Tonbridge Angels U18 4 FC Revo 3

Match 11/26/2438 - Monday, 4th August 2026 - Pre-Season Friendly

Tonbridge Angels (3) 4 Penman 27,35 Barton 38 #11 60
FC Revo (1) 3 Crouch 37,47,85
Headcount: 54
Admission: Free
Mileage: 38/414

PRE-SEASON DONE!

Finally, that was that! Pre-season is done, and probably a sentence not often spoken out loud, looking forward to Braintree.

The final match took in another look at Tonbridge Angels U18’s who pitched themselves against Kent County League, Premier Division, FC Revo, who are based at St Gregory’s School in Tunbridge Wells. Revo have experienced a highly successful rise through the lower tiers with four successive promotions from the Sevenoaks and District League to the final tier below that of the national league pyramid.

The Angels U18’s, playing against a mens’ team, included a couple of players from last season’s championship winning side in Fiachra Pritchard and Robert Penman, who are no longer eligible for the age group.

Revo started the game strongly with a couple of chances for the big centre forward but these were spurned with disappointing finishes. Tonbridge, moving the ball around nicely, took the lead after 27 minutes when Penman dribbled across the face of goal before despatching his shot into the bottom corner in true Penman fashion, his goals are going to be hard to replace.

Emphasising that point, after 35 minutes, from a pass, Penman picked out the top corner from 20 yards to double their advantage.

Revo, to their credit, were not at the Yeomans to provide cannon fodder for anyone and, within two minutes, an equally impressive strike from Crouch into the bottom corner made it 2-1. But the comeback was stalled within a minute when a free kick from the edge of the box saw Kyler Barton spot the gap between wall and goalkeeper to execute perfectly.

Revo once more reduced the deficit early in the second half with another good strike from Crouch before the Angels #11, waltzed his way to the bye-line before tucking the ball inside the far post from a ridiculously tight angle.

The visitors wound up the evening, with a hat-trick goal for Crouch with another good strike. We had certainly seen some good goals for our free admission.

I’m pleased with myself that I did all of my scheduled games this pre-season, didn’t skip one because I was getting a little bored. But now, with huge anticipation and the eternal optimism of a football fan, let’s get on with the real stuff.

Staplehurst Monarchs 4 Northumberland Heath 1

Match 10/26/2438 - Saturday, 1st August 2026 - Pre-Season Friendly

Staplehurst Monarchs (3) 4 Kakari 30 Cuttress 38,45+1, Lee 78
Northumberland Heath (0) 1 65
Attendance: 62
Admission: Free
Mileage: 2/376

PITCH ENVY

Gazing across the parched, straw coloured grass towards the rising fences of the cage that will house Staplehurst’s new 3G pitch, begged the question why was it being laid outside of the main stadium of Staplehurst Monarchs. It’s been a question to which I’ve sought an answer since I became aware of its location and got varying explanations, some of which did’t actually hold water.

So after an afternoon, watching two teams provide an entertaining preseason friendly on a bone hard pitch, I sought the definitive answer from Facebook and, from people closely associated with both the football club and the parish council, I now have the answer.

The Jubilee Sports Ground has always housed pitches beyond the senior club and the Monarchs have a thriving youth programme that is the envy of many clubs in the area. At the time of the inception of the 3G, the senior and youth sections of the club were separate entities but that it no longer the case.

Primarily, Staplehurst Parish Council wanted the 3G pitch for the youth section rather than the senior club and, at its planning, a full-sized pitch was envisaged. In the true tradition of local authority bureaucracy and funding, the project took several years to break ground and, in that time, rising costs meant the pitch size needed to be reduced to what is titled “a full size recreational pitch”. So, from the football club’s point of view, it would have been pointless it being laid inside the stadium as step six football could not be played on it.

Staplehurst Monarchs will see benefits as they have priority bookings for their training days and their youth team games, but it is understood that their Under-18’s in the Kent Youth League would need to play inside the stadium.

It is a shame, because whilst we stare at the parched grass today, mid-winter will almost certainly bring postponements for waterlogging that has been endured ever since my first-ever visit, after moving to the village, 11 years ago.

A drive around the South and North Circulars to Wingate and Finchley was less than attractive and, apart from being less than a mile from my house, the Monarchs preseason visitors, Northumberland Heath, were an attractive proposition. What’s not to like about a visit from a touring team from the footballing hotbed of the north-east? Those illusions were rather dashed when, after an internet search, it was discovered that they hail from Erith, in south London and compete in the Kent County League, Division 2 West!

The early exchanges were competitive with Staplehurst having the better of the play with a first minute effort that saw the visiting goalkeeper make a brave block, but one that would see him leave the pitch after 25 minutes, to be replaced by, from the reaction of the cluster of Heath supporters, Sean, who had come totally unprepared to play needing to take not only the goalkeeper’s jersey, but also his boots!

Sean made his first save on the half-hour but after his parry had then seen the ball come back from the crossbar, Steve Kakari was on hand to tuck home from close range.

The game threatened to run away from the visitors as further goals were added with a deft lob from Manny Cuttress and, in first half added time, taking advantage of a missed clearance, Cuttress ran clear to make it three, but in the second half Northumberland Heath showed resilience and made a very decent game of it.

Whilst Sean was doing very well with his role as stand-in keeper, making several good saves, on 65 minutes, the number 14 seized on a poor back pass to round the goalkeeper and reduce the deficit.

Staplehurst had the final say, 12 minutes from time, when Jerome Lee was sent clear to make it 4-1.

There appears to be quite a bit left to do before the 3G surface is ready to receive the appropriate footwear, but when it is, no doubt a Kent Youth League game will catch my eye for a second Staplehurst ground tick.

