NEWS LETTER

NO. 2 OCT 2016

Welcome to the second edition to We are still disappointed though members and non-members alike. I that no younger people are putting hope that you enjoyed the first one. themselves forward. We need this I haven't had any remarks to say to safeguard the very future of the otherwise! Association.

THE A. G. M After this was wrapped up, there We recently held our annual was a informal Q & A with Alan meeting in the Honours Lounge and Cecil, Trevor Stroud and Barry a very successful evening it was. Richardson, which was very Many thanks to all of you that interesting and thanks go out to attended. I well remember the old those gentlemen. days when we were lucky to get a dozen turn up! SHARE SCHEME/500 CLUB Alan Cecil, who is in charge of the I hope this means that, as an schemes that are ongoing, gave a organisation, we are doing a good very informative talk at this job. The formal side of the meeting meeting. The main share scheme is saw Rena, Steve, Lynden and myself to provide cash flow for the general re-elected, while a new member, running of the Football Club, while Jenny Priest, was voted on to the 500 Club is to provide money for replace the departing Paul McCloud. Gareth to use in the January transfer I would like to record the window. Both are worthy causes, Committee's thanks to Paul, who but we do need more investment. was an enthusiastic member, always putting forward new ideas. So many For as little as, say, £10 a month you thanks Paul. can play a big part in the very future of this wonderful Football Club. You We welcome Jenny coming on will get a tax rebate on any outlay in board. She has been part of Sandie's the share scheme. So, one less drink social team for some time. or one less packet of cigarettes a week will pay for this! It may also be NEWS LETTER

NO. 2 OCT 2016 better for your health! If you are TRAVEL interested in joining either (or both) We now hold a card payment Alan can be contacted at machine, so now you can pay by [email protected] that method as well as our normal ways. You can do this in the Vere Membership of the Trust itself is Suite when you book or over the only £10 a season, so why not join telephone and also (Members only) and play an active part. on the coach on the day.

SOCIAL EVENTS Please note that from now on non- The next event is our annual Race members must pay in advance, as, Night on Friday, 11th November. It in the past, there have been will be held in the Vere Suite with a occasions when non-members have start time of 7:30 p.m. booked without paying upfront and then not turned up on the day, The bar and kitchen will be open at costing us money. 6:30pm and hot food is available at a reasonable price. Entrance is just Our next trip is to Portsmouth in the £3 per person, payable on the night. F. A. Cup. The coach leaves Adams Sponsors are needed for the horses Park at 11.00. at £5 each, while a race sponsorship is £50. The cost for adