Histon

Histon
To many people, Histon is a vaguely familiar name on a jamjar label. Which is apt, as something has been slowly coming to the boil in the Cambridgeshire countryside, and as it comes to fruition, the taste will be oh-so sweet. Histon - population 4,500 and the place where Mr Chivers set up his jam factory after being impressed with how his orchards flourished - will line up in the Conference next season. Their rise and rise through the pyramid is a football fairy story, a fable on how a lot can still be achieved with little more than dreams, ambition and determination. A village football team 15 years ago, Histon will lock horns with former Football League big guns such as Oxford United after clinching the Conference South title. Manager Steve Fallon told BBC Sport: "It's something we hoped for a few years ago and it's come along quicker than we expected. "But were not going in there just to make up the numbers. We've become used to doing well and we want that to continue." Fallon has managed the Stutes - nicknamed from a previous incarnation as Histon Institute - for 10 years and is the first to pay tribute to chairman Gareth Baldwin. Histon were on the verge of folding when Baldwin stepped in 15 years ago. But his hard work and ambition drove the club's rise. Fallon said: "He's been the major part of this club's success. He had to be thick-skinned for a long time and in the first few years he had a lot of problems but he stuck it out. "This club's rise has not been through a massive cash investment. But we have shown what can be done if a chairman has ambition for his club and he's prepared to work as hard as Gareth. With the sort of pragmatism associated with rural ways, Histon refuse to have their heads turned by the temptation of joing the vast majority of Conference clubs in full-time status. Fallon said: "We're going to remain part-time, unless you have unlimited funds there's no way you can go full-time. "It's all very well spending money on players but they're not particularly interested in the club. You get one or two years out of them and then they want to move on. "We've signed six players in the close season, all of whom want to play in the Conference, and they're hungry to succeed. They have careers ahead of them and they'e not just serving time. "We'll get the players in one afternoon a week, probably Monday, and if we can do that, along with two evenings a week, we're not far off what the full-time clubs are doing. Fallon adds: "We've tried to keep a settled side all the way through as much as possible," and the club are due to pay tribute to three players who have been on the ride all the way. Neil Andrews and Jamie Barker have clocked up 10 years with the Stutes, while stalwart striker Neil Kennedy has been there longer and notched his 300th goal for the club at the end of last season. Any good fairy tale contains a twist and Histon's rise mirrors the slide of Cambridge United. In 1992, Cambridge made the old Division 2 play-offs and were three games away from English football's top flight. At that time, Histon would not have figured on Cambridge's radar, but the pair are on collision course to meet in the Conference next season. That Cambridge managed by John Beck, made its own rapid rise through the leagues although their direct style made football purists wince. Beck is now Fallon's coach, but as they prepare to meet on equal terms there is no crowing from Histon mangement towards their local rivals. Fallon said: "When they were one step away from the Premiership, we were just about hanging on, waiting to be closed down. Now we're meeting them on even terms." "Yes, they're our rivals but we're not looking to make it into a rivalry, we welcome Cambridge fans. "We're a village team and we get support from the village, but we have to look to bring other people in, and make ourselves a similar option to Cambridge United. "We'll be playing on alternate weeks so if people aren't watching Cambridge, come and watch us." All good fairy stories, though, contain a warning against flights of fancy and Histon are aware of flying too close to the sun. "It's good that a club playing at the level we were 10 years ago, is now knocking on the door of the football league," says Fallon. "We'll enjoy playing in the Conference, but only if we stay in there and do well."

U's aim to prove point to Histon
Chairman Lee Power says it is important for Cambridge United to step up a gear next season and become the most successful team in their local area. After their promotion from the Conference South, Histon are in the same league as U's for the first time. Power told SSB: "We have and always will be the biggest club in this area but we must perform. "It has been a frustrating few years for us, while Histon have done well to join us in the Blue Square Premier."

Fallon happy with Histon recovery
Histon boss Steve Fallon was pleased to see his side twice come from behind to draw 2-2 with Exeter. "We took a bit of a battering in the first half, but the conditions were very difficult," he said. "Overall, you'd say a draw was a fair result, but in the second half, I think we were the more likely winners. "Their second goal was the first time they'd got in our box in the second half, but we rallied and got the equaliser quite quickly."