Tonbridge Angels 4 Eastbourne Borough 2

Match 9/26/2437 - Tuesday, 28th July 2026 - Pre-Season Friendly

Tonbridge Angels (0) 4 Tanga 61 Sutcliffe 71 Trialist 78 Lintott 84
Eastbourne Borough (1) 1 Rees 27 Phillips 46
Attendance: 389
Admission: £5
Mileage: 38/374

FULL MARKS FOR SPIRIT

Full marks for spirit. For a second consecutive time Tonbridge Angels came from behind to record a pre-season victory, this time against newly-relegated to the Isthmian League Premier, Eastbourne Borough.

Matches against Borough are rarely without goals and this one proved no different with Tonbridge coming back from two goals down after an hour to score four times in a spirited recovery.

Nobody expected Eastbourne Borough to produce the season they had last term, in fact, given the resources available to them, many had them down as promotion candidates. But, in a season that saw them go through four managers, they finished rock bottom. Their final manager, Steve King, was unable to recover an impossible situation and remains in-situ to mount a campaign to return to National League South at the first attempt. King is a proven manager with a lengthy CV that has seen success and failure in equal measure. He’s a colourful character and his passion, if we can call it that, has shown no sign of abating from the touchline.

On a very warm evening after another day of intense heat, Ricky Korboa was available for his first start; one trialist started and another two entered the fray in the second half.

The opening quarter, as we are seemingly now bound to call it, up to the hydration break was competitive, if uneventful, before Ethan Sutcliffe headed narrowly wide following a Harry Gardner free kick.

Eastbourne opened the scoring on 27 minutes with a soft goal conceded. A pass inside the defender from Kai Corbett found Josh Rees who scored into the far corner despite Nathan Harness getting a hand to the ball.

Early in the second period, the visitors doubled their advantage with a goal that would frustrate both the manager and supporters alike. A Corbett corner from the right saw Giles Phillips rise at the far post, virtually unchallenged, to head home.

It was such a poor goal, but if it did nothing else, it stung the Angels into recovery mode and the deficit was halved on 61 minutes, when Jephte Tanga, cut in from the right to despatch his shot into the bottom corner.

On 71 minutes, a Bailey Akehurst free kick was dropped by the Eastbourne goalkeeper, ex-Angel Lewis Carey, and Sutcliffe was on hand to stab the ball home.

Tonbridge were now swarming all over their visitors and when Frankie Baker worked himself into a crossing position, he picked out a trialist who swept the ball home.

A change to the rules of the game caught Carey out for the final goal as he took too long to take a goal kick which became a corner from which Akehurst sent to the near post for Harvey Lintott to touch home.

That is the last of Tonbridge’s PSF’s at Longmead with a visit to Wingate and Finchley next Saturday. A trip around London’s South Circular is far from enticing and I will toddle down the road to Staplehurst Monarchs.

Tonbridge Angels U18/19 3 Gillingham U16 0

Match 8/26/2436 - Monday, 27th July 2026 - Pre-Season Friendly

Tonbridge Angels U18/19 (2) 3 Bingham 18,63 Denton 20
Gillingham U16 (0) 0
Attendance: 110
Admission: Free
Mileage: 38/336

THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT!

It came as no surprise that the youngsters of Tonbridge Angels and Gillingham served up the best preseason game I’ve seen this season.

Entertaining, competitive with even a slight edge to it and with no shortage of quality, the extra year or two, saw a mix of Tonbridge U18’s and Academy (U19’s) take what spoils there are from a friendly with a 3-0 win over a Gillingham side largely made up from their Under-16 group.

This season is another big one in terms of transition for the youth programme at Tonbridge Angels. Last season brought the very successful reintroduction of the Kent Youth League teams under the Angels badge and this has been followed by the Academy being brought in-house this season.

Men’s first team manager, Alan Dunne, has bought into the project and in a recent interview, he pledged that he would be using players from the Academy this year, there are opportunities for them and has signed three on National League South forms.

Adding that he would have Academy players training with the senior team as his blueprint would be to bed them into the environment and use them as and when appropriate. This would, in turn, attract better academy players with the knowledge that there is a clear pathway through to senior football.

On a pleasantly warm evening, with the heat of the day receding, both teams showed their attacking intentions from the outset with the Angels’ Harry Bingham forcing a save from the Gills goalkeeper after just two minutes and the visitors replying with efforts that required saving by Alfie McGuire.

Tonbridge went ahead after 18 minutes when a 20 yard shot from Bingham found the bottom corner and they doubled their advantage two minutes later when a run and pass from Harry Ejje set up a shooting opportunity for Jack Denton to find the bottom corner.

Gillingham passed up several opportunities to reduce the deficit with a header that drifted narrowly wide and a shot into the side netting before McGuire made an excellent save as the Gills centre forward went through one-on-one.

Tonbridge certainly had the better of the second period with Amnol Bhandari bringing a good, low save out of the keeper before, on 63 minutes, Bingham wrapped up the game when the ball fell to him in the area following a corner and he clinically drove it home from around 12 yards.

All very satisfying, and Dom Welsh said afterwards, that his team had applied themselves really well and were very comfortable.

Both the Angels sides have history to continue, with the Under-18’s Isthmian divisional champions for the last two seasons and the Academy will be looking to return to being a force in the National Youth Alliance after a season that didn’t quite meet the success of their recent past.

On this evidence, I’ve little doubt, that it will be entertaining.

Picture: Jim Case

Tonbridge Angels 3 Dulwich Hamlet 1

Match 7/26/2435 - Saturday, 25th July 2026 - Pre-Season Friendly

Tonbridge Angels (0) 3 Babajide 48,57 Trialist 54
Dulwich Hamlet (1) 1 Mico 41
Attendance: 362
Admission: £5
Mileage: 38/298

THAT'S BETTER!

At half-time my waining sense of preseason optimism had further evaporated as visitors Dulwich Hamlet had taken advantage of another lacklustre performance from Tonbridge Angels and, four minutes from the break a simple pass into the right channel from Sean Bonnett-Johnson sent Gaspar Mico clear to slide in his shot into the far corner from a relatively tight angle.

But, the half-time team talk had the desired effect and produced the best 45 minutes from the home side this season with three goals in the opening 12 minutes to reverse the ills of the first period.

Dulwich Hamlet are old foes from our Isthmian days when they were always seen as one of the giants of that division and are probably still considered that by their present day counterparts. Last season, despite a ninth place finish, five points adrift of the play-offs, they still managed an average attendance of 2,226 with gates of over 3,000 for the visits of Welling United, St Albans City, Chichester City, Billericay Town and Burgess Hill Town. Much was always made of their clusters of craft ale drinking groups seemingly unaware that a football match was taking place behind them, but the club that has survived endless battles with the Champions Hill stadium owners and Southwark Council now have in place planning approval that will secure their future and, with the depth of support they hold, drive the club forward.

Indeed, on a hot afternoon that brought a necessary return of the hydration breaks, the south London club brought a decent following for a preseason friendly.

Dulwich should have gone in front on seven minutes when David Smith put a shot wide when well placed and further chances were spurned as they controlled the half, despite losing a player stretchered off on the half-hour.

On 38 minutes, the Angels produced their first chance of note when Jephte Tanga struck a post before Dulwich took the lead.

A different Tonbridge side emerged from the dressing rooms, not necessarily in personnel, but in attitude and that brought early reward as they were gifted an equaliser when the goalkeeper, under pressure, cleared only a few yards to the feet of Bunmi Babajide, who had the simple task of scoring from close range.

After 54 minutes, a pinpoint free kick from Bailey Akehurst found the head of a trialist to put the Angels in front and three minutes later a third was added when Babajide dribbled his way into a shooting position to find the bottom corner.

After a second half of mostly Tonbridge dominance, Dulwich produced a final five minutes of pressure that saw a shot from Nyren Clunis come back from the inside of the post and a shot, also from Clunis, that Nathan Harness turned over the bar.

Altogether a second half that restored optimism as we enter the final fortnight of preseason.

Pictures: Dave Couldridge

Chatham Town 1 Gillingham 0

Match 6/26/2434 - Friday, 24th July 2026 - Pre-Season Friendly

Chatham Town (1) 1 Giles 31
Gillingham (0) 0
Estimated Attendance: 1,200
Admission: £5
Mileage: 34/260

LOAN WATCH

A Friday evening at Chatham Town brought the opportunity to see Scott Wagstaff’s Gillingham youngsters and muse on what he might be able to send the way of Tonbridge Angels. Waggy is now in charge of the Under-18’s at Priestfield and the team was a mixture of first and second year scholars.

An entire team change for Gillingham on the hour brought a much younger set into the action and, consequently, the game lost a bit of its competitive edge of the opening hour.

Of the Gillingham lads starting, the obvious stand-out is Sully Booth and, one would hazard a guess, that he is not going to be loaned out anywhere this coming season and is destined for a season in and around the senior team, he really is an exciting talent.

I was interested to watch Damian Theodore, who had shown up well in last season’s Kent Senior Cup tie at Longmead. He had a sparkling run and shot early in the game but was largely kept quiet by a strong Chatham defence.

Logan Dobbs, who had a loan spell that didn’t quite work out for a number of reasons at Tonbridge last season, handled a physical duo in Jimmy Wild and Stanley Oldfield really quite well and, if he was to be loaned and we needed a central defender, would fit the bill with a bit better luck than last time. But, my inclination is that he is another that might feature with the senior team.

Chatham opened the scoring, and ultimately won the game, with a 35 yard shot from Alex Giles that deceived Gills goalkeeper Benji Spencer.

Among the last 30 minute entrances was Josh Stone, son of Craig, who many would remember taking part in the warm-ups at Tonbridge when he was probably around five years old. These days, he is a tall central defender who coped with a hefty centre forward competently.

An estimated crowd well clear of four figures only reinforces the depth of support for Gillingham in the Medway area and beyond. This was never dressed up as a Gillingham first team fixture, everybody knew what they were getting but still there was a massive turnout from the Gills fans. All they need is a whiff of better times to come and they will be packing out Priestfield.

A thought drifted towards the heavens at kick-off time in memory of Paul Rodgers, who died unexpectedly in April. I knew Paul from a young age when he would travel on the Gillingham Travel Club coach before becoming disenchanted with the Scally regime and throwing his support behind Chatham Town and Punjab United. Paul was a character shall we say, with his passion extending beyond football with Madness and the comic Viz. Rest easy Paul.

Tonbridge Angels 2 Sittingbourne 2

Match 5/26/2433 - Tuesday, 21st July 2026 - Pre-Season Friendly

Tonbridge Angels (1) 2 Gardner 14 Tanga 74
Sittingbourne (1) 2 Smith 39 Trialist 69
Estimated Attendance: 200
Admission: £5
Mileage: 38/226

PRESEASON BEGINNING TO DRAG

We’ve reached the halfway point in preseason, about the time when it becomes a bit tiresome. The new season fixtures are out, the preliminary round draws of the FA Cup, Vase and Trophy have been made, giving something to look forward too but also the wish to get the next three weeks out of the way and on to competitive games.

As football supporters we know what preseason is about from the outset. We pitch up, pay our fiver and stare at our team not knowing who half of them are, whether that be a new signing or one of many trialists who have the thankless task of trying to fit into a team’s pattern of play whilst also, on a personal level, needing to impress the manager sufficiently to earn a contract. It is what it is, but it rarely makes for a good watch.

With due respect to Sittingbourne, a couple of steps below Tonbridge Angels, they came to the Yeomans and played a bit of football, found themselves 2-1 up before conceding in a relatively entertaining game. There was some old faces in their line-up with 2019 play-off final goalscorer D’Sean Theobalds, Joe Boachie and, the unmistakeable figure of Jordan Greenidge.

