MFC PROG 2526-15 LLN (CMYK) by tracecreative

minster football club

CLUBOFFICIALS

Chairman

Colin Holden

Secretary

Steve Farbrace

1stTeamManager

Ian Wallace

1stTeamAssistantManager

Liam Morris

ReserveTeamManager

Elliot Austin

ReserveTeamCoach

Darryl Farley

3rdTeam(1911)Manager

Colin Holden

WomensTeamManager

Steph Meeks

WomensTeamAssistantManager

Andy Long

VeteransTeamManager

Steve Farbrace

U18KYLYouthTeamManager

Russell Wilson

U16FDYFLYouthTeamManager

Nelson Were

U16EKYFLYouthTeamManager

James Wells

U15FDYFLYouthTeamManager

James Wells

MEMBERS

OF:

FRONTCOVERPHOTOCREDIT:

Kent & County Football League

Canterbury & District Football League

South East Counties Womens Football League

Len Martin Thanet & District Football League

Kent Youth League

East Kent Youth Football League

Faversham & District Youth Football League

NELSONWERE

“ Nelson is a man of many talents. During the week he handcrafts leather goods in his Quex Park workshop along with refining his photography skills in both sports and natural settings. Add to that his management and coaching of our U16 youth team – he keeps himself busy ! ”

Together we can end hate in football Poor behaviour in football is increasing. Prejudice is on the rise. All forms of discrimination – including racist, sexist and homophobic abuse – is ruining our game. We’re targeting discriminatory abuse in all its forms with a range of punishments. Tell us when it happens, and we’ll tackle it. Together we can put an end to discrimination in the grassroots game. @nweredesigns/@nels.onwere

from the chair

Hasitstoppedrainingyet? The benefits of these artificial pitches are clearly seen at this time of year with our other teams having a few weeks of frustrating postponements due to waterlogged pitches. Our 1-1 draw last week away to Hawkinge was on a grass pitch that was just about playable – whilst it didn’t help with the quality of the game, it was definitely a contest with plenty of action and our lads certainly put a shift in against a tough side.

Today we welcome Dan and his Long Lane side to Hartsdown Park. Over recent seasons, Long Lane have shown plenty of progress under Dan’s leadership and they have continued to establish themselves in the Premier Division consistently maintaining a top 5 position throughout the season. We wish Dan, his staff and players a warm welcome and an enjoyable afternoon.

Our referee today is Freddie Waldron who – along with his assistants, William and Keith – are no strangers in these parts and have enjoyed some good games so far this season

In amongst all of the match postponements and constantly keeping an eye on the weather, we have at least made some progress away from the pitch. Some of you may have seen our announcement this week as we introduced Russel Goldsmith as a “new signing”. Russel’s enthusiasm for grassroots football in East Kent is widely recognised, and he’s also known as the founder of Thanet Football Magazine - a publication we’ve supported over the years. With Russel now overseeing social media coverage, I’ll personally feel relieved from some of the pressures that come with this as it has gradually become a much larger and more important feature of club progression as Minster FC has grown these last 10 years.

Russel will be getting his feet under the table for have other plans for him to get involved with as pa the future. Russel and I have shared a few coffees talking about how we can expand the reach for Minst in which we can get further engaged with communitie partnerships.

Keep an eye out for some much improved graphics and content as we move away from the Chairman’s Canva account and into the real world !

Haveagreatafternoonandhopefullyyou’llkeepdry.

from the boss

Good afternoon and welcome to Hartsdown Park for today’s game against Long Lane. Our opponents have had an impressive season following the promotion last year and currently sit 5th in the table with a record of 12 wins, 6 draws and 5 losses so far this season. One of those wins came against ourselves back at the start of November, a game in which Long Lane staged a fight back in the last 20 minutes of the game to come from 2 down to win 3-2. This was the last league game that we lost in fact and we hope to ensure that our positive run of results continues today. We know Long Lane will be resilient and confident, this will be a tough test and one where we will need to ensure we bring all of the traits that have served us so well in recent weeks.

