Joe & all the coaches and players for their application and effort in awful conditions. Four days earlier we’d travelled over 50 miles to Stanstead for a tough encounter with a team bang in form. For the first hour or so they had the better of us, but Joe’s substitutions paid off. A much better, more dominant last third, saw Kelvin get a brace, and but for a lick of paint, & would have had a hat trick. It says something about a team to show the fight and spirit to claw our way back into a game and come within a whisker of coming away with all three points. We lose the mercurial talents of Harry Beaumont for a month as he goes down under for his honeymoon, belated congratulations to Harry & his wife on their recent wedding. On Tuesday night, U18s skipper, Alex Butt, made his 1st Team debut as a substitute, and acquitted himself admirably. Having watched our U18s record a deserved 4 – 2 win against much fancied Winslow on Thursday night, I can see one or two other young starlets knocking on Joe’s door before the season ends. Ciaran Alexander has taken over the U18s mid-season and assisted by Connor Kavanagh & Jack Young has carried on the excellent work started by Martin Ely for the first part of the season. They were a joy to watch & I’m looking forward to watching them again soon. chairman andrew madaras 1883-2023 140 YEARS DUNSTABLE TOWN FC
DUNSTABLE TOWN FC MATCHDAY PROGRAMME 5 Off the field we’ve agreed a partnership with a group based in Hertfordshire who will be offering sessions for people wanting to express their thoughts and feelings using the written word as opposed to speech, which can be a daunting and intimidating prospect for many people. As with our peer support groups, we believe this will be a first in the non-league football world. It will be a collaborative effort with Titan PCN and meets all the criteria for our CBS credentials. The group is scheduled to start on Monday 22nd April. We’ll be making an announcement nearer the time with full details of how to join. On Saturday 30th March we’re holding a Club social evening. It will be a darts themed evening which is being organised by our Events Manager, Claire Lewis. All the first team players will be there. All are welcome, so please make a note in your diaries. We were all saddened to hear about the death of long-time supporter, Colin Tibbett, who had played for the Club in his younger days. He would always stop and chat and offer advice to the players if he felt they were playing too narrow. My earliest memories of him from when I first started watching the Blues was hearing him shout “width” at frequent intervals during games. He strongly supported our move into community ownership. For the last season or so Colin used to join us in the Boardroom on matchdays. He was our unofficial Club Ambassador and would chat football with visiting Club’s committees and League officials. In all our many conversations spanning 10 years at least, I never heard him once say a bad word against anyone. He was the eternal optimist & despite what ever setback might have happened on the pitch, kept a smile on his face and the hope that next week we’d get three points. Before today’s match we’ll be remembering the life of Aaron Bateman with a minute’s applause. Joe will then lay a wreath at the Aaron Bateman stand. Next Wednesday will mark the second anniversary of the tragic loss of Aaron’s life. We all felt the loss and grieved with Ian, Charlotte, and their family. No words can ever express the pain that is felt by so many people here at the ground this afternoon and many, many more not with us in person but keeping us close in their thoughts today. Please remember Aaron as the passionate Club supporter, leather jacket, flamboyant shirt & scarf around his neck. Please join us in a minute’s applause & and honour his life and his name today & always.
6 DUNSTABLE TOWN v Real Bedford dunstable town social media Twitter DunstableTownFC 8,901 followers Facebook DunstableTownFC 2,548 followers Instagram DunstableTownFC 2,125 followers Threads DunstableTownFC 243 followers LinkedIn dunstable_town_ fc_1883 It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Colin Tibbett. Not only was he a dedicated attendee, but he also had the honour of playing for the club in the past. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with Colin’s family and friends during this difficult time. Our Walking Football team had a valiant effort at their tournament in Flitwick last weekend. They got off to a flying start with a thrilling 4-3 victory in their first game, but unfortunately their journey came to an end after a 0-3 defeat to Northampton Town. Jamie Nicholls (right), former player/ coach for Dunstable Town, has returned to the music scene with his band Fort Hope. They’re back on the road in March, warming up for the festival season. Catch them live and join Jammers at the Camden Assembly on March 14th Congratulations to our @DTFC_U18s player Alex Butt, who made his first team debut against Leverstock Green! It was a proud moment for him and the club, and we wish him all the best for his future career.
DUNSTABLE TOWN FC MATCHDAY PROGRAMME 7 REPORT IT. KICK IT OUT OF FOOTBALL.
welcome to Real Bedford 2022-23 season 1/20 the pirates Best - 1q 23/24 - pr Best - 2r 23/24 - 2r McMullen Park capacity 1,500 disTance from creasey 26 miles
DUNSTABLE TOWN FC MATCHDAY PROGRAMME 11 the history Real Bedford Real Bedford is a club based near Cardington, Bedfordshire. The club has had many names over the years and are currently members of the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division and play at McMullen Park, just off the A421 on the outskirts of Bedford. Bedford United FC was formed in 1957 as the works team of printers Diemer & Reynolds. Founder member, the late Jim McMullen, is remembered in the name of the ground, McMullen Park. In 1971 the club joined Division Three of the United Counties League, which was renamed Division Two the following season. They remained in Division Two until leaving the league in 1979, dropping into the Beds County League, going on to win Division One in 1979–80. In 1989 they joined Division One of the South Midlands League, becoming a member of the Senior Division following league reorganisation in 1993. In 1995–96 they finished third in the division, earning promotion to the Premier Division. Initially, the club commenced its football journey on a works pitch in the local area. Subsequently, they relocated to Cople, a nearby location, before finally establishing their home ground at Allen Park in Bedford. After their tenure at Allen Park, the club moved once again, this time to Fairhill on Clapham Road, where they continued to play their matches. However, the land on which Fairhill was situated was eventually purchased by Sainsbury’s, necessitating another relocation for the club. Under an agreement with the Council, the club underwent a relocation to Hillgrounds in Kempston, before eventually settling in their current ground in 1996. In 2000, Bedford United entered a trial merger with Bedford Town, but by the 2001–02 season, they had resumed their independent administration. Following lengthy negotiations with a local football club named US Valerio, both teams made the collective decision to unite their forces and establish Bedford United & Valerio FC for the 2002–03 season. Originally established as Unione Sportiva Valerio, with the name inspired by the Italian phrase for “Sporting Union” combined with the founder’s surname, Mr. Nicola Valerio, US Valerio commenced its journey in 1985 as part of the Michael R Peters Sunday League. Over the years, the club experienced considerable success. Notably, in the 2005–06 season, US Valerio emerged as the champions of the Harrison & Rowley Cup. It wasn’t until the 2000–01 season that the club ventured into junior and youth football, entering teams into the former Bedford Chesham League. At the conclusion of the 2005–06 season, Bedford United and US Valerio underwent a complete merger, resulting in the formation of Bedford Valerio United FC. Consequently, the club adopted this name for the 2006–07 season. However, following the dissolution of the Valerio Group in 2007, the decision was made to shorten the club’s name to Bedford Football Club, effective from the 2007–08 season onwards. During the 2012–13 season, the club achieved notable success by securing the Bedfordshire Senior Trophy title,
