SEASON
THE BADGER
23 24
ISSUE 16
OFFICIAL MATCH DAY PROGRAMME
vs RUGBY BOROUGH UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION SOUTH SATURDAY 27th JANUARY 2024 I 3pm KICK OFF
Bugbrooke St Michaels FC The Badgers, founded 1929
CLUB COMMITTEE 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 – HELEN GILLIGAN COMMITTEE – RICHARD GIBBON, STUART WYKES, RICHARD FAULKNER, STEPH NASH
MANAGEMENT / COACHING TEAM FIRST TEAM – DALE WALTON RESERVE TEAM - ROB JONES ‘B’ TEAM - ANDY DEMIDOW LADIES TEAM - STUART WHITE UNDER 18s BLACK (NSYL) - LOUIE GALBRAITH UNDER 18s WHITE (NSYL) - DARREN SMITH UNDER 18s (NDYAL) - DEANO GOMES UNDER 16s - MARK LINNELL UNDER 15s - SIMON WHEELER UNDER 14s - RYAN NASH UNDER 13s - CHRIS ASHTON UNDER 12s BLACK - DANIEL BLAND / BEN SMITH UNDER 12s WHITE - TONY HILL UNDER 11s BLUE - IAN MARRIOTT UNDER 11s WHITE - MIKE BRINKLEY UNDER 11s GIRLS - STEPH NASH UNDER 10s GIRLS - KERRY HOUGHTON UNDER 9s - ANDREW JACKMAN UNDER 8s - NEIL BYRNE / DARREN WILLIX
WELCOME TO THE SETT From the Chairman … As Chairman of Bugbrooke St Michael’s Football Club I would like to offer you a warm welcome to The Sett and hope that you have an enjoyable visit. Here at Bugbrooke St Michaels we are working hard to develop a club with a strong inclusive ethos, offering opportunities for players of all ages and abilities. We are extremely proud of our youth development programme, supporting players from seven all the way up to eighteen. Many of our young players go on to have success with one of adult teams, with some players going on to even bigger and better things! There is a great wealth of local support for the club, everyone that helps does so on a voluntary basis and through everyone’s hard work and dedication we have been able to achieve and maintain FA Accredited status.
Whilst some clubs choose to reinvest their revenue into players wages, here at Bugbrooke we hold a different set of values. All of our profits go into upgrading our equipment and facilities, building a solid future-proof foundation that will be here for future generations to enjoy. Whilst this can sometimes hold us back from gaining huge success on the pitch, we feel our excellent facilities, youth development programme and ethos on community set us apart from other clubs. Success and progression starts from the beginnings. Thank you for your support today, we hope that you enjoy the game, and we look forward to seeing you again soon.
Kev Kevin Gardner, Chairman
Bugbrooke St Michaels Football Club would like to place on record our thanks to our team of volunteers, our advertisers and sponsors.
THE FIBRE GROUP Fibre Optic Installation & Testing Specialists Fibre Surveyors UG/OH Installation Fault Finding Maintaining Network Communications
Tel: 0800 865 4266 Email: info@thefibregroup.co.uk
Exceptional
Leadership
Development
Telephone: 0121 651 1200 Email: info@fuellearning.com
MANAGERS NOTES We’d like to extend a warm welcome to the players, officials and supporters of Rugby Borough who are the visitors to the Sett for todays United Counties Premier Division South fixture. Having visited Rugby in December we have an idea of what to expect, a tough assignment! That said if its anything like the fixture that was played on a freezing cold day you should be in for a thriller! It was topsy-turvy affair as goals from Luke Emery (2), Simmo and a very late leveler from skipper Tom Walton saw us return with a share of the spoils, 4-4. We’re expecting another very tight game today, most are in this Division which seems much stronger this time around. Whilst unproven, the competitive nature of the league this season may be a result of the player merry-go-round. Not a day goes by without a team announcing a new signing on social media; with untold riches you can’t help but feel envious.
