It's that time of year again. As Christmas approaches and December draws to an end, time to reflect on the footballing side of 2021. It's been quite an odd one, with no football at all until April. However, despite not going to a game until almost a quarter of the year had passed by, I still managed to get to 48 games, which for me, is quite a lot in a calendar year. Many groundhoppers out there will be thinking it's a low number but, I don't see myself as a groundhopper. Yes, I like to see new grounds and watch different teams but I normally restrict myself to one game per week (this year was a little different) and the majority of those are Tuesday or Wednesday evening, meaning I am not going to be travelling a huge distance from Oxfordshire.
This year I thought I would change the end of year review a little. Listed below are all the games I went to and a link to the blog associated with that game (with the exception of 1 game where I didn't write a blog). Why not look for your favourite team and take a look?
There is one aspect of 2021 I would like to mention, however. The Cricklade Supreme Trophy & Shield (#CSTP21). This was a tournament organised by Cricklade Town (mainly their chairman Richard Austen and their then 1st team manager Craig Kent) to give 32 teams the opportunity to play some football. It was organised on a World Cup style group and knockout basis with the top two in each group going into the Trophy, the bottom two into the Shield, giving as much game time to each team as possible. I was lucky to get involved in a small way, providing a web site to keep track of scores and tables. I also managed to get to a number of games, meeting a number of people along the way and getting acquainted with some fantastic clubs. In addition to Richard and Craig, some special mentions for Jovial Monk, who I now follow on a weekly basis and write am ongoing season-long blog about (see below), Minety FC for my mug, Swindon AFC (who won the Shield) and Chesterton FC (who won the Trophy). Also, many thanks to "The only ref in Swindon" (I know he isn't), Andrew Lincoln, who always seemed to be around to supply team sheets before games. Top bloke and top referee. The #CSTP21 gave me a great opportunity to explore some real grassroots football and was an absolute saviour after months of sitting at home. I'm sure I speak on behalf of everyone who participated, officiated, or watched #CSTP21 games, when I say a massive thank you to Cricklade Town, Richard and Craig.
Of the 48 games, 22 ended in home wins, 18 away wins and 8 draws (4 cup games decided on penalties). Not including penalties, 122 goals were scored by home teams and 105 by away teams. A total of 227 goals, 4.7 per game. The biggest home win was Stratton United's 8-0 victory over Kingswood Reserves in #CSTP21. Biggest away win, and highest aggregate score, was Wroxton Sports' 8-3 victory at Hardwick Sports in the Banbury District & Lord Jersey Premier League. The team I have seen play the most often is Swindon AFC, a total of four times, two wins and two defeats.
On the back of #CSTP21 I also got to know Swindon Sunday League side Jovial Monk. Just before the season began I suggested to their manager, Shaun Smith, that we should chronicle a season in Sunday League. This sparked a regular blog piece called A Sunday In Swindon. A list of episodes and links so far is also included at the bottom of this article.
2021 Games and Blog Links
This year I thought I would change the end of year review a little. Listed below are all the games I went to and a link to the blog associated with that game (with the exception of 1 game where I didn't write a blog). Why not look for your favourite team and take a look?
There is one aspect of 2021 I would like to mention, however. The Cricklade Supreme Trophy & Shield (#CSTP21). This was a tournament organised by Cricklade Town (mainly their chairman Richard Austen and their then 1st team manager Craig Kent) to give 32 teams the opportunity to play some football. It was organised on a World Cup style group and knockout basis with the top two in each group going into the Trophy, the bottom two into the Shield, giving as much game time to each team as possible. I was lucky to get involved in a small way, providing a web site to keep track of scores and tables. I also managed to get to a number of games, meeting a number of people along the way and getting acquainted with some fantastic clubs. In addition to Richard and Craig, some special mentions for Jovial Monk, who I now follow on a weekly basis and write am ongoing season-long blog about (see below), Minety FC for my mug, Swindon AFC (who won the Shield) and Chesterton FC (who won the Trophy). Also, many thanks to "The only ref in Swindon" (I know he isn't), Andrew Lincoln, who always seemed to be around to supply team sheets before games. Top bloke and top referee. The #CSTP21 gave me a great opportunity to explore some real grassroots football and was an absolute saviour after months of sitting at home. I'm sure I speak on behalf of everyone who participated, officiated, or watched #CSTP21 games, when I say a massive thank you to Cricklade Town, Richard and Craig.
Of the 48 games, 22 ended in home wins, 18 away wins and 8 draws (4 cup games decided on penalties). Not including penalties, 122 goals were scored by home teams and 105 by away teams. A total of 227 goals, 4.7 per game. The biggest home win was Stratton United's 8-0 victory over Kingswood Reserves in #CSTP21. Biggest away win, and highest aggregate score, was Wroxton Sports' 8-3 victory at Hardwick Sports in the Banbury District & Lord Jersey Premier League. The team I have seen play the most often is Swindon AFC, a total of four times, two wins and two defeats.
On the back of #CSTP21 I also got to know Swindon Sunday League side Jovial Monk. Just before the season began I suggested to their manager, Shaun Smith, that we should chronicle a season in Sunday League. This sparked a regular blog piece called A Sunday In Swindon. A list of episodes and links so far is also included at the bottom of this article.
