Welcome to the latest Gloucester Groundhopper blog post.
For this instalment of the blog, myself, AFC Finners and Luke the Stuart Dallas Fan travelled to Oxfordshire to watch Banbury United take on Kidderminster Harriers in National League North action. Both teams were in the top half of the National League North table, so we expected an entertaining match at the Spencer Stadium.
Banbury is well-known for the nursery rhyme "Ride a Cock Horse," which goes as follows:
Ride a cock-horse to Banbury Cross,
To see a fine lady upon a white horse;
Rings on her fingers and bells on her toes,
And she shall have music wherever she goes.
It has been suggested that the nursery rhyme's 'Fine Lady' was Lady Godiva or Elizabeth I. It was more likely a local girl riding in a May Day procession. The original cross was demolished at the end of the sixteenth century and the current cross was erected in 1859 to commemorate the marriage of Princess Anne to Prince Frederick of Prussia. This 'nursery rhyme' has a written history dating back to 1784, but it was not written for children, and like many other so-called nursery rhymes, it may have its own history. Banbury has become well-known throughout the English-speaking world, and Banbury Cross has become a tourist attraction. However, the Cross in Banbury's centre has nothing to do with the rhyme. The current cross was erected in 1859 to commemorate Queen Victoria's eldest daughter's marriage. Other crosses in Banbury included the High Cross, the Bread Cross, and the White Cross. The crosses were then destroyed by the Puritans.
Furthermore, if one were to spend a day in Banbury, they could visit a variety of landmarks such as Banbury Cross, Banbury Museum, and Tooley's Boatyard. There are also numerous bars and cafes where people can find nourishment. If you are interested in history and want to visit a culturally rich town, Banbury is the place. We went to the stadium after walking around Banbury.
It's All In The Name
Banbury United's nickname is The Puritans.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, Puritans were English Protestants who sought to rid the Church of England of Roman Catholic practises.
Banbury, a historic market town, was once known as a strongly Puritan area, and this is reflected in the football team. The individual depicted on the club's crest is wearing a capitaine, a traditional tall-crowned, conical black hat popular in Puritan costume in the years preceding the English Civil War.
Some Notable Former Players
James Constable
Manny Duku
Matt Richards
Kelvin Langmead
Kevin Wilson
Cyril Beavon
Mark Boyland
Some Notable People From Banbury
Gary Glitter-Singer
Alfie Barbeary- Rugby Player
Larry Grayson- Comedian
Tim Plester- Actor
Rodney Gould- Motorcyclist
A History Lesson From AFC Finners
Banbury United FC were founded in 1931 as Spencer Sports Club, a worker team of the Spencer Corsets Factory. After initially only playing friendly matches, they were accepted into the Banbury Division of the Oxfordshire Junior League and renamed Spencer Villa. They won the league and changed their name to Banbury Spencer along the way.
They won the Oxfordshire Senior League on their first attempt before joining the Birmingham Combination League. They would become professionals after the Second World War. In their first season after this, they finished second in the league and advanced to the first round of the FA Cup for the first time in their history.
In 1965, they were renamed Banbury United after joining the Birmingham and District League, and they soon joined the Southern League. They remained in the Southern League's Midland Division until 1990, when they were relegated, but they won the Hellenic League's Premier Division in 2000. Another promotion saw them enter the Southern League's Premier Division, and they also won their fifth Oxfordshire Senior Cup.
After falling back into the Southern League lower divisions, they quickly regained promotion to the Premier Division, and in 2022, they blitzed their way to the Southern League Premier Division Central title by 23 points and with only two defeats, securing a spot in the National League North for the first time in their history.
And, despite the numerous name changes, the club has honoured their origins by naming the stadium the Spencer Stadium in honour of the Spencer Corsets Factory, which founded the team.
