The first two photos are from United’s home pre-season friendly against Kettering Town. The first shows Tony Jacques getting a cross into the centre despite the close attentions of Ron Atkinson, the future manager of a number of top Football League clubs including Manchester United, West Bromwich Albion and Aston Villa.

At this time Ron was player-manager at Kettering and they were about to embark on a Southern League Premier Division campaign, following their Division 1 Championship success the previous season. Ironically Tony Jacques had played a large part in Kettering’s success the previous season but had been allowed to leave the Poppies to return to Banbury. A local newspaper report on the game included the comment “Kettering were particularly ineffective up front and Atkinson must be kicking himself for letting Jacques return to Banbury, especially at such a bargain basement price of £250!” Jacques put Banbury in front after just 120 seconds though the game finished 1-1 with Colin Harrington equalising early in the second half.

The second photo from this game also features Atkinson, this time pulling back current Banbury United Chairman Phil Lines!
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Banbury also played Derby County’s Central League side at the Spencer Stadium that pre-season. Included in Derby’s side was former Welsh international and captain Terry Hennessey as well as Roger Davies, Brian Clough’s £15,000 purchase from non-league Worcester City, who would go on to make 136 first team appearances for the Rams, scoring 34 goals. United lost 1-0. The photo below shows Jacques volleying a shot just wide of the Derby goal with Phil Lines looking on behind.
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The next two photos are from a pre-season training session over at North Newington. The first shows manager Brian Stone, Tony Jacques and Tony Foster leading the United squad on a run around the field. The second sees Tony Foster leapfrogging over a teammate during the session.
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The leapfrogging part of the training session would seemingly pay off for Tony Foster as United would take on Northampton Town’s Combination side at the Spencer Stadium that pre-season and despite his diminutive size he would rise above the Cobblers defence to head home a cross from Eamonn Kearns after 39 minutes (see photo below). United would lead 2-0 at half time with Phil Lines scoring two minutes before the interval though the visitors would score three in the second half to win 3-2.
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