Sunday League Spotlight: Plough on the Green
Of all the clubs in Newbury Sunday League, few have had as varied a history as Plough on the Green.
The club has had three identities in the last decade, all of which saw them partner with local pubs.
They first represented The Furze Bush almost ten years ago, finishing last of the lowest division in 2015/16.
They switched pubs in 2018, aligning with The Lamb Inn in South West Newbury where they would remain until this summer.
“I first started with the team when we were The Furze Bush,” said co-manager Paulo De Matos.
“We wanted somewhere a bit more central to Newbury and our pitch at City Playground, so we moved on to The Lamb Inn.
“Towards the end of last season, we wanted somewhere which could support the club in a different way.”
A switch to the Plough on the Green has proved to be beneficial so far.
“We spoke to Kirstie Lane, the manager, and she was really, really open to supporting us and letting us play out of there,” De Matos said.
“They sponsored the kits for us, and it was only right to change the name and re-form as Plough on the Green.
“We’ve got Totem Landscaping as well and James Fidler from JMF Painting Services. Those guys were really helpful when it came to funding everything.
“We’ve invested a lot in equipment, tracksuits and training gear.”
“It does feel like home,” added co-manager Jason Holmes.
“The regulars ask about the games, some come down and watch.
“We’ve got support, it’s good for the lads.”
De Matos and club captain Holmes took over from Jonny Salway as co-managers last season and have taken the chance to do things differently, overseeing a squad overhaul.
“We’ve got some players who have been around Newbury Sunday League for almost fifteen years now,” De Matos said.
“But we felt like we needed some new blood.
“So we actually brought in eleven or twelve new players during pre-season.
“They were all late-teens, early-20s, and some of them had never played football for a team before!
“We got an injection of energy, it was much needed.”
Holmes has been similarly pleased with the progress.
“It’s good having some fresh faces in,” he said.
“We’re enjoying the challenge of putting the puzzle together.
“It’s got its pros and cons.
“Obviously the teams that have been together a bit longer have that cohesion already.
“You can see it when they play, it’s a different game!
“But I’m happy with where we are.”
With the league now up to nine member clubs, there is optimism that growth will continue into the new year.
“All of the managers who were left in the league got together, and we realised that if we wanted to keep the league going then we’d have to do something ourselves,” De Matos explained.
“We ran trials, posters, social media… it was good to see all the teams working together to move it forward.”
“In the new year the league will have some more open training sessions,” Holmes added.
“I think there’s more lads out there looking to get into it.”
2025 will see cup competitions take centre stage, with the Vic French Cup and Lambourn Cup both switching to new formats involving initial league phases.
“Our aim is to get to a cup final, De Matos said.
“We’re rebuilding the team, and it’s going to take some time for everything to gel together.
“The results will become more consistent with time.
“We want to finish the second half of the season quite strongly and make a final.”
“Everyone’s starting to pick up the pace a bit,” added Holmes.
“But I think we’ll hold our own against most teams.
“It’s becoming a lot more competitive and it’s good for the league.”
