Month: January 2015

Old Blues are a new club to the league and are in their second season and share facilities with Kew Association. Rather strangely Kew Association having redeveloped their ground with new facilities have shrunk as an adult SAL club but have a thriving junior section. Old Blues, the old boys side from the school, Christ’s Hospital. It was good to go back to Kew as we had not been there for some time and revived memories of tight first team games battles won but more often lost.

This was a very good competitive game and despite a bobbly wet pitch and terrible wind both sides played some pretty good passing football and the score did not really reflect what a close tight game this was for 75 minutes.

We started by far the better and playing uphill and against the wind which was down and across, created some good chances and pressure. Our first goal resulted from that pressure when Craig Usher swung in a good corner and Femi headed home. But then Old Blues started to find their feet and get more into the game. We had a chance to make it 2-0 just before half time but Jase having turned his man fired over from 10 yds.

After half time Old Blues settled into their task and dominated for about 20 mins of really good pressure. Their finishing and last third play let them down and we were always dangerous on the break. It was from such a break on about 70 mins that Jase headed our second goal. The third came when Will T sliced a deep cross and it went unstoppably into the far corner.  Wilgo capped his day with a fine goal from Liam As’s cross headed back to him and buried.

The game was played in a really good spirit and was well refereed but a youngish ref who kept up with play explained his decisions and got a lot of them right. It was a good game to watch and good in the bar after. Craig Usher was man of the match. Will Taylor and Jase T worked tirelessly. We looked pretty solid at the back and Sherbs made a couple of good saves and deserved his clean sheet contrary to what the local supporters thought. The boys enjoyed the post match hospitality in the bar and their usual banter. That is five league wins on the spin but away to Norsemen next week will be another rough test. This was not as easy as the scoreline suggests. Well done to Wilgo who seems to have got the boys firing and enjoying it.

[Show slideshow]

Todays Results. 1s lose 4-3 to UCL Academicals in AFA cup. A bit disappointing as they had neen 3-1 up at HT. 2s win 4-0 at OLd Blues in a good game closer than scoreline suggests. Goals from Femi, Jase, Will T and Wilgo. Craig Usher voted MOM. (Pic celebrating) 4s win 2-0 at HSBC and 5s lose 4-1 to Carshalton.

Members Meeting – Joseph Hood Clubhouse Thursday 8^th January 2015 @7pm

Thank you to all the members who either attended last night’s meeting or made representations about the matter. As a result of this discussion the following course of action has been determined:

• There was a clear preference to continue to play competitive football rather than friendlies and so we will continue to endeavour to field six teams in the SAL.
• Captains/Managers will be asked to collect in all memberships that are owed and arrears and selection will be confined to paid up members even if this results in the postponement of games.
• In order to help the administration of the process and allow team sheets to be published early Members are asked to let their Manager/Captain know about their availability for Saturday’s football as soon as they are able in the preceding week so that selection can be finalised by Tuesday evening.
• In addition players should inform their Manager/Captain  about their availability for the further three weeks ahead so that we can identify problem weeks well in advance.
• We propose to have in place a detailed plan for recruitment of players for next season and details of this will be made available shortly.

It may well be that this will still mean that we have to postpone games on a weekly basis but it is hoped that we can manage this within the rules of the SAL and in a fair way so that members do get their Saturday football. This season we have a significant shortfall in our revenues and so the collection of memberships, match fees, fines and arrears is very important. We will also be holding some star fundraising events (Eg. Quiz Night –Saturday January 24th 7pm) and seeking sponsorship.

U12s home match postponed due to waterlogged pitch.

U11s lost 4-1vs Mitcham Pk.

U8s finished 3rd in their trophy day the scores were:

won 6-0 vs Worcester Pk.
won 6-1 vs Mitcham Pk
Won 6-5 (pens) vs AFC Fulham 2s (1-1 aet).
Lost 4-2 vs AFC Fulham 1s.

Todays results. 2s win 3-0 at Carshalton which moves them up to 4th. 5s lose 6-0 to a strong Old Actonians side (pics). The field they played in was a bit muddy, just a bit!!!

Merton FC U8 v Esher Colts Yellow

The last game of the league fixtures before the Christmas break saw the U8 travel to Esher.  The team was still down to a six player squad due to the absence of Aarya who, unfortunately, was still recovering from illness.

The boys got on the pitch with their usual determination.  Despite a very good performance by Esher Colts, Merton FC were unstoppable.  The team displayed an excellent football performance, varying from one touch passing to personal dribbling skills.

