Banbury United 2025: Month by month Yearly Review.

Spencer Reds
Dec 31, 2025
8 min read

As the year comes to a close, we take a moment to reflect on everything that has happened at Banbury United on and off the pitch throughout 2025 through a month by month review. A year with a lot to unpick with talk off takeovers, managerial changes and even got the glitz of the camara following us.

Before we dive into the review, I can’t begin without sharing the memory of the people we lost this year. To end the year, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on what has been a difficult year on the terraces, for very different reasons. It’s been a year marked by so many great losses, touching every part of the fanbase with deep sadness. While we have shared countless wonderful memories, their presence on the terraces will be deeply missed, but their legacy will forever be remembered and cherished at our community club. They will always be a Puritan.

Rest in peace:

Dave Pearce

Barry Pleats “Geordie”

Keith Reading

Paul Duester

Ken Pratt

John Upton

David Woodland

Michael Moon

…and many more who will never be forgotten.

Let’s take you back right back to the start of 2025.

January

January opened up with some big monumental decisions needed to be made for the club. Prior to the meeting left uncertainty, worry and fear we may not have a club to support long term.

Three scenarios were presented to members for an informal vote regarding the future structure and financial sustainability of Banbury United FC:

1. Remain a Community Benefit Society (CBS), competing at the current Step 3 budget level, requiring £140,000 per year to be raised from members.

2. Remain a CBS on current income levels, accepting that this would result in significant and unavoidable budget cuts.

3. Transition from a CBS to private ownership, allowing a new owner to at minimum fund the Club’s current working capital requirements.

Members were also asked whether they would grant the Board of Directors permission to explore a move to private ownership and to engage in discussions with potential buyers.

The outcome of the vote showed strong support for change:

• 89% of members voted in favour of Scenario 3, a move to private ownership.

• 98% of members granted the Board permission to speak to potential buyers.

This shows the clear intent that fans want the club to expand, want the club to get bigger and want further success albeit a risk as is any takeover by a benefactor. Ricky Gervais we know you as David Brent said “ I bloody love football”

February

Looking back on the year, February brought a moment that felt just right for Banbury fans. The club officially returned to its heritage name, Spencer Stadium, following a sponsorship agreement with clean energy experts egg.

After being known as The Banbury Plant and Skip Hire Community Stadium since 2016, it was great to welcome back calling home The Spencer Stadium again , a name steeped in history, tracing back to the club’s formation in 1931 at Spencer Villa and a ground that has been home since 1934.

March

Jack Harding reached a remarkable milestone by joining the 400 Club during the match against Royston on 15 March.

Now in his tenth season as Banbury United’s number one goalkeeper, Jack reached 400 appearances made up of:

• 325 league matches

• 75 cup matches

Since then, Jack has continued to extend his legacy, having now made 439 appearances for the Club and could end the season with 450 putting him only 45 appearances away from becoming 6th in the clubs all time appearances list.

Watching teams week in, week out, I honestly struggle to think of many goalkeepers better than Jack. The thought of the day he’s no longer our number one genuinely fills me with dread. I remember walking out of the Jakemans Community Stadium after the win over Boston in October and thinking just how lucky we are to have a true local hero between the sticks and how awful it would be to return to those days of chopping and changing, six keepers a season and no real stability.

Ten more years. Ten more years, Jack Harding.

April

April brought reassurance through a memberd meeting on April 22nd. The Club issued a positive update and clarity to the members confirming:

• Offers of significant new investment had been received

• Negotiations for a permanent ground, while well advanced, were temporarily on hold

• Banbury United would remain a CBS into the 2025–26 season

On the pitch, the season ended with Banbury finishing 12th on 57 points. The stats summed up the campaign perfectly:

• Lowest scorers in the league

• Best defensive record in the league. A season which won’t last long in the memory, but stability after a revolving door of players was seen the year before.

May

May gave us little to talk about after an entertaining fixture battled out between Spencer reds v Townend Reds.

But on May 31st some people enjoyed abit of gardening more than most and the Fans got what we asked for: Holyhead Out. After lying about denying the fact he was speaking with Kettering Town about their vacant manager’s job. Simon lie got exposed as Simon Hollyhead spent three days doing what he does best, waffling. Plenty of words, plenty of noise, very little clarity and the club did brilliantly protecting our worth and placed Hollyhead on gardening leave for the remainder of his notice period.

For a man so fond of projecting authority and control, it unravelled pretty quickly. The self-importance, the ego, the belief that he was the centre of the story, the narcissistic personality, confirmed what we knew already the moment another club came knocking,

So yes, trust the process they said, “character” is important he said. The players will follow him they said.

A lot of talk. A lot of ego. And finally, after every post match interview about outcomes, the fans finally got the outcome we all hoped for.

June

It took Banbury no more than 48 hours to find a replacement. Sat on the beach in lanzorate with a few beers and with his family after long Illustrious playing career, Langmead got a call to become The manager of Banbury United and as the chant says “ I just can’t seem to get enough” Langmead accepted his first managerial role.

