Saturday 7th October 2023 3pm – The Isuzu FA Trophy – The Dripping Pan

Welcome to The Dripping Pan for this afternoon’s FA Trophy game against Lowestoft. Here is your complimentary e-programme.

Good afternoon and welcome to this FA Trophy tie against Lowestoft Town. I’d like to welcome the fans, players, management and officials from Suffolk and hope they have a safe journey home. Lowestoft at this time of the year doesn’t bring back happy memories. Our last meeting, in fact in this very competition, came in October 2019 at Crown Meadow on a terrible afternoon of wind and rain. The Rooks lost 3-1 and on the coach on the way home we heard the Prime Minister announce the first period of lockdown that ended our season. A truly miserable day.

But today, with wall to wall sunshine forecast and with our cup game very much on, it will hopefully be a different state of affairs. We made light work of Step 2 Hampton & Richmond Borough last Saturday. That was no fluke. We’ve worked hard on a number of things off the back of the Chatham game and we’ve seen a different side come out for the games against Hastings United and Hampton. Two wins do not make a season and we know there is a lot still to do to make this a great season but it was pleasing to see when a plan comes to fruition.

We now travel to Aldershot Town next Saturday for the FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round. We would have loved a home tie, but Aldershot will be a good test for us to see how far we have come with this new squad. I hope to see as many of you there as possible cheering the team on.

We announced our first two Fenix Games this week – at home to FC Oslo (7th November) and away in Beveren (12th December). It has been a complicated process to get this far – we needed to get permission from the relevant FA’s to play in the tournament (and them in turn from UEFA), then ensure we wouldn’t clash with any other fixtures. Our run in the FA Cup has caused us a nice problem, ensuring that any fixtures do not clash with potential future round replay dates. I know from talking to many of you that you intend to try to follow us in Europe. The game in Beveren offers a number of travelling options so we hope to see a great Rooks turnout there. We will look to confirm the final two group fixtures in the next week but it is safe to say they won’t be until February at the earliest.

I’m writing these notes on the way back from our final fan and owner event regarding the investment proposal from Mercury 13. The event at the Rook Inn was attended by around 30 people – a mix of owners, fans and those involved in our community teams. There were a lot of good points raised, questions asked and feelings shared. The club are not rushing this process and it is important that everyone has an opportunity to have their say and get a balanced view of what happens if we do vote for the investment, and what happens if the vote is to remain as we are today.

The next stage in the process will be the owners vote, which will commence the week after next. All owners will receive full details of the two voting options as well as the question and answer log shortly.

You’ll see a new name on the team sheet today – Ola Ogunwamide has joined us after spells with Hornchurch and Bishop Stortford. Having lost Ryan Gondoh for the next few months, we wanted to bring in another wide player and Ola is someone that Tony has long admired. Welcome Ola.

Let’s look for more cup success this afternoon. Get behind the team and Come On You Rooks!

Stuart

Good afternoon everyone, and welcome to today’s FA Trophy game against Lowestoft. Here are my thoughts on our recent games.

The Hampton game, apart from the first 10 minutes, went as well as it could have. To limit them to only one shot on target for the whole game tells me how far this group has come. There will still be setbacks this side of Xmas, I know that, but setbacks allow you to learn, and out of a setback, we found a centre-back combo in Vinty & Jake that fits really nicely. They really complement each other’s games. We already know we have a great keeper. Now I feel I have an excellent centre-half pairing. A setback made us go and get young Marcus, and with Arthur pushing into midfield, it has given us a new energy in the middle of the park.