12 DUNSTABLE TOWN v Real Bedford alongside a commendable 5th place finish in the Spartan South Midlands Division One. However, their journey in that season did not extend to participation in the FA Cup or the Vase. Their path to claiming the Bedfordshire Senior Trophy involved triumphs over Oakley Sports and Kent Athletic. A resounding 8-0 victory against Ickwell in the quarterfinals propelled them to the semifinals, where they faced Caldecote and emerged triumphant with a 4-0 scoreline. Eventually, they sealed their first-ever Trophy victory by defeating Potton Utd with a 1-0 result in the final. Despite securing a commendable 3rd place finish in the league during the 2013-14 season, it was a year of disappointment for the club. Their aspirations in the FA Vase were cut short with a resounding 6-0 defeat against Hillingdon Borough. However, their league campaign showcased an exhilarating performance. With 26 victories and a remarkable 108 goals scored, the team displayed their prowess on the field. Unfortunately, despite their impressive efforts, promotion eluded them as they narrowly missed out to Kings Langley on goal difference. In the 14-15 season, their performance in Division One resulted in a third-place finish. However, this time around, their strong performance secured them promotion to the Premier Division by winning 26 league games, narrowly missing out on the second-place spot held by Broxbourne Borough by just one point. Their journey in the FA competitions was cut short, as they were eliminated early on by Kings Langley in the FA Cup and by their neighbouring team, Kempton Rovers, in the Vase. Despite these setbacks, they had a commendable run in the Challenge Trophy, reaching the semi-finals only to be eliminated by Kings Langley. Additionally, they made it to two more semi-finals in the Division One Cup and the Beds Senior Trophy. However, their aspirations for silverware were halted at the semi-final stage in all three competitions. Nevertheless, their performances throughout the season kept them in contention for the title, competing fiercely with Kings Langley and Broxbourne Borough until the very end. A series of three losses in the last month proved to be their downfall, ultimately costing them the title. The subsequent season proved to be a challenging one for the club, as they encountered issues both on and off the field. Unfortunately, their struggles the last five games Real Bedford w2-1 h w0-4 a d2-2 a w0-1 a l2-1 a
DUNSTABLE TOWN FC MATCHDAY PROGRAMME 13 translated to their performance, as they finished at the bottom of the Premier Division, resulting in relegation back to Division One. Throughout the season, the club faced a significant setback with player instability, employing a staggering number of over 80 players. This constant rotation hindered their ability to find a consistent rhythm, and as a result, they were only able to secure victory in nine league matches. Adding to their difficulties, a 3-point deduction further exacerbated their situation, contributing to their downfall and relegation from the Premier Division. It was a season marred by challenges and setbacks, and the club’s inability to find stability ultimately proved costly in maintaining their place in the division. In April 2022, the club underwent a change in ownership as it was acquired by Peter McCormack, a prominent bitcoin podcaster. Peter assumed the role of chairman and expressed his ambitious vision for the club, articulating his desire to see it ascend to the Premier League. He highlighted the population comparison between the club’s town, which consisted of 174,000 individuals, and Burnley, a town with a population of 90,000 that boasted a Premier League club. This contrast fuelled his belief that the community had the capacity to support league football. Emphasizing the club’s low starting point, he saw it as an opportunity to build the club according to their desired principles and construct a team aligned with their vision. However, he cited his personal connection to Bedford as the primary motivation behind his investment, considering it his hometown. Pete McCormack hosts one of the most influential Bitcoin podcasts worldwide, named “What Bitcoin Did,” which garners an impressive monthly listener base of over 1,000,000 downloads. Rob Sinclair transitioned from his role as first team coach at Dunstable Town to become the manager of Eynesbury Rovers after a successful tenure of 10 days. His appointment took place on the 18th of October, when Eynesbury Rovers occupied the 9th position in the table. Sinclair guided the team throughout the remainder of the season, ultimately finishing in the same 9th position. However, his journey with Eynesbury Rovers concluded as he departed from the club on the 10th of May 2022 to join Real Bedford. In his inaugural season, the club achieved remarkable success by clinching the league title with an outstanding total of 99 points. Their dominance was evident as they suffered a mere three defeats throughout the league campaign. Additionally, they displayed their prowess by securing victory in the Beds Senior Trophy, culminating in an impressive 6-0 win against Elstow Abbey, a prominent Bedfordshire County side. With such a commanding performance in their first season, the club’s achievements have fired anticipation and raised aspirations for a potential ascent to the Premier League. The future seems bright, and the team’s accomplishments suggested that they possessed the potential to compete at the highest level of English football. today’s visitors Real Bedford
14 DUNSTABLE TOWN v Real Bedford BLUE CARD DISCOUNT DUNSTABLE TOWN
DUNSTABLE TOWN FC MATCHDAY PROGRAMME 15 premier Division Home Away Arlesey Town 5 - 0 0 - 3 Aylesbury Vale Dynamos 5 - 2 1 - 4 Baldock Town 2 - 0 2 - 2 Biggleswade United 1 - 5 Cockfosters 3 - 2 1 - 1 Colney Heath 8 - 1 Crawley Green 6 - 0 1 - 4 Dunstable Town FC Romania 1 - 3 Harpenden Town 0 - 5 Leverstock Green 2 - 1 London Lions 0 - 3 Milton Keynes Irish 1 - 0 Potton United 3 - 1 0 - 3 Sawbridgworth Town 7 - 0 Shefford Town & Campton 0 - 7 St Panteleimon 1 - 4 0 - 4 Stansted 2 - 0 0 - 1 Tring Athletic 0 - 4 FA Cup FC Clacton 4 - 1 2 - 2 Milton Keynes Irish 3 - 4 FA vase Rothwell Corinthians 9 - 1 Flackwell Heath 2 - 0 Milton Keynes Irish 0 - 5 Biggleswade United 2 - 2 Gladwish Trophy Wellingborough Whitworth 5 - 1 Cockfosters 2 - 1 season so far Real Bedford top goalscorers 6 10 16 31 32 Archie Jones Mo Ahmed Josh Setchell Joe Evans Ben Stevens players used 22/23 23/24 32 25 players retained 12 card count 3 3 4 8 8 1 Mo Ahmed Josh Setchell Charlie Smith Lee Watkins Luke Knight
16 DUNSTABLE TOWN v Real Bedford
DUNSTABLE TOWN FC MATCHDAY PROGRAMME 17 Talk of the Town Podcast Your weekly fix for everything Dunstable Town Player and management interviews plus post match analysis linktr.ee/dtfcpod or the QR code Get to and from the match with Scan for route and timetable info
18 DUNSTABLE TOWN v Real Bedford 207 1.55 1.38 11 6 40 223 0.94 3.71 13 15 126 Average Crowd Goals Conceded Per Game Goals Scored Per Game Points Last 6 Games Clean Sheets Goals Scored dunstable town stats 2023-24 head to head dunstable town stats 2023-24 goals & potm Danny Webb 13 Tolu Ikuyinminu 7 Joe Sellers-West 5 Kelvin Osei-Addo 5 Harry Beaumont 2 Kyle Faulkner 2 Sam Scott 1 Dylan Baker 1 Jake Anthony 1 Benji Crilley 1 Danny Webb 4 Harry Beaumont 3 Ethan Creary 2 Tolu Ikuyinminu 2 Dylan Baker 1 Sam Scott 1 Joe Sellers-West 1 Ruairi Mills 1 Benji Crilley 1 Alfie Osborne 1 13 7 4
DUNSTABLE TOWN FC MATCHDAY PROGRAMME 19 dunstable town stats 2023-24 games & goals W D L Home 6 3 2 Away 2 5 10 Total 8 8 12 Total Home Away % points 65% 35% Points per game 1.29 2.00 0.79 % Wins 28% 50% 12% % Defeats 41% 17% 59% % Draws 28% 25% 29% % Goals scored 48% 53% Goals scored 40 19 21 Goals scored per game 1.38 1.58 1.24 % Goals conceded 31% 69% Goals conceded 45 14 31 Goals conceded per game 1.55 1.17 1.82 Total goals per game 2.93 2.75 3.06 4 2 5 4 11 14 5 6 9 3 9 13 0-15 16-30 31-45 46-60 61-75 76-90 Scored Conceded 11 29 20 25 1st 2nd Home 47% Away 53% Goals Scored Home 65% Away 35% Points Won 28% Lost 43% Drawn 29% Results UP NEXT @CreaseyPark Real Bedford tuesday 5 march 2024 // 19:45 Spartan South Midlands Football League Premier Division
20 DUNSTABLE TOWN v Real Bedford dunstable town stats 2023-24 progress 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 0 20 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 Position Points Points Position points per game 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Actual Promotion Playoff Relegation Guidelines are using the average points per game data for the Spartan South Midlands Football League Premier Division from the 2000-01 to 2022-23 seasons but does not include the COVID abandoned seasons.
DUNSTABLE TOWN FC MATCHDAY PROGRAMME 21 dunstable town stats 2023-24 player stats Apps Sub Town Total Goals Ylw Red pOTM Nimi Ajigbolamu 6 7 21 1 Jake Anthony 7 7 1 1 Jesse Armoo 4 2 6 1 Dylan Baker 28 1 81 1 4 1 Harry Beaumont 21 5 65 2 2 3 Alex Butt 1 1 keyarn Cope-Chase 4 6 10 1 1 Connor Coulson 15 1 62 1 Ethan Creary 21 2 93 6 1 2 Benji Crilley 14 2 67 1 3 1 kyle Davison-Gordon 35 Alex Desmond 11 11 1 Luke Dunstan 3 33 1 1 Ezra Forde 2 2 4 Emmanuel Gbejuade 5 3 8 2 Tolu Ikuyinminu 27 1 77 7 1 2 Sean Immanuel 5 31 Carl knox 1 13 James Lauder 6 2 41 3 Sean Locke-Hart 2 2 1 Will McClelland 2 2 Ruairi Mills 20 6 81 3 1 Isaiah Romeo Ojo 2 2 Isaac Olaleye 1 1 23 1 Alfie Osborne 23 1 63 9 1 kelvin Osei-Addo 8 12 69 5 1 Andrew Osei-Bonsu 4 6 48 2 Joe Reynolds 2 10 49 1 Sam Scott 20 1 26 1 5 1 Joe Sellers-West 21 2 95 5 3 1 Ben Sturgess 2 2 Danny Webb 24 3 62 13 4 Luke Williams 1 2 3 1
22 DUNSTABLE TOWN v Real Bedford ssmfl premier division Referee index Yellow Red Cards Games Cards Cards Per Game 1 Josh Dear 2 1 0.5 2 Daniel Smith 6 3 2 0.8 3 Robert Poole 7 12 1.7 4 James Cantwell 4 6 1 1.8 5 Neil Angus 5 9 1.8 6 James Sedley 5 9 1.8 7 Samuel Laidler 3 6 2.0 8 Thomas Frost 6 11 2 2.2 9 Luke Griggs 4 8 1 2.3 10 Ben Compton 7 15 1 2.3 11 Sophie Dennington 5 11 1 2.4 12 Daniel Jones 7 16 1 2.4 13 Chris Howes 4 9 1 2.5 14 Emmanuel Unuafe 6 17 1 3.0 15 Billy Morgan 2 6 3.0 16 Adam Jackson 5 14 4 3.6 17 Josh Burns 5 16 2 3.6 18 Connor Mackay 6 22 3.7 19 Nathan Currey 9 33 1 3.8 20 Tom Cartwright 5 19 3.8 21 Yashar Yekta 6 29 1 5.0 The above information is sourced from the Spartan South Midlands Football League Full Time Website. The listed referees have presided over Dunstable Town matches this season, and the card statistics encompass all their other officiated games within the Spartan South Midlands Football League.
DUNSTABLE TOWN FC MATCHDAY PROGRAMME 23 ssmfl premier division league table Pos Team P W D L F A GD PTS 1 Real Bedford 26 22 2 2 93 19 74 68 2 Milton Keynes Irish 23 19 3 1 70 14 56 60 3 Leverstock Green 25 15 4 6 56 41 15 49 4 St Panteleimon 25 13 7 5 50 32 18 46 5 FC Romania 24 12 5 7 58 42 16 41 6 Harpenden Town 24 11 4 9 44 42 2 37 7 Tring Athletic 24 9 6 9 39 42 -3 33 8 London Lions 24 8 8 8 50 47 3 32 9 Colney Heath 24 10 2 12 33 39 -6 32 10 Potton United 26 9 5 12 33 46 -13 32 11 Cockfosters 22 8 7 7 45 37 8 31 12 Dunstable Town 24 8 7 9 37 37 0 31 13 Biggleswade United 24 9 4 11 47 58 -11 31 14 Aylesbury Vale Dynamos 21 9 2 10 42 50 -8 29 15 Baldock Town 26 8 3 15 50 64 -14 24 16 Stansted 23 6 5 12 31 48 -17 23 17 Arlesey Town 23 6 3 14 21 51 -30 21 18 Crawley Green 22 4 4 14 29 56 -27 16 19 Shefford Town & Campton 20 4 4 12 26 59 -33 16 20 Sawbridgeworth Town 20 0 5 15 18 48 -30 5 current form Pos Team P W D L GF GA 1 Milton Keynes Irish 6 5 1 0 12 3 2 Real Bedford 6 4 1 1 18 6 3 Leverstock Green 6 4 1 1 15 8 4 Tring Athletic 6 4 1 1 14 8 5 Aylesbury Vale Dynamos 6 4 0 2 17 12 6 FC Romania 6 3 2 1 15 11 7 Dunstable Town 6 3 2 1 8 4 8 London Lions 6 3 1 2 18 14 9 Colney Heath 6 3 0 3 10 6 10 Harpenden Town 6 3 0 3 10 10 11 Arlesey Town 6 3 0 3 7 9 12 Potton United 6 2 2 2 7 8 13 Cockfosters 6 2 1 3 10 10 14 St Panteleimon 6 2 1 3 8 12 15 Stansted 6 2 1 3 8 12 16 Crawley Green 6 1 1 4 7 17 17 Shefford Town & Campton 6 1 1 4 6 16 18 Biggleswade United 6 1 1 4 7 18 19 Baldock Town 6 1 2 3 9 11 20 Sawbridgeworth Town 6 0 1 5 4 12
24 DUNSTABLE TOWN v Real Bedford ssmfl premier division Attendances Team Lowest Highest Average 1 Real Bedford 96 471 223 2 Dunstable Town 110 304 207 3 Harpenden Town 115 427 188 4 Milton Keynes Irish 55 150 122 5 Biggleswade United 68 187 119 6 Colney Heath 88 163 117 8 Aylesbury Vale Dynamos 71 141 108 7 Tring Athletic 75 197 108 9 Cockfosters 45 180 99 10 Potton United 0 171 93 11 Arlesey Town 50 148 91 12 Baldock Town 47 124 83 13 Stansted 66 108 81 14 Leverstock Green 29 118 63 15 FC Romania 26 96 59 16 Shefford Town & Campton 0 123 59 17 Crawley Green 0 156 47 18 London Lions 15 61 39 19 Sawbridgworth Town 0 100 31 20 St Panteleimon 0 30 17 scorers results Saturday 3rd February 2024 Cockfosters 2 - 0 Potton United Harpenden Town 2 - 1 Crawley Green Leverstock Green 2 - 1 Real Bedford London Lions 4 - 3 Biggleswade United MK Irish 3 - 0 Sawbridgeworth Town Shefford Tn & Campton 0 - 1 Arlesey Tn Stansted 2 - 2 Dunstable Town Tring Athletic 3 - 2 St Panteleimon Wednesday 7th February 2024 FC Romania 5 - 3 London Lions Ben Stevens Real Bedford 32 Joe Evans Real Bedford 31 Tobi Coker FC Romania 25 Mason Spence Milton Keynes Irish 24 Austin Lipman London Lions 22 Radu Stefanoaica Leverstock Green 19 Coree Wilson Biggleswade United 19 Harrison Rookard Cockfosters 17 Josh Setchell Real Bedford 16 Tyriq Ward Milton Keynes Irish 16 Zenon Stylianides FC Romania 16 Courtney Massay St Panteleimon 15 George Shrieves Milton Keynes Irish 13 Danny Webb Dunstable Town 13 Ryan Smith Milton Keynes Irish 12 Max Kyte London Lions 12 Jake Baldwin Aylesbury Vale 11 Shane Fox Potton United 11 James Meadows Milton Keynes Irish 11 George Sippetts Colney Heath 11 Mo Ahmed Real Bedford 10
