Wormley Rovers FC vs. Winslow United FC

Spartan South Midlands Football League, Premier Division

Date: 8 March 2025

Kickoff: 15:00

View from the chair

Welcome everyone for our SSML league game today vs Winslow Utd a team we narrowly lost to three games into the season 2-1 when they enjoyed a great start to the season winning 5 games in a row. They now sit 10th 6 po8nts behind us having played five games more so we are hoping to put some daylight between us today.

Last Saturday was not our best display of the season as we drew 1-1 away at Kempston and followed that up Tuesday night with a gritty display to win our Herts FA Charity Shield semi final 2-1 with late goals from Reece Barrett and Reece Mosanya sealing the win and a cup final to look forward to.

We have a busy schedule ahead playing Saturday, Tuesday right through to the end of April now and today starts a full on week at home as we have Dunstable Town here Tuesday Night before we host Baldock Town next Saturday

Really hope you enjoy the game and make full use of our recently refurbished clubhouse and if you enjoy the visit please come over again.

COYW

Welcome to our opponents

A relatively successful period in the club’s recent history was capped off with promotion, via the play-offs, from SSMFL Division 1 at the end of 2023-24. Goals from Aaron King, Courtney Massay and an own goal sealed a hard-fought victory for Winslow in the play-off final at Northampton Sileby Rangers, a team that had finished second, one place above United in the final Division 1 table.

Since 2017-18 and in the days before end of season play-offs at Step 6, Winslow had gone close to promotion on several occasions. They finished in third place in Division 1 in 2017/18 and matched this in 2018-19. The outbreak of Covid19 put paid to a promotion push in 2019-20 when United were again sat in third place in March 2020.

In 2021-22 it looked as though the club were on for automatic promotion having overtaken Stotfold at the league summit at the beginning of February on the back of a tremendous run. However, a late Stotfold winner at New Roker Park on 12^th February brought about a slump in form that ultimately saw Winslow pipped to 2^nd place by Ampthill Town on the last day of the season and then succumb to Shefford Town and Campton in the Play-offs.

Chairman Andy Setterfield had looked to the club’s successful youth set up and promoted from within for 2021-22; James Green joined as manager having previously coached the club’s Junior teams from Under 8 onwards and was assisted by co-manager, ex-Aston Clinton manager, Jordan King. Whilst that tilt at promotion fell just short, there was plenty of entertaining football along the way whilst the club’s Under 18 side made it to the 1^st Round of the FA Youth Cup before bowing out to Ipswich Town at Portman Road.

Paul Bonham replaced Green and Jenkins in July 2022 but found management ultimately not to his liking and stepped down within two months to resume his coaching career elsewhere. Alex Woodfine and Aaron King stepped in to steady the ship, guiding the side to a creditable ninth place finish in 2022/23 and it was Woodfine, assisted by ex-Risborough Rangers and Aylesbury Vale Dynamos manager, Jon Franklin, that led United to Premier Division football in 2023/24 with King top-scoring on the pitch.

HISTORY

The club was formed in 1891. Originally games were played at Great Horwood Road before moving to the current ground, Elmfields Gate, in 1948. The club joined the South Midlands League in 1968 following success in the North Bucks Football League and were Berks & Bucks Junior Cup winners in the preceding 1967-68 season.

United won the SML Division 1 in 1974-75 and enjoyed many successful seasons in the SML Premier Division, recording fifth placed finishes in 1981-82 and 1986-87 as well as reaching the 2nd Round of the FA Vase in 1983-84. The club went into decline in the early 90s and were relegated from the SML Premier Division in 1991-92 having won only 2 games out of 42.

In 2009 Winslow withdrew from Spartan South Midlands football having suffered a number of 11th hour resignations from management but were back in Division 2 for the 2010-11 season under the management of Damien Wiffin and Kevin Marsden and the season ended well as United lifted the Division 2 Cup, defeating The 61FC 2-0 at Ampthill.

There are currently proposals for a new, bigger club house and changing rooms to replace the existing building that has been there since being opened in 1963.