Category: News

Seven days after finally playing a home fixture, in the form of a Buildbase FA Vase tie, Tuffley Rovers will tomorrow play their first home Hellenic League, Premier Division fixture in over 12 months, as in-form Bradford Town visit Glevum Park (3pm KO).

The fixture, which will be the first of nine competitive fixtures for Rich Cox’s side in the month of October, comes 368 days after Rovers hosted Ardley United in a league match in September 2020 and they will face tough opposition in the form of a visiting side that has seven points from the last nine available and with only defeat in their last seven competitive fixtures.

Rovers were defeated by Brimscombe & Thrupp in their last league outing but returned to winning ways against Fleet Spurs, in the Buildbase FA Vase, last weekend.

As ever, the Rovers match-day programme will be available in print at the game and also available online.

For Tuffley Rovers football is finally coming home on Saturday, 25 September as they host Fleet Spurs in The BuildBase FA Vase 2nd Qualifying Round, in a 3pm KO at Glevum Park – the first home competitive game at which spectators are permitted since 29 September 2020; a gap of 361 days!

In fact, since the start of the 2020 calendar year Rovers have played just four competitive fixtures at their home ground when spectators have been in attendance, with two additional games played in April 2021 when spectators weren’t permitted, due to a combination of poor weather in the 2019/20 season, the Covid-19 pandemic across the 19/20 and 20/21 seasons, and then a delayed start to their 2021/22 home campaign due to pitch renovation works.

Rovers have played three games as the host club since the drainage works started but all have been played at opposition grounds or at neutral venues, but their pitch has now been declared fit for play by an independent turf consultant and passed an inspection by a match official earlier this week, so it is ‘game on’ on Saturday.

Fleet Spurs, of the Wessex League, will be the first visitors since Rovers beat Ardley United 2-1 a year ago and the fixture will KO at 3pm.

Admission to the FA Vase tie will be £5 for Adults, £3 Concessions and Under 16s are entitled to free entry to the game. Season tickets are not valid for the game.

Almost one year after the last competitive home game with spectators allowed, Tuffley Rovers will finally host a first team fixture at Glevum Park this Saturday.

Having commenced a significant pitch improvement scheme in April 2021, Rovers had hoped to be hosting games before this Saturday’s FA Vase tie against Fleet Spurs, but the moment has now arrived when football can come home!

Following a delay in the installation of a new irrigation system, Rovers have been forced to play all their league games away from home and two cup ties have been played away from Glevum Park, albeit with Rovers as the home team. This included playing at Windsor and Brimscombe & Thrupp whilst being the host club.

The work that began back in April saw an entirely new drainage system installed and it required extensive work to first install and then to allow the grass to recover.

The installation became a fairly protracted process when delays in the availability of parts pushed the project back 14 weeks but following two separate inspections this week, the pitch has been declared fit for play and Rovers will finally host a game.

Although there is still some grass growth pending, meaning visible areas of sand on the surface, as well as visible drainage lines (due to changes in the colour of the grass) it is anticipated that the considerable problems faced by the club in the past – with the pitch usually unplayable for much of the winter – are finally consigned to the past.

Rovers are due to welcome spectators back for the 3pm KO on Saturday, as they look to book a place in the 1st Round Proper of this season’s FA Vase.

A late goal from substitute Lucas Price rescued Tuffley Rovers’ Emirates FA Cup aspirations as he netted an 88th minute equaliser that secured a 2-2 draw with Flackwell Heath, at Brimscombe & Thrupps’ The Meadow on Saturday afternoon.

The full match report is available on our website, together with a video of Lucas Price’s late goal. Thank you to Peter Barnes, of the Non-League Club Directory, for his photographs.

A replay will now be needed to see who progresses to the First Qualifying Round, with the game being played on Tuesday at Flackwell Heath’s Wilks Park. Please contact Neil Spiller (details via the Contacts directory on this website) if you would like to travel on the coach to the game. The squad will leave Glevum Park at 4:15pm on Tuesday – travel is free.

Tuffley Rovers will once again play a home game away from their traditional Glevum Park home, as they host Flackwell Heath in an Emirates FA Cup tie that will be played at Brimscombe & Thrupp’s Meadow ground.

Having travelled to Windsor to ‘host’ their Extra Preliminary Round tie, two weeks ago, Rovers had hoped their pitch might be ready for the next round but the drainage works have overrun and Rich Cox’s side will now face a home game at a venue familiar to them, rather than their own home.

Jamal Lawrence is the only absentee from the Rovers squad, as they prepare for the tie against Marcus Richardson’s Flackwell Heath side and Cox will be hoping his charges can put their 2-0 defeat at Corsham Town last week firmly behind them, as they look to reach the First Qualifying Round for only the 8th time in their history and for the first time since 2017.

Admission to the game at Brimscombe will be £6 Adult/Standard and £3 for concessions. U10s are entitled to free entry, if accompanied by an adult.

The official match-day programme can be viewed online and printed copies will be available at the game.