Some of the trialists are now on their fourth game and some have looked technically quite good players, but as with any preseason, most will fall by the wayside in the search for the gem that the bigger fish have missed.

On an evening cool enough to warrant a jumper, the trialist goalkeeper that has had time in each game, got a full 90 minutes. Who he is, perhaps we will never know. There was a first appearance on home territory for Lamar Reynolds that only lasted 45 minutes whilst the giant Lexus Beeden had his first start at the back.

The visitors made a bright start but it was Tonbridge who took the lead with a great strike from 20 yards by Harry Gardner into the top corner. Gardner has been, by far, my stand-out in preseason and looks a great acquisition from Hampton and Richmond with his box-to-box energy and, hopefully, this strike shows there is also a goal in him.

Tonbridge dominated for a period, but towards the back end of the half, Sittingbourne came back into the game and equalised on 39 minutes when a cross from the left found Harvey Smith at the far post to bury a header.

Into the second period, Tonbridge had a goal disallowed before Sittingbourne took the lead when a throw-in was poorly defended with the ball falling at the feet of a Sittingbourne trialist to poke home.

Stung a little, the Angels mustered a fightback and after Bunmi Babajide fed a short pass into Jephte Tanga, the midfielder turned outside of a defender before scoring from around 10 yards.

So other step towards opening day at Braintree Town is completed, I’m sure manager Alan Dunne is learning a lot, I’m not sure I am!

Cray Wanderers 1 Tonbridge Angels 0

Match 4/26/2432 - Saturday, 18th July 2026 - Pre-Season Friendly

Cray Wanderers (1) 1 Strachan 6
Tonbridge Angels (0) 0
Estimated Attendance: 150
Admission: £5
Mileage: 77/188

DEFEAT IN THE MIDDAY SUN

Seeing the tears of young children in the crowd in Atlanta was heartbreaking but for those kids there is time on their side. For what you ask, never ending disappointment or will it be that a future, from the ever-lengthening list of golden generations, be exactly that and carry England over the line?

It was the legendary Bill Shankly that coined the phrase “football isn’t life or death, it’s more important than that.” I’m not saying Shanks was wrong but the experience of older age has taught me that it is only true for a fleeting moment. Kids are resilient and many would have learnt a lesson on Wednesday, don’t believe the hype, there are two sides on a pitch and in a World Cup Semi-Final, one wins, one loses and losing is one of life’s best lessons.

So, in older age I no longer dwell on defeats. I listen to so-called expert pundits, I think about what I have seen, come to a conclusion and move on. Gone are the days, when I would sulk, seemingly for days and to that my wife would say, hallelujah!

And so it is back to grassroots, admission for a fiver, cup of tea for a couple of quid tops and no VAR with the expert analysis coming from proper experts on the sidelines with no psycho-babble.

Cray Wanderers were our hosts with a strange 12 noon kick-off time for a second visit to their new home of Flamingo Park that has seen some improvement since our 2024 FA Cup visit but with the construction machinery surrounding the stadium my guess is that by the time we make our return the site will be vastly different.

One alteration Cray Wanderers cannot make is the access onto the A20 and the distance involved to get back to Flamingo Park but on the other side of the road, 20 minutes spent in heavy traffic to get nowhere on the homeward journey.

The midday sun was only pleasantly warm that wouldn’t threaten either mad dogs or Englishmen and the hydration break thankfully was unused. Tonbridge Angels' injured players were unable to return although Lamar Reynolds was able to make a first appearance from the bench for half-an-hour.

An early chance for one of the two starting trialists went begging before the hosts went ahead on six minutes when a corner was met at the near post with a well placed header from Rob Strachan.

For a few minutes following the goal, Tonbridge’s defence was all at sea and only a wasteful finish from Alex Hernandez saved them from going further behind.

Once they had recovered a bit of composure, chances were created for Jephte Tanga and Ethan Sutcliffe and, on 18 minutes, Cray goalkeeper Henry Molyneux had a heart stopping moment when a shot from Harry Gardner slipped from his grasp but he was able to turn and claw the ball back from his line.

The hour mark brought a raft of substitutes for both sides with the best chance seeing Reynolds effort cleared from the line.

The appearance of Reynolds has to be considered the game’s positive for the Angels given that just a single goal, from a trialist, has been scored in the three games so far.

Tonbridge Angels 0 Sutton United 2

Match 3/26/2431 - Tuesday, 14th July 2026 - Pre-Season Friendly

Tonbridge Angels (0) 0
Sutton United (1) 2
Estimated Attendance: 200
Admission: £5
Mileage: 38/111

FAR FROM DISGRACED

The World Cup produced a dilemma, stay at home for the France v Spain semi-final or stay loyal to Tonbridge Angels and their pre-season friendly with Sutton United. Tonbridge won the argument, lost the game, but overall, I didn’t regret my choice.

Mobile phone charged in full, match alerts on, I was able to view the key moments in Dallas quickly after they had happened as tournament favourites France deservedly fell to defeat against the best side of the last month. The highlights reel emphasised that I had set aside a good game rather than a classic.

National League Sutton United paid Tonbridge the compliment of bringing a strong squad to the Yeomans with Charlie Carter, last season of Dorking Wanderers and David Ogbonna, previously of Slough Town, old adversaries.

Angels manager, Alan Dunne, chose to go with much the same format as Saturday’s opening friendly with only two trialists starting, but plenty to be seen in the second half as the starting XI this time made it to the hour mark.

On a cooler evening, with a nice breeze, the much maligned hydration breaks were ditched.

Sutton showed their quality from the outset and were ahead within four minutes when a pass down the left from Adam Reeves found the visitors only first half trialist who rounded Nathan Harness, who had left his line to advance to the edge of the box. With the goalkeeper absent, the ball was played back to Charlie Bell who unselfishly moved it on to Carter to slot home.