That said it’s a testament to the strength of our club that when we do lose players to higher-level teams we can tap into our squad and of equal importance our Under 18’s, who notably had another great win on Thursday! These young players are the life blood of our Club, we have some fantastic talent coming through. We hope that they can see how we work and with that put their trust in the process. We strive to develop them and provide them with the platform to showcase their talent whilst hopefully winning games of football for this Club. Ahead of todays game we are also delighted to announce the signing of Kodi Briggs, who is set to make his debut today. It’s the second time that we have tried to get him here and we’re delighted that he has agreed to join us following spells at Rushden & Diamonds and more recently Daventry Town. Regarding player availability, whilst not a new signing we recently welcomed Freddie King back into the fold following an early season injury. Now back in full training and with games under his belt Freddie provides us with another great attacking option. There is also positive news regarding Shad Reza who has undergone successful surgery on his knee. He can now plan his rehabilitation with the hope of being fit for the start of the new season. We can’t wait for that! Finally, we must congratulate young Carter Oakes on his hat-trick for the Combination Team last Saturday, another great example of one of our Under 18 players making their mark in men’s football. Thank you for your support today, enjoy the game and we look forward to seeing you again soon.
Dale & Daniel
“Whilst unproven, the competitive nature of the league this season may be a result of the player merry-go-round. Not a day goes by without a team announcing new signing on social media”
OUR HISTORY
Formed in 1929, Bugbrooke St. Michael’s Football Club took over from Bugbrooke United who folded in 1928 after being in existence since 1910. The club, which is named after the local St. Michael’s and All Angels Church, initially took its place in the Northants Central Village League and had immediate success, winning the league title from 1931 to 1937. The club closed for the Second World War before reforming in 1947 and were once again successful winning the CVL title from 1947 to 1950 and were Northants Lower Junior Cup runners-up in 1949, a feat repeated in 1954. We finally won the N.F.A. Lower Junior Cup in 1956 and followed this in 1957 by winning the prestigious Daventry Charity Cup. The club had its most successful years from 1966 to 1972 when we won the Northants Central Combination Premier title and again from 1976 to 1979 with 1977 also seeing us win the N.F.A. Lower Junior Cup again. The club continued to succeed in the Northants Combination until 1987 when the we took the decision to join the United Counties League.
At this time, we decided to run two teams in the U.C.L. and two teams in the C.N.C. We also began our youth section and have continued this ever since. Today we run 4 adult sides, including a recently formed Ladies team as well as 15 youth teams. The club has had continued to enjoy success across all age groups over those 30 years, the most notable being N.F.A. Junior Cup winners in 1992, N.F.A Lower Junior Cup in 1993 and U.C.L. Division One winners in 2001. The reputation for producing successful youth teams has increased over those years and 4 of our youth players (under 16) have been signed by professional league clubs. The achievements of the club on the field have always been supported by a hardworking committee whose chief officers are recorded on a roll in the clubhouse foyer. They along with supporters of the club have built up the excellent changing rooms and clubhouse since 1980. We hope that you enjoy the facilities that they have provided over those years, and we look forward to seeing you again in the future
‘LOVE FOOTBALL. PROTECT THE GAME.’ A message from Bugbrooke St Michaels Football Club about antisocial and criminal behaviour As we commence the new season we want to make you aware of new measures being taken across all of football, and the NLS, to ensure everyone can have a safe and enjoyable experience. We are supporting strong action from the FA, and across the NLS to tackle antisocial and criminal behaviours that put all of us at risk. Please remember the following activities are illegal, dangerous, have serious consequences and have no place in our game: • Carrying or using smoke bombs or pyros • Invading the pitch or entering the pitch without permission
For everyone’s safety, we will report anyone carrying out these offences to the police, which can result in a criminal record. Anyone who enters the pitch without permission and those carrying or using smoke bombs or pyros will now receive an automatic club ban. These measures could also now apply to the parents or guardians of children involved in these activities. This reflects the seriousness of the risks to fans and staff – pyros can burn at 2000 degrees Celsius and cause life changing injuries, while entering the pitch endangers players, managers and match officials. It also impacts the hard working volunteers, who ensure that our special part of the game continues to run.