Bees agree fee for Histon striker
Barnet have agreed an undisclosed fee to sign striker Cliff Akurang from Blue Square Premier side Histon during the January transfer window. But boss Steve Fallon told Histon's website that although a fee has been agreed, the move is not yet sealed. "There is no done deal as yet. We have to put a couple of things in place to enable Cliff to move on," he said. The ex-Thurrock, Heybridge and Dagenham & Redbridge man, 26, has scored 10 goals in 19 league games for Histon.

Histon target Akurang replacement
Histon have tabled an offer for an unnamed striker who they hope to sign when the January transfer window opens. The Stutes need a replacement up front for Cliff Akurang, who is poised to join League Two side Barnet for an undisclosed fee in January. The two clubs have already agreed a fee for the 26-year-old, who has now passed a medical at Underhill. However, neither deal will be able to go through until New Year's Day at the very earliest.

Woking recruit striker Norville
Woking have signed Barnet striker Jason Norville but have lost the services of midfielder Kevin James. Norville, 24, who started his career with Watford, has joined the Cards on a deal until the end of the season. Former Gillingham and Nottingham Forest midfielder James, 28, leaves Woking after a six-month stay after failing to agree a new contract. Meanwhile, Woking have rejected an offer from league rivals Histon for striker Marvin Morgan, 24.

Histon rearrange Stafford match
Histon have rearranged their Blue Square Premier match against Stafford Rangers, which was abandoned because of heavy fog on Tuesday evening. The match was called off by referee Guy Stretton after 63 minutes had been played, with the score still 0-0. It will now be restaged at the Glass World Stadium on Tuesday, 26 February, kicking off at 1945 GMT. Fans with a voucher from Tuesday's game will gain reduced admission, season ticket holders will get in for free.

Baldwin hopes to up player budget
Histon chairman Gareth Baldwin has said he is keen to make extra transfer resources available for next season. With the current campaign drawing to a close, the club are already planning their summer recruitment. "We're obviously looking to try and get more money to spend on our playing budgets," Baldwin said. "This year we have tripled our turnover, being in the Blue Square Premier has meant that we've three times the level of income." However, Baldwin added that securing extra cash would be far from a formality and that he would be unwilling to gamble with the future of the club. He told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire: "We are totally dependant on the Football Conference and how they set our annual playing budget. "We are quite frugal. I don't want to attract players because we are paying the most money and that may sound absolutely naive, but at the end of the day the whole package has to be right." As in previous seasons assistant manager John Beck has already been assessing potential targets with the club keen to get new players in place well before the start of the new campaign. Baldwin said: "It's our intention that by the second week of May we have spoken to all of our targets." Histon plan to remain part-time for the foreseeable future, limiting their scope in terms of recruiting new talent, and Baldwin has admitted he doesn't know exactly how things will pan out. "We've been given permission by two clubs already to talk to players, some of those are at League clubs and they're out on loan at non-League clubs," he added. "What we've got this year is a track record. People can see the facilities improving, they can see the crowds aren't awful, we might be a little bit more attractive to them."

Histon to appeal against Pope ban
Histon have announced they plan to appeal against the Football Association's decision to suspend right-back Craig Pope for four matches. The 25-year-old has been handed a suspension and fined £325 for using 'abusive and/or insulting words aggravated by a racial element'. The charge relates to an incident which took place during the derby with Cambridge United on Boxing Day. Both Histon and Pope deny the charge and have launched an immediate appeal. Histon's barrister Gill McGiven said: "Nothing which came out in the hearing provided anything new to the case - it's one player's word against another." A date for the appeal is yet to be set.

Reeves aiming high with Histon
Histon forward Damien Reeves is hoping his brace in the Stutes' 5-2 win over Weymouth two weeks ago will kick-start his season. Reeves, 22, joined the Stutes on a free transfer from Farsley Celtic over the summer and scored his first goals for the club at Weymouth. Reeves told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire: "There are plenty of goals to come, I keep getting in the right situations. "I've always got confidence I'm going to score so it should be no problem." Following Saturday's 1-1 draw at Eastbourne, Histon are up to sixth in the Blue Square Premier. Reeves had started the season in boss Steve Fallon's first-choice side, but lost his place up front to Antonio Murray after only two matches. However some bright substitute performances brought him back into contention and he has now started the last two matches. "When he put me back in I had to prove a point really," Reeves said. "Now it's just a case of keeping myself in the team and scoring." Histon finished seventh in the Blue Square Premier last season and Reeves is hopeful the side can do even better this year. "The teams we played in the first six games are all big teams and we managed to get through that quite well. "We just need to keep getting the points on the board."

