Author: Sonja Francis

THE new housing development currently being built on the old site of Thame United in Windmill Road, Thame, is to be named after two brothers with a Thame connection, who played football for England.

The Corbett brothers, Bertie and Reggie (known as Rex), were sons of Elijah Corbett, who was the vicar of Thame from 1872 to 1893. They both played for England, Bertie in 1901 and Reggie in 1903. The new development will therefore appropriately be called Corbett Way.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CORBETT BROTHERS (Excerpt from www.iffhs.de)

“Bertram Oswald Corbett was born in Thame (Oxon) on May 15, 1875. He attended the Thame Grammar School and Oriel College in Oxford, where he also played football. From 1897 to 1906 he played for Corinthians (London) as well as for Reading FC. The outside left was an extremely fast dribbler. “Bertie” Corbett wrote the Annals of the Corinthians Football Club, which was published in 1906. On March 18, 1901, he played his only full “A” international. He always remained an amateur and was a teacher at Brighton College, and later a headmaster in Dorset. He died on November 30, 1967. His brother Reginald Corbett, who was four years his junior and also played on outside left, attended Malvern College and played for Old Malvernians and Corinthians, two London teams. He was a small but unpredictable winger, quite dangerous in front of goal, and played once for England on March 2, 1903 (2:1 Wales). Like his older brother, he also chose to remain an amateur and was a headmaster. He died on September 2, 1967.”

PHOTO: Bertie Corbett

THIS is the question on everyone’s lips this Monday morning, just one day away from the celebration friendly match between Thame United and Oxford United tomorrow evening (Tuesday, January 18).

The excitement in the town is building as the opportunity for the Thame lub to officially recognise their return to Thame after five years away. Oxford are expected to send a strong squad to the game, with the added spice of a potential Father V Son encounter with Daniel West, son of Thame manager Mark, lining up for the U?s and Mark likely to feature for Thame.

With a large crowd anticipated gates open at Meadow Park View at 6:15pm and kick off is 7:30pm. Cost is

MATCH REPORT (Contributed) – Wootton Bassett Town 0, Thame United 1. UNITED secured their third 1-0 win in succession on Saturday but were very nearly made to pay for their failure to convert possession in to goals as the home side rattled the cross bar in the final few seconds of the game. As it was, Thame held out for a deserved victory and three points that consolidates their position in the league.

Played on a very damp pitch with a strong, gusting wind, it was Thame who grasped the ascendancy early on with Luke Ricketts and Ben Connelly causing problems for the home side down either flank. After the home keeper had done well to push a header from Alex Stewart over the bar after five minutes, United did not have long to wait to take the lead. Ricketts went on a powerful run down the Thame left before delivering a deep cross to Connelly who collected the ball on the right hand edge of the box. Connelly clipped the ball across the six yard box where Stewart, despite the close attention of his marker, was able to volley the ball beyond the keeper and in to the far corner of the net. It was no more than Thame deserved and the only surprise across the remainder of the half was that they were unable to extend the lead, despite some good chances falling to Aaron Rogers and Connor Hayes.

Whilst the second half was a more even affair in terms of possession, Brown and Saulsbury marshalled the defence well and the home side failed to create any real goal scoring opportunities. Indeed, it was United who looked the more dangerous in the final third of the field, mainly through the trickery of Connelly and Ricketts, and both created good chances for Stewart to extend the lead. Stewart, however, found the home keeper in good form as his efforts were to no avail. Nevertheless, as is the way when defending a one goal lead, the final few minutes became very tense as the home side pushed players forward in search of an equaliser. This resulted in their only real chance of the game when a cross from the right was side footed against the underside of the cross bar, dropping on to the Thame goal line before being cleared away. This turned out to be the final action of the game as Thame celebrated another victory and third clean sheet in a row.
Thame United: Barisic, Barr, N Rhodes, Saulsbury, Brown (Way), Cowan, Connelly, Hayes, Rogers (Meredith), Stewart, Ricketts.