Get the lowdown on the U’s next opponents: Maidenhead United

The Opposition

The U’s make the short trip to Berkshire this weekend where they will take on relegation battlers Maidenhead United, who will be looking to return to winning ways in their attempt to jump out of the drop zone.

Established in 1870, the Magpies have spent their entire history in non-league but have remained in the top two divisions since 2007. Under the stewardship of Alan Devonshire, the Berkshire-based outfit have established themselves as perennials at maintaining their National League status, and are into their seventh year in the top division since returning to the fifth tier in 2017.

A 14th place finish in 2023/24 saw them once again retain their place in the National League, although they would finish just six points above Boreham Wood, who took the final position in the bottom four on the last day of the season.

Fast forward to now, and the Magpies once again find themselves battling against the drop, although a positive run of form at the start of the year saw Devonshire’s men close the gap on 20th place. Despite this, Maidenhead have since dropped back into the bottom four with a four-game winless run that included three successive defeats, although a thrilling 3-3 draw with relegation rivals Braintree Town last time out saw them fight back from 2-0 down. This will have injected spirit into a Magpies side who will be looking to leapfrog Wealdstone going into the business end of the 2024/25 campaign, and ensure their stint in the fifth tier stretches to eight seasons.

Recent Form

Maidenhead United 3-3 Braintree Town

Forest Green Rovers 2-0 Maidenhead United

Maidenhead United 1-3 York City

Maidenhead United 0-2 Yeovil Town

Oldham Athletic 0-1 Maidenhead United

Hartlepool United 0-0 Maidenhead United

The Manager

Alan Devonshire

Veteran manager Alan Devonshire is a highly-rated manager throughout non-league, and is now approaching ten years in the Maidenhead United dugout in his second spell at the club.

The former midfielder had made a name for himself as a player with West Ham United, making more than 350 appearances for the Hammers between the 1970s and 1990s before hanging up his boots in 1992 following a brief stint at Watford.

He would later make the transition into coaching with spells at Osterley and Brentford Women, before commencing his first stint at York Road when he joined Maidenhead as manager in 1996. Under Devonshire’s reign, the Magpies ended a 27-year trophy drought by winning the Isthmian League Full Members Cup in 1996/97 and earned a historic promotion to the Isthmian League Premier Division after a third-place finish three years later. Devonshire also guided the club to four Berks & Bucks Senior Cups over the span of just five years, going back-to-back twice, and his feats at York Road saw him into the Maidenhead United Hall of Fame in January 2010.

After seven extremely successful years in Berkshire, Devonshire opted to follow Chairman Roger Coombs out the door in 2003, and later took over at Hampton & Richmond Borough. Another successful stint saw him guide the club from the Isthmian League Division One South to the Conference South over four years, and competed for promotion to the Conference National in their debut season in the sixth tier, before another four-year spell at Braintree Town saw him cement the Iron’s place in the Conference National having joined after their promotion to the fifth tier.

Devonshire would return to York Road in 2015 though, and continued where he left off in Berkshire with a draw against League Two side Port Vale on his return, forcing a replay in the FA Cup First Round. The Magpies would go on to win the National League South title in 2017 with Devonshire being named the division’s Manager of the Season, as well as winning another Berks & Bucks Senior Cup.

The 68-year old has subsequently kept the Magpies in the National League ever since, and made his 800th appearances in sole charge of Maidenhead back in August.

One to Watch

Tristan Abrahams

Maidenhead’s most prolific player this season, Tristan Abrahams has been a bright spark for the Magpies amidst a team who have overall struggled in front of goal so far this season.

Born in Lewisham, Abrahams began his career in the Leyton Orient academy and signed his first professional contract at the end of 2016, before briefly gaining experience on loan at Cambridge City. Upon his return to Brisbane Road in January 2017, the forward made his EFL debut for the O’s as a second half substitute and scored his first goal three months later in a 2-2 draw with Luton Town, before netting his second in as many games just three days later; the winner in a 2-1 victory over Hartlepool United.