DUNSTABLE TOWN FC MATCHDAY PROGRAMME 25 results results Saturday 3rd February 2024 Eaton Socon 1 - 5 Wellingborough Whitworth Irchester United 0 - 1 Buckingham Langford 1 - 3 Northampton Sileby Rangers Leighton Town Dev 3 - 2 Royston Town U23 Long Buckby 9 - 1 Huntingdon Town Raunds Town 0 - 1 Moulton Rothwell Corin 0 - 0 North’ton ON Chenecks Winslow United 2 - 0 Burton Park Wanderers Saturday 3rd February 2024 AFC Welwyn 6 - 1 Milton Keynes College Bovingdon 4 - 1 Aston Clinton Eynesbury Utd 1 - 3 Stony Stratford Town Pitstone & Ivinghoe 4 - 2 Codicote Totternhoe 4 - 1 The 61 FC (Luton) around the ssmfl 2023-24 div one DIV TWO P W D L P 1 North’ton ON Chenecks26 19 6 1 63 2 Wellingboro Whitworth 23 16 5 2 53 3 Moulton 24 15 5 4 50 4 Winslow United 23 13 5 5 44 5 North’ton Sileby Rangrs21 13 4 4 43 6 Langford 27 13 3 11 42 7 Leighton Town Dev 22 13 3 6 42 8 Ampthill Town 23 12 6 5 41 9 Royston Town U23 22 13 2 7 41 10 Cranfield United 24 10 5 9 35 11 Rothwell Corinthians 23 7 8 8 29 12 Buckingham FC 25 7 8 10 29 13 Long Buckby AFC 24 8 2 14 26 14 Raunds Town 25 6 8 11 26 15 Huntingdon Town 24 7 4 13 25 16 Eaton Socon 27 5 6 16 21 17 Letchworth Garden City23 4 5 14 17 18 Rushden & Higham Utd21 4 5 12 17 19 Irchester United 25 3 6 16 15 20 Burton Park Wanderers 26 2 2 22 8 P W D L P 1 AFC Welwyn 22 17 1 4 52 2 Newport Pagnell Dev 23 14 3 6 45 3 Codicote 20 12 3 5 39 4 Pitstone & Ivinghoe Utd20 12 1 7 37 5 Bovingdon 19 11 3 5 36 6 Milton Keynes College 22 11 3 8 36 7 MK Irish Reserves 23 9 7 7 34 8 Old Bradwell United 18 10 3 5 33 9 Totternhoe 19 9 4 6 31 10 Aston Clinton 19 9 3 7 30 11 New Bradwell St Peter 17 9 2 6 29 12 Stony Stratford Town 22 6 5 11 23 13 Sarratt 18 6 2 10 20 14 Eynesbury United 22 4 6 12 18 15 Tring Corinthians AFC 22 3 6 13 15 16 Berkhamsted Raiders 16 4 1 11 13 17 Caddington 20 4 1 15 13 18 The 61 FC (Luton) 20 3 2 15 11
26 DUNSTABLE TOWN v Real Bedford stats zone 2023-24 FIXTURES & RESULTS AUGUST COMp ATT RES 1 2 3 4 5 6 Tue 01 AYLESBURY vALE DYNAMOS H pD 235 2-0 Coulson Mills Baker Creary Osborne BeaumSat 05 Milton Keynes Irish A FAC EPR 173 1-3 Coulson Mills Baker Creary Osborne SmitSat 12 St Panteleimon A PD 27 2-3 Coulson Creary Baker Beaumont Goodman OsborTue 15 Biggleswade United A PD 85 3-5 Coulson Creary Baker Sellers-West Osborne Mills Sat 19 COCkFOSTERS H pD 211 2-2 knox Creary Baker (1) Sellers-West Osborne MillsTue 29 COLNEY HEATH H pD 222 1-0 Coulson Creary Baker Sellers-West Osborne GoodmSEpTEMBER Sat 02 Leverstock Green A PD 85 3-1 Coulson Creary Baker Crilley Goodman OsborSat 09 Harpenden Town A PD 427 0-4 Coulson Creary Baker Crilley Goodman OsborTue 12 Baldock Town A PD 69 1-1 Coulson Crilley Scott Creary Goodman (1) OsborSat 30 STANSTED H pD 244 3-0 Coulson Crilley Baker Creary Scott MillsOCTOBER Sat 07 Shefford Town & Campton A PD 89 2-2 Coulson Crilley Baker Creary Scott OsborWed 11 London Lions A PD 47 3-4 Coulson Mills Baker Creary (1) Armoo OsborSat 14 Tring Athletic A PD 197 0-1 Locke-Hart Mills Baker Creary Armoo OsborTue 17 ARLESEY TOWN H pD 188 2-1 Locke-Hart Baker Armoo Osborne Webb (1) LaudSun 22 WOODFORD TOWN H FAv 1R 220 1-2 Desmond Mills Baker Beaumont Scott Webb Sat 28 Sawbridgeworth Town A PD 0 2-2 Desmond Baker Scott Osborne Webb (1) LaudTue 31 FC ROMANIA H pD 157 1-2 Desmond Mills Baker Beaumont Scott OsborNOvEMBER Tue 07 Stotfold A BSC 1R 0-1 Coulson Baker Beaumont Scott Osborne WebTue 14 SAWBRIDGEWORTH TOWN H GCT 1R 137 1-1 Coulson Crilley Baker Osborne Webb (1) BeaumSat 25 ST pANTELEIMON H pD 110 1-1 Coulson Crilley Baker Creary Osborne WebDECEMBER Sat 02 Crawley Green A PD 56 0-2 Coulson Crilley Baker Beaumont Creary OsborSat 23 FC Romania A PD 61 1-2 Desmond Crilley Baker Beaumont Ajigbolamu ScotSat 30 CRAWLEY GREEN H pD 304 2-0 Desmond Crilley (1) Baker Creary McClelland ScotJANUARY Sat 06 Colney Heath A PD 163 1-0 Desmond Crilley Baker Creary McClelland ScotSat 13 pOTTON UNITED H pD 239 2-0 Desmond Crilley Baker Creary Scott OsborSat 27 Potton United A PD 171 1-1 Desmond Crilley Baker Creary Scott Webb Tue 30 BIGGLESWADE UNITED H pD 151 0-1 Desmond Crilley Baker Creary Scott WebFEBRUARY Sat 03 Stansted A PD 90 2-2 Desmond Creary Baker Sturgess Scott OsborTue 06 Leverstock Green A GCT 2R 0 0-1 Desmond Mills Baker Scott Osborne SturgeSat 10 REAL BEDFORD H pDC 2R Sat 17 Arlesey Town A PD Sat 24 Cockfosters A PD Tue 27 Milton Keynes Irish A PD MARCH Tue 05 REAL BEDFORD H pD Sat 09 Aylesbury Vale Dynamos A PD Tue 12 SHEFFORD TOWN & CAMpTON H pD Sat 16 LONDON LIONS H pD Tue 19 BALDOCk TOWN H pD Sat 23 Real Bedford A PD Sat 30 MILTON kEYNES IRISH H pD ApRIL Tue 02 TRING ATHLETIC H pD Sat 06 LEvERSTOCk GREEN H pD Tue 09 SAWBRIDGEWORTH TOWN H pD Sat 20 HARpENDEN TOWN H pD PD - SSMFL Premier Division, FAC - FA Cup, FAV - FA Vase, BSC - Bedfordshire FA Senior Challenge Cup, LCT - Challenge Trophy, PDC - Pre
DUNSTABLE TOWN FC MATCHDAY PROGRAMME 27 7 8 9 10 11 SUB 1 SUB 2 SUB 3 SUB 4 SUB 5 mont Dunstan Faulkner Sellers-West Ikuyinminu Reynolds Webb (61)(2) Olaleye (77) Smith (88) Williams (90) th Dunstan Faulkner Webb (1) Ikuyinminu Olaleye Reynolds (46) Goodman (62) Ajigbolamu (81) rne Faulkner Reynolds Webb Ikuyinminu (1) Scott Sellers-West (46) Osei-Addo (60)(1) Williams (65) sBeaumont Osei-Addo Webb (1) Ikuyinminu (1) Williams Faulkner (58)(1) Scott (83) Doherty (85) s Beaumont Osei-Addo Webb Ikuyinminu Scott (1) Faulkner (61) man Mills Osei-Addo Webb Ikuyinminu (1) Scott Beaumont Crilley Doherty (85) Faulkner rne Mills Beaumont Faulkner (1) Webb (1) Ikuyinminu Osei-Addo (69)(1) Reynolds (80) Doherty (86) rne Mills Beaumont Osei-Addo Webb Ikuyinminu Doherty (46) Chase-Cope (46) Immanuel (61) Reynolds (70) rne Mills Chase-Cope Faulkner Webb Ikuyinminu Osei-Addo (21) Doherty (62) Baker (62) s Sellers-West (3) Ikuyinminu Doherty Dunstan Ajigbolamu Cope-Chase (59) Osei-Addo (59) Beaumont (65) Reynolds (86) Ojo (90) rne Mills Armoo Osei-Addo Sellers-West (1) Ikuyinminu (1) Cope-Chase (38) Webb (64) Beaumont (65) rne Webb Gbejuade Sellers-West Ikuyinminu (1) Cope-Chase Lauder (72) Ajigbolamu (81) Osei-Addo (82)(1) rne Gbejuade Lauder Sellers-West Ikuyinminu Cope-Chase Beaumont (49) Webb (77) Osei-Addo (83) der Ikuyinminu Gbejuade Cope-Chase Anthony (1) Scott Beaumont (58) Mills (60) Osei-Addo (68) Osei-Bonsu (68) Sellers-West (80) (1) Lauder Aji Sellers-West Ikuyinminu Squillace Cope-Chase (46) Immanuel (61) Ojo (90) er Anthony Sellers-West Ikuyinminu Gbejuade Beaumont (1) Mills (46) Ajigbolamu (81) Osei-Bonsu (68) rne Webb (1) Lauder Anthony Sellers-West Ikuyinminu Osei-Bonsu Gbejuade bb Lauder Anthony Gbejuade Osei-Bonsu Mills Crilley (46) Ajigbolamu (81) Immanuel (81) mont Anthony Sellers-West Osei-Bonsu Mills Scott Lauder (57) Ikuyinminu (57) Gbejuade (72) Creary (73) Cope-Chase (81) bb Beaumont Anthony Ikuyinminu (1) Osei-Bonsu Osei-Addo Armoo (58) Gbejuade (67) Cope-Chase (90) rne Webb Mills Anthony Sellers-West Ikuyinminu Osei-Bonsu (13) Osei-Addo (56) Armoo (56) tt Webb (1) Sellers-West Osei-Addo Osei-Bonsu Ikuyinminu Creary (49) Mills (60) Reynolds (80) tt Webb (1) Beaumont Forde Sellers-West Ikuyinminu Ajigbolamu (46) Reynolds (72) Osei-Bonsu (88) tt Webb Osborne Sellers-West (1) Beaumont Ikuyinminu Osei-Bonsu (63) Mills (78) Reynolds (78) rne Webb Beaumont (1) Sellers-West Osei-Bonsu Ikuyinminu (1) Mills (62) Osei-Addo (77) Reynolds (88) Ajigbolamu (89) (1) Beaumont Sellers-West Ikuyinminu Mills Ajigbolamu Forde (70) Osei-Addo (89) bb Beaumont Sellers-West Ikuyinminu Mills Ajigbolamu Forde (46) Osei-Addo (46) Osborne (70) Immanuel (81) rne Webb Beaumont Sellers-West Forde Ikuyinminu Mills (23) Reynolds (46) Osei-Addo (70)(2) Ajigbolamu (87) ess Beaumont Osei-Addo Sellers-West Ikuyinminu Ajigbolamu Reynolds (46) Coulson (70) Butt (80) Immanuel (81) emier Division Cup
DUNSTABLE TOWN FC MATCHDAY PROGRAMME 29
30 DUNSTABLE TOWN v Real Bedford player sponsors first team 2023/24 ON TOUR lee narnia ON TOUR Joe Deeney SPONSORED BY Kyle Durcan SPONSORED BY Anthony Christophi SPONSORED BY Adam Ashton SPONSORED BY Steve Lewington SPONSORED BY jeff abraham in memory of aaron bateman ON TOUR Ethan Creary SPONSORED BY Benjamin Crilley SPONSORED BY Alex Desmond SPONSORED BY Luke Dunstan SPONSORED BY Ezra Forde SPONSORED BY stuart beaumont ciaran hannonabraham Nimi Ajigbolamu SPONSORED BY Jesse Armoo SPONSORED BY Dylan Baker SPONSORED BY Harry Beaumont SPONSORED BY Connor Coulson SPONSORED BY 1883-2023 140 YEARS DUNSTABLE TOWN FC
DUNSTABLE TOWN FC MATCHDAY PROGRAMME 31 sponsor your favourite players For sponsorship enquires, find Matt Carrington on a matchday, email [email protected] or call 07903 751121 Seren Hartley ON TOUR Alfie Osborne SPONSORED BY Kelvin Osei-Addo SPONSORED BY Andrew Osei-Bonsu SPONSORED BY Joe Reynolds SPONSORED BY Sam Scott SPONSORED BY Eddie Hartley BEARINGS Structural Solutions ON TOUR Tolu Ikuyinminu SPONSORED BY Sean Immanuel SPONSORED BY James Lauder SPONSORED BY Will McClelland SPONSORED BY Ruairi Mills SPONSORED BY jackie carrington ON TOUR Joe Sellers-West SPONSORED BY Danny Webb SPONSORED BY Luke Williams SPONSORED BY
32 DUNSTABLE TOWN v Real Bedford Join the Dunstable Town Kit Recycling Drive! Kick off a greener future by donating your pre-loved kits. Reduce waste, support teammates, and make quality sportswear affordable! How to get involved: Donate: Drop off gently used kits at collection points. Spread the word: Encourage your teammates and friends to join. Volunteer: Help sort and sanitize kits during events. Kits find new homes, increasing their lifecycle and benefiting players, the environment, and our community. Elevate the game, elevate the planet! Donate, volunteer, and be part of the change. Thrive together, play forever for transformation. Embrace sustainability, forge connections, and ensure every kit’s legacy lives on. Thrive Together, Play Forever! Football Kit Recycling Drive! Team Up with Dunstable Town’s Ready to tackle waste and make a lasting impact?
DUNSTABLE TOWN FC MATCHDAY PROGRAMME 33 BARTHAM PRESS QUALITY PRINT WITH • Brochures • Flyers • Posters • Banners • Mailings • Catalogues • Business Stationery • Exhibition Stands • Signage • and more! Please remember to @barthampress www.barthampress.com Personal Commercial Print specialists
34 DUNSTABLE TOWN v Real Bedford Which club has the longest running, continuous shirt sponsorship deal in World football? Arsenal and Emirates? Nope, Inter and Pirelli? Good guess, but no? VW and Wolfsburg? Close, but no cigar. At 32 consecutive years you’d think so…. but you’d be wrong. The answer, as I am sure you can guess by my destination today, is Stranraer. Back in 1988, Sealink became the shirt sponsor for the Blues. Not much of a surprise considering at the time they run the ferry route from the town to Belfast and Larne across the Irish Sea. In 1996, the company rebranded as Stena Line, the name that still adorns the front of the shirts today. That, my friends, is a bone-fide football world record. But that wasn’t the reason why I had travelled by car, plane, bus, train, ferry, taxi and finally on foot to reach one of the further outposts in British football. In 1998 I took the opportunity whilst on a long weekend in Edinburgh with the Current Mrs Fuller to get tickets for Hibs versus Greenock Morton at a partly redeveloped Easter Road and see my first ever Scottish league game. Twentyfive years later and by walking through the gates of Stair Park, I would complete my mission to visit all the current 42 Scottish League teams. It is no surprise that Stranraer was number 42 based on its location. At the best of times, it was an infrequent train ride from Glasgow, and one of the few grounds in Scotland that almost certainly required one, if not two overnight stays. To make matters worse the recent floods, and a subsequent building fire has led to the closure of the railway line south of Ayr, meaning my original travel plans were scuppered. Not to be beaten by the elements, I headed to Northern Ireland for the Friday night blockbuster Stuart Fuller is an accomplished author, renowned for his nearly award-winning literary works in “The Football Tourist” book series. He is also Chairman of Lewes FC.
DUNSTABLE TOWN FC MATCHDAY PROGRAMME 35 between Larne and Cliftonville, then caught the early ferry to Cainryan, some five miles up the coast from Stranraer. It was with some relief that the crossing was calm. I’d lost games due to wind, rain, and snow in my quest to complete the 42, but here I was on the deck of the boat, with Northern Ireland disappearing, poised to complete the list. Travel tip if you follow my footsteps. Don’t. Craigryan has two ferry terminals, a holiday park and a creepy hotel that I think was closed but could be a film set for a Halloween film. It has a bus stop, with a service to Stranraer every two hours. You’d think that the bus departure would coincidence with the arrivals of the ferries. It didn’t. So, I called the local taxi firm, who had the monopoly on the local area but they said they were too busy to come and collect me, suggesting I ring back in a couple of hours. I started the five mile walk towards Stranraer around the edge of Loch Ryan, and for the first mile it was all good, then the pavement turned into a path that then required Wellies and some kind of machete to cut down the thick vegetation. So, I turned back. I’d been there 10 mins before a taxi pulled up and let out a passenger. I took a chance and got lucky. The driver was returning to Stranraer to clock off and he was happy to take me as it meant he’d be home earlier than anticipated. Stair Park is a decent ground for steps 3 or 4 in the Scottish Leagues. A smart Main Stand provides comfort for 1,500, with a small stand opposite. At the Town End there’s covered hard standing, with the walls adored with photos from the history of the club, whilst the opposite end is open, ready for the brand-new stand that will be built when the club get to the Premier League. The game was between the two most geographically distant teams in Scotland at 268 miles apart. The away fans would have a 11 hour round trip in the car or setting off at 3:39am and getting back to Elgin at 11:18am on Sunday if coming via public transport, but that hadn’t stopped half a dozen of them, including a couple who had come down last night. The home side took just 4 minutes to draw first blood, Sean McIntosh being brought down in the area and Dylan Forrest converted. A string of corners at both ends kept the crowd entertained but there was always a feeling Stranraer held the upper hand, and unsurprisingly doubled their lead in the 27th minute when Matty Grant turned a loose ball home from 5 yards. The home side made the game safe two minutes after the restart when James Dolan scored from 12 yards, although a Rob Jones header from a corner in the 76th minute sent the six travelling fans wild, giving them hope. But that hope soon faded as quickly as the daylight. Full time and the home side were back to winning ways. Stranraer had been impeccable hosts, and I couldn’t have wished for a better club to complete the 42 at. The journey to Glasgow started with the first rail replacement bus from Stranraer. I was the only passenger, a surreal 21/2 hour trip in the biggest chauffeured limousine I’d ever been in. By 8.15pm I was enjoying a beer in the Two Towns Down taproom in the backstreets of Paisley. A day that started badly, ended in nothing but great memories of a little, remote town in a stunning part of Scotland.
36 DUNSTABLE TOWN v Real Bedford CADDINGTON GROVE A luxury care home w h a heart Part of Hamberley Care Homes, who were awarded Residential Care Provider of the Year 2022 in recognition of their ground-breaking approach, Caddington Grove offers a vibrant community where residents enjoy a busy and active lifestyle with support where needed from our award-winning Homemakers. “The Homemakers are just wonderful, making every day an experience for residents” DAUGHTER OF A CADDINGTON GROVE RESIDENT Book your tour with our friendly team today: 01582 320 750 | [email protected] Caddington Grove, 175 London Road, Dunstable LU6 3DX www.hamberleycarehomes.co.uk
DUNSTABLE TOWN FC MATCHDAY PROGRAMME 37 Banking for a greener future Follow us on social proud to support
38 DUNSTABLE TOWN v Real Bedford Community Benefit Society The Blue Card Dunstable Town Football Club has relaunched as a Community Benefit Society (CBS), which is a recognised legal entity structure, supported by the FSA (Football Supporters Association) and regulated by the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority). This means that the club is owned equally by its shareholders, and anyone can become a shareholder with equal voting rights. When you become a member of the Club you will receive ‘The Blue Card’, which entitles you to the discounts listed below: Company Location Discount AH Carpentry and Joinery Milton Keynes 10% Anarkali Restaurant Dunstable 10% (Collection only, offer not valid on Tuesdays) Armour Flex Online 15% Belvoir Lettings Dunstable 1.5% off quoted monthly fee for full management service + £96 inc VAT off the quoted landlord startup fee Creasey Park Dunstable 5% off all food and drink on matchdays between 1pm and 2pm on Saturdays and 6pm and 7pm on Tuesdays Curry Garden Dunstable 5% total food bill when dining in the restaurant (not to be used for any other promotion in the restaurant) CW Fishing Supplies Luton 10% Hunt Fitness Leighton Buzzard 15% Indian Bonsai Leagrave 5% L&K Flowers Luton 10% Marshall Heating Dunstable 10% Matchday Merchandise Dunstable 10% PB Carpentry Dunstable 20% Pro-Direct Dunstable Town Club Shop Online 10% The Glider Pub Dunstable 10% The Local Offy Dunstable 5% Tikka Masala Welwyn Garden City 5%
DUNSTABLE TOWN FC MATCHDAY PROGRAMME 39 Community Benefit Society BECOME AN OWNER Current club owners Jeff Abraham Ciaran Hannon-Abraham Niamh Hannon-Abraham Andy Acton Szymon Adamczyk Rizwan Ahmed Alex Alexandrou Clare Alexandrou Louie Alexandrou Panayis Alexandrou Aglaia Alexandrou Julie Allaway John Anstey Daniel Armas Neil Barker Linda Barker Ian Bateman Aaron Bateman Christian Baxter Peter Bottom Rosemary Bowen Lee Burgoyne Andy Burrows Matthew Byrne Matt Byrne Matt Carrington Jackie Carrington Brad Cawthorne Michael Charge Dan Crooke Darren Court Warren Davies Douglas Deeney Taylor Doult Bill Dunston Christopher Eastham Lindsey Edwards Ciaran Fairley-Edwards Dean Falla Roy Falla Simon Faulkner Paul Fisher Kai Fisher Aaron Flemons Ros Fowler Colin Fox Annette Fox Jake Fox-Nania Cassius Freckleton Stuart Fuller Mark Galpin Daniel Galpin Lewis Gibbons John Greener Rupert Groves Roy Hall Alan Hill Abbas Hussain Nick Jackson Isaac Jackson Patrick Johnson Gaj Jika Dave Lawlor Gary Levy Steve Lewington Kristy Lewington George Lewington Freddie Lewington Ted Lousvet Graham Luck Amanda Madaras Andrew Madaras Lucy Madaras Les Marsh Andrew McCloskey Elliott McCook Richard McCook Steven Mead Peter Mills Anthony Moore Mohammed Munaim Lee Nania Derek Nutley Lee Nutley Julian Nutley Charlie Nutley Gabby Nutley Hanna Nutley Jack Nutley Stephen Overell Mark Page Nigel Palmer Nikki Park Dudley Peacham Katrina Peacham Dean Purcell Shaun Rapcewicz Mark Rees Graham Rhodes Daniel Roberts Ron Roberts Vera Roberts Luke Roberts Leo Roberts Chloe Roberts James Rogers Jeffrey Roy Mark Saccoccio John Sanders Charlie Sanders Richard Scott Harry Scott Thomas Scott Hunter Seabourne Adam Shearsby Alison Skea Abby Slough Liam Smith Kian Smith Alan Soper Maurice Sullivan Arone Thasan Simon Thatcher Ian Tofts Nigel Trewin Daniel Trif Kenneth Trott Wayne Upton Zahara Verla Pearl Verla Yvonne Verla Anne Verla Steve Warboys Bob Warner Wayne Woods Michelle Wootton Nick Wootton
40 DUNSTABLE TOWN v Real Bedford 2-2 Stansted saturday 3rd february Hargrave Park ko 3:00pm Stansted Charlie Adams James Baughurst Freddie Burrell John Clarke Carl Conway Billy Coyne Correy Davidson Jardel -Adeyinka Scott Piggott Charlie Turner Sergio Uyi Dunstable Town Dylan Baker Harry Beaumont Ethan Creary Alex Desmond Tolu Ikuyinminu Alfie Osborne Kelvin Osei-Addo Sam Scott Joseph Sellers-West Benjamin Sturgess Danny Webb
DUNSTABLE TOWN FC MATCHDAY PROGRAMME 41 Those 85 or so Dunstable supporters who’d travelled to Potton the previous Saturday and witnessed an exhilarating offensive first half where the running up front of Danny Webb, Tolu Ikuyinminu & Joe Sellers-West pulled the Potton back line every which way like an elastic band, only for the hosts to grab an equaliser in the dying minutes of the game. Fast forward a week to Stansted and the stark contrast between the side’s two first half performances could not have been more apparent. It was the type of first half best watched from behind the sofa with your hands covering your eyes. Two goals down in the first 15 minutes and all credit to Stansted who were rampant and dominant all over the pitch. A week before they’d beaten 6th placed Harpenden Town and lost by a solitary goal to Real Bedford in midweek. An away win at London Lions in midJanuary a sure sign that the Airport Army are a side to be reckoned with and given all due respect. The fact then that Dunstable could have easily come away with all three points tells you that there was a remarkable transformation in the second half. It took the Blues a little while in the second half to really get to grips with the game. The introduction of experienced Joe Reynolds, at the start of the second half steadied midfield but the game was turned on its head on the hour mark with the introduction of Kelvin Osei-Addo. Within 20 minutes of his arrival, he’d bagged a brace and been a lick of paint away from driving home with the match ball under his arm. A delicious free kick on 72 minutes beat the wall, beat the keeper, and crashed off the cross bar. However, 5 minutes later Kelvin gave the Blues a lifeline with a header following up from another attempt against the cross bar, and then 10 minutes later he got the equaliser with a well taken penalty which saw the hosts reduced to 10 men as the Stansted defender handled on the line. There then followed a siege of the Alamo type last quarter of an hour but with no further goals, the Blues took away a hard-fought point. The midweek home match on Tuesday against Biggleswade was a curious affair. A last-ditch foul on Danny Webb by the away keeper resulted in a free kick and a caution for the custodian and not a red card as the home faithful fully expected. No covering defender behind the keeper, I think everyone on the pitch and both benches expected to see a red card being shown. However, the referee saw it differently and his opinion is the only one that counts so what followed next with 22 players on the pitch for the next 50 minutes could best be described as a war of attrition. Dunstable were reduced to 10 men on the hour with the dismissal of Ethan Creary for a second yellow card. Joe & Kyle reorganised and the players to a man did their jobs and battled well. On 84 minutes Ezra Forde was sinbinned and the Blues were reduced to 9 men. Even that didn’t seem too disastrous until Biggleswade were awarded a corner out on the left-hand side and up popped Coree Wilson to score his 19th League goal of the season. It was tough on the Blues. They’d done enough over the 90 to have got something out of the game but luck was against them as has often been the case this season.
42 DUNSTABLE TOWN v Real Bedford Prove your football expertise by guessing correctly! Can you identify the club based on their modified emblem? And who is the player hiding behind the pixels? Flip to page 50 for the answers. who are ya? spot the ball B C A
DUNSTABLE TOWN FC MATCHDAY PROGRAMME 43 creasey’s conundrum Creasey has scrambled the letters of a Dunstable Town player’s name It’s a real puzzle, but we bet you’ve got the skills to solve it! Test your anagram expertise and see if you can decipher the hidden name her spotless jewels beat creasey The fearless feline forecaster himself, Creasey the Lion, presents his football predictions with the accuracy of a true pro! If you can outsmart Creasey, you’ll be the king of the football forecast jungle! Scoring - One point for every correct result, three for a correct scoreline. CREASEY YOU V 2-2 V 1-1 V 2-1 V 1-2 TOTAL
44 DUNSTABLE TOWN v Real Bedford Need a New kit for Next Season ? Then why not get in touch or come & take a look around our showroom - We are the South Midlands largest single one-stop solution for all your Football Kit, Clubwear, Training Equipment & Trophies !! Proud to be Preferential Partners to the Spartan South Midlands Football League www.mdhteamwear.co.uk tel: (01908) 611421 MDH Teamwear & Trophies Unit 38 Carters Yard, Carters Lane, Kiln Farm, Milton Keynes MK11 3HL Open Monday-Saturday 9am-5.30pm
DUNSTABLE TOWN FC MATCHDAY PROGRAMME 45 The purpose of the Community Chest is to raise funds for kit, equipment and the general costs associated with running the club. Available at £3 per number per week, with jackpot & runners up prize, plus a monthly merch/ bronze owner prize and an Annual Xmas prize. To join contact Steve Lewington, [email protected] 01 Brad Cawthorne 02 Ebrahim 03 04 Steve Mead 05 Kristy Lewington 06 07 Andrew Madaras 08 09 Colin Tibbett 10 Ron & Vera Roberts 11 Liz Jones 12 Jackie Carrington 13 Roy Everett 14 Michael Charge 15 Abby Slough 16 Steve Lewington 17 18 Lee Nania 19 20 Patrick Johnson 21 22 Daniel Wood 23 Jeff Abraham 24 Dan Roberts 25 Nick Goodman 26 27 28 Gary Levy 29 Julian Nutley 30 Andrew Madaras 31 Andrew Madaras 32 Simon Thatcher 33 Mandy Madaras 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 Colin Fox 41 42 43 44 45 Jeff Abraham 46 John Oliver 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 Ken Trott 56 Julie Allaway 57 58 59 60 Neil Barker 61 John Chatterly 62 63 64 Iain Jones 65 66 Rupert Groves 67 68 69 Andrew McCloskey 70 71 Dan Roberts 72 73 74 Paul Ward 75 76 77 78 79 Derek Hing 80 Pete Mills 81 82 Catherine Holdstock 83 84 Matt Carrington 85 86 Neil Barker 87 Andrew Madaras 88 89 Neil Barker 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 Latest Draw 80 WINNER 1 RUNNER UP
46 DUNSTABLE TOWN v Real Bedford Proud Sponsors of Dunstable Town F.C. 57 Lowther Road, Dunstable, Bedfordshire LU6 3NL BLUE CARD DISCOUNT DUNSTABLE TOWN
DUNSTABLE TOWN FC MATCHDAY PROGRAMME 47 Creasey Tees is dedicated to supporting Dunstable Town and using the profits from sales to contribute towards various needs of the team. This approach not only helps the club financially but also strengthens the bond between the supporters and the team. Wearing apparel from Creasey Tees allows fans to showcase their support while also contributing directly to the club’s growth and development. For corporate workwear that suits your business, turn to Creasey Tees. From charity events to corporate exhibitions and kids’ parties, our custom-printed t-shirts ensure your team looks professional. We also offer personalized band merchandise and affordable stag/hen party t-shirts. Look the part and stand out with Creasey Tees! ebay.co.uk/usr/creaseytees
Why Choose the Car Share Scheme? • Cost-Effective Split travel expenses with fellow fans, making away games more affordable than ever before. • Community Spirit Connect with fellow supporters, share pre-match excitement, and forge lasting friendships along the journey. • Reduced Carbon Footprint By pooling resources and reducing the number of vehicles, you’re actively contributing to a greener environment. How It Works • Sign Up Register in the WhatsApp group and become part of the Dunstable Town away game community. • Share the Ride Coordinate with your fellow fans, decide on the best meeting point, and embark on an unforgettable journey together. • Cheer for Our Team Arrive at the match venue in high spirits, united with your fellow fans, and ready to give our team the unwavering support they deserve. Dunstable Town Car Share Scheme Elevate Your Matchday Experience 1883-2023 140 YEARS DUNSTABLE TOWN FC Are you a dedicated Dunstable Town supporter with a passion for both football and sustainability? We’ve got exciting news just for you! Introducing the Dunstable Town Car Share Scheme – your ticket to seamless travel, camaraderie, and an eco-friendly way to back our team on the road. Join the Dunstable Town Car Share Scheme and experience matchdays like never before. Together, we’ll create unforgettable memories, strengthen our community, and champion a more sustainable future. Join our WhatsApp group at tinyurl.com/3a8p5uwy or use the QR code above to sign up and learn more. Let’s drive change, together.