Issuu

OFFICIAL MATCH DAY PROGRAMME

BUGBROOKE ST MICHAELS vs

GNG OADBY TOWN

THE BADGER

UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION SOUTH SATURDAY 28th AUGUST 2021 I 3pm KICK OFF

BUGBROOKE ST MICHAELS FC in association with

2021/22 - ISSUE 3

Bugbrooke St Michaels FC The Badgers, founded 1929

WHOS WHO PRESIDENT - WILLY MARRIOTT CHAIRMAN - KEVIN GARDNER VICE-CHAIRMAN - NIGEL THOMAS CLUB SECRETARY - GRAHAM CONNEW YOUTH SECRETARY & TREASURER - NICK INWOOD FIXTURES SECRETARY - DAVE MELLOR GROUNDSMAN - DANNY POWELL WELFARE OFFICER - BEN ROBINSON

MANAGEMENT / COACHING TEAM FIRST TEAM - JAMIE FORREST RESERVE TEAM – DALE WALTON

‘A’ TEAM - MARIUS OBREJA ‘B’ TEAM - DAVE ASHWELL LADIES TEAM - CHARLOTTE GIBBS / STUART WHITE UNDER 18s - DANIEL POWELL UNDER 16s - PAUL LEWIS UNDER 15s - DARREN SMITH UNDER 14s BLACK - MARK LINNELL UNDER 13s WHITE – RYAN NASH UNDER 13s BLACK - SIMON WHEELER UNDER 12s BLUE - NICK INWOOD UNDER 12s BLACK - CHRIS ASHTON UNDER 10s WHITE – TONY HILL UNDER 10s BLACK - DANIEL BLAND

UNDER 9s - IAN MARRIOTT

THE GAFFER I’d like to extend a warm welcome to the players, officials and supporters of GNG Oadby Town who are the visitors to the Sett for todays United Counties Premier Division South fixture. As far as weeks go in football it’s been a bumpy one! Firstly, we discovered that we had been charged with fielding an ineligible player in our opening four fixtures including the FA Cup tie against March Town United What followed was a tireless effort from our committee to not only get to the bottom of the situation but then represent the club at not one, not two but three FA hearings including an appeal against the initial one. As has been well publicised the charges were proven, and our subsequent appeal was unsuccessful resulting in expulsion from this season’s FA Cup competition and with it the loss of any prize money that we may have earned; we await further updates from the United Counties League. On the pitch and a well drilled Leicester Road were the visitors on Tuesday evening and whilst we competed throughout, failure to convert any of presentable chances that we created during the first period coupled with a tenminute spell in the second where we conceded three meant that our visitors ran out comfortable 4-0 winners.

“As far as weeks go in football it’s been a bumpy one!”

“Sometimes you hold your hands up and say that the best team won!“

Sometimes you hold your hands up and say that the best team won! Looking ahead to today’s game Oadby have had a similar start to the season as ourselves and whilst its early days 3 points on the board come 5pm would be more than welcome! Anyway, thank you for your support, enjoy the game, and I hope to see you soon.

Jamie

Programme Contributions: Editor: Nick Inwood Photography: Finbarr Carroll

• • • • • • • • •

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MATCH REPORT UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION SOUTH TUESDAY 24th AUGUST

0-4 DOMINIC BRENNAN (19’, 66’), SIMON ALCOTT (72’), MATT LANGHAM (74’)

LINE-UP

LANDERS, WHALER, J.WEBSTER, CALVIN GREEN, LEWINGTON (Capt.), BARNELL, A.WEBSTER, HARRISON, PORTER, BURROWS, CHARLIE GREEN SUBS: FREEMAN, GLENNON, WEATHERLEY, CATON (Not Used), SNAITH (Not Used) After successive road trips the Badgers returned to the comforts of the Sett looking to put the events of the last week behind us. Leicester Road were the visitors and having made a strong start to the season a tough assignment lay in wait. The starting line-up saw a Lewis Landers make his Badgers debut in goal whilst summer signing Billy Snaith was included in the match day squad for the first time following his return from injury. Following a quiet opening period, the Badgers had strong appeals for a penalty on twelve minutes however the referee decided that the offence had occurred just outside the area therefore a free kick was awarded. Calvin Green’s effort came to nothing and from the resulting clearance Leicester Road broke at pace, an early sign of things to come. With the Leicester Road drum banging the Badgers defence were struggling to cope with the pace and movement of the visitors which meant it came as no surprise when on twenty minutes the deadlock was broken when a cross from the right was headed from by BRENNAN close range. A minute later Leicester Road were inches away from doubling their lead when a shot from outside the box whistled past the post with Landers at full stretch.

With the interval approaching and against the run of play Burrows found himself bearing down on goal and from his misshit shot the ball fell to Porter who couldn’t organise his feet quickly enough and his scuffed effort went agonisingly the wrong side of the post. Just before the break Charlie Green was replaced by Levi Freeman, presumably due to an injury, and with the final kick of the half Leicester Road saw a close-range effort blazed over the crossbar.

HALF TIME BUGBROOKE ST MICHAELS - 0 LEICESTER ROAD - 1 There was a change at the interval with Will Glennon introduced for Josh Whaler and with the game drifting away a further change followed on 68 minutes when Bailey Weatherley replaced Burrows in attack.

Heads noticeably dropped and what followed was a ten-minute spell that took the game away from the Badgers as a 1-0 deficit quickly became 4-0 as further goals followed from ALCOTT and LANGHAM, with the former a fantastic first-time scissor kick into the far corner of the net. As the game moved into injury time the Badgers almost pulled a goal back when Jake Webster's shot from an angle beat the keeper before rebounding back off the base of the post. With that the full-time whistle was blown and the points were deservedly heading north.

FULL TIME BUGBROOKE ST MICHAELS - 0 LEICESTER ROAD - 4

With the game now stretched the Badgers rear-guard were reliant on some last ditch defending to contain their rampant visitors however the resistance was broken on 68 minutes when a short corner resulted in a cross-shot from BRENNAN finding the far corner of the net. The Leicester Road marching band led by the local clergyman kept the crowd entertained!

LEAGUE TABLE

PREMIER DIVISION SOUTH as at 26/08/21

POS

PTS

Rugby Town FC

Newport Pagnell Town FC

Coventry United FC

Eynesbury Rovers FC

Harborough Town FC

Leicester Road FC

Coventry Sphinx FC

Lutterworth Town FC

Cogenhoe United FC

Long Buckby AFC

-2

Godmanchester Rovers FC

G.N.G Oadby Town FC

Peterborough Northern Star FC

-3

Potton United FC

-3

Bugbrooke St.Michaels FC

-4

Rothwell Corinthians FC

-4

Wellingborough Town FC

-5

Desborough Town FC

-4

Easington Sports FC

-1

Northampton O.N.Chenecks FC

-7

Biggleswade United FC

-25

FORM GUIDE

WWLLL 01/09 vs ON Chenecks (Away)

NEXT UP

04/09 vs Peterborough Northern Star (Away) 11/09 vs Wellingborough Town (Home)

PLAYER DATE

OPPOSITION

VENUE RESULT SCORE STARTING LINE-UP

03.08.21 Rothwell Corinthians

Home

Won

4-2

ROHAN

WHALER

FIELD

CALVIN GREEN

CATON

J.LEWINGTON

CHARLIE GREEN

07.08.21 March Town United (FA Cup) Home

Won

4-2

ROHAN

NASH (1)

FIELD

CALVIN GREEN

CATON (1)