Honours
🏆 Southern League Premier Division Central (Champions: 2021–22)
🏆 Hellenic League Premier Division (Champions: 1999–2000)
🏆 Oxfordshire Senior League (Champions: 1934–35)
🏆 Oxfordshire Junior League Banbury Division (Champions: 1933–34)
🏆 Oxfordshire Senior Cup (Winners: 1978–79, 1987–88, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2014–15)
🏆 Buckingham Charity Cup (Winners: 2001–02, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2015–16)
An Interview With Banbury United fan, Greg Brain:
GG: Could you please tell us a little bit about Banbury United?
GB: Banbury, like many other clubs, began as a work team. A corset factory! Among all things. Spencer Villa first, then Banbury Spencer, then Banbury United. In the last 30/40 years, we've always knocked around the Beazer Homes leagues/Hellenic & Southern Leagues... but we've really kicked on in the last few years or so since being fan owned.
GG: How long have you been a fan of Banbury United, and do you remember your first game?
GB: My father took me down when I was about 6 or 7 years old, so 37 years. As a kid (despite being a Manchester United fan), I watched both Banbury and Oxford depending on who was playing and where... but once in my teens and 20s, I started watching Banbury religiously home and away... in my 30s, with kids and family, it was difficult to get to as many games as I wanted, but before and after covid, I've been back and gone to all home and few away.
My first game was most likely against Willenhall or Bilston... we seemed to play them constantly!
GG: Can you tell us something interesting about Banbury United?
GB: We once had a condemned stand that was boarded up and had faces painted on it, including Jimmy Greaves!
GG: What are your thoughts on supporting Banbury United, and how does it differ from football in the higher divisions?
GB: Supporting my hometown club is fantastic... my sons attend. I see my friends, people I've known for 30 years... some whose names I don't even know... but it doesn't matter. I have no desire to attend a Premier League match in person. It's sterile. I used to watch about 5 Manchester United games a season... give me terracing any day!
GG: What does the club mean to the community?
GB: The club is at the heart of the community, especially since it is fan-owned. In the town, children wear Banbury shirts. The club has a fantastic youth system, and fans have been pouring in by the thousands.
GG: What are the clubs' ultimate goals?
GB: The club's short-term goals must be stability and living within its means, as well as the development of a link between the youth sections and the first team. Long term... a new stadium and a goal of reaching the National League, if not higher.
GG: What do you think is the most famous thing that has happened on the field?
GB: Simple... promotion last year. And being on TV in the first round of the FA Cup.
GG: Who would you sign if you could only sign one player to play for Banbury United for one game?
GB: Ronaldo is after a new club isn't he?
GG: What is your favourite aspect of being a football fan?
GB: Just looking forward to the game from the moment the last one finishes.
GG: Who, in your opinion, is the best footballer you've seen play at the Spencer Stadium, and why?
GB: Norman Sylla in 2002... he scored just for fun... all kinds of goals. He was unplayable and incredible. We only had him for one season, but what a season it was... better than a goal per game.
GG: Finally, tell us why people should come to see Banbury United.
GB: Some of the football over the last 18 months has been spectacular. Andy Whing's team is playing some fantastic football. You don't have to pay £70 to watch the Premier League. You can watch young, talented, well-coached players give their all for the shirt.
Matchday: Banbury United 0-1 Kidderminster Harriers
The stadium is about fifteen minutes from the town centre. We walked to the stadium after spending a long-time walking around Banbury itself. There is parking near the stadium at the railway station, but we parked in the Castle Quays car park, which cost £6.50 for the entire day. We had lunch at Jenny's Cafe, a lovely cafe that served a variety of flavoured lattes. Luke the Stuart Dallas Fan, and AFC Finners tried a strawberry-flavoured latte, which was, to say the least, interesting.
When we first arrived at the stadium, it was a strange experience. Five different people, all in close proximity to each other, asked if we had our tickets with us. We had paid in advance for our tickets, which cost £15 for adults and £8 for students. When we arrived at the stadium, we took our customary walk around the pitch. There are three stands on the ground, two of which are standard terracing and the third which can seat approximately 300 people. The ground's colour scheme is fantastic, with every surface painted red and yellow, the club's colours. Throughout the stadium, there are numerous shoutouts to the fans, including a wall of shirts with supporters' names on them.
