Banbury United FC

Painting the Town End Red 🔴

Last Friday, volunteers from local aerospace composites manufacturer, Safran CTG, came to the ground for their second volunteering day since becoming Banbury United’s Community Sponsor.

This time it was all about painting, which, due to the wet weather focussed on indoor and under-cover areas. The left hand section of the Town End is now repainted in red gloss and looks really smart. The interior of one of the cabins was also stripped and painted.

Full story 👉 banburyunitedfc.co.uk/news/painting-the-town-end-red-2982339.html

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Painting the Town End red! Thanks to volunteers from Safran for another productive afternoon

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𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐧 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐦 𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐬.

Keegan made 45 appearances, scoring 1 goal, and was a consistent performer throughout his time at the club.

A testament to his commitment and performances, Keegan was voted the Supporters’ Player of the Season, earning the admiration and appreciation of the Puritans faithful.

Everyone at Banbury United would like to thank Keegan for his dedication, professionalism and contributions to the club, and we wish him every success in the next chapter of his career.

Good luck, Keegan.

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𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐮𝐩 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐅𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐞 🔥 ⚽️

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐟-𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧?

I’ve enjoyed some downtime, booked a few holidays, spent time with family and friends, and kept up my fitness ahead of pre-season.

𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫?

We’ve got a great group and those friendships carry on over the off season. The most I stay in touch with are Creadie and Prosser.

𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐨 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞?

I had a few offers with other clubs, which is always nice as it shows your efforts are being recognised

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐭 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐲 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝?

The fans have been brilliant with me since I joined, and that means a lot. We also showed last season, especially during our unbeaten run, that we can compete with anyone. With the gaffer and staff here, I believe we’ve got a real chance of pushing for the play-offs

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝?

I want to keep improving and contribute with goals and assists and help the team as much as possible. I’ve got ambitions to play higher up, but right now my focus is on doing that with Banbury.

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Memorial Walk in Honour of Simon Pearce 🚶‍♂️❤️💛

Hosted by Banbury United FC in the Community, this morning’s walk starts and finishes at the Spencer Stadium as part of the KHH challenge (but no need to be entered into the main challenge).

Please arrive at Spencer Stadium at 9:45am
No need to book – just turn up and join us.

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𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐮𝐩 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐫, 𝐘𝐚𝐰 𝐎𝐟𝐨𝐬𝐮 💪

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐟-𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐨 𝐟𝐚𝐫?

A bit of everything - busy with wedding plans and a house move (fun!), staying fit in the gym, and playing a bit of padel recently.

𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫?

A few of us went away together, so that was good for creating some memories with the boys. To be honest, I’ve spoken mostly to the gaffer over the off-season in preparation for next season.

𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐨 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞?

Yeah, a couple of teams were interested, but I knew I was staying anyway, so the conversations were pretty quick.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲?

To be honest, while I was injured, a lot of people at the club helped me massively. They know who they are, and things like that matter. I think during that period I knew I’d be staying, and I want to repay that support with a strong season this year.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝?

To win as many games of football as possible. That builds momentum, and everything else follows from there.

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36 days until pre-season begins ❤️💛

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𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 📁

60 Years Ago Today, 4th June 1966

United Elected to Southern League

As Banbury Spencer, the club had competed in various Birmingham based leagues for over 30 years but following the takeover of the club by local businessmen in 1965, and just one season as Banbury United in the West Midlands League, application was made to take the club into a higher grade of football by joining the Southern League.

United’s manager at the time was ex-England international Len Goulden who had won 14 caps for his country, prior to the Second World War interrupting his football career. Len himself made an impassioned plea on behalf of Banbury United for election at the League’s AGM and there is no doubt his standing in the game helped to get the club the necessary votes to be elected at the expense of Kent side Deal Town.

The club’s vice Chairman at the time, John Rogers, was quoted in the local press “We would not have been elected into the League without the supreme effort of Mr Goulden. He had just five minutes to convince other members that Banbury United were ready for Southern League football – and he did just that.”

Sadly, such are the vagaries of football, just nine months later the club unceremoniously sacked Len after a run of poor results. But there is no doubt the club owes a lot to Len for his endeavours in taking the first steps along the path which would lead to Banbury United becoming established as a Southern League side.

Bigger League Football for Banbury Fans - Local Newspaper Report

It’s bigger league football for Banbury fans next season. After the Annual General Meeting of the Southern League held at the Café Royal in London on Saturday, United were elected to the league’s First Division in place of Kent side Deal Town who came bottom of the table last year.

Banbury’s fellow ex West Midlands Regional League member Dudley Town failed to get elected and the Essex Team, Brentwood, who have recently spent £30,000 on a new clubhouse and £13,000 on floodlights, also failed to get in.

Banbury were represented at the meeting by manager Len Goulden and vice-chairman John Rogers.

Making his plea for Banbury’s election, Mr Goulden told the meeting that since he had joined United, he had been surprised at the great standard of football. Talking of the club’s amenities he said, “We have one of the finest pitches in the South Midlands, a new £15,000 clubhouse and floodlights that will be installed within a fortnight. If we get into your League, I know you will be proud of Banbury United.”

The meeting was a tense and exciting one, for a proposal that the Premier Division be extended from 22 to 24 teams with the addition of two teams from Division 1 was rejected by the Board. This meant there were less vacancies than United were hoping for at Division 1 level. Effectively there were five teams in the voting for two places. Ashford Town and Deal Town seeking re-election and Banbury United, Brentwood and Dudley Town seeking first time admission. Rogers said, “When we knew there were only two vacant places, we gave up all hope, as we thought Ashford and Deal would be comfortably re-elected.”

Then voting took place and after 20 minutes of counting it was found that Ashford Town had duly been re-elected but Banbury had ousted Deal Town! The voting was Ashford Town 33, Banbury United 17, Brentwood 13, Deal Town 12 and Dudley Town 11.

Attached is a scan of a photo, in the days before the internet, websites and social media of Toko Green, a player for the fledgling Banbury Spencer in the early 1930s, looking into a local newsagent’s window, on that Saturday afternoon 60 years ago today to see the news that Banbury United had been elected to the Southern League.

Toko was rather a legend in local football, playing for Dashwood Road School at the age of 19 and remarkably after playing for various local sides, turning out at the age of 46 for Neithrop Sports. An article relating to Toko that appeared in the local press in November 1957 is also attached:

The full list of teams for the club’s first season in the Southern League First Division was as follows:

Ashford Town
Banbury United
Barry Town
Bexley United
Canterbury City
Crawley Town
Dartford
Dover
Dunstable Town
Gloucester City
Gravesend & Northfleet
Hastings United
Hinckley Athletic
Kettering Town
Margate
Merthyr Tydfil
Ramsgate Athletic
Rugby Town
Sittingbourne
Stevenage Town
Tonbridge
Trowbridge Town
Tunbridge Wells
Wisbech Town

Dover Athletic finished as Division One Champions that season and were promoted to the Premier Division, along with Margate, Stevenage Town and Hastings United. Banbury United finished in 17th place.

There are a couple of scans of articles which appeared in the local press relating to United’s election attached.

Luke Stokoe departs Banbury United.

Luke made 45 appearances for the Puritans, scoring 6 goals during his time at the club and making a valuable contribution both on and off the pitch.

Everyone at Banbury United would like to thank Luke for his hard work, commitment and professionalism throughout his time with the club.

We wish Luke all the very best for the future and every success in the next stage of his career.

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