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The Arthurian League representative team has been playing against other league representative teams, club teams and business house teams since the 1960s.
It competes in the Argonaut Trophy against the Southern Amateur League and Amateur Football Combination in a three-way league and the FA Inter-League Cup. The manager, Billy Jenkins, scouts players from across the league and the annual Challenge Match is used to aid selection. |
Season 2024-25
31-JUL 3-3 vs Lisboa (POR)
UEFA REGIONS CUP
UEFA REGIONS CUP
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Arthurian League as England 'D' vs Portugal - 31/05/2024
Myyrmäki Stadium
Vantaa FINLAND |
03-AUG 1-1 vs Länsi-Vantaan Ylpeys (FIN)
UEFA REGIONS CUP
UEFA REGIONS CUP
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Arthurian League as England 'D' vs Finland - 03/08/2024
Myyrmäki Stadium
Vantaa FINLAND |
06-Aug 2-1 vs Latvia
UEFA REGIONS CUP
UEFA REGIONS CUP
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Arthurian League as England 'D' vs Finland - 06/08/2024
Myyrmäki Stadium
Vantaa FINLAND |
26-NOV 4-0 vs Southern Amateur League
Argonaut Trophy
Argonaut Trophy
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Maccabi London Sports Ground
Rowley Lane Arkley EN5 3HW REFEREE:
Adam KNIGHT ASSISTANTS: Peter Gibbins | Steve Bodell |
Match report from David Lederman
The Arthurian League Representative XI returned to action for the first time since their summer adventures in Finland with a much-changed lineup but proved they are still very much the rep team to beat on the amateur circuit with an impressive 4-0 win over a strong Southern Amateur League XI at the Maccabi London Sports Ground in Arkley on Tuesday night, in the process taking a strong early grip on the Argonaut Trophy – the triangular round-robin competition also involving the Amateur Football Combination.
A free-flowing opening half-hour saw both sides create several chances as play raced frantically from end to end, the scoreline somehow remaining blank to that point. But a superb move down the right wing saw debutant Callum Maltese feed the overlapping Ollie Light and he calmly rounded the keeper to slide in the opener. From that point on, the men in white took command, Jake Raine heading in ten minutes later to make it 2-0 before a third just before the break from the outstanding Maltese finished the match as a contest. Although the second half wasn’t quite as easy on the eye for those watching on, Reptonian Raine ensured the Arthurians had the final word, volleying in at the far post to round off a successful night’s work both for him and the team.
Manager Billy Jenkins was beaming from ear to ear come the final whistle and with good reason. Whilst the nucleus of the squad that had won the FA Inter-League Cup back in May remained, thereby earning the opportunity to represent England at the UEFA Regions Cup in Finland in August, there were still plenty of new faces to ensure that Tuesday night undoubtedly felt like the start of a rebuild and a chance to scale the heights of amateur football once more. Several leading names that have served the Rep team with distinction over many years have moved on, not least in defence, with former skippers Pete Brooking and Ant Beddows and Reptonian giant Andy Evans all now unavailable. Brentwoods Harry Larke, who started every game in Finland in the heart of the midfield, was absent, as was injured left winger Josh Riley, whose last-minute equaliser against the host nation in the final group game provided a truly memorable moment on which to end the trip.
But the latest recruits undoubtedly prove their manager’s eye for talent remains pin sharp with some excellent performances on Tuesday night. Four players were making their Rep team debuts: Reptonians centre-back Artem Aliev and winger Tom Jones, Epsomian midfielder Callum Holland and Forester Callum Maltese; a fifth, Cholms right-back Ollie Light, made his debut a couple of seasons ago but hadn’t played since. That quintet, combined with the heart of the all-conquering Repton side and stalwarts such as Chigs’ Josh Banfield, Johnians’ Craig Bonnar and Eton skipper Gus Shaw-Stewart – dragged out of potential retirement for what hopefully won’t be a last hurrah – ensured the As lined up with a pleasing blend of the old and the new, the young and the old, for the inaugural Argonaut Trophy fixture of 2024/25.