From the moment his appointment was announced, you could feel it. That sense of connection, identity and pride that fans had been craving for the past two years came flooding back. This wasn’t just any manager coming in; this was a legend returning.

And then there were his opening words, simple, honest, and straight from the heart , reminding everyone exactly what Banbury United means to him. In that moment, June became a turning point. A fresh chapter, led by someone who gets the club, the badge, and the people on the terrace.

A summer decision that truly meant “ We are United”.

July

July saw pre-season begin with a welcome sense of continuity. For the first time since July 2022, Banbury United retained a recognisable core of players, giving the squad much needed stability and not looking for the 3rd rebuild in 3 years. Hey, I thought all the players would follow Simon though.

That foundation was strengthened by the arrival of experienced non-league names such as James Alabi, Reece Styche, Joel Anker and Aaron McCreddie just to name a few. These signings added quality and intent to Langmead’s squad and showed clear vision of wanting a young hungry squad mixed in with some some high level experience players.

While results against strong higher-level opposition were mixed, performances mattered more than scorelines. Overall, July left supporters feeling far more positive and reconnected with the club heading into the 2025/26 season.

This month also brought a landmark moment on a personal level with the arrival of my baby boy. Another future Puritan in the making, ensuring the club is passed down to a third generation in the family. With BUFC already firmly part of his life, midweek games on Puritans Radio have quickly become his Tuesday night bedtime soundtrack with Dave England’s familiar tone clearly setting the perfect lullaby tempo.

August

A scorching hot August, both on and off the pitch, marked the start of a new era as Kelvin Langmead’s first official competitive season began. Few could have predicted what followed. Five league games, two wins and three draws saw Banbury end the month unbeaten, playing refreshing, front-foot football along the way.

There was freedom in the attacking areas, players eager to create and express themselves, though defensive mishaps led to some sloppy goals conceded – a stark contrast to last season. Still, progress was clear. We finally ended the 2,820-day wait to come back from two goals down and get something from a game away at Royston.

The month ended dramatically in the league at home to Stourbridge, with a last-gasp James Alabi winner. I tweeted afterwards: “That performance was very impressive & should have had the game to bed before the late winner, however what we have witnessed is a team full of heart, passion & spirit. The good times are back, whatever the result the club is connected & that is already a massive step forward❤️💛”

And that still stands. Yes, there’s inconsistency in results, but a squad is there playing for the badge, connected with the fans and led by a true club legend.

September

The unbeaten league run finally came to an end, but September gave us two big FA Cup highlights to celebrate. A hard-fought 0-0 draw away at a solid Step 4 side, Chasetown, forced a replay just three days later. Drama followed, as we came through a penalty shootout – our first shootout win since 13th October 2020 away at Peterborough Sports.

Then came a tie against fellow league side Leiston, and we ended the month in style with a 3-0 victory at Victory Road.

October

The cup run continued in October, drawing Banbury’s biggest crowd of the year as 1,598 packed into the Spencer Stadium to cheer the team on. A hard-fought 1-1 draw against St Albans set up a tough replay at Clarence Park the following Tuesday. Banbury was also in the hat for the 1st round draw, and the excitement grew when Mikel Antonio pulled out the ball 76, setting up a potential away tie with Burton Albion.

Despite a spirited performance and a tense battle that saw nothing split the clubs in normal time, extra time proved just too much for the Red & Gold, and the thrilling cup run came to an end. Even so, across both FA competitions, the club earned a total of £17,250, more than the last two seasons combined.

Off the pitch, the club ran a successful golf day, raising £880 for the Epilepsy Society. In a closely contested match, Banbury’s United team narrowly beat the first-team players by just one point.

November

Over 200 local dignitaries, past and present players and directors, staff, volunteers, supporters, and cast members attended the red-carpet premiere screening of Our Club, Our Town at The Light cinema in Banbury on Wednesday, November 26th. The documentary highlights just how deeply the club is rooted within the local community, despite receiving very little support from the council.

The film powerfully portrays the daily challenges the club faces, the tireless hard work and dedication required to prepare for matchdays from the board members and volunteers and lastly unwavering love supporters have for their club., and how easy it is to be hooked after just one game.

What resonated most with fans, however, was the story of the two Tonys: Tony Foster and Tony Jacques. Both are widely regarded as among the finest players ever to wear the red and gold. Their shared memories allowed older supporters to reminisce, while giving younger fans the opportunity to hear first-hand accounts of a golden era, told directly by those who lived it rather than through Chinese whispers passed down over generations from our loved ones.

The appetite for a spin-off episode featuring these two iconic figures, alongside other former players discussing the history of BUFC throughout the 1960s and 1970s, would be significant. These stories are not only iconic but invaluable, preserving memories that deserve to live on forever.

December

There’s not much to report in December and as they say No news is often good news. So the only thing to say is “Simply having a wonderful Chris wreh time”