Credit to the Angels who recovered from the setback and were the equal of their step one opposition with efforts from Harry Gardner and a trialist testing goalkeeper Chris Haigh, whilst Sutton rattled the woodwork on 37 minutes.

Sutton doubled their advantage two minutes into the second half when a inch perfect cross following a dribble across the face of the Angels goal from Jermaine Francis found Sam Folarin who headed home.

As the changes rang on both sides, the Angels might have folded but they took the game to Sutton and in the closing moments, a trialist produced a mazy run into the box that was ended when he was brought down. He picked himself up to take the spot kick himself, but his shot was too close to the keeper who saved with relative ease.

Another solid run-out that leaves the impression that things are moving in the right direction.

Picture: David Couldridge

Tonbridge Angels 1 Biggleswade 0

Match 2/26/2430 - Saturday, 11th July 2026 - Pre-Season Friendly

Tonbridge Angels (1) 1 Trialist 40
Biggleswade (0) 0
Attendance: 352
Admission: £5
Mileage: 38/73

GREEN, GREEN GRASS OF HOME (ALMOST)

On the face of it the summer has been very productive for Alan Dunne and Tonbridge Angels. The signing of Maidstone United’s captain Sam Corne opened the door and the players that have followed have dropped a few jaws and heightened expectations.

The first pre-season game brought a cooling breeze that took the edge off the stifling heat of the third heatwave of the summer. Thoughts drift to a freezing Tuesday evening in December at the Yeomans and it almost sounds appealing.

The newly-installed tannoy boomed out the team line-ups in crystal clear clarity, lottery tickets at the ready boys and girls, you will now hear the winning number!

On the pitch, Alan Dunne chose to field a strong first half team whilst his second half troops were made up of nine trialists. alongside Bradley Williams and Lexus Beeden, the latest recruit from the A26 neighbours against Biggleswade of the Southern League Division One Central.

Given the heat, the tempo and the pressing was eye-catching with Corne pulling all the strings in the middle of the park. Bunmi Babajide had a shot cleared from the line on eight minutes and a good combination between Corne and Frankie Baker ended with the visiting goalkeeper making a save.

On 38 minutes, Harry Gardner won the ball in midfield, spotted the goalkeeper off his line and was unlucky from 35 yards to see his effort strike the post.

Tonbridge took the lead on 40 minutes when Corne crossed from the right with pinpoint accuracy to find the Angels only first half trialist at the far post to finish well.

The second half with the multiple changes saw much of the momentum taken out of the game and, right at the death, Biggleswade fashioned an opportunity to return home with an honourable draw but the effort narrowly cleared the bar.

A couple of the trialists probably did enough to earn a second or third look, but nine trialists thrown together is a tough ask.

Pre-season for a supporter is about getting back amongst friends, chewing the fat over summer signings, and of course, the World Cup, in the surroundings of the green, green FIFA approved surface of home.

Picture: Dave Couldridge

Tunbridge Wells 2 Eastbourne Town 0

Match 1/26/2429 - Saturday, 4th July 2026 - Pre-Season Friendly

Tunbridge Wells (1) 2 Corke 9,55
Eastbourne Town (0) 0
Headcount: 60
Admission: Free
Mileage: 35/35
Played at Bennett Memorial School
New Ground: 399

HERE WE GO AGAIN!

Having recently celebrated my 75th birthday, season 2026/27 is my 67th since my debut at the long demolished Angel Ground, home to Tonbridge Football Club.

Last season saw a series of circumstances that brought my attendance total below 100 for the first time in several years, but with enthusiasm whetted by, albeit from the sofa, the World Cup, hopefully this term will see normal service resumed. Let’s put it this way, one of the circumstances, a house move, is not happening again (ever).

Tonbridge Angels are a week away from opening their pre-season campaign and their prospects for their season can be reviewed in a week’s time, so opening day fell to Tunbridge Wells, not at Culverden Stadium, but next door at Bennet Memorial School which houses a 3G pitch that becomes home for a couple of fixtures whilst pitch preparation continues. One hopes that the preparation resolves some of the issues that has dogged the club for many years.

A reasonable run of form towards the end of the season, especially given their backlog of fixtures, leaves Tunbridge Wells with a sense of optimism, especially as there appears not to be a heavily monied side in the SCEFL Premier Division, although SE Dons and the newly-named Petts Wood and Holmesdale may prove that assertion incorrect.

Eastbourne Town, from the Isthmian League South East Division, provided the opposition on a hot afternoon. The 3G pitch apart, the school obviously lacked the facilities of a stadium, but the tree-lined banking to one side of the pitch at least allowed some welcome shade.

Tunbridge Wells, who have announced that 16 of last season’s squad remain with the club, and looked the more settled side from the outset and although they might have gone behind on eight minutes when an Eastbourne forward placed his shot wide when one-on-one with goalkeeper George Bentley, they opened the scoring a minute later through Regan Corke who seized onto a ball over the top to round the advancing goalkeeper and slot into an unguarded goal.

A mid-half hydration break was greeted with amusing boos to mirror the dissatisfaction of the World Cup audiences, but in 28 degrees of heat, this particular instance was more than justified. A freezing cold Tuesday evening at Culverden though? I don’t think so.

Into the second half, and after 55 minutes, Reece Bartlett broke down the left to cross for Corke to finish for his, and the Wells, second of the game.

A solid start for the Wells, and for me, time to get my eye in and pencil sharpened for the months ahead.

Tonbridge Angels Dream Team

I was recently asked to produce my Dream Team for the retro football magazine Backpass. It's a fun topic of conversation that has occupied many an hour on lengthy away trips and no two person's team are the same. Here was mine, as produced in the February 2026 edition.

My Dream Tonbridge Angels team? Having supported the club for 66 years, time itself presents a challenge. I wonder how many players have gone through the books in that time. Non-League football has traditionally had a turnover of players, so a rough guess of 30 a season ticks up nearly 2,000. How many have I forgotten, probably 1,800!