Pritch is having the time of his life in there with two 20-year-olds around him! We are still not where I know we need to be, but I have to let things play out and show loyalty to the guys we have in-house to continue to get better because, as harsh as it sounds, we will have no choice but to change things. As the weeks go on, players lock themselves into the squad, and I know we have the foundation of a great team. We just need a few to step up and show us they could be the best at our level. I know I have gone off-topic, but we weren’t going mad because we beat a step 2 side comfortably. We discussed it before the game: what is the mindset going into this game? Are we hoping to win, or do we expect to win? Even at half-time, no one was getting carried away. In fact, I wanted to know what the first 10 minutes were about. We did a video session in the week showing the mistakes we made, not because I wanted to pee on the parade, but because I’m not going to turn down the chance for the group to learn and just because we won, it doesn’t mean it was perfect.

Lowestoft are in town this week, and they have had a great start to the season. They are at the top of their league and only dropping 2 points, so big congrats to them on that. I have read the report, and we will need to play well, and we need to give them the same respect we gave to Hampton. As always, I know if we put our best foot forward, we will be hard to stop. 

Enjoy the game.

Tony

PHONE SCREENSAVER

THE FACTS

The club is first recorded as East Suffolk FC with games, all friendlies in those days, recorded back in 1884. On merging with the original Kirkley club the title of Lowestoft was adopted in 1887 with ‘Town’ added in 1890.

The ECL title was won in 1977/78. The 1980s saw a decline in the club’s fortunes as crowds and income dropped. The unique club pavilion, originally the Yacht Club before being taken down and moved from the harbour to the Crown Meadow in 1902, was gradually falling into disrepair and the floodlighting system installed in 1964 was coming to the end of its lifespan. The floodlights were updated in 1986 and the new dressing room complex occupied in 1989 and at last attention could be paid to playing matters.

As playing fortunes declined, a 19 year old local lad signed for the club in 1980, who was to figure prominently in the affairs of the club for the next 30 plus years. Micky Chapman soon became a favourite with his all action style, eye for the goal, long flowing hair and a genuine desire to bring success back to the club. 5 ‘Player of the Year’ trophies adorn his display cabinet as testimony to the respect he has earned from supporters and players alike. The 1990s saw Micky progress from captain to assistant manager and finally manager in 1994.

A persistent back injury forced Mick to hang up his boots in 1997 allowing him to concentrate fully on the managerial side. With the unwavering support of successive chairmen Mick had been able to improve the side year by year. In February 2012 he took charge of his 1000th game as Lowestoft manager.

After several years in the doldrums the 21st century has seen Micky team up with Ady Gallagher to bring a return to trophy winning days with the Ridgeons League title won twice, the League Cup collected twice and the Suffolk Premier Cup brought back to the Meadow five times. The culmination of all that recent success came in May 2008 when joint managers Micky Chapman and Ady Gallagher proudly led their squad out onto the hallowed Wembley pitch in the FA Carlsberg Vase final. On a blazing hot Sunday afternoon in front of over 14,000 Lowestoft supporters, the Blues were in the lead for three quarters of the game before conceding a last minute goal to lose out to Kirkham & Wesham by the odd goal of three.

After 32 years, 480 first team appearances, 193 goals, 1640 games and 147,600 plus minutes as a player, player/manager and then manager during that time, Micky Chapman retired in 2015. It was the end of an era for a figure who will forever be etched in the history of Lowestoft Town FC.

ONE TO WATCH?

Jake Reed

Striker Jake Reed has already scored 9 goals in 10 games for Lowestoft, including a hattrick against Corby, and a brace against Stowmarket Town.

RECENT HEAD TO HEAD

31st October 2020	Lowestoft 3-1 Lewes
15th March 2014	Lowestoft 1-1 Lewes
16th November 2013	Lewes 0-2 Lowestoft
12th January 2013	Lowestoft 2-0 Lewes
20th November 2012	Lewes 2-1 Lowestoft
30th September 2012	Lewes 1-0 Lowestoft

DID YOU KNOW?

Lowestoft is the most easterly settlement in the UK.

OUR LAST GAME

AN INTERVIEW WITH OUR CHAIR

To find out more, please visit: https://branchingoutadventures.co.uk/

ON THIS DAY IN FOOTBALL HISTORY – 7th OCTOBER

GUESS THE FORMER ROOK?

