Baldock Town FC

[Savagebee]

https://mobile.twitter.com/baldocktownfc/status/1270824225952206851

[Rhodes]

Yes, Rob Verdia is Arsenal's biggest fan so it will be interesting when he asks Adam Fisher for time off to go to watch the Gunners play on a Saturday afternoon, thankfully Baldock Town play at home on Wednesday's so he will at least be able to get to Arsenal games on a Tuesday evening. Rob joined Langford as player manager in October 2017, following Rob Bates resignation, but only lasted four months at Forde Park and stepped down in February 2018, he later in the year returned to the Club he loves as Assistant to current Manager Martin Wells and was then, in November 2018, surprisingly offered the role as Club Chairman which he gladly accepted but stepped down in July last year after eight months. As a player Rob plied his trade at Stotfold and Langford and will be a very good acquisition for Adam Fisher at Hitchin Road with his experience, contacts and big personality however, like I said, his beloved Arsenal will come very much first:

 

 

Edited June 15, 2020 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

Already posted on the Aylesbury Vale Dynamos thread however over eighty photographs and a match report from Aylesbury Vale Dynamos v Baldock Town in the SSML Premier Division on Saturday 28 September 2019 which Aylesbury Vale Dynamos won 4-1 despite Baldock Town leading at the interval through Scott Piggott:

https://www.aylesburyvaledynamos.co.uk/teams/77541/match-centre/1-4547131/report

 

 

[Savagebee]

1 hour ago, Rhodes said:

Yes, Rob Verdia is Arsenal's biggest fan so it will be interesting when he asks Adam Fisher for time off to go to watch the Gunners play on a Saturday afternoon, thankfully Baldock Town play at home on Wednesday's so he will at least be able to get to Arsenal games on a Tuesday evening. Rob joined Langford as player manager in October 2017, following Rob Bates resignation, but only lasted four months at Forde Park and stepped down in February 2018, he later in the year returned to the Club he loves as Assistant to current Manager Martin Wells and was then, in November 2018, surprisingly offered the role as Club Chairman which he gladly accepted but stepped down in July last year after eight months. As a player Rob plied his trade at Stotfold and Langford and will be a very good acquisition for Adam Fisher at Hitchin Road with his experience, contacts and big personality however, like I said, his beloved Arsenal will come very much first:

 

 

So he's a Gooner eh!

[Rhodes]

Savagebee - Yes, despite looking very much like Harry Kane, they could be brothers couldn't they but Rob won't thank me for saying so as his biggest hate is Tottenham Hotspur

[Rhodes]

Over a hundred photographs from Hitchin Town v Baldock Town in a pre-season friendly on Saturday 28 July 2018, Baldock Town got an impressive 1-1 draw against their Step 3 opponents:

 

[Savagebee]

8 hours ago, Rhodes said:

Savagebee - Yes, despite looking very much like Harry Kane, they could be brothers couldn't they but Rob won't thank me for saying so as his biggest hate is Tottenham Hotspur

? Harry Kane I like that ?

[Rhodes]

Photographs from Baldock Town v Letchworth Garden City Eagles, on 5 January 2013 in a Hertfordshire Senior County League Premier Division game, played at Hitchin Town FC where Baldock Town had arranged to groundshare that 2012/13 season due to being denied promotion to the SSML the season before due to irregularities at their Norton Road Arena ground in Baldock. The Club also met Letchworth Garden City Eagles in a Anagram Records Trophy Quarter Final tie that season which Baldock Town won 3-1 and they went on to win the competition that 2012/13 season, whilst a Hertfordshire Senior County League Club, beating the then SSML Kent Athletic 1-0 in the Final at County Ground in Letchworth Garden City. This time Baldock Town secured promotion to Division One of the SSML by finishing second to Champions Metropolitan Police Bushey and continued to groundshare at Top Field in the SSML for the 2013/14 season where they finished a respectable eighth in Division One, they moved to Stotfold's old Roker Park for the start of the 2015/16 campaign and then to Hitchin Road for 2017/18 where they remain, groundsharing with Arlesey Town although the two season agreement did expire at the end of May:

 

[Rhodes]

