|
| |
|
|
International Venue - 18th May
The ASM Stadium at Meadow View Park, Thame, played host to the England Womens' team last weekend including a friendly international match against Sweden.
The England party trained at the facility on Friday and Saturday, (14/15 May) and the match was played behind closed doors on Sunday with Sweden running out narrow 1-0 victors.
"Thame Football Partnership were pleased to have been chosen by the FA to stage this event," said Frank Thompson, General Manager and Assistant First Team Manager "and both countries were delighted with the quality of the facility and playing surface. The match was a warm up for the full international at the Kassam Stadium on Tuesday evening which kicks off at 19.45pm and is in preparation for the England Squad who are competing in the Womens World Cup in Germany in June this year."
|
Thame Pre-Season - 14th May
Although the season finished only a few weeks ago, Thame United have been busy putting together a series of competitive pre-season matches.
All matches will be played at United's ASM Stadium with Southern League (Central) side Burnham, managed by Martin Stone (formerly of Chalfont Wasps) the first to make the short trip to Thame on Saturday 16th July. The following Tuesday (19th July) fellow Southern Central side Aylesbury FC visit the ASM Stadium.
On Saturday 23rd July former manager Tony Joyce then brings his Aylesbury United side, who finished in the upper reaches of the South Midlands Premier Division, to Thame. Southern Premier League side Oxford City are the visitors on Saturday 30th July, before Npower' League side Oxford United make their fourth trip to Thame in less than a year on Monday 1st August. Subject to confirmation of opening day fixtures from both their respective leagues, manager Mark West has then persuaded former side Slough Town, also from the Southern League (Central), to visit Thame for a friendly on Saturday 6th August. United are also in the process of confirming a friendly with Walton Casuals on either 26th or 28th July.
Pre-season training will commence at the end of June with full details available in due course on www.thamunitedfc.demon.co.uk and www.thamefootball.co.uk.
|
Oxford United Fixture Marks Opening - 17th January
On Tuesday evening (18 January), Thame United take on Oxford United in a friendly to mark the opening of the ASM Stadium.
The event, which was originally scheduled for December but was postponed due to the weather conditions, provides Thame United with a welcome break from a hectic league schedule and an opportunity for the club to officially recognise their return to Thame after five years away. Oxford are expected to send a strong squad to the game, with the added spice of a potential 'Father V Son' encounter with Daniel West, son of Thame manager Mark, lining up for the U's and Mark likely to feature for Thame.
With a large crowd anticipated gates open at 6:15pm and kick off is 7:30pm. Cost is £5-00 adults and £2-50 concessions.
|
ASM Stadium Official Opening - 30th December
Thame United are pleased to announce that the official opening of the ASM Stadium will now take place on 18 January 2011. The event was originally scheduled for 21st December with a friendly against Oxford United, but had to be postponed due to the weather conditions. Oxford United have confirmed that they are able to fulfill the fixture on 18 January 2011 and will send a strong squad for the game.
Thame Chairman, Jake Collinge, said 'we are extremely grateful that Oxford United have quickly re-confirmed their commitment to the fixture. We were obviously disappointed that the weather caused the postponement of the game in December as well as being acutely aware of the pressures and requirements that Oxford United have as an 'Npower' League Club. However, their willingness to send a strong squad to the game demonstrates their close ties with grassroots football in Oxfordshire'.
The match will kick off at 7:30pm, with gates opening at 6:15pm. Admission prices will be £5 Adults and £2-50 Concessions.
On player front family connections have led to Thame United's latest signing. Connor Hayes, a distant relative of first team players Adam and Nik Rhodes, put pen to paper earlier in the week to add further strength to the squad. 19 year old Hayes, who was released by Conference side Rushden and Diamonds earlier in the season and has since been playing at Banbury United and Chalfont St Peter, joins a young squad and adds versatility given that he can play in either defence or midfield. Hayes goes straight in to the squad for the home game on Bank Holiday Monday against league leaders Ardley United.
|
Gearing Up for Busy Schedule - 29th December
Thame United go in to the New Year knowing that their biggest challenge for the remainder of the season is not necessarily the opposition, but the prospect of playing a minimum of 26 games in less than four months.
This will mean at least two games a week and, despite the postponements already endured this month, it is normally January and February when the weather really hits the fixture list, and so it is likely that there will be additional postponements over the coming months.