Don’t B-lieve the hype.

The Football Tourist goes wandering in Scotland and looks at the B-team dilemma.

Who wouldn’t want to spend their Friday night’s in the heart of Clackmannanshire in the middle of a yellow weather warning for snow? That’s obviously a rhetorical question as the answer would be everyone if they had the chance. And here I was, with that chance.

Work done for the day I headed east from Glasgow to the home of John Jameson, founder of Jameson’s Irish Whiskey. I’d expected a bit of a crowd on the train – Rangers fans are passionate about their club and after the superb two-legged victory over Borussia Dortmund last night they would surely be out to gloat but a solitary fan disembarked at Alloa and trudged towards Recreation Park, home of Alloa Athletic and Lowland League tenants Broomhill.

The rights and wrongs of Celtic and Rangers’ B/U23/Development sides being allowed to compete in the Lowland League has been debated long into the night – in theory it’s a season long experiment before any more structural changes are introduced in the Scottish game that will allow them to play within the professional game (note: 3 seasons on and Rangers B side has been replaced by Hearts). For this season though they can’t be promoted or relegated and have paid a “bounty”, shared equally among the other Lowland clubs for the pleasure.

Scottish grounds fall into two camps in my experience. The ones that go for the same food and drink (Scotch Pie and a Bovril as the Football Happy Meal) and those that go so far off menu it’s a crime not to tuck in. You can take your two-tiered stands, carpet pitches and cracking atmospheres. It is all about the food. The signs, quite literally, weren’t good to start here with the headline act appearing to be “Pie on a roll”. But brush that aside and you could have enjoyed a freshly made Black Pudding, bacon and potato scone roll (Heinz Beans optional), thick Lentil soup that you could stand a spoon up in or sausages wrapped in bacon, inside a sausage – the fried alternative to the three bird roast. Alas, the deep fat frier was “fooked” according to the wonderful lady behind the counter, so the deep-fried confectionary was off the menu.

Three days worth of calories consumed in one bread roll It was time for some football. The recent snow had been swept aside, leaving huge piles of the stuff on the touchlines, absolutely ripe for a player to dive in. The specks of rubber crumb embedded in the snow highlighted one of the main issues with 3G pitches – when the snow arrives you either have to wait for it to melt or risk losing the little bits of rubber that keeps the fibres in shape if you brush it off. A costly option if it happens too often.

Around two hundred fans, most sitting high up in the warmth of the main stand welcomed the two teams, who emerged from different directions to meet the officials who were located in a portakabin on the far side and we were off. Broomhill started off back in 2004 as a local community side in Glasgow for kids and now have over 700 players in their teams. Whilst this was “only” Rangers B, it was Rangers B.

The visitors took the lead against the run of play in the 10th minute with Arron Lyall dancing through the defence and slotting home, but within a minute Broomhill were almost level as Gray hit the post with a shot more in hope than anything else. Ten minutes before the break and Smith almost lobs the Rangers keeper from the half-way line.

Half-time. Cup of tea and a Tunnock’s wafer.

The second half could have gone either way with both sides creating chances. Broomhill finished last season in 4th place in the league, based on PPG but second on points earned. With only one side qualifying for the promotion playoffs it’s always going to be a tough job to finish top and this season they sit down in 13th spot. But they showed enough fight to match the full-timers from Rangers. But it was the away side who came away with all three points after Ritchie-Hosler headed home a second with 20 minutes left to play.

The return train had a bit more life on it although the majority of the passengers weren’t football fans but youngsters who were off for a night on the bright lights of West George Street and had all seemed to forgotten anything that would be considered to be warm clothing. Oh to be young again….but perhaps not shoe-horned into a B team set up where the future doesn’t necessarily look bright.

I will leave the final words of a night in Alloa to the Tweeter from Broomhill.