• Drug use within the football ground
We know those who commit these illegal acts do not represent the majority of supporters. Please work with us to call out the risks.
• Discriminatory behaviour
#LoveFootball #ProtectTheGame
• Throwing objects onto the pitch
TODAYS VISITORS
RUGBY BOROUGH The club was founded in 2017 to give players from Rugby Town Juniors and its partners a place to continue playing football in the orange shirt into their adult years.
Full name:
Rugby Borough
Nickname(s):
Borough
Founded:
2017
Ground:
Kilsby Lane
Capacity:
Unknown
Manager:
Justin Marsden
League:
United Counties Premier Division South
2022–23:
Spartan South Midlands League Division One, 3rd of 20 (promoted via play-offs)
Current Position
14th P27, W8, D5, L14, Pts 29
Last Time Out:
Won 3-0 vs Godmanchester
Form:
LWWLW
They were placed in Division One of the Leicestershire Senior League, which they won at the first attempt, losing only three of their 31 matches with a goal difference of +168, resulting in promotion to the Premier Division.
They went on to win the Premier Division title in 2018–19 but were denied promotion as their ground did not meet FA regulations. The 2018– 19 season also saw the club compete in the FA Vase for the first time, defeating Malvern Town 3–2 in the first qualifying round, before losing to Bustleholme in the next round. The club ended the season by winning the Coventry Charity Cup with a 2–1 defeat of Coventry Alvis. In 2021–22 the club were Premier Division champions again, this time earning promotion to Division One of the Spartan South Midlands League. They also won the Coventry Charity Cup for the second time, defeating Coventry Alvis 4–0 in the final. The following season the club finished third in Division One, qualifying for the promotion playoffs. After beating Amersham Town 4–0 in the semi-finals, they defeated Northampton ON Chenecks 2–0 in the final to earn promotion in the table and qualified for the playoff which the club won, earning a promotion to the Premier Division South of the United Counties League. They also won the League Cup, beating Moulton 2–0 in the final.
BUGBROOKE ST MICHAELS DATE
OPPOSITION
VENUE RESULT SCORE STARTING LINE-UP
29.07.22 St Neots Town
Away
Lost
0-3
REEVE
CALVER
SHEHI
SMYTH
POWELL
WALTON
01.08.22 Racing Club Warwick
Home
Lost
0-3
REEVE
SPENCER
BAZELEY
SMYTH
POWELL
WALTON
05.08.22 Hinckley LRFC - FA Cup
Home
Lost
2-3
REEVE
MALKIN
BAZELEY
SMYTH
POWELL
12.08.23 Aylestone Park
Home
Lost
2-5
REEVE
MALKIN
BAZELEY
SMYTH
POWELL
15.08.23 Cogenhoe United
Away
Won
4-0
REEVE
MALKIN
SHEHI
1
SMYTH
POWELL
WALTON
19.08.23 Lutterworth Town
Home
Won
4-1
REEVE
MALKIN
SHEHI
1
SMYTH
WALTON
29.08.23 Wellingborough Town
Away
Lost
2-5
REEVE
MALKIN
02.09.23 Desborough Town
Home
Lost
1-5
REEVE
MALKIN
09.09.23 Leicester Nirvana
Away
Won
4-0
REEVE
MALKIN
16.09.23 Yaxley
Away
Lost
3-4
REEVE
MALKIN
19.09.23 Desborough Town - NFA Cup
Away
Lost
2-2