Tuffley Rovers’ FA Challenge Cup journey, which saw them play their home tie at Windsor last weekend, will once again see them playing at home, but away, when they host Flackwell Heath on Saturday, 21 August, as fellow Uhlsport Hellenic League, Premier Division Brimscombe & Thrupp have agreed to host Rovers’ Preliminary Round tie at The Meadow.

Despite the ongoing drainage works at Glevum Park nearing completion, the next round of the historic cup competition is likely to come too soon for Rovers to host their Spartan South Midland League, Premier Division opposition at their traditional home. Cue, Brimscombe’s committee coming to the rescue as they were able to accommodate a plea for assistance and host the tie at a venue that might allow Rich Cox’s side to run out in front of a healthy home support.

The final arrangements for the tie are still to be confirmed but Rovers’ Secretary, Neil Spiller, was delighted a fellow Gloucestershire club had been able to step up to help with the match arrangements.

“Unfortunately, when trying to arrange our tie for the previous round, we had identified a venue that could host our tie, but only if we played on the Sunday and the rules of the competition meant that we had to offer Windsor the opportunity to use their pitch, which they inevitably chose to pursue”, he said. “This time, with their own tie away on the Sunday, Brimscombe & Thrupp were able to step in to help and we couldn’t be more grateful to Clive Baker, Allan Boulton and Scott Boulton for their support and cooperation in helping us offer a relatively local solution for our own supporters.”

Further details on the tie (a 3pm KO on the 21st) will be published shortly.

Tuffley Rovers will begin their 2021/22 Emirates FA Cup campaign with a home tie that is being played ‘away’ at Windsor FC’s Stag Meadow ground today, due to the pitch and drainage renovation works at their own Glevum Park home.

The Extra Preliminary Round tie, kicking-off at 3pm, will see Rich Cox’s team facing Mark Cooper’s Combined Counties League squad at Windsor’s home, but with Rovers as the home team, but there is a potential added incentive for the Tuffley Rovers squad to secure a victory today, with the potential for the next round to be played at home, making it the first game at Glevum Park since April, as the draw will see today’s winners hosting Flackwell Heath in the next round of the competition.

Cox has confirmed that he has virtually a full squad to choose from for the game, with Rudi McKinnon, Warren Mann, Xander Jones, Harry Morgan and Jack Copland all available after missing the midweek Hellenic League, Premier Division defeat at Thornbury Town. Only Jamal Lawrence is absent from the Rovers squad for the trip to Windsor.

A copy of today’s match-day programme is available via the club website.

Former Cheltenham Town Scholar, Aaron Basford, has become the latest addition, to a Tuffley Rovers squad being rebuilt by the recently appointed manager, Rich Cox.

Cox, who had a spell as the Caretaker Manager of the Hellenic League Premier Division side last season, following the departure of former Player/Manager Mark Pritchett in July 2021, is overseeing his first pre-season as the club’s manager and has taken the opportunity to freshen up his squad, with Basford the latest addition to a youthful but exciting squad.

Alongside the signing of former Cheltenham Town, Hungerford Town and Gloucester City forward, Jamal Lawrence, Cox has started to build a squad with plenty of attacking promise, as well as having retained key defensive pairing Jacob Geddes and Macaulay Herbert, who forged a solid central defensive partnership over the fragmented 2020/21 season. It is Basford, however, who Cox sees as a pivotal signing and a signal of his ambition.

“I’m delighted with the signing of Bash and this is a big signing for the club. Along with the others we’ve managed to sign, alongside the retention of several existing players, it’s a statement of intent of where we want to take Tuffley Rovers”, he confirmed.

“Bash isn’t just a talented footballer he is a fantastic young man. I’ve known and worked with him for a very long time at Cheltenham Town, where I’ve seen him develop, both as a player and person and we’ve always had a strong relationship. He’s young, hungry and wants to enjoy his football. I see Tuffley Rovers as the place where that can happen.”

With several attacking players already signed for the 2021/22 season, Cox sees Basford’s ability to play in a number of positions as a crucial factor in signing him.

“He is a versatile forward, who can play across different positions and is a threat in the final third. I think the Glevum Park faithful had a glimpse of his talent, and what he can bring, during a game against us last pre season for Evesham and I’m sure they will be excited to see him wearing the claret and blue this season.”

Basford himself is keen to link-up with Cox again and is eager to get started with is new club.

“I am very happy to sign for Tuffley Rovers and ready to prove what I can do on the pitch. I am hard working and will keep going until the final whistle”, he added. “I’m determined and motivated to do well for the club and hopefully when we come to the end of the season we will all be proud of how we have done.”

Cox had already added Sam Mendes, Josh Swales, Felix Davis, Will Turner, Xander Jones and Lucas Price. Youngsters Laurie McNally and Jack Copland have also been added to the squad, after success with the club’s U18s squad last season.

In addition to this he has retained the signatures of Dom Kent, Warren Mann, Joe Shutt, Rudi McKinnon, Adam Clark, Luke Soule, Harry Morgan, Lewis Bainbridge and Luke Troke, amongst others.

More signings are anticipated, including two players awaiting International Clearance, as the club builds for the new season, which is now only 10 days away.