Matches against the Southern Amateur League have always proved hard-fought affairs down the years, with July’s 4-0 friendly win for the As on the astroturf in Chiswick something of an anomaly given the extensive fitness and preparations the team had been undertaking prior to the Regions Cup and the rather hurriedly put together nature of the SAL team. Rarely, however, can many of the games between the two have started as frantically and open as this one did. Within five minutes of kick-off both sides had come close to scoring: the As threatened immediately, Tommy Redhead feeding Jake Raine down the left and he drove into the box before seeing his shot blocked – from the resulting throw-in, further pressure resulted in the striker firing over on the turn; the SAL responded with a lightning-quick break of their own, the right winger delivering a cross towards the penalty spot and a header that required Jonny Bowers to dive to his right to palm the ball away.
The pattern was set for a thrilling first half as play raced from one end to the other, the SAL at times leaving four attackers upfield, the new-look As attack with Maltese on the right and Jones on the left looking dangerous every time they received possession. It was little wonder that, at times, the frantic pace of play occasionally caught out the experienced midfield pair Banfield and Samra as they battled to control a swarm of red shirts around them.
Onwards pressed the Arthurians. A run from Jake Raine was blocked on the edge of the box with a superb last-ditch tackle, Maltese highlighted his pristine close control, jinking inside from the right before his curling left foot delivery, probably a cross, missed everyone before clipping the outside of the far post. Redhead then headed over as pressure built on the SAL. But the visitors remained a threat themselves, another break down their right wing saw Bowers again called to make a save, this time a routine one from a low struck shot. Tom Jones then cut in from the left before just over-hitting his through-ball to Redhead, the SAL then came within inches of taking the lead when their left winger cut inside only to drill his effort against the inside of the near post, the ball agonisingly rolling along the line before being cleared.
It was truly breathless stuff, but in amongst all the excellent football there were, unfortunately, a couple of nasty challenges on As players that raised the heckles on the sidelines. It was a pair of Reptonians on the receiving end, striker Raine very lucky to walk away apparently unscathed as he was clattered into midway inside the SAL half but left-back Fraser Lane wasn’t so fortunate – he was felled by a sliding tackle as he raced down the wing and required lengthy treatment before very gingerly making his way around the ground to the dugouts, a nasty ligament sprain the initial diagnosis.
Whether it was a response to these two incidents is doubtful, but once play resumed following the tackle on Raine, the Arthurian League quickly reasserted their authority and in the final fifteen minutes of the half scored three goals to take a firm grip on proceedings. The As had already served notice several times of their potency down the right and they threatened again - Maltese and Banfield combining beautifully to create another chance that ended with a well-struck shot blocked by the keeper at the near post. But two minutes later the SAL were powerless to prevent the opener with Maltese again dictating play: collecting possession on the right wing, he waited until the perfect moment to slip the ball through for the storming Ollie Light to run onto, calmly round the keeper and slide in from a tight angle. It was the perfect moment to unleash a ‘Charge of the Light Brigade’ quip but clearly the squad had already been traumatised by the numerous, rather tedious, Tom Jones ‘gags’ in the whatsapp group leading up to the game and so nobody bothered. It probably would have been lost on half a league side anyway…
Onwards rode the Arthurians once more, Maltese again producing some magic before whipping a delicious cross into the box which Raine flicked just over the bar. With eight minutes of the half remaining Nicky Samra made way for Callum Holland to make his debut and three minutes later the As had their second, a superb cross from the left from Gus Shaw-Stewart – who had replaced the stricken Lane – was this time converted by Raine, who leapt to divert his header perfectly inside the near post. And then, a minute before the break, a touch of fortune as a strong run from Tom Jones saw him drive towards the penalty area only for the ball to run loose from a challenge and fall perfectly for Maltese to run onto, the Forest man smashing the ball into the near top corner with glee to round off a spectacular first forty-five minutes for him in an Arthurian League shirt.
