THE MIDLAND FOOTBALL LEAGUE PREMIER DIV'N

SATURDAY 7th SEPTEMBER 2024 3.00pm KICK OFF

NORTHWICH VICTORIA v ROMULUS

ROMULUS are the visitors to The U Lock It Stadium on Saturday .

Romulus currently lie 17th in the League with just 4 points from 5 games, having finished just 14th last season. They are based in the Castle Vale area of Birmingham and were only formed in 1979 when they started playing Sunday League football. They eventually started playing senior football in 1999 and entered the Midland Football Combination. Two promotions followed in 2003/4 and again in 2006/7 but were relegated into the Midland League Premier in 2018

Phil Harrison interviewed Stone's Vice Chairman Richard Jones for more information on his Club :
"Firstly, how long have you been a fan of Stone Old Alleynians? "
Richard Jones: "I have been involved with Alleynians since 1993, as a player, manager, chairman and community development officer.
Currently I am: vice-chairman of whole club, chairman of our girls section, coach of both the u7 and u16 girls teams, player-manager of our two successful over 35s veterans teams, community development officer and, last but not least, a governor at Alleyne’s school. "

"How and why did you become a fan? "
"When I was in Year 11 at Alleyne’s High School back in 1993, my old school teacher used to knock on the door, mid-lesson, and ask if I was available to play that weekend or in the evening. His name is Andy Osgathorpe and he was involved with the Club for many years in a manger/coaching role. Despite moving on to play for other clubs I always looked out for Stone as it is my local team. The Club has always had a good history of players coming through the school teams and entering into adult football."

"What has been the highlight of your time following The Old Boys? "
"With three different hats on;
As a player, not much! Back in the 90s we were bogged down in the Staffs County League with little hope of pushing on due to lack of facilities at the school. Many good players left over the years due to this.
As a manager, my first decision was to take the Club from local, County League football into the official pyramid, entering into the West Midlands Regional League in 2007-08, which has since proven to be possibly the most critical decision the Club has made to get us to where we are today.
As a supporter, beating Leek Town away to reach the Staffs Senior Cup final, in 2022, before losing narrowly to Stafford Rangers. "

"Name and tell me a bit about your all time 6 a side team - who's turning out in those black and white stripes and who's the gaffer?"
"I will be the gaffer and pick players from 1993-2008 era only.
Steve Hassall, Andy ‘Iffy’ Smith, Danny Rainford, Tim Buckley, Chris Morris, Michael Perry.
All first class players of a bygone era (all ex-students of Alleyne’s), who would have absolutely loved to be able to play for the Club at the level we find ourselves in today. All had to move away from the Club, at some point, to play at a higher level back in the day. "

"Although we met last season for the first time, we know little about Stone Old Alleynians so what can you tell the Vics faithful about the club and the area it is based in? "
"Formed in 1962, the Club is based in Stone at the local high school, Alleyne’s. It was formed originally for ex-pupils to continue their association with the school. The Club remained in local leagues until 2007-08 when it moved onto the pyramid.
Up to this point, the Club’s golden years seem to be in the late 60s and 70s, where they dominated local football. However, the Club stagnated for many years from the late 80s to 2007 (at Step 8 in modern days) due to remaining loyal to its base at the school and not having the facilities to progress, if promoted. Many local players to Stone had to play outside of the town to play at a higher standard. Therefore, in 1999 the Club moved off-site firstly to the Outlanes Sports Ground, and then to a neighbouring village, Yarnfield, whereby the facilities there enabled us to apply for and succeed in obtaining a place on the official pyramid in 2007. Since then, the Club has steadily moved up from Step 8 to where we are now 16 years later at Step 5, this being our fourth season at this level. Current player-manager and chairman, father-son duo, Bob and Luke Askey have been involved since around 2012 and have overseen several promotions since. The Askey’s are probably the most well known footballing family in North Staffs.
Up to 2020, the Club had been at very most a two team Club, first team and reserves. Occasionally we would have a u18 team, but not too often.
We then came up with a plan in 2020 to try and get the first team back playing in Stone, having been nomadic since 1999. To this day, we still play outside the town, 8 miles away at Newcastle Town, having spent the past three years at Meir KA.
The plan involved creating a thriving junior section and basing all the teams back on the school site, to show that we are worthy of a stadium and also to become investable. The school were thrilled to develop the partnership once again and have been critical in the development of the Club. Over a three year period, we now have 54 teams within the club, including; 34 boys teams, 11 girls, 5 veterans, 2 adult, 2 disability and SEND teams, and we are still growing! We have around 1,100 official Club members. All bar the first team now both play and train on the school site. We have also created ten new grass pitches on fields that the school own, but didn’t use.
As a result, and working closely with the school, council and FA, we are virtually there in obtaining both funding and permission, to develop a new stadium on-site, a clubhouse and a 3G pitch. This has been a four year project that when we first started, I predicted and communicated it would take five years in total. We hope to have the first team back on site for the beginning of the 2026-27 season, having been in exile for 27 years!
The Club is very much community based and the vast majority of junior players, coaches, managers, senior players are either past, present or future Alleyne’s High School students, mainly due to being the only school in town. A lot of ex-players give back their time to the Club in helping to run junior teams. We have some players in our over70s team that have been involved with Stone for over 50yrs. Life President, Dave Mardling, is still actively involved having been the founder back in 1962.
We think that we’re the highest ranked, school-based Club in the country!"