W.PANTER
23.09.23 Raunds Town – FA Vase
Away
Won
2-0
26.09.23 Newport Pagnell Town
Home
Won
30.09.23 G.N.G Oadby Town
Home
Draw
03.10.23 Wellingborough Town - KO Cup
Away
Lost
14.10.23 Godmanchester Rovers
Away
21.10.23 Lincoln United - FA Vase 24.10.23 Daventry Town 28.10.23 March Town United
WALTON 1
WALTON
SHEHI
SMYTH
SURACE
SMYTH
POWELL PRICKETTREED POWELL
1
SHEHI
SMYTH
POWELL
WALTON
1
SIMMONS
SMYTH
POWELL
WALTON
P RICKETT-REED
SIMMONS
CAREY
PRICE
WALTON
REEVE
MALKIN
SIMMONS
SMYTH
PRICE
WALTON
4-0
REEVE
MALKIN
SIMMONS
POWELL
PRICE
WALTON
REEVE
MALKIN
SIMMONS
POWELL
PRICE
WALTON
W.PANTER
MALKIN
SIMMONS
SMYTH
PRICE
SHEHI
Won
4-4 2-2 (5-6 3-1
REEVE
NASH
SIMMONS
CAREY
PRICE
WALTON
Away
Lost
1-4
REEVE
MALKIN
SIMMONS
CAREY
POWELL
WALTON
Home
Lost
1-2
REEVE
MALKIN
MEMOLI
MAKEKERA
POWELL
WALTON
Away
Lost
1-2
REEVE
MEMOLI
SIMMONS
GIBBON
PRICE
SHEHI
31.10.23 Coventry United
Home
Won
1-0
REEVE
MEMOLI
SIMMONS
SHEHI
PRICE
WALTON
11.11.23 Yaxley
Home
Won
2-1
REEVE
MEMOLI
SIMMONS
STEWART
PRICE
WALTON
18.11.23 Aylestone Park
Away
Lost
1-2
REEVE
MEMOLI
SIMMONS
ALHASSAN
PRICE
25.11.23 Histon
Home
Won
3-0
REEVE
MEMOLI
SIMMONS
STEWART
1
PRICE
02.12.23 Rugby Borough
Away
Draw
4-4
REEVE
MEMOLI
SIMMONS
EMERY
2
PRICE
WALTON
09.12.23 RC Warwick
Away
Lost
2-8
REEVE
SMYTH
SIMMONS
POWELL
PRICE
WALTON
16.12.23 Cogenhoe United
Home
Lost
1-2
REEVE
MEMOLI
SIMMONS
POWELL
PRICE
23.12.23 Eynesbury Rovers
Away
Won
3-2
REEVE
MEMOLI
SIMMONS
SHEHI
MALKIN
26.12.23 Easington Sports
Home
Lost
0-4
REEVE
MEMOLI
SIMMONS
SHEHI
MALKIN
WALTON
30.12.23 Coventry United
Away
Draw
2-2
REEVE
MALKIN
SIMMONS
SHEHI
EMERY
WALTON
06.01.24 Lutterworth Town
Away
Lost
2-4
W.PANTER
MALKIN
MEMOLI
CAPATINA
PRICE
WALTON
13.01.24 Leicester Nirvana
Home
Won
3-0
REEVE
GIBBON
SIMMONS
PRICE
WALTON
27.01.24 Rugby Borough
Home
03.02.24 Eynesbury Rovers
Home
10.02.24 March Town United
Home
17.02.24 G.N.G Oadby Town
Away
24.02.24 Newport Pagnell Town
Away
02.03.24 Histon
Away
16.03.24 Desborough Town
Away
23.03.24 St Neots Town
Home
01.04.24 Easington Sports
Away
06.04.24 Godmanchester Rovers
Home
13.04.24 Wellingborough Town
Home
1
1
1
POWELL
1
1
WALTON WALTON
WALTON 1
WALTON
WALTON 1
WALTON
1
2023/24 RESULTS & APPEARANCES SUBS A.WEBSTER
ALHASSAN
PANTER
PORTER
MALKIN
SPENCER
REZA
BINDER
HALLMARK
J.WEBSTER
A.WEBSTER
ALHASSAN
PANTER
PORTER
REZA
SHEHI
CALVER
BINDER
MALKIN
J.WEBSTER
A.WEBSTER
ALHASSAN
PANTER
PORTER
REZA
GREEN
SURACE
BINDER
ALHASSAN
1
GREEN
1
1
PANTER
PORTER
REZA
SHEHI
SURACE
A.WEBSTER
GREEN
1
PANTER
PORTER
BINDER
ALHASSAN
SURACE
A.WEBSTER
GREEN
3
SURACE
PORTER
BINDER
ALHASSAN
A.WEBSTER
GREEN
1
REZA
PORTER
BINDER
ALHASSAN
A.WEBSTER
GREEN
ALHASSAN
PORTER
A.WEBSTER
GREEN
1
PRICE
PORTER
A.WEBSTER
GREEN
2
ALHASSAN
A.WEBSTER
GREEN
A.WEBSTER
GREEN
1
PANTER
A.WEBSTER
GREEN
1
PANTER
A.WEBSTER
GREEN
1
PANTER
2
PORTER
A.WEBSTER
GREEN
PANTER
1
PORTER
A.WEBSTER
GREEN
PANTER
2
PORTER
A.WEBSTER
GREEN
PANTER
1
A.WEBSTER
GREEN
A.WEBSTER
GREEN
