Welcome to the latest Gloucester Groundhopper blog post.
We returned to Oxfordshire for this instalment for some more football action. North Leigh hosted a game against Hendon in the Southern League Premier Division South. The game was held at Eynsham Park, just north of Witney, the hometown of Luke the Stuart Dallas Fan, who joined AFC Finners and I on this adventure.
A windmill is a notable landmark in the village centre. This was built in 1833, refurbished in the 1930s, and became derelict after the Home Guard removed the roof to use as an observation post during World War II. Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Winston Churchill, as well as Oxford city centre are a short drive away from North Leigh.
A History Of The Village Of North Leigh
The original name was Leigh, but it was later renamed North Leigh to distinguish it from South Leigh. The name is derived from Leah, which means "wood pasture," a mix of woodland and pasture used for grazing animals. The area was gradually cleared due to grazing and browsing, and settlement began. The parish boundary between the village and Witney is still that of a 10th-century charter. In the parish, two Roman villas have been excavated.
The Domesday book also mentions the village. The village and church were given as part of France's Honor of St. Valery. Lieu Dieu Abbey sold the tenancy to Netley Abbey in Hampshire in the 13th century. The tenancy passed to the Crown after the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1536, who gave it to Sir Thomas Pope, who kept it until the 17th century, when it was sold to the Perrott family (Perrot's Hill Farm). The manor of North Leigh was sold in the 18th century to the Duke of Marlborough, who still owns the mineral rights under the freehold houses in the village.
There was an open field system of farming around the village in Medieval times, with strips of land being given to villagers based on their status. The Crown gave the manor of North Leigh to Bridewell Hospital in London after the dissolution, and Bridewell Farmhouse was built in the 18th century (hence Bridewell Close). When Simon Leigh-Perrott inherited the manor, he began to push for the enclosure of the open fields, with the support of Bridewell Hospital. During the Civil War, King Charles' soldiers camped on the Common on their way to Burford, and he stayed at the house on Perrott's Hill. The King gave one of the Perrott daughters a ring and another a pendant, each of the jewels to be passed down the female line. The ring is still in the Perrott family's possession.
It's All In The Name
North Leigh is known by the moniker "The Millers." This is because for more than 300 years, blankets produced in blanket mills in the small Oxfordshire town of Witney were renowned for being exported all over the world. Sadly, in 2002 the last blanket factory closed.
Notable Former Players:
Michael Pook
Matty Taylor
Miles Welch-Hayes
Notable People From Witney:
Alan Dapre- Children's TV Author
Lawson D'ath- Footballer
Darrell Griffin- Rugby League Footballer
Leonard Shruffrey- Architect
Andrew Logan- Artist
Luke the Stuart Dallas Fan- Friend Of The Gloucester Groundhopper
A History Lesson From AFC Finners
North Leigh were founded in 1908 but did not achieve success until the 1940s, when they won the Witney and District League Second Division, the Ted Young Senior Challenge Cup, and the Watts Junior Challenge Cup in 1948. In the 1950s, they won the Witney & District League's Premier Division six times and played in the Oxfordshire Senior League.
During the 1980s, they won the Witney and District League six more times between 1984 and 1990. They were promoted to the Hellenic League Premier Division in 1993 and later won it in 2002 and 2003, but their stadium did not meet the criteria for promotion. However, following a treble of the Hellenic Premier Division, the Hellenic League Shield, and the Oxfordshire Senior Cup in 2008, they were promoted to the Southern League's Division One South after their stadium finally received FA approval.
They spent many years in this Division, winning two more Oxfordshire Senior Cups in the process, before being promoted to the Southern League's Division One Central in 2018. After Welywn Garden City were disqualified, they qualified for the playoffs in 2022, and they defeated Ware 4-2 in the final to secure promotion to the Premier Division South. The Oxfordshire side's future looks bright now that they are in the seventh tier, higher than they have ever been.
And a fun fact: the club badge features a windmill in honour of the North Leigh Windmill, which has stood in the town centre since 1833.
Honours
🏆 Hellenic League Premier Division (Ch: 2001–02, 2002–03, 2007–08)
🏆 Hellenic League Shield (Winners: 2007–08)
🏆 Witney & District League Premier Division (Champions: 1950–51, 1952–53, 1953–54, 1954–55, 1955–56, 1956–57, 1983–84, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90)
🏆 Witney & District League Division Two (Champions: 1947–48, 1968–69)
🏆 Ted Young Senior Challenge Cup (Winners: 1947–48, 1951–52, 1953–54, 1954–55, 1956–57, 1981–82, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89)
🏆 Fred Ford Memorial Cup (Winners: 1948–49, 1949–50, 1950–51, 1954–55, 1955–56, 1956–57)
🏆 George Dingle Memorial Cup (Winners: 1972–73, 1986–87, 1987–88)
🏆 Watts Junior Challenge Cup (Winners: 1947–48)
🏆 Oxfordshire Senior Cup (Winners: 2007–08, 2011–12, 2016–17)
🏆 Oxfordshire Charity Cup (Winners: 1984–85, 1988–89)
🏆 Oxfordshire Junior Shield (Winners: 1956–57 (shared), 1983–84)
An Interview With North Leigh volunteer and supporter, Russell Williams
GG: Could you tell us a little bit about North Leigh Football Club?
RW: I can tell you that North Leigh was founded in 1908, making them 114 years old.
GG: How long have you been a North Leigh supporter, and do you remember your first game?
RW: My first match was five years ago in 2017, when North Leigh played Kidlington FC in a pre-season friendly.
GG: Can you tell us something interesting about North Leigh?