But, as always, the real winner was football, played by two teams of enthusiastic kids all cheered on by a great crowd of supporters.

The MOM was Freddie.

A special thank you to all U8 followers and a wish of a prompt recovery to Aarya.

1. How come the 5s get so many spectators turning up to watch their games?

•   All their suspended players come to watch.
•  They play the most attractive passing football with impeccable behaviour  (Shurly shum mistake??)
•  Curiosity – you never know what is going to happen.
•  It is the best way of getting out of playing for the 4s.

2. When you sink down in the changing room what should you do with the kit?

• Take it off roughly and throw it in to the pile at the end of the room in any sort of shape.
• Take it off carefully brushing off excess mud and putting it all the right way round in a nice neat pile of all the dirty kit that you are organising.
• Make sure that it is put on top of all the remaining unused kit and mixed in with it to ensure it will all need washing.

3. How many players in a Merton Team?

• 13 on Monday evening
• A worrying 11 on Thursday morning
• An even more worrying 10 on Friday night
• 10 five minutes before kick off
• 11 or more by half time but not all on the pitch.

4. After the match  you should clean your boots but where?

• In the shower!!
• With the hosepipe /bucket outside!
• I didn’t know there was a hosepipe/bucket (There will be one).
• I didn’t know there was a shower
• I scored a hat trick so I am not washing this magic off.

5. Having attended to your ablutions should you

• Dive off to the bar immediately to buy the referee /teammates /opposition a drink and engage them in lively and edifying conversation delighting in their goalscoring prowess.
• When the manager asks you keep your availability for next week a closely guarded secret till you know where the game is.
• Pay your match fee/arrears and fines and tell him you are available for CEV or anywhere within 3hrs travelling.
•  Immediately disappear with the old ‘off to find a cash machine’ excuse  not to be seen till next week.

6. You have been sent off unjustly for ‘foul and abusive language’ so on spotting the referee in the bar should you

• Apologise profusely and offer to buy him a drink and find out what he made of the game and tell him where to get the food.
• Schmooze him, buy him a drink, tell him ‘what happens on the pitch should stay on the pitch ‘(although you didn’t )and try he really does not want to get involved in all that paperwork over a little misunderstanding with an old friend.
• Explain to him with the aid of pencil, paper and protractor, a smidgin of ballistics and geometry that if the ball came off at that angle and with that spin it could not possibly have been their throw.
• Explain that when you shouted out ‘You cheating c**t it was obviously not referring to him but your teammate who was neglecting his defensive duties.
• Prostrate yourself on the floor in the corner of the bar in front of Dodge and beg forgiveness and buy him a drink
•  All of the above in that order and contemplate a move to France.

7. What is the most popular excuse for unavailability?

• The games in North London and a journey there iinvalidates my life assurance policies.
• I’ve got a family event./The photographer is going to be late for the family portrait so i wont be able to make it..
• RPV have promised me £50 a week, all I can drink and all sorts of unprintable things.
• Done a ‘Hammy’.

8. One of our long gone players called a recently departed player ‘a real club man’. Which of the following is a ‘Real club man’

• He gets yellow carded then straight red carded in extra time for kicking out (causing side to lose close cup match in extra time)and abuses the referee and club officials as he leaves the pitch/club, refuses to acknowledge AFA disciplinary actions or pay fees and fines, asks for refund of membership fees and claims to move to France.
•  Gives up his own team game and Saturday to travel to the other side of London with his team mates to fulfil a cup fixture for a higher Merton team with little hope of any success other than upholding the Clubs reputation and the SAL rules.

(This is not a trick question –It is that simple)

9. Now a strange incident occurred in the 4s game against HSBC at the end of November. With the HSBC attacker through on goal our defender pulled him back just outside the box. Play continued but just before HSBC netted the ball for a goal the ref blew up for the original foul. Uproar !! The ref then called both captains together and asked them what they would like to do. Having consulted he then came to a really sensible pragmatic solution and awarded the goal and only yellow carded our man. What would you have done???? Would you do;

• Award a Free kick outside the area and send Chappell off
• Let the goal stand and send Chappell off
• Consult both captains, see what they want to do and send Chappell off anyway.
• Not sure, tricky but definitely send Chappell off.

10. What do we call that time of year when the pitches are 2” deep in water and it is really difficult for Merton to get enough players to fulfil its SAL fixtures. Is it known as

• The festive season
• The rainy season
• The monsoons season

No guys you know its

• …. The football season….Thats the one.