BARNELL

CHARLIE GREEN

10.08.21 Coventry Sphinx

Away

Lost

0-1

ROHAN

NASH

FIELD

CALVIN GREEN

J.LEWINGTON

BARNELL

FREEMAN

14.08.21 Eynesbury Rovers

Away

Lost

1-2

ROHAN

WHALER

J.WEBSTER

CALVIN GREEN

J.LEWINGTON

BARNELL

OAKES

21.08.21 Arlesey Town (FA Cup)

Away

N/A

V-V

24.08.21 Leicester Road

Home

Lost

0-4

LANDERS

WHALER

J.WEBSTER

CALVIN GREEN

J.LEWINGTON

BARNELL

CHARLIE GREEN

28.08.21 GNG Oadby Town

Home

01.09.21 Northampton ON Chenecks

Away

04.09.21 Peterborough Northern Star

Away

11.09.21 Wellingborough Town

Home

18.09.21 Coventry United

Home

21.09.21 Harborough Town

Home

02.10.21 Desborough Town

Away

05.10.21 Lutterworth Town

Away

09.10.21 Cogenhoe United

Home

12.10.21 Coventry Sphinx

Home

16.10.21 Godmanchester Rovers

Away

19.10.21 Easington Sports

Away

30.10.21 Newport Pagnell Town

Home

13.11.21 Biggleswade United

Home

20.11.21 Rugby Town

Home

27.11.21 Potton United

Away

04.12.21 Wellingborough Town

Away

11.12.21 Potton United

Home

18.12.21 Rothwell Corinthians

Away

21.12.21 Long Buckby AFC

Away

03.01.22 Lutterworth Town

Home

08.01.22 Desborough Town

Home

15.01.22 Leicester Road

Away

22.01.22 Coventry United

Away

29.01.22 Easington Sports

Home

05.02.22 Rugby Town

Away

12.02.22 Godmanchester Rovers

Home

05.03.22 Cogenhoe United

Away

12.03.22 Harborough Town

Away

19.03.22 Eynesbury Rovers

Home

26.03.22 GNG Oadby Town

Away

02.04.22 Newport Pagnell Town

Away

09.04.22 Northampton ON Chenecks

Home

16.04.22 Peterborough Northern Star

Home

19.04.22 Long Buckby AFC 23.04.22 Biggleswade United

Home Away

ANTONIO AGUILAR-ROHAN

BEN DRINKWATER 0 (2) Apps

CHARLIE GREEN 3 Apps

CURTIS AVERY

DAN FIELD 3 Apps

CAMERON HARRISON 2 (2) Apps

GEORGE BARNELL 4 (1) Apps

LEVI FREEMAN 2 (1) Apps / 2 Goals

LEWIS LANDERS 1 App

NATHAN BURROWS 4 (1) Apps / 1 Goal

WILL GLENNON 0 (1) Apps

JASON LEE 0 (1) App

TOM CATON 2 Apps / 1 Goal

CALVIN GREEN 5 Apps

JOE LEWINGTON 4 Apps

4 Apps

STATISTICS SUBS QUIGLEY (1)

FREEMAN (2)

PORTER

LING (1)

HARRISON

BARNELL

BURROWS

A.WEBSTER

OGDEN

A.WEBSTER

BURROWS (1)

PORTER (1)

LING

J.WEBSTER

WEATHERLY

OGDEN

LEE

LANDERS

A.WEBSTER

BURROWS

PORTER

LING

HARRISON

LEE

DRINKWATER

J.WEBSTER

OGDEN

HARRISON

BURROWS

PORTER

LING (1)

