Leighton Town

[AlwaysLeighton]

8 minutes ago, Rhodes said:

This is already on the FA Cup Second Qualifying Round thread however it's the two 'On The Road' guys who attended the Leighton Town v Leiston tie at Bell Close on Saturday 3 October, I see the young 'Chavs' were all out in force so apologies in advance for the bad language and 'hand signals' although AlwaysLeighton will no doubt say that they are just 'young lads who support their local Club'. Joe Sweeney's men could and should have got an equaliser towards the end of the proceedings with Step 3 Leiston very much on the ropes, they must have kicked themselves afterwards:

 

Tell me what they are then, Rhodes, if not young lads supporting their local club. I must be one of those chavs too then. Realistically it’s better support than anyone else gets in this league...

Proud to be a young chav supporting his massive football club 

[Rhodes]

On 19/04/2020 at 16:39, Rhodes said:

Some links from when anoraks have visited Bell Close over the years:

https://www.botp.co.uk/blog/crest-fallen

https://www.botp.co.uk/blog/ducks-and-crows

http://pieandmushypeas.blogspot.com/1989/05/leighton-town-fc.html

https://phildanmatt.weebly.com/leighton-town.html

https://leightontownfc.blogspot.com/2015/03/two-first-half-goals-seal-deal-for.html

https://worldgroundhoptwo.blogspot.com/search/label/Leighton Town

https://footygrounds.blogspot.com/2012/09/leighton-town-bell-close.html

http://www.groundhopperunited.co.uk/2011/08/2011-stadium-51-bell-close.html

Some additional links from when groundhoppers have visited Bell Close:

Bell Close - Stadion in Leighton Buzzard (europlan-online.de)

Grounds for concern...: Leighton Town / Aylesbury United (hoppysnaps.blogspot.com)

leighton town fc | Non-League Football Through a Female's Eyes (wordpress.com)

uxbridge town fc | Non-League Football Through a Female's Eyes (wordpress.com)

Leighton Town FC Ground review (wixsite.com)

Leighton Town FC: 2014

Leighton Town FC: 2015

 

[AlwaysLeighton]

On 06/01/2021 at 16:06, Rhodes said:

Leighton Town made the trip to the Recreation Ground on Saturday 26 September 1992 for a 1992/93 Diadora Isthmian League Division Three fixture, having won the South Midlands Premier Division the season before and got promotion. Aldershot Town obviously won the Championship only losing two League fixtures however Leighton Town weren't that far behind in fourth place and only lost the game at the Recreation Ground 2-1 in front of 2,104, they were one of the two teams who beat Aldershot that season, winning 1-0 at Bell Close, on Saturday 30 January 1993, in front of 1,522, does anybody remember the two games: 

Just to touch on this, both games are written into Leighton Town, well, Leighton Buzzard folklore really. Many times I’ve walked up the high street and heard people talk about the 2 fixtures or people have told me about them. If you’re a Leighton Town fan and you don’t know about the 2 games, are you really a Leighton Town fan?

[Rhodes]

AlwaysLeighton - Yes, here's the final Isthmian League Division Three table from that 1992/93 campaign, Leighton Town probably gave Aldershot Town two of their toughest games particularly at Bell Close on 30 January 1993. What's the record attendance for the Club out of interest as the 1,522 that day must come fairly close:

[AlwaysLeighton]

4 hours ago, Rhodes said:

AlwaysLeighton - Yes, here's the final Isthmian League Division Three table from that 1992/93 campaign, Leighton Town probably gave Aldershot Town two of their toughest games particularly at Bell Close on 30 January 1993. What's the record attendance for the Club out of interest as the 1,522 that day must come fairly close:

I’m not sure of the exact record, I believe it’s around 2000, one of the MK City games at home around that time.

[Rhodes]

AlwaysLeighton - Thanks, it would be interesting to know. What sort of crowd was there at Bell Close for the Boreham Wood FA Cup Third Qualifying Round tie in 2007/08 when you beat them 3-1, that must have been a good afternoon although I recall there was some crowd trouble and Police backup had to be called for.

[AlwaysLeighton]

5 hours ago, Rhodes said:

AlwaysLeighton - Thanks, it would be interesting to know. What sort of crowd was there at Bell Close for the Boreham Wood FA Cup Third Qualifying Round tie in 2007/08 when you beat them 3-1, that must have been a good afternoon although I recall there was some crowd trouble and Police backup had to be called for.

I have no idea, I would’ve been about 5 years old.

[Rhodes]

On 23/01/2021 at 07:19, AlwaysLeighton said:

Just to touch on this, both games are written into Leighton Town, well, Leighton Buzzard folklore really. Many times I’ve walked up the high street and heard people talk about the 2 fixtures or people have told me about them. If you’re a Leighton Town fan and you don’t know about the 2 games, are you really a Leighton Town fan?

