PROGRAMME NOTES WELLINGBOROUGH TOWN FA CUP 8th SEPTEMBER 2026

 

What have the Supporters Trust ever done for us?

What Have the Supporters Trust ever done for us?

          The Toilet renovations?…

What?

          The Toilet renovations? Remember the Trust donated £2500, which has been spent renovating the toilets inside the ground…

Oh yeah, That’s true, they did do that…

          The covered terracing?

                    Yes - they raised £25,000 which paid for the extended covered terracing at the Tin Hat end. Remember what it was like before that!

Alright! I’ll grant you that the the toilet renovations and the terracing are two things the Trust has done…

          Helped save the club from extinction on several occcasions?…

Well yeah, obviously saving the club goes without saying doesn’t it - Mark English, Imraan, CVA, blah blah blah - But apart from the toilet renovations, the terracing and saving the club from oblivion - what have the Supporter’s Trust ever done for us?

The huge memorabilia collection?

          The Defibrillators? (2 funded so far, and a 3rd which will also be accessible to the local community on the way)

                    The Free water? (Nearly 500 bottles of free water handed out during the heatwave match against Bradford PA)

Yeah, Yeah, alright, fair enough….

The french drain? (Money donated to help with pitch drainage)

          Supporter representation? The Trust has maintained a constant a                      dialogue with club owners over the years, to ensure supporters views             are heard - and   they have had a seat on the board in the past, and                            seek to do so again going forward..

Well yes - direct dialogue with club owners is certainly valuable, and difficult to maintain….

Easter Egg handouts for the kids?

          Organised the Christmas party?

                    The Food bank collections?

                              The Golf day? - don’t forget about the golf day…

All right, all right!…  But apart from he toilet renovations, the terracing, saving the club from oblivion, the defibrillators, the memorabilia collection, the free water, the french drain, Supporter representation, the Easter Egg handouts, the Christmas party, the food bank collections and the golf day, What have the Supporters Trust ever done for us?….

The money they’re raising for the stair lift in the clubhouse?…

Oh shut up!

 

The Supporters Trust is run by Supporters, for the benefit of Supporters. The more members we have, the stronger our voice. Please consider joining the Trust today. You can do so by following the link in the QR code, or by dropping into the club house on match days. Membership is £10 for adults, £100 for Life Membership, and free for Junior Members (Under 18s).

All our members can also stand to be on the Trust board. Our board is currently quite a small band of dedicated Supporters who carry out all the work of the Trust. We are always looking for new board members to help drive the Trust forward - so if you have some spare time and energy you could put into our work, please email us at ktfc_trust@hotmail.com

Thanks as always for your continued support.

PROGRAMME NOTES STAMFORD 31st AUGUST 2026

 

THE TRUST NEEDS YOU!

 

Welcome to the 3rd home game of the season, with the Poppies still unbeaten at time of writing! Hopefully the result at Hitchin on Saturday went our way, and we can push for another 3 points today.

 

As the title of our piece today says - THE TRUST NEEDS YOU.

 

The more members the Trust has, the stronger our voice can be. Traditionally we have had more members in times of crisis, but we would love to be a force to be reckoned with at all times. The voice of Supporters in football is vital if we are to make sure that those who run our clubs always act in the best interests of Supporters, as well as their own interests in running a successful business.

 

What do you get if you join the Trust? Well, you get a say in what the Trust does, and to play a part in the collective voice of Supporters. All Trust members get entered into a draw at the end of the season to win one of the 2 shirts we are sponsoring this year, which will be signed by the players. This season we are sponsoring Paul White’s home shirt, and Shaun Jeffers’ away shirt. Trust members also benefit from discounts at several local businesses, a list of which can be found on our website.

 

The TRUST BOARD ALSO NEEDS YOU! The Trust board is made up of elected and co-opted Trust members, who deal with the running of the Trust. This involves regular meetings, both in person and online, to deal with any issues that need to be addressed; Meeting with the club owners to raise issues and see how we can help the club; arranging fundraising and events such as the Christmas party, and memorabilia events; curating the ever growing memorabilia collection; managing Trust memberships and much more.