The message at the break was clear: maintain the high standards set and perhaps, for the first quarter of an hour at least, try to assert some kind of control on the game, to slow things down and maintain possession better.
In fact, almost the exact opposite occurred, with the men in white beginning the second half in slightly sloppy fashion, too many long balls played with too much haste gifting possession back to the SAL. The visitors were largely unable to trouble Jonny Bowers in goal however, with Aliev and Langley at times looking almost regal at the back as they mopped up at the first signs of danger. There were a couple of scares, however, a low shot dragged just wide of the near post and then a much closer call as a cross from the right was headed back across goal from the far post, the ball bouncing off the top of the crossbar and behind with Bowers beaten.
But with just over an hour played, the As extinguished any last vestiges of hope the SAL may have harboured when Maltese cut inside from the right to pick out Raine at the far post, the striker pulling off the back of his man and guiding a low volley just inside the near post before executing his trademark run to the nearest camera where several pre-rehearsed insta poses were coldly delivered. Waiting lensman Andy Nunn duly obliged and clicked away dutifully on his trusty 70-200mm although even he must be tiring of Raine’s schtick by now…
With the result now beyond any doubt, the final half-hour served up rather meagre fayre. The As continued to hit too many long passes but, encouragingly, produced a strong final ten minutes, Craig Bonnar forcing a good save from the keeper with a strong run and shot, and Callum Holland, who enjoyed an excellent debut in midfield, nearly breaking through after some excellent work down the left, Gus Shaw-Stewart backing him up as the pair of them caused some anxious moments in the SAL defence. If the Old Etonian is to retire from the Rep team, it will have nothing to do with his physical capabilities – the seventy-five minutes he played here showcased all the energy and tireless workrate he has produced for many seasons.
The final minute summed up the night for the SAL as they carved out one glorious final chance but, alas, the finish was lacking, the shot from six yards out at the far post almost landing in the Morrisons car park on the other side of the A1.
Hot dogs and beer were served in the clubhouse after the game, the Arthurian League top brass purring like Cheshire cats at yet another thumping victory served up by their charges. This was a hugely encouraging first performance of the season for the As and there is undoubted potential for the side to grow stronger still as players return to the fold and closer bonds are formed with the latest additions. Exciting times lie ahead…Half a League, Half a League, Half a League onward…
The Arthurian League Representative XI returned to action for the first time since their summer adventures in Finland with a much-changed lineup but proved they are still very much the rep team to beat on the amateur circuit with an impressive 4-0 win over a strong Southern Amateur League XI at the Maccabi London Sports Ground in Arkley on Tuesday night, in the process taking a strong early grip on the Argonaut Trophy – the triangular round-robin competition also involving the Amateur Football Combination.
A free-flowing opening half-hour saw both sides create several chances as play raced frantically from end to end, the scoreline somehow remaining blank to that point. But a superb move down the right wing saw debutant Callum Maltese feed the overlapping Ollie Light and he calmly rounded the keeper to slide in the opener. From that point on, the men in white took command, Jake Raine heading in ten minutes later to make it 2-0 before a third just before the break from the outstanding Maltese finished the match as a contest. Although the second half wasn’t quite as easy on the eye for those watching on, Reptonian Raine ensured the Arthurians had the final word, volleying in at the far post to round off a successful night’s work both for him and the team.
Manager Billy Jenkins was beaming from ear to ear come the final whistle and with good reason. Whilst the nucleus of the squad that had won the FA Inter-League Cup back in May remained, thereby earning the opportunity to represent England at the UEFA Regions Cup in Finland in August, there were still plenty of new faces to ensure that Tuesday night undoubtedly felt like the start of a rebuild and a chance to scale the heights of amateur football once more. Several leading names that have served the Rep team with distinction over many years have moved on, not least in defence, with former skippers Pete Brooking and Ant Beddows and Reptonian giant Andy Evans all now unavailable. Brentwoods Harry Larke, who started every game in Finland in the heart of the midfield, was absent, as was injured left winger Josh Riley, whose last-minute equaliser against the host nation in the final group game provided a truly memorable moment on which to end the trip.
