Welcome to the first blog of the 2022/23 season. Oh it’s good to be back!
For this instalment of the blog, we went to Evesham United, a team located in the county of Worcestershire. The Southern League Division One South is where Evesham competes. League One club Cheltenham Town was their opponent in this preseason game.
From the town centre, it takes about 20 minutes to walk to Evesham United. You may get your teeth into the Abbey Park, Bell Tower, and Almonry Museum in the town centre. You can have a bite to eat at any of the many cafés and restaurants around. We strolled about Evesham and then made our way to the stadium.
Its All In The Name
The Robins is Evesham United's nickname. Evesham's name originates from their red and white kit, which resembles that of a Robin.
Some Notable Former Players
David Accam
Shane Duff
Brian Smikle
Some Notable People From Evesham:
Alistair McGowan- Comedian
John Aldridge-Cricketer
Guy Whittingham- Footballer
Jim Capaldi- Singer
Ariel Bender- Mott The Hoople Guitarist
A History Lesson From AFC Finners
Evesham United was founded in 1945 by veterans who had returned from WWII. In the 1950s, they won their first league title with the Worcestershire combined league.
They returned to the Worcestershire combination after a brief absence in the late 1950s and early 1960s, and remained there until 1992. They climbed to the southern league after a succession of league title victories, and under the supervision of former Coventry player David Busst, they reached the southern league's elite level before being relegated after one season.
In 2008, the club made it to the first round of the FA Cup for the first time, and in 2012, former Manchester United manager Ron Atkinson opened their new ground, the Spiers and Hartwell stadium, after sharing it with Worcester City for several seasons.
They are still in Division One South of the Southern League, striving to return to the Premier Division.
And here's a fun fact: the club has a relationship with St Peter's Basic School in The Gambia, thanks to Evesham's junior co-ordinator Dave Giles, who visited the nation and assisted in the coaching of local children. The club has since provided kits and balls to the kids, with the hope of continuing to aid them for many years to come.
Honours
🏆Midland Combination Premier Division (Winners: 1991–92)
🏆Midland Combination Division One (Winners: 1965–66, 1967–68, 1968–69)
🏆Midland Combination Challenge Cup (Winners: 1953–54, 1987–88, 1991–92)
🏆Worcestershire Senior Urn (Winners: 1976–77, 1977–78)
🏆Worcestershire Senior Cup (Winners: 2008–2009)
The Gloucester Groundhopper sat down with Evesham United fan, Andy Beasley. Andy started stewarding at Evesham United when they played at Common Road. He then carried on when they moved onto their ground share with Worcester City at St George’s Lane. Andy now has a number of roles within the club including: Chairman of the supporters club, safety officer, committee member, stadium announcer and Covid officer.
GG: Could you tell us how long you have been an Evesham fan, and what has the journey with the club been like for you?
AB: I remember watching Evesham United as a small child on the Crown Meadow searching for old pennies under the stand. I also remember St John's ambulance blanket cash collection each game.
GG: What is an interesting fact about the club?
AB: It was formed after the second world war in 1945-46 with returning servicemen.
GG: What are the clubs ambitions for the season and the future?
AB: To drive the club forwards with the new regime at the forefront, to finish as high as possible this year and to push on again next year. Promotion within the next three years ideally.
GG: What does the club mean to the community of Evesham?
AB: As with most clubs the club plays a big part in a lot of peoples lives, bringing all walks of life together for the common goal.
GG: Who is your favourite player of all time?
AB: Has to be Matt Sysum warrior on the field, model captain off it. Would put his head where others wouldn't put their feet.
GG: What is the best football match you’ve been to as an Evesham fan?
AB: Has to be away at Swindon Supermarine, we were 2-0 down and our keeper was sent off. We ended up winning 4-3 with a last minute towering header from that man Matt Sysum.
GG: Evesham and Cheltenham have established a link which means that Evesham will receive a few more players from Cheltenham on loan. How does something like this benefit a club the size of Evesham United?
AB: With budgets as they are to be able to bring in quality youngsters is a benefit to us and the loanees alike, long may the link with Cheltenham thrive.
GG: Can you tell us which Evesham players to look for this season?
AB: Kyle Belmonte is an enigma and such a talent sometimes even he doesn't know what he is going to do next, Ben Whitehead with his proven goalscoring record, Aaron Evans-Harriot comes with a good pedigree.
