2013-14 DIARY
June
…..Blackstones fail in their appeal to the Football Association against their relegation from the Premier
Division….Scott Goodwin resigns as Long Buckby manager.
July
…..Godmanchester’s appeal against their transfer from the Eastern Counties League is
successful….Managerial changes see Phil Mason take the Long Buckby reins while Scott Goodwin makes a
return at Sileby after Glenn Botterill’s departure from Fernie Fields….Sileby and Cogenhoe both entertain
Northampton Town in pre-season friendlies, losing 5-1 and 6-0 respectively….Rushden & Higham beat AFC
Rushden & Diamonds 1-0 in the inaugural Chris Ruff Memorial Cup match while Diamonds also lose to
Northwich 1874 in the Supporters Direct Shield but beat Buckingham 3-1 to win the James Victory
Cup….Newport Pagnell lose to MK Dons in the annual Marshall Cup match while Stewarts & Lloyds are beaten
in their annual Bob Cumming Memorial Cup contest with Corby….Northampton Spencer unveil their new
floodlights while Peterborough Sports open their new facilities with a game against the Posh legends.
August
…..There are pre season cup successes for Wisbech who beat March to win the BKD Cup, Holbeach who
get the better of a Boston United side with the Gerald Starling Memorial Cup at stake and St Neots Saints who
beat hosts AFC Kempston in the first staging of the Doug Jack Memorial Cup….Desborough announce that as
part of a sponsorship their ground will be known as the S6 Stadium….Following the resignation of manager
Mark O’Callaghan due to illness Woodford are granted a request to play in Division One rather than the top
flight…..Opening day action sees several clubs involved in Sir Bobby Robson Day events….There are winning
starts in the league for newcomers Wisbech, Lutterworth Athletic and Peterborough Sports….FA Cup Extra
Preliminary Round action brings victories for Peterborough Northern Star, Spalding, Desborough, Sleaford,
Boston Town, Holbeach, Huntingdon, Newport Pagnell, Harborough, Northampton Spencer and AFC Rushden
& Diamonds….The Preliminary Round brings further successes for Diamonds, Huntingdon, Spalding and
Sleaford….Managerial activity sees Daren Young leave Stewarts & Lloyds to be replaced by Kevin Byrne, Mitch
Austin fill the Woodford vacancy and Dave Stratton leave Blackstones where chairman Gary Peace takes the
reins….The season’s first awards go to Spalding manager Pat Rayment, Potton boss Darren Staniforth and Long
Buckby’s Josh Crawley who takes the Goalscorer of the Month accolade.
September
….AFC Rushden & Diamonds and Spalding make FA Cup First Qualifying Round progress but the tie
between Sleaford and Huntingdon is abandoned due to player and spectator misconduct – both clubs are
removed from the competition….In the Second Qualifying Round Diamonds claim the scalp of Cambridge City
but Spalding exit to AFC Hornchurch….FA Vase First Qualifying Round action sees wins for Peterborough
Northern Star, Northampton Spencer, Harrowby, Boston Town, Newport Pagnell, Wellingborough, AFC
Rushden & Diamonds, Desborough, Stewarts & Lloyds and Harborough…..Further progress is made in the next
round by Harrowby, Boston, Diamonds, Desborough, S&L and Harborough with Oadby, Eynesbury and Sileby
also progressing….Early League Knockout Cup action sees Bourne and Raunds claim higher grade scalps….A
Northants Hillier Senior Cup shock sees Cogenhoe put out step 2 Brackley….Steve Appleby resigns as Wisbech
manager with senior players Paul Cousins and Scott Johnson taking over…..Ben Watts resigns from the
Rothwell Corinthians helm to be replaced by Shaun Sparrow….Chris Church vacates the Harborough hot seat to
be succeeded by Gordon Kyle and Rob Dunion…..Eynesbury’s record 29 match unbeaten run in Division One is
ended at Bugbrooke…..Burton Park unveil the new Latimer Park floodlights….Monthly awards go to Sileby boss
Scott Goodwin and Oadby chief Jeff Stocking….Oadby’s Jon Stevenson is the Goalscorer of the Month.
October
….The league’s FA Cup interest ends with AFC Rushden & Diamonds’ defeat at Dover in the Third
Qualifying Round….Diamonds do make FA Vase First Round progress along with Desborough, Eynesbury,
Huntingdon and Oadby…..Diamonds striker Russ Dunkley tops the poll for the FA Cup’s Player of the Round for
the First Qualifying Round…..Spalding concede a first goal in ten Premier Division games and also inflict a
record 12-0 defeat on Boston Town, a result that sees the Poachers part company with managerial pair Ian
Dunn and Matt Hocking…..Ricky Mareheineke leaves Huntingdon to join the Histon coaching staff, assistant
Seb Hayes steps up at Jubilee Park…..Paul Lamb takes the Cogenhoe helm while Andy Marks embarks on a
three month overseas sabbatical…..New floodlight systems at Burton Park and ON Chenecks see their first
action…..Peterborough Northern Star knock Kettering out of the Northants Hillier Senior Cup….Managerial
awards go to Deeping’s Tuncay Korkmaz and Eynesbury duo Martin Field and Matt Plumb…..Lutterworth’s
Charlie Butler is the month’s top marksman.
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