Wormley Rovers FC vs. Cockfosters FC

Spartan South Midlands Football League, Premier Division

Date: 17 September 2024

Kickoff: 19:45

View from the chair

Welcome everyone to The Lane for our second home league game under the lights of season 24-25 as we try to navigate our way around step 5 football for the first time.

A particular warm welcome to the players officials and supporters of Cockfosters who we play for the first time in our history today in the league and we should start with a small apology in that the clubhouse is in the final throes of a refurbishment at the moment so if you can see past that what you will see is a welcoming club and a community club that makes a difference locally. I am confident we will have a shiny new clubhouse for all our teams and visiting teams to enjoy for years to come. There is a lot of respect between our two clubs and Ryan spent some time at Cockfosters in his fledgling days as a manager and the experience there has put him in good stead for the challenges ahead.

It’s been a real test for the players coming into the SSML but one they are relishing after a couple of draws and a narrow defeat early on we have gone on a seven game run of winning games including the cup game vs Irchester which at any level is a fantastic achievement. No games in this league are easy and the fact that four of our wins have been 2-1 wins show how close the games have been against very strong opponents.

I get to see how incredibly hard Ryan and his team are working to improve the squad, to improve players both individually and as a unit and there is something incredibly pleasing about watching young players develop and thrive in an environment where we hope they can thrive. There is certainly a togetherness amongst the whole squad that has carried over from last year that is something very special.

I have sympathy for Ryan and his management team as he hasn’t been able to put anywhere near the same side out in consecutive games due to injuries, holidays and wedding commitments and yet we are still on a great run.

Another tough test awaits us tonight so enjoy the game

#COYW

Welcome to our opponents

The EARLY YEARS: The Club was originally formed as Cockfosters Athletic in 1921 by local residents and the ground allocated to the Club by Lady Bevan, from her family estate.

Season 1938/39 saw first of two “trebles” in the Club’s history, winning the Wood Green League’s Premier Division, League Cup and the Barnet Cup. After the war the 1st Team moved to the strong local league of that time – the Northern Suburban Intermediate, whilst the Reserves played in the Wood Green, Southgate & District League.

The 1960s saw a re-awakening of the Club. 1960/61: 1st Team win Northern Suburban League’s 1st Division and the next campaign win Premier Division. Barnet Cup and the Barnet Charity Cup finals were reached regularly with both trophies being won on a couple of occasions.

The 1970s: This decade was one of the most successful in the Club’s history. 1970/71: 1st Team win London FA Intermediate Cup and finalists in Herts County League’s Aubrey

1978/79: 1st Team win ‘treble’ of HC League Premier Division, Aubrey Cup and Herts FA Intermediate Cup; ‘A’ Team win the NSI Lge.

The 1980s:

1980/81: Former Barnet FC player Jeff Voyce appointed 1st Team Manager and the side claim their second Premier Division title.

1983/84: Colin Bell takes over as Manager and 1st Team win HSCL Premier Division for a third time. Colin decides to resign at the end of the campaign

1984/85: Former Arsenal player Glyn MacDonald appointed as 1st Team Manager. Team win the HSCL’s Aubrey Cup and are Premier Division Runners-up.

1989/90: 1st Team win London FA Intermediate Cup.

The 1990s: 1990/91 sees the Club gain “Senior Status” the 1st Team leave for the London Spartan League Premier Division, bringing an end of 25 seasons of membership in the Herts Senior County League – all, but the first having been in the top flight – a period that saw the 1st Team as Premier Division Champions 3 times, London FA Intermediate Cup winners twice, the Herts FA Intermediate Cup winners once and finalists on 3 other occasions, HSCL Aubrey Cup winners twice and finalists twice.

2000 to Present Day: Youth football was re-introduced to the Club starting with an Under 18 side and later teams at Under 13 and Under 15 age groups.

2002/03: The Club introduce an Under 18 Youth side managed by Paul Boxer and competing in the Southern Counties Floodlit Youth League.

2007/08: With the elevation into the Spartan South Midlands League’s Premier Division the Club accepted into the FA Challenge Cup for the first time in their history.

2013/14: The season proved to be another successful one, with a very creditable 8th place & both the SSML’s Challenge Trophy and the South Midlands Floodlight (Senior) Cup won.

The Under 18s, managed by Paul Boxer and assisted by Steve Foot, won the Southern Counties Floodlit Youth League’s Nemean Division and were runners-up in the League’s Divisional Winners Play-Off Final.

