TUFC 2019 – PART 1
The Ed itemises and blogs his way through the Gulls year that was 2019
Dom Roman – @DomRoman
JANUARY
DR – “The new year started in suitably bizarre fashion as Truro City ‘hosted’ the Gulls at Plainmoor, with United toiling to a 3-1 win on a pitch suffering from the ill-fated groundshare agreement. Attendance 2812, away support 2760. Slough were then comfortably despatched before a big away day at Bath City. In front of a tremendous crowd United failed to rise to the occasion, with Jake Andrews missing a crucial spot kick and Gary Johnson losing his first league as United manager. There was also trouble on the terraces from travelling supporters, to cap a grim afternoon at Twerton Park”.
“Jake bounced back the very next week and scored his first senior hat trick, as the Gulls romped past Oxford City on an horrendous weather day at Plainmoor. Meanwhile Frankie Vincent joined the squad at the end of the month from AFC Bournemouth on loan and a number of existing players including Jamie Reid signed new contracts to the delight of the Yellow Army”.
CALENDAR
1st – TRURO CITY (A) 1-3 WIN
5th – Asa Hall and Kalvin Kalala sign new contracts
5th – SLOUGH TOWN (H) 4-0 WIN
8th – George Essuman joins Dulwich on loan
9th – Kyle Cameron and Shaun MacDonald sign new contracts
9th – The groundshare agreement with Truro City ends
10th – Liam Davis and Jamie Sendles-White sign new contracts
11th – Ruairi Keating signs a new contract
14th – Bath City away tickets are sold out
14th – Shaun MacDonald is the NLS Player of the Month for December
17th – Jake Andrews extends his loan until the end of 18-19
17th – Brett Williams leaves by mutual consent
18th – Saikou Janneh extends his loan until the end of 18-19
19th – BATH CITY (A) 3-2 LOST
25th – Ben Wynter signs a new contract
26th – OXFORD CITY (H) 7-2 WIN
28th – Jamie Reid signs a new contract
30th – Jean Niate signs a new contract
31st – Frank Vincent joins on loan from AFC Bournemouth
31st – TT Player of the Month is Asa Hall
FEBRUARY
DR – “United did not start February until the 12th, when they put in an excellent performance at Hemel Hempstead to cement their place at the top of the NLS. A poor loss at Welling followed, a rare off day from a Gulls side used to winning practically every match in recent months. One week later a Dulwich Hamlet side were put to the sword with the Gulls 4-0 up by half time, as Reidy and Janneh scored two apiece at Plainmoor. There was late drama to end the month at East Thurrock, as United struggled to break down a spirited home team belying their lowly position in the league. Jamie Reid scored yet again to level matters and Ruairi Keating popped up in the last minute to snatch the three points. The Yellow Army rejoiced and Gary Johnson’s men kept marching on”.
CALENDAR
2nd – East Thurrock away is postponed
7th – TUFC issue a number of banning orders to individuals following Bath away
9th – Chelmsford at home is postponed
12th – HEMEL HEMPSTEAD (A) 1-4 WIN
13th – Ex-Gulls midfielder Cliff Myers passes away aged 72
16th – WELLING UTD (A) 2-0 LOST
22nd – Samir Nabi joins Halesowen on loan
23rd – DULWICH HAMLET (H) 5-2 WIN
26th – EAST THURROCK (A) 1-2 WIN
28th – TT Player of the Month is Kalvin Kalala
MARCH
DR – “TUFC losing to the bottom team? Yes it happened again as the Gulls succumbed to Weston Super, on a less than super afternoon at Plainmoor. It was thankfully the only blip of the month! Four wins soon followed, including big 3-pointers versus Ricay, and Dartford, where the Gulls battled gamely to a win with 10 men. Our biggest win of the season to date and a real sign of champions. And not forgetting our sponsored player Kyle Cameron scoring the winner (and his 1st goal for United) at Concord. The Gulls edged closer and closer to the National League South title“.
CALENDAR
1st – Jason Banton joins Truro City on loan
2nd – WESTON-SUPER-MARE (H) 1-2 LOST
5th – Chelmsford at home is postponed
9th – BILLERICAY (A) 0-2 WIN
12th – Woking away tickets sell out
16th – DARTFORD (H) 2-0 WIN
23rd – CONCORD RANGERS (A) 0-1 WIN
30th – WEALDSTONE (H) 3-2 WIN
31st – TT Player of the Month is Asa Hall
APRIL
DR – “Nights under the lights haven’t come much better than 2nd April v Chelmsford in recent years. A United team sniffing rare silverware were not going to be stopped in front of an expectant Plainmoor crowd – goals from CLE, Reid and Andrews giving the Gulls a big points cushion at the top of the league”.
“Onwards to the Kingfield and the Yellow Army travelling on mass. A United team on the back foot for most of it to a Woking team full of aggression and staring down the barrels of a loss at 3-1 down, somehow found a way back. Ben Gerring stupidly seeing red to the delight of the yellows and Ben Wynter arriving at exactly the right time to find the corner of the net. Cue scenes of bedlam, euphoria and celebration on and off the terraces, limbs everywhere and a moment of sheer joy“.
“With the Cards floundering again the very next week, title glory was wrapped up against Eastbourne as Jake Andrews somersaulted and when the trophy was awarded a week later, 5,351 turned up at Plainmoor – a NLS record for both supporters and also flags! What a season. Level 6 completed, onwards to the National League”.
CALENDAR
2nd – CHELMSFORD CITY (H) 3-1 WIN
6th – WOKING FC (A) 3-3 DRAW
13th – EASTBOURNE BOROUGH (H) 2-0 WIN
13th – TUFC clinch the NLS title at Plainmoor
19th – CHIPPENHAM TOWN (A) 2-1 LOST
19th – Olaf Koszela scores his first senior goal at Chippenham
22nd – HUNGERFORD TOWN (H) 0-1 LOST
22nd – Reid is United’s POTY, Saikou Janneh is YPOTY
27th – ST ALBANS (A) 0-4 WIN
27th – Kalvin Kalala scores our quickest ever goal after 10 seconds at St Albans
29th – Jamie Reid named NLS Player of the Year
30th – TT Player of the Month is Shaun MacDonald
MAY
DR – “TUFC’s summer signings started to arrive as Lucas Covolan and more interestingly ex-Woking midfielder Armani Little agreed to join Gary’s revolution! A new sparkling shirt made waves on arrival, selling out quickly despite no plans to use it in match action. And it was Jamie Sendles-Thanks and Goodnight as the defender left Plainmoor for pastures new”.
CALENDAR
1st – TUFC’s Annual Presentation Evening is held at the Riviera
7th – George Burton and Jamie Sendles-White are released
10th – Cameron, Hall and Reid are included in the ‘NLS team of the season’
13th – A limited edition black 120 year centenary shirt is released
28th – Lucas Covolan signs for United
30th – Armani Little signs for United
JUNE
DR – “June was a time for supporters to take stock and take a breather, whilst deliberating who Gary Johnson would bring into the squad. Two incomings eventually dominating the news in Jake Andrews and Manny Duku – Hit and Miss”
- Manny Duku
CALENDAR
9th – Gary Johnson named NLS Manager of the Season
12th – Manny Duku signs for United
21st – Jake Andrews signs for United
26th – TUFC Pre-Season training Day 1