The board is currently quite small, and we would love to add more board members who have a little time and energy spare to help push the Trust forward. Again - the more Trust board members we have, the more we can spread the work involved and the more effective we can be overall. If you are a Trust member, and would like to become involved with the Trust board, then please email us at ktfc_trust@hotmail.com, as we would welcome all offers of help. If you would like to become a member of the board, but you are not a Trust member, then simply join the Trust via the QR code link, or pop into the clubhouse on a match day and visit the programmes / Klondike table to pick up a membership form - and then email us as above.

 

Thanks as always for your continued support

 

The Poppies Trust Board

 

 

 

Email: ktfc_trust@hotmail.com

Facebook: Kettering Town 'Poppies' Supporters Trust

Twitter: @poppiestrust

 

Trust Board Members:  Karen Lewis (Chair), Mark Severn (Treasurer), Richard Atkinson (Vice Chairman), Bill Pringle, Martin Bellamy, Dave Tailby, Ed Palmer, Billy Welland, Mark Hope

Programme Notes Peterborough Sports 22nd August 2026

Welcome to what we hope will be the continuation of a great start to the season for both the 1st team, and for the Trust. Two wins and a draw is a fine start to the season, and another 3 points today against a tough Peterborough Sports side would be fantastic.

 

The Trust have also made a great start - with no less than 3 projects receiving funding.

 

The toilet renovations are well under way, meaning our £2,500 donation is finally making a difference for Supporters. The Male toilet facilities at the Morrisons end are now almost complete - as can be seen in the "Before" and "Current State of Play" photos. There are a few bits still to sort, and then we will be getting to work renovating the female facilities. We hope to have the work completed as soon as possible, and we will keep you updated. A big thank you to Workforce Bathrooms and Tiling for undertaking the renovations, and to our grounds volunteers Mike Thurland and Rick Shatford for helping with the painting work.

 

The Trust have also donated money to pay for the new PA system at Latimer Park. Any supporters who have stood behind the goals for matches will know the limitations of the old system. The new system now provides better coverage around the ground - and can also be zoned to make specific safety announcements to different areas of the ground. A PA system is mandatory in football stadia for safety purposes, and the Trust are delighted to have made sure that Latimer Park is properly equipped.

 

Thirdly, the Trust have paid for replacement pads for the defibrillator inside the ground - and are further looking to provide funding for a new defibrillator to be placed outside the clubhouse - which will be accessible to both the club, and the wider community. Further details once the project is funded and complete.

 

Trust Membership for new members and those wishing to renew their membership is going well so far - but more members would be more than welcome. Fees remain at £10 for an adult yearly membership, £100 for a life membership, and Junior members (under 18s) remain free. Membership forms are available from the Trust table in the clubhouse on match days, or online via our website. Simply scan the QR code on this page, which will take you to the membership page on our website.

We are looking to put all monies raised from this season’s memberships towards a stair lift for the club house. This will give more people access to the hospitality area upstairs - which is not only used on match days, but also for events all year round.

 

Trust members will be entered into a draw at the end of the season to win one of the 2 shirts we are sponsoring this year - Paul White’s home shirt, and Shaun Jeffers’ away shirt.

 

 

Thanks as always for your continued support

 

The Poppies Trust Board

 

 

 

Email: ktfc_trust@hotmail.com

Facebook: Kettering Town 'Poppies' Supporters Trust

Twitter: @poppiestrust

 

Trust Board Members:  Karen Lewis (Chair), Mark Severn (Treasurer), Richard Atkinson (Vice Chairman), Bill Pringle, Martin Bellamy, Dave Tailby, Ed Palmer, Billy Welland, Mark Hope

PROGRAMME NOTES ALVECHURCH 8th AUGUST 2026

 Welcome to the start of another season for the Poppies, and for the Supporters Trust. Let’s hope we can put the disappointment of losing in the play-offs last time out behind us, and push for promotion this season, with maybe the bonus of an FA cup or FA trophy run too.

