Season starters - Leiston, Barwell, Real Bedford

Leiston

Starting off with the longest trip first in hopefully the best weather.  The Yeltz are driving 184 miles to Leiston.  If you’re unfamiliar, this is a small Suffolk town of 6,000 people, situated 20 miles North of Ipswich.  Weirdly its back -to-back League away matches, Town having visited as recently as mid-April.

 We’re actually playing an Athletic Association of which football is just part.  The all quite new to the job 6-man Board also oversee darts, snooker, pool, pigeon racing and bowls.  That’s proven by the fact clubhouse bar takings are more than triple the monies taken at the turnstiles. Being community owned, the Athletics Association are obliged to publish detailed figures which are interesting reading for the nosey.  In 23/24, their total matchday income was £17,000. Player wage bill was £77,000 or roughly £2,000 per week and player expenses (presumably travel) added another £31,000. Not surprisingly the club did record a hefty loss.  You wonder how that money can be retrieved.  Equally in recent years the Association went big in the local press about their intention to install a 4g pitch. The last story had them £150,000 short which feels like an impossible bridge to cross.

The football side is pulling way above its weight.  They finished tenth last season in their 13^th straight season at Step 3. They even made the play-offs a couple of years back.  Their average gate is 223, the second lowest in our division and given their isolation hard to see that figure increasing.  This is a football club already beyond its natural ceiling.

Much credit must go to manager Chris Wigger, now starting his 6^th season.  His day job is with the Norwich City Academy.  His brother-in-law is Darren Eadie of Norwich fame. Darren was previously joint manager but more recently was made Head of Football Strategy. I’ll just mention a couple of their squad.  Their best-known player is midfielder Ryan Jarvis, now 39, who played 450 games at every level from the Premier League down before joining the Blues 4 years ago. Goalkeeper Billy Johnson went viral last season when he scored an injury time equaliser in a county cup final - with a scissor kick.  A very recent signing is Kyle Callan-McFadden (aged 30) central defender from previously full-time Kings Lynn.  He was the Linnets player of the year last season and maybe a victim of their budget cuts.

 If you’re heading for the Watson and Hillhouse stadium (IP14 4DQ) for the “big clash” as Leiston call it, expect to pay £13 adults, £10 concessions and £9 for students.  I’m sure that the regular travellers will remember the 300 seats and the theoretical and never tested capacity of 2,200.  The phrase “farmers field” was also in common parlance. Also fondly remembered was the warm and hospitable locals.

The capacious clubhouse has room for all.  If you do fancy a stroll, The Greyhound in King Street has a large beer garden, the White Horse in Waterloo Avenue is described as “lively” while the Black Horse in Main Street is the place to be for relaxation. All are said to be a short walk away.

If you are not making the epic journey, do tune into Radio Halesowen fc for full live coverage.

Stream of the Boar. (aka Barwell)

That’s the literal meaning of their village name. And yes, the spelling is B-0-A-R.  Once upon a time, there was a fabled old boar who used a stream. Presumably this was so exciting a village started up around the animal.  There you go. Never too old to learn.

Our first evening visitors to the freshly painted Sistene Chapel hail from a remote part of Leicestershire. A village they claim though having 9,000 inhabitants, they’d normally be classed as a small town. This is another location where football puts the place on the map. Barwell is otherwise best known for being hit by meteor showers in 1965.  “Best known” is comparative as not even the mist senior of our media team has any recollection…

Our opponents are pretty new, playing their first ever game in 1992.  Given their geography, the fact they’ve reached Step 3 and stayed there for 14 years is a local triumph. Must be said though, neither we nor they expected the two clubs to meet again so soon.  Barwell finished in the last relegation place, amassing only 46 points.  They were reprieved only by Farsley Celtic taking voluntary relegation to Step 5.

With no obvious colour clash, the Canaries (assuming they have a slick kitman) can wear their first choice dayglo yellow kit which provides their club nickname.  Their red second kit will be less eyestrain.   Halesowen v Barwell is quite a rare fixture and our previous home record is not great against them. Our very own Ben Ditchfield, the League’s favourite stat man, will provide full chapter, verse..  and probably line and full stop too.

