Page 13 - Longwell Green Sports FC v Oldland Abbotonians 261222

imminent at the end of 2015/16 Oldland were disappointingly not promoted and
had to start again with the squad moving away.

2016/17 was a pivotal year as although the football side disappointed, through
fundraising and grants the club spent in excess of £70,000 on ground
improvements including safety fencing, pitch maintenance equipment, a new stand
and CCTV system. In 2017/18 the team were led by Scott Armstrong and for most
of 2018/19 by Jon Toy a former player with a wealth of experience before Clayton
Woodman and Steve Cains returned to the club they had played for. These two
have stepped into the joint Chairman role from the summer of 2021 with the
mangers being former coaches Darren Sealey and Paul Weeks plus Kevin Goddard
on the coaching side who has brought with him along with a host of new, keen and
more importantly, local players.

The Reserves are managed by Steve Cains, Craig Durnell and our Somerset Floodlit
Under 18s boss Ryan Auchterlonie and from 2018/19 a newly formed adult third
team, The Colts, plays in the Bristol & District League, managed by Jamie White
assisted by Colin Towler.

Oldland has often been described as a nursery for Bristol Rovers with Vic Lambden,
Peter Sampson, Brian Bush and Mike Tippets all playing for the club before turning
professional at Eastville. Former Rovers favourite Bobby Jones was one of many
successful Oldland managers, a list which includes David Hillier.

Abbots rose to heady heights under the leadership of Alan Bush in the 1980's with
the help of former Rovers players Jeff Meacham, the late Steve Talboys

(Wimbledon) plus Rovers favourites Graham Day, Peter Aitken and Phil Bater.
Among other youngsters who left Abbots to play for Rovers were Stuart Taylor, Phil
Kite and Kevin Westaway.