Page 13 - Cheltenham Saracens v Kidlington 060424

Introducing - Kidlington FC

frustration though we also took some noticeable scalps - we were the first team to beat
Bishops Cleeve F.C. who were promoted at the end of the season into the Southern League
and we also beat a strong Witney Utd side, which at the time were still in the promotion
hunt. The season petered out in frustration & needless to say we finished in a relegation
position … however a national non-league re-structure saved us from the dreaded drop &
we lived to fight another season in the top flight.
Determined not to struggle through season 2006-07, we secured the services of Paul Lee as
First Team Manager (a proven manager at a higher level). Paul was assisted by Kelvin Alexis
& their skills enabled us to put a competitive team out. Chris Perkins also joined the club as
consultant physiotherapist; Chris had also worked for clubs at a higher level & with Steve
Kenny provided the match day physiotherapy.
Season 2006-07 saw us enter an under 18’s Youth Team in the "Allied Counties Youth
League" for the 1st time. This team was Managed by Steve McMahon, who was assisted by
Mick Hickey & Joe Hughes. They had a magnificent season & won the "North" Division
Championship at the first time of asking.

So with the reprieve from relegation we had doubled our number of teams & to say we
stabilized the club would be an understatement. The First team finished a very respectable
9th in the Premier Division, the Reserves won their league & got to the final of the
Oxfordshire Intermediate Cup. The Youth Team & the Veterans won their leagues; the
Veterans also captured the County Cup … A fantastic season!

Unbelievably the 2007-08 season surpassed the success of the previous one. Manager Paul
Lee became our first 1st team Manager to bring silverware back to Yarnton Road in over 30
years when we beat Ardley United in a two legged final of the HPL Hellenic Floodlit Trophy.
The 1st Team also made it to the semi-final of the Oxfordshire Senior Cup again, bowing out
only to the eventual winners North Leigh A.E.T. Our Reserve side Won the Hellenic Division
One title for a second consecutive season and again finished runners up in the final of the
Oxfordshire Intermediate Cup. Our Youth Side struggled in the higher league, but had better
luck in the Oxfordshire U18 Youth Cup final beating a strong Thame United side 2 - 1. To cap
the season our Veterans side retained their Premier Division crown in an exciting climax to
their season they were involved in a 'winner take all' game against Wantage Town Veterans
at Alfredine Park. Needless to say a 1 - 0 victory here secured the trophy.
Season 2008-09 was again a good one for all our teams. Our 1st Team finished in a very
respectable 9th position in the league and had some good cup runs, the Reserves finished
3rd in their league but unfortunately yet again were runners up in the Oxfordshire
Intermediate Cup final. Our Youth and Veterans Teams did bring home some silverware. The
Youth Team won the Allied Counties North Division and also boasted the leagues leading
scorer in Kieran Sanders. The Veterans won the Oxfordshire Veterans cup beating Bampton
Town 4 - 1 in the final.
For Season 2009-10 Gordon Geary and his team of assistants Keith Appleton & Paul Harwood
were appointed to Manage our 1st team. It was a season that saw success for both our
Youth and Veterans sides, but nothing for our 1st or Reserve sides. The youth Team won the
U18's County Cup whilst our Veterans won a double. The vet's finished top of the Hellenic
Veterans league and Retained the Oxfordshire Veterans Cup.
Season 2010-11 saw the club under the same management team win the Hellenic
Supplementary Cup. They beat a gallant Purton side 3- 0 in the final at Abingdon Town's
ground. The 1st Team also finished 7th in the table (their highest ever) and were runners
up in the Oxfordshire Senior Cup where they lost 4 – 0 to a strong Oxford United side. The
final was held at The Kassam Stadium and attended by around 1200 spectators.
In December 2011, Gordon and his backroom staff of Keith Appleton, Paul Harwood and