2021 Games and Blog Links
| Home | Away | Result | Blog Link | |||
| Chesterton | 5 | Jovial Monk | 1 | H | Smith Makes Jovial Monk Frown | |
| Nalgo Sports | 5 | Swindon AFC | 4 | H | Only Ref In Swindon? | |
| Minety | 0 | Tredworth Tigers | 3 | A | Beaten, But Certainly No Mugs | |
| Redhouse | 3 | Swindon AFC | 1 | H | Swindon Resistance Torpedoed By Subs | |
| Stanford | 0 | Lambourn Sports | 5 | A | Lambourn Engage Sports Mode | |
| Wootton Sports | 0 | Milton-under-Wychwood | 1 | A | Ayres Rocks | |
| Hatherop | 0 | Redhouse | 0 | 4-2 p | D | Rop Spot On |
| Heyford Athletic | 1 | Malvern Town Dev. | 2 | A | Last Kick | |
| Yarnton | 3 | Garsington | 4 | A | Shed End | |
| Siddington | 1 | Jovial Monk | 5 | A | Monks Get Winning Habit | |
| Allexton & New Parks | 5 | Earl Shilton Albion | 4 | H | Bitter End For Albion | |
| Ludgershall Sports | 0 | Swindon AFC | 4 | A | Marooned | |
| Swindon AFC | 4 | Jovial Monk | 2 | H | Tom Tom Tom Club | |
| Stratton United | 8 | Kingswood Reserves | 0 | H | Four By Four | |
| Wickwar Wanderers | 1 | Malmesbury Victoria Dev. | 1 | 4-5p | D | The End Of The War |
| Reading YMCA Rapids | 4 | Henley Town Development | 1 | H | Bye Bye Red Kites | |
| Swindon AFC | 3 | Stratton United | 2 | H | And Smith Did Score | |
| Chesterton | 6 | Hatherop | 0 | H | Chesterton Too Hot For Rop | |
| Chesterton | 3 | Malmesbury Victoria Dev. | 3 | 9-8p | D | Fitting Final Finale |
| Ludgershall United | 2 | Bicester Athletic | 5 | A | It's All Downhill From Here | |
| Letcombe | 3 | East Hendred | 1 | H | Monday, The New Thursday | |
| Procision Oxford | 4 | Saxton Rovers | 1 | H | Procision Progress | |
| Aylesbury Vale Dynamos | 0 | Longlevens | 1 | A | Dynamos Fail To Light Up The Cup | |
| Whittlesey Athletic | 1 | Downham Town | 4 | A | Up Market | |
| Tring Corinthians | 4 | Berkhamsted Comrades | 5 | A | Nine Goal Thriller | |
| Marlborough Town | 0 | Pewsey Vale | 5 | A | V For Vale | |
| Stockbridge | 4 | Liss Athletic | 0 | H | Bad Omens For Blues | |
| West Oxfordshire Women | 3 | Caversham United Women | 2 | H | Goats Beaten By WOW Factor | |
| Warminster Town | 1 | Welton Rovers | 2 | A | Silver Jubilee For Rovers | |
| Birstall United | 2 | Bourne Town | 0 | H | Battling Birstall Burn Bourne | |
| Halse United | 2 | Garsington | 2 | D | Points Shared | |
| Wormley Rovers | 2 | Hackney Wick | 2 | D | Deluge | |
| Westbury United | 5 | Calne Town | 0 | H | Polite Announcement - United Win Again | |
| Hardwick Sports | 3 | Wroxton Sports | 8 | A | Sports 100% Beaten By Sports | |
| Bedfont & Feltham | 1 | Enfield Borough | 2 | A | An Evening With Bob | |
| Bodicote Sports | 2 | Hardwick Sports | 3 | A | Two In The Bin | |
| Kenilworth Sporting | 3 | Alcester Town | 6 | A | Romans March On | |
| QPR Women | 4 | Caversham United Women | 0 | H | Blues And Twos | |
| Harefield United | 2 | Aylesbury Vale Dynamos | 2 | D | Not Even A Hare's Breadth | |
| Old Bradwell united | 0 | Milton Keynes Irish | 1 | A | Gone Fishing | |
| Gornal Athletic | 1 | Old Wulfrunians | 0 | H | No Blog | |
| Darlaston Town | 1 | Dudley Town | 1 | 3-2p | D | Robins Need To Raise The Bar |
| FC Stratford | 3 | Clanfield 85 | 3 | D | Drama At The Home Of Drama | |
| Newent Town | 3 | Tytherington Rocks | 0 | H | Cooper Has Rocks Over A Barrel | |
| Roade | 4 | Moulton | 1 | H | Roade Works | |
| Worcester Raiders | 2 | Newent Town | 0 | H | Step Six Sanitised | |
| Woodstock Town | 5 | Chinnor | 3 | H | Get Yer Mince Pies On This One | |
| Toternhoe | 3 | The 61FC | 2 | H | Hoe Hoe Hoe |
A Sunday In Swindon - The Story So Far
| Title | Link |
| Episode One | |
| Cup Day | A Sunday In Swindon - The Monk's Cup Does Not Runneth Over |
| Ref! Ref! | A Sunday In Swindon - Ref! Ref! |
| The Cat Drawn Out Of The Hat | A Sunday In Swindon - The Cat Drawn Out Of The Hat |
| 4am Project | A Sunday In Swindon - The 4am Project |
| Miracle Monks | |
| Sinners Still Winners | A Sunday In Swindon - Sinners Still Winners |
| The Jono Show | |
| Don't Want To Talk About It | |
| A Game of Two Halves | |
| Paying The Price | A Sunday In Swindon - Paying the Price |
| Meet The Monks (1) | |
| Meet The Monks(2) | A Sunday In Swindon - Meet The Monks Part 2 (NSFW Edition) |
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