My Dad took me to the Angel Ground for the first time in 1959 to watch a former England international, Charlie “Cannonball” Fleming, who was playing, and scored, for Bath City.

My love for the club saw me through childhood into marriage with just a couple of County Cup successes to sustain it, before in 1980, they lost their toughest match against Tonbridge Urban District Council and were evicted from the Angel Ground.

The fight through the High Courts and liquidation in 1976, left me deciding to seek football elsewhere and, for many years, Gillingham took over as my principal interest, but my heart always remained with the Angels and as they found a new home at Longmead, I slowly returned to the club.

What exercises my choices? Head or heart? Through the misty eyes of the last Kent Senior Cup win in 1975, heart has probably won that battle and with that have chosen to employ relatively modern-day players into the old W formation.

TOMMY BICKERSTAFF The choice of goalkeeper was most definitely made with the heart. There have, undoubtedly been better keepers wear the Angels jersey but my first Angels hero was Tommy Bickerstaff, an amiable Scotsman, who had moved south in 1955 from Third Lanark and went on to make over 250 appearances for Tonbridge, a record for a goalkeeper that was only in recent years surpassed by Jonny Henly. Profile HERE as produced in Up There Cazaly

JOE CAROLAN I was a Manchester United supporter as a kid, so you can imagine my excitement as an 11-year-old when the former Busby Babe pitched up at the Angel Ground in 1962. Joe went on to serve Tonbridge for eight seasons before managing the club for just over a year. Joe was a left back, rather than right, but his versatility took him all over the pitch which allows me to choose a genuine left-footer on that side. Profile HERE on Page Four.

PETER LOVELL Ask any old-timer leaning on the perimeter fencing who they would select as left back and the name of Peter Lovell will inevitably be raised. Lovell made 470 appearances for the club from 1958. Once again, heart wins over the accomplished Danny Tingley, who only fell 20 or so appearances short of Lovell’s total ending in 2002.

D’SEAN THEOBALDS It seems an obligation that a member vow the 2019 Isthmian League play-off squad is included and that place goes to D’Sean, who capped off a great season with a memorable goal in the Super Play-off Final at Metropolitan Police to send the game into extra time and onwards to winning and promotion to National League South. D’Sean left to attempt to make it in the professional game, but sadly that didn’t quite work out.

JOHN KEIRS Thoughts drift back to 1975 and the Kent Senior Cup Final and the scorer of the opening at, and against, our greatest rivals Maidstone United, John arrived in 1973 from Charlton Athletic via a spell in South Africa and in two spells amassed over 350 appearances, scoring 70 goals from centre half. He later managed the club for three seasons. Profile HERE on Page Three

GEOFF TRUETT Geoff was a powerhouse of a half-back who joined the club in 1962 from Crystal Palace and went to to make 517 appearances, finding the net an astonishing 115 times. He took penalties in the old-fashioned way, laces through the ball and rarely missed. He represented the club until 1970 and helped Tonbridge gain promotion to the Southern League Premier Division in the 1963-64 season and triumph in the Kent Senior Cup the following year. He was a complete payer, a colossus for the club. Profile HERE on Page Six

GERRY FRANCIS Gerry was brilliantly covered in the summer edition of BACKPASS reproduced HERE from Page Three. Francis escaped the apartheid of South Africa, travelling to the United Kingdom in the mid-1950’s to become the first South African to play top flight football in England after joining Leeds United. Gerry arrived at Tonbridge in 1962 via York City and in the course of three seasons made 174 appearances, scoring 61 goals whilst delighting the Angel Ground with his fleet-footed skills. Gerry died in May 2025 at the age of 91 in Ontario, Canada. He was very much mourned at the present-day club as a significant figure in our history.

PHIL STONEBRIDGE If I have to pick an Angels’ GOAT then Phil would take my accolade as the club’s leading goalscorer. In 19786, having stayed loyal to the club after Tonbridge went into receivership, he left for local rivals Maidstone United before returning in 1981. Over his two spells, he made 442 appearances, scoring 133 times. Phil played anywhere on the pitch, even in goal once, and was a member of the 1975 team. Profile HERE on Page Five

JON MAIN Mainy arrived at Longmead in 2006 where he had drawn attention. The Angels’ manager at the time, Tony Dolby, said of him that he wasn’t one that loved football; wasn’t the best trainer, he just scored goals and in a two season spell he bagged 61 of them before leaving for a record fee paid by AFC Wimbledon where he formed a prolific partnership with another ex-Angel, Danny Kedwell. He returned to the Angels in 2011 after suffering a serious injury at Wimbledon and added another ten goals to his tally.

FRANNIE COLLIN So here we are, 14 years after Frannie left the club, we get a free-kick and somebody will inevitably say “Frannie territory”, such was the cultured left foot of one of, if not the most technically gifted player ever to wear an Angels shirt. In a three-year spell, Frannie rippled the net 75 times in 140 appearances and not many of them would be poacher’s goals. Profile HERE on Page Two

NICKY WHEELER Wheeler crosses, Elder scores was a familiar refrain for two seasons from 2015, which yielded 108 appearances for Nick before he moved on to the EFL and Dagenham and Redbridge. Always immaculately turned out, he would take a bit of stick that he would never have a hair out of place, but then he was a hairdresser. In 2015-16 he recorded 28 assists, while Nathan Elder scored 29 goals; the maths tell the story. Wheeler recently retired after serving Worthing and Dorking Wanderers to great effect.

SUBSTITUTES

SONNY MILES AND JOE TURNER Many Angels supporters, especially those with fewer years on the clock than myself, will question how the club’s leading appearance maker, Sonny Miles, who retired having played 527 times for a club in a career of 15 years in which he only spent one season away from Longmead, doesn’t make the team. Joe will also raise eyebrows with his exclusion, signed from Kingstonian he was the only player to win the Player of the Year accolade three times. He made 261 appearances, scored 67 goals, many of which were of the spectacular variety and, without doubt, would feature in many supporters’ Dream Team. But that was mine, borne of 66 years and counting!