SPENCER

WEATHERLY

DRINKWATER

CATON

HARRISON

BURROWS

PORTER

A.WEBSTER

FREEMAN

WEATHERLY

GLENNON

CATON

GREG LING 4 Apps / 2 Goals

DAN PORTER 5 Apps / 1 Goal

KIEREN SPENCER 0 (1) App

RYAN NASH 2 Apps / 1 Goal

JOE POWER

BAILEY WEATHERLEY 0 (3) Apps

TRENT OAKES 0 (1) App

DAN QUIGLEY 1 App / 1 Goal

AIDAN WEBSTER 3 Apps

ASHLEY OGDEN 0 (1) App

TOM SMYTH

JAKE WEBSTER 2 (1) Apps

EDDIE PANTER

BILLY SNAITH

JOSH WHALER 3 Apps

SNAITH

AROUND THE UCL Premier Division South

Going into the latest round of fixtures a total of five teams remain unbeaten in the South Division with Rugby Town now sitting pretty at the top of the pile with three wins and a draw from their opening five fixtures. Just behind them sit Newport Pagnell, Eynesbury Rovers, Harborough Town and Leicester Road – all boast 100% records. At the foot of the table Biggleswade United remain pointless and now have a goal difference of -25, things can only get better!

GOALSCORER

RILEY-COLE O’SULLIVAN – COVENTRY UNITED

Premier Division North

Boston Town are the early pacesetters in the North Division maintaining their 100% record in mid-week with an excellent 4-1 win over Holbeach. Sitting just behind Boston are Anstey Nomads, Heather St Johns and Long Eaton all of whom remain unbeaten. At the opposite end of the table Selston, Eastwood and Leicester Nirvana are all still looking for their first points.

GOALSCORER

DANIEL MUNDAY – GRESLEY ROVERS

Reserve Division Wellingborough Town are setting the early pace in the

Reserve Division boasting four wins from four to hold a 3-point lead over ourselves and Harborough Town albeit both teams have a game in hand. The early signs suggest it could be a long season for a youthful Bourne who shipped double figures last week which was followed up by a NINE goal defeat in mid-week.

GOALSCORER

BRIAN FARRELL – DESBOROUGH TOWN

FIRST TEAM PLAYER SPONSORSHIP

MANAGER JAMIE FORREST

ANTONIO AGUILAR ROHAN

JOSH WHALER

DAN FIELD

TOM CATON

CURTIS AVERY

JOE LEWINGTON

CALVIN GREEN

CHARLIE GREEN

PLEASE SPEAK TO A COMMITTEE MEMBER

GREG LING

CAMERON HARRISON

BILLY SNAITH

JOE POWER

EDDIE PANTER

DAN PORTER

NATHAN BURROWS

BEN DRINKWATER

LEVI FREEMAN

LEAGUE TABLE

RESERVE DIVISION as at 26/08/21

POS

PTS

Wellingborough Town Reserves

Bugbrooke St.Michaels Reserves

Harborough Town FC Reserves

Newport Pagnell Town Reserves

Desborough Town Reserves

Kempston Rovers Reserves

Milton Keynes Irish Reserves

Rothwell Corinthians Reserves

-3

G.N.G Oadby Town FC Reserves

Huntingdon Town Reserves

Northampton O.N.Chenecks F.C. Reserves

Wellingborough Whitworth Reserves

-4

Yaxley FC Reserves

-6

Cogenhoe United Reserves

-7

Raunds Town Reserves

-3

Irchester United Reserves

-6

Daventry Town FC Reserves

-8

Bourne Town Reserves

-18

FORM GUIDE NEXT UP GOALSCORER

WWW 28/08 vs Raunds Town (Away) 04/09 vs Irchester United (Home)

RYAN PAMPLIN - 6

MATCH REPORT UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE RESERVE DIVISION TUESDAY 17th AUGUST

