Mark Hawkes takes Management job at Chelmsford City

Chelmsford City have released the news this morning that Mark Hawkes has been appointed as first team manager as the permanent replacement for Dean Holdsworth, who departed earlier this month. Hawkes brings with him former colleague Steve Smith as his assistant, the pair arriving from Isthmian League Division One side Heybridge Swifts.

Hawkes undertook the role at Heybridge in March 2011, after taking the reins on a temporary basis with the aim initially to stabilise the club. After stringing together some good results to steer the side towards the promotion spots, Hawkes impressed enough to make the move permanent. Swifts finished the season in sixteenth place, and Hawkes went about making improvements for the following campaign.

The club was famously launched into the spotlight under Hawkes when signing The Only Way is Essex star Mark Wright in September 2011, who was fielded just twice before moving on to play alongside his brother at Thurrock.

The season of 2011-2012 was one of mixed emotions as Heybride drastically improved on their previous season, but were gutted to miss out on a playoff spot by just one place, finally finishing seventh. However, the team had far advanced from where Mark had taken them from and have gone into this campaign with much promise.

The summer saw some team rebuilding, and Hawkes brought in new faces such as Neil Cousins, a player with Conference experience to propel the club forward. Alongside some other summer signings, Hawkes made sure that the players that were performing for him committed themselves to the club. 33 goal hero Luke Callander was just one of the players Hawkes secured, and has this term has already netted 19 times.

Hawkes and Smith depart with Heybridge Swifts siting in 2^nd position. The club have the best form in the league having won all of their last five league games, within this scoring 24 times and conceding just 4.

Will Hughes and Liverpool - Should he stay or should he go?

Much to the Derby fans dismay, Hughes seems destined this year to join his boyhood club Liverpool. The world club giants have been heavily linked with the England under 21 international, but are not the only team to hold such a keen interest to sign the hot prospect. Last season Barcelona, the two Manchester clubs and Newcastle, among others were also linked. It was reported that Barcelona were compiling a dossier on the players talents and weaknesses to fuel them with the information needed to launch a serious bid for his signature. But is now the right time for Hughes to leave?

At just 18 years old, Hughes is already into his third Championship campaign, and has become instrumental to the success of his Rams side as they gun for promotion this season. A product of Derby’s academy, Hughes caught the eye of former manager Nigel Clough in a reserve match. He was promoted to the first team squad in line with the departure of first team regular Paul Green, and has settled into central midfield quickly. The player is an obvious natural talent, and shines at his level when watched over 90minutes. Naturally comfortable on the ball, Hughes finds time that his peers struggle to, which is not only a testament to his spatial awareness, but also to his quick footwork. Hughes is happy to allow players to come close, maintaining the confidence that he will not lose the ball which gives him something other players at this level do not have.

His eye for a pass is second to none as he sees a killer ball in an instant, often putting in a perfectly weighted pass to his team mates. Certainly the likes of Jamie Ward will miss Hughes if he were to leave for this reason alone. Off the ball, personally I feel that Hughes can develop. His upper body strength is something that will come in time, and his tackling is an area that can be questionable. He certainly has the natural talent with a football at his feet, and only he can dictate how far his game will go by working at the other elements. Here, nothing can compensate for effort and hard work.

Trainers, managers and colleagues have heaped praise onto Christiano Ronaldo with regards to his work ethic, staying after training and doing extra sessions in the gym, and the hard work obviously bears fruit. Ronaldo is a good model for Hughes to follow to be on top of his game, not criticising what Will is currently doing at all. Hughes has an extraordinary ability at 18, which coupled with the hard work that I am sure he is putting in can lead him to all sorts of success.

Hughes must judge at some point whether this talent will flourish at his current club. Derby have exceptional facilities and can offer Hughes the first team football that he needs to progress. However, when a club such as Liverpool come in and offer something bigger and better, it can be hard for all parties to decide what is best.

Wilfried Zaha left Crystal Palace last year, originally penning a deal that would take him away from Selhurst Park in January. However, with Ferguson unlikely to put him straight into the side, he was loaned back to Palace and helped them complete their promotion campaign. Since leaving, the youngster has barely played for Manchester United, and at this point in his career surely minutes on the pitch are pivotal if he is going to go on to fulfil his full potential? At the start of the season Holloway was keen to keep him on again, and this would have been a good point to use the loan system for its intended purpose. Zaha could have picked up a seasons experience at top level without having to adapt to new surroundings and personnel. An obvious move you would think for both clubs and the player himself?