I would be interested to know how Michael Masters is getting along these days if anybody knows who must be about 33 by now. Michael was a very promising Baldock Town player with both the first and youth teams, who had last played for the Club in the Hertfordshire Junior Cup Final on 6 April 2007, when he sadly lost his left leg in a freak London underground accident, falling into a gap between a train and station platform, following a West Ham v Chelsea game on 18 April 2007, during the 2006/07 season. A Charity game was arranged for him on 9 September 2007 at the County Ground in Letchworth Garden City between Baldock Town and a former Baldock Town XI including the likes of Marcelle Bruce, Darren Fenton, Ian Allinson, Steve Cook, Paddy Stanton and Gary Roberts, the 'current' Baldock Town side won the game 2-0 with £1500 being raised for Michael. He has gone on to make an amazing recovery in the circumstances, both physically and mentally, and represented Great Britain at amputee football at the 2014 World Cup in Mexico raising the funding required for himself and others in a short space of time, he also won Great Britain Amputee Player of the Year in 2014 only two years after taking up the sport: 

 

[Rhodes]

Photographs from Southall v Baldock Town, on 24 February 2016 in a SSML Division 1 fixture, played at Reynolds Field where Southall were groundsharing that 2015/16 campaign, Baldock Town had an impressive 3-0 win and were to finish third in the table in only their third season in the SSML at Step 6, the previous Club who folded in 2001 had been in the old South Midlands League Premier Division:

Edited June 19, 2020 by Rhodes

[Savagebee]

8 hours ago, Rhodes said:

Photographs from Southall v Baldock Town, on 24 February 2016 in a SSML Division 1 fixture, played at Reynolds Field where Southall were groundsharing that 2015/16 campaign, Baldock Town had an impressive 3-0 win and were to finish third in the table in only their third season in the SSML at Step 6, the previous Club who folded in 2001 had been in the old South Midlands League Premier Division:

The Ex Southall FC Number 1 and SSML fans focus forum poster Dom Cassells ⬇️

 

[Rhodes]

It is a mystery isn't it as to why Adam Fisher has suddenly left Baldock Town, does anybody know why, Adam was only appointed in May last year so a year at Hitchin Road was not a long time and it was only last week that he was quoted as saying ' buzzing to be back with Baldock Town boys tomorrow and to welcome some new faces':

It is with great regret that our manager Adam Fisher has resigned with immediate effect. We would like to thank Adam and his mum for all they have done for the club and there unrivaled hard work. We wish them both the very best for the future.

Edited June 20, 2020 by Rhodes

[Savagebee]

ADAM FISHER RESIGNS AS MANAGER

As reported on our Twitter page last Friday we regretfully accepted Adam Fisher’s resignation as First Team Manager at Baldock Town FC.

---

Our Chairman Graham Kingham has stated:

"With the current situation in the UK and our plans for the new stadium being placed on hold temporarily, the funds required to match Adam’s ambitions could not be guaranteed for this coming season.

As a result of these discussions, Adam resigned from his position with immediate effect along with his mother Karen, who was our Club Secretary.

We would like to place on record our thanks to Adam and Karen for all their efforts on and off the pitch this past season and wish them the best of luck for the future"

An update will be provided later in the week with regards to the vacant First Team Manager position.

[Rhodes]

Baldock Town have got a new Management team then, information courtesy of the Non League Today website. I also see that Rob Verdia has already left the Club after less than two weeks:

http://nonleague.today/news/details.php?news_id=7224

https://www.baldocktownfc.com/news/new-management-team-at-baldock-town-2545632.html

[Savagebee]

Rob Bates handed keys to Baldock Town kingdom as former Stotfold boss named as new Reds manager

The former Stotfold and Langford boss is a logical choice having joined the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division side in November as Fisher’s number two.

A former professional with Colchester United, he is also a UEFA qualified coach and played an important role in changing Baldock’s fortunes on the pitch last season, with his coaching experience and network of players proving invaluable.

He will be joined in the dugout by Ercan Mehmet, who joins as his assistant, and Danny Hutchins as first-team coach.

Mehmet, more commonly known as Surge, was goalkeeping coach at the club last season before moving to join Welwyn Garden City for the remainder of the campaign.

Hutchins was another who started the season with Baldock before moving on, in his case to Hayes & Yeading.

Bates has also retained the services of goalkeeping coach Stuart Howard and team physio India Bunnage.

Speaking on the club website the new boss said: “I’m delighted that the chairman has offered me the opportunity to manage Baldock Town. It’s a fantastic club with so much potential, especially with the new stadium on the horizon.

“My management team of Surge, Hutch, Stu and India will bring the professionalism and experience needed to take the club forward.

“We have a great bunch of lads who are honest, hardworking and want to win. The youth teams have some fantastic young talent who I’m already keeping a close eye on to promote to the first team when ready.

“Four of the newly formed U18 side have already joined the first team in training and have demonstrated they can more than hold their own.

