Despite the valiant efforts of the amazing ground staff at Latimer Park it has been sixty-nine days since our last home game so the Red Army are back on the road again on Saturday this time at the War Memorial Athletic Ground for the Southern League Premier Central fixture against Stourbridge, kick off at 15:00.

The Glassboys, a name that reflects the towns historical association with the crystal glass industry, had a magnificent home win on Saturday beating high flying Real Bedford 2-1 only conceding in the 94^th minute, are beginning to pick up points having only lost twice in their past ten league games. With one win in five, Stourbridge have achieved two draws (1-1 away to Stamford) and two defeats (0-3 versus Harborough Town and 0-1 at home to Redditch United). This leaves The Glassboys, managed by Scott Adey-Linforth, seven places below KTFC in nineteenth place in the relegation zone with twelve points separating the teams with the former having played three games more. In the form league, they reside in sixteenth place with five points from their previous five games. However, they are in nineteenth place in the comparative home standings having achieved seventeen points from fourteen games.

For the Poppies, the two new additions to the squad have not as yet played but will bolster the squad for the visit to the War Memorial Athletic Ground which marks a return to his previous stomping ground for Liam McDonald having spent thirteen months as The Glassboys’ first team manager. This may also be Lewis Coyle’s last game for the Poppies if his loan deal is not extended and he returns to Bedford Town but hopefully Saturday will witness the return of Wes York to the team.

KTFC have recorded some notable away wins and are unbeaten in three games (1-3 away against St Ives; 1-3 away against Needham Market and 0-2 away at Bishop’s Stortford) but have suffered two away defeats (4-1 at Leiston and 4-2 versus Harborough Town) in their past five matches.

Kettering are eighth in the form table taking nine points from a possible fifteen in our past five matches but are seventh in the overall away form table securing twenty-three points from fifteen games. The Club’s recent form leaves the club residing in twelfth place with forty-one points, ten points off the playoff places with three games in hand on current fifth placed Halesowen Town.   

At the top of the table, round thirty-three sees League leaders, Spalding United at home to promotion chasing fourth placed Redditch United, The Bees host Barwell, Real Bedford entertain Leiston in eighth and Halesowen travel to mid table Bishop’s Stortford.

Of the twenty previous encounters against Stourbridge the Poppies have won the majority of games (11) with KTFC recording a stunning 5-0 victory last November at Latimer Park this season. However, the current Stourbridge side is not the one we played then and they will represent a significant challenge to Poppies playoff ambitions. However, let’s get behind Liam and the team on Saturday.

Enjoy the game.

Season        V        Comp           F-A       Att:   Poppies Scorers

1930-31        H        BDL              5-1     1008   Walker, Litchfield, Starsmore.3, Townsend

                     A        BDL              1-2        ~     Starsmore

1969-70        H        FAT2            1-1     2100   Peck

                     A        FAT2R          2-1     3235   Gully, Daldy B

1971-72        H        SLD1N          2-0     1412   Webster, Ashby

                     A        SLD1N          1-1     609    Atkinson

1974-75        H        SLP              0-1     2250

                     A        SLP              4-2     1051   Large, Horsfall, Clayton.2

1975-76        H        SLP              2-0     1256   Goodhall, Wardrop

                     A        SLP              0-0     450

2012-13        H        ESP*            0-1     517

                     A        ESP              0-0     486

2018-19        H        ESLSPC       4-2     701    Meikle, Richens, Holman, Kelly

                     A        ESLSPC       2-1     1734   Solkhon, Knowles

                     H        FAT1Q         2-0     409    Toseland, Hoenes

2023-24        H        PISLPC        2-4     895    Bennett, Lewthwaite

                     A        PISLPC        1-2     699    Andrade

2024-25        H        PISLPC        2-0     1551   Noel-Williams, Hooper

                     A        PISLPC        3-1     912    Noel-Williams, Pennant, Edwards (p)

2025-26        H        PISLPC        5-0     793    Clifton, Williams, Panter, Andoh, Powell

* Played at Corby Town

POPPIES WINS:               11                           GOALS FOR:                     40

GLASSBOYS WINS:         5                             GOALS AGAINST:             19

DRAWS                           4

POPPIES STATS: 

Highest home win:              5-0     2025-26 (PISLPC)     

Highest away win:              3-1     2024-25 (PISLPC)

Highest home defeat:         2-4     2023-24 (PISLPC)

Highest away defeat:         1-2     1930-31 (BDL), 2023-24 (PISLPC)

Highest home attendance: 2250   1974-75 (SLP)

Lowest home attendance:   409    2018-19 (FAT1Q)

Highest away attendance:  3235   1969-70 (FAT2R)

Lowest away attendance:    400   1971-72 (SLDN1)

Most goals in a game for the Poppies v Stourbridge (3)

Jackie Starsmore (1930-31)

Most goals in career Poppies v Stourbridge (4)

Jackie Starsmore

Played for both clubs (17)                                                  

Goalkeepers

Richard Massey, Anthony Robinson, James McPike, Henry Eze, Alastair Worby, Exodus Geohaghon, Will Grocott, Michael McGrath, Ellis Denney, Lathaniel Rowe-Turner, Matthew Barnes-Homer, Marshall Willock, Liam Daly, George Forsyth, Connor Stanley, Aksum White, Kobe Chong.

Managers (1)

Liam McDonald.

Assistant Manager at both clubs (1)

Nick Green

League debuts (9)

Joel Gyasi               05:09:12 (a)

Joe Lamplough        05:09:12 (a)

Tom Knowles          26:01:19 (a)  Scored on debut

Luca Miller              12:08:23 (h)

Tai Williams             12:08:23 (h)

Gary Hooper           22:10:24 (h)  Scored on debut

Sam McLintock        15:02:25 (a)

Kyle Storer              15:02:25 (a)

Eddie Panter          29:11:25 (h) Scored on debut

Kettering players who made their 100^th appearance v Stourbridge (1)

Rhys Sharpe           2023-24 (a)

STOURBRIDGE

Manager                           Scott Adey-Linforth

Ground                             The War Memorial Athletic Ground

Nickname                         The Glassboys

Position in league            19^th – 29pts from 30 games

Top league scorer            6 – Jenson Sumnall

FORM
POPPIES                          LLWWW      9pts

GLASSBOYS                    DLLDW         5pts              Home W4, D5, L5,

The Glassboys so far..