Sibford Scene Archive

Ferris & Gower football teams, Boxing Day 2024

On a mild and misty Boxing Day morning the much anticipated annual Sibford football derby saw an epic match unfold, inexplicably missed by Sky, Amazon Prime and the BBC – who have all expressed regret at not covering such a feast of footballing talent and goodwill. If ever there was an advert for life in our villages, this was it, with about 40 players, young and old, male and female, watched by a large and vocal crowd as the charity mulled wine stand did great business. As ever, despite a few “over enthusiastic” challenges early on, the game was played both competitively and in great spirit.

David “Ferguson” Spackman, manager of the Ferris, was yet again struggling with an ageing squad (and was without, for this year, any players from the Liverpool Academy), many of whom seemed (or at least moved) as if past their prime. Nevertheless, his team adopted a cunning strategy of soaking up pressure only to break at speed and score the first goal through a stunning free kick from Lee McCullum just as the Gower were convinced that a huge victory was inevitable. Finding a way back into the game however the Gower responded with some beautiful football and first through George Berks and then Tyler Bradley found themselves two one up. The Ferris were not to be denied though and made it two all by half time with a goal from Alex Bull.

The spectators could have been excused for not knowing who was playing who, as the Gower sought to overcome latent fitness issues by substituting their entire team (bar goal-keeper Matt “the Cat” Allen who made several fine saves) every fifteen minutes. This had the great merit of not taxing the intellect of manager Alex “Jurgen” Rippon (who was playing an experimental 4-3-2-1 formation) too much, but the disadvantage of requiring every member of the Gower team to figure out frequently what position they were playing in and with who. There was less chaos for the Ferris who changed team members more sparingly, but ran a greater risk of cardiac arrest as they chased after their more youthful opponents.

Making it three to two, with a penalty from Matt Gandy the Ferris yet again took the lead before, either confused as to which goal he was shooting for or possibly attempting to play out from the back as if he was Harry McGuire, David Spackman drove the ball into his own net via an onrushing Gower forward, Archie Rippon, and so it looked as if honours would be shared this year. It should be noted that alternative sources suggest that the Gower were lucky to get back to three all when a fiercely hit goal line clearance from David Spackman hit a fortunate Gower forward and rebounded into the net! Regrettably, your correspondent must have been having some mulled wine at that point or the mist must have been too thick for the truth to be determined.

In any event Tom Rowley had other ideas, latching on to a superb through ball before crashing a pile driver into the back of the Ferris net with a minute to spare before Martin Woodward (who had kindly and expertly refed the game) blew his whistle and the Ferris were left facing “another year of hurt”.

As usual many of the players and spectators then retired to the Wykham Arms for an exhaustive debrief on the game and a vain promise to perform better next year. Although you wouldn’t want to live in the losing village for the next year, few really care about the result. In truth, there was only one clear winner in the 2024 Boxing Day Ferris v Gower football match – life!

Report from the Sibford Scene’s Sports Correspondent

Bonds End Lane

Historically, farming has always been the chief activity in the rural villages of North Oxfordshire. In the 19th century, grain, hay, straw, malt and beer went to London and Birmingham via Banbury’s canal and railway. Until the 1920s, carriers’ carts provided the only link with Banbury market and great droves of cattle and sheep made their way to the Market Place, as they had done for centuries.

By 1914 Oxfordshire was suffering the full impact of the agricultural depression which had begun in the 1870s. With cheaper imported grain and meat, and a run of poor harvests, the county slipped from being one of the richest to one of the poorest. Agricultural labourers’ wages were the lowest in England. In summer, life in these villages could be very pleasant indeed. But, for many farm workers, there were times of insecurity and isolation.

The living conditions and welfare of the rural communities did not feature in National Government thinking, but following the Local Government Act of 1894, Banbury Rural District Council was formed absorbing the Banbury Rural Sanitary District who had grappled with drains, sewers, cesspools, flooding, pumps, springs and wells.

Part of the remit of The Land Enquiry set up by Lloyd George in 1912 was to establish what the stumbling blocks were to improve living condi5ons for farm workers. It had little difficulty in establishing that rural housing conditions were appalling. Wages were lower than in urban areas, rents were relatively high and landlords were often unable or unwilling to improve living conditions. A further report in 1913 put forward a number of solutions ranging from a reformed Land Tax, subsidies for Councils to build cottages and the wider encouragement of smallholdings. So the idea of council owned housing for rent to the rural communities was conceived but the Great War was to intervene before a coherent set of reforms on the ‘land question’ could be put in to practice.

To be continued… Maureen Hicks

The knitters of The Sibfords got their needles charged up to bring some Christmas cheer to the people of Ukraine. We have been busily knitting beanies, baby blankets, cardigans etc and the wonderful Matt loaded all in his van, to a hospital in Suny, in the North East of the country near the Russia border. Suny is the regional capital, and although some of the area has fallen to the Russians, they have not captured the city. It arrived just before Christmas, and we were delighted to receive some photographs back. The beautiful girl [on the front cover] is wearing a jacket that Petra knitted 50 years ago for her daughter. It is heartwarming to see it being given new life in Ukraine. Our knitters are Dinah, Jean, Mandy, Sylvia, Sandra, Veronique, Charlotte and Petra who have all contributed to a warmer Christmas for our Ukrainian friends.

A huge thankyou to all.