"The postponements over the last month, whilst putting something of a dampener on our return to Thame, have also left us with a fixture pile-up that will require us to draw on the depth of our squad", remarked manager Mark West. United will require all of that depth on Bank Holiday Monday (3rd January, 3:00pm kick off) as they entertain top of the table Ardley United at the ASM Stadium. Ardley come in to the game having lost only two league games all season, one of which was a defeat to Thame on the August Bank Holiday, when striker Alex Stewart scored both goals for the away side in a 2-0 victory. Since then Ardley have only slipped-up against Shortwood United and have a five point lead at the top of the table.
Although over five inches of snow remained on the main pitch at the ASM Stadium on Monday (27th December) evening, by midday on Tuesday the surface was free of snow, well-drained and frost free. With the long range forecast indicating relatively milder day time and night time temperatures, the Club are not anticipating any problems with the pitch for the match, so at least they can begin to 'eat' in to the remaining fixtures as Thame look to lift themselves in to the top half of the table.
|
The ASM Stadium, Meadow View Park - 10th December
After over five years leading a nomadic existence playing ‘home’ games at Aylesbury United and AFC Wallingford, Thame United will play their first game at the new £3m ASM Stadium at Meadow View Park in Thame this coming Saturday against Bracknell Town.
The game is the culmination of five years of hard work by a committed group of volunteers that, through the Thame Football Partnership, has seen the Club deliver a major investment in footballing and community facilities for the town, and Chairman Jake Collinge is delighted with the outcome ‘the scale of the new facilities will act as a stimulus to the growth of the club as we look to build a solid, sustainable and progressive future, as well offering first class sporting and community facilities’.
Whilst the project, which has been delivered through a combination of grant funding and capital generated from the re-development of Windmill Road, the former home of Thame United, has been in the pipeline for the last few years, work only commenced in March this year and has been completed in less than 10 months. The facilities include eight football pitches, a 3G training pitch and 8,000sqft clubhouse.
Whilst the weather halted the anticipated opening last weekend against Wokingham and Emmbrook, the club are not expecting there to be any doubts over the fixture on Saturday. ‘Although the main pitch was under a thin layer of snow until Tuesday of this week, by Wednesday lunchtime it had cleared and was in a playable condition. With the slightly milder weather through to Saturday, the pitch will be in good condition for kick off’, Collinge remarked.
|
Thame Gear Up For League Start - 4th August
 Following their success last season in clinching the Division 1 East title, Thame United begin life in the Hellenic Premier Division with a home fixture against Ascot United on Tuesday 10th August. The match sees United return to the Premier Division after three seasons in Division 1 East, and manager Mark West knows what to expect. West,pictured, explained. "There will be a step up in class this season and we know that to be competitive we will have to give 100% in each game. That said, if we play to our potential, we will be a match for anyone in the league".
West and assistant manager Frank Thompson having been working hard in the close season to bring in new faces to add to the championship winning squad. In comes goal keeper Milan Barisic from Oxford City Nomads, striker Alex Stewart from Marlow and defenders James Saulsbury and Martin Brown from Aylesbury FC and Didcot Town respectively.All of whom will be familiar to United supporters having previously played for the Club. ‘We now have a balance of experience and youth in the squad, and greater strength in depth, that will put us in good stead come the game against Ascot’, West said.
United have also come in to form during the pre-season. Despite losing their opening game 2-1 at Woodley Town, they have since beaten Woodcote and Stoke Row (5-0), Chinnor (3-0) and Penn and Tylers Green (4-1), and last Tuesday held Southern League side Marlow to a 0-0 draw and, indeed, could count themselves unlucky not to have beaten their higher league opposition.
United will be looking to continue that form in their opening league game against Ascot United on 10th August. Kick of is at 7:45pm at AFC Wallingford, Hithercroft Road, Wallingford |
Thame On The Road With CPM - 14th July
 Thame Football Partnership is delighted to announce details of a three-year sponsorship agreement with sales development company CPM. The agreement sees the locally-based business, which is the global leader in providing integrated sales and marketing solutions, provide a club sponsorship for TFP. It will also enable the provision of a brand new 17 seat minibus for the Club over the next three years.
Martin Ryan Managing Director of CPM, commented: “We are always keen to provide local support to community organisations and with the new stadium complex being constructed right on our doorstep it felt appropriate that we support the youth of the town in some way”.
“Having seen the facility at an early stage and heard the plans for the future and what Thame Football Partnership are doing locally for the community, we wanted to be part of this and help support the football partnership through this sponsorship”.
TFP’s Frank Thompson said: “ We are really pleased to have CPM as our club sponsor and the addition of the mini-bus for the Club is a most welcome and much needed resource. CPM is going to be providing us with fantastic support and we look forward to a long and successful partnership with the clubs”.