AlwaysLeighton - I have found some very brief footage of Leighton Town's winning goal at Bell Close against Aldershot Town on Saturday 30 January 1993, it's exactly nine minutes into the YouTube video below and was a towering header from close range following a corner:

(331) Aldershot Town FC - Class Of 92 - Part 2 - YouTube

[AlwaysLeighton]

9 hours ago, Rhodes said:

AlwaysLeighton - I have found some very brief footage of Leighton Town's winning goal at Bell Close against Aldershot Town on Saturday 30 January 1993, it's exactly nine minutes into the YouTube video below and was a towering header from close range following a corner:

(331) Aldershot Town FC - Class Of 92 - Part 2 - YouTube

One day we’ll play them again. The FA Trophy final, because obviously, we won’t be in the Spartan for too much longer...  

[Rhodes]

On 26/01/2021 at 11:41, AlwaysLeighton said:

we won’t be in the Spartan for too much longer...  

Do you think you would have won the Championship this season, obviously only ten League games had been played with seven wins but I had the impression the team hadn't got out of first gear yet. Once Connor Calcutt had 'returned' from paternity leave there would have been no looking back particularly with Webby back from Hemel Hempstead Town although I'm not sure how long his loan spell was for, I'm sure Joe Sweeney would have negotiated with Lee Bircham to keep him at Bell Close for the season as, inexplicably, he wasn't getting a look in at Vauxhall Road was he.

[AlwaysLeighton]

2 hours ago, Rhodes said:

Do you think you would have won the Championship this season, obviously only ten League games had been played with seven wins but I had the impression the team hadn't got out of first gear yet. Once Connor Calcutt had 'returned' from paternity leave there would have been no looking back particularly with Webby back from Hemel Hempstead Town although I'm not sure how long his loan spell was for, I'm sure Joe Sweeney would have negotiated with Lee Bircham to keep him at Bell Close for the season as, inexplicably, he wasn't getting a look in at Vauxhall Road was he.

Yes, we would’ve have walked the league.

[Rhodes]

AlwaysLeighton - Do you think the Club could reach the heady heights they did in 2003/04 when winning the Isthmian League Division 2, I know that was only Step 5 equivalent however thereafter they finished in the top ten of the Southern League Division One in six of the following seven seasons before a gradual decline unfortunately started to set in and Managers came and went in a very short space of time such as Craig Wells, Craig Bicknell, Mark Eaton, Stuart Murray and Paul Burgess before saviour Scott Reynolds thankfully arrived and steadied the ship, a lot of this was before your time of course:

RYMAN LEAGUE DIVISION TWO - 2003/2004
 Pos  Name                            Pld    W    D    L   GF   GA  Pts
   1  Leighton Town                    42   28    7    7  111   36   91
   2  Dorking                          42   27    8    7   87   47   89
   3  Hertford Town                    42   24    9    9   74   35   81
   4  Chertsey Town                    42   22    9   11   75   53   75
   5  Flackwell Heath                  42   22    5   15   71   53   71
   6  Witham Town                      42   20   10   12   75   54   70
   7  Kingsbury Town                   42   14   11   17   60   64   53
   8  Ware                             42   14   10   18   67   60   52
   9  Abingdon Town                    42   15    6   21   83   81   51
  10  Camberley Town                   42   15    6   21   51   71   51
  11  Wembley                          42   13    9   20   46   67   48
  12  Wokingham Town                   42   12    7   23   55   94   43
  13  Edgware Town                     42   12    6   24   62   88   42
  14  Chalfont St Peter                42   12    6   24   57   89   42
  15  Clapton                          42    8    5   29   47  129   29

[AlwaysLeighton]

2 hours ago, Rhodes said:

AlwaysLeighton - Do you think the Club could reach the heady heights they did in 2003/04 when winning the Isthmian League Division 2, I know that was only Step 5 equivalent however thereafter they finished in the top ten of the Southern League Division One in six of the following seven seasons before a gradual decline unfortunately started to set in and Managers came and went in a very short space of time such as Craig Wells, Craig Bicknell, Mark Eaton, Stuart Murray and Paul Burgess before saviour Scott Reynolds thankfully arrived and steadied the ship, a lot of this was before your time of course:

RYMAN LEAGUE DIVISION TWO - 2003/2004
 Pos  Name                            Pld    W    D    L   GF   GA  Pts
   1  Leighton Town                    42   28    7    7  111   36   91
   2  Dorking                          42   27    8    7   87   47   89
   3  Hertford Town                    42   24    9    9   74   35   81
   4  Chertsey Town                    42   22    9   11   75   53   75
   5  Flackwell Heath                  42   22    5   15   71   53   71
   6  Witham Town                      42   20   10   12   75   54   70
   7  Kingsbury Town                   42   14   11   17   60   64   53
   8  Ware                             42   14   10   18   67   60   52
   9  Abingdon Town                    42   15    6   21   83   81   51
  10  Camberley Town                   42   15    6   21   51   71   51
  11  Wembley                          42   13    9   20   46   67   48
  12  Wokingham Town                   42   12    7   23   55   94   43
  13  Edgware Town                     42   12    6   24   62   88   42
  14  Chalfont St Peter                42   12    6   24   57   89   42
  15  Clapton                          42    8    5   29   47  129   29

Rhodes - I see no reason why not. At the minute, the infrastructure of the club is growing, the general consensus of the club is that we need to be at Step 4. With the squad we have at the minute, the overall support of the Town, the way the club is growing on, but more importantly, shows the ambition the people at the helm of the club have to take us forward. 

You’re right that the ‘10s’ was on the whole not a good decade for Leighton Town, however, 2018, 19 and 2020 were relatively good years on the park, but tremendous years off of it. 
 

I see no reason that once all of this is over, we will be in Step 4 very soon and I can only see us growing and climbing from there. Fingers crossed.

[Rhodes]

AlwaysLeighton - Do you think if Scott Reynolds had remained at Bell Close for the 2018/19 campaign, instead of moving to Aylesbury FC, Leighton Town would have won the Championship that season and got promoted back to the Southern League, instead you had to start over again having just finished fourth in the table and reached the Quarter Finals of the FA Vase under Scott. The following season would have been there for the taking as Biggleswade FC won the League with only 88 points, the lowest total since 2008/09, they were also occupied with winning the Premier Division Cup and reaching the FA Vase Quarter Finals, you drew twice with them and should have won both games. 

[AlwaysLeighton]

1 hour ago, Rhodes said:

AlwaysLeighton - Do you think if Scott Reynolds had remained at Bell Close for the 2018/19 campaign, instead of moving to Aylesbury FC, Leighton Town would have won the Championship that season and got promoted back to the Southern League, instead you had to start over again having just finished fourth in the table and reached the Quarter Finals of the FA Vase under Scott. The following season would have been there for the taking as Biggleswade FC won the League with only 88 points, the lowest total since 2008/09, they were also occupied with winning the Premier Division Cup and reaching the FA Vase Quarter Finals, you drew twice with them and should have won both games. 

Rhodes - as I’ve said before, absolutely not. Scott was not a great manager, simple as that. We would not have won both games against Biggleswade FC at all, they were the better team in both fixtures. They were absolutely superb that season in my opinion, a very, very good side that deservedly took the title home. 

[Rhodes]

4 hours ago, AlwaysLeighton said:

Scott was not a great manager, simple as that

AlwaysLeighton - I don't know how you can say that, is it the same person we're talking about who took the Club to fourth in the table that season and the Quarter Finals of the FA Vase, masterminding those wins at Gorleston and especially at Wolverhampton Sporting Community to name just two of the ties. Had they beaten 1874 Northwich they could well have beaten Thatcham Town in the Semi Final over two legs and you would have had a day to remember at Wembley against Stockton Town.

[AlwaysLeighton]

8 hours ago, Rhodes said:

AlwaysLeighton - I don't know how you can say that, is it the same person we're talking about who took the Club to fourth in the table that season and the Quarter Finals of the FA Vase, masterminding those wins at Gorleston and especially at Wolverhampton Sporting Community to name just two of the ties. Had they beaten 1874 Northwich they could well have beaten Thatcham Town in the Semi Final over two legs and you would have had a day to remember at Wembley against Stockton Town.

Rhodes - I know exactly how I can say that. Can I ask how many games you saw of Scott’s? Or how many times you’ve spoken to Scott? 

His management cost us the quarter final game with an absolutely woeful squad selection.

His overall management, his general demeanour amongst other things was poor. I’m glad he went at the end of the season. Rubbish. 

[Rhodes]

3 hours ago, AlwaysLeighton said:

Rubbish

AlwaysLeighton - I didn't see any of the games and have never met Scott however I followed reports and analysis closely and I think you are being rather harsh, you seem to have developed a dislike for him somewhere along the line or hold a grudge for the way he, perhaps unwisely, left Bell Close for Haywood Way at the end of that 2017/18 campaign. It did appear that the FA Vase defeat to 1874 Northwich unfortunately cost the Club promotion in runners up spot instead of Berkhamsted as up until that point they had won nine League matches on the spin and momentum was suddenly lost, there were a lot of dropped points after that including a 1-0 home defeat to bottom of the table Stotfold however you still only finished seven points behind Berkhamsted:

SSML Premier Division - 2017/2018
 Pos  Name                            Pld    W    D    L   GF   GA  Pts
   1  Welwyn Garden City               40   32    4    4  100   33  100
   2  Berkhamsted                      40   26   10    4  113   54   88
   3  Harpenden Town                   40   27    5    8   97   55   86
   4  Leighton Town                    40   24    9    7   88   52   81
   5  Biggleswade                      40   22    7   11   96   61   73
   6  Hadley                           40   19    9   12   76   67   66
   7  Leverstock Green                 40   17    8   15   84   83   59
   8  Biggleswade United               40   16    9   15   69   57   57
   9  Wembley                          40   15    8   17   76   68   53
  10  Edgware Town                     40   14    9   17   63   67   51
  11  Colney Heath                     40   14    8   18   54   69   50
  12  Hoddesdon Town                   40   14    6   20   64   72   48
  13  London Colney                    40   14    6   20   55   72   48
  14  Holmer Green                     40   11   13   16   53   75   46
  15  London Tigers                    40   14    4   22   53   75   46
  16  St Margaretsbury                 40   12    7   21   54   84   43
  17  Tring Athletic                   40   11    9   20   59   71   42
  18  Crawley Green Sports             40   10    6   24   59   90   36
  19  Oxhey Jets                       40    8   11   21   56   89   35
  20  Cockfosters                      40    9    8   23   52   85   35
  21  Stotfold                         40    9    8   23   51   93   35
      Sun Sports                       Record expunged

Edited January 29, 2021 by Rhodes

[AlwaysLeighton]

9 hours ago, Rhodes said:

AlwaysLeighton - I didn't see any of the games and have never met Scott however I followed reports and analysis closely and I think you are being rather harsh, you seem to have developed a dislike for him somewhere along the line or hold a grudge for the way he, perhaps unwisely, left Bell Close for Haywood Way at the end of that 2017/18 campaign. It did appear that the FA Vase defeat to 1874 Northwich unfortunately cost the Club promotion in runners up spot instead of Berkhamsted as up until that point they had won nine League matches on the spin and momentum was suddenly lost, there were a lot of dropped points after that including a 1-0 home defeat to bottom of the table Stotfold however you still only finished seven points behind Berkhamsted:

SSML Premier Division - 2017/2018
 Pos  Name                            Pld    W    D    L   GF   GA  Pts
   1  Welwyn Garden City               40   32    4    4  100   33  100
   2  Berkhamsted                      40   26   10    4  113   54   88
   3  Harpenden Town                   40   27    5    8   97   55   86
   4  Leighton Town                    40   24    9    7   88   52   81
   5  Biggleswade                      40   22    7   11   96   61   73
   6  Hadley                           40   19    9   12   76   67   66
   7  Leverstock Green                 40   17    8   15   84   83   59
   8  Biggleswade United               40   16    9   15   69   57   57
   9  Wembley                          40   15    8   17   76   68   53
  10  Edgware Town                     40   14    9   17   63   67   51
  11  Colney Heath                     40   14    8   18   54   69   50
  12  Hoddesdon Town                   40   14    6   20   64   72   48
  13  London Colney                    40   14    6   20   55   72   48
  14  Holmer Green                     40   11   13   16   53   75   46
  15  London Tigers                    40   14    4   22   53   75   46
  16  St Margaretsbury                 40   12    7   21   54   84   43
  17  Tring Athletic                   40   11    9   20   59   71   42
  18  Crawley Green Sports             40   10    6   24   59   90   36
  19  Oxhey Jets                       40    8   11   21   56   89   35
  20  Cockfosters                      40    9    8   23   52   85   35
  21  Stotfold                         40    9    8   23   51   93   35
      Sun Sports                       Record expunged

Rhodes - I can wholeheartedly guarantee you, that I am not being harsh. We would not have won promotion on Scott, I can tell you that for a fact. Berko still would have gone up regardless of our Vase run or not. 

He was more bothered about looking good on a post match interview than he was about coaching his squad of players. It comes as absolutely no surprise to me to have seen him fail at Aylesbury and to now see him at Bucks Ath. 
 

The best thing that could’ve happened, happened at the end of 17/18 season. He left! Yes, 18/19 was rather boring to say the very least of a season, but, that was fine, Danny Nics didn’t work out, but now we’ve got Joe & Coppo and we’re flying.

He gave us a good season, a great cup run, a decent league finish. But the way that season ended and his shocking selection for a Vase quarter final, showed what a poor manager he is.

Remember you aren’t seeing what he’s like behind the scenes either...

[Rhodes]

Leighton Town Under 18's reached the Third Qualifying Round of the FA Youth Cup in 2013/14 and drew Luton Town at Kenilworth Road, here are some photographs. It was a great occasion for the lads despite going down 3-0 with the very strong Luton Town side progressing to the Third Round proper, losing 3-1 at Huddersfield Town after extra time:

Edited February 2, 2021 by Rhodes