We entered the club bar after completing our customary circuit, which was showing Leicester City vs. Manchester City on a large projector screen. We were approached by a man who asked if we were home fans, and after a brief discussion about the fact that we were groundhoppers, we purchased a drink and sat at the table. Ronnie Johnson, the chairman of Banbury United, approached us and shook our hands, thanking us for coming. He then talked to us for a while before buying us all a drink. We then spoke with a man named Rich in the Puritan Radio area, who told us that the radio station was created to increase the sense of community in the area, and that they had listeners from Brazil and Australia. This was the best welcome we'd ever received; everyone was friendly and eager to chat, and they were always helpful and communicative. I could only give the welcome a perfect score.
There are numerous food outlets at the stadium, including Reg's cafe in the club bar, which serves jacket potatoes, chips, and burgers. There are also food establishments on both sides of the stadium. I didn't feel like buying another meal after eating at Jenny's cafe earlier in the day. AFC Finners, on the other hand, found room for another portion of chips, which he said he thoroughly enjoyed.
The fans were extremely loud throughout the game. Despite their team's poor performance, they were loud and enthusiastic supporters. There were flares, and the Banbury fans behind the goal were especially loud. After full time, however, there was clearly something derogatory said, as the Kidderminster goalkeeper took exception to something that was said, resulting in a minor 'handbags at dawn' situation. Unfortunately, the acoustics aren't great, which I don't think can be helped, but standing next to these, it was clear they sang and were loud throughout the match.
Teamsheets
Banbury United
Manager: Andy Whing
Jack Harding
Connor Roberts
Sam Brown
Josh Smile
Giorgio Rasulo (c)
Slavi Spasov
Alex Babos
Jack Stevens
Ben Acquaye
Jak Hickman
Ben Radcliffe
Substitutes
Henry Landers
Ben Taylor
Josh Dugmore
Aidan Hawtin
Callum Reilly
Kidderminster Harriers
Manager: Russell Penn
Tom Palmer
Caleb Richards
Krystian Pearce
Tom Leak
Amari Morgan-Smith
Ashley Hemmings ⚽️
Keziah Martin
Ethan Freemantle
Gabriel Rogers
Shane Byrne (c)
Joe Starbuck
Substitutes
Nathan Lowe
Yusifu Ceesay
Zak Brown
Ben Margetson
Jack Bearne
It was a tenacious start to the game. Kesiah Martin of Kidderminster Harriers had rattled the home crossbar with an 18-yard volley as Banbury's defence only partially cleared a Shane Byrne corner. Kidderminster Harriers limited the home side's efforts, as Jack Stevens' shot was blocked by Tom Palmer. Ashley Hemmings caused problems for the home side, forcing Jack Harding into a save, but the Kidderminster Harriers striker converted from close range after connecting with Gabby Rogers' hanging left wing cross. At halftime, the score was 1-0.
Banbury provided more in the second half, with Harriers demonstrating resilience and discipline to keep the hosts at bay. On 65 minutes, Alex Babos missed a golden opportunity to convert a Jak Hickman cross, giving the home team renewed hope. Jak Hickman saw glory as the Harriers defence could only half clear Giorgio Rasulo's left wing corner, but his wild slash at the ball saw it disappear into the crowd behind the goal as the game entered stoppage time.
Slavi Spasov raced through the home defence to meet Ratcliffe's through ball and looked certain to level, but Tom Palmer held his nerve, spread himself, and diverted the striker's effort away for a corner. Banbury continued to press while Harriers maintained their defensive composure, but they were unable to find the goal that would share the spoils and condemn them to a third consecutive league defeat. Kidderminster took three points in an impressive performance. These points will be crucial as they attempt to regain their place in the National League. Banbury will be disappointed to finish the game without a point as they look to end their poor league form.
Scores On The Doors
Atmosphere: 8/10
Food and Drink: 7/10
Stadium: 6/10
Welcome: 10/10
Overall Experience: 9/10
GG
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