Tomorrow afternoon, we face Wimborne Town, affectionately known as ‘The Magpies’, a team managed by ex-Basingstoke Town striker – Tim Sills. He helped guide Wimborne into clinching their first league title in 24 years last season. Alongside Sills is assistant Chris Senior, who shares a long-standing partnership with him, and club captain Scott Arnold, a stalwart defender with an incredible 616 club appearance. Arnold began his career with Wimborne as a striker but has transitioned into a formidable presence in defense over his two spells with the club.
Wimborne are no strangers to Winklebury’s 3G pitch, having played there earlier this season while Winchester temporarily hosted their home games at our home ground whilst their new 3G surface was being completed.
The attacking threat boasts Harry Baker, the club’s “Golden Boot” winner for two consecutive seasons, and Matty Burrows, who became a Wimborne fan favorite during a six-game loan spell last year. Complementing this firepower is midfielder Josh Carmichael, a former Scotland U16 and U19 international who brings top-flight pedigree from his time at Bournemouth and beyond. They have also only this week acquired the services of Toby Holmes who previously scored 132 goals in 143 games during his previous stint from the club. He only recently lined up against ‘Stoke in Poole Town’s recent visit.
The Magpies will be buoyed by the return of Ross Flitney, Sam Roberts and Jez Bedford who have all recovered from injury in time for tomorrow’s game.
Wimborne share a similar goals scored and goals conceded record as ourselves but currently sit in 17th place.
The last time Basingstoke Town played Wimborne in a competitive game was back in 2021 when the visitors scored a last minute winner in the FA Cup Second Qualifying Round at Winklebury. Before then you’d have to look as far back as 2019 where we were 4-2 winners at the Wyatt Homes Stadium. We did of course play them in a pre-season friendly where James Clark helped himself to a hat-trick in an impressive display ahead of our treble winning year.
Your Basingstoke Town squad will be boosted by the long awaited return of Ben Cook & Nnamdi Nwachuku. It will also feature the recently returned Robbie Gallagher and George Reid who are reacting well to the rehab plans outlined by head of Medical Seanagh McCarthy and Sports Scientist Luca Avena.
We spoke to Dan Brownlie ahead of tomorrow’s match…
“We’ve had a fairly lengthy break with the postponement of our trip to Wales, but it has given us a chance to work on a few things and refresh one or two bodies. Getting Cooks and Nnams back in the squad is going to be a big lift and hopefully edge us closer to being a little more potent in the final third.”
“The league is so tight that it feels as though everyone is in a similar position. Those chasing play-offs are as close to the relegation scrap as they are the promotion push right now. I don’t see that changing across the season. The competition in this league is incredible and as you’ll see with results up and down the league; there’s no great consistency to results. You only have to look at sides like Chertsey and Havant who have recently toppled Welling United and Bath City respectively to understand the nature of this level. That in the greatest of sense allows us to concentrate on each game as it comes; knowing that league position does not necessarily dictate quality – it might just be order of fixtures! So for that, it can allow for added concentration that the team we’re facing could be play-off contenders at any stage.”
“There’s a lot of games to be played over the festive period. Three games in 7 days from Boxing Day into New Year means we’ll have to shuffle the pack, whilst still following the rehab plans of returning players and not diluting our quality.”
“We’ve had a lot of conversations about the areas in which we must improve. A lot of it, is regaining the form of the beginning of the season – and we see plenty of ways in doing that. Now it’s about putting it into action. It might be a moment of quality, it might be a moment of luck – we just need to make sure it’s us that has that moment to relight the season.”
Community Club Members are invited to an exclusive pre-match chat with First Team Manager Dan Brownlie and Club Captain Billy Upton ahead of tomorrow’s match in the Clubhouse at 1pm until around 1.20pm. Please email any questions you may have in advance to club@btfc.co.uk. Please bring your Membership Card with you for entry – if you have not yet collected your Membership card, it can be collected from the bar.
The Clubhouse will be open from 12pm.
Basingstoke Town vs Wimborne Town
Tomorrow | 3pm | Winklebury Football Complex
Match day tickets can be bought in advance using our online portal – Fanbase.
A reminder that our Christmas Fayre will be taking place on Sunday between 10-2pm in the Clubhouse followed quickly by Basingstoke Town FC Women who host Shanklin Ladies at Winklebury at 2pm.