MILE OAK: More than just a club….

Welcome to Mile Oak

Mile Oak vs Langney Wanderers
Southern Combination Football League Division One
September 23

More than a club. That’s the motto of no less than Barcelona FC. The saying is intended to represent the fact the Catalan giants are a beacon for their community; a rallying point for all those who believe their region should be independent from the rest of Spain. But for everything Messi et al may represent on the pitch, off it they are outdone by a little community club on the edge of the city of Brighton and Hove.

The turnstile which also doubles as a groundsman’s hut

The club is Mile Oak – a set-up that was established in 1960 when the estate was created on the then Mile Oak farm, north of Portslade village. And now, more than 50 years after being founded, it remains owned and financed by the people who live in the area. Even Barcelona can’t compete with that.

For a club that pools it’s talent from a relatively small area, Mile Oak really do punch above their weight. Their home is a plot on the municipal-owned Mile Oak Recreation Ground, hidden from view by steep banking and a clump of trees. On the pitch, the emphasis is on encouraging youth – and they do it pretty well. Although for a visitor on a chilly September evening, this perhaps was taken a little bit too far with the “clubhouse” and changing rooms also doubling as a nursery.

Sponsored by the people – Barcelona eat your heart out….

With light a little lacking, finding the concrete slope which leads in to the ground was a little difficult. Finding the tea hut was even more of a mystery. But once I found it – hidden within the labyrinth of the nursery , while the welcome was warm the tea most definitely wasn’t. And the absence of food also made Nomad more than a tad disappointed – with a KitKat no substitute for a plate of chips or hot dog. Now I know things are hard at this level with some clubs only surviving because of the commitment of a few volunteers, but the lack of hot food or even a hot drink on an evening after most have been at work really does nothing to get people in through the turnstiles.

Take that – Langney go one up, much to the disgust of the home side’s goalie

On to the match. And it wasn’t a classic bit it was a fair contest stocked full of commitment but lacking a little bit of quality. The home side – kitted out in a very smart strip of orange and black – were full of endeavour. But the hard pitch made it a little difficult to keep the ball under control. As for the opponents, their greater experience meant that when the did have the ball, they made the most of it.

And so it was that the visitors made the breakthrough. Mile Oak coudn’t say they weren’t warned when one Langney attack was only halted by the referee. Just after the half-hour mark they weren’t so lucky when Gianluca Del-Gaudio stuffed the ball home past the scrambling defence.

The directors box…

Half-time came and keen to keep warm but even keener to avoid another poor cup of tea, I asked for a hot chocolate. Then a coffee. But neither were in stock. So tea it was. I passed on another KitKat. One highlight of the half-time break though was seeing the visiting officials tuck into their plate of biscuits at a table and chairs created for four-year-olds. A surreal sight which they definitely don’t get at Old Trafford.

Onto the second half and Mile Oak came out looking as if they were keen to get back in to the game. But 90 seconds after the restart and a long throw from the right hand side wasn’t dealt with and it was bundled in by Adam Byrne. They added a third with about 30 minutes to go. And while Mile Oak did pull one back through a penalty, they never looked like adding to it.

Mile Oak get a penalty….and he slots it home….

To be honest, the half was dominated by Langney, whether it was through their dominant centre half pairing repelling attacks, their dominance on and off the ball, or their attempted intimidation of the referee. Thankfully the man in black was having none of it, and he mad it clear who was in charge, despite a few large melees involving both sides.

With the game petering out it was somewhat of a shock then at full time when the game erupted. Despite winning the match 3-1, Langney somehow thought it would be wise to confront the officials about a few decisions he took.

An 18 man melee but the ref handles it with good grace

Their manager intervened – with the result being a scuffle between boss and his own players. Thankfully,the home officials intervened and made it clear that such behaviour was not welcome at Mile Oak. On such a note I realised that while they may not do a decent cup of tea, this was a club that did things the right way but more importantly in the right spirit. And for that reason, I wish them well.

THE ESSENTIALS

Lovely stand behind the goal. Shame it has to be fenced up to deter vandals

Mile Oak FC
Mile Oak Recreation Ground,
Chalky Road,
Portslade,
BN41 2WS

http://www.mileoakfc.co.uk
@mileoak_fc

Getting there and away

Car: Travelling west on the A27, turn off on to the A293 (signposted Shoreham), then right at roundabout into Fox Way. Fox Way joins Chalky Road, and the ground is located on the right hand side opposite the Community College.

Nearest station: Portslade (30 minute walk)

The essentials

Programme

A mammoth 56-pager all for £1. A black and white affair, it was full of everything you need to know about the club and local area, with plenty of adverts. As if you needed more proof of their community focus,  the front had a picture of Matt Grimstone, the former Mile Oak player who died in the Shoreham Airshow disaster.

Food and drink

Not great. Coming straight from the office, Nomad was in need of some sustenance. However, all the kitchen could provide was a cup of mildly warm tea and either crisps or chocolate. No beer, no chips, not even a Bovril. At half time I thought I’d be a bit more adventurous and ask for a hot chocolate. “Sorry, we havn’t got any”. Coffee. “Sorry, we’re out”. So it was back to the tea which this time round was closer to ice than boiling.

The first tea shop I’ve been to in a nursery

Clubhouse

Being a community club, you’d expect Mile Oak to have multi-purpose facilities. And so it was that their changing rooms and clubhouse also doubled as a nursery. It had an odd feel to it, particularly at half time when the visiting officials ate biscuits while sat on some very low chairs. Odd but utterly charming.

Toilets

Probably the cleanest I’ve been to yet. Once I found them in the nursery.

MATCH FACTS

The teams!

Mile Oak 1
Jamie Watts 75

Langley Wanderers 3
Gianluca Del-Gaudio 35;
Adam Byrne 49; Paul Rogers 60

Attendance 33

Mile Oak

1. Aaron Stenning
2. Karl Gillingham
3. Jude McDonald
4. Chris Pulling
5. Asa Turley-George
6. Joe Hall
7. Lloyd Skinner
8. Jamie Watts
9. Adam Dine
10. Eric Wedge-Bull
11. Jack Arnold

Subs.
12. Stuart Garrod
14. Luke Pullinger
15. Dominic Shepherd
16. Ben May
17. Joe Whiting

Langney Wanderers

1. Lee Darney
2. Marcus Allen
3. Kyle Fenners
4. Steve Hickman
5. Adam Byrne
6. Sam Bunn
7. Wayne Wilkinson
8. Simon Catt
9. Shane Saunders
10. Paul Rodgers
11. Gianluca Del-Gaudio

Subs.
12. Mark Warren
14. Sam Berry
15. Jamie Bucket

Scouting report

With their roots firmly grounded into the local community, Mile Oak have to be applauded for giving young players in the area a platform to perform. Combined they were industrious and full of energy even if the quality is not always there. Their youthfulness also means that mistakes are likely. Of the starting 11, Asa Turley-George and Jamie Watts were probably the stand outs, keeping going from start to finish.

As for the visitors and ultimately it was their experience which saw them through to the end. They were well marshalled at the back with Adam Byrne a real lieutenant, leading by example. Up front, Wanderers’ front pair of Shane Saunders and Paul Rodgers were a handful, combining strength, good technique and a real never say die attitude which Oak couldn’t control. You do wonder though if Langney’s aggressive approach will see them come up short against the more skilful teams in the league.