Wormley Rovers FC vs. Winslow United FC

Welcome to our opponents

The club was promoted back to Step 5 at the end of 2023-24 via the SSMFL Division 1 play-off final, defeating hosts Northampton Sileby Rangers, 3-1 in the final.

2024-25 saw the club compete at Step 5 for the first time since 1991/92 and they got off to a strong start with five straight wins. This form tailored off, but it was still an enjoyable, solid first campaign in the SSMFL Premier Division as the club finished in 10^th position with 44 points from 34 league games.

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.  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.

Current manager Alex Woodfine and Aaron King stepped in to steady the ship after Paul Bonham had left the club in September 2022, 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 several 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.