Manager is Jimmy Ginnelly, who at 61 has been around the block a few times. He’s Nuneaton born and bred and best known for trying to keep his hometown club alive. His nephew is Josh Ginnelly, a player with Swansea.   Barwell’s assistant manager is Andy DAYLYSZYN who sounds like a proper Commentators Challenge.  Jimmy Ginnelly day job is a supervisor with a warehouse and distribution company.   He’s used to comings and goings handy at a club which has waved goodbye to nearly its squad and added at least 20 new ones.   That’s a lot of players to bed in at once and you wonder whether Halesowen can exploit this.  Most of the incomers are in their early 20’s and bought in from Step 4 or 5 sides. 

Their best-known player was 40-year-old Leroy Lita. He’s not mentioned at all on the club twitter so I assumed he’s left.  Which is a shame as it weakens the anecdotes of allegedly being caught playing knock and run.   I did that when I was young. Many of my generation did.  But not when I’m aged 39 and the door has a camera.

Don’t expect large away support.  Barwell had the third lowest gates in the League last season, averaging 318 people.  That’s even with their cheap pricing policy. They’re offering a concession season ticket this season for £110 which is basically a fiver a game.  Hard to imagine the playing budget is very large. Unlike Leiston, there are no clues. Barwell is run as an unincorporated members club which means they do not have to submit accounts to HMRC. Their finances are an in-house mystery.

First home game. Love to see a big gate at the Grove. Nothing like being there. No big club clashes. WBA are in the League Cup so that’s a reserve team and the Premier League won’t have started. You can buy tickets online or use cash or card on the day. Your next best option is the live commentary on Radio Halesowen Town FC.

Real Bedford

This is a fascinating novelty fixture against one of the League favourites.   If the name is unfamiliar, then expect to hear a lot more about this alternative model club.  They were founded in 2002 after a merger of 2 local clubs and their current name is the fourth in just 20 odd years.

Having finished Champions of Step 6, 5 and 4 in the last 3 years, the Pirates are aiming to set a new non- league record of four straight titles. Last year, they racked up 104 points and retained the whole of their 19- man squad. How’s that for continuity?  A whole squad, used to each other and used to winning.  They’ve won 6 out of 6 pre-season.  We need to be aware of striker Joey Evans who’s scored 40+ goals for 3 straight seasons. He was Player of the Month in January 2025. And February. March and April too.   Not a one trick pony. He’s got a degree in accounting and finance.

Over the summer, the manager added 5 young players, all with Step 3 experience. Including – sadly – our own Connor Tee who is the oldest of the new recruits.  The Pirates are much nearer Connor’s home and he’s known for his itchy feet.  Real Bedford are his sixth club in five years.  The club’s CEO insists the club doesn’t overpay for players, but overpay against what standard?

The manager Rob Sinclair has been in charge for 112 games of which he’s won 93 and only 6.  That’s an intimidating stat. On the side, he’s run his own coaching operation for 8 years. Being a treble winner is good for business. He’s still registered as a player. He’s just 35 and looks like a roadie for a heavy rock band.

That’s rather handy as the majority club owner Peter McCormack loves heavy rock.  One of his stunts is to play heavy rock in the tunnel to intimidate the opposition. Not that Halesowen have much of a tunnel but wondering whether we could get our response in first?   A sea shanty maybe?

Real Bedford work hard at being an alternative club. Their badge includes both skull and crossbones.  The away dressing room is painted black. Their club name, the Pirates, was the idea of a player. Think more of a hacker or anarchist, rather than a sea going pirate.  They are the bitcoin club, who attract big bitcoin operators as sponsors and have sold £250,000 worth of merchandise worldwide in the last two years.

Our visitors aim to be a sort of English St Pauli but with money. Lots of money. Between 6 to 7 million pound in bitcoin, as of late last season.  If I understand correctly, profits are converted into more bitcoin. In season 23/24, their ticket sales totalled £22,000.  Their sponsorship amounts to £531,000. Might as well just admit all supporters free of charge.   What our visitors don’t yet have is support. They can rightly point out their fanbase has trebled, which is true enough but from a very low figure. Their average is 350 so we can’t see many Pirates coming to the Grove.  Be interesting to know what Bedford Town fans (average 843) make of the neighbours.

Before we shout “moneybags” and “manufactured club” at the Pirates, we must at least acknowledge that Halesowen Town have a generous owner. Lest we are accused of pot and kettle by other clubs.

This is an early season statement game and we need your support and your voices. Wierdly, WBA, Villa and Wolves are all live on the Telly so save your money for the Yeltz and watch them if you must on a big screen either before or after.   If you really can’t make it, the swashbuckling crew of Radio Halesowen Town will offer live commentary.