 

The Trust have been busy over the last year, raising funds, supporting projects to benefit supporters, and representing supporters interests with the football club. Two cash prize draws, and a Christmas raffle have raised significant funds for the Trust, plus we’ve organised a children’s Christmas party; funded new pads for the defibrillator in the ground, and helped organise the Poppies Golf Day, alongside holding several meetings with George to discuss all things Kettering Town.

 

Our largest donation was the £2500 to fund renovations to the toilets in the clubhouse at Latimer Park. As many of you will know, this project met with several delays, meaning the money had yet to be spent. Current plans with the clubhouse mean that the toilet configuration may need to be changed, so the renovations were put on hold. With no clear timeline for this, it was agreed between the Trust and George that the money would be re-allocated to renovate the toilets inside the ground instead, and that the easiest way for this to happen would be for George to return the £2500 to the Trust, and for the Trust to project manage and pay for the work ourselves. We can confirm that the money has been returned, and that preliminary work has begun on the toilets. We hope to have the work completed as soon as possible, and will publish an update at the earliest opportunity. Our heartfelt thanks again to all of those who helped us raise these funds, and rest assured the money will be spent on improving the matchday experience for our supporters.

 

Trust Membership is now open for the season, both for new members and those wishing to renew their membership. Fees remain at £10 for an adult yearly membership, £100 for a life membership, and Junior members (under 18s) remain free. Membership forms are available from the Trust table in the clubhouse on match days, or online via our website. Simply scan the QR code on this page, which will take you the membership page on our website.

We are looking to put all monies raised from this season’s memberships towards a stair lift for the club house. This will give more people access to the hospitality area upstairs - which is not only used on match days, but also for events all year round.

 

Trust members can also benefit from 10% discount at several local businesses, and all members will be entered into a draw at the end of the season to win one of the 2 shirts we will be sponsoring this year - 1 home, and 1 away.

 

Plans are currently under wsy for a memorabilia day at Latimer Park, which will hopefully include a display of some of the Trust’s extensive memorabilia collection, alongside some short talks on the club’s history, a programme sale, and memorabilia auction. Keep your eyes on our social media for details.

 

Thanks as always for your continued support

 

The Poppies Trust Board

 

 

 

Email: ktfc_trust@hotmail.com

Facebook: Kettering Town 'Poppies' Supporters Trust

Twitter: @poppiestrust

 

Trust Board Members:  Karen Lewis (Chair), Mark Severn (Treasurer), Richard Atkinson (Vice Chairman), Bill Pringle, Martin Bellamy, Dave Tailby, Ed Palmer, Billy Welland, Mark Hope

TRUST PROGRAMME NOTES REDDITCH UTD 7th FEB 2026

 

Dear Supporter

The Trust is 33 years old - 34 later this year.  It is a testament to all those previous members/members of the committee/current members etc that it continues to survive.  There is a important distinction between a supporters club and a supporters trust - Trusts are independent organisations and were generally born out of trouble and strife occurring at their Club.  The Poppies Trust was the second one to be formed behind the Cobblers Trust.  Brian Lomax, Cobblers fan, came up with the idea of Supporters Trusts when Cobblers were in serious financial trouble and their owner put them into administration.  The administrators came into the Club, appointed a new Board and this included two members of the recently formed Cobblers Trust.  Wrexham were Trust run until their famous owners came along.  Currently, Exeter City is a Trust/fan run Club.  Swansea, Reading and Blackpool have active Trusts influencing club direction.

When Mark English came to the Club back in the very early 90s, it soon became clear that he did not have the Club's best interests at heart.  Brian Lomax and Phil Frost from the Cobblers Trust came over to Kettering to offer us support and advice and the Poppies Trust was born - only the second one in the country at the time.  Of course, the Club went into administration, and the Trust, along with the administrators, kept the Club alive in that interim period (also a massive thanks to the judge who ruled in our favour and did not shut us down) until Peter Mallinger came along.

