Tony is best known for his strike partnership with namesake Tony Jacques during seasons 1972/73 and 1973/74, seasons which saw the club reach the First Round Proper of the FA Cup.

Whereas the club have been delighted to keep in touch with Tony Jacques who visited us for our reunion game in 2016 and has attended some of our away games on the South Coast, up until now Tony Foster had been as elusive as defenders found him. So, we are delighted to have made contact. We hope, in better times of course, that we will be able to reunite them at another former players' reunion day game.

Tony was found by super sleuth and club ambassador Ronnie Johnson. Ronnie runs the Puritans Past Players Association and any former players who would like to join should contact him by email ronnie@staruktravel.com

Tony Foster joined Banbury United in the summer of 1969 though he had played, due to lax registration rules, in a couple of minor cup games for the club at the end of the previous season. He had made a big impression at the Spencer Stadium that previous season when his then club Brentwood Town came to Banbury, a local newspaper match report for the mid-August game said, “Full back Jim Cassidy had a hectic evening trying to contain the speedy Tony Foster on the left flank.”

After two seasons as United’s leading goalscorer Tony left to join West Midland League side Tamworth for the start of season 1971/72 and was appointed their player/manager part way through that season.

Tony would though return to Banbury as a player for the start of season 1972/73, at that point teaming up with the also returning to the club Tony Jacques to form a lethal and legendary twin strike force until, as a consequence of him moving out of the area, he joined Basingstoke Town in March 1974.

Those two seasons in which the two Tony’s teamed up saw the club reach the FA Cup First Round Proper, playing Barnet in season 1972/73, before taking Northampton Town to a replay in 1973/74. The Northampton games season was the last United reached the FA Cup First Round Proper until this current season!

Season 1972/73 saw United score 60 Southern League goals with Foster getting 23 of them and Jacques 16. The following season saw the club score 69 league goals, Jacques scoring 21 and Foster, up to when he left the club in March 1974, notching 17.

Tony Foster scored in all competitions 140 goals in 223 appearances which puts him in third place in the all-time Banbury United (excluding Banbury Spencer) goalscorers list, behind only Tony Jacques and Jody McKay.

Photo below shows Banbury United manager Brian Stone (front left) signing Tony Foster (front right), Tony Jacques (back left) and Peter Svenson (back right) ahead of the 1972/73 season.

Photo below shows the legendary striking partnership of the two Tony’s in action, Foster (shooting) and Jacques (behind).

Photo below shows United supporters welcoming their hero Tony Foster back to the club for season 1972/73.