from Peterborough Evening Telegraph…

Some more good news as we return for pre-season training.

YAXLEY boss Gary Clipston has pulled off an eye-catching double swoop. Classy former Blackstones duo Liam Harrold and Andy Lodge have taken Clipston’s tally of summer signings to seven.

Striker Harrold cracked 28 goals before Christmas for Stones last season before going off the boil in the second half of the campaign, while utility man Lodge – who can play at the back, in midfield or on the left flank – will move to Leading Drove despite initially signing for Stamford.

They are two important pieces of a jigsaw which Clipston hopes will lead to a much-improved performance from Yaxley in the United Counties League Premier Division.

Delighted Clipston said: “The two lads have set up a business together and can’t really commit to playing long-distance football. They contacted me about joining the club and it was music to my ears.

“They are not players I had considering chasing as I thought they would be out of my league in terms of budget.

“But they just want to enjoy their football and we are obviously thrilled to have people of their calibre on board.

“Liam takes the number of forwards in the squad to four and I am sure they have a lot of goals between them while Andy has bags of experience and will be a great influence on the younger lads at the club.”

They join former Bourne men Liam Palmer, Simon Barrick and Billy Sparks in a new-look Yaxley squad along with ex-Deeping Sports forward Matt Farrington and well-known midfielder Ian Fovargue.

Welcome back to season 2007/08 on CuckoosComment.

The club is in the process of launching a new official website so we will see how this site fits in before commiting to a full season on the blog. But for now it is all systems go.

First up is an interesting article from the Peterborough Evening Telegraph.

PETERBOROUGH Northern Star chief Tommy Cooper has pulled off a five-star signing spree.

Cooper has persuaded no fewer than five players to swap United Counties League Premier Division football at Yaxley for a Division One title tilt with Star.

Striker Mark Paul, wideman Ian Edge, midfielders Lee Blewitt and Scott Bogusz, and defender Anthony Thomas have all signed on the dotted line at Chestnut Avenue – and Cooper has quickly insisted it is the club’s massive amibition rather than financial clout that attracted the players.

Cooper said: “The obvious thing that people will level at us is that we have thrown loads of money around, but I can guarantee that none of these players will earn more money playing for Northern Star than they did at Yaxley.

“It is the big ambition of our club that has made them want to sign. We had a cracking finish to last season and the fact we have floodlights going up this summer underlines just how serious we are about giving the city a second team to be proud about.

“I think the old adage of taking one step back to take two forwards rings true here.

While the players have all come down a level from the Premier Division they believe the drop in class will be temporary.

“I like Yaxley manager Gary Clipston and all five of these players said that as well, but they don’t see it as a club progressing as much as Northern Star.”

Star now have a 24-man squad for next season when they will be red-hot favourites to win promotion.

That number could drop if striker Ryan Francis moves onto to higher-level football – the free-scoring frontman is currently being tracked by Stamford and Southern League side Arlesey (a club who list Posh duo Craig Mackail-Smith and Shane Blackett among their past players).

“I can’t knock a lad for having a crack at a higher level and if Ryan does go, it will be with our full support,” added Cooper.

“That’s why it was so important to bring in another striker and it is great to get Mark Paul in along with the other lads from Yaxley.

“It’s great to be able to put my signing-on book away for the summer at the beginning of June.”
ANYTHING Northern Star can do, Yaxley can do too.

Cuckoos boss Gary Clipston might have seen several players leave for pastures new with the city club, but he has been a busy man in the transfer market himself.

Clipston has revealed his very own five-star signing spree headed by highly-rated strikers Matt Farrington and Liam Palmer.

The Yaxley manager has been chasing former Deeping Sports man Farrington for several months and also moved quickly to land ex-Bourne man Palmer.

The young frontman hit 14 goals for the Wakes last season before being squeezed out when new managerial team Neil Thorpe, John Chand and Mark Cook drafted in a whole host of new signings after their March arrival.

Clipston said: “Liam’s record in a struggling side last season is excellent and I am sure he will do a good job for us.

“Matt is a quality player who I have been after for a while and will also get his fair share of goals, while we already have young Sam Makansi at the club as well.”

Palmer is not the only man swapping the Abbey Lawns for Leading Drove with strapping midfielder Simon Barrick and youngster Billy Sparks also making the move.

Yaxley’s list of captures is completed by well-known midfield man Ian Fovargue who represented St Ives, Spalding, Northern Star and Eye Sports last season alone!

And Clipston will have a new face alongside him in the dugout after securing the services of former Blackstones coach Andy Mills.

Clipston added: “I am delighted with the signings we have made because they are all hungry lads who want to do well.

I certainly prefer to concentrate on the future rather than dwell on the past.

“Mark Paul and Ian Edge both left us during last season while Lee Blewitt told me at Christmas he felt he needed a change and Scott Bogusz cannot commit to playing midweek.

“They might have gone but we have some good new players and an excellent coach on board.”