0-3 HALL, BINDER, GLENNON

LINE-UP REEVE, NASH (Capt.), WALTON, GLENNON, SIMMONS, HALL, LEON, BINDER, SHEHI, PAMPLIN, DRINKWATER SUBS: PEAKS, BONIFAS, POWELL, J.MOORE, SPENCER Fresh from their opening day success against Huntingdon Town the Reserves made the short trip to Daventry looking to make it back-to-back wins to start the campaign. In front of a healthy crowd boosted by a large travelling contingent the line-up saw two changes from Saturday with Andy Hall and Ben Drinkwater coming in for Ash Ogden and Ben Lewington, neither of whom were involved in the squad with the latter subject of a transfer approach from former club ON Chenecks. It was end to end from the outset with Daventry, who were looking to bounce back from an opening day reversal against Wellingborough Town, playing their part. That said the Badgers could have taken the lead inside the opening minute as a ball through the middle released Drinkwater however he couldn’t quite latch onto it before the home keeper could clear the danger. With a quarter of an hour played the Badgers should have been awarded a penalty as Drinkwater chased down a wide ball and having touched it past the on-rushing keeper he was clearly taken down however the referee deemed otherwise and awarded a goal kick much to the dismay of players and spectators alike.

Two minutes later the impressive Binder came agonisingly close, his powerful effort crashing off the cross bar. With the half hour approaching the hosts came close to breaking the deadlock however the Badgers defence was alert to the danger and held firm however this signalled the hosts best spell of the game as on 42 minutes a free kick on the edge of the penalty area was a whisker away and from the next attack Reeve was out quickly in the Badgers goal to avert the danger. It was somewhat against the run of play when Bugbrooke grabbed the lead shortly before the interval, with the home keeper able to say he was somewhat unfortunate as following a fantastic double save the ball fell to ANDREW HALL on the edge of the area who drilled a first time shot into the far corner of the net.

This was as good as it got for the hosts as for the next twenty minutes the game resembled a chess match with both teams biding their time waiting for an opening. On seventy minutes the Badgers scored a crucial second, it was Hall who played a great ball in from the right-hand side which fell to BINDER who despite having his back to goal was able to turn and finish low into the bottom corner. With Daventry showing their frustration it was now time for calm heads, tackles were now flying in with both substitute Jimmy Moore and Dalton Leon both cautioned, the former following a naughty one from the home side that had gone unpunished. Into the last ten minutes and the game was up, Bugbrooke were content to play out time which they did comfortably.

Buoyed by this the Badgers almost grabbed a second before the interval when Pamplin saw his shot from an angle crash back off the post, as it was the lead at the interval was a slender one.

In the final minute the icing was on the cake when a penalty was bizarrely awarded, at least in my opinion and most inside the ground, for an innocuous looking aerial challenge inside the box.

HALF TIME DAVENTRY TOWN - 0 BUGBROOKE ST MICHAELS - 1

The referee deemed it a push in the back, maybe he was making up for missing the earlier one. Anyway, up stepped WILL GLENNON to smash the ball high into the net to make the points secure.

With the rain now falling the second half started with Daventry pushing for an equaliser and they came close with an effort that hit the frame of the goal.

FULL TIME DAVENTRY TOWN - 0 BUGBROOKE ST MICHAELS - 3

TODAY’S VISITORS The exact year of formation of today’s visitors GNG Oadby Town is unknown however it is believed to be either 1937 or 1939 under the guise of Oadby Imperial. The club did not have to wait long for their first honours winning the “City Medals” competition in the 1939–40 season. Around 1943 the club merged with a local junior side to become Oadby United, two years later in 1949 they reverted to original name of Oadby Imperial which coincided being accepted into the Leicestershire Senior League Division 2 for the 1949–50 season. The first season saw the club finish in 11th place out of 16. In 1951 Oadby Imperial changed their name to become Oadby Town FC. In the same year they won the Leicestershire Senior League Division Two Championship and were promoted to Division One (later to become the Premier League). The 1956–57 season saw the club finish as runners-up in the Leicestershire Senior League to Leicester City ‘A’ and were also runners-up to Whitwick Colliery in the Coalville Charity Cup. It wasn’t until 1963 that the club won its first major honours winning the Leicestershire Senior Cup for the first time beating Newfoundpool WMC in the final. The following season saw three pieces of silverware collected as well as retaining their Leicestershire Senior Cup crown, Oadby were also Leicestershire Senior League champions for the first time and won the Coalville Charity Cup for a second time. It was to be a further four years (1967–68) for Oadby to regain the Senior League crown and for good measure they retained their Senior League title the following year and also added the Leicestershire Challenge and Rolleston Charity Cups.

