Potters Bar Town

Potters Bar Town FC are based in the town of the same name eighteen miles north of of London The club were formed in 1960 as Mount Grace Old Scholars by Ken Barrett, a PE teacher at the school. 

The new club gained admission into the Barnet & District League where they remained until the competition merged in 1965 with the Finchley & District League to form the North London Combination, of which 'The Scholars' were crowned Premier Division champions in 1967-68.

The triumph saw the club gain a place in Division Two of the Herts County League. In 1976 long time managers Bill Venneear and Clive Cavalier stood down with third team boss Peter Waller taking over the reins.

The club came close to closure in 1978 as all its teams were relegated. However, a recovery saw Micky Holson take over as manager, leading the side to the Division One title and promotion to the Premier Division in 1981-82.

Cavalier re-joined to assist Waller in the running of the club, as they planned a new clubhouse and changing rooms which opened in January 1983. In 1984 the club changed their name to Mount Grace (Potters Bar) FC.

In 1990-91 the Herts County League title was lifted at the same time the present club name was initiated in time to play in the South Midlands League as the team also had a run in the FA Vase to the third round. 

Floodlights were installed at Parkfield in 1993 before the South Midlands League title was lifted in 1996-97. The club deemed that they had too much work to do on the ground and infrastructure to move up to the Isthmian League.

In 1997-98 Town reached the quarter final of the Vase, going out in extra time to Kidsgrove Athletic as well as finishing as league runners-up of Premier Division North after the competition had merged and become the Spartan South Midlands League.

Steve Smart was appointed as manager for the 2001-02 season, taking his side to the league title in 2004-05 by sixteen points as well as the winning of some knockout cups. Major ground improvements were carried out to allow Potters Bar to take promotion to Division One East of the Southern League.

Kevin Lucas and then Andy Milne had spells as manager prior to the arrival of Andy Leese in February 2006 who managed to lead the side away from the relegation places. The club was moved to the Isthmian League Division One North for the 2006-07 season.

An FA Cup run was ended in the fourth qualifying round away to Woking. Leese was replaced by Steve Browne in May 2007, staying until December 2008 when Adam Lee was appointed. Parkfield benefitted from further improvements for spectators.

The teams league position improved yearly under Lee all the way to tenth place in 2012-13 at which point the club was moved sideways at the end of the 2012-13 campaign to re-join the Southern League in Division One Central. 

Lee was replaced by new player manager Jack Friend in October 2013. In an attempt to lure spectators in greater numbers, the club set up an initiative for the 2014-15 campaign in which anyone who attended one of the early games was given a free season ticket for the rest of the season.

Friend remained in place until early in February 2015 Steve Ringrose, the former successful manager of Hillingdon Borough took over team affairs and led the side to a comfortable mid table finish.

Town embarked on an FA Cup run to the Fourth Qualifying Round in 2016-17, going out away to Chesham United. In the league the team improved their performance to end in ninth position. 

Work continued at Parkfield with the installation of new changing rooms and the refurbishment of the clubhouse. Once again the club was moved league wise for 2017-18 as they returned to Division One North of the Isthmian League.

Ringrose promoted James Duncan to the role of head coach as the squad was added to. The team chose the perfect time to finish as league runners-up as extra promotion places were being awarded owing to the restructuring of non-league. Potters Bar went up to the Premier Division.

James Duncan was appointed as the Scholars manager in October 2018 after Duncan departed for Chesham United. Off the pitch the club completed the task of adding additional stands for seated and standing spectators.

Lee O'Leary took over as manager, with Scott Cousins joining him as joint boss as the side ended 2018-19 in sixteenth spot before O'Leary was left sole charge. The Scholars were in thirteenth when the 2019-20 campaign ended early owing to the outbreak of Coronavirus.

Potters Bar Town FC will compete in the Isthmian League Premier Division in the 2020-21 season.

My visits

Wednesday 22nd July 2009

I decided to pay a visit to Parkfield, home of the club on a pleasant summer's day. After taking the Piccadilly Line on the tube to the northern terminus at Cockfosters I caught a bus to the High Street in Potters Bar. 

After a short walk and following the signs I was soon behind the entrance to the ground down a quiet cul-de-sac which had retirement homes and a school at the end which seemed a strange combination.

The ground was locked up which was a bit of a downer. I was being viewed a little suspiciously by an ambulance driver who was using the clubs car park. I noticed that the school playing field offered a view of the ground so I went through the school gates and onto the fields. It had a gate into the ground so I went inside. I was quite impressed with what I found.

