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Season Reviews

1987/88

The one driving force behind the side before the season began was to make the Beazer Homes League Championship the eventual goal. Many people thought that the title should have come to The Stadium the previous season and it was only the various authorities that deprived us of a Conference spot. This season it was up to the players to show their character by keeping up the challenge. Trevor Gould made few close season signings, the only new arrivals being Pete McBean from Bedworth and the re-signing of both Paul Hackett and John Davie.

The season opened in fine fashion with four straight wins in the League, included in those was a 3-1 victory over Dartford which was to prove to be significant later in the season. Cliff Campbell managed to notch two hat-tricks in those wins, at home to Corby and away at Ashford. The first points dropped were in a goal-less draw at Nuneaton. Our FA Cup trail began with a difficult tie at Wycombe Wanderers in the 1st Round Qualifying. In a tense game before a crowd of over 1500 a replay looked likely before a fine Derek Duggan goal broke the deadlock 10 minutes from time, Cliff Campbell sealed the win in the final minute. Before the next round at Sudbury we gained three more league points at Gosport. The FA Cup tie proved to be another thriller and we looked to be on the way out when David Botterill put through his own net in the second half. However, Cliff Hercules levelled within a minute. David did score a couple of goals in the right net in the replay to take us into the next round. Another three points were bagged at Fareham before we progressed into the 4th Round Qualifying by virtue of a 4-0 victory at Hertford. A thrilling 3-3 draw was gained at Burton before we travelled to meet Enfield for a place in the 1st Round of the FA Cup. We fell behind in this game in the first half but Gary Harthill levelled on the hour and when David Botterill's free-kick squirmed under Andy Pape's body in the last minute we were on our way to Bristol City.

Last season we played 11 games in the Bill Dellow Cup using up much vital time and energy. The folly of this was realised and this season we managed to finish out of the qualifying places in our group which contained Ruislip, Dunstable and Buckingham. Defeat by 4-0 at Dunstable with practically a reserve side playing ensured we finished third in the group.

Our first league defeat came in the bad tempered match at Bromsgrove which saw both Cliff Campbell and Paul Saunders ordered off. That reverse was quickly followed by an exit from the GMAC Cup at home to Leytonstone/Ilford. Alvechurch became the first side to take a league point at The Stadium in a goal-less draw before we travelled to Bristol City. The team did themselves proud going down by the odd goal and earning a standing ovation from the home supporters at the end. Victories by the single goal at home to Shepshed and away to Worcester were sandwiched either side of a 2-1 victory at Ashford in the FA Trophy. We then went to Dartford for one of the season's first crunch games. An improved Kent side played some good football and we were lucky to escape losing by only 2-1. They had served notice that the Championship race was beginning to hot up. We comfortably beat Ashford at home in a League match before taking on Kettering in the 1st Round of the Trophy. An exciting 1-1 draw at The Stadium was followed by a 5-1 drubbing in the replay to leave us with only one cup competition to worry about. The season was going according to plan with hopefully no fixture worries, weather permitting.

The Boxing Day fixture at bottom of the table Witney brought much heartache for United supporters as two penalties were missed and we struggled to a 1-1 draw. Faith was restored with two home wins in the remainder of the holiday period over Cambridge City and Chelmsford. A gutsy 2-1 result at a windswept Corby kept up the pressure. However, the alarm bells began to ring with the pessimists as two league defeats followed, Bromsgrove completed the double over us with a 2-1 win at The Stadium as we looked sadly out of form. The result at Crawley a week later by the same score line was even more worrying as it might have been a cricket score, to add to the gloom Paul Hackett was ordered off.

The next home game quashed all fears that we had shot our bolt as Dorchester were despatched back to Dorset on the wrong end of a 5-1 scoreline. That match also saw the debut of Bob Coy, who joined us from Northampton. Previously Trevor had tried to sign both Everton Carr and David Ward, both of whom lasted only one match. We then scrambled to a single goal victory over Gosport before taking on Reading in the 2nd Round of the Berks & Bucks Senior Cup. The match was played in awful conditions to get the fixture out of the way and a Paul Saunders goal in extra time proved enough. A Cliff Campbell goal early on at Shepshed secured three more points before we began a run of four home matches. A comfortable 2-0 victory over VS Rugby was followed by a fortunate home point against Nuneaton, with a David Botterill penalty saving us from defeat in the final minutes. Another win followed in not so convincing fashion against Redditch United.

Our interest in the Berks & Bucks Senior Cup was ended by an in-form Wokingham side here at The Stadium. So from hereonin it was the Championship or bust. The fact we meant business was spelt out by the 2-0 triumph at Dorchester but the following week we threw away two points at home to Burton missing many vital chances in the 2-2 draw. In the ensuing midweek we started off a run of seven successive league victories which was to prove vital, with a fine 3-0 win at Bedworth. The same scoreline was achieved in the next match at home to Willenhal but disaster came at home to Leicester United in a wind affected match but four days later, with the visitors gaining a 2-0 victory. The run of home games continued with the scoreline which arguably won us the title, a 6-0 win against Fareham saw Cliff Hercules grab a hat-trick. Bedworth became the next victims at The Stadium with Cliff notching up another two goals in the 3-1 result.

We entered the Easter period still topping the table and a 3-2 victory at Chelmsford, whilst Dartford were losing at home to Cambridge, looked good for our Championship hopes. A nervy win over Witney on Easter Monday by virtue of a single David Botterill goal was followed by a 3-2 defeat of Crawley the next Saturday. A fine 2-0 victory at Redditch saw new signing from Bedworth, Paul Thomas, score his first goal for the club. As the Championship aspirations became a reality a bumper crowd gathered for the final home match against Worcester City. The pressure began to tell and it took a 90th minute goal from Gary Harthill to secure the points. Only three more points were now needed for the title but it was United on the road for the remaining four games. The supporting hordes gathering at first Alvechurch and then Leicester to be denied on both occasions. The title looked to be ours at Cambridge when Gary Harthill again scored late on but the home side grabbed an even later dramatic equaliser.

So it all went down to the final game at VS Rugby, with Dartford having finished their programme piling on the pressure with seven straight wins. All we needed to do was avoid defeat to secure the title, thanks to our superior goal difference. After twice trailing in the match, goals from Derek Duggan and Cliff Hercules were enough to bring our first League title since the 1953/54 season. Trevor Gould's aim for the season had come to fruition and the club went forward into the Conference.

Taken from Aylesbury United vs England matchday programme - 4/6/1988