Our last home game saw us take on a much improved Fleetdown United in a contest that was in the balance until midway through the second half. Fleetdown defended resiliently throughout the game, whilst offering some threat despite our controlling territory and possession for the vast majority of the game. Todd Jordan swept us into the lead with a curling effort from the edge of the box five minutes before half time, just reward for the control that we had maintained during the first period. Todd would then double our lead with 55 minutes played, moving onto a through ball with strength and firing home with accuracy on the half volley, an excellent finish. Jake Munday came off the bench to smash home the third, pivoting neatly in the box following an excellent cross from Harry Hobday. Captain Tom Coyne would complete the scoring in the 87th minute to give us a 4-0 scoreline that reflected our dominance and ensured a win that would maintain our position at the top of the table for another weekend.

Last week we took on Hawkinge, one of the strongest teams in the league, a team very much in contention at the top of the league. Ours was one of very few games to survive the incessant rain we have seen in recent weeks but we were grateful for the chance to compete, particularly as our game the week before had succumbed to a waterlogged pitch. The game was fiercely contested on a pitch that whilst deemed playable, was far from easy to navigate. Hawkinge probably adjusted most quickly, as you would expect at their home ground but as the game moved on so did our control of it. Hawkinge would take a 1 goal lead into half time following a first half in which the majority of openings had come our way. The second half would see both groups of players continue to battle fiercely in a contest in keeping with its billing as a top of the table clash. We eventually received our reward for the perseverance and character that were on display in abundance. From a set piece with 15 minutes to go Lewis Ray headed cleverly into the path of Charlie Sharp who rifled home from close range. The final stages of the game saw both teams go for the winner, with chances and penalty appeals coming and going without the scoreline being added to. Ultimately this was a well earned point against a strong opponent and the group can be proud of the display they put on in earning the point.

We now move into the final 3 months of the season, a season that will end here at Hartsdown Park on Monday 4th May against Kent United. We have 13 games to play between today and the 4th May and there is all to play for in the race for the league and eligibility for promotion. It has been many years since we entered the final stages of the season without something to play for whether in the form of a league or a cup and this is yet another exciting prospect ahead of us. We will embrace the opportunity in front of us by focussing on one game and one contest at a time, ensuring that the mindset and attitude are right, in the expectation that the performances will follow. We have shown great consistency in recent weeks and we will aim for this to be maintained.

Thankyouaseverforyoursupport,enjoythegameandwe hopetoseeyouagainon7thMarchaswefaceafamiliarfoe intheformofNewRomneyhereatHartsdownPark.

our main sponsors

Founded by lifelong friends Lawrence Rose and Elliot Payne, ARTO is already a global leader in life sciences talent solutions, dedicated to helping Biotechnology, Pharmaceutical, and MedTech companies secure the people they need to drive innovation and growth.

With a focus on providing bespoke, high-impact talent strategies across Europe and America, they partner with leading organisations to meet their staffing needs through an efficient, flexible, and insight-driven approach.

Elliot is no stranger to the football club having played for them as part of his introduction into adult football. He would go onto play in the KCFL for East Kent College Bears under our 1 Team assistant manager, Liam Morris. Elliot is also a registered player for the Minster Old Boys (Vets) side.

Tradefit4U are a family run company with a name synonymous with local football. Father and son duo Tony and Jayme Wisker

are both very well known in Thanet Football – Tony often having battled with Minster FC on the pitch during the 80s and 90s. Jayme played for some of the all-conquering Thanet Sunday League sides in his time and along with his brothers Danny (former Margate, Whitstable & Herne Bay) and Kyle (US Scholarships and Whitstable) it is clear that football has always run deep in the Wisker family.

Tradefit4U work alongside some of the best manufactures of UPVC, aluminium, composite and timber products to supply and fit guttering, windows, doors and conservatories.

Working in both the domestic and commercial sectors and based in Manston, Tradefit4U are well positioned to serve Thanet and the South East of England.

our club partners

Youngs Timber & Builders Merchants is a Kent‑based family‑run builders’ merchant operating from branches in Biddenden, Folkestone, and Dymchurch.

Founded in Kent, the business is led by a tight knit team passionate about supporting tradespeople and DIY enthusiasts alike. They stock high‑quality timber, building and plumbing supplies, fencing, decorating materials, landscaping products, cladding, roofing, doors, gates and workwear. With in house cutting and machining services, expert advice, free local delivery and a friendly, knowledgeable team, Youngs delivers professional reliability at local prices.