GG: Who would you say was the biggest team to play at Evesham’s stadium?
AB: Hereford whilst on their charge through the tables.
GG: Can you tell us, in general, how Evesham like to play? What formation do they use? What tactics?
AB: We are under new management this season. I have been told of the favoured formation, but teams have to be able to adapt these days. Gone are the days of stoically sticking to a set plan regardless of how the game is panning out. Tactics remain to be seen, I don't want to give anything away.
Thank you to Andy for taking the time to talk to us, we really appreciate it.
Matchday: Evesham United 0-4 Cheltenham Town
The stadium is about 20 minutes from the town centre. There is free parking at the ground, so this should not be an issue. We went straight into the clubhouse after paying the £7 entrance fee. A club shop near the entrance sells a variety of merchandise such as pin badges, water bottles, and replica shirts. We took a walk around the stadium, starting with a large stand with approximately 250 seats. There are also two open areas for spectators to stand. Finally, there is a stand behind the goal where fans can watch the game. There is also a selection of food available, such as burgers, fries, and crisps.
The ticketing system in Evesham is virtually non-existent. You walk up to the turnstile and tell them which category you belong to, and they let you in for that price. Because the fans are integrated, socialisation is relatively simple. The Evesham supporters I met were friendly, eager to chat, and eager to assist when needed.
There is a clubhouse which has a bar inside, and it was good to be able to sit down with some football fans and discuss their hopes and wishes for the season ahead. It appears that Cheltenham fans are just hoping to retain their position in League One, which is probably a bit pessimistic but each to their own.
To say the least, the atmosphere was poor because this was a preseason friendly. There was no commotion, and to be honest, there were few supporters. It was refreshing to see two teams play free-flowing football,
Teamsheets
Evesham United
Manager: Mike Ford
Fraser Barnsley
Joseph Hunt
Daniel Djurovic
Josh Aldridge
Jordan Stoddart
Rhys Bennett
Joel Owusu
Kyle Belmonte
Toumani Sidibe
Matt Kear
Adam Mace
Substitutes
Jordan Schofield
Adam Taylor
Ben Prictor
Michael O’Regan
Elliott Keightley
Owen James
Connor Jakeways
Jordan Lymn
Ben Whitehead
Sam Judge
Scott Wheeler
Cheltenham Town
Manager: Wade Elliott
Max Harris
Tom Spencer
Charlie Raglan
Lewis Freestone
Ben Williams ⚽️
Adulai Sambu
Jay Simpson
Daniel Adshead
Elliott Bonds
Alex Fisher
Zac Guinan ⚽️
Substitutes
Ben Hoy
Sean Long
Tom Bradbury
Liam Sercombe ⚽️
Ellis Chapman
Alfie Taylor
Reece Hutchinson
George Lloyd ⚽️
Rio Spencer
Callum Ebanks
Dylan Barkers
Brandon Liggett
Cheltenham Town dominated the opening stages, passing the ball around with confidence. Zac Guinan, son of former Cheltenham Town striker Steve Guinan, had the first chance, but his header was well saved by Evesham goalkeeper Fraser Barnsley. Cheltenham opened the scoring not long after. Adulai Sambu, a youth product, cut the ball back inside for Zac Guinan, who finished to make it 1-0. Ben Williams, the left back, made it 2-0 just before halftime. Elliott Bonds played the ball in well, and Williams hit the ball across the keeper to score. At halftime, the score was 2-0.
Personally, I think the star of the first half was Zac Guinan. Having just made the step up into men's football, he would have been forgiven if he looked like a kid. However, he looked assured and confident. If he carries on in this mindset, he will have a good career ahead of him.
Cheltenham made wholesale changes to their team after an hour. One of these substitutes made a significant difference. After the keeper saved a good shot by Ellis Chapman, George Lloyd followed up with a good finish, only to have it ruled out for offside. Lloyd didn't have to wait long to get his name on the scoreboard. Lloyd scored with a good finish past the keeper after racing through on goal. Cheltenham added a fourth goal on a long-range shot from Liam Sercombe. Cheltenham Town won the game 4-0 in the end. The game was a good warm-up for both teams in their first pre-season game. Cheltenham will look to build on their flashes of brilliance, while Evesham will do well if they continue with their character-filled performances.
Scores On The Doors
Atmosphere: 4/10
Food and Drink: 6/10
Stadium: 5/10
Welcome: 7/10
Overall Experience: 6/10
GG
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