Wise words from Clippo there, and it is good to see that despite going out and signing players the young guns are still part of the clubs plans.

It is with great sadness that we have learned of the death of Yaxley FC supporter Roland ‘Roly’ Crane.

Roly has lost a short battle with cancer and will be greatly missed by everyone at YFC. His funeral is this Friday.

The FA has made their draws for the early rounds of cup competitions and here are those details…

FA CUP

Lincoln Moorlands Railway home (16th August)
then Spalding away (30th August)
then potentially Soham Town Rangers away

FA VASE

Woodbridge (away)

Finally for today, the pre-season friendlies have been issued and are on the clubs official site.

Click here.

Or read below.

YAXLEY FC PRE-SEASON SCHEDULE 2008

15th July 2008 WHITWORTHS (AWAY) 7.30 PM KO

19th July 2008 HISTON RESERVES (HOME) 3.00 PM KO

22nd July 2008 WHITTLESEY UTD (HOME) 6.45 PM KO

24th July 2008 GREAT SHELFORD (AWAY) 6.45 PM KO

26th July 2008 DEEPING SPORTS (HOME) 3.00 PM KO

28th July 2008 MARCH TOWN UTD (AWAY) 7.45 PM KO

31st July 2008 SOHAM TOWN (HOME) 7.45 PM KO

02nd Aug 2008 RUSHDEN & HIGHAM (AWAY) 3.00 PM KO

05th Aug 2008 EYNESBURY ROVERS (HOME) 7.45 PM KO

The Festival of Football was another successful weekend with lots of young players getting to show their skills in Yaxley.

The Peterborough Evening Telegraph covered the event in depth and you can click the link below to read all about it.

www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/juniorfootball/Picture-special-Yaxley-Festival-of.4164639.jp

Yaxley’s first team proved triumphant in the Bank Holiday Monday Hunts Senior Cup final.

Club President “Sir” Jeff Lenton takes up the story.

Huntingdonshire FA Senior Cup Final

St Ives Town 1 Yaxley 1 (aet) Yaxley won 5-4 on penalties

Monday, 05 May 2008
Holders St Ives saw the cup slip from their grasp in a dramatic penalty shootout. In the same competition last season, it was St. Ives who won the semi-final against the Cuckoos, ironically enough on penalties.

Both teams created chances and Sam Makansi could have stolen an early lead in the first 10 minutes had he taken a risk and hit the ball first time when he was one-on-one with the Saints ‘keeper. In the heat it was wearing for both teams but the Saints made the breakthrough in the dying seconds of the first half when Jason King won a corner and Liam Kennett’s kick was headed in by Will Fordham.

Yaxley replied four minutes into the second half when Ricky Hailstone’s cross field pass played in Sam Makansi to delicately chip Rob Mackney. Makansi, who had scored the critical added time equalizer against Hampton in the semi final, had to be substituted 10 minutes later with a groin strain and was replaced by Mark Paul.

In the 85th minute, Cuckoos defender Josh Crick (who was recovering from a 3 inch gash in his forehead received in last weeks U18 cup final) was replaced by Scott Bogusz.

Elio Salerno came on for Dan Fountain and immediately made a couple of penetrating runs down the right flank but to no avail. Both sides had opportunities to win the contest in the second period of extra time. The holders were closest when Dan Newman’s effort from distance rebounded to safety off the Yaxley crossbar whilst at the opposite end, Mark Paul’s earlier jinking run down the left didn’t finish with any power and comfortably bobbled into the ‘keepers arms.

At the end of extra time, both teams were just about dead on their feet after 120 minutes of competitive but not particularly pretty football.

In the penalty contest, Yaxley duo Teddy Rimmell and Scott Bogusz successfully converted as did St Ives skipper Will Fordham. But Jason King’s miss from the second Saints kick handed the Cuckoos the initiative and Chris Gospel scored for Yaxley along with Carl Foreman for St Ives before Ricky Hailstone’s uncharacteristic penalty miss enabled Liam Kennett to level for the Saints.

The pressure was on for the last of the regulation five kicks. Mark Paul shot wide for Yaxley giving Jamie Blackwell the chance to become the St Ives match winner, but his kick was superbly saved by John Feetham in the Yaxley goal.

Elio Salerno and Dan Pilsworth kept their nerve to make it four apiece before Lee Blewett smashed the seventh Yaxley kick against the Bar. Feetham again kept his side in the hunt with another excellent save from Dan Newman.

Ben Russell fired the Cuckoos in front and it was then that Feetham became the Yaxley hero with his 3rd and match winning save from Barry Albone.

Congratulations to Clippo and his lads and commiserations to St. Ives.

Dont forget to follow the first team in their remaining two (but hopefully three) cup matches this season.

First up is the Hunts FA Premier Cup semi final with Biggleswade United at the Drove before the May bank holiday Monday sees the lads in Hunts Senior FA Cup final action against St Ives Town at Huntingdon Town’s Jubilee Park.