Southend United 0 Wealdstone 0

Match 86/25/2428 - Sunday, 17th May 2026 - FA Trophy Final

Southend United (0) 0
Wealdstone (0) 0
Southend win 4-2 on penalties
Attendance: 43,307
Admission: Complimentary
Mileage: 132/5,278

Match 85/25/2427 - Sunday, 17th May 2026 - FA Vase Final

AFC Stoneham (0) 0
Cockfosters (0) 0
AFC Stoneham win 4-2 on penalties


DOUBLE BAGELED

Wembley brought the curtain down on the 25/26 season being double-bageled by Non-League Finals Day.

Thankfully, we were spared the drudgery of extra-time with both finals going straight to penalties as two very poor games laboured their way to their conclusions.

As a friend posted, it’s a day spent in the company of good mates, even if you have no allegiance to any of the competing clubs. But, should you not be part of such a group, then two uninspiring games can make for a very long day. That I was not part of my mates group was entirely my own fault, missing the deadline for neutral tickets and took a seat among largely Southend United supporters.

Goalless draws by definition are extremely tight matches which these were, so it is a marginal opinion that the two better sides lost out in the penalty shootouts and the best two players, Junior Moses for Cockfosters and Wealdstone’s Nathan Tshikuna, ended with losers medals.

The Vase final was contested by AFC Stoneham, who hail from Eastleigh in Hampshire and Cockfosters, whose journey could be negotiated entirely on the London Underground with a couple of changes of line.

I had watched Cockfosters semi-final, second leg game at Punjab United, in which George Lutaaya scored an extraordinary goal, that I said at the time he will never do again, let alone in a Wembley final.

One decent chance fell the way of Cockfosters’ Kendall Gyamfi in the first half, racing clear to go one-on-one with Callum Lee but a poor touch allowed the goalkeeper to smother the ball with relative comfort.

Gyamfi struck the bar early in the second half and Stoneham’s Duarte Martins did similarly with a header after 64 minutes but chances remained very much at a premium before tired legs took out what little remained of momentum in the game.

Stoneham scored from all four of their spot kicks whilst Cockfosters missed their second and it was a sad moment for Moses, who after excelling for 90 minutes, blazed his penalty high over the bar to complete the Hampshire side’s 4-2 win from the spot.

One hoped for better fare from the Trophy Final involving National League teams, Southend United and Wealdstone, but once again, defences ruled the roost and goalmouth action was scarce.

Harry Cardwell struck a post for Southend with just seven minutes on the clock and they had a goal ruled out on 27 minutes following a corner and a foul on the goalkeeper, whilst Wealdstone brought a good save from Adeng Ndi to deny Anthony Georgiou just before the break.

The second half was even tighter with Keenan Appiah-Forson clipping the bar with a cross and Georgiou blazing over.

Ndi dived low to his left to save Wealdstone’s opening two penalties before Southend missed their third but two successful spot kicks with Gus Scott-Morriss firing home the winning kick sent the Shrimpers’ 22,000 fans home deliriously happy.

A mid-season hiatus with a couple of domestic issues left me well short of a hundred games for the for the first time since the Covid seasons and the double-bagel also left me frustratingly a goal short of 300 for the season. Six weeks break before we start all over again.

ONE MILLION VIEWS!

ONE MILLION VIEWS!

Life has changed a bit since I wrote the very first post for That’ll Be The Day on 24th May 2007.

Allegiances haven’t really changed, just their order of importance, although the travelling with England has ended. The very first post can be read here https://thatbetheday.blogspot.com/2007/05/why-this-blog.html?m=0

I wasn’t on Twitter or Facebook, had no idea what I was doing, but with the help of a few tech savvy workmates, it was published. I didn’t think for one minute that anybody would read it, or even know it was there, but here we are, 19 years later, and a football blog that largely follows the fortunes of a club in the English sixth tier, has just had its one millionth view.

That is just crazy and the fact that it is read all over the world, from iconic football nations such as Brazil and Argentina, the cricketing strongholds of Bangladesh and India to the footballing minnow of Tibet, just blows my mind.

At my age, nearly 75, perhaps its 2,000,000th view is a little too much of a wish but I’ll keep posting just because I continue to love the game and writing about it.

Tonbridge Angels U15 4 Ebbsfleet United U15 3

Match 84/25/2426 - Thursday, 7th May 2026 - Kent Youth League U15 Cup Final

Tonbridge Angels U15 (2) 4 Pali 3,54 Palmer 12 Green 80+4
Ebbsfleet United (0) 3 Harman 72,78,80+5
Estimated Attendance: 300
Admission: £3
Mileage: 50/5,146

U15's THRILL IN CUP TRIUMPH

Tonbridge Angels Under-15’s completed a Kent Youth League and Cup double with a thrilling 4-3 win over Ebbsfleet United at Faversham Town’s Salters Lane stadium.

In an exceptionally successful first season return to the KYL wearing the badge of the parent club, to which will be referred later, a Cup Final win put the icing on the cake.

A fantastic turnout, estimated around the 300-mark, from both clubs saw the car park full long before kick-off, meaning a quick retreat seeking a spot in a nearby residential road.

Tonbridge have secured their Kent Youth League South title, finishing in all probability with one game remaining nine points clear of Faversham Town, whilst Ebbsfleet, with two league games remaining, presently sit fourth in the central division.

Ebbsfleet, having struck the woodwork three times, and producing a stirring comeback from 3-0 down might just feel a little hard done by, but over the course of a thoroughly entertaining encounter, the Angels were fully deserving of their win.

Tonbridge got off to a great start, but with this week’s events at U18 level, that in itself brought misgivings. Ebbsfleet switched off from a third minute throw-in from Will Smart in an innocuous position to Jurgen Pali, who settled himself with a couple of strides across the edge of the box before despatching a shot between the goalkeeper and his near post.