MANAGER: Sandeep Singh Khera LEAGUE POS: 1st P12 W10 D1 L1 FORM GUIDE: WWLWW LAST TIME OUT: WON 5-1 vs HUNTINGDON

A fourth Senior League crown was achieved in the 1972–73 season. This was to be the last league title for over twenty years as it was not until the 1994–95 season that they regained the title. Titles six, seven and eight came in three consecutive years between 1997 and 1999, the latter resulting in promotion to the Midland Football Alliance Oadby Town have won the Leicestershire Senior League eight times and been runners-up seven times. In the 1999–2000 season the club joined the Midland Football Alliance, and in their first season in this league they were crowned champions. In the 2002–03 season Oadby Town were FA Vase semi-finalists, losing out to Brigg Town 3–1 on aggregate. The 2004–05 season saw the club win their first Leicestershire Challenge Cup crown for over 30 years and 3rd in total, beating fellow Midland Alliance side Barwell 2–1 at the Walkers Stadium in Leicester. The 2006–07 season saw Oadby enter the Rolleston Charity Cup for the first time in nine years and winning the competition for a ninth time beating Barwell 2–1 in the final at Holmes Park. The following season saw Oadby retain the Rolleston Charity Cup beating favourites Hinckley United 4–1 in the final. On top of that they won the Leicestershire Challenge Cup for the fourth time beating Friar Lane & Epworth 3–0 at the Walkers Stadium. In 2010–11 Oadby Town finished 22nd in the Midland Football Alliance and were relegated to the East Midlands Counties League. Lee Harriman, former Coalville Town chief, was appointed manager for the 2011–12 season. Oadby managed a successful season with a decent run in the FA Vase, being the only team from below Step 5 to reach the 5th Round, losing to Staveley Miners Welfare. Oadby Town moved across to the United Counties League Division One (Step 6) for the 2012–13 season. Turbulent times followed over a few seasons with various management changes and inevitable financial pressures forcing the committee to regrettably resign the club from the United Counties League towards the end of last season due to unsustainable financial pressures. The club was fortunately reinstated without hesitation or fear of further stresses and strains by a fresh consortium with some of the existing staff and players. .

UNDER 18s SOUTH DIVISION as at 26/08/21

POS

PTS

Bugbrooke St.Michael U18

Wellingborough Whitworth U18 Red

Biggleswade Town Youth U18 (NSYL)

Cogenhoe United U18

Harpole U18 Elite

Irchester United U18

Kempston Rovers Academy u18

Northampton O.N. Chenecks Youth U18

Bedford Town FC (Youth Development) U18

-5

Cranfield United U18

-6

LAST TIME

WON 8-2 vs CRANFIELD UNITED

FORM GUIDE

NEXT UP

HITCHIN TOWN (A) 2nd SEPTEMBER 2021

GOALSCORER

Munashe Tichawona 2 GOALS

RESERVE YOUR SEAT! To reserve a seat on the bus to Hitchin please speak to Daniel Powell. A small charge will be applicable. The bus will be leaving Bugbrooke at approximately 5pm and will return after the game.

YOUTH FOOTBALL With the 2021/22 NDYAL season now just a week away on behalf of Bugbrooke St Michaels FC I’d like to take the opportunity to welcome all of our players and parents, both old and new, and wish them well for the season ahead. Win, lose or draw, always give it your best and play with a smile!

Age Group / Team

Division

Under 9s

Primeira

Under 10s Black

Eredivisie

Under 10s White

Premier

With that in mind I am delighted to confirm that the 2021/22 season will see us running ten teams in the NDYAL ranging from Under 9s to Under 16s. We have still have room for more teams, especially in the younger age groups (7s and 8s), we just need willing coaches!

