โ๏ธ DEFENSIVE DUO HERE TO STAY
We are delighted to announce that defensive duo Connor Stevens and Callum Adebiyi have penned new contracts with the club that will extend their stays at the Meadow until at least the end of the 2025/26 season
Read quotes from both players and the management on our website ๐ https://t.co/UTJsjtPK23
#OneCheshamUnited
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New right back is swiftly acquired to replace injured Jack Tompkins.
Banbury United is pleased to announce the arrival of 27-year-old right back Dion Kelly-Evans to the Banbury Plant Hire Community Stadium ahead of Saturdayโs home fixture versus Chorley Football Club.
Kelly-Evansโ footballing journey started when he joined his hometown team Coventry City. He soared through the ranks as a youngster, signing his first professional contract at the age of 19 at the end of the 2014/15 season. A handful of appearances on the bench saw him on the fringes of the first team during 2015/16, until he would eventually make his senior debut as a substitute coming on at half time in a 2-0 victory away at Oldham Athletic in the last game of the season.
The right-back broke through in the succeeding campaign, making 32 appearances in all competitions for the League One side, but the Sky Blues suffered relegation at the end of the season. The following season saw Kelly-Evans make seven appearances in all competitions during Coventryโs play-off winning campaign, one of which being a second half substitute in Coventry Cityโs EFL Trophy final win over Oxford United. This saw the Sky Blues win at Wembley in front of an enormous 74,434 crowd.
Despite this success, Dionโs first team action was limited, bringing an end to his time at his home club after a total of 40 appearances across all competitions in three professional seasons. Seeking regular first team action upon his release, Kelly-Evans dropped into non-league as he made the switch to Southern Premier Division Central side Kettering Town for the 2018/19 campaign.
In his solo campaign for the Poppies, Dion played 46 times as Kettering won the division, successively earning promotion to the National League North. Kelly-Evansโ fine performances meant he would rise one step higher, with recently relegated club Notts County securing the full backโs signature for their first ever season outside the Football League. He became a staple piece in the defence at Meadow Lane accumulating 85 appearances as the Magpies qualified for the play-offs in each of his three seasons at the club. Each attempt failure to secure a return to the Football League, with defeats to Harrogate Town, Torquay United and Grimsby Town respectively.
Dionโs next venture saw him join fellow National League side, Boreham Wood. But following a bright start to the 2022/23 season and having made eight appearances, he unfortunately suffered a long-term injury after breaking his collar bone on the 1st October at home to Maidstone United. This was to see him sit out the majority of the 2022/23 campaign. As a result of this, Dion was released at the beginning of this current season, which made him available for Banbury United to sign ahead of Saturdayโs fixture versus Chorley FC.
Dion is a quick and versatile wide defender, who has had experience in the Football League and National League. He is a perfect option for Mark Jones who needed to quickly source a replacement to fill the void in the right back position after the devastating news of Jack Tompkinsโ injury.
Mark expressed โIโm delighted that Dion has agreed to join us. Dion is a very good player who brings fantastic experience with him, having played in the league for Coventry City and the National League with Notts County and Boreham Wood. He is an all action right back that will fit in with our style.โ
#WeAreUnited | #UTP
Kevin Sinfield carrying his mate Rob Burrow over the finish line at the Rob Burrow Marathon in Leeds today ๐
Their friendship transcending sport ๐
This is an absolute shambles @TheVanaramaNL you need to look yourself in the mirror. We are humans, who have families to look after not a puppet to entertain, What are you possibly thinking? This isnโt ok and will never be ok. Something needs to be done asapโฆ! @PFA
My first big injury in occurred age 30. I was old enough to handle it in a way where the younger me might not have been
In the midst of darkness thereโs always a silver lining. If I never got injured, who knows if this series would existโฆ
Injury chronicles everyone ๐ค๐๐ฟ
"I feel a fraud. I don't bring to the table what I used to."
In this deeply moving clip, @chris_kammy opens up on his battle with the speech disorder apraxia
๐งค ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐!
โ 16 league clean sheets
โ๏ธ 21 total clean sheets for the season
#WeAreTheWood