But the latest recruits undoubtedly prove their manager’s eye for talent remains pin sharp with some excellent performances on Tuesday night. Four players were making their Rep team debuts: Reptonians centre-back Artem Aliev and winger Tom Jones, Epsomian midfielder Callum Holland and Forester Callum Maltese; a fifth, Cholms right-back Ollie Light, made his debut a couple of seasons ago but hadn’t played since. That quintet, combined with the heart of the all-conquering Repton side and stalwarts such as Chigs’ Josh Banfield, Johnians’ Craig Bonnar and Eton skipper Gus Shaw-Stewart – dragged out of potential retirement for what hopefully won’t be a last hurrah – ensured the As lined up with a pleasing blend of the old and the new, the young and the old, for the inaugural Argonaut Trophy fixture of 2024/25.
Matches against the Southern Amateur League have always proved hard-fought affairs down the years, with July’s 4-0 friendly win for the As on the astroturf in Chiswick something of an anomaly given the extensive fitness and preparations the team had been undertaking prior to the Regions Cup and the rather hurriedly put together nature of the SAL team. Rarely, however, can many of the games between the two have started as frantically and open as this one did. Within five minutes of kick-off both sides had come close to scoring: the As threatened immediately, Tommy Redhead feeding Jake Raine down the left and he drove into the box before seeing his shot blocked – from the resulting throw-in, further pressure resulted in the striker firing over on the turn; the SAL responded with a lightning-quick break of their own, the right winger delivering a cross towards the penalty spot and a header that required Jonny Bowers to dive to his right to palm the ball away.
The pattern was set for a thrilling first half as play raced from one end to the other, the SAL at times leaving four attackers upfield, the new-look As attack with Maltese on the right and Jones on the left looking dangerous every time they received possession. It was little wonder that, at times, the frantic pace of play occasionally caught out the experienced midfield pair Banfield and Samra as they battled to control a swarm of red shirts around them.
Onwards pressed the Arthurians. A run from Jake Raine was blocked on the edge of the box with a superb last-ditch tackle, Maltese highlighted his pristine close control, jinking inside from the right before his curling left foot delivery, probably a cross, missed everyone before clipping the outside of the far post. Redhead then headed over as pressure built on the SAL. But the visitors remained a threat themselves, another break down their right wing saw Bowers again called to make a save, this time a routine one from a low struck shot. Tom Jones then cut in from the left before just over-hitting his through-ball to Redhead, the SAL then came within inches of taking the lead when their left winger cut inside only to drill his effort against the inside of the near post, the ball agonisingly rolling along the line before being cleared.
It was truly breathless stuff, but in amongst all the excellent football there were, unfortunately, a couple of nasty challenges on As players that raised the heckles on the sidelines. It was a pair of Reptonians on the receiving end, striker Raine very lucky to walk away apparently unscathed as he was clattered into midway inside the SAL half but left-back Fraser Lane wasn’t so fortunate – he was felled by a sliding tackle as he raced down the wing and required lengthy treatment before very gingerly making his way around the ground to the dugouts, a nasty ligament sprain the initial diagnosis.
