As 2025 fades away, the winter weather arrives and the early aspirations of a title win evaporates as fast as our new year resolutions, the dawn of 2026 brings renewed optimism for KTFC supporters. Happy New Year Poppies Fans as we welcome Stratford Town to Latimer Park for the first game of 2026 kick off 15:00.

The Bards, fresh from their 2-1 home win last Saturday against Alvechurch are in fantastic form having finished 2025 with five wins out of five (2-1 Alvechurch; 6-1 vs. St Ives; 1-2 away at Bromsgrove Sporting; 1-2 away at Bury Town and 2-1 at home against Leiston). Stratford have scored fourteen and conceded only five goals in their last five games. However, they have lost three and drawn two in their previous five. The Bards outstanding run of form sees them residing in eighth place in the Southern Premier with thirty-five points, only four points adrift of the playoff places with two games in hand on fifth placed Redditch United.

In terms of the form table, Stratford are the leaders taking a maximum fifteen points from five games. However, this is in contrast to their away form, where the Bards are in eleventh overall with fourteen points achieved from eleven games.

As for the Poppies, the result at Bowden Park last Saturday was not what we wanted or deserved. Defensive frailties in a match, which often resembled a basketball game, ultimately cost us. However, the manner of the performance against a well organised and potentially competitive champions elect Bees side showed us a glimpse as to what Liam and his backroom staff have planned this year.

With fourteen goals scored in the last five games, the Poppies are still on a good run with only one loss in our last five following our 4-2 defeat against the Bees, two draws (3-3 at home to Bury Town and away at Halesowen 1-1) together with two wins (3-0 Royston Town and 5-0 at home vs. Stourbridge). With twenty-three games played, KTFC are in eleventh place, seven points from the play-off places with a game in hand on Redditch although Real Bedford in seventh have three games in hand on the Poppies.

Form-wise, the Poppies are now in sixth place with eight points from our last five games and tenth place in the home form table with eighteen points from their last eleven home games.

When it comes to promotion hopefuls, the new years fixtures provide a feast for supporters with a full league schedule of local derby’s. League leaders Spalding United entertain Barwell, Harborough Town travel to Banbury United, third placed Quorn travel to bottom team Stamford, Redditch United host Worcester City and fourth placed Needham Market are at home to Sudbury.

The games between the two sides have always been close affairs, with six wins apiece overall and two draws last season. However, Stratford are in a rich vein of form and are eagerly eyeing a playoff place. It is these types of games that Kettering Town should be looking to win, especially at home if we aspire to be challenging come April. The Club needs you at the game this Saturday as your support and passion drives the team forward. With a trip to the east coast on January 10th against Leiston and then a home game versus Alvechurch, marking the 50th anniversary for our shirt sponsorship deal, its already looking like a great start to 2026.

Enjoy the game.

COYP!

                                                      STRATFORD TOWN            

Season        V        Comp           F-A     Att:    Poppies Scorers

2015-16        H        ESP             3-1     467     Popa, Weir-Daley, Carvalho (p)

                     A        ESP             1-2     418     Mulligan

                     A        RIC1             3-3*    132     Sandy, Baker-Richardson, Kinniburgh

2016-17        H        ESP              0-3     430

                     A        ESP              1-4     309     Baker

2017-18        H        ESP              2-0     508     Stevens, Howe

                     A        ESP              4-0     248     Solkhon (p), Richens, Stevens, O’Connor

2018-19        H        ESLSCP       5-1     660     Hoenes.2, Solkhon, O’Connor, Stanley

                     A        ESLSCP       3-1     396     Milnes, Stohrer, Kelly-Evans

                     A        CSSCC4       3-3+   116     Hoenes, Graham.2

2023-24        H        PISLPC        1-0     612     Jarvis

                     A        PISLPC        0-2     983

2024-25        H        PISLPC        1-1     912     York

                     A        PISLPC        3-3    1664    Stohrer, White, Powell.C

* lost 4-5 on penalties

+ lost 1-4 on penalties

POPPIES WINS:     6                                       GOALS FOR:                     30

BARDS WINS:        6                                        GOALS AGAINST:              24      

DRAWS                  2

Most goals in a game for the Poppies v Stratford Town (2)

Luke Graham, Rhys Hoenes (2018-19)

Most goals in career Poppies v Stratford Town (3)

Rhys Hoenes

Played for both clubs (23)

Will Grocott, Ben Stephens, Justin Marsden, Nabil Shariff, Lewis Wilson, Wilson Carvalho, Ross Oulton, Joel Gyasi, Michael McGrath, Mo Sebbeh, Joe Curtis, Rhys Sharpe, Kyle Perry, Liam Hughes, Harry Reilly, Andre Wright, Liam Daley, Kieron Dawes, Sidik Atcha, Harry Reilly, Aksum White, Kai Williams, Lamine Sherif.

Managers (1)

Carl Adams.

Managed both clubs (1)

Thomas Baillie.

League debuts (7)

Liam Canavan         05:08:15 (a)

Kaid Mohamed        27:08:16 (h)

Ethan Lee               15:04:17 (a)

Kalern Thomas        09:12:17 (h)

Ibby Akanbi             09:12:17 (h)

Matthew Foy           01:09:18 (a)

Arlo Doherty            09:03:24 (h) GK

Club debuts (3)

Rafael Garcia          27:10:15 (a) RIC1

Bleu McNeill            27:10:15 (a) RIC1

Arjan Hundal           08:01:19 (a) CSSCCQF

Kettering Town players sent off v Stratford Town (1)

Dion Kelly-Evans     2018-19 (a)

Stratford Town players sent-off v Kettering Town (1)

Finley Brennan        2024-25 (a)

Poppies players who have scored against Kettering Town (3)

Wilson Carvalho, Will Grocott, Nabil Shariff

STRATFORD TOWN

Manager                           Paul Davis

Ground                             Arden Garages Stadium

Nickname                         The Bards

Position in League           8^th – 35pts from 22 games

Top League scorer           8 – Dan Laffery & Owen James

THE BARDS SO FAR….

FORM LAST 5

POPPIES                WDDW L      8pts

BARDS                   WWWW W   15pts