The Rise of Long Eaton United
The Rise of Long Eaton United
While we approached "unprecedented" times with the
Covid pandemic and a month after taking over Deakin takes charge of his 1st
blues game. A 2-2 draw away at Coventry Sphinx with his 1st Long Eaton signing
Alex Marshall on the scoresheet that afternoon. That would be the final game of
the 2019-20 season as the FA suspended all football activities due to the Covid
pandemic. A delayed start to Ian Deakin's Long Eaton United to say the least.
Long Eaton finish the season in 9th place in the Midland
Football League Premier Division (step 5)
P26 W11 D5 L11 F59 A50 PTS38
Top Scorer; Niall Towle (30)
Deakin's squad would start to take shape. Staying from the
previous season the likes of Kieran Walker, Romaine Graham & Brad Wilson.
Alongside Alex Marshall who was added just before the season ended. While
summer additions Danny Gordon, Mitchell Robinson & Jamie Walker would all
become a big part of the squad. While Tom Marshall would be added mid-season.
The 20/21 season would start later and Long Eaton started on
a Tuesday night with a 3-1 FA Cup win against Grimsby Borough. With just the
second league game of the season, The Blues would have their 1st statement
result. A 12(twelve)-0 win away at Selston. Alex Marshall scored 6 and Jamie
Walker bagged himself a hat trick. That would kick Long Eaton on to a 5-1 win
over Gresley (we'll hear more about them later) and 7-2 at Grange Park over
Heather St.John's. Covid stuck again with only 8 games played and Long Eaton
United going unbeaten winning 7 of the 8 they played scoring 31 and only
conceding 4.
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| That 12-0 night at Selston's Parish |
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| Vase game at Grange Park v Hanley Town |
P8 W7 D1 L0 F31 A4 PTS22. Long Eaton would finish 3rd when
league football was stopped. 3 games in hand on top of the league with just 4
points behind the top spot.
Top Scorer; Alex Marshall (13)
2021/22 season
The 2021/22 season would see a reshuffle in the non league
pyramid and that would lead to a new league for Long Eaton. Transferring from
the West Midlands-based Midland Football League to the more East Midlands-based
United Counties League Premier North. Both step 5 leagues.
Deakin and his staff would commit to Long Eaton for this
season saying in an interview with Long Eaton's website "The decision to
stay at Long Eaton United was a no brainer really. The coaching staff and I
have bought into what the club is about, and I think for us it is a club on the
up and we want to be a part of that journey".
While retaining the majority of the squad that lost just 2 games in the 20/21 season. Sam Parker, Ben Hutchinson & Micah Jebbison were added to the squad while promoting academy graduates James Gale & Marley Fearon to the squad.
The Blues would kick their league season off at Grange Park
with a 3-0 win over Selston. With that win, The Blues sat top of the league.
That's where they would stay but before we go into that. We've got another cup
run to look at. This time the FA Cup as The Blues reached the 3rd qualifying
round equalling the best cup run in the club's history. On the way knocking out
Holbeach United, Shepshed Dynamo, Coleshill Town & Bedworth United. All but
Holbeach being higher in the pyramid than The Blues at the time. Long Eaton
would eventually go down 3-2 away at Stratford Town in a game that could have
gone either way. Stratford would eventually go out in the 1st round proper to
Shrewsbury.
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| A trademark Kieran Walker long throw |
While the league form was outstanding. One of the promoted
academy graduates would move on to the EFL. Starting the season with 4 goals in
4 games and standing out every time you saw him play. James Gale would leave
Grange Park for Nigel Clough's Mansfield Town.
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| Any excuse for a corner flag shot |
Well, Long Eaton came out like a house on fire that day in
front of over 1,350. Reco Fyfe scored twice in the 1st half to wrap up the
league title and make a memorable day in the sun at Grange Park. This would
promote Long Eaton to the highest they've ever been in the pyramid. Step 4.
Finishing the season with just 1 defeat in the league and scoring over 100
goals. Another historic season for Long Eaton United.