A.WEBSTER
GREEN
A.WEBSTER
GREEN
A.WEBSTER
GREEN
PANTER
A.WEBSTER
GREEN
PANTER
A.WEBSTER
GREEN
PANTER
PANTER
1
1
A.WEBSTER
J.WEBSTER
CAREY
MAY
REZA
SPENCER
CAREY
MAY
SURACE
SPENCER
CAREY
GIBBON
CAREY
BINDER
SHEHI
SIMMONS
UNDERWOOD
BINDER
ALHASSAN
SIMMONS
UNDERWOOD
CAREY
PORTER
CAREY
SHEHI
SPENCER
BINDER
PANTER
PORTER
BINDER
ALHASSAN
STEWART
PORTER
BINDER
SHEHI
STEWART
BINDER
ALHASSAN
SHEHI
SMYTH
BINDER
ALHASSAN
SHEHI
SMYTH
BINDER
ALHASSAN
CAREY
BINDER
POWELL
MAKEKERA
PORTER
BINDER
SHEHI
MAKEKERA
OBENG
1
1
1
PANTER
PORTER
BINDER
1
PANTER
ANKRAH
BINDER
PANTER
STEWART
BINDER
1
ALHASSAN
PORTER
BINDER
1
PORTER
1
PORTER PORTER STEWART
2
1
1
1
BINDER BAZELEY
1
1
PANTER
UNDERWOOD
SHEHI
SMYTH
POWELL
ALHASSAN
SURACE
CAREY 1
2
PORTER
CAREY
STEWART
SURACE
GIBBON
J.WEBSTER
MEMOLI
GIBBON
STEWART
ANKRAH
SPENCER
J.WEBSTER J.WEBSTER
SHEHI
CAREY
STEWART
SPENCER
ALHASSAN
MAKEKERA
STEWART
OAKES
1
POWELL
MAKEKERA
PORTER
MALKIN
GIBBON
1
SHEHI
CAREY
GIBBON
J.WEBSTER
ANKRAH
BINDER
SHEHI
STEWART
POWELL
OAKES
BINDER
ALHASSAN
SHEHI
CAREY
OAKES
GIBBON
BINDER
ALHASSAN
SHEHI
CAREY
OAKES
POWELL
CAREY
GREEN
EMERY
BINDER
ALHASSAN
SHEHI
MEMOLI
J.WEBSTER
OAKES
GREEN
PANTER
1
PORTER
STEWART
ALHASSAN
SHEHI
MAKEKERA
MALKIN
A.WEBSTER
GREEN
PANTER
2
PORTER
J.WEBSTER
ALHASSAN
GIBBON
W.PANTER
A.WEBSTER
GREEN
PANTER
EMERY
BINDER
ALHASSAN
GIBBON
W.PANTER
J.WEBSTER
A.WEBSTER
GREEN
STEWART
2
PORTER
BINDER
ALHASSAN
GIBBON
J.WEBSTER
KING
A.WEBSTER
GREEN
STEWART
1
PORTER
BINDER
ALHASSAN
GIBBON
J.WEBSTER
KING
A.WEBSTER
GREEN
STEWART
1
CAPATINA
BINDER
KING
MAKEKERA
ANKRAH
ALHASSAN
1
1
KING POWELL
WoW Office Furniture and Fit Out
FURNITURE Stock ranges, made to order ranges and Bespoke Desks - Tables - Seating – Booths
FIT OUT Suspended Ceilings, Partitions, Flooring, 2/3D Space Planning, M+E, Aircon, Project Management and Dilapidations
Please call us TODAY for a FREE no obligation quotation
01604 974174
LEAGUE TABLE - FIRST TEAM
PREMIER DIVISION SOUTH as at 26/01/24
POS
P
W
D
L
GD
PTS
1
Racing Club Warwick
26
19
3
4
40
60
2
Wellingborough Town
25
18
5
2
37
59
3
St Neots Town
24
16
4
4
32
52
4
March Town United
25
16
4
5
23
52
5
Aylestone Park
24
16
3
5
28
51
6
Newport Pagnell Town
24
16
0
8
21
48
7
Daventry Town
25
14
1
10
13
43
8
G.N.G Oadby Town
27
12
5
10
-16
41
9
Yaxley FC
24
10
4
10
6
34
10
Bugbrooke St.Michaels
26
10
3
13
-6
33
11
Cogenhoe United
23
9
4
10
-12
31
12
Lutterworth Town
24
9
2
13
-7
29
13
Coventry United
26
8
5
13
-8
29
14
Rugby Borough
27
8
5
14
-11
29
15
Easington Sports
22
7
5
10
2
26
16
Histon FC
24
6
6
12
-14
24
17
Godmanchester Rovers
23
5
2
16
-29
17
18
Eynesbury Rovers
25
5
3
17
-30
17 *
19
Desborough Town
25
3
5
17
-30
14
20
Leicester Nirvana
23
2
5
16
-39
11
FORM GUIDE
WLDLW 03/02 vs Eynesbury Rovers (Home)
NEXT UP
10/02 vs March Town United (Home) 17/02 vs GNG Oadby Town (Away)
We're here to help Whether you have just suffered a bereavement or would simply like to talk, please contact us now on
