UPCOMIING 1ST EVER PROGRAMMES AND BADGES

 UPCOMING FIRST EVER PROGRAMMES AND BADGES

SATURDAY 18th JANUARY 2025

GREYFRIARS FC v CALVERTON MINERS WELFARE FC

Even if you cant make the match, you can pre order programe(s) and badges from me, even if you are abroad, I can take payment via bank transfer, but must be pre ordered well in advance as half the badges from both clubs have been sold out. The programmes, the more sold, the more the charity makes. This year I have chosen Autism Awareness, as many of you know through the football world, me and my wife have a  20 year old son Shawn with autism. The Greyfriars FC programme and badge is the clubs irst and also Calverton MW are also producing a badge.

Programmes are £2 each and badges £4 each, if you are coming to the match, if you cant make, I can work out postage costs.

UPCOMING on SATURDAY 5th APRIL 2025, we visit EAST LEAKE ROBINS v AC UNITED FC with EAST LEAKES FIRST EVER PROGRAMME & BADGE and also AC UNITED FC having their FIRST EVER BADGE done, so if you are interested in the pack of 2 programmes and 4 badges or any, then please contact me on hornby60uk@yahoo.co.uk

COTGRAVE HEAD TO COUNTY CUP SEMI FINALS

 Nottinghamshire FA Senior Trophy

BINGHAM TOWN FC 2 COTGRAVE WELFARE FC 3

When the draw for the Notts FA Trophy Quarter Finals was made, Bingham Town had beaten Aslockton & Orston in the shock of the previous round and Cotgrave had a unbeaten record in all cometitions, plus this tie was a local derby of around 4 miles apart.

With Bingham having home advantage, anything can happen in a cup tie, som this morning with so many matches being called off due overnight frost, I rang Bingham to check the match was still on and as told yes, as a kids game was taking place on thwe kids pitch, but just as we were about to set out, came the phone call from Bingham to say that the main pitch was declared unfit and the tie had been switched to Cotgrave.

On arrival at Cotgrave, the pitch looked perfect and I was sooon greeted by both committees and  people from other clubs that made up the crowd of around just over 150. Hazel sat inside  knitting and I soon had my flask filled with a cuppa, it was then time to go to meet the match officials of Phil Wort,  Lucy Gill and Phil Towers to say hello and get the teamsheets.

I sat just near the halfwaay line and just before kick off was a minutes silence well respected by everyone in the ground for a Cotgrave coach who sadly passed away earlier this week.

The game kicked off and it was Bingham who had the first chance with it going wayward, it was to prove costly as Cotgrave sprung down the left side and a cross was met on 3 minutes by MARK GREEN  who headed home from close distance.

It got worse for Bingham, as on 5 minutes a similar move again saw MARK GREEN place his header home to double the Welfare's advantage.

At this stage, I thought the tie may well be a mismatch, but Bingham kept playing and the game went from end to end, with both teams missing chances.

In the 39th minute, Cotgrave opened up a 3-0 lead, wqhen a corner from the right saw a header by LAWRENCE COOKE hit the back of the net..surely game over?

Bingham's half  time talk had to be good and it seermed to be as they started knocking the ball  about and being equal to Cotgrave, then after 57 minutes, gave themselves a lifeline, when a corner from the right was volleyed home by JACOB BOYES to reduce the arrears.

The game then went a bit scrappy with nuggly tackles and  saw a few cards produced rightly so by the referee. Both teams were still having chances but with  time running out, Cotgrave were reduced to ten men and Bingham pressed, three minutes in to injury JACOB BOYES scrammed in to the box and pulled back another goal for his side, but there just wasnt enough time too go for a leveller.

A good local derby cup tie to watch with a decent crowd of over 150 people, I personally felt the 3 officials all worked well together and had goods games, though some people around may well have felt different.

So the First game on the new charity blog which is for AUTISM  AWARENESS ssaw 5 goals so sees £1.25 go in to the Charity Blog Bank Account, with a couple of donations so far it takes a running total to £161.25p, may I give a BIG THANKYOU to Wollarton FC's Bill Fishwick who has kindly dionated £140 from his retirement match last weekend..If anyone would like to make a diomnation, the Charity Bloog details are:

AROUNDTHEGROUNDS CHARITY BLOG

Sort Code: 30-98-97

Account: 70342862

To see the photos taken from the match, please click this LINK

THIS YEARS CHARITY BLOG

 AROUNDTHEGROUNDS CHARITY BLOG 2025

Last year 2024, we raised a total of £2,427.25 for Motor Neurone Disease Support Group, which we couldnt have donhe without the help of everyone who just makes donations to the Charity Blog, no matter how small or large, every penny counts.

When setting up the Blog inspired by the late Malc Storer and his good friend Kev Goodman 16 years ago, Id have never of dreamed of raising so much for small charities and how generous people and clubs kindly are.

Gosh could I have done with Malc's help today setting this years Blog up, as I mcouldnt get the margins right or the font size correct or the charitys photo the right size, simple things Malc would talk me through for a hour or so, still miss the bearded wonder and I bet he is up there laughing his socks off at me struggling away, calling me a silly sod!

The first ever blog i did for a man who saved my life at the Queens Medicial Centre with my eplipsy and raiseed £508, since then every year we have raised well over £1.000 and now the past 3 years well over £2000 even though Ive been ill myself and now rely on a mobility scooter.

This year, we have chosen some charity that is very close to me and Hazel, as many of you will have met or seen our 20 year old son Shawn grow up from the pushchair at the side of the pitch mto answering my mobile phone and telling you a dad joke. As you all know Shawn has Autism and we have chosen THE A WORLD UK CIC which is part of autism awarenss, who help and support adults and children and families with this special need. Thery own lotdds of caravans in Blackpool which they let out cheaper for these families, also provide trips and they have two charity shops, one in Preston and one in Mansfield.

The Groundhoppers have been superb visiting the Notts Senior League Clubs who I have been putting on special days for by producing their first ever programmes and thus bringing hoppers that wouldnt usually come to some of the Notts Senior League Grounds to visit others, the clubs have also enjoyed having their first ever programme and badge done.So many peiple advertising the games on social media, websites and magazines.

The clubs and the players have been great by just digging in their wallers and also the Notts Senior League form letting Hazel do the raffle at all the Cup Finals, how do you thank everyonje, its just impossible to do, as there are so many and I couldnt miss anyone out, even down in Cornwall and Lancashire.

The Charity Match Fun Day in June(this year, 2nd saturday at Basford United FC kick off, will be lots of raffle prizes and tombola, as well as hook a duck)

A lot of players sometimes dont have money on them and some people as well and often ask how they can donate, so here is the Charity Blogs Details:

AROUNDTHEGROUNDS CHARITY BLOG

Sort Code: 30-98-97

Account Number: 70342862

THANKYOU TO ALL THAT MAKES A DONATION