Shapes is a dynamic Canterbury-based firm combining digital accounting and creative marketing under one roof. Founded in 2023 by JimLeeves (chartered accountant and Xero expert) and SteveKreeger (UX strategist

and storyteller), the team crafts tailored solutions for small businesses in the UK. Their services cover ‘Better Accounting’ - tax, forecasting, digital finance systems - and creative ‘Shapes Marketing’, offering branding, websites, graphic design, video, and digital strategy. With values of simplicity, integrity, transparency, energy, and space, they aim to bring freedom, relief, and delight to clients. Shapes feels friendly, values-driven, and imaginatively practical - a local partner that makes running a business feel effortless and inspired.

Twenty4Seven Education is a fast growing UK education recruitment agency with offices in London, Manchester, Canterbury and beyond. Founded by experienced education professionals, the agency

prioritises honesty, transparency and individualised care for both schools and candidates. They place teachers, teaching assistants, SEN specialists and support staff in permanent, fixed term and supply roles across primary, secondary and special schools. Their Teaching Assistant Academy offers a two week training course for newcomers. With a friendly, responsive team and strong candidate feedback, Twenty4Seven feels supportive, professional and genuinely invested in helping educators thrive.

THISSEASONWEARETEAMING UPWITHTFMWHOWILLHOST THEDIGITALVERSIONSOF THESEPROGRAMMESONLINE

“Thank you to Russel and the Thanet Football Magazine team for your ongoing support—not just for our club, but for the entire local football community.”

ColinHolden Minster FC Chairman

first team

1911 team

Canterbury&DistrictFootballLeague PREMIER

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Cinque Ports

Chilham Reserves MinsterFC1911

University Of Kent

Betteshanger Welfare Wingham RisingStars Woodnesborough Res v v v v

Wingham Prem

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welcome to minster fc

You will have seen from the club crest that we are over 100 years old with only World Wars getting in the way of continued existence – a matter not taken lightly as club players and staff fought for their country during these difficult times. If you get a chance take a look at the club photos at our pavilion main hall that reminds us of our history and the generations of players that have represented our club.

Throughout these years there have been successful teams – most notably in the 1960s – that have played the game in the right spirit and have set the foundations for future generations to continue. A difficult time in the early 1980s saw the club – with only a single team at the time - almost fail to finish a season in the Thanet League due to lack of players and support.

My father Ralph (also known locally as Colin) stepped in to gather as many eligible youngsters – including myself – to register and play those final matches to keep the club alive. The results didn’t matter – there was a much larger motive to keep the continuity of the club. For us 16/17 year old lads at the time we were finally playing for Minster – a team we had watched from the sidelines for many years. The following seasons saw the club continue to build from the very bottom upwards.

Our club has now grown very quickly in these last 11-12 years as we have built on the success of a very young team – managed by Ian Wallace - that have progressed through the Canterbury & District League and further into the Kent County Football League to the Premier Division where we have consolidated our standing in this division. Two further adult teams were added in 2019/2020 and during these last 5 years we have seen our club develop a pathway for young players within the area to progress with their football. Our veterans team continue to enjoy their football in the local len Martin Thanet & District League. We are also really happy to now have four youth teams represent Minster from U15 to U18 age groups and our previous youth teams have provided players into our adults squads. This season also sees the club develop a women's football team for the first time since the 1960s when Minster were one of the original female teams in the area.

Whilst we have had good fortune on the pitch these last few years backed by a huge amount of effort away from match days, we continue to be a club that see long term friendships and a sense of community spirit as being the real “winning.”

Avillageteamthatwillcontinuetousefootballtobuild competitivespiritalongsidefriendships thatwilllastalifetime.

ColinHolden Chairman

sponsors & community

OURMATCHDAYSPONSOR

Nelson Were is the creative force behind Nelson Were Designs, a Kenyanborn designer whose journey into fashion began with making his own clothes before evolving into shoes, jewellery, and ultimately leather. Trained in fashion design in the UK, Nelson combines refined British aesthetics with a deep respect for craftsmanship. A highly skilled leatherworker, he personally designs and handcrafts each piece, balancing beauty with everyday functionality. Together with his wife Jenny, he runs a small family business, creating bespoke and made-to-order designs. Nelson’s story is one of curiosity, dedication, and a lifelong passion for making meaningful, wellcrafted objects by hand, lovingly.