"Alleynians have played pretty much in the Midlands leagues throughout their history so what is the standard like and who do you see as your main/biggest rival? "
"In the 60/70s we played in both the Stafford Amateur League and Mid-Staffs League, playing teams in the south of the county. Then, in the 80s, we moved over to the Staffs County League (North) and the Staffs Alliance League, generally playing teams from the north of the county, currently Step 8 standard. The old County League was brutal, with the Stoke area proving to be one of the toughest cities in the country to play local football, another reason to move elsewhere!
Our main rival in early years of the Club’s formation were the now defunct Stone St.Michael’s, who won all before them, up to the late 90s, with some great local derbies.
In more recent years, the teams we would generally look out for include Eccleshall, Brocton, Newcastle Town and Stafford Town"

"While it's still early doors, how has your season gone so far and looking forwards where do you see Alleynians finishing ?"
"We’ve had a great start in winning the first two league matches and progressing in the FA Cup. Anything above mid-table would be very pleasing. We have a small budget and are very fortunate to have such a loyal bunch of players that have all attended the school and live locally, dedicating the vast majority of their playing career to the Club."

"Who are the players that the Trickies look out for today?"
"We can’t reveal too much before the game, but diminutive player-manager, Luke Askey, is known for his searing pace and causes teams a few problems down the left-wing."

"What do you know about Nortwhich Victoria and what are you expecting from today?"
"As a child I remember watching them play several times at Stafford Rangers, in the old Vauxhall Conference days, and it being a local derby and good crowds. I expect it to be a close game today with not much difference between the two sides."

"So in general then, where is your favourite away day?"
"In this league, I like the set up at AFC Wulfrunians the most."

"Do you have a particular match day routine or superstition?"
"Normally it involves coaching one of the girls teams in the morning, waiting for all the other junior matches to finish at around 1.30-2pm, dashing home, and then trying to get wherever for a 3pm ko. It’s a very hectic day."

"What’s your go to footy scran?"
"Can’t beat a good pie."

"Prediction for the game?"
"1-1 draw"

Thank you to Phil, and Richard Jones

Vics will be hoping to continue their recent improved form over the last two games, a great 3 - 2 win away at Highgate Utd, followed by midweeks 2 all draw at AFC Wulfrunians.

Tickets are pay at the gate, Cash only
Ticket prices are as below :

Standard : £8.00
Concessions : £ 5.00 ( Seniors and students )
12-16 year olds : £2.00
Under 12s : FOC with a paying adult
If you have the exact change available, that is always helpful .

There is a large free car park at the ground and there is a fully licensed clubhouse along with a tea bar inside the ground selling both hot and cold foods.

GROUND ADDRESS :

The Barton Stadium
Wharton Road
WINSFORD
CW7 3EA

DIRECTIONS :

M6 to Junction 19, follow A556 westwards until slip road for the A533, follow A533 until roundabout, onto the industrial estate, turn right at that roundabout and take the A5018 until next roundabout, bear left onto Wharton Roard to the Top House pub, turn left onto Kingsway and left again to ground.