Following Saturday’s 0-7 defeat at home, Simon Johnson and his Cityzens will head to Oxfordshire tomorrow evening to face Ardley United in the Combined Counties Football League Premier Division North following the previous fixture on the 1st October being postponed due to bad weather.
We already have one win against Ardley under our belts this season having beat them in the Emirates FA Cup and will be looking to get another win tomorrow evening.
ABOUT THE OPPOSITION
Ardley United Football Club was formed in 1945, playing initially in the Lord Jersey FA on a pitch near the railway line on Oxford Road. The 1950s and 60s were successful, with multiple league titles and cups, including three Oxfordshire Junior Shields. In the mid-60s, the club moved to a new Playing Field site in the village and built modest changing rooms.
The club struggled in the 70s and early 80s but saw a resurgence with Norman Stacey as chairman in the mid-80s. They were promoted to the Oxfordshire Senior League in 1988, winning the Division One title and the Premier Division title in consecutive seasons. In 1993/4, Ardley joined the Hellenic League, achieving success under manager Peter Foley and subsequent managers, winning the Division One title twice and the Division 1 Cup four times consecutively.
In the early 2000s, Ardley built new dedicated facilities, leading to promotion to the Hellenic Premier Division. Under Kevin Brock, they won several cups, including the Oxfordshire Senior Cup in 2013/14. Following Brock, Paul Davis managed the team until 2017, when Norman Stacey resigned as chairman.
Ian Feaver became chairman, and Craig Adey managed the team, leading to immediate promotion back to the Premier Division after a voluntary relegation. Despite ups and downs, the team won the Hellenic League Floodlit Cup in 2018/19.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the club strengthened its community support, creating various committees. Julian McCalmon was appointed as the first team manager. The club moved to the Spartan South Midlands Football League and then to the Combined Counties Premier League – North Division for the 2023/24 season. Ardley United aims to achieve Southern League football, supporting their management and players towards this goal.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Simon Johnson’s Cityzens have already met Ardley this season, having faced them on the opening day of the season at home in the Extra Preliminary Round of the Emirates FA Cup in which we won 3-2 to progress to the Preliminary Round before exiting to Nailsea & Tickenham in a Preliminary Round Replay.
In our last six meetings ranging from the Emirates FA Cup, Uhlsport Hellenic League Premier Division, Bluefin Sports Challenge Cup and the Combined Counties Football League Premier Division North the Cityzens have won three, lost two and one has ended all square.
Our last meeting at the Nolan Oils Ground ended in a 1-2 win for City back in March and we’ll be hoping for another three points on the road tomorrow night.
City come into this game on the back of a club record defeat having been hammered 0-7 at home to Egham Town. Johnson will be looking for an immediate response from his side as prior to the 0-7 drubbing we recieved we’d picked up a good win on the road to Virginia Water.
Ardley come into the game also looking to get back to winning ways having lost their two games with defeats on the road to Harefield United and at home to Bedfont Sports.
TICKETS
Admission is £8 and £5 concessions.
THE NOLAN OILS GROUND
Address: The Nolan Oils Ground, Oxford Road, Ardley, OX27 7PA
GETTING HERE
By Car: Take the A4 from Reading.
At Sutton Seeds Roundabout, take the 2nd exit and stay on London Rd/A4
At the roundabout, take the 3rd exit and stay on London Rd/A4
At the roundabout, take the 5th exit onto Bath Rd/London Rd/A4
Continue to follow A4
At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto Bath Rd/A4
At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto New Bath Rd/A4
Continue straight onto Bath Rd/A4
At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto Burchetts Green Road
At the roundabout, take the 3rd exit onto the A404 slip road to Wycombe/Marlow/Oxford/M40
Merge onto A404
Continue straight to stay on A404
At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit and stay on A404
Use the left lane to merge onto M40 via the slip road to Birmingham/Oxford
In 33.8 Miles merge onto M40
In 0.4 Miles at junction 10, take the A43/B430 exit to Northampton/Middleton Stoney
Continue on B430 to your destination in Ardley
In 0.2 Miles at Ardley Roundabout, take the 1st exit onto B430
In a 108 feet turn right onto Ardley Rd
Turn right
Destination will be on the left
By Train: From Reading take services calling at Oxford.
Once at Oxford disembark and exit Oxford Railway Station via the main entrance Head south and turn right toward Hythe Bridge Street/A4144
Turn left onto Hythe Bridge St/A4144
Continue to follow A4144
Turn right onto Gloucester Green
Slight right to stay on Gloucester Green
Gloucester Green Bus Station will be on your right.
Once you’ve arrived at Gloucester Green Bus Station take the X5 operated by Stagecoach in Oxfordshire towards Buckingham and disembark at Pioneer Square.
From Pioneer Square take the 81 operated by Ability Northants towards Souldern, ride three stops and disembark at Crossroads.
Ardley United Football Club is directly opposite.