The loan move of Romelu Lukaku has been widely criticised this season, largely because he is playing so well in the Premier League. People are questioning why he is not doing this in the blue of Chelsea rather than Everton. However, he will return to Chelsea next season with another years’ experience, and most would bet that he will come back and be a success. With a years playing experience at West Bromwich Albion, backed up by a further year at Everton, he will certainly be familiar with the demands of the league, and isn’t it better for his parent club that he gets minutes on the pitch if they genuinely have no intention to play him in each game?

As good a player as Will Hughes is, I can’t see him walking into the first team at Anfield just yet, and I am sure that the loan system will come into play if he does move this term. I think that he would be best to see where Derby are at the end of the season. If they are in the Premier League then he can perhaps stay on for a year through some means in order to add the experience of the top division to his CV. If not, he may decide that a move away is best where he could then be loaned out to a club that will play him week in week out. Certainly Premier League experience will be crucial in his decision, as the league is very different to the Championship and he will need to prove he can play at this level to progress. It would be tragic to see such a highly rated player make the step up and then not be given a chance as many do. Left too long this can really ruin a player’s career, and Hughes needs to ensure that first team football is top of his priorities when considering any move that he may or not decide to make.

A move that will always be speculated about whilst the youngster is not playing top flight football is for now put on hold. My only hope is that Hughes continues to develop this season, and reaches the heights that pundits think he can long term, wherever that may be. It would be nice to see him run out for England in Russia 2018, which there is no reason he cannot do with his current level of progress. Greg Dyke and his FA consortium will find this sort of dilemma somewhat of a headache as Hughes, a young English talent faces a pivotal time in his career where decisions will be key in determining how successful his career is.

Chelmsford City VS Dover Athletic 23/11/013 Programme article

Today welcome Dover Athletic to the Melbourne Stadium, a club who have a short history, but are just part of a long tradition. Dover’s football history dates as far back as 1894, when the original Kent league side, Dover FC, were founded. Different variants of the club have since folded and started around the harbour town, with the 1950’s existence the first to join the Southern Leagues. FA Cup history was made in Essex in 1975 with Dover’s involvement in the competition. By beating Colchester United in the first round, Dover were drawn a tie at Roots Hall against Southend United. What made the record books was the fact that the tie was to be played on the Saturday evening. It was the first instance that a game was scheduled to be played after the draw for the following round in the cup’s history. Dover never got to play the third round drawn tie against Brighton as they fell out of the competition in the second round, losing 4-1 to Southend.
 
In 1983, massive debts forced the team to fold, and the current Kent existence, Dover Athletic FC was formed. Fielding mainly reserves from their predecessors in their first season, the Whites initially struggled, finishing second from bottom. In 1985 the clubs fortunes were turned when Chris Kinnear took charge as manager. Two top five finishes were followed by celebrations of success on the Kent shores when Dover Athletic won the 1989-1990 Southern League title. The celebrations were bittersweet as the side failed to achieve promotion due to the ground not meeting minimum regulations. It was three seasons later that this achievement was replicated and finally the Whites entered the Conference for the first time in their history.
The club faced tough times in the early ‘90s, battling fiercely against relegation. Even the appointment of former England international Peter Taylor was not enough to prevent the side from finishing second from bottom in the 1995-96 campaign. However, this time luck was on Dover’s side as they kept their place in the Conference at the expense of Boston United. The runners up of the Northern Premier failed to submit their application for promotion before the deadline, which was the only thing that prevented the two clubs from changing tiers.

Later on in the decade Dover reported mixed fortunes. Their highest Conference finish of sixth place was recorded, and the club got as far as the semi-finals of the FA trophy. However, managers came and went, and financial problems saw control of the club move over to the supporters trust. Dover’s achievements sunk into history as they were relegated into the Southern League Premier Division. A restructure of non-league divisions then saw them compete in the Isthmian League Premier Division before then being relegated into the Isthmian League Division One.

In January 2005, former Director, Jim Parmenter, returned and headed up a consortium that financially stabilised the club for the first time in many years. Two failed promotion challenges were finally followed by back to back titles, firstly in the Division One South, and then the Isthmian League Premier Division. In 2009/10, Dover reached the Conference South playoffs, losing out in the semi-finals to Woking. They went on to reach the FA Cup 3^rd round proper the following season, recording a victory over Kent rivals Gillingham in the first round and Aldershot in the second. Dover lost out in the playoffs of the Conference South to Salisbury Town last year.

Dover will aim to build upon these achievements this time around, and currently sit mid-table with a playoff position not too far from sight. After a good start to the season, winning their first two league games, Dover lost their way early on, taking just 3 points from a possible 18. A break within this run came in the Kent senior cup in early September against Ryman Premier League side, and local rivals, Margate. Dover ran out 8-0 winners, equalling their biggest competitive victory which was previously set in September 2009. A change in formation and change of personnel produced a crushing victory for the Whites who progressed to the next round.