Under 12s Black

A League

Under 12s Blue

B League

Under 13s Black

C League

Under 13s White

C League

Looking ahead to the new season our teams have been placed in the following divisions…..below are your opening weekend fixtures.

Under 14s

A League

Under 15s

A League

Nick Inwood

Under 16s

B League

Youth Football Secretary

TEAM SPONSORS

THANK YOU

THE ‘A’ TEAM NORTHANTS COMBINATION – DIVISION 1 as at 26/08/21

POS

PTS

Bugbrooke St.Michael A

Medbourne

Duston Dynamo

Corby Locos

Higham Town

Wootton St George

Northampton O.N.Chenecks A

Corby Strip Mills

Roade Reserves

Northampton Spartak

-3

West Haddon Albion

-3

Future Elite Sports

Finedon Volta

-3

Weldon United

-6

Milton

-6

LAST TIME

WON 2-0

vs NORTHAMPTON ON CHENECKS ‘A’

FORM GUIDE

NEXT UP

WELDON UNITED (Away) 28th AUGUST 2021, 2:30pm KICK OFF

GOALSCORER

FRASER LODGE / DANIEL VARGA 2 GOALS

THE ‘B’ TEAM NORTHANTS COMBINATION – DIVISION 2 as at 26/08/21

POS

PTS

Earls Barton United Reserves

Thrapston Venturas FC

Wollaston Victoria Reserves

Bugbrooke St.Michael B

Corby FC Siam

Blisworth Reserves

Moulton Reserves

AFC Woodford Wolves

-1

Brixworth All Saints

-3

Kettering Nomads Reserves

Weldon United Reserves

Stanwick Rovers

-3

Harpole Reserves

-4

Woodford United Reserves

-4

Northampton F.C. Eagles United

-5

LAST TIME

WON 6-2

vs NORTHAMPTON EAGLES UNITED

FORM GUIDE

NEXT UP

WELDON UNITED RES (Home) 28th AUGUST 2021, 2:30pm KICK OFF

GOALSCORER

LIAM ISAAC 3 GOALS

THE CURSE OF BELA GUTTMANN

When you shoot for the king, you’d better not miss, or so the old saying goes. When that king literally has “Royal” in their name, and are undefeated in the European Cup – the pinnacle of continental competition – for five years, that saying goes double. So it was in the early history of the European Cup. Real Madrid, patronised by General Franco, won every iteration of the competition between its inception and 1960. And then, unthinkably, they didn’t. Where do you turn to break Spanish dominance? The answer, in 1960, was Hungary. Bela Guttmann was not a man who could ever settle. His playing career of 14 years took in nine clubs, in three countries and two continents. His managerial career is even more peripatetic – 21 clubs, 2 national sides, 12 different leagues, on both sides of the Atlantic, and no spell longer than three years. That spell, as it happened, was at Benfica.

Benfica had been one of the dominant forces in Portuguese football almost as soon as that nation professionalised, and had an early history with Hungarian coaches. They finished the first ever season of the Portuguese league, 1934-5, second, and won the next three under a different Hungarian, Lippo Hertzka. They won three more titles and four Portuguese Cups in the 1940s, including their first double, under Janos Biri. They won the Latin Cup in 1950 against Bordeaux, but couldn’t translate that success into the nascent European Cup, as Real Madrid dominated. In 1959, they lost the title despite a healthy lead, to Porto, who had been inspired by an unusual, restless, balding Hungarian who they had found languishing in Brazil. Benfica swooped that summer, and Guttman got to work. His first task at Benfica was to get rid of the driftwood, and there was a lot of it. 20 players were released from their contracts, to the concern of the board, and youth players were promoted in their place. The results were immediate, and Benfica lost only one game as they returned to the top of the league in 1960. They were back in the European Cup, and this time, things would be different. After breezing past Hearts in the preliminary round, Benfica were drawn against one of Guttmann’s many previous clubs, Ujpest of Hungary. The first leg was a feast of goals in Portugal, a 6-2 victory, that meant losing 2-1 in Budapest was of little concern. What was of much more importance, though, was that the invincible Real Madrid side, five-time holders, had lost to a spirited display against Barcelona. The second European champions would be crowned, six years after the first, and Guttmann was determined that it would be his side. While the eyes of the world were on Barca, Benfica destroyed Danish champions AGF 7-1 on aggregate in the Quarter Final. The Semi-Final was a formality against Rapid Vienna, to set up a final against Barcelona in Switzerland. A chance to take the European Cup away from Spain for the first time.