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| Long Eaton United. United Counties Premier North Champions Alex Marshall & Jamie Walker pictured |
P34 W28 D5 L1 F106 A20
Top Scorer; Alex Marshall (29)
2022/23 season
The 2022/23 season would start with seeing what league the
Blues would go into. That would be The Northern Premier Division 1 East. This
would be appealed by the board at Long Eaton due to the travel as the league is
made up of 6 teams in the northeast and the expectation Long Eaton would follow
their rivals Gresley into the Northern Premier League Division 1 Midland. This
appeal would be rejected. The most southern team in the NPL 1 East and some
long trips to come for the coming season with only 2/3 less than a 1-hour drive
from Grange Park.
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| Rod Orlando-Young celebrating away in The FA Cup against Gainsborough Trinity |
Looking from the outside in. This result shaped the season
of Long Eaton United. The next game at Grange Park against second-placed
Stockton Town. The Blues managed a 1-1 draw with Alex Marshall on the scoresheet.
At this point, The Blues didn't look back. Putting together a run of 12 games
unbeaten shooting them up the table from 18th in November to 4th in April.
With Worksop running away with the league. All attention is
on the playoff spots. A spot in the playoffs is in The Blues' hands. Win at
home against Brighouse and a playoff spot is yours. Watching this team over the
past 3 seasons. When the game is big. They fly out the blocks and that's just
what they did. That man Alex Marshall scored within 2 minutes and settled the
nerves around Grange Park. Long Eaton would run out 3-0 winners on the day and
in their 1st season at step 4. Qualifying in the promotion playoffs finishing
4th in the league.
Remember all that travel in the East League? Well the playoffs
would be 2nd placed Stockton Town v 5th placed Stocksbridge Park Steels and 3rd
placed Hebburn Town v 4th placed Long Eaton United. A long Tuesday night
journey for The Blues who already beat Hebburn 4-1 away this season. Jamie
Walker would give Long Eaton a 2-0 lead going in at halftime. Hebburn would
grow into the game more and player-manager Dan Moore scored a last-minute
equalizer to take the game into extra time. Extra time would bring no more
goals. Penalties it is. Ross Durrant made himself the hero with 3 penalty saves
for Long Eaton seeing them win 3-2 on penalties with Jamie Walker slotting home
the winner.
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| Jamie Walker Penalty = Goal |
The biggest game in a club's history is said way too often
in modern football but this felt it. Wrote off at the start of the season to a
playoff final against Stockton who was last season's beaten playoff finalist. A
sell-out of 1,800 at the Bishopton Road ground where fans without prepaid
tickets were being turned away an hour before kick-off. If it didn't feel like
a big game. It did now.
Both sides took 10 minutes to settle on the day. Long Eaton
drew first blood as Alex Marshall popped up with a fantastic finish that
nestled into the bottom corner. The 150-200 Long Eaton fans trying their best
to rival their Teeside counterparts for noise. At half time 1-0 up but Stockton
came out for the second half a different side. The impressive Kevin Hayes ran
the game in the second half and with the pressure they got themselves an
equalizer early and a second with just 10 minutes left on the clock. Queue
Stockton limbs. Not for long though. Luke Cox somehow made the most of a
scramble and turned the ball into the Stockton goal 2-2 and full-time. Into
extra time second time in a week for both sides and half chances were created
but not taken for both teams.
Penalties to decide who goes up. That man again Ross Durrant forcing one to hit the bar and saving another. Leaving Jamie Walker to step up as cool as you like for the second time in a week to slot home a winning penalty. Long Eaton wins on penalties and are promoted to step 3 football for the first time in their history. Back-to-back promotions. The celebrations are something you don't see outside of non league football. The sheer joy of it. Players crying and unable to control their emotions.
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| Seconds after the winning penalty at Stockton |
P38 W19 D8 L11 F67 A52
Top Scorer; Jamie Walker (23)
From the team that played Gresley on the last day of the
season before, 8 players were in the matchday squad against Stockton. This
hasn't been a flash in the pan. This is a footballing project where everyone is
working for the same goal and now it's reaping its rewards.
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| Long Eaton United, Northern Premier League East Promotion Playoff Winners Back2Back |
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| Glad this moment was caught on camera, If you know, you know courtesy of Long Eaton United's Twitter account |
I hope you anyone taking their time to reading this has enjoyed
the article about a club I have really grown fond of over the past 4 years. As much
as I have putting it together. Some of the moments looking back will stay with
me for a long time.
Until the next one,
Peace,
Luke @PL2NL
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| Grange Park with the shadow of yours truly |