This site is off on its summer holidays now so please… click here… to be directed to the main club website for more on those big matches.

Cheers!

So the season is all but over and another campaign has ended with success across the piste for the football club.

“Cuckoos Comment” and its contributors would like to congratulate the various teams at all ages within the club for their performances and results during the season and hope that it continues for many years to come.

The close season will see more hard work going on behind the scenes to further develop the club off the park and I know that come August when we start all over again we will see Leading Drove further developed and more progress made.

The club is solely run by volunteers and as well as congratulating the host of players and managers in the paragraphs above, I am sure I speak for all paying Cuckoos fans when I thank them for keeping the club on the straight and narrow for another season.

Not all football clubs are based on money and greed and I would like to think that Yaxley FC is one based on community and development. I can’t wait to see the first Cuckoos old boy playing in the Premiership in the years to come, and we should never forget the part our club played in getting names like Nick Conroy, Lee Clarke and Michael Frew ready for playing at a higher level.

The UCL, despite being in the 8th tier of the English game is going the same way as many leagues above it with stupid money being lavished on players and small crowds coming through the gate not supplying the income to pay them. Thus clubs are reliant on benefactors to keep them going.

Whilst I wouldn’t want our club to tell a millionaire knocking on the door that he wasn’t welcome(!!) I wouldn’t expect the principles we have adopted in the latter stages of this season to be forgotten.

You can but hope eh?!!

Nothing else remains but to say see you next season and please try and bring a friend or 10 along when you next come to a game…!

Up the Cuckoos

Gary Clipston’s Cuckoos side ended their season with a home defeat to Tony Lowther’s Blackstones side at Leading Drove last night.

Ex Yaxley forward Ashley Stevens opened the scoring early on. Here is the match report from Football Mitoo

Premier Division

Yaxley 0    Blackstones 4

Tuesday, 15 April 2008

Blackstones stepped up their bid for second place with an emphatic derby success at Leading Drove.

Stones built a winning lead in the opening quarter of the match. Ashley Stevens gave them a fifth minute advantage with Ross Watson netting a second seven minutes later.

Dan Cotton added a 20th minute third to all but settle the outcome and Richard Challinor completed the scoring seven minutes from time.

My mate Tim will love it… an ex Stamford legend slays the Cuckoos :0(

Match report from club President Jeff Lenton..

Eagle Bitter United Counties League – Premier Division

Yaxley 0 Cogenhoe United 1

Saturday, 12 April 2008
The Cuckoos’ run of improved form ended with this reverse against their mid table visitors but they will be all out to take the points in tomorrow nights (Tuesday) crunch local derby against Blackstones .

Yaxley didn’t manage to take their opportunities in a first half which saw them pose a threat from set pieces. Josh Crick headed wide after Chris Gospel won Dan Fountain’s free kick at the far post, and then Anthony Thomas was off target from a Ricky Hailstone corner.

Cogenhoe goalkeeper Darren Watts tipped over a long range effort from Fountain and the keeper was again in action to thwart Sam Makansi with Matt Parrott firing wide of the target as the ball came loose.

The second half saw the Cooks take more control. Dan Thomason was wide with a cross shot early in the half before Cogenhoe made the breakthrough after 64 minutes. Rob Foster’s shot from an acute angle was cleared off the line by Parrott, but Malcolm Ndekwe followed up to score off the underside of the crossbar.

Cuckoos defender Thomas was in the thick of the action, blocking a Nick Ashby header on the line, while in stoppage time he fouled Foster in the box. Foster took the spot kick himself but was denied by a fine save by John Feetham, with a goal line clearance denying Ndekwe a second from the follow up.

On balance, the Cuckoos at least deserved to share the honours on the day.
Yaxley: John Feetham, Ben Russell (Danny Steward), Hamish Curtis (Mario Palazzo), Matt Parrott, Anthony Thomas, Chris Gospel, Josh Crick (Jonathan Griggs), Teddy Rimmell, Sam Makansi, Ricky Hailstone, Dan Fountain.

Cogenhoe: Darren Watts, Lewis Kelly, Jack Ashton, Nick Ashby, Dan Thomason, Lee Gotch, Nick Kingston, Neil Champelovier, Dan Holman (Zac Nedimovic), Rob Foster, Malcolm Ndekwe.

TOMORROW NIGHT (Tuesday) sees a double header at Leading Drove as the Cuckoos U18 string take on Stamford Youth AFC – 6pm KO followed by the Blackstones local derby at 7:45pm

Two our of form sides met in front of a sparse Leading Drove crowd in this UCL encounter last night.

The home side coming out on top with goals from Sam Makansi and Dan Fountain in the second half. It was the Cuckoos first league win in 12 and Wellingborough’s 6th successive 0 pointer.

As the season draws to a close, Cuckoos fans will be looking towards a nice summer break and re-grouping for the next campaign.

Just a quick heads up to let you know that the YFC team page has been updated with some classic writing from the clubs history archives.

Enjoy !