History

The history of Kidlington Old Boys Football Club

2000 - 2001 Season

Season 2000/2001 was soon upon us with quite a few change coming with it, we had attracted a lot of comment during the summer, and when training started we were attracting 20 to 30 players, and it was decided to start a Reserve team. The season also started with a new management team, Norman and Shane decided to take a step back, but still be active within the team. The new management team was to be Les White, and Gordon Geary, both senior players within the club. By February we were on fire, having played 12, won 10, drawn 1, lost 1, scored 50 and only conceded 6, and our run in The Challenge Cup under way, and the Witney Gazette tipping us favourites to lift the Cup. Meanwhile the Reserves managed by Colin Goodgame were holding their own in Mid-table in Division 5 having player10, won 5, drawn 1, lost 4, scored 39 and conceded 22. By mid April the first were almost assured of their first title, and on a warm evening in the middle of May we returned to North Leigh once again to try and win the Challenge Cup. We met Hailey Reserves whom we had beaten twice during the season and who had come runners up to us in the League. We got off to a roaring start with two goals in the first 6 minutes, the rest of the game was well contested, and it was a great relief when the final whistle. We were presented with both trophies after the game, the team seemed very subdues after the game, but I think it was just relief that they had won the double, personally as my first year as Chairman I was over the moon. The end of season Presentation Dinner was held at Linton Lodge Hotel in Oxford, with 72 club members and friends attending, a superb night was had by everyone and despite one lad becoming a little worse for wear, and a few German Guests being woken in the small hours, the hotel said they would have us back. Although we had made many friends in the Witney and District, and enjoyed some very hospitable after match food and drink, we always wanted to return to the Senior League, and so off went the application once more, and this time we were accepted. The First team went into Division 1, and the Reserves into Division 2B, both teams have got off to a good start to the season. At the end of November the First team are topping Division 1 on Goal difference over BCS Bardwell, and the Reserves are second in Division 2B 1 point behind Garsington with 2 games in hand.

1999 - 2000 Season

Shortly before the end of the season the club committee had informed the A team management of its decision to only run two teams for the season 1999-2000. In light of the success and camaraderie within the team none of the players wanted to play elsewhere so it was decided to form a new club, and so for the season 1999/2000 Kidlington Old Boys F.C. was founded. We applied to the Senior League as Kidlington Old Boys, and were invited to attend the next AGM to put out application to Committee and Senior League clubs. Sadly our application was declined on the grounds that we were a new club, although we had only changed our name. Unthwarted by this setback the team were still resolved to playing together and applied to the Witney and District F.A. we attended their A.G.M and after assurances that we were a new club in our own right and no longer were part of Kidlington F.C. we were accepted into the Witney and District League Division 2. The management team of Shane Walton and Kevin (Norman) Tuton took a virtually unchanged side into the Second Division.

1998 - 1999 Season

In the season of 1998/1999 Kidlington A, under the umbrella of Kidlington F.C. were having a season to remember in Division 2B of the Oxfordshire Senior League. Riding high in the league all season, with the championship title resting on the game against Hook Norton, in a fiercely contested game Hook Norton took the lead at 3-1. In the dying minutes of the game Kidlington managed to pull the two goals back and earn a draw, and secure a place in the league. Meanwhile the team was having a superb cup run in the Clarendon cup, in the three rounds leading up to the final, beating teams from Divisions above them without conceding a goal, and having to play the formidable team from Garsington. Kidlington despite their impressive run still turned out as the under dogs, so with nothing to lose went out to enjoy the day, and finished up as 4-0 winners and a long night of celebrations followed.