St. Neots Football Club

Please read below for my interview with St. Neots chairman and owner Mike Kearns. It was published in the latest Football Focus magazine which can be viewed here for absolutely free! Included in the current issue are Deveronvale, Leith Athletic and many more football clubs.

St. Neots

You will be hard pushed to find another non league club with the facilities that Cambridgeshire side, St Neots Town have. Chairman and owner of the club, Mike Kearns, was only too happy to describe the wonderful conditions at St Neots. “Visiting teams are in awe of our stadium. It is rated very high. It is one of the best if not the best in non league football outside the Conference. Its hard to improve on what we have as everything is top standard. Our full size pitch is sand based with a twenty-two sprinkler system. We have a 3G training facility and even just put down astro turf where the linesmen run.”

Outside St. Neots ground

St Neots appear to be in a superb position to be able to keep moving up the leagues and indeed, it has been confirmed that the club will be playing Zamaretto Central Division football next season. This is due to some fantastic efforts on the pitch this season. Forward Shane Tolley equalled the all-time goal scoring record for the club with 54 goals, but he did it in just 44 appearances as opposed to the 46 appearances by Francis Brand in 1968/9 season.

Mike could not hide his delight as he took us through the success of the season. “We have broken all sorts of records this season. Our success is one of building a young team for the future, with some experienced players added, capable of moving up the pyramid without many changes, if any. Any good team needs players that can score goals and we paid a five figure transfer fee for Stefen Moore who is a former Aston Villa player. With him and Shane Tolley you have a strike partnership that in our opinion is one of the best in non league. They scored 94 goals between them this season!”

Mike is an ambitious man and cannot wait to lead St Neots as high up the football pyramid system as far as possible. “Our plans for next term are like all teams hope to become champions of the next league. Blue Square South or North should not be beyond this team. If we reach it we will have to take a good look at how we can finance that level and above.”

Whatever the outcome of next season, the club and their fans will be eagerly anticipating local derbies with Biggleswade Town in the Zamaretto Central Division next season. A worthy reward for St Neots after what was arguably their most successful season in their 132 year history.

written by Will Lyon

Ashby Ivanhoe FC

Please read below for my interview with Ashby Ivanhoe General Manager Charlie Tissington. It was published in the latest Football Focus magazine which can be viewed here for absolutely free! Included in the current issue are Deveronvale, Leith Athletic and many more football clubs.

Ashby Ivanhoe

After an overwhelmingly successful season, Football Focus was delighted to catch up with Charlie Tissington, General Manager of Leicestershire side, Ashby Ivanhoe. The club, founded in 1948, won the Everards Leicestershire Senior League Premier Division for the first time in their history last season and Charlie was very happy to finish a sizeable nine points ahead of any other team. “It has been a fantastic season winning the Everards Leicestershire Senior League Premier Division for the first time. It’s probably been our highest achievement yet, and then rounding it off with a win in the Coalville Charity Cup Final.”

Hood Park - The home of Ashby Ivanhoe

However, Ashby have plenty of ambition and as Charlie explains, they are seeking an even more successful campaign next season. “We hope to try and emulate our neighbours Coalville Town who reached the FA Vase Final this year. We went out in the second qualifying round this season. Next season will be a bigger challenge and hopefully we will add to the current talented squad to improve in the areas that need bolstering.”

With the Ashby first team flying high, Charlie can focus more attention on youth development at the club, but he is pleased to announce that it already produces a few gems for the senior side. “Youth development is very important at the club with ex professional David Hunt, whose clubs included Derby County, Aston Villa and Notts County, taking up the Youth Development Manager role in 2008. The club now has sides ranging from nine years to eighteen year old through to adult football. The club formed an under 18's side in 2008 which has already produced three players that are regulars with the first team.”

Despite the recent success stories and an award commending the warm atmosphere at the club’s ground, Hood Park, Charlie knows the facilities must be improved if the club is to be allowed to progress further up the pyramid structure in English football and to compete in the prestigious FA Cup. “Last season we were awarded the Hospitality Ground Award from the league, but to progress up the pyramid system, we are looking to improve the facilities. Our first target is to get to the MFA at level five and then to play in the FA Cup.”

written by Will Lyon