The near side had a neat Main Stand containing seats with the rest of the side, and indeed most of the rest of the ground being a combination of flat open grass and paths. To the right of the stand were the changing rooms and clubhouse and other facilities. Behind the goal to the right was a short covered terrace, with something identical being positioned behind the dug outs on the far side.

The turnstiles at the ground belonged to the old Wembley Stadium with the club displaying a plaque as proud proof. The venue is obviously rated as the record breaking Arsenal Ladies side play their reserve team fixtures there.

All in all Parkside looked a pleasant small ground in a nice location.

Potters Bar Town 0 Watford 3 (Thursday 6^th March 2014) Herts Senior Cup Round Two (att: approx 60)

The wet weather continued to cause problems with fixtures across the region. My original intended game; Whitstable Town v Guernsey was off, so I turned my attention to the previously postponed county cup game at Potters Bar along with Ware against Harrow Borough in the Isthmian League Cup.

It was my day off work and I caught up on all my jobs before setting out for the evening. The weather was lovely so I was in fine form. Unfortunately I was running too late to catch a train to Ware so Potters Bar it would have to be. 

As I had plenty of time in hand I got out at Highbury & Islington and enjoyed a good walk to Finsbury Park while listening to SLF on my IPod. The reminders that I was very much in Arsenal territory put me in the mood for the evening’s entertainment.

The temperature was dropping as I arrived at my destination. Within ten minutes I’d arrived at the Pakex Stadium to give Parkfield its sponsored title. My £8 admission also included a basic 4 page programme. 

I bought a cup of tea for a quid and settled in the seated stand to read the programme and the evening paper while the teams warmed up.

Once the sides kicked off I wandered around the pitch as the game progressed. The far side perimeter fencing had fallen down, but the ground was quite a nice arena. The pitch was heavy in patches with sand down in some parts. The bottom corner near the changing rooms was very wet, with a large puddle sitting just past the pitch.

Watford fielded an under 16 team along with one scholar, while The Scholars of Potters Bar gave a few of the younger players a run out along side regular first teamers. The standard of play was very impressive. The coaches looked to have done a good job with their recruits. Both teams kept the ball on the floor as they tried to find a way through the respective defences.

Efforts at goal were at a premium. Kurtis Cumberbatch had a fine shot parried by Potters Bar keeper James Cattlin. Impressive home midfielder Josh Hutchinson had a rasping half volley saved by Hornets keeper Daniel Wilks midway through the first half. The game petered out until the break as both sides cancelled each other out.

Another cuppa helped keep out the cold after warming up in the clubhouse during the interval as I took up a position in the seats to enjoy the second period. Wilks made a couple of smart saves from Hutchinson and then Tom Laxton before the pace and fitness of the visitors began to come through.

Watford took the lead with around twenty minutes remaining as Cumberbatch beat the offside trap to round Cattlin and put the ball into the empty net to the delight of his team mates. Two minutes later Michael Folivi doubled the advantage. With ten minutes remaining Folivi added his second to make it 3-0.

The score was a little harsh on the home side, but Watford deserved their victory. At full time I attempted to warm up. I should have probably gone back for a train but I knew that the 94 bus would take me to Barnet at 10.05. I also knew that there was a chip shop by the bus stop and I was getting peckish. Unfortunately my planning was not perfect as the shop was shut.

Three buses later I was back indoors at 11.20 after a very decent night’s entertainment. I’d certainly be looking out for some of the Watford players in the future.

Hadley 1 Eastbourne Borough 4 (Wednesday 5th October 2016) FA Cup Third Qualifying Round Replay (att: 302) 

For full details of this FA Cup replay played at Parkfield, click here to visit the Hadley FC page.

Potters Bar Town 2 Concord Rangers 1 (Sunday 4^th October 2020) FA Cup Second Preliminary Round (att: 148)

I was given an unexpected late bonus as I was settled in for the day with the weather pretty bleak outside when I flicked through Twitter during one of many dull moments during the St Johnstone v Celtic game.

The FA Cup rules stated that all matches in the second qualifying round had to be played by Monday evening. It seemed rather strict to many observers, but no doubt the governing body were acutely aware of further possible disruptions owing to COVID-19 and wanted the early rounds out of the way.