Dover’s form again picked up, and an unbeaten run of four games has propelled them back up the table, the Kent side now looking up the table rather than over their shoulder at the relegation places. To couple their recent league successes, Dover are proving formidable in the cup. The side remain in every competition, and have progressed to the second round of the FA cup. The furthest that they have reached in this competition is the third round, which they will strive to duplicate in their away tie next month against League One side MK Dons.

Michael Bakere will be under the watchful eye of Clarets fans tonight following two spells here in Essex. Bakere was rewarded with a move to then football league club Macclesfield Town after impressing in his first spell at the Melbourne. With the move not working out long term, Bakere found his way back to the Clarets and occupied multiple positions before making his way to Dover this summer. Bakere has already bagged a hat-trick this season in the sides 8-0 win over Margate.

Ricky Modeste is another familiar face arriving from Kent today, partly because of his appearances on reality TV show Football Icon, but mainly because he started his career here at Chelmsford. Modeste won the young player of the year award in 2009, going on to become a regular for the Clarets before leaving for Dover in 2012.

We wish the Dover fans a safe journey back to the South of England this evening, and you all for your attendance at the Melbourne Stadium today.

The History of St Albans City FC

The history of St Albans City FC

The current Hertfordshire outfit were formed in 1908, which followed the demise of the previous St Albans existence four years earlier. To date, the 1920’s have proved to be the clubs most successful era, and the movement of the club into the Athenian league at the start of the decade laid the platform for these achievements. The Saints won the title twice in three years which led to their election into the Isthmian league, where they again found glory, winning the division at the first time of asking. They repeated this feat twice more before the decade was out.

Whilst the Saints were dominant in the league, mirroring this success in cup competitions was too much to ask for the Hertfordshire side. They navigated their way to the semi-finals of the amateur cup on three occasions, although securing a place in the final proved an impossible task as they lost all three of these fixtures. By going out in the semi-finals once again in 1970, the club has since held the competitions unenviable record for reaching the semi-final the most times without ever going through. St Albans also hold the record for having the player with the highest goal tally on the losing side in the FA Cup. This came in 1922 when Wilifred Minter scored seven with the side losing the game 8-7. The club did however manage their one league scalp in 1924 when they beat Brentford in the FA Cup 5-3.

Following the addition of a division in 1973, the club became one of the two first relegated clubs in the Isthmian league. A second relegation followed 12 years later and the club appointed former Fulham player John Mitchell to halt the clubs slump. Mitchell, whose FA Cup semi-final goals took Fulham to the 1975 final, did just that and managed the club to two promotions within three years.

During his second spell in charge, Mitchell led the side to runners up spot in the Conference South in the 1992-93 season. He was however denied promotion to the Conference National with St Albans due to a 140 year old oak tree which stood within the terrace behind the goal at one end. In 1998 the diseased tree was felled.

In 2003-04, the Saints finished just three points clear of relegation in the Isthmian league, but did enough to make the playoffs, finding success and promotion after remarkably beating Heybridge Swifts and Bedford Town 4-3 and 5-4 respectively. Struggling initially in the Conference South, St Albans appointed experienced manager Colin Lippiatt, who brought the team to safety. He moulded a team that pushed for the Championship in the 2005-06 season, but eventually had to settle for a runners up spot which saw the side enter the playoffs. The Saints found success in the final against Histon, the resulting promotion seeing the team embarking on a Conference National campaign.

This proved to be short lived as the side were relegated that season and almost suffered back to back drops in 2007-08. The club twice changed managers in a bid to halt the slide, with both Ritchie Hanlon and Dave Anderson dismissed within the first six months of the season. However, the return of former goalkeeper Paul Bastock helped to steer the club away from relegation, only managing to secure their place in the division on the final day. St Albans were relegated from the Conference South in 2010-11 and currently compete in the Southern League Premier Division

Chelmsford City VS St Albans City FC FA Trophy Match preview 16/11/13

Today we welcome St Albans City to the Melbourne Stadium, in the third round qualifying stage of the FA trophy. The Saints complete their second league distraction in as many weeks, travelling to Essex fresh from FA Cup action. Last weekend St Albans exited the competition after suffering a heavy 8-1 loss at home to League Two side Mansfield Town in front of over 3500 fans. The Saints started well, with Darren Locke rifling a header into the back of the net within the first ten minutes to put the home side ahead. With a cup upset in mind, they led for over half an hour before the Stags could respond. Finally the home sides defence was broken down, and Mansfield scored two in quick succession to make sure they were in front at the interval. They showed their superiority in the second half adding a further six as St Albans recorded their second highest loss in the history of the competition.

