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Introducing -Kidlington FC

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 Barry Hiles
decided they had taken the Club as far as they could and stepped back from managing the Club.
Players Danny Leggett and Christian Perkins stepped forward to guide the club through till the end
of the season. This season was very frustrating but owing to some decent early league results the
club maintained its Premier division status.
In 2012/13 a new first team manager in Ex-Oxford United striker Paul Berry was installed. However,
he resigned after only three matches to pursue alternative opportunities. Gordon Geary and his
previous backroom staff were persuaded to come out of retirement and were re-appointed during
the second week of the season. They managed to assemble a squad with the ability to avoid the
dreaded drop, finishing in 13th place. Having taken over in the crisis, Gordon and his management
team resigned, having “got the job done” of avoiding relegation.
During the summer break the club installed Martin Wilkinson as 1st team manager for season 2013-
14 and we finished 6th in the league, making clubs history with its highest position, also reaching
the Senior Cup Final again after beating Oxford United in the Semis. Unfortunately, once again we
lost, this time to fellow Hellenic side Ardley United.
Season 2014-15 saw Martin Wilkinson again at the helm assisted by Paul Harwood. The team
finished in their highest league position of 4th place after topping the table for several weeks. Our
reserves finished as runners up in Div 2 West. For the first time the club also ran a Ladies team who
were entered into the Thames Valley Ladies League, they did exceptionally well winning their
league and cup double.
This season 2015-16 again sees Wilkinson in charge and he is being assisted by Julian McCalmon
and coaches Paul Harwood and Jermaine McSporron. Our reserves now have Nick East at the helm,
our U18’s will be looked after by Barry Hiles and Phil Parker will manage our U17’s. Matt Taylor and
Sam Rodway are taking on the management roll for our Ladies side.
Season 2015-16 was undoubtedly the best season in the clubs 108-year history, in fact a dream
come true for everyone at KFC. Manager Martin Wilkinson and his management team of Paul
Harwood, Julian McCalmon and Jermaine McSporran lead our 1st team to the Hellenic League
Premier Division Championship. The club also had our best ever runs in both the FA Vase, where
we reached the last 8, before bowing out to Bowers & Pitsea after a replay coupled with a very
healthy run in the FA Cup, losing eventually to conference side Gloucester City. Truly our best ever
season by some margin.
For this season 2016-17 Wilkinson lead the side as we embarked on our 1st season at level 4 of
the football pyramid in the Evo-Stick League Division One Central. However, due to work
commitments 'Wilky' resigned shortly into the season. Jermaine McSporran took over as caretaker
manager for a couple of weeks until the club appointed Julian McCalmon as Wilkinson's successor,
McSporran and Paul Harwood were confirmed as his assistants.
The team then had a good season at this higher level and eventually finished in mid-table. Our
reserves lead by Nick East as Manager had a great season winning the reserve challenge cup and
finishing as runners up in Hellenic Division 2 West.
For season 2017-18 because of geographical restrictions Kidlington 1st team have been transferred
across to the Evo-Stik League South West. The club are fortunate to have retained the services of
McCalmon as manager and he will have Jermaine McSporran & Rhys Denton as his assistants. Our
reserve team will play with Senior Club status after promotion and will ply their trade in the Uhlsport
Hellenic Division One West.