WOOTTON BASSETT TOWN F C NEWS

Yeardley Gets A Run Out - 10th October

Steve Yeardley (left) is back battling for Bassett after competing in last week’s Great North Run, while reserve team duo Andy Deery and John Grant are both included in Saturdays squad.

Wootton Bassett boss Dave Turner insists his players will not be taking Wiltshire Cup first round opponents Marlborough Town lightly.

Bassett beat Kidlington to reach the second round proper of the FA Vase last week, but Turner knows better than to underestimate Wiltshire League opposition.

He said: “Marlborough is right on my doorstep so I have been out to watch them. We will approach the game just like we did against Kidlington last weekend and show them every respect. The players are very confident at the moment, and we want to build on that.”

Former skipper Steve Yeardley is back after competing in last week’s Great North Run, while reserve team duo Andy Deery and John Grant are both included in the squad.

Tearle Creates Bassett History - 6th October

A brilliant individual effort from teenage striker Phil Tearle sent Wootton Bassett flying into the second round of the FA Vase for the first time in the club’s history.

Tearle came off the bench in extra time to seal a dramatic 3-2 win over Hellenic Premier outfit Kidlington as Bassett continued their fine early season form.

Afterwards a delighted Dave Turner paid tribute to his players, who failed to buckle after Kidlington had wiped out their early two goal advantage. “I thought it was a brilliant performance against a team from a higher division,” said Turner. “We had Kidlington watched last week and we decided to match their 3-5-2 formation, and it worked very well. Our players could have dropped their heads when they pulled it back to 2-2, but the spirit was excellent. Obviously the money from this win is a big, big thing for a small club like Bassett but it also raises the profile of the team too."

“I will be looking with interest at the draw for the next round to see who we get.”

Well it could be a night out in Bournemouth for the team if they win the next round, as they have been drawn away to Wimborne Town.

Will Bassett Make History? - 3rd October

Dave Turner is aiming to write his Wootton Bassett side into the history books as they entertain Kidlington in the First Round Proper of The FA Vase tomorrow.

Having never reached the second round of the competition, Turner knows just how important the cup competition is to Bassett and, after dispatching higher league opponents in the previous batch of games, Bassett’s boss is confident his side can repeat their heroics this time round.

He said: “Kidlington are a typical Hellenic League Premier Division side, big, strong and they get the ball down and play in spells as well. Having said that, they also like to get it forward quickly, and we’ll have to be at our best if we’re going to get anything from the game. They’re a step up from us and we know it will be another tough game. If my lads give me everything and perform like we have done over the past few weeks but we end up losing, then I’ll hold my hands up because sometimes you can’t do any more. We’re the underdogs and that’s not a bad thing because there’s no pressure on us. We’ve got a belief about us at the moment that we can beat whoever we play, and I don’t see any reason why we can’t win on Saturday.”

The tie will be Bassett’s first home game since the end of August, and Turner admits he has forgotten about the home comforts Rylands Way provides.

“Thankfully I’ve got a sat nav in my car and it’s got our ground saved in it’s memory, so I should be able to find my way there,” he joked. “But seriously, the FA Vase is a massive competition for non-league clubs and everyone at the club is really looking forward to the game.”
Bassett Banks' Success - 29th September

Wootton Bassett boss Dave Turner paid tribute to ‘unlikely hero’ Ryan Banks as the midfielder came off the bench to bag a brace and cause a SBJ Insurance Brokers League Challenge Cup upset.

FTL Futbol Hellenic League Premier Division outfit Hook Norton were on the wrong end of a 2-1 scoreline as Bassett embarrassed their higher level opponents to progress to the next round of the competition. The home side took the lead in the 70th minute when Carl Standen’s corner flew straight into the Bassett net without a touch. But Banks finished off a flowing five-man move to send the game into extra-time, and the midfielder sealed victory with his second when he drove the ball home, much to the amazement of his manager.

Turner said: “Banksy doesn’t score many but he’s got other attributes and nobody was more surprised than us when he scored. “He’s a smashing kid, but it was a shock that he got one, so you can only imagine what everyone thought when he got a second!

“But he’s won it from the bench for us, and I was delighted for him. He’s been on the bench for the last couple of weeks and he made a massive contribution on Saturday. Now he’s staked a claim for a starting place and it gives me a nice headache when it comes to picking the team.”

The victory was Bassett’s fifth consecutive win, all on their travels, and Turner said he doesn’t care who they are drawn against in the next round of the Challenge Cup.

