| Mike Rodger and his team (Rodgers Rovers) put up a worthy fight to try and win a charity football match against AFC Newbury Chairman’s 11. Despite a penalty miss by AFC Newbury Chairman, Steve Hartley, AFC Newbury beat the Mayor’s team 3-2.
Rodger’s Rovers included the Mayor of Newbury, Mike Rodger, Newbury Town Councillors, Officers and star players from the youth clubs that they were raising money to purchase new football kits for.
Teams from four West Berkshire Youth Clubs (Newbury, Thatcham, Downlands and the Eastern side of the district) are in need of kits to take part in a five-a-side competition and Mayor Rodger agreed to help raise the much needed cash. The football match on Sunday, 17th October was arranged prior to receiving sponsorship from Vodafone and Newbury Town Council and the teams can now go ahead with their purchases.
At the end of the game, Cllr Rodger said ‘It was a fantastic afternoon that we all thoroughly enjoyed and it was in a good cause as well. Thanks must go to AFC Newbury for their generosity in hosting the event and making us all so welcome. Thanks also to everyone who took part and also to the supporters. My fellow Councillors and I have discovered muscles that we had forgotten existed, so we will not forget the experience in a hurry!’ | 
