Evo-Stik League South Division One East Preview 2017/18
The start of another Evo-Stik League South Division One E season is just a few days away for Aylesbury United, here is our look ahead to the new campaign and a brief assessment of each of the 22 teams..
AFC Dunstable Last season: 7/22
A first season at Southern League level was a resounding success for the Creasey Park outfit, as Steve Heath's team finished just outside the playoffs and lifted the Bedfordshire Senior Cup with a win over rivals Dunstable Town at Luton’s Kenilworth Road ground. 64 goals between BJ Christie and Jermaine Hall were a big factor in the OD’s successes, and both return for the forthcoming season as well as some new faces including the reuniting of the Frater brothers Ryan Frater and Nathan Frater. Ex-Duck Bill Morgan is also still amongst the ranks. Could well improve on their 7th place.
AFC Rushden & Diamonds Last season: 5/22 (Northern Premier League Division One South)
After a one year sojourn in the Northern Premier League - where they finished in the playoff positions again - AFC Rushden & Diamonds are back for another shot at Southern League success. In both their seasons at this level so far, the Diamonds have finished 5th, but have yet to achieve their promotion aim. A well backed team with a strong squad, they will start the season as one of the favourites to do just that, whilst off the pitch they have moved to a new groundshare at Kempston Rovers.
Arlesey Town Last season: 15/22
A bottom half of the table finish for Arlesey Town seems once again to be the best that the languishing former Premier Division outfit can hope for, despite the management of the Abbey brothers (Zema Abbey and Nathan Abbey). Unlike in their first managerial stint that saw promotion achieved, resources are tight, and the club largely rely on homegrown talent although the disbandment of the club’s reserve team (to make way for Baldock Town groundsharing at the Hitchin Road stadium) this could be hampered. Leading goalscorer Jack Vasey has moved on, as has the talented midfielder Christian Tavernier (the latter to AFC Dunstable).
Ashford Town (Mx) Last season: 10/22
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Entering their second season back in the Southern League following promotion, Ashford enjoyed a steady 2016/17 campaign that saw them finish 10th and also win the Middlesex Charity Cup by beating two National League South clubs in Hampton & Richmond Borough and Wealdstone in the semi final and final respectively. Ashford have retained all of last season’s squad, including 31-goal man Mark Bitmead, whilst adding some new signings including former London Tigers man Jabir Laraba who netted 34 times for Kensington Borough last season.
Aylesbury FC Last season: 19/22
Davis Haule goes into his first full season of management with a clean slate having successfully staved off the threat of relegation that a poor first half to the season burdened on the club. Most of the club’s experienced stalwarts remain - such as Ben Stevens, the Haule brothers of Davis and striker Brian, whilst Kieron Schmidt and Jeanmal Prosper have both returned to the club to add further quality.
Aylesbury United Last season: 13/22
Last season’s midtable finish represented a big improvement on the relegation struggles of a year earlier, and demonstrated real progress in manager Glyn Creaser’s first full season as boss. Continuing that progress is the next challenge, but with a familiar and settled squad and a handful of choice additions, the Ducks look well placed to finish in a similar position.
Barton Rovers Last season: 3/22 (Playoffs)
After an excellent third placed finish, manager James Gray left Rovers for pastures new and has been succeeded by former Aylesbury defender Mark Boyce. Joining him in the dugout are Tony Fontanelle and John McLoughlin (former manager and chairman of Dunstable Town), so it comes as no surprise that a number of Dunstable players have also made the switch to Sharpenhoe Road. Club stalwart defender Paul Andrews remains, but it is essentially a completely new squad for Rovers and only time will tell whether they have the quality to repeat last season’s achievements.
Beaconsfield Town Last season: N/A (Beaconsfield SYCOB 16/22)
The freshly renamed Rams (previously Beaconsfield SYCOB) are a new-look outfit this season in more ways than one, with manager Gary Meakin returning to the club from Egham Town. A number of Sarnies players have made the switch with Meakin, whilst Beaconsfield have retained leading scorer Charlie Losasso. Unpredictable last season, the old Rams were a capable outfit on their day and will be looking to improve on their bottom half of the table placing.
Bedford Town Last season: 8/22
On the playoff fringes last year, manager Jon Taylor has kept hold of top scorer Lee Roache and most of the key figures in his squad whilst at the same time remodelling it with a number of new signings. Possibly going for ‘team with the longest’ names, there are no less than three three ‘Marsh-Browns’ amongst the squad - Kwai Marsh-Brown, Kyjuon Marsh-Brown and Ronayne Marsh-Brown, experienced front man Bradley Woods-Garness has joined, and Jamie-Jardine Lofthouse-Smith and Jemale McKenzie-Lowe are also still Eagles players!
Cambridge City Last season: 21/24 (Premier Division)
Relegated from the highest level of the Southern League for the first time since the 70s, Cambridge City have been regrouping over the summer and will be looking to bounce back at the first time of asking under manager Robbie Nightingale. Scoring goals was a problem with the homeless club last season - who currently groundshare at St Ives Town - and with only two registered strikers (both youngsters) at the time of writing it may continue to be so for City.
