2013-14 UCL REVIEW

April ….Oadby clinch the Division One championship setting a league points record in the process, with Eynesbury runners-up….Huntingdon finish second in the Premier Division….Harborough overtake Long Buckby on the final day of the Premier season to reach top flight safety….Stewarts & Lloyds finish at the foot of the Premier….Cogenhoe carry off the Reserve Division title with a points record for second string football, Peterborough Northern Star finishing second….There are contrasting fortunes for our clubs in Northamptonshire cup finals with Cogenhoe losing 3-0 to Daventry in the Hillier Senior Cup and ON Chenecks beating Brixworth 3-0 to carry off the Junior Cup….Whitworth Reserves beat their Rothwell Corinthians counterparts 2-1 to lift the Northants Lower Junior Cup….Burton Park notch up their biggest ever UCL win with a 13-0 Easter Monday romp at Woodford….Eynesbury’s Lee Bassett takes his season’s goal tally to a club record 50….Andy Peaks takes the AFC Rushden & Diamonds reins….Wellingborough appoint Ben Watts as their new manager….At Wisbech Dick Creasey takes sole command with Paul Cousins dropping down to assistant….Glen Maddison leaves Holbeach with title winning boss John Chand returning in a partnership with Steve Appleby….Irchester part company with manager Colin Ridgway, appointing Steve Sargent as his replacement….Cogenhoe reserve boss Colin Cooper takes charge at Bugbrooke….Woodford choose Adam Knight as the man to revive their fortunes….Vandalism at Sergeant’s Lawn forces Rothwell Corinthians to stage their last two scheduled home matches at Harborough….Yaxley announce plans to launch an academy in 2014- 15….Potton announce a £50,000 Football Foundation grant to install new floodlights at The Hollow….Referees Andrew Humphries, Mark Wardell and Daniel Hanna are promoted to the national list of contributory league referees….The league announces plans to form a new youth committee. May ….Huntingdon win a dramatic Knockout Cup final, 5-4 against Deeping, and follow up with a Hinchingbrooke Cup final win, 2-0 over Stotfold….Premier Division football is watched by 39,578 spectators, an average of 116 per match, with 24,494 watching Division One games, an average of 53….AFC Rushden & Diamonds boast the highest top flight crowds with Oadby topping the Division One crowd charts….April and May awards are won by Huntingdon manager Seb Hayes, Eynesbury managerial pair Martin Field and Matt Plumb and Burton Park loan signing Alfie Taylor, the Goalscorer winner….End of season top marksmen are Spalding’s Andy Tidswell and Wellingborough’s Jason Turner in the Premier Division, Lee Bassett of Eynesbury in Division One and Peterborough Northern Star’s Scott Spearink in the Reserve Division….Boston Town sign a 20 year lease on their ground which becomes the DWB Stadium as part of a new sponsorship….Buckingham sign a ten year lease at Manor Fields….Spalding are promoted to Division One South of the Northern Premier League….Internal movements see Oadby, Eynesbury and Harrowby promoted from Division One with Stewarts & Lloyds relegated from the top flight….Thurnby are placed in the Premier Division by the FA after winning the East Midlands Counties League….Stewarts & Lloyds resign from the Reserve Division but Potton return from the Bedfordshire County League….Steve Appleby resigns at Holbeach after just a week but is replaced in the Tigers management team by Graham Drury….Nick Andersen takes the Blackstones reins replacing Gary Peace who will concentrate on his chairman’s role….Neil Griffiths steps down as Buckingham boss….Sleaford hold a testimonial for long serving ex-manager Brian Rowland who becomes the club’s chairman….Eynesbury launch an academy in conjunction with North Herts College. June ….Steve Kuhne resigns as St Neots Saints manager to be succeeded by Andy Davies….Phil Mason quits as Long Buckby boss with assistant Dan Stewart stepping up….Chris Robson is appointed Buckingham boss….Barry Britton takes the Stewarts & Lloyds reins….Title winning boss Jeff Stocking resigns at Oadby….Work starts on taking down the derelict stand at Rushden & Higham….Deeping secretary Haydon Whitham passes away….Presentations are made at the Annual General Meeting at ON Chenecks, the recipients referee of the year Andrew Humphries, manager of the year Jeff Stocking of Oadby and administrator of the year Pauline Winston of Harborough. Club awards go to fair play winners Eynesbury and Thrapston Reserves and hospitality winners Oadby and Potton, respectively given top marks by referees and clubs….Oadby win the Highest Aggregate of Goals trophy…..New awards go to respect winners Blackstones and AFC Rushden & Diamonds, programme of the year winners.

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