Whether it was a response to these two incidents is doubtful, but once play resumed following the tackle on Raine, the Arthurian League quickly reasserted their authority and in the final fifteen minutes of the half scored three goals to take a firm grip on proceedings. The As had already served notice several times of their potency down the right and they threatened again - Maltese and Banfield combining beautifully to create another chance that ended with a well-struck shot blocked by the keeper at the near post. But two minutes later the SAL were powerless to prevent the opener with Maltese again dictating play: collecting possession on the right wing, he waited until the perfect moment to slip the ball through for the storming Ollie Light to run onto, calmly round the keeper and slide in from a tight angle. It was the perfect moment to unleash a ‘Charge of the Light Brigade’ quip but clearly the squad had already been traumatised by the numerous, rather tedious, Tom Jones ‘gags’ in the whatsapp group leading up to the game and so nobody bothered. It probably would have been lost on half a league side anyway…
Onwards rode the Arthurians once more, Maltese again producing some magic before whipping a delicious cross into the box which Raine flicked just over the bar. With eight minutes of the half remaining Nicky Samra made way for Callum Holland to make his debut and three minutes later the As had their second, a superb cross from the left from Gus Shaw-Stewart – who had replaced the stricken Lane – was this time converted by Raine, who leapt to divert his header perfectly inside the near post. And then, a minute before the break, a touch of fortune as a strong run from Tom Jones saw him drive towards the penalty area only for the ball to run loose from a challenge and fall perfectly for Maltese to run onto, the Forest man smashing the ball into the near top corner with glee to round off a spectacular first forty-five minutes for him in an Arthurian League shirt.
The message at the break was clear: maintain the high standards set and perhaps, for the first quarter of an hour at least, try to assert some kind of control on the game, to slow things down and maintain possession better.
In fact, almost the exact opposite occurred, with the men in white beginning the second half in slightly sloppy fashion, too many long balls played with too much haste gifting possession back to the SAL. The visitors were largely unable to trouble Jonny Bowers in goal however, with Aliev and Langley at times looking almost regal at the back as they mopped up at the first signs of danger. There were a couple of scares, however, a low shot dragged just wide of the near post and then a much closer call as a cross from the right was headed back across goal from the far post, the ball bouncing off the top of the crossbar and behind with Bowers beaten.
But with just over an hour played, the As extinguished any last vestiges of hope the SAL may have harboured when Maltese cut inside from the right to pick out Raine at the far post, the striker pulling off the back of his man and guiding a low volley just inside the near post before executing his trademark run to the nearest camera where several pre-rehearsed insta poses were coldly delivered. Waiting lensman Andy Nunn duly obliged and clicked away dutifully on his trusty 70-200mm although even he must be tiring of Raine’s schtick by now…
With the result now beyond any doubt, the final half-hour served up rather meagre fayre. The As continued to hit too many long passes but, encouragingly, produced a strong final ten minutes, Craig Bonnar forcing a good save from the keeper with a strong run and shot, and Callum Holland, who enjoyed an excellent debut in midfield, nearly breaking through after some excellent work down the left, Gus Shaw-Stewart backing him up as the pair of them caused some anxious moments in the SAL defence. If the Old Etonian is to retire from the Rep team, it will have nothing to do with his physical capabilities – the seventy-five minutes he played here showcased all the energy and tireless workrate he has produced for many seasons.
The final minute summed up the night for the SAL as they carved out one glorious final chance but, alas, the finish was lacking, the shot from six yards out at the far post almost landing in the Morrisons car park on the other side of the A1.
Hot dogs and beer were served in the clubhouse after the game, the Arthurian League top brass purring like Cheshire cats at yet another thumping victory served up by their charges. This was a hugely encouraging first performance of the season for the As and there is undoubted potential for the side to grow stronger still as players return to the fold and closer bonds are formed with the latest additions. Exciting times lie ahead…Half a League, Half a League, Half a League onward…
19-Jan vs Independent Schools F.A. U18 National XI
FRIENDLY
FRIENDLY
TBC vs Amateur Football Combination
Argonaut Trophy
Argonaut Trophy
Argonaut Trophy 2024-2025
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Teams play each other once per tournament with points awarded as follows:
Win in regulation time - 3 points Draw, winning on penalties - 2 points Draw, losing on penalties - 1 point Loss in regulation time - 0 points |
In the case of teams being level on points, they are separated as follows:
1. Goal-difference 2. Goals scored 3. Head-to-head If these criteria do not produce a winner, the trophy is shared between the teams tied for first place. |
UEFA REGIONS CUP 2024
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