Chalfont St. Peter Last season: 18/22
Like Tony Choules at Uxbridge, Chalfont manager Danny Edwards is part of the furniture at the South Bucks club as he embarks on a 14th season in charge. Last season was the Saints’ lowest league finish since returning to this level, and they will be keen to make a good start to avoid being dragged into any struggles at the wrong end of the table. Without the ‘big names’ of previous campaigns, and a number of youngsters amongst the ranks, it may prove to be a big ask.
Egham Town Last season: 5/22 (Playoffs)
New boss Chris Moore stepped up as player/manager in the summer in what will be his first managerial appointment, and brought with him a number of his old Uxbridge teammates including veteran midfielder Wayne Carter as his assistant and Uxbridge’s top scorer Matt Woods. Egham made it to the playoffs last season, so anything resembling such a high placing will be an achievement for the rookie manager, but he has kept hold of Brendan Matthew whose goals - 37 of them last season - could once again be vital.
Fleet Town Last season: 14/22
A turbulent season for Fleet saw the sad passing of chairman Steve Cantle in December, followed by rumours of financial troubles and then the departure of manager Craig Davis to Winchester City late in the campaign. The new man in charge of the Blues is Steve Dormer, and he has had a busy summer of rebuilding with nearly all of last season’s players having left the club. Amongst the new faces is former Aylesbury forward Josh Baines.
Hanwell Town Last season: 14/22
Back under the helm of Ray Duffy, Hanwell secured a reasonable mid-table finish, but having lost the services of top marksman Dean Allen and impressive winger Zak Joseph over the summer, may struggle for the goals needed to improve again. Glenn and Ruddock Yala have both joined the club from Aylesbury FC.
Hartley Wintney Last season: 1/23 (Combined Counties League)
An entirely new opponent for Aylesbury, and unknown quantity, Hartley Wintney were promoted the Southern League for the first time having been champions of the Combined Counties League for the past two seasons. From a large Hampshire village just the other side of the M3 to Fleet, they won the league by some 18 points over second placed Westfield. With 48 goals, Sam Argent was leading scorer and he remains at the club.
Hayes & Yeading United Last season: 23/24 (Premier Division)
Back to back relegations see the merged club having a torrid time of late, having been unable to play at their newly built ground (on the site of the old Yeading club) due to health and safety issues. United are hopeful that these issues have now been resolved to enable them to avoid the hopping about last year for home games to local clubs Beaconsfield and Uxbridge. On the pitch former Kings Langley duo Ritchie Hanlon and Paul Hughes took over last season but were unable to arrest the slide. New faces to the club include ex-Duck Lewis Putman who has signed Southern League forms, although he now appears to have joined Metropolitan Police, but former Slough Town and Farnborough striker Eddie Smith also knows where the goal is.
Kempston Rovers Last season: 6/22
Like AFC Dunstable, last season was Kempston’s first ever at this level and was a big success, despite being pipped to the playoffs by just one point by Egham Town. Some good signings over the summer should see The Walnut Boys set for a similar season again. Former Aylesbury manager Tony Joyce is still at Kempston as a coach.
Marlow Last season: 4/22 (Playoffs)
Playoff semi-finalists last time out, Marlow will be looking for more of the same this campaign with manager Mark Bartley having made only a select few choice additions to his squad - most notably in the signings of experienced defenders Ryan Parsons and Dan Bailey. With their leading scorer Chris Ovenden netting just 12 goals, if Bartley could add to their firepower maybe the Blues could push on even higher than their 4th place of 2016/17.
Moneyfields Last season: 2/22 (Wessex Senior League)
Wessex League runners-up last season, Portsmouth-based Moneyfields (formerly Portsmouth Civil Service) are new entries to the Southern League this season as they compete at this level for the first time in their history. With a strong squad including players with higher level experience such as former Gosport men Brett Poate and Dan Wooden, former Petersfield striker Howard Neighbour, they have also retained last campaign’s leading scorers Gary Austin and Stephen Hutchings. Could be a surprise package.
Northwood Last season: 20/22
A summer of change down at the Woods, with manager Mark Burgess replaced by Simon Lane and an entirely new-look squad to start the campaign as a result. Last season’s leading scorer Ryan Debattista remains at the club, but Lane will need his team to gel quickly if Northwood are to avoid another season of struggle that saw them just avoid the drop in April. Smashed Leverstock Green 10-0 in a preseason friendly that has seen some promising results.
Thame United Last season: 1/19 (Hellenic League)
Promoted as Hellenic League Champions, Thame return to the Southern League for the first time since relegation eleven years ago. With an average of nearly 3.5 goals a game last season, Aylesbury’s former landlords were freescoring, and have retained the services of Andy Gledhill, Dan West and Lynton Goss, who scored 113 goals between them - with the latter notching 53! Will be looking to make an impact in what will be only their third Southern League season having spent a more lengthy spell in the Isthmian League when they were occasional opponents for the Ducks.
Uxbridge Last season: 17/22
Manager Tony Choules enters his 12th season at Uxbridge having faced a challenging summer with the aforementioned former Uxbridge striker Chris Moore's appointment as Egham manager, leading to him poaching leading scorer Matt Woods as well as (amongst others) the wily veteran midfielder Wayne Carter, whilst young hot shot Abobaker Eisa has joined Wealdstone. It means an almost entirely rebuilt squad, with the vast experience of James Burgess amongst the new faces. Although they have been moved leagues, Uxbridge haven’t been promoted or relegated since 1985.
