It’s been all change down at Elcot Lane over the summer with a new team of coaches and new players joining the club.
A new committee have appointed the new coaching team, the club has joined forces with Marlborough Youth FC and are taking on new players, thus implementing a new, stronger, family-friendly approach to the running of the club.
The association with Marlborough Youth has been developing for a few years, now increasingly formalised to create an inclusive, supportive pathway for youth players to enter senior football. This is great for both Town and MYFC in equal proportion, for the latter providing a route from U5’s girls and boys football straight through to senior Ladies and Men’s, at all stages proudly representing our community town.
First to take the spotlight is the Men’s 1st team, off to a great start to the season with a 0-0 draw away against Odd Down FC in Bath and a 5-1 home victory over Stratton Juniors in their first two league games of the season.
The Odd Down draw saw a very closely fought game with many outstanding individual performances. Of note was a faultless debut for Alex Fraser, a Marlborough Youth (MYFC) player just last season, also playing out of position in defence. Another debutant, Jake Woolliams, was similarly outstanding in midfield, and Jake Hull in goal—another Youth product—was simply heroic, displaying maturity beyond his years. Another ex-MYFC player Jacob Clappison also delivered a fabulously assured and composed performance at right back on his debut.
Jamie Conway started the season in real style scoring a hat-trick inside the first 30 minutes against Stratton, with further goals from Kieran Maidment and another new boy Charlie Galley completing the rout. Maidment and Conway in particular tormented their opponents throughout the match with numerous forays down the wings and it is fair to say Marlborough Town could have scored more.
COVID and a few minor injuries then struck the squad leading to several changes in line up over the next three matches which were all lost including a narrow 5-4 loss at home to Malmesbury Victoria.
However, the highlight of this match was a stunning 2nd half hat-trick from 18 year old Zach Symon, yet another ex-MYFC player making his way for the senior team. Symon continued his great form in Tuesday night’s 5-0 win away at lowly Purton, scoring a further two goals and completely bossing the midfield, with goals from Galley, Crame and Muir completing the comprehensive win.
Next game up is at the Elcot Lane home against Melksham Town this Saturday 3pm kick-off, all are welcome to cheer the lads on.
It is an exciting time for Marlborough Town FC who are still on the lookout for even more players for strength in depth. The club has also refocused the men’s ‘Reserve’ team – now renamed Marlborough Town ‘Development’ team – with a specific remit of bringing youth players into senior football, shaping and preparing Marlborough’s youth footballers for First Team action.
This team is managed by the excellent Malcolm Ford, a long standing youth coach with MYFC with strong pedigree having represented numerous Wiltshire clubs at a high level in his playing days. The idea is to create a squad that is a strong blend of youth and experience that can compete, with one eye always on player development as much as results on a Saturday.
The men’s first team is now managed and coached by Steve Chadwick, ably assisted by Kenny Muir. The club are privileged to say that both are UEFA B qualified coaches, highly experienced, and both have brought a new energy, wisdom, structure and footballing fair play ethos to First Team football and training at Marlborough. So much so, the Development team and the First Team train together and both squads are excited and impressed by the level of coaching now on offer.
So far Steve Chadwick is delighted with the start, the team already have more points than in the whole of last season’s Covid curtailed campaign and the team currently sits eighth in the league. Steve and his team of coaches have worked tirelessly pre-season to blend a lot of youth into the team, also recognising the need for hard work from everyone to continue to gel and develop.
Marlborough Ladies most successful Manager Robin Simpson has returned to manage and coach the Ladies team ably assisted by Dani Moreton. This comes at a particularly exciting time as after years of MYFC support and investment, Marlborough Youth Angels commendably now have an U16’s team which can start feeding into the senior team too. Joint training sessions are already planned and both clubs are determined that this is just the beginning of a great partnership.
The Clubs welcome involvement and encourage all to be part of what the new style club are doing and achieving, whether as a player or club volunteer. If you are interested contact Stu Slater on chair@myfc.me.uk or email to Marlboroughtownfc@btconnect.com or feel free come to training at Elcot Lane on Tuesdays 7-8.30pm.
Greenham women’s anniversary march arrives in Marlborough