The deal not only involves the provision of the Club mini-bus but will also see all playing members provided with branded CPM tracksuit tops for the start of the new season.
With over 3,000 employees across the UK and Ireland, CPM’s expertise is in providing people as the face and voice of its clients' brands.
Delivering over 300,000 face to face, 120,000 phone and 10,000 web contacts for its clients each week, CPM’s heritage lies in field marketing, but it has grown and developed its business to offer a comprehensive number of contact solutions.
CPM is owned by the world’s largest marketing communications group Omnicom.
www.cpm-int.com
|
Thame Crash Repair Stand - 1st July
 Hot on the heels of the new stadium name TFP have wasted no time in securing a three year sponsorship for the new main stand at Meadow View Park with Thame Crash Repair Centre.
This sponsorship follows Thame Crash Repair Centre’s sponsorship of the first team squad for all of their training wear and match-day tracksuits last season. TFP’s Frank Thompson stated, “The ground can hold up to 3,000 spectators and will be to Southern League ground grading status with the main stand initially seating close to 300, and we will be delighted if we are filling all of the seats at our home games”.
 Chris Connelly the owner of Thame Crash Repairs commented. “We are delighted to be able to continue with our support for this community facility, the majority of the first team squad is made up of young local players who have progressed through from theThame Boys set-up and it’s really encouraging to see them doing so well. Hopefully with this new facility in place the club will be well set for the future with the home grown talent that will be coming through”.
The sponsorship will be supported with press and radio coverage at the launch event, coverage throughout the season on the league websites with signage on and around the stadium promoting this and advertising around the main pitch perimeter and match-day programmes .The Main stand will be referred to at the ASM Stadium as The Thame Crash Repair Centre Stand
|
ASM Stadium - 23rd June
 Thame Football Partnership are delighted to announce that Thame based ASM Auto Recycling Ltd are to provide sponsorship for the new stadium at Meadow View Park and for Thame United Football Club in a deal that provides ongoing support over the next three years.
The new Stadium will now be called the ASM Stadium. Paul McDonagh, of ASM commented, “We are a local business that strives to provide a professional service to all of our customers. Having seen what Thame Football Partnership are doing locally for the community we wanted to be part of this and help support the football partnership through this sponsorship. We are big supporters of football at all levels and we are really pleased that we are now getting involved with the club at both Youth and Senior levels”.
 With Thame United back in the Hellenic Premier Division again and looking to be playing at The ASM Stadium in the late Autumn they are hoping that attendances will increase with support for all of the sides playing there.
TFP’s Frank Thompson said “ We are really pleased to have ASM as both our stadium and senior team sponsors. Paul and the other ASM Directors have demonstrated to us that they are passionate about their involvement with the clubs and we are looking forward to a long and successful partnership with them. The deal not only involves the name for the stadium but also includes new ASM home and away playing strips for the Thame United sides, as well as branded training packs.
When it opens, members at the new stadium will also be entitled to a discount on car parts purchased from ASM’s site in Rycote Lane. Established for over 20 years, ASM Auto Recycling is widely regarded as one of the UK’s most modern and professional vehicle salvage agents and parts recyclers.
Currently processing over 15,000 vehicles every year. Their online salvage auction offers over 500 cars, vans and bikes for sale every week, they also have a further 2,000 vehicles for parts dismantling. www.asm-autos.co.uk
|
Foundation Laying Ceremony - 2nd June
Local MP John Howell, Thame Mayor Adam Buckland, and Chairman of SODC Mike Welply were amongst 50 dignitaries from The FA, Oxon FA, Football Foundation and County, District and Town Councils attending the official Foundation Laying Ceremony at Meadow View Park last Friday.
Under a perfect cloudless sky and following speeches of thanks from Jake Collinge(TFP & Thame United FC) John Howell (MP), Kevin Underwood (Buckingham Group) and Mayor Adam Buckland the party were taken to the main building where a foundation block was laid.
The pitch levels at the site are now virtually completed and the block work for the walls has commenced so theWith the help of John Howell MP and the newly elected Chairman of South Oxfordshire District Council, Mike Welply, the Mayor carried out his first official function in Thame, on what was an historic day for Thame football, followed by a tour of the facility showing the main stadium pitch and the other facilities at the 20 acre site
.
Main clubhouse will start to take shape quite quickly overthe next few weeks. Frank Thompson stated, “We are really pleased to get to this stage already and it wasa really nice way to get everyone who have been so instrumental in getting this community project together to see the current status. It looks really impressive now and we are all very excited about having the facility ready in the Autumn."
|
|
|
| |
|
|
