What a difference a year has made in the life of Radstock Town Football Club, mid-September 2022 saw the team bottom of the Toolstation Western League Division One with just four points from twelve games.

Scroll forward to now and the team is at the other end of the table with thirty points from thirteen outings which sees the side in second place and having been the only team to beat the current league leaders!

Was the improvement expected?

Once the summer recruitment started to come together the answer was a slightly reserved, yes!

Much of last season the team was very young, undoubtedly talented and, without a doubt, committed but lacking a little in physicality and awareness which is so much a part of the league. So, once relegation was avoided and the season was over the management team of Ray, Elliot and Ian set about a recruitment drive that would bring in the level of experience that would see the side competing at the top of the table.

The results speak for themselves about the success of the recruitment drive and the game last Saturday against Longwell Green Sports was a fine example of how far the team has come.

The visitors are a strong team who in the week had won at league champions Brislington and they certainly brought their ‘A’ game to Southfield but the new look Radstock team managed the threat very well, absorbing the pressure when it was applied and playing their passing game to make chances at the other end.

Goals from Adie Harvey and Will Osborne were enough to give the ‘miners’ their sixth league win on the bounce but it took a great save from keeper Dan Jackson to deny the visitors the point their performance probably deserved!

It's not only in playing personnel that there have been changes on the pitch, many of you will also have noticed that the clubs playing shirt sponsor has changed. The club is very pleased to support Midsomer Norton based Plumbergy UK in their business development plans and want to thank John for all his help in arranging the agreement and we look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship.

Dave Wilkinson