01604 792284 or info@kmfunerals.co.uk
MATCH BALL SPONSOR
SPONSOR THE MATCH BALL PLEASE CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION
LEAGUE TABLE - RESERVES
RESERVE DIVISION as at 26/01/24
POS
P
W
D
L
GD
PTS
1
Kempston Rovers Reserves
11
10
1
0
48
31
2
Bourne Town Reserves
14
9
1
4
17
28
3
Harborough Town Reserves
16
8
3
5
16
27
4
Buckingham Development
14
8
2
4
22
26
5
Bugbrooke St.Michaels Reserves
13
8
1
4
21
25
6
Desborough Town Reserves
12
7
2
3
16
23
7
Wellingborough Whitworth Reserves
15
7
2
6
4
23
8
Northampton ON Chenecks Reserves
11
7
1
3
7
22
9
Rothwell Corinthians Reserves
12
6
1
5
-2
19
10
Irchester United Reserves
12
4
2
6
0
14
11
Godmanchester Rovers Reserves
11
3
2
6
-22
11
12
Wellingborough Town Reserves
13
2
1
10
-25
7
13
Raunds Town Reserves
14
0
1
13
-49
1
14
Huntingdon Town U23s
12
1
0
11
-53
0*
FORM GUIDE
DWWLW 27/01 vs Desborough Town (Away)
NEXT UP
03/02 vs ON Chenecks (Away) 10/02 vs Kempston Rovers (Away)
TODAYS FIXTURES PREMIER DIVISION SOUTH
Cogenhoe United
Vs
Desborough Town
Godmanchester Rovers
Vs
Newport Pagnell Town
Histon FC
Vs
Daventry Town
Aylestone Park
Vs
St Neots Town
Bugbrooke St.Michaels
Vs
Rugby Borough
Eynesbury Rovers
Vs
Coventry United
March Town United
Vs
Leicester Nirvana
Racing Club Warwick
Vs
G.N.G Oadby Town
Wellingborough Town
Vs
Lutterworth Town
Yaxley FC
Vs
Easington Sports
RESERVE DIVISION
Desborough Town Reserves
Vs
Bugbrooke St.Michaels Reserves
Rothwell Corinthians Reserves
Vs
Godmanchester Rovers Reserves
Bourne Town Reserves
Vs
Harborough Town Reserves
Irchester United Reserves
Vs
Raunds Town Reserves
Kempston Rovers Reserves
Vs
Huntingdon Town U23s
Wellingborough Whitworth Reserves
Vs
Wellingborough Town Reserves
RESERVE DIVISION CUP
Northampton ON Chenecks Reserves
Vs
Buckingham Development
Tel: 07568 087449 Email: RichFaulknerElectrical@outlook.com
” A Club in Meltdown” The Avanhard Stadium was supposed to hold 11,000 diehard supporters for its side. Newly built, it was supposed to be the symbol of a Stalinist regeneration in the area, led first by Leonid Brezhnev and then by a succession of Soviet General Secretaries. The side was founded by builders, who had been relocated to the area to construct the socialist utopia their leaders had imagined, an occupation found in their name - Stroitel Pripyat. The club had spent its decade of existence in the fourth division, but with a new ground, an excited and enthusiastic fanbase, and backing from Moscow, hopes were high that the future would be bright. But the stadium was never used. In 1986, just a week before it was due to be opened, disaster struck. Because the centerpiece of Pripyat’s regeneration, the reason for the builder’s being moved to the town in the first place, was V. I. Lenin Nuclear Power Plant. Chernobyl. When Brezhnev declared Pripyat to be a new atom grad a nuclear city - he could not have imagined how prophetic his words would be. Construction