After 22 years floating around the Southern League, Banbury are now plying their trade in the Vanarama National League North for the first time ever in their 92-year history. This season is different to what any of the Puritan faithful are used to as we are now facing multiple Ex-football league sides, full time, and hybrid teams, in addition to attending some grounds which wouldn’t look out of place in the football league. Alongside this, there are more unusual features as the fans' away days now start at 7/8am to conquer the mammoth journeys up the M6 and A1 in contrast to a 45-minute journey to Lye Meadow to face Alvechurch. With this in mind, and with being just two games over the halfway mark, I thought I would give my summary over our first half of the season at Step 2.
Best Signing – Josh Smile
Before I go into detail of why Josh Smile is my signing of the season so far, I thought it would be prudent to add context behind our transfers. Since Andy Whing has been at the helm, recruitment has been spot on with the help of his backroom team and Joe Taylor the club's Head of Recruitment. In the summer, Banbury brought in Jak Hickman, Josh Smile, and Ben Radcliffe yet this was only possible due to the culture Andy has built at the club in his short time at Banbury. This is because Andy now has the power of evidence showing that Banbury is a great place to learn, develop and align ambition. This has been highlighted a lot in the past 12 months as Chris Wreh earned a move to Southend United, James Golding has played 8 times for Oxford united's first team (WELCOME BACK SUPERSTAR) and Morgan Roberts got a move to Swindon Town for £10,000.
The most notable new signings this season have been Jak Hickman, Josh Smile, and Ben Radcliffe where all of them have made a great contribution. Hickman’s crossing and dominance on the right have created us to have a solid foundation and Ben Radcliffe has proved why he was Burton’s Scholar of the year last year as he has formed an excellent relationship with Jay Williams but for me, the best signing of season so far is Josh Smile. The guy has been at the heart of the midfield as he is always an option for a pass as Smile could find space in a phone box. Smile has quickly become a fan favourite as the tramway army ‘Adore’ him as he protects the centre backs with his tenacious tackling and screening of the Centre half’s as well as sends us in attack with his passing range. To provide more evidence of how well the fans recognise smilers' performances, Josh has won 3 Player of the Months awards in the 5 months so far.
Since JS4 has come into Banbury it has provided us with a new dimension by being able to play a 3-5-2, or a 4-5-1 with Smiler operating and thriving in the deep-lying midfield role providing license for Gio and Babos to get forward or if Radcliffe wants to go on his strong Powerful dribble out from defence.
Player of the season so far – Giorgio Rasulo & Josh Smile
This one is really tough as many could earn this accolade in their own right. However, I’ve narrowed it down to two: Giorgio Rasulo and Josh Smile. Josh Smile is for the reasons you have just read but it is hard not to look past Gio too. Gio is playing some of his best football since being back at Banbury which is a scary thought as in some games at Step 3 he didn’t leave second gear and was still the best player on the pitch. This season Gio is our current top scorer totalling 13 goals with 9 of them being in the league. When the ball is 30 Yards out central to the goal, it feels like James Ward-Prowse stepping over it as Rasulo has scored two sublime free kicks away at Buxton and Telford respectively. Gio is a joy to watch and is one of the meanings behind “watching Banbury United putting on a show” as his silky skills and turns in the middle can help us break through the lines and help us start a quick attack. Here's hoping Gio can break the 20 goals mark this season in all competitions and if he carries on his form you would back your house on him reaching that landmark (well Kynan Isaac would anyways).
Best Home Win – AFC Fylde
Our home record has been very strong at the Spencer stadium this year, with us picking up an average of 1.9 points per game putting us 4th in the home league form table. Along the way, we have seen some scintillating displays such as Hereford at home where the first half hour we ran riot and looked like a full-time outfit. In addition to this, the second-half performance against Chorley in November I absolutely loved, despite our young side we picked off the experienced national league mainstays Chorley with ease and comfortably ran out 3-0 winners.