The Hungarian influence on the game is undeniable. Sandor Kocsis and Zoltan Czibor had been members of the Magical Magyars side that lost the 1954 World Cup final and, statistically, are the greatest national side of all time. Guttmann had implemented the lessons of Hungarian football in the Portuguese capital. It was an even match. Kocsis gave Barca the lead, before Jose Aguas and an Antoni Ramallets own goal gave Benfica the lead before half time. Mario Coluna made it 3 before the hour, and despite a Czibor goal and late Barcelona fightback, Benfica held on for their first European Cup. But there was an irritating question hanging over the European Champions. Real Madrid had been knocked out early, and Guttmann’s victorious side hadn’t tested themselves against them. That time would come, but a piece was missing. While in a barber shop in Lisbon, Bela Guttman ran into Brazilian former footballer Jose Carlos Bauer, who had worked under him at Sao Paulo. Bauer told his former boss of a phenomenal talent he had unearthed in Mozambique. The problem was, he played for Sporting de Lourenço Marques, a feeder team for Benfica’s biggest rivals Sporting. In a move that went to the courts and raised questions about transfer rules across the world, Guttmann trumped Sporting’s offer of a year as an unpaid apprentice by offering actual money, and Eusebio made the move that would define his career. He made just two appearances in 1960/61, scoring in both, and by for the following season was ready for the big time. The 1961/2 European Cup saw Real Madrid return, and Benfica skip the preliminary round as Champions. They saw off Austria Vienna and Nürburg with relative ease, before struggling against Bill Nicholson’s Tottenham side, scraping through 4-3 to set up the dream final against Madrid. The Spanish side had dispatched Patizan and Standard Liege with a combined score of 13-1, but the quarter-final against Juventus had been taken to a third tie before they finally won through. They went into the final with the great Alfredo di Stefano as the competition’s top scorer on 7, and Ferenc Puskas finding his feet. Eusebio had managed a creditable 3 in 3, but Madrid were the free-flowing goalscorers. Puskas may have by this stage been Spanish, but he learned his trade as a Hungarian and Guttman must have been cursing his luck as The Galloping Major took the game by storm, scoring a first half hat-trick. Aguas and Domiciano Cavern limited the damage, before early in the second half Mario Coluna brought the game level. The game needed some magic, and it got it through the Mozambican teenager. First, Eusebio drilled a great effort from range into the bottom corner, with Jose Araquistain looking on helpless, before drawing a foul from the great di Stefano to win a corner, which he calmly slotted home. Benfica had done it. They were the undisputed kings of Europe and an era of dominance beckoned them into the 1960s. Only, when they got home, Bela Guttmann looked at all he had achieved and decided he far exceeded his employer’s expectations. Never a man of much diplomacy, he marched himself off to the boardroom and demanded a pay rise. He stormed out of the club and out of Lisbon, heading back to South America, but before he did he declared "Not in a hundred years from now will Benfica ever be European champions again". Silly words, perhaps, but Benfica lost the 1963 European Cup final to Milan, and then the 1965 final to Inter, and 1968 to Man Utd. In fact, they’ve played 8 European finals since Guttmann left Portugal, and lost every single one. Before their 1990 European Cup final in Austria, Eusebio went to Guttmann’s grave in Vienna and begged his old mentor to lift the curse. The Hungarian, it seems, still holds his grudge. Enjoy the game.

Martyn Green

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