“I’m looking forward to the challenge ahead and can’t wait to get going.”

Chairman Graham Kingham said: “Having consulted with my fellow committee members and a number of senior players, it was unanimously agreed that we had the ready-made replacement already at the club in Rob.

“Rob joined us at a very tough time last season with us just above the relegation zone and alongside Adam he was instrumental in us winning nine straight league games taking us to the safety of mid-table.

“If the season had not been cut short, I am sure we would have finished in the top ten.

“I would also like to welcome back Surge and Hutch as assistant manager and first-team coach respectively, both of whom the players and I hold in very high regard.

“Rob has put together a strong team that will allow the players to do what they do best on the pitch and entertain the fans.”

https://mobile.twitter.com/baldocktownfc/status/1277331999309602816

[Rhodes]

Yes, a nice article in the Hertfordshire Comet about Rob Bates arrival however the question everybody is asking is why did Rob Verdia leave Hitchin Road so soon and following Adam Fisher's departure as he was only welcomed to the Club with open arms on 10 June. I wonder whether Rob (Verdia) will now return to Forde Park as he is very much like a homing pigeon where his beloved Langford are concerned, coincidentally Rob Verdia took over the reins from Rob Bates when he left Langford shortly after the start of the 2017/18 campaign stating that 'the commitment shown by the management team wasn’t always matched by the players', this followed a poor start to the season including a 9-1 home defeat to Hadley in the FA Cup and a 6-1 league defeat to Broadfields United at Forde Park:

https://www.thecomet.net/sport/football/rob-bates-new-baldock-town-manager-1-6721224

https://nonleague.pitchero.com/headlines/langford-management-team-leave/

[Rhodes]

What became of disgraced player Alfie Barker who Baldock Town controversially took back in September 2017 after his seven month ban from football by the FA, he did repay Baldock Town handsomely for their brave decision with eighteen goals in thirty league appearances that 2017/18 season helping them to second place in SSML Division One behind Southall and promotion. Barker stayed at the Club for part of the following 2018/19 campaign in the Premier Division before moving to Stotfold and then I believe to London Tigers:

https://www.thenonleaguefootballpaper.com/latest-news/20362/baldock-town-says-youngster-deserves-second-chance-after-fa-ban/

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/41332722

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-4086704/Bournemouth-report-abusive-Tweets-sent-Harry-Arter-non-League-footballer-taunting-death-child.html

[Rhodes]

Nice photographs and a match report from Baldock Town v Sporting Bengal United in a 2014/15 FA Vase First Qualifying Round tie on Saturday 6 September 2014 at Top Field where they were still groundsharing with Hitchin Town, Baldock Town won 4-1 with two goals from Nathan Aulsberry, Jack Gregson and Tom Oram and progressed to meet Long Melford at Top Field who they beat 4-3 but were then defeated 2-1 at Cotlandswick in the First Round proper:

https://www.baldocktownfc.com/teams/6241/match-centre/0-2441383/report

Edited July 7, 2020 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

On ‎04‎/‎07‎/‎2020 at 12:42, Rhodes said:

What became of disgraced player Alfie Barker who Baldock Town controversially took back in September 2017 after his seven month ban from football by the FA, he did repay Baldock Town handsomely for their brave decision with eighteen goals in thirty league appearances that 2017/18 season helping them to second place in SSML Division One behind Southall and promotion. Barker stayed at the Club for part of the following 2018/19 campaign in the Premier Division before moving to Stotfold and then I believe to London Tigers

I'm just wondering what possessed Alfie Barker to do such a thing, his Father is quoted as saying "I can't believe he has been so stupid, it's completely out of character, he's a good lad really, he just didn't think about what he was doing", however it sounds like his Father is defending him as, if he was such a good lad and if it was completely out of character, then Alfie wouldn't have dreamt about doing something like that in a million years.

[Rhodes]

Photographs from Baldock Town v Buckingham Athletic, in a 2013/14 SSML Division 1 fixture, played on Easter Monday 21 April 2014 at Hitchin Town FC where Baldock Town had arranged to groundshare the previous 2012/13 season enabling them to finally gain promotion to the SSML from the Hertfordshire County Senior League due to irregularities at their Norton Road Arena ground in Baldock. Baldock Town had an impressive 7-0 win over the visiting Stratford Fields Club who never laid a glove on their hosts all afternoon:

https://www.baldocktownfc.com/photos/20132014-btfc-v-buckingham-athletic-70-479040.html

 

Edited July 10, 2020 by Rhodes