However, one game which will forever live in my memory was when just over 1000 fans endured the 37-degree heat during our first home game of the season on August 13th. Banbury Welcomed the bookies' favourites and the full-time outfit of AFC Fylde to North Oxfordshire. Fylde carries aspirations of becoming a football league club as fans could evidently see on our away visit just last weekend with the money the chairman has put into the football club. Yet despite this Banbury carried on the form of last season and dominated the game. Banbury opened the scoring early in the first half through Ben Radcliffe, providing confidence amongst the Banbury Fans, however after a dubious penalty was given away, the Money boys were back level. This did not dampen the mood and in fact, only spurred the red and gold army on more as just before half time the Welsh Iniesta snuck in a left-footed strike in the corner of Neal’s goal. In true Banbury fashion under whingy we kept to our principles in the second half instead of sitting back as we saw under multiple managers. This was a positive move as the star man on the right found himself a tap-in at the back post to seal a 3-1 victory. This win gave us all the belief that if we play like that, we will be nowhere the drop.
Best Away Win – Buxton away
Despite our form away from home not being as strong we still have witnessed some fantastic away day victories like our 2-1 victory away at 2nd place Darlington. Yet I have selected Buxton away as our away win of the season so far. Despite Buxton not being one of the big boys of the league I believe this win had a whole host of important reasons. Firstly, despite the plaudits, we received from other managers for how Banbury was the best footballing side they faced there was no reward as Banbury had no League win in 8 games. Secondly, Banbury had only kept two clean sheets before this fixture so winning without the defence unharmed allowed the club to build on a solid platform starting a run of 5 Clean sheets in 6 games nothing short of what the magic man Jack Harding in goal deserved.
Thirdly, similarly to the clean sheets, we got our mojo back in front of goal as Babos, Gio X2 and Jay Williams all got on the scoresheet but I’m sure Gio believes assist are better anyways as he missed a penalty for his hattrick for the resulting corner to be turned in by Jay Williams. This sparked Banbury back into rhythm as we collected 6 wins in the next 7 games. Lastly, we explored different tactics which saw a fine second-half display from Babos in a false 9 as Louie Walsh had to come off at half-time with either a hamstring injury or to get to the judging panel for Britain got talent. Overall, this performance epitomised the chant of Banbury putting on a show.
Goal of the season so far – Henry Landers v Brackley
Henry Landers Banbury’s big game player. No words needed.
My Favourite away day – Curzon Ashton
I’ve only managed 8 aways so far in the league this year as I’m saving up for a wedding. Whatever the result away days are incredible with your mates, out singing the home support with the large contingent of the tramway army and sampling the locals’ beers and food. As a Banbury fan now living in Wellingborough, Kettering away had its perks as I was home before 10 o’clock on a Tuesday night. However, my favourite away game was the first game of the season, Curzon Ashton vs Banbury or should I say the Rory Shadbolt derby. 5 lads squeezing in a ford fiesta full of hope, nerves, and plenty of chanting up the M6, knowing Football was back. Despite not having the illustrious history some clubs possess in the league the ground/set-up was very impressive. After a dominant first half the excitement grew even more when Jack Stevens raced away and coolly slotted home. After being pegged back, Stevens was brutally fouled in the box in the dying embers of the game, allowing Gio to take and dispatch the penalty sending scenes in the away which @SamBUFC brilliantly caught on camera. Overall, this day was just brilliant from start to finish and there’s nothing like a last-minute winner.
Overall performance
The overall performance so far of this season has been nothing short of remarkable as we are competing against teams where our budgets and resources are chalk and cheese. At the start of the season every Banbury fan's dream was to avoid the drop come the end of the season yet at the halfway mark we are currently 11 points above the drop and only 3 points of the playoffs with a game in hand causing fans to be quietly optimistic. Yet even though some fans are living in the moment and are dreaming of the playoffs it is important to take a step back and see how far we have come and wherever we may finish as long as it is not in the 4 relegation places it is a hugely successful season. This is because, unlike seasons in the Southern League where we were stale and lacked ambition, now the excitement at the club is ever-growing as you can feel a culture of ambition developing and not resting on our laurels. Overall, I can't wait to see what the second half of season entails for us and can't wait to visit more amazing grounds such as Chester and Southport.
Thank you for reading and please comment on the tweet your halfway review.
UTP
Spencer Reds
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