RW: The village of North Leigh has an interesting landmark: a windmill!
GG: How do you feel about supporting North Leigh, and how does it differ from football in the higher leagues?
RW: When you support North Leigh, you are a part of the club, unlike when you support a higher league team, where you are one of many people who are forgotten.
GG: How important is the club to the community?
RW: Because North Leigh is only a village with a small, close-knit population, the club is an important part of the community.
GG: What are the clubs' long-term goals?
RW: The club's goal this season is to avoid relegation, stay in step three, and build for the future.
GG: What do you consider to be the most famous event in North Leigh's history?
RW: The most famous moment for North Leigh FC was their promotion at Ware FC last season.
GG: Who would you sign if you could only sign one player to play for North Leigh for one game?
RW: I'd bring in Kevin Phillips, a former Premier League striker. He was a Sunderland legend!
GG: What is your favourite aspect of being a football fan?
RW: North Leigh has a great atmosphere all around it. Every game, you can see everyone working together, which is fantastic to see.
GG: Who, in your opinion, is the best footballer you've seen play at Eynsham Park?
RW: George Seacole, who scored a lot of goals for us, is the best former player. If you're looking for a current player, our goalkeeper Adam North is the obvious choice. He's a good keeper.
GG: Finally, could you tell us why people should come to North Leigh?
RW: When you visit North Leigh FC, you will always receive a warm and friendly welcome, and we will always look after every guest.
Matchday: North Leigh 0-2 Hendon
On a cold Saturday morning, myself, AFC Finners, and Luke the Stuart Dallas Fan drove to North Leigh and took a walk around the village. We went to the aforementioned windmill in North Leigh, then attempted to get a drink at a local pub. It appears that pubs in North Leigh do not open for lunch on Saturdays, as both we tried were closed. We stopped by the club bar for lunch. The ground itself is difficult to locate, and you must drive through a forest to get there. To get to the club, you must also drive past a football pitch. Fortunately, there is signage on the main road that will direct you in the right direction.
For several weeks, we have been in contact with Mark Bosely, a member of staff at North Leigh FC, about gaining access to the club's backroom operations. He was a pleasure to speak with, and he was extremely welcoming when we arrived. We were allowed into the changing rooms and onto the pitch. The reception we received from all of the staff and fans was outstanding. The club's employees were friendly and easy to talk to. One great feature is that the staff sat in the clubhouse and chatted with the supporters, giving the club a great community feel. After being offered a place in the Matchday squad by North Leigh interim manager, Craig Dore (who took charge following the departure of Eddie Odhiambo) and nearly channelling my inner GG Okocha, we headed into the stadium. We paid the £5 entry fee (again perks of being a student) and hey presto we were in.
We completed our customary circuit of the pitch, and the most telling aspect was that there is a noticeable incline on the pitch, implying that shooting downhill occurs during a half. There is one stand at the stadium that seats approximately 150 people, one terraced stand behind the goal, and two uncovered stands.
Food is available at the stadium, and a wide range of delectable treats can be ordered in the clubhouse. Burgers, chips, hotdogs, pies, and sandwiches are among them. I ordered a cheese and onion sandwich (or two), and I must say they were delicious, especially for £1.50. I also had a natural radiator, aka a non-league hot chocolate. It was hot, it was chocolate, the story checks out. Pin badges are available for £4 at the turnstiles, and I believe you can buy programmes and scarves at the stadium, but where they are remains a mystery that I was unable to solve.
The atmosphere, sadly, was lacking. This could have been influenced by a number of factors. It was a cold afternoon, the game wasn't great, the crowd was small, and so on. There were a few Hendon fans who made sporadic noises, but other than that, there wasn't much of an atmosphere.
Teamsheet
North Leigh
Manager: Craig Dore
Adam North
Aaron McCreadle
Jordan Alves
Jack Alexander
Michael Hopkins (c)
Andrew Gunn
George Nash
Reece Massey
Amer Awadh
Jordan Thomas
James Dobson
Substitutes
Aaron Heap
Yoav Sade Lichtenfeld
William Owens
Owen Dore
Ben Brown
Hendon
Manager: Lee Allinson
Marcin Brzozowski
Dave Diedhiou ⚽️
Giovanni Palmer
Solomon Sambou
Guri Demuria
Tarik Moore-Azille
Gabriel Odunaike ⚽️
Arthur Iontton
Joseph White (c)
Liam Brooks
Rohdell Gordon
Substitutes
Oluwakoyejo Dawodu
Alfred Bawling
Jack Rice-Lethaby
Bagname Keita
Kieron Forbes
The game itself began fairly flat, with neither side able to gain a foothold in the game. The game's first real chance resulted in a goal. Hendon's Liam Brooks played a clever ball through to Gabby Odunaike, who took it around the goalkeeper and into the net. Liam Brooks then smashed a 25-yard volley that went just over the goal, leaving the goalkeeper stranded. Hendon managed to see out the half and go in leading at the break.
The second half was slightly more exciting, with North Leigh controlling the ball much more. However, Hendon had the first chance of the half, crossing in from the right, only for Rohdell Gordon to head over from close range. Hendon then doubled their advantage. Dave Diedhou's head met a cross from the right and smashed it past North Leigh goalkeeper Adam North. In the end, Hendon were able to close out the game with a crucial three points that will help them in their battle for survival, while North Leigh will look to appoint a new manager in the coming weeks in the hope that it will kick start their season.
Scores On The Doors
Atmosphere: 3/10
Food and Drink: 6/10
Stadium: 4/10
Welcome: 10/10
Overall Experience: 7/10
GG