Berkshire Football Stories | Non-League and women's football in Berkshire

Episode 14 of our regular pub (but not in a pub) chats with people in and around the grassroots and non league game. We'll be trying to release a few of these a week, if not daily. This episode we speak to Bracknell Town boss Bobby Wilkinson about his time at Hungerford Town and reaching the National League, joining Bracknell Town and his time working at Reading FC. Visit our website at www.footba...

Episode 13 of our regular pub (but not in a pub) chats with people in and around the grassroots and non league game. We'll be trying to release a few of these a week, if not daily. This episode we speak to Wycombe Wanderers boss Gareth Ainsworth about how he ended up playing in the Bracknell Sunday League, joining Woodley United, Adebayo Akinfenwa and a starry night at the LMA awards. Visit our we...

Episode 12 of our regular pub (but not in a pub) chats with people in and around the grassroots and non league game. We'll be trying to release a few of these a week, if not daily. This episode we speak to Binfield centre back Idris Kamara about his playing career, managers getting the best out of him, winning the Hellenic League player of the season award fighting for his place at Binfield. Visit...

Episode 11 of our regular pub (but not in a pub) chats with people in and around the grassroots and non league game. We'll be trying to release a few of these a week, if not daily. This episode we speak to Holyport boss Derek Sweetman about his playing career and getting into management, his second spell with the Port and his rude awakening in to the world of non league football at Slough Town. Vi...

Episode 10 of our regular pub (but not in a pub) chats with people in and around the grassroots and non league game. This episode we speak to the Reading FC Women First Team goalkeeper coach Craig McCreeth about the women's game, Reading's place in it, working with Grace Moloney and Rachael Laws and how he ended up playing for Woodley United. Visit our website at www.footballinberkshire.co.uk Foll...

Episode 9 of our regular pub (but not in a pub) chats with people in and around the grassroots and non league game. This episode we speak to the Berks & Bucks County FA's Women & Girls Development Officer Ellen Hopkins about the growth of women's football, how she started out and ended up as a goalkeeper as well as a coaching career that took her to America. Visit our website at www.footba...

Episode eight of our regular pub (but not in a pub) chats with people in and around the grassroots and non league game. This episode we speak to Thatcham Town manager Danny Robinson about how the club is coping with the lockdown, the challenges facing the club and of course, we take a trip down FA Vase memory lane. Visit our website at www.footballinberkshire.co.uk Follow us on twitter @fiberkshir...

Episode 7 of our regular pub (but not in a pub) chats with people in and around the grassroots and non league game. This episode we speak to Reading City manager Simon Jones Johnson about being the youngest manager in the Uhlsport Hellenic League, the changes at the club during his near two seasons in charge and how a bit of advice from ex-Welsh international Darren Barnard gave him the biggest le...

Episode 6 of our regular pub (but not in a pub) chats with people in and around the grassroots and non league game. This episode we speak to Ascot United manager Jamie Tompkins in a timely conversation about the cancellation of the step 5 and 6 season (however this conversation was recorded before the announcement the season was null and void. Jamie talks about how he got involved in the club work...

Episode five of our regular pub (but not in a pub) chats with people in and around the grassroots and non league game. This episode we speak to Binfield chairman Bob Bacon in a timely conversation about the cancellation of the step 5 and 6 season, how he got involved in the club as well as his playing career and move to walking football. Visit our website at www.footballinberkshire.co.uk Follow us...

Episode 4 of our regular pub (but not in a pub) chats with people in and around the grassroots and non league game. This episode we speak to Hungerford Town manager Ian Herring who tells talks about his behind the scenes videos, searching out rough diamonds on the pitch and the story behind his early career at Swindon Town. Visit our website at www.footballinberkshire.co.uk Follow us on twitter @f...

Episode 3 of our regular pub (but not in a pub) chats with people in and around the grassroots and non league game. We'll be trying to release a few of these a week, if not daily. This episode we speak to AFC Crowthorne Ladies Abi Ticehurst who tells us about her first season playing football, starting a team from scratch, watching the Lionesses in the SheBelieves Cup and joining the FiB writing t...

Episode two of our regular pub (but not in a pub) chats with people in and around the grassroots and non league game. We'll be trying to release a few of these a week, if not daily. This episode, Bracknell Sunday League fixtures secretary Tony Hardy chats to Tom Canning about the role, his previous heavy involvement at Bracknell Town where he was everything from club secretary to groundsman as wel...