was started in 1972 and completed five years later. In the middle, builders who were conscripted for the project found they had little to do with their free time, so started a football team. Founded in the nearby village of Chistogaovka, Stroitel displaced the amateur side that was already in place, absorbing their fans and some of their players into the new club, as the population grew past 50,000. They were slowly joined by players from all over Ukraine, including Stanislav Honcharenko, who would later enter the Ukrainian Hall of Fame. By 1979, the power plant was completed and operational, but the builders stayed, this time building their lives in Pripyat, and continued playing for and supporting Stroitel. By the new decade, Stroitel Pripyat were becoming something of a local force. They finished strongly in the fourth tier between 1981 and 1984 but couldn’t quite reach high enough to secure professional status for the club. But the announcement of a new stadium, they were convinced, would change that. In 1986, Stroitel went on an unprecedented run in the Ukrainian Cup, reaching the semi-finals and beginning to believe that destiny would deliver them the trophy, just as they moved into their new stadium. Fate, however, had other plans.
On the morning of 26th April 1986, Stroitel’s players were going through some light training on the pitch of their existing stadium, warming up and preparing for what was expected to be a tough tie against FK Borodyanka later that afternoon. A helicopter flew overhead, and then to the confusion of the players, came down to land on the pitch. Men, wearing protective suits, disembarked. While some inspected their instruments, others made their way over to the training players. There would be no football today. There had been an accident at Chernobyl. Radiation levels were already too high. The incompetence and corruption of the Soviet leadership meant that it would be another two days before the players - and everybody else in Pripyat - were evacuated to where the radiation levels were safe. Some returned soon afterwards as part of the cleanup crew, half a million volunteers, whose heroic efforts belied the willful mistakes of their leaders. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to suggest that their heroic efforts in preventing a meltdown saved pretty much the entire continent - fallout from such a disaster would have reached as far as the UK, covering the rest of Europe in between - at the cost of their own health. The remaining players moved the club 30 miles east of the Dnieper River, to Slavutych, where they tried to reestablish themselves. Fans struggled to make the journey, but the players, brought together by the disaster, managed to finish third in the following season. But falling crowds, a lack of investment and - crucially - health problems caused by the accident at Chernobyl, the team disbanded for good in 1988.