The pitch at Thames Road was unfit the previous day when the game should have taken place and was obviously struggling to be ready to stage it before the cut off time. Instead it was agreed to switch it to Potters Bar, otherwise both teams would have been thrown out. 

It appears that the decision to switch was made at 10.30am on Sunday morning. I messaged my regular travelling pal Tony who was in a good mood with West Ham’s performance. The predictable reply soon came back to head to Stanmore for 2.10. 

The traffic was light, and we were parked up and walked to the ground by 2.40 where the NHS track and trace app was in operation. Admission was £12 with no programmes available. We went inside in search of a warm cuppa. It really wasn't a beer day as the rain pelted down.

Potter Bar deserved great credit in the way they were coping with the restrictions put on pubs and clubhouses, having erected a sheltered marquee like at a German beer festival to serve the wooden catering hut and another with sides open on the pitchside for spectators to shelter. A TV had been put outside so punters could keep entertained while social distancing.

The LA Construction Stadium, as Parkside was named in a sponsorship deal was much improved since our previous visit a couple of years ago. A new pitch perimeter fence, covered terrace and seating straddling either side of the nearside furthest corner had all been installed. New seats had been put in the main stand which had also received a new look.

We headed to the far side between the benches, with the rain at our backs. We got a cracker of a cup tie for our efforts with Rangers from National League South the favourites against Potters Bar who were going OK a level lower.

The Scholars were the better side in the first half creating numerous chances. Samson Esan was creating problems for the Beachboys defence from the off, as he laid in a ball to Ben Ward-Cochrane who beat keeper Chris Haigh to the ball but put his effort over the bar.  

Defender Callum Ellesley was up for a set piece and saw his shot find the hands of Haigh. Joe Payne was the next Scholar to be denied by the Concord custodian as the pressure continued.

Potters Bar took a deserved lead on with just over twenty minutes on the clock. Nana Kyei put in Esan who finished neatly. The Rangers bench were particularly vocal and cranky at most things, but mostly at referee Jack Packman who generally did a good job in allowing for the difficult conditions.

Appeals for a penalty for a foul on Esan were waved away before the Bar man saw a shot tipped away by Haigh with Ward-Cochrane not quite able to latch onto the rebound. The hosts went down the tunnel full value for their lead.

I reckon it's a fair guess that Rangers boss Danny Scopes tore into his charges back in the dressing rooms. He made tactical and personnel changes for the second period. It was a consequently a complete turnaround after the break. 

Fred Burbridge in the home goal made a decent stop five minutes after the break. However, he flapped like washing on a windy day at any crosses. He didn't fill Tony or I with any great confidence against the physical pressure of the Concord side.

He made a save from a header from a corner before big forward Alex Wall smashed home the rebound to the delight of the several neutrals behind the goal who’d obviously had a bet on the game. To elaborate. A ridiculous rule was in place that fans of 'elite clubs' of the National League were not meant to be in attendance.

Esan hit the crossbar with the goal gaping on fifty eight minutes after cleverly rounding his man. James Blanchfield was denied by Burbridge as Rangers began to take control. The hosting side brought on giant defender James Budden to try and deal with the physical presence of Wall who was having an excellent game.

The gigantic stopper was doing a decent enough job until he couldn’t get out of the way of a skimming cross that hit him where he covered on the six yard box and went into the net on seventy two minutes.

Chances were coming thick and fast at both ends by now in a pulsating cup tie on an excellent pitch which held up well. Haigh tipped over a Ken Charles shot from outside the box. At the other end a Wall backheel sent in substitute Temi Babalola who fired high and wide before then being denied by Burbridge when clean through.

Babalola was only on the pitch for ten minutes but managed to pick up two yellow cards, the second of which was worthy of a red for a horrendous late two footed lunge on Nathan Livings.

Potters Bar pushed for an equaliser with a couple of set pieces thrown into the Concord box. The first of which led to frustrations boiling over. Kieron Cathline was adjudged to have followed through on Tom Hanfrey when he was on the deck. Hanfrey took umbrage and pushed him over. Both players were shown straight red cards.

We headed out drenched at full time and could hear a loud shrill on the refs whistle. “Handbags” said a fellow fan following out behind us. We’d certainly got our monies worth!

A belting day was later rounded off with Manchester United and Liverpool both taking good hammerings and then Surrey got beat in the T20 final. I just love it when the strutting big boys get a whack on the nose. A wonderful Sunday indeed.