Get the lowdown on our next opponents: Wealdstone.
The Opposition
The summer of 2025 brought change once more over in North London, with Sam Cox returning to the Grosvenor Vale dugout for his second stint in charge of Wealdstone.
Having previously taken caretaker charge in 2024, Cox took on the role permanently following the departure of Neil Gibson, who exited the club mutually in May, having replaced Matthew Taylor after opting to join Solihull Moors mid-season.
Last season, the Stones cemented their National League status for a fifth successive season – their longest stint in the fifth tier in their entire 126-year history – after first half goals from Jack Cook, Kallum Cesay and Mustapha Carayol sealed a 3-1 win over FC Halifax Town on the final day of the season, prompting wild celebrations and a pitch invasion at Grosvenor Vale.
Key to their success last term was the appointment of Gibson, who guided the club to eight wins and four draws from his 20 games in charge, while picking up more wins and less defeats that predecessor Taylor, to achieve a significant turnaround which saw him stabilise the team. Loan signing Alex Reid also played a pivotal role in their turnaround, joining the club temporarily from Oldham Athletic in October, and again in January, to fire Wealdstone to safety with 17 goals.
Cesay also produced a string of impressive performances in the Stones’ backline and has since earned a move to League Two side Salford City, playing 39 times in a defence that included now-former captain Adrian Mariappa, Cook and Anthony Georgiou, while former U Enzio Boldewijn played more games than anyone else with 47 appearances to his name.
Boldewijn has since gone on to take on the vice-captaincy in Middlesex alongside Max Kretzschmar, who has continued to play a role in the Stones team this term. The duo, who are led by Club Captain, Cook, are both joined in Wealdstone’s top scorer charts by Micah Obiero and Sean Adarkwa, having all scored three this season, apart from Boldewijn himself with four.
As such, Cox’s side currently sit in a respectable 11th place in the Enterprise National League table after an impressive run of form that has seen them lose just twice in the league in nine outings, though they will be looking to bounce back to from defeat last time out in the National League Cup.
The Manager
Sam Cox
Former Tottenham Hotspur defensive midfielder Sam Cox has embarked on his second stint in the Grosvenor Vale dugout after returning to the club in the summer.
The 35-year old is still relatively new to management having retired from his playing career just two years ago, which brought an end to a 14-year playing career which began in North London.
Afte having trials at Watford and Arsenal, Cox joined Spurs’ Academy at the age of 15 and signed his first professional deal in 2009, before enjoying spells away on loan at Cheltenham Town, Histon and Torquay United during the 2009/10 season.
He made the permanent drop into the lower leagues just a year after signing professional terms with the Premier League side though, making the short move across North London to Barnet, before moving on loan to neighbours Boreham Wood in 2011. He was subsequently awarded the club’s Player of the Season award after contributing to the Wood’s highest ever league finish, and returned to Hertfordshire permanently after spending the 2012/13 season at Hayes & Yeading United.
He had been named Supporters’ Player of the Year award at the end of his only season at the Skyex Community Stadium, in which he was also Club Captain, before spending a further three years at Boreham Wood, captaining the club to promotion out of the Conference South for the first time, and was also named Chairman’s Player of the Season.
After making almost 100 appearances for the Wood, Cox departed Meadow Park to join Wealdstone, where he won the double of Supporters’ Club Player of the Year and Junior Stones Player of the Year, before beginning to transition into coaching with dual roles in charge of the Spurs’ youth team alongside his playing career.
Further stints at Hampton & Richmond Borough, Braintree Town and Welling United then saw the Guyana international close out his playing days in 2023, before returning to Grosvenor Vale the following year as First Team Coach, and was later named interim manager following the dismissal of David Noble.
After guiding the Stones to survival, he took on a brief role in charge of Oxford City, before returning to Wealdstone again in the summer, now in permanent charge.
One to Watch
Max Kretzschmar
Experienced midfielder Max Kretzschmar has entered his fourth successive season at Wealdstone, and continues to be a key part of the Stones’ team.
Born in Kingston-upon-Thames, Kretzschmar began his career down south after being spotted playing for Molesey Juniors, and joined Southampton at the age of ten. He spent four years at St. Mary’s before joining Wycombe Wanderers, where he began his senior career.
He kicked things off at Adams Park with two goals before even making his first start, and went on to spend almost ten years in total with the Chairboys, including four in the first team.
This preceded a season at Woking, where he scored the crucial goal on the final day that led the Cards’ securing survival in a 1-1 draw with Dagenham & Redbridge, before making the switch to Hampton & Richmond Borough in 2017.
A single season at the Beveree Stadium saw the Beavers reach the National League South play-off final, in which Kretzschmar scored both the winner in the semi-final and the opening goal in the final; a 1-1 draw with Braintree Town, before sealing a return to the fifth tier despite his side’s defeat on penalties, with a move back to Woking.
He subsequently spent the next four years at the Laithwaite Community Stadium, contributing to the Cards’ promotion back to the National League via the play-offs, having been relegated the previous season, and was part of the team under Darren Sarll which reached the National League play-offs in 2022/23.
After ending that season as joint-top scorer alongside Inih Effiong and Tahvon Campbell (13), he departed Surrey with 41 goals in 143 appearances to his name, opting to join Wealdstone, the club in which he scored a crucial late equaliser against in the play-off semi-final four years earlier.
He has since gone on to become a regular figure in the centre of the park at Grosvenor Vale, ending his second season as top scorer with ten goals, and has since been named as one of the club’s two vice-captains after playing a key role in their survival last term.
Photo Credit: Wealdstone Football Club
Recent Form
Wealdstone 0-2 Nottingham Forest
York City 4-0 Wealdstone
Wealdstone 5-1 Whistable Town
Wealdstone 1-1 Altrincham
Brackley Town 0-2 Wealdstone
Wealdstone 0-0 Eastleigh
Last Time Out
The Stones conceded two second half goals in a subdued performance against Nottingham Forest U21s as they were defeated for the first time in the National League Cup this season.
Before the game a minute’s silence was observed in memory of Harley Pearce, who tragically passed away last week – the son of former Wealdstone and Nottingham Forest legend, Stuart Pearce.
This was followed by a largely uneventful first half, before Wealdstone conceded ten minutes into the second after Jimmy Sinclair squared the ball to Lamin Sillah who finished from close range.
Forest began to grow further into the game and were encouraged by the Stones being uncharacteristically loose in possession, but their momentum was restricted with 20 minutes to go when Archie Whitehall was sent off for a second bookable offence, appearing to call for a Wealdstone player to be booked by waving an imaginary card in the air which prompted the wrath of the referee.
Despite some late pressure, the hosts were unable to make the extra man count as Forest stood firm against their more experienced opponents, and Lamin Sillah was in the right place to double the advantage with his second of the game, finishing off a counter-attacking move from the visitors.
Photo Credit: Wealdstone Football Club