Fundamentally, fans recognised the need for an independent, democratic and not for profit organisation to provide a voice for the supporters and protect the interests of the fans whilst also being supportive of the best interests of the Club.  This has been our core motivation and something we believe we have successfully and effectively carried out all these years!

The Trust is bound by its constitution and its aims and objectives:

❖     To strengthen the bonds between Kettering Town Football Club and the community and to represent the interests of the community in the running of the Club

❖     To encourage the Club to take proper account of the interests of its supporters and of the community it serves in its decisions

❖     To encourage and promote the principle of supporter representation on the Board of the Club and ultimately to be the vehicle for democratic elections to the Board

❖     To raise money and donate in such a way to promote the aims and objectives of the Trust and to the benefit of the local community and the supporters of the Club.

❖     To benefit present and future members of the community served by the Club by promoting, encouraging and furthering the game of football as a recreational facility, sporting activity and focus for community involvement.

❖     To maximise the potential, future success and stability of Kettering Town Football Club

Look out for lots of "did you knows" in the coming weeks.

As for today, let's hope the game is on.  We have not played at home since the week before Christmas!  This has a massive impact on the finances of the Club.  As well has getting 3 points, getting some finance into the Club's coffers is a priority.

Supporters Trust

KETTERING TOWN FOOTBALL CLUB – PART OF OUR COMMUNITY!

ktfctrust30.blogspot.com

enquiries@poppiestrust.co.uk

Facebook: Kettering Town 'Poppies' Supporters Trust;

Twitter: @poppiestrust

Trust Board Members:  Karen Spencer-Lewis (Chair), Mark Severn (Treasurer),

Richard Atkinson (Vice Chairman), Bill Pringle, Martin Bellamy, Dave Tailby, Ed Palmer, Billy Welland,

Chris Bright, Lee Wright and Mark Hope

PROGRAMME NOTES STRATFORD TOWN 3rd JANUARY

 

Dear Supporter

Happy New Year to everyone.  We hope you had a peaceful Christmas spent with loved ones.  This is the time of year that we tend to reflect on the year just passed particularly remembering those we have lost.  We have lost some Poppies fans during 2025 - our condolences go to their friends and families.

From a footballing perspective, the yearly stats for 2025 make for decidedly mixed reading.  If 2024 was the year of winning runs, topping of tables and the unforgettable FA Cup success at Sixfields, 2025 was always going to struggle to match-up but that's sport for you and despite the loss in the play-off final, we would all have taken that over the previous season of fighting off relegation (maybe!).

But 2025 hasn't been all bad.  We seem to have hit upon a Manager who, given time, might well fashion a team worth watching for pleasure rather than out of habit!  So far, we've pretty much held on to a lot of our support.  Our facilities on and off the pitch have continued to slowly develop.  The Club 1872 facility must be the best Hospitality offering at this level so please pay it a visit on a match day.  It will be worth every penny!

And we've still got half a season to go.  Who's to say we can't be that team to have THAT run?  The team that has a storming second half to the season and bursts into the play-offs high on form and confidence.  Why can't it be our turn?  We are sure that Liam and the players will give it a damn good go.

So what has the Trust done in the last year we hear you ask?!

• Donated £2.5k to help with the onoing improvements to the Clubhouse toilets

• Had the Summer Cash draw (formerly known as the 300 Club)

• Organised and ran the golf day on behalf of the Club

• Organised 2 foodbank collections - many thanks to all those who donated

• Run the highly successful monthly Sunday bingo sessions at the Club which started up again in September

• Organised the collection of presents and arranged the Christmas visit by the players to the children's ward at KGH - again, many thanks to all those who donated

• Ran the Christmas raffle which raised a fantastic amount.  Thank you to everyone who donated prizes and bought tickets.  It is really appreciated.

