Chinnor Awards Night - 11th May

Chinnor FC held their end of season awards night last Saturday after a season which started very badly but picked up, ending with the first team finishing in tenth place. Although lower than the eighth place they finished in the previous season still represented a reasonable season. The first team player’s player of the year award went to Darren Peverill, the manager’s vote went to captain Ryan Davis. For the reserves the awards went to Tom White (players) and Kevin Slatter (managers).

Chinnor are already looking towards next season, a new planning application is due to be submitted within the next few weeks which will hopefully allow the club to secure the required ground grading to stay at step six. The committee will also be meeting in the next few weeks to decide on the club’s management structure for the coming season where a top ten finish looks like being a requirement to retain Division One status.

Players Out - 26th March

Chinnor go into Saturday's local derby with top of the table Thame United with several players missing. Richard Avery and Michael Byrne are both attending a wedding, Stewart Bolding is unavailable due to work commitments.

Manager Richard Carr is aware of the difficult task facing his side as they travel to play a side who have not conceded a goal for five games. Carr commented “We know Thame are a very good side & are now almost certain of promotion. That being said, their side contains a number of ex Chinnor players who we know well & whilst we are clearly second favourites I am sure we can put up a good fight!” Chinnor’s from of late has been a lot better than it was at the start of the season & they have only lost twice in their last twelve games. Last Saturday saw them turn around a 3-0 deficit at Finchampstead to come away with a 3-3 draw. With only four games left to play they are definitely looking to finish the season by securing a top half finish to go with last season’s eighth place.

Tough Encounter - 6th March

Fresh from their hard fought victory at home to Farnborough Reserves Chinnor FC travel away today to take on Milton United.

Manager Richard Carr expects a very tough encounter as he knows Milton are a good side, also that they will be smarting from their defeat at Chinnor earlier in the season. Carr’s side come into the game with only one defeat in their last nine, it looks like they can have a big effect on the outcome of Division 1 East as they have to play four of the top six in the remaining weeks of the season.

The Chinnor side will have to make a few changes as they are without Colin Bird, Stewart Bolding, and Matt Stannard, but Carr does have Darren Peverill returning from suspension, hopefully James Bloomfield if he has shaken off a hamstring strain which kept him out last weekend.

Carr Pleased With 'Turnaround' - 21st February

Chinnor manager Richard Carr is extremely pleased with the way his team have turned around their season and sees the fact that they are now seven games unbeaten in the league as a testimony to the never say die attitude of his team.

The manager (pictured) said: “Early in the season we were without a number of key players due to a combination of injuries, suspensions, & losing three regulars to local rivals Thame United. This disrupted the first half of the season, it is only really since November that I have been able to start fielding the majority of last year’s team”.

During this unbeaten period Chinnor have beaten two of the top six and also drawn with league leaders Wokingham. Their next game is on Tuesday when they travel to Didcot Town Reserves. Carr is expecting another difficult game. “We recently drew at home with Didcot and I fully expect another tough game on Tuesday. All I have said to my players is they can choose between finishing the season on a high or with a whimper! We know that if we play to our potential we can still finish in the top half and after last year’s ninth place finish we do not want to go backwards”

Brave Performance - 9th November

Already heavily depleted through injuries Chinnor FC received more bad news yesterday when it was found that goalkeeper Ben Taunton had broken his ankle in the previous day’s local FTLFutbol Division Hellenic One East derby defeat against Thame United and now faces at least six weeks in plaster.

The injury actually took place in the first half and although obviously struggling, Taunton (pictured) played out the rest of the game. Manager Richard Carr has been forced to apologise to Taunton as he berated his keeper in the second half for failing to clear the half way line with his kicks.

On a more positive note for Chinnor, Ian Braun and Michael Byrne returned from injury on Saturday, Gary Marshall is also expected to be fit for next weekend’s home game against Penn & Tylers Green.

Injury "Trauma" For Chinnor - 30th October

Chinnors' injury crisis took another turn for the worse last Saturday when defender Michael Byrne was forced off the field with a large gash on the forehead after a clash of heads with a Rayners Lane player.

Byrne (pictured) was taken to hospital, requiring 15 stitches and will definitely be unavailable for this Saturday’s game at South Kilburn. In all Chinnor now have seven of their first team squad out injured, also face being without Lewis Craker who is unavailable, plus Richard Avery who will be missing for five weeks due to a “Sunday League” sending off.

Manager Richard Carr, himself out since the 3rd September with a torn medial ligament, refused to put a negative slant on the situation commenting. “Last Saturday we suffered not only a serious injury to Michael but also the added problem of having a player sent off after thirty minutes. Despite these set backs we were able to come back form a goal down to earn a great point against a strong Rayners Lane side. We know the next few weeks will be tough but I am confident the spirit we have within the club will allow us to continue to produce performances and results”

May The Force Be With You - 14th July.

Anyone on Chinnor Playing Fields last Sunday may have been forgiven for thinking “The Empire Strikes Back” as Darth Vader and his storm troopers appeared to take over the field.

The reality though - it was merely the football club’s representatives in the annual village Pub cricket competition. “Whilst the force was with the team” it only lasted until the final was reached and the 'Stormtroopers' were narrowly beaten.