Episode 1 of our regular pub (but not in a pub) chats with people in and around the grassroots and non league game. We'll be trying to release a few of these a week, if not daily. First up, it's Maidenhead United fixtures secretary Neil Maskell who chats to Tom Canning about the season so far, the County Cup and dressing up as a Magpie. Visit our website at www.footballinberkshire.co.uk Follow us...

Football in Berkshire is back to podcasting while football is off. We're hoping to bring you a regular conversation with someone in the game, if not daily, then a few times a week!  Visit the website at www.footballinberkshire.co.uk - Music is Elevation by Joseph McDade . This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit footb...

Episode Ten of Berkshire Football Stories looks back to the 2000s at Bracknell Town with long-serving former manager Alan Taylor. The early 2000s were a period of great promise for the Robins who had just reached the First Round of the FA Cup for the first time and were chasing promotion up the Isthmian League. Hosts Tom Canning and Rob Davies speak to Alan Taylor who took over the reigns from Cli...

Episode Eight of Berkshire Football focuses 2015, a landmark season for Reading FC's women's team as they won promotion to the FA WSL 1, the top tier of women's football in the country. Hosts Tom Canning and Rob Davies speak to forward Lauren Bruton who was part of the title winning side and weighed in with seven goals. Lauren talks about what it was like training every day with the likes of Fran...

Episode Eight of Berkshire Football focuses on one of Berkshire's success stories in Binfield FC, charting the rise from a separate junior and senior club to where it is today. Hosts Tom Canning and Rob Davies speak to the Moles former chairman Rob Jones who was in charge at Hill Farm Lane for 13 years. Rob, talks about laying the foundations for the club to grow, how a meeting with Bobby Ellis br...

Episode Seven of Berkshire Football focuses on Reading & District Sunday League side Caversham United and how the club went from almost calling it a day to having friends in high places on Twitter. Hosts Tom Canning and Rob Davies speak to the Billy Goats organiser, secretary, manager and player Paul Gutteridge about everything from how he ended up running the team to organising a summer tourn...

Episode Six of Berkshire Football Stories takes a look at a different aspect of the non league game - reporting on all the football that was taking place. Hosts Tom Canning and Rob Davies speak to the former Wokingham Times Sports Editor Andrew Batt about everything from starting his career as a trainee photographer on the Bracknell News to the top job. Andrew discusses how he mixed being a suppor...

Episode Five of Berkshire Football Stories goes back to the very first competitive game AFC Wimbledon ever played when they travelled to Sandhurst Town on Saturday 17th August 2002. Hosts Tom Canning and Rob Davies spoke to Fizzers manager Pete Browning and assistant Steve Stairs about the build up to the day that saw the clubs record attendance of 2,449 at Bottom Meadow, as well as subsequent mee...

Episode Four of Berkshire Football Stories takes us back to when the Slough Town managerial duo of Neil Baker and Jon Underwood were central defenders for Isthmian League side Bracknell Town. Hosts Tom Canning and Rob Davies spoke to the pair about their lengthy spell at Larges Lane, how close the club were to success and where things have gone since for the duo who are managing in the National Le...

Episode Three of Berkshire Football Stories brings us right up to date as Ascot United prepare to re-open their Racecourse Ground after a big redevelopment. Hosts Tom Canning and Rob Davies spoke to the clubs Director of Football Neil Richards about the upgrades and what it means for the future of the club. Neil also speaks frankly about the ways the club is changing off the pitch and opening up,...

Episode Two of Berkshire Football Stories focuses on Alan Devonshire's first spell as manager of Maidenhead United from 1996 to 2003. Hosts Tom Canning and Rob Davies spoke to club stalwart Steve Jinman about Dev's initial appointment, the highs, lows and eventual departure. Coming up in future episodes, we speak to Ascot United Director of Football Neil Richards, as well as Jon Underwood and Neil...

Episode One of Berkshire Football Stories focuses on Wokingham Town's departure from Finchampstead Road in 1999 through to the merger with Emmbrook Sports in 2004. Hosts Tom Canning and Rob Davies spoke to President Mark Ashwell about leaving the ground, dashing to grab historic items and keeping the club alive. Future episodes will feature Jon Underwood and Neil Baker the Slough Town managers, fo...