Leamington FC are delighted to announce that current First Team Coach Chris Knott, who also heads the clubs Academy Programmes, has now been appointed to the role of Head of Football Development.

Chris initially joined the club to develop the Club's academy programmes in late 2019 and within a year was appointed as a First Team Coach by Manager Paul Holleran.  He is a UEFA ‘A' Licensed Coach who was initially Lead Coach in the Post 16 Academy Programme that the club runs in partnership with Moreton Morrell and Pershore Colleges, both of which are part of the Warwickshire College Group (WCG). 

His role will be to build upon the current structures, developing pathways and opportunities for all aspiring footballers.  In addition he will actively engage with the Brakes Boys and Lions Girls/Ladies Sections of the club providing support and guidance as necessary and requested.  He will continue total oversight of the Post 16 and U7-16 Academy Programmes and will in addition provide consultancy advice to the Brakes Community Foundation CIO with regard to their fast developing Schools Programme.

Leamington FC Chairman Jim Scott stated, “Chris’s appointment was an easy one to make.  His professional conduct, coaching skills, personal drive and determination, allied to his experience in developing football pathways made him the perfect candidate for the role.  He has imbued himself in the club since joining us 30 months ago and I firmly believe there are exciting times ahead for our football progamme under his stewardship”

With the National League North lineup confirmed for next season (subject to FA ratification), we are going to take a look at the new boys in the league. Following the laws of alphabetical order, we next head to the Northern Premier League champions Buxton. 

Who are ya? 

Buxton FC were founded in 1877 and represent the Derbyshire spa town of Buxton. Like Banbury who we covered last time, next season will be Buxton’s first in the National League having spent their time since gaining promotion in the Cheshire County League 1973 switching between the various steps in the Northern Premier League and the Northern Counties League. 

The Bucks have a rich FA Cup history having reached the Third Round Proper on one occasion back in the 1951/52 season whilst being a Cheshire County League team, only losing 2-0 to Second Division side Doncaster Rovers in the Third Round. The Bucks reached the Second Round Proper last season knocking York City out in the First Round Proper before Morecambe beat them 1-0 in Derbyshire in the next round.

Setting the Scene 

The Derbyshire side play their home games at The Tarmac Silverlands Stadium, the highest ground in English football sitting at approximately 1,000 feet above sea level.

The home of the Bucks has a capacity of 4,000 with 490 seats. The pitch at Silverlands is artificial which Buxton call ‘one of the highest spec floodlit pitches in the country’. 

The Gaffer 

Buxton have today announced the arrival of Chorley FC boss Jamie Vermiglio to take over the reins at the Silverlands. The experienced manager who took Chorley all the way to the Fourth Round of the FA Cup recently resigned from his role at the Magpies earlier this week in order to take over the helms at Buxton.

He is replacing Steve Cunningham, the former Curzon Ashton manager who joined the Bucks halfway through last season after having his contract ended by the Nash.

We’ve met before

Or have we? I’ve been through the spreadsheets and cannot find a single game between the Brakes and Buxton! 

Photos: Buxton FC

We are thrilled to announce that Mark Robins will be bringing his Coventry City First Team to Your Co-op Community Stadium to kick start our pre-season schedule ahead of the 2022/23 season. 

The Brakes and Sky Blues have built a good relationship over the past few seasons, with the Sky Blues' first team visiting back in 2019 winning 4-0 with Sky Sports covering the fixture live. The two sides were set to play again in 2021 however due to a Covid-19 outbreak at the club ahead of their trip to Seville, Coventry instead sent an u18 team so they could still fulfil the fixture.

After a fantastic start to the Championship season last year it looked as if Coventry were eyeing a return to the Premier League as they topped the league towards the start of the season but narrowly missed out on the play-offs at the end of the campaign. They will no doubt be looking forward to a return to the promised land - and maybe a sign for the City fans out there: the last time their first team visited Leamington was at the start of the season where they would seal promotion from League One back to the Championship as champions!

Sky Blues fans are always very welcome at Leamington, and we look forward to welcoming them once again for what will hopefully be a great day.

Ticketing and match arrangements will be released closer to the game. 

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Current Pre-Season Schedule:

02 July 2022 - Leamington vs Coventry City 1pm

23 July 2022 - Halesowen Town vs Leamington 3pm

It's that time of the year again where we get ready for the new season and as usual we would love your help in volunteering to help with ground and clubhouse maintenance. 

The ground will be open from 9am-12noon on this Saturday 28 May for volunteers who wish to help out. If you wish to help out please bring gloves and sturdy footwear - a wide range of skills are needed so there will definitlely be something for you to help with!

Refreshments will, of course, be provided and all help is massively appreciated as we look to be ready for Season 2022/23.

With the National League North lineup confirmed for next season (subject to FA ratification), we are going to take a look at the new boys in the league. We start with the team alphabetically first out of the new teams who are coincidentally now our closest team in the league distance wise - Banbury United.

Who are ya?

Banbury United were founded in 1931 as Banbury Spencer and represent the Oxfordshire market town of Banbury. Much like Leamington, life for Banbury started out as a works team - for the Spencer Corsets factory in the town. The first league the Puritans played in was the Oxfordshire Junior League in the early 30s before making the switch to the Birmingham Combination and the Central Amateur League later that decade.

Post-war times saw Banbury reach the Southern League and, apart from a ten year or so gap of playing in the Hellenic League after relegation in the 90s, they stayed in the Southern League from 1966 right up until 2022. The Puritans have a good record in the FA Cup, reaching the First Round Proper six times; most recently last season as Barrow defeated them. 

Setting the Scene

Banbury have played at the Spencer Stadium - now called the Banbury Plant Hire Community Stadium - since 1934. The ground, located next to Banbury Train Station, has a capacity of 6,500 with 250 seats in the John Nicholls Stand. 

Banbury is a 25 or so minute drive from Leamington. Alternatively you could get the trains which run every 20 or so minutes with Banbury just one stop down the station map. The 501 and 502 buses run from Leamington to Banbury and take just over an hour.

The Gaffer 

Former Coventry City man Andy Whing will largely be remembered by Sky Blues’ fans for scoring the last ever goal at Highfield Road but Puritans fans will remember him for being the man to lift them to the National League for the first time in their history.

Whing has a rich playing history at the likes of Brighton and Hove Albion, Leyton Orient and Oxford United alongside Coventry and has recently spent time in the backroom teams of Kidderminster Harriers and Hereford.

We’ve met before

There have been plenty of big games between Leamington and Banbury and we’re taking you back to Bank Holiday Monday 2017 where a Jamie Hood goal was the difference in a crucial tie that would set the Brakes well on for a second placed Southern Premier League finish. 

Leamington's first pre-season game for 2022 has been announced. Paul Holleran will take his Brakes side to one of his former clubs, Halesowen Town, on Saturday 23 July, 3pm kick-off. 

The Brakes have played the Yeltz four times since Holleran's arrival in 2009, three of those coming in the league with the other a friendly. Away from home against the Yeltz, Holleran's guided his Leamington sides to one win and one loss - and will be hoping to make that two wins as his side travel to the Grove this pre-season.

Announcements will be made regarding the match closer to the game and more pre-season friendlies will be announced in due course.