Fallon thrilled with front pair
Histon boss Steve Fallon was delighted with strikers Jack Midson and Danny Wright after Tuesday's 5-2 FA Cup replay win over Durham City. The pair each scored twice with Josh Simpson scoring their other goal in the fourth qualifying round clash. "The front two were magnificent and 5-2 was a fair reflection of our performance," Stutes boss Fallon told Radio Cambridgeshire. "Jack and Danny were just too quick for their back four." The Blue Square Premier side will now host League One side Swindon on 8 November. The result was Unibond First Division North side Durham's first defeat of the season after seven league games without defeat.

Midson pleased to play up front
Histon forward Jack Midson says he is enjoying having a run playing as a striker for the Stutes. Midson has been used both in attack and on the wing so far this season and overtook Danny Wright as the club's top scorer over the weekend. Midson told Radio Cambridgeshire: "I'll do a job for Steve and John on the right, on the left or in central midfield. "But I enjoy it up front and I think I've been more productive lately." Midson scored the winner as the Stutes claimed a 1-0 win over Altrincham on Saturday. Steve Fallon's team travel to Blue Square North side Hinckley in the third round of the Setanta Sheild on Monday evening. John Kennedy, Robbie Nightingale and Erkan Okay will all be handed starts with several first-team regulars rested. Meanwhile, defender Lanre Oyebanjo has been named as the Blue Square Premier's player of the month for October.

Histon snap up Rose for one month
Histon have moved quickly to fill the gap that injured Antonio Murray has left by bringing in Romone Rose on a month's loan from Queens Park Rangers. Rose who can play up front or wide is also available for FA Cup duty. The 19-year-old spent last season on loan at promotion winning AFC Wimbledon before returning to QPR in the summer. Histon Chairman Gareth Baldwin told Radio Cambridgeshire: "Romone has exceptional promise and we are excited to have him on board." He added: "John Beck (Histon coach) has been and seen Romone a couple of times and after speaking with QPR boss Gareth Ainsworth we have been fortunate enough to bring him across for a month, maybe longer."

Histon wait on Gwillim's injury
Histon manager Steve Fallon says the club are still unsure as to the extent of defender Gareth Gwillim's recent knee injury. Gwillim suffered knee ligament damage in last month's 4-1 win over Grays. Fallon told Radio Cambridgeshire: "Gareth's doing as much work as he can to keep himself fit, he's just waiting for the go-ahead to start training. "It's at the stage where it could be two weeks, three weeks or four weeks we just don't know." Gwillim has been a star performer for the Stutes so far this season with his long throws and set-plays. But Fallon is confident he has the players to cover in Gwillim's absence. "Lanre Oyebanjo has been working on the quality of his delivery and Mat Mitchel-King has developed his long throw over the past few weeks," he said. New man Marlon Patterson will hope to take Gwillim's place for Tuesday's FA Cup clash with Swansea, although Nathanial Knight-Percival could move back from midfield.

Stutes aware of future challenges
Histon captain Mat Mitchel-King says going fully professional would present the club with a number of potential problems and challenges. If the high-flying Stutes were to win promotion this season, switching to full-time would seem to be essential. Mitchel-King, 25, told Radio Cambridgeshire: "For some of the young lads it wouldn't be too difficult, but some of us have careers. "It would be a bit of a shake-up and something would have to give." The Stutes have managed to thrive at the highest level of the non-league pyramid despite remaining part-time. Mitchel-King accepts that they would have struggled to compete as a semi-professional outfit in the Football League, but is concerned by the impact of any change. "Some of the older players only have a few more years of football left, and might lose out in terms of a long-term career," he said. "We haven't thought too much about it and we need to get promotion for anything to happen anyway." Histon were handed the weekend off after their home tie with Grays Athletic was postponed because to a waterlogged pitch. The Stutes are back in action at Kidderminster on Tuesday.

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