His single season in Orient’s First Team saw him catch the eye of Championship clubs and he made the switch to Norwich City ahead of the 2017/18 season, although he briefly returned to East London on loan at the start of the season. He subsequently enjoyed spells on loan at Exeter City and Yeovil Town and departed Carrow Road after two years in 2019, remaining in the South-West permanently with a move to Wales as Newport County announced his arrival ahead of the 2019/20 season.

He enjoyed a positive stint at Rodney Parade, being selected as the club’s Young Player of the Year at the end of his first season, and departed the club after two years with 56 appearances to his name, with his exit preceding a brief third stint at Leyton Orient on loan.

A move up north to Carlisle United was then followed by a spell at Grimsby Town which saw him contribute to the Mariners promotion to League Two via the play-offs, and he remained in the National League permanently when he joined Eastleigh the following summer. This stint lasted just six months though, as he returned to the fourth tier on transfer deadline day at the end of the winter window with a loan move to Gillingham, where he made 12 appearances.

Abrahams them dropped down two divisions to join National League South side Welling United, scoring seven goals in 18 appearances in the sixth tier and subsequently earned a move back to step one of non-league football when he joined Maidenhead in February 2024.

He has since helped the Magpies retain their fifth tier status, contributing three goals in 11 appearances last season, before an improved return of ten goals in 32 appearances this term which has helped Alan Devonshire’s side battle strongly against relegation once again.

Last Time We Met

Finley Barbrook’s first goal for Sutton United was enough to seal victory over Maidenhead United, ending a run of five games without a win at home.

The U’s enjoyed most of the chances on goal throughout the first half and opened the scoring through Barbrook after a wonderful team move saw Jeremy Sivi breeze past Owen Cochrane and pick out Will Davies in the box, who took a touch before teeing up the Ipswich Town loanee on the edge of the box who stroked a superb strike into the bottom corner.

While chances would be few and far in the second half, Steve Morison’s remained incredibly firm with Jack Sims barely having a save to make, securing a crucial three points at home.

Rewatch the victory here.

Head-to-Head

Sutton United 1-0 Maidenhead United (16/11/2024)

Maidenhead United 0-3 Sutton United (15/05/2021)

Sutton United 3-0 Maidenhead United (03/10/2020)

Sutton United 0-3 Maidenhead United (31/08/2019)

Maidenhead United 1-0 Sutton United (09/03/2019)

Sutton United 0-1 Maidenhead United (24/11/2018)

Played for Both

Josh Coley

Fans’ favourite Josh Coley has been a revelation since arriving at Gander Green Lane in 2023, having previously spent time at Maidenhead in 2020/21.

Born in Stevenage, Coley largely turned out for a handful of non-league clubs around Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire at the start of his career after his departure from York City’s academy, with spells at Arlesey Town Reserves, Letchworth Garden City Eagles, Hitchin Town, Histon, Langford and Baldock Town. His time at the latter was perhaps the most productive, notching 21 goals and earning a move to Championship club Norwich City, where he spent two years.

A loan spell at Scottish side Dunfermline Athletic then preceded a permanent return to Bedfordshire when he joined Stotfold in 2020, but this was followed by his first taste of regular professional football when he joined Maidenhead ahead of the 2020/21 campaign.

Coley racked up 37 appearances for the Berkshire-based outfit, scoring five times as the Magpies secured a 13th place finish, and he subsequently jumped up another division with a move to League Two side Exeter City. His time in Devon, combined with a loan stint at Harrogate Town, saw him rack up 38 EFL appearances in both League One and League Two, appearing briefly in the former after helping the Grecians win automatic promotion to the third tier in his first season, before returning to the fourth tier permanently with a move to Sutton ahead of the 2023/24 campaign,

While a difficult season overall for the U’s, Coley contributed two goals and six assists in 39 appearances as the club were relegated, but remained in South London during the current campaign, and has so far racked up 80 competitive appearances in all competitions.

Photo Credit: Paul Loughlin