                                   

The Saints have started their league season well, sitting comfortably in the top half of the table having taken 21 points from their first 13 games. Before last weekend they had an impressive 11 game unbeaten run which stretches back as far as September, four of these coming from league matches.  The side have not been starved of goalmouth action, recording a 5-2 home win against AFC Totton and 7-3 away victory over Truro City earlier in the season.

 

Joint managers James Grey and Graham Golds will be pleased with their work so far as their side begins to form a tough opposition for other members of the Calor League Premier Division. The pair took charge in December of last year and will be hoping to make a success of their first full season in charge. Summer signing John Frendo has proved a valid addition to the team, scoring 9 league goals in 13 games. Frendo arrived from league rivals Hitchin Town after he scored 44 times in his 48 games last season, and was the division’s highest goal scorer. He has not disappointed so far and immediately came back to haunt his former side by converting a penalty against them on the opening day of the campaign. Another player to look out for is former Claret, Ben Martin, who returns today having made his summer move to Clarence Park, arriving from last season’s Conference South winners, Welling United.

 

With St Albans residing a tier below Chelmsford, today will be a good test of what may lay in store for the Saints, should they be able to push on and gain promotion in the current campaign. The sides have met seven times previously, with the Clarets having the upper hand on four occasions. St Albans have been victorious once, and shared two draws in previous meets. The teams last competed in the 2010/11 season, recording a 1-1 draw in Essex, and a 2-0 victory to Chelmsford at Clarence Park.

 

After today, St Albans face another tough test in their midweek fixture when they travel to fellow promotion contenders Cambridge City. Following our FA trophy meet, we wish them luck in their league campaign as they attempt a return to the Conference South.

Chelmsford City VS Boreham Wood - match preview 2/11/2013

Today we welcome Boreham Wood to the Melborne Stadium, who turn their attentions back to the league following last week’s FA Cup 4^th qualifying round victory against Heybridge Swifts. The visitors make the 45mile trip from South Hertfordshire, aiming to climb out of the bottom three after an inconsistent start to the season.

So far formidable in the cup, the Woods are failing to replicate this quality in the league having taken just 9 points in their first 11 games.  Today’s opponents will be aiming to get out of this position as soon as possible and build upon increasing league achievements in recent years. The visitors joined the Conference South following playoff success in the Ryman Premier League in the 2009/10 season under current manager Ian Allinson. Following a mid-table finish, the 2011/12 season saw them finish in 8^th place, their highest final placing in their 65year history.

Last season, Boreham Wood begun well, reporting their best start since entering the Conference South. A good run of form in the early stages saw some hard fought battles pay dividends, not least against Hayes and Yeading in the fourth qualifying game in the FA cup. The Woods found themselves 2-0 down within the first 5 minutes, but came back to win the game 3-2, scoring the winner in the final minutes of the game in a night to remember for the fans. The victory led them to an FA Cup 1^st round home tie against Brentford, which they went on to lose 2-0. Their league form saw them spend much of last season in the playoff positions, but a disappointing final 2weeks meant that they dropped out in the closing stages, finishing 9^th.

 Off the pitch, Boreham Wood have grown in terms of facilities at an impressive pace. The current Chairman has introduced a now thriving youth academy, which has seen him pump over £6million into the club. Meadow Park also plays host to Watford reserves FC, Arsenal ladies FC and the Arsenal youth teams. With the likes of Napoli, Borussia Dortmund, Manchester United and Marseille all sending their youth teams to Meadow Park this October and November, locals have every opportunity to see some future world talent on display in their backyard.

Allinson has also been watching with interest, and last week brought in young Arsenal starlet Austin Lipmon after he put in an impressive performance against Napoli. The pacey forward who can also play in midfield will be hoping to make his debut today after signing on loan until January.

 

Of particular interest to Clarets fans this afternoon will be the performance of ex-Chelmsford forward Donovan Simmonds. The striker left Chelmsford to join the Woods this summer and is currently their joint highest scorer with four goals. Both Ben Nunn and Greg Morgan will also be familiar with their surroundings at the Melbourne Stadium, having both had spells here.

 

Northern Irish winger Matthew Ball, who is on loan from Stevenage Borough, will be one to watch for the visitors. Ball began his career at Norwich City, progressing through the youth system and representing his country at various levels. He was released by the Premier league side in 2012 and signed for the league one outfit. He will be hoping to impress his parent club this season with his performances and has netted four times so far. His strike last week in the 83^rd minute of the FA cup game against Heybridge Swifts was the goal that has seen the Wood win a first round proper tie at home to Carlisle United.

 

With all this in mind, we hope for an entertaining game today, and would like to take this opportunity to thank the Boreham Wood fans for travelling to Chelmsford, and wish them a safe journey back this evening.