• And finally, organised the Kids Christmas Party which was enjoyed by all those junior Poppies fans!

A big shout out to Martin Bellamy and Billy Welland (both Trust Board members) who are the lynchpins of the fund-raising arm of the Trust.  They have done a brilliant job this last year.  Thanks to the rest of the Trust Board for lending their support with the above initiatives - we are all volunteers but do what we do with the Club at heart.

Finally, thanks to all Poppies supporters for supporting all these initiatives.  Have a great 2026!

Supporters Trust

KETTERING TOWN FOOTBALL CLUB – PART OF OUR COMMUNITY!

ktfctrust30.blogspot.com

enquiries@poppiestrust.co.uk

Facebook: Kettering Town 'Poppies' Supporters Trust;

Twitter: @poppiestrust

Trust Board Members:  Karen Spencer-Lewis (Chair), Mark Severn (Treasurer),

Richard Atkinson (Vice Chairman), Bill Pringle, Martin Bellamy, Dave Tailby, Ed Palmer, Billy Welland,

Chris Bright, Lee Wright and Mark Hope

PROGRAMME NOTES STAMFORD 23rd SEPTEMBER 2025

 

Dear Supporter

We welcome Stamford to Latimer Park tonight who find themselves, unusually, at the bottom end of the table.  Long way to go yet and we should take nothing for granted but three points please Poppies!

Over the last couple of programme notes we have talked about Trust membership and the discounts we are offering.  We have also discussed why you might consider joining the Trust.  A lot of the “older” fans will know the history of the Trust and what we have achieved for the Club over the years.  Newer fans to the Club may not be so au fait with us, our history and what we are looking to achieve.  Ideally, a voice for the fans within in the Club which is one of our aims and objectives:

·       To strengthen the bonds between Kettering Town Football Club and the community and to represent the interests of the community in the running of the Club

·       To encourage the Club to take proper account of the interests of its supporters and of the community it serves in its decisions

·       To encourage and promote the principle of supporter representation on the Board of the Club and ultimately to be the vehicle for democratic elections to the Board

·       To raise money and donate in such a way to promote the aims and objectives of the Trust and to the benefit of the local community and the supporters of the Club.

·       To benefit present and future members of the community served by the Club by promoting, encouraging and furthering the game of football as a recreational facility, sporting activity and focus for community involvement.

·       To maximise the potential, future success and stability of Kettering Town Football Club.

We are currently talking to George about point 3 – he has offered us a possible place on the Club’s management committee and we are pursuing this with him.  Watch this space.

So, who are the Trust Board members we hear you ask?!  You can find a list of names below but let’s take a look at the individuals:

Richard Atkinson is our vice-chairman.  He first started watching the Poppies in 1989, when he joined the thousands heading to Selhurst Park to watch Kettering Town take on Charlton Athletic in the 4^th round of the FA Cup.  Favourite moments over the years (not all losses for the Poppies!) include Blackburn Rovers in 1992, the 2-1 win against Diamonds at Nene Park in 1999, and the 2-1 win over Notts County at Rockingham Road in 2008.  Outside of football, Richard works as a professional musician, often to be found touring the country as Musical Director of musicals including Hairspray, Shrek and Priscilla Queen of the Desert.  Who knew we had such a talented person amongst the Trust Board!

 

Supporters Trust

KETTERING TOWN FOOTBALL CLUB – PART OF OUR COMMUNITY!

ktfctrust30.blogspot.com

enquiries@poppiestrust.co.uk

Facebook: Kettering Town 'Poppies' Supporters Trust;

Twitter: @poppiestrust

Trust Board Members:  Karen Spencer-Lewis (Chair), Mark Severn (Treasurer),

Richard Atkinson (Vice Chairman), Bill Pringle, Martin Bellamy, Dave Tailby, Ed Palmer, Billy Welland,

Chris Bright, Lee Wright and Mark Hope