Banbury & District League

DIRECTORY

Alex Lawrie

Ground: Easington Recreation Ground, Easington Rd, Banbury.

Alex Lawrie are the company side of the account chasing company of the same name. Their
ground was previously a home for A.P.Sports, it is a basic council pitch with a bleak brick
built dressing room block. Leaving the main Oxford Road from Banbury Town Centre turn
right into Bloxham Road (A361), Easington Road is second left. A narrow enterance leads to
the pitch's, cars have to remain in the road.

Barford United

Ground: Easington Recreation Ground, Easington Rd, Banbury.

The club previously used a ground at Charlton Rd in Aynho which is in Northants, this ground
is also used by the successful Sunday League side Holland Rangers. For the 1996/97 season
they shared the ground used by Alex Lawrie. The villages of Barford St Michael and Barford
St John are actually four miles South of Banbury near Adderbury.

Bishop's Itchington

Ground: Chapel Street, Bishop's Itchington. Warwickshire.

Bishop's Itchington is the one of the league's outposts. Leave the M40 at Junction 12
(Gaydon), turn right onto the B4451 going North East. The village is two miles along this
road. Bishop's are actually nearer both Southam and Leamington than they are to Banbury,
infact the next village of Harbury is where the site of the proposed new ground of Leamington
is.

Bloxham Athletic

Ground: Jubilee Park, Barley Close, Bloxham.

Bloxham is a large village on the A361 between Banbury and Chipping Norton, the ground
used to have an address in Brickie Lane but now is in Barley Close. Both Brickie Lane and
Barley Close can be found by turing left into Strawberry Hill, which is 400 yards after The
Warriner School. Brickie Lane is first right, then Barley Close is left of off Brickie Lane. Last
season the club finished in 4th spot in the Premier Division, though nine points behind the
second placed team but only two of off a relegation spot. The club won the Oxon Junior
Shield in 1961.

Bodicote Sports

Ground: Kings Field, White Post Rd, Bodicote, Banbury.

Bodicote is to be found on entering Banbury at the south end of the town, turn left of off the
Oxford Road into Broad Gap. White Post Road is first right, the ground is on your left.

Broughton & North Newington Weevers

Ground: On B4035 at North Newington turn.

B&NN Weevers ground is one of the easiest to find, three miles west of Banbury on the
Shipston Road. The enterance is 50 yards up the road to North Newington though the ground
is clearly visable from the road. The ground is shared with Cricket with the football pitch
being located on the far side of the ground. The complex has a large social club.

On my visit as well a football match taking place a wedding reception was in progress. The
barrier around the pitch had been removed and when questioned the groundsman admitted
that he thought it was a Cricket match that was to be played !.

Byfield Athletic.

Byfield Athletic are members of the Northants F.A., Byfield is on the A361 between Banbury
and Daventry, formerly members of the Northants Combination their nearest rivals are
current Combination runners-up Woodford United who are located only a mile or so away.

Charlton

This is Charlton near Kings Sutton and not to be confused with Charlton United in the
Oxfordshire Senior League who play at Charlton on Otmoor near Bicester. Again they are
members of the Northants F.A though in the 95/6 season the local boys side who play on the
same ground were registered as an O.F.A. side.

I visited this ground a very wet day when numberous other games were postponed, I was
rewarded with a 5-4 scoreline against Sinclair United in the Banbury Charity Cup, the latter
club being victors with the last kick of the game. This is one of the more basic and open
grounds in th league and a dry warm day is the best for viewing a game.

Cropredy

Ground: Sportsfield, Williamscot Rd.

Leave the A361 Banbury - Daventry road at Williamscot, follow the road to Cropredy the
ground appears on your left. Again this a ground that is shared with the local Cricket club, it
is always roped off and has dug-outs. The bar in the clubhouse is usually open where a cup
of tea can be obtained.

I visited this ground on a Friday night, one side of the pitch is fenced in by a farmers field
spectators were more than welcome to stand field side of the fence to watch the game. At
half time a number of the crowd helped the farmer round up the sheep in the field and drive
them across the road into an adjoining field.

Cropredy's ground is only yards from the Oxford Canel, as well as a two minute walk from
the Brasnose Arms. Other items of interest in the village are the unusual street names.
Cropredy is also the home of the annual Fairport Convention concerts.

The ground is prone to flooding, once when travelling to Bedworth I was unable to get
through Cropredy as the canel had burst it's banks and left the rod and ground under two feet
of water.

Deddington Town

Ground: Windmill Centre, Hempton Rd.

Hempton Road is the B4031 going west from the traffic lights on the main Oxford to Banbury
Road. Deddington are more a force in Sunday football than they are ion a Saturday, The
Sunday XI lifted the Sam Waters Cup in 1994, this is the Senior County Sunday Cup. On a
Saturday Deddington were winners of the Oxfordshire Junior Shield back in 1913 !.

Deddington is one of the country's smaller towns, at the time of the last census the
population was 1,617. If you into the town centre you will find a number of shops and
restaurants, the locol newsagents stocks numberous local papers cvering a 30 or so mile
radius as well as the Birmingham Post.

The club once entertained an Oxford United XI in a friendly.

Hook Norton
Ground: The Bourne

Hook Norton or Hooky is more famous for beer than football, the club are usually sponsored
by the local brewers. The ground is located at the north end of the village, it is again shared
with the local Cricket club. The ground is enclosed with the football pitch being on the north
side of the ground, the pitch has brick built dug-outs and covered accomadation. A large
clubhouse is found in the far corner from the football pitch. Hook Norton have in the past
applied unsuccessfully to join the Hellenic League.

Hornton - Sports Field, Bell Street.
Kings Sutton - Charlton Rd, Kings Sutton.
Priors Sports -

Ruscote Sports

Ground: The Ironstones Ground, Nr Wroxton.

This ground if found is one of the most unusual in local football. Leave the A422 Banbury -
Stratford in Wroxton at the "Hornton 3 miles" sign. Proceed down a very narrow road, after
three quarters of a mile you come to a stagered crossroads. Horley is signed right, Shutford
left, carry straight on for a 100 yards or so and you will see some disused buildings. The
enterance to the ground is on th left just past these buildings.

The ground is a former Miners Welfare ground, the Miners Welfare is one of the previously
mentioned buildings, the others are the disused Ironstone Railway Sheds. The former engine
shed is still intact and has rails still running the length of the building. The ground is a rather
overgrown oval with the pitch is in the middle,

S & A Lesme - Prescott Close, Banbury.
Sinclair United - Horton View Grd
Tysoe United -
Wardington - Thorpe Rd, Upper Wardington .
Wroxton Sports Club - Horley Rd, Wroxton.