Captain Stan Boxall fired over, before on 12 minutes, his shot was only parried into the path of Dylan Palmer by Elijah Bateau, who finished clinically in limited space.

Ebbsfleet served notice that they were still very much in the contest when Ryan Dioullo’s shot narrowly went wide of the right hand post and, on 28 minutes, a shot from all of 25 yards from Oscar Streatfield came back from the bar to eventually nestle in the grateful hands of Michael Germanos.

Both sides had chances in the opening ten minutes of the second half, but it was the Angels that extended their lead after 54 minutes when Alfie Murray released Pali to score with a surgeon’s precision into the far corner to give his side what appeared to be an insurmountable lead.

Pali was denied his hat-trick with a fine save from Bateau, but Ebbsfleet refused to lie down and, after 72 minutes, reduced the deficit when a shot from Brodie Baker rebounded off the post to the alert Fin Harman who calmly finished.

Nerves among the Tonbridge contingent were well and truly rattled when a high, looping effort from Streatfield struck the far post and after 78 minutes (of an 80 minute game), Harman fired through a crowded penalty area, to reduce the deficit to a single goal.

As several players from both sides dropped to the floor with the effects of cramp, eight extra minutes brought two more goals in a manic finish to the game.

After Jeremiah Nzuzi had fed the ball to Ethan Green to finish nicely at the near post to return the Angels advantage to two goals after four minutes there was still time for Harman to keep the final alive with his hat-trick goal.

But, the Angels saw out time for captain Boxall to receive the trophy and cap a memorable season.

The return of the Angels to the KYL has seen, in chronological order, the Under-13’s recover from a torrid opening couple of months when their luck seemed to be completely out, to go unbeaten since early December to now sit in fourth place in their division with the possibility of finishing third. The U14’s are neck-and-neck with Maidstone United for the central league title with three games remaining and the U16’s have already been crowned central league champions, ending the season four points clear of Erith and Belvedere.

Next season the Academy (U19) will be brought in-house and this all seems a far cry from the time when, as a board member, I banged my head against a wall attempting to bring the youth team programme back to the club. In fairness, we had a bog of a pitch that was unplayable for three months or more, but with the installation of the 3G pitch and the great support of chair, Sophie Purves, youth team football is now a big part of Tonbridge Angels.

Hollands and Blair U23 5 Tonbridge Angels U19 2

Match 83/25/2425 - Wednesday, 6th May 2026 - Kent Intermediate Cup Final

Hollands and Blair U23 (1) 5 Byrne 17 Arnott 60 Reid 78,87,89 (pen)
Tonbridge Angels U19 (2) 2 Fincham 11 Richardson 22
Estimated Attendance: 250
Admission: £5
Mileage: 34/5,096

U18's WEEK OF DISAPPOINTMENT

It’s been a week of disappointment for Tonbridge Angels Under-18’s but this shouldn’t be allowed to cloud a season of achievement including retaining their Isthmiam Youth League title.

Ultimately, in this Kent Intermediate Cup Final, the physicality of an older age group told its tale but, as has been the case throughout the season, Dom Welsh’s youngsters tried to play their game, but there is more than one way to win a game of football and Hollands and Blair’s direct style was effective and deserving of their win.

The Kent Intermediate Cup is a strangely mixed competition, that Tonbridge have actually won more than any other club. As one supporter said last night that it hardly seems fair, but it is a competition for reserve teams of clubs that compete in the Senior Cup and Trophy with Under-23 and Under-21 teams allowed to enter where there is no reserve team. That some clubs, such as Tonbridge Angels, enter their Under-18’s is their choice.

Tonbridge’s journey to the Final has seen them despatch Under-23 sides but Blair were an altogether tougher ask.

The Angels could not have got off to a worse, or better start, conceding a penalty within two minutes and scoring after 11 minutes, with Callum Fincham involved at both ends of the pitch.

Fincham’s tackle on Jack Shepherd saw the referee point to the spot but Owen Edwards’ penalty was saved by the trailing leg of Jacob Hunt with the ball rebounding off the underside of the crossbar back into the keeper’s grateful hands.

Tonbridge went ahead when a raking crossfield pass from Noah Millis was received by Fincham, who with a couple of strides, took aim to angle a driven shot into the far corner off the right hand post.

Blair were quick to respond and were level on 17 minutes following a left-sided corner that was headed from the far post back to George Byrne to head home.

A frantic opening 20 minutes was completed when Mackenzie Richardson let fly from 25 yards into the top corner with the Blair goalkeeper, Mackenzie Porter, grasping at thin air.

Both sides had further chances in an entertaining first half, with Porter saving from Fincham and Hunt brilliantly turning over a Morgan Arnott header before the break.

The Angels started the second period strongly and had they managed a third goal, who knows, but Fincham’s fizzed effort was inches wide and Robert Penman brought a good save from Porter before, on the hour, Hollands and Blair equalised when Arnott converted a cross from eight yards.

On 78 minutes, Blair hit the front for the first time when substitute Lennon Reid finished a right wing cross at the near post and the game was finished as a contest with Reid poaching an 87th minute goal after the Angels defence had failed to clear their lines.

The Angels had one final flurry with Richardson’s shot parried by Porter back to Kyler Barton, but the last say went to Reid, who completed a 16 minute hat-trick from the spot to give a 5-2 scoreline that didn’t reflect the competitive nature of the game.

Our U18’s reform next season, as with all age group football, many of the squad become over age, but the beauty of the Angels newly (finally!) formed pathway is that some of the successful U16’s squad now progress into the higher age group and the process starts all over again!

NB: For supporters of a Gillingham persuasion, in the Blair squad were Morgan Arnott, son of Andy and Zach Tydeman, son of Sam and grandson of the legend that was Dick Tydeman.