“A really committed, organised performance but sometimes you just come up against very good players. Goodnight

In today’s Vox Pop, we asked Lewes fans ‘Why do you enjoy Lewes away days?’ – Here are your responses…

“I miss them!! Never really did them with the men’s team, but did loads for the women’s, when me and James Boyes were covering them. Loved that ‘little Lewes were always underestimated. Can’t really say that these days!” – Ash Head

“Tinnies on the train, visiting new grounds, the last minute winner/equaliser limbs, and just generally having a great day out with your mates” – Perry Anderson

“Limbs and a late away winner” – Neil Finney

“Sense of camaraderie with fans & team. Spending so much valuable time with my son Nat! – Chris Roberts

“I grew up in London and I now have a vast knowledge of random Sussex towns. Also the Clamour gopro” – Fergus Keane

“The rivalry of the fans and the increased limbs” – Swoop Art

“The atmosphere that we bring” – Ollie Horton

“Get to enjoy a Lewes game as a fan” – Ollie Audis (our superb match day commentator)

“Visiting a town that you’d never go to otherwise, the away end vibes and having a laugh with your mates” – Ben Cook

THE ISTHMIAN PREMIER MANAGER OF THE MONTH – BY IAN TOWNSEND

In conjunction with our friends at Vita Risk, we honour the best Premier manager of September

Because our Manager/Golden Gloves awards are based only on performances in league matches, we have only Premier awards for September, as none of our Step Four clubs played enough league fixtures to qualify.

Premier Division

Hornchurch had a magnificent September- a month which ended with them replacing Chatham Town at the top of the Pitching In Isthmian Premier table. The Urchins won every league match during the month, defeating Wingate and Finchley and Haringey Borough on the road and Dulwich Hamlet at Bridge Avenue to maintain an unbeaten league record, the only unbeaten side in the Division.

Although we don’t take cup matches into account, it’s worth mentioning their two five goal FA Cup hauls, too.

Many congratulations to Urchins boss Steve Morison, who takes our September prize.

ON THE ROAD TO…ALDERSHOT – SATURDAY 14th OCTOBER

About The Rec
With a capacity of 7,100, The Recreation Ground was previously the home of Aldershot FC. The stadium’s current sponsor is EBB Paper, therefore the ground is advertly known as The EBB Stadium at The Recreation Ground, however it is affectionately known as ‘The Rec’. In 2018, the club proposed development of a new stadium, with seating and standing areas. The record attendance at the ground is 19,138, when Aldershot played Carlisle United on 28 January 1970 in an FA Cup replay.

How to get to The Rec
From the South, exit the M3 at junction 5, signposted Hook, and take the fourth exit off the roundabout to follow the A287 towards Farnham. At the traffic lights, turn left into Hale and then at the bottom of the hill turn left onto the A325. Take the first exit off the next mini roundabout and then the third exit onto the A323 towards Aldershot Town Centre. Driving past Tesco on your left, take the second exit off the next roundabout and follow the road through three sets of traffic lights and across two roundabouts. The EBB Stadium will be on your left.

From the East, via the M25, exit the A3 just past Guildford onto the A31 Hog’s Back. Take the exit signposted Aldershot A331 and then the third exit from the roundabout. Approx ½ mile on, take the A323 Aldershot and Woking junction and the first exit from the roundabout. Go straight on through the two sets of traffic lights and across two mini-roundabouts towards the town. The EBB Stadium is on your right, just past the railway bridge.

Parking: Parking is available in the town centre multi-storey car park on Wellington Avenue, which is a five-minute walk from the EBB Stadium.

By Train: Aldershot is as little as 49 minutes from London Waterloo, with direct connections also made from Woking, Ascot and Guildford. The EBB Stadium is a five-minute walk from Aldershot Train Station. Leave the station by the main entrance, towards the bus station, and turn right into Windsor Way. Pass Holy Trinity Church on your left and follow the road as it bends left. Turn right at the junction with Victoria Road and the EBB Stadium is in front of you. To reach the away turnstiles, turn right under the railway bridge and then left up Redan Road.

