Wormley Rovers FC vs. Aylesbury Vale Dynamos

Spartan South Midlands Football League, Premier Division

Date: 4 January 2025

Kickoff: 15:00

View from the chair

Welcome everyone to The Lane for todays SSML Premier division league encounter against Aylesbury Vale Dynamos FC our first game against them this season and a particular warm welcome to their players officials and supporters.

Last Saturday summed up football in one game, a costly slip at the back by centre half Louie Offer allowed the FC Romania forward to power through and score the opening goal after just five minutes, as a team we played well in the first half but didn’t work their keeper enough. The second half started and we scored straightaway with a clever flick finish from Josh Asiude after great work from Noah Mosanya. Then with everyone looking at their watches waiting for the final whistle after we pummelled the FC Romania goal for 49 minutes Louie Offer scored a cracking volley to win the game for us 2-1 the highs and lows of football in one game. FC Romania came with a new manager and played their part in an entertaining game but we thoroughly deserved the three points.

Busy week ahead with the Herts Charity Shield semi final at Oxhey Jets on Tuesday night with the team looking to make a final to follow on from last years play off success before returning to SSML league action on Saturday away at Crawley Green.

We then host Boreham Wood on the 14 January in the quarter final of the Herts Senior Challenge Cup which will be a huge game for the squad but a great opportunity to test themselves against some of the very best non-league players around.

It’s been a tough few months with injuries taking its toll on the squad which has disrupted our early season rhythm but that’s where our young squad must learn lessons quickly and adapt to the challenges in front of them but I know most of the squad are fit and well now after a recent bout of illness floored about five of the group.

I get to see how incredibly hard Ryan and his management 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 want them to enjoy their football but also improve. There is certainly a togetherness amongst the whole squad that has carried over from last year that should help us through the inevitable tough times that every team goes through.

The clubhouse is finally on the very last small touches of its refurbishment, and we are very proud of it. I must also pay tribute to our Bar manager Andy and his team behind the bar who work incredibly hard and play a huge part in the clubs success. Thanks also to Adam and the young ladies in the cafe who contribute so much also to our club.

I really hope you enjoy your visit to the club and today’s game and hopefully you will get to see some good football at The Lane.

Lastly on behalf of everyone can I wish you a very Happy and Healthy New Year

Enjoy the game.

Nigel Scully

Welcome to our opponents

Aylesbury Vale Dynamos FC is an amalgamation of Aylesbury FC and Bedgrove Dynamos FC, two local clubs with a rich history in local football.

BEDGROVE DYNAMOS

Alf Buckland, a resident of Aylesbury, formed Bedgrove Dynamos in 1968. It was created to fill a void in activities for boys within the Bedgrove area on the south side of Aylesbury. In 1980, Dave Bayliss became involved when he brought his Cub side to the Bedgrove Park. The teams amalgamated and Dave went on to be the chairman for 21 years, stepping down in the year 2000. Within two years and barely a full strip between them, they managed not only to win the Under 12’s Aylesbury & District League (ADL), but went on to win the 13’s & 14’s league in consecutive years and, by which time, they now had four teams at various age groups.

Over the years the club has grown and has won many tournaments and trophies, especially at county level. We can boost that we are the only boys club to have a club pennant on display in Barcelona’s trophy room.
At the start of the season 2001/02 the club was the largest junior club in the Aylesbury area, running teams from under 8’s through to under 18’s. At the end of the season 2001/02 the club managed to win the coveted Berks and Bucks Cup at under 14’s, the Mayor’s Cup at under 12’s, represented in two other cup finals, won 3 league titles, gained 6 promotions in total and all teams finished in the top 6 to the fairplay awards for their respective leagues. In 2016 Mike Borrett was voted in as Chairman.

In 2019 two became one when the sides amalgamated with the intention of allowing the youth of the town to progress through junior football to youth and then adult football and play at the highest possible level.

AYLESBURY FC / AYLESBURY VALE DYNAMOS FC

The club moved to Haywood Way, their current stadium, in 1987.

After gaining senior status and promotion to the Chiltern League in 1988, Stocklake enjoyed many successes including Division One runners up in 1991, Premier Division and League Cup runners up the following season and Wycombe Senior Cup success in 1995. Cup success was also followed on in the following season, this time the Berks and Bucks Intermediate Cup being added to the trophy cabinet. Stocklake became Belgrave.

By 1990, under the guidance of Danny Martone, Belgrave had grown to five youth teams providing football for over ninety boys from the Quarrendon and Haydon Hill areas of Aylesbury. 1996 saw the forming of two senior teams under the Belgrave FC name and by the turn of the millennium teams were represented at all levels from Under 8’s through to seniors.

At the start of the 2000/2001 season, the senior Belgrave FC team was renamed Haywood United following an amalgamation with Stocklake FC with Danny Martone voted in as chairman of the new club. Haywood United joined the Spartan South Midlands League and won promotion into Division One after two seasons.

The club also entered the FA Cup and Vase for the first time and won the Buckingham Charity Cup in 2006.

Season 2006/2007 began with Haywood United becoming Aylesbury Vale FC and saw Keith Walker and Steve Glenister take over as joint managers and steadily build a squad. This was recognised in the 2008/2009 season, under the management of Mark Eaton, with a good cup run in the FA Cup and FA Vase, winning three rounds in the FA Cup losing to Level 4 side Gosport after a replay, and losing out in the 4th round of the FA Vase to Leiston Town. May 2009 saw a major new development in a new semi professional side vote for a name change. Aylesbury Football Club was formed under the leadership of Chairman Roger Dance and assisted by Vice Chairman Danny Martone.

Former Chairman Bill Harrison was made President of the club. Great success on the field of play was to follow, with the team having a fantastic run in the F.A. Cup. We were the last ‘level five’ team in the country to remain in the competition and were rewarded with a visit to Haywood Way for the F.A. Cup trophy. We were finally knocked out of the competition by Wealdstone in a close game. A brave and superb display was witnessed by a bumper crowd of 800 plus.

Steve Bateman took over in 2013/14, steered the club to safety in his first 6 months in charge. Then in 2014/15 with Bateman at the helm FC has their most successful season to date. Playing at the highest level in the club’s history, the team finished third in the League, having been pushing for promotion all season and narrowly lost out in the semi final to Bedworth United having already beaten them twice in the league.

Davis Haule took over from Dann Gordon in December 2016, appointed brother Brian as his assistant and recruited former coaches Fraser McLachlan, Aaron Wiffin and added Ryan Collings to his back room staff for the 2017/18 season.

In 2018/19 Scott Reynolds was appointed manager and when he resigned midway through the season it was left to Paul Bonham to take control but because of ground grading issues the Southern League made the decision to relegate the club and after ten seasons in the Southern League.

In May 2019 Aylesbury FC and Bedgrove Dynamos merged to create Aylesbury Vale Dynamos FC. Mike Borrett agreed to take the Chairman role with Steve MacDonald (Vice-Chairman) James Moore (Treasurer) and Iain Willcocks (Secretary).

Phil Granville and Ben Gill were appointed midway through the 2019/20 season and kicked off the 2020/21 season again in the Spartan Premier Division.

In November 2022 Jordan King and James Green came in to steady the ship and moved the team from 18^th and struggling to a respectable 13^th position. They stepped down at the end of the season. At the beginning of the 23/24 season, the club appointed Paul Batchelor as Manager and welcomed his backroom staff of Ryan Davis and Tom Bamford. After a difficult season for the club with constant flooding and playing many matches away from home, Paul Batchelor steered the club to a very respectable 11^th place. We start the 24/25 season with the same management team.