“It really doesn’t matter,” he admitted. “We’ll take them as they come, and the way we’re playing at the moment I don’t think there’s anyone to fear. Saturday was a good result and we thoroughly deserved it. I was delighted with the win, but even more so with the manner in which we did it.

“We had been playing well in previous weeks and told the players to go out there and relax and enjoy themselves because they had nothing to lose. For long periods we played really well and caused them a lot of problems - we had four or five decent chances and the lads were magnificent to a man.”
It Not Over Until . . . 9th September

After watching his side snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, Bassett boss Dave Turner admitted he thought the cup run was over.

Turner said: “It took us about an hour to get going, and at that point we were already two goals down. I got that feeling that it wasn’t going to be our day. But then we grabbed a goal back and the lads got their tails up. Even after Sean (Terry) missed a penalty you could tell we were on top and it was only a matter of time."

“We kept our 3-4-3 formation in extra time, and within a couple of minutes we went behind again. But the lads showed great determination, and when Sean netted the equaliser I knew we would go on and win it. For him to finish with a hat-trick was great, and three right-footed strikes too. Not bad for a left-footer.”

Scott Latham and Andrew Hammond fired the hosts into a 2-0 lead, before Steve Yeardley got Bassett on the board with a scrappy close-range finish. Second half substitute Craig Shand ensured the match would go to extra time with a neat finish from Terry’s reverse pass. Steve Norman drilled Buckingham back in front after 94 minutes, before Terry took over at the death, the striker enhanced his reputation with three clinical finishes to book Bassett a date with Henley Town in two weeks time.
Buckingham For Bassett - 5th Septhember

Dave Turner takes his Wootton Bassett side to Molten Spartan South Midlands League outfit Buckingham Athletic on Saturday in the first qualifying round of the FA Vase.

The Rylands Way club have faced a tricky opening to the campaign with the fixture list offering up just two league games so far this season but Turner insists that, following his team’s 2-1 win over Harrow Hill in the Floodlit Cup on Wednesday, they are “full of confidence” going into this weekend’s contest.

“The FA Vase is a big competition for us,second only to the FA Cup,” claims Turner. “The money and prestige on offer is massive at this level.”

With no new injury worries and a full squad to choose from, including new arrivals Lee Molten and Sean Bailey and the returning Shaun Terry, Turner believes that the Vase provides Bassett with the ideal way to kick start their season.

“We’ve only had two games and it’s already September - it’s time to get some momentum and after our good performance on Wednesday I’m full of confidence. We’ve got a coach going to Buckingham on Saturday so we’re doing it right, the Vase is a real chance to get some finances back into the coffers.”
Exciting Signings at Wootton Bassett Town - 15th July

New Wootton Bassett Town manager Dave Turner has been busy in the summer assembling a strong squad to mount a challenge for the FTL Futbol Hellenic Division One West title.

Last week saw the signing of two key players in the shape of Bassett based Sean Terry (pictured) and Matty Saye. Terry was at Premier League Hungerford Town last season, although he spent a short spell on loan at Bassett scoring 6 goals in 5 games.

Saye is a former Highworth Town and Swindon Supermarine player with plenty of experience at Hellenic Premier League level who will no doubt make a big impact in the coming season in Division One West. These two players are joined by a number of ex-Pewsey players who have followed Turner to Wootton Bassett including Shaun and Richie Carter, Adam Field, Harry Hambridge, Tom Richie and Luke Sharps. Two players from last year’s Under 18 side, who made the break through into the Hellenic side last season notching up 30 appearances each, Phil Tearle and Jonny Aitkenhead, have also both re-signed as manager Turner builds a squad with a mixture of experience and youth.
New Chairman At Bassett - 14th July

A change at the head of FTL Futbol Hellenic One West Club Wootton Bassett Town in Season 2008-2009 following last week’s AGM. With Chairman Mark Smedley (pictured left) stepping down after 5 seasons as he and his family move to Surrey.

The family will remain involved with the Club with the former Chairman continuing his role as programme editor, hoping to retain the record of producing the best programme in the Hellenic League for the last two seasons. Furthermore, son Scott will continue to administer the Club website.

Mark’s predecessor Paul Harrison (pictured left presenting a Player of the Month award last season) will return to lead the Club following his work on the project to drive forward the Clubs exciting proposals to relocate to a new purpose built ground on the edge of the Town. With Chris Jones as Senior Operations Director and Pete Yeardley as Youth Operations Director, Paul has a strong team in place to take the Club forward to the next level.

In the meantime new manager Dave Turner has been assembling a very strong squad for a promotion push in the forthcoming season with some exciting new signings to be announced in the very near future.