Best- and in this case, worst- moments of the Twenty First Century- Bognor Regis Town

On New Years Day Bognor started the new decade in rather disappointing fashion with a 3-0 defeat against our bitter rivals Worthing. However, from 2010 until the end of 2019 we generally had a lot to smile about down at Nyewood Lane.

I am a Kent lad and a lapsed Gillingham fan- so where did my Bognor love begin? Well, back in 2010 I had become very disillusioned with professional football and made my first tentative steps into watching non league football. Why did I choose Bognor Regis Town? Well I had very happy memories of the town having worked at the holiday camp in my care-free twenties and they were a club who needed some love having been through the wringer over the previous three years.

Here I look back at the games that stood out for me as my personal favourite Bognor games over the last decade (2010-2019), games that I was actually able to get along and watch from the terraces. I’ve also decided to look back and choose the ten Bognor games over that decade that I saw but I would rather forget ever happened! Here goes in no particular order other than the dates.....

30th April 2011 - Chatham Town 1 v 1 BRTFC

Ok, I know the game didn’t quite go as planned but the 2010/11 season that started the reawakening of the club after so much heartache in the previous three seasons. The away support at Maidstone Road that Saturday afternoon had a club and team to be proud of again.

6th May 2012 - BRTFC 1 v 0 Dulwich Hamlet

After coming so close to promotion the year before, Jamie Howell and Darin Killpatrick finally got the team over the line with a 1-0 win over the Hamlet which gained some revenge for losing out in the Semi Final to the same team the previous campaign. Our much loved centre half Stuart Axten was the Bognor hero that afternoon at the Lane.

23rd November 2013 - BRTFC 5 v 2 Bury Town

Now back playing in the Premier Division the club was back on the up again and the visitors from Suffolk were no match for a rampant Rocks side.

19th April 2014 - Maidstone United 1 v 2 BRTFC

The Stones hadn’t lost at the Gallagher Stadium all season but that record was to finally end as goals from Scott Chamberlain and Dan Thompson saw an impressive Rocks team pull of a famous win in Kent.

7th November 2015 - BRTFC 5 v 0 Canvey Island

The club were again amongst the early playoff challengers in the Isthmian Premier as November got under way. Jason Prior was on fire as usual with a hat-trick whilst Chike Kandi added the other two goals.

27th February 2016 - BRTFC 1 v 0 Torquay United

There are so many great memories and matches from the 2015/16 season it’s hard to pick which one was the best. However, for the Rocks to beat an ex-Football League side in a National Cup competition and at the Quarter Final stage, really does take some beating!

29th August 2016 - BRTFC 5 v 0 Worthing

It was the first league derby between the clubs for a number of seasons and it was also my first ever derby match. A fine Bognor team put the Rebels to the sword with James Fraser rolling back the years with the pick of the goals the glorious August afternoon.

31st December 2016 - Met Police 0 v 1 BRTFC

The last day of the year in 2016 ended in dramatic fashion as the side laboured against an average Met Police side. However, they kept on plugging away and deep into injury time they somehow found a way to score and seal a vital victory.

17th April 2017 - Havant & W 1 v 0 BRTFC

Ok, again like the Chatham Town game six years before, the result didn’t go in our favour. However, it was a great occasion for Non League football on the South Coast, and we followed Havant up via the playoffs a few weeks later which was rather memorable too.

13th October 2018 - Tonbridge Angels 1 v 2 BRTFC

The weather was rather pleasant for October and the Rocks brightened up the day further with a fine 2-1 win over the league leaders thanks to a last minute Mason Walsh goal, and who doesn’t love a last minute winner eh!

26th October 2010 - BRTFC 1 v 3 Eastbourne Borough

This was my first ever Bognor game that I traveled down from Kent to watch. Unfortunately it ended in a 3-1 home defeat and turned out to be the only game we lost at home that season! Luckily the only other home game I saw that season ended in victory. Phew!

15th October 2011 - Sutton United 4 v 0 BRTFC

The Rocks were going well in the Isthmian League Division 1 but they were no match for a very strong and ruthless Sutton side in this FA Cup tie. The only enjoyable part of day was the sun being out in October!

10th December 2013 - Leiston 5 v 2 BRTFC

This game still haunts my very nightmares! We never seem to travel well when we have crossed the Dartford Bridge and ventured into deepest Suffolk and Norfolk and this night was no different. A good Leiston side were ruthless in front of goal during a game played in horrible conditions throughout. By the time I drove home the fog had gotten that thick I had to navigate most of my way home just by following the lights of the car in front of me!

Yes, I was rather pleased when Leiston, Needham and co were moved across to the Southern Central Leagues a few years ago.

3rd April 2014 - Enfield Town 2 v 1 BRTFC

Jamie and Dabba’s promotion challenging team were in the midst of a fixture pile up and this was one of the toughest teams they still had to play in the promotion run in. Enfield ran out 2-1 winners and this coupled with the 4-3 defeat at Hampton just a few weeks later put paid to any slim hopes of automatic promotion.

30th April 2014 - BRTFC 1 v 2 Lowestoft Town

Ah yes our friends from East Anglia again. A packed Lane was dreaming of a possible home playoff final as goal machine Terry Dodd had us in front early on. Sadly the joy wasn’t to last as the Trawlers Boys turned things around to seal a 2-1 win. The fixture pile up had probably finally taken its toll on a squad that deserved so much more from a great campaign.

28th April 2016 - BRTFC 0 v 1 Dulwich Hamlet

Another Isthmian Premier League playoff campaign ended before it ever really got going, but this one was a real heart- breaker. Another packed house at the Lane witnessed a tight and nervy contest throughout but with just under 20 minutes of the game to go the Rocks were awarded a penalty. Jason Prior stepped up and who would have bet against him not scoring. Unfortunately Preston Edwards was the Hamlet hero and they had a even bigger hero when Ashley Carew sent the visitors into the final with a great free kick with just seconds of the game to play. A truly horrible ending an otherwise unforgeable season.

22th October 2016 Lowestoft Town 2 v 1 BRTFC

East Anglian opposition - Tick. Weather horrid -Tick. Defeat - Tick. Bad travel experience - Yep, I missed the train and turned up about 35 minutes into the game - Tick. Did I miss anything? No, I thought not. Moving swiftly on.

1st April 2017 - Enfield Town 1 v 0 BRTFC

I’m beginning to see a pattern here with games against Enfield that are played in April. Another defeat at the QE Stadium and at the time a massive blow in the title race between us and Havant.

14th October 2017 - Oxford City 1 v 0 BRTFC

Despite struggling in the National South after promotion, the players battled their way through to the final qualifying round of the FA Cup. For the first time in a very long time the 1st round proper loomed large in our view but on a awful 3G surface we rather limped our way out of the competition. Oxford went on to cause a giant killing against Colchester United!

28th April 2018 - BRTFC 1 v 2 Dartford

Relegation back to step 3 had been confirmed weeks before but it still hurt when the season finally ended and the step 2 adventure was over and Dabba (Our much loved Head Coach) left as well.