Tuesday 22nd April 1969 and Banbury United beat Bexley United 2-1 at the Spencer Stadium in a Southern League First Division game. Striker Barry Kelcher scored both of the Banbury goals.

Banbury United: Tony Lines, Jim Cassidy, Bob Haynes, Roger Darvell, Dave Pollard, Pete Svenson, Tony Bradbury, Cliff Tarrant, John Linnell, Barry Kelcher, Roger Smith.

Barry Kelcher was signed in August 1968 from Bedford Town as a replacement for Tony Jacques who had been sold at the end of the previous season to Nuneaton Borough. Barry made 128 appearances for the club and scored 61 goals before leaving the club after two seasons to play for Worcester City.

Barry appears in this squad photo for season 1968/69. And if you are thinking how come Tony Foster is in this photo as he didn’t come to Banbury until season 1969/70 then that is not strictly true as due to then lax registration rules he played in two end of 1968/69 season minor cup games, those being a Smiths Memorial Cup game against Oxford City and an Oxfordshire Professional Cup game against Oxford United. This photo was taken before the Oxford United game.

The players in the 1968/69 squad photo are: Back Row (Left to Right): Roger Darvell, Bob Haynes, Tony Lines, John Linnell, Pat Quartermain, Cliff Tarrant. Front Row (Left to Right): Colin Holder, Tony Bradbury, Jim Lofty, Barry Kelcher, Tony Foster, Jim Cassidy.

That evening of the Bexley game, Jack Jennings tendered his resignation as manager of Banbury United to the Board which was accepted. He had been appointed the club’s manager at the age of 64 to replace Len Goulden back in April 1967, having experience as the trainer at Northampton Town for 18 years. At the time of his appointment he was Assistant Manager and Coach of the England Amateur football team and it was confirmed he would remain in this post whilst manager of Banbury United. A physiotherapist, Jack had also been to three Olympics with the Great Britain team and travelled to Australia with the England cricket team. Season 1967/68 saw Banbury finish 7th in the Southern League First Division though they did win the then rather prestigious Midland Floodlit Cup competition played on a league basis over 18 games. Season 1968/69 had seen Jack miss three months of Banbury’s season when he went to the West Indies as masseur with the England cricket team and he had only just returned to his Banbury United duties the previous week to the Bexley game. At the time of his resignation, United were in mid-table. He cited other commitments and being unable to devote sufficient time to the requirements of being Banbury United manager as being his reasons for resigning.

Banbury appointed on Tuesday 6th May ex Oxford City coach and former Banbury Spencer player Johnny Crichton as their new manager.
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