The exclusion zone is a tourist attraction now, for those brave or foolhardy enough to enter it. The Chernobyl Power Plant itself was so badly irradiated that it won’t be safe to enter for another 20,000 years. Pripyat is a ghost town, a terrifying reminder of what corruption and incompetence can cause. The official Soviet death from the disaster toll was around 30. The highest estimate is nearly 100,000. The loss of a small amateur football team, who had existed for barely a decade and had won exactly nothing, is largely an insignificance compared to such a number of deaths.
But in the middle of the exclusion zone, overgrown and forever empty, sits the Avanhard Stadium. A symbol of what might have been.
Enjoy the game!
Martyn Green The Untold Game Find us at TheUntoldGame.co.uk or on social media @TheUntoldGame
ADVERTISE HERE IF YOU ARE READING THIS THEN SO ARE POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS! PLEASE CONTACT US FOR DETAILS
FIRST TEAM
RESERVES
B TEAM
U18s BLACK U18s WHITE
LADIES
U18s NDYAL
UNDER 16s
UNDER 15s
UNDER 14s
UNDER 13s
U12s BLACK U12s WHITE
U11s WHITE U11s BLUE
U11s GIRLS U10s GIRLS
UNDER 9s
UNDER 8s
PITCHSIDE
DON’T MISS THE ACTION SOCIAL MEDIA
FOLLOW THE BADGER
@BadgersUCL
BSMFC
@BSMFCYouth
Bugbrooke St Michaels Youth
✓ ACCOUNTANCY ✓ ACCOUNTS SOFTWARE SUPPORT ✓ AUDIT AND ASSURANCE ✓ BOOK-KEEPING & VAT RETURNS ✓ BUSINESS FORMATIONS & VALUATIONS ✓ PAYROLL BUREAU ✓ PERSONAL AND CORPORATE TAXATION Northampton
Rushden
Wellingborough
30 Cranford House Harborough Road, Kingsthorpe Northampton NN2 7AZ
Unit 2 135-137 Wellingborough Road Rushden Northants NN10 9TE
45 Oxford Street Wellingborough Northants NN8 4JH
Telephone: (01604) 714600 Fax: (01604) 791318
Telephone: (01933) 356633 Fax: (01933) 318306
Telephone: (01933) 224107 Fax: (01933) 279010
TEAMSHEETS BUGBROOKE ST MICHAELS Manager: Dale Walton Colours: White / Black / Black FROM: Luke Reeve Billy Panter Joe Malkin Dante Memoli Tom Simmons Tom Smyth Tom Walton Joel Powell Calvin Green Ronnie Gibbon Kevin Shehi Tom Binder Kodi Briggs Johnny Carey Trent Oakes Kieran Spencer Aidan Webster Jake Webster Freddie King Carter Price Cosmin Capatina Maurice Alhassan Dan Porter Levon Stewart Christian Makekera Andrian Ankrah
RUGBY BOROUGH Manager: Justin Marsden Colours: Orange / White / Black FROM: Jamal Adams Joshua Baker Jack Barnett Jake Bull Joshua Cooke Adam James Creaney Antonio Cristofaro Jay Finlay Ethan Flaig Halim Halim Samuel Jackson Max Johnson Dale Linton Sam Lockley Justin Marsden Gerard Mcgahey Ashley Piper Tyler Reeve Adam Shaw Jack Shepherd George Steele Joe Taylor Benjamin Whitehead-Thompson Shay Young
MATCH OFFICIALS
David Froom - Kevan Atkins - Paul Kimbrey
Bugbrooke St Michaels FC The Badgers, founded 1929 Birds Close, Gayton Road, Bugbrooke, Northamptonshire NN7 3PH Tel: 01604 830707 Website: bugbrookesmfc.co.uk
BUGBROOKE ST MICHAELS FC proudly sponsored by