2013, the season saw our Youth Section enhanced with a get together with Whetstone Wanderers. The Wanderers’ Under 15 & Under 16 teams were to play under the Cockfosters FC’s name in the Eastern Junior Alliance League. This new ‘affiliation” expected to be a great benefit to both clubs and would provide a continuity of players moving up into our Under 18’s, Reserves and hopefully our 1st Team.

2014/15: The season’s one bright spot being the displays of our Youth Section. The U18s were Southern Counties Floodlit Youth Lge. Olympian Division winners, beating Luton Town in the SCFYL’s Divisional Winners Play-off Final.

2015/16: The U14’s made a clean sweep of everything, winning the EJA’s Herts (Brown) Division, the EJA U14 Divisional Play-Off Final, the EJA U14 Challenge Cup and the Middlesex FA County FA’s U14 Cup.

2016/17: After a very successful campaign, which saw the 1st Team finish 3^rd (its’ highest ever position) in the SSML Premier Div. and the Reserves as R/up in the U25 Development Div.

2017/18: The U18s were Runners-up in the SCFYL’s Delphian Division. The U13s won the EJA Herts (Green) Div. and also won the AFA County Youth Cup and were runners-up in the London FA Sunday Youth Cup.

2018/19: Ryan Wade appointed as 1st Team manager with Nick Mountford assistant / coach, both having played at a higher level of football. The campaign was disappointing, but the last 15 minutes of the season’s final league game saw us score 3 times to win 3-2 & avoid the drop.

The youth sides continued to do well – Vas Chiotis’ U14s, winning the EJA division & reaching 2 County Youth Cup finals & Brett Cahill’s U17s also reached a County Youth Cup final.

2019/20 The FA moved us laterally from the Spartan South Midlands League’s top division to that of the Essex Senior League,

With the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons both curtailed by Covid19 season.

2021-2022 has been a season of change. At the end of January Ryan Wade stepped down as Manager and the highly experienced Gavin Kelsey was appointed bringing in Glenn Draper as his assistant. The 1^st team reached the final of the Errington Challenge Cup Final but were unfortunately defeated 3-2 by Enfield FC.

The club continue to enter youth teams in the EJA at U13 – U18 (17). The Under 18s also continued to compete in the midweek Southern Counties Floodlit Youth League. The season brings success yet again with our U18s clinching the EJA Black Division title and the Under 15s winning the London County Cup.

Our strategy of competing in the SCFYL and the EJA at U18 continues to prove a success with many of our lads featuring in the senior squads, both representing the reserves and the 1^st team

Season 2022-2023 saw Gavin Kelsey remain in charge with Glen Draper as his assistant and Phil Lovell also joining the management team. Cockfosters FC were laterally moved back to the Spartan South Midlands Premier Division and finish in 5^th position.

The Reserve team continues in the Herts Senior County League with the majority basis of the squad being the youth product of our own environment. The Under 18s remain in the Southern Counties Floodlit Youth League & Eastern Junior Alliance League

The season proved to be an extremely successful one for the U18 under the guidance of club chairman Vas Chiotis. The squad clinch the quadruple, winning the SCFYL Olympian division with a 100% win campaign. They also had a clean sweep on the county cups winning the U18 Middlesex Senior Cup, U18 London FA County Cup and U17 London FA County Cup.

Season 2023-2024 continues under the stewardship of Gavin Kelsey with Glen Draper, Phil Lovell being joined by head coach Ant Burns.

At the time of righting this report, the first team still remain in the hunt for a play-off position. The task a huge one with the challenge ahead being a ridiculous schedule of 11 games in 22 days.

On a positive we have reached our 2^nd final in in 2 years and the players and staff will be doing their utmost to be successful on the day and secure some silverware for the club!

The U18s almost repeat the success of last season with Club Chairman Vas Chiotis guiding them to another league title. They were crowned champions on the 4^th April with a 100% win record. A great achievement to secure their place in all 3 county cup finals again, only this time to be beaten on penalties in all 3 competitions.

Match Day Squads

Wormley Rovers FC

Keeper: All Green or All Purple

Red Shirts | Black Shorts | Black Socks

Joshua Asiedu
Reece Barrett
George Beattie
Lee Brennan
Cormac Clark
Zion Dos Santos Sinclair
Bradley Empson
Danny Haigh
Archie Hammond
Adam Hart
Charles Hill
Prince Will Madu
Luke Marshall
Kaidyn Michael
Reece Mosanya
Tom Mulqueen
Louis Offer
Connor Scully
Carlos Simeon
Ryan Stevenson
Craig Tolley
Ryan Wade
Reiss Webber