Admission into The Rec
Admission is £12 for Adults, £7 for Concessions and £2 for accompanied under 16s.

Fancy a beer?
There’s not much in the way of good pubs around the ground. The Hoy & Helmet and The Half Crown are next to Benfleet Station, whilst the Lobster Smack on the island has some interesting history but nowhere near the ground. Probably best to stick to the excellent clubhouse at the ground.

Legals and Credits

“The Isthmian Football League strongly supports the FA statement that there should be a zero tolerance approach against racism and all forms of discrimination. Accordingly any form of discriminatory abuse whether it by reason of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion and belief, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, sex and sexual orientation or any other form of abuse will be reported to The Football Association for action by that Association.” (The FA 0800 085 0508 / Kick it Out 020 7253 0162).The Isthmian League and all Member Clubs in the League are committed to promoting equality by treating people fairly and with respect, by recognising that inequalities may exist, by taking steps to address them and providing access and opportunities for all members of the community.”

Lewes 2000 FC Limited. Registered in England and Wales with Company Registration Number 03790979. Lewes 2000 FC Limited is 100% owned by Lewes Community Football Club.

Honorary President Terry Parris
Chair Stuart Fuller
Directors Priscila Aldridge, Willa Bailey, Tim Bradshaw, Ed Briggs, Stuart Fuller, Andy Gowland, Lucy Mills, John Peel, Trevor Wells
Chief Executive Officer Maggie Murphy
Club Secretary John Peel
Fan Engagement Manager Shrey Nilvarna
Operations Manager Damian Watts

Life Members
Peter Brook, Dorothy Brook RIP, Vic Blunt, Pat Dartnell, Gary Elphick, Gordon Fowlie, Peter Hiscox RIP, Billy Nixon, Derrick Parris RIP, Terry Parris, Jimmy Quinn, P. Swaysland, Steve Ibbitson, Jason Hopkinson, Steve White, Martin Elliot, Kevin Fingerneissl, Kevin Powell, David and Barbara Arnold, Roger and Cathy Feltham, Ethel Treagus, Roy Dartnell RIP, Ron Moore, Derek Southouse, Ray Smith, Ken Carter RIP

Manager Tony Russell
Assistant manager Joe Vines
First team coach Nathan White
First team physio Toni Miller
Goalkeeping coach Charlie Himbury
Match logistics Vikram Dogra
First Team Performance Analyst Henderson Russell
Under-18s Manager Jon Miller

Golden Rook Rob Read
Web Editor Stuart Fuller
Progcast Editor Stan Lahood
Club Photographer James Boyes

TODAY’S QUIZ ANSWERS

1. A World Cup qualifier against Germany seemed the perfect fixture for the final match at the old Wembley. But the twin towers didn’t get the send off they deserved with a poor England display and a Dietmar Hamann goal giving the victory to Germany. Soon after the final whistle England manager Kevin Keegan said that he ‘wasn’t up to the job‘ and he resigned while in the Wembley toilets
2. See above
3. Chelsea were one of those fortunate clubs who joined the Football League without having played in another league competition. That was back in the 1905/06 season and after two Division Two matches at Stamford Bridge they then played their first ever match in the FA Cup. No, not against Arsenal or Manchester United but on 7th October 1905 they entertained the Grenadier Guards in the first qualifying round of the competition. The programme for the match
4. At a Euro Under 21 qualifier at Wolves a Molineux steward noticed a suspicious-looking foil-wrapped package. The police got involved, then the Army but after a controlled explosion it was found to be ……a sandwich. The crowd had waited outside in the rain, the match kicked off at 10pm, England missed a penalty and drew 0-0 with Poland. Happy days!
5. Billy Medlock scored a hat trick at East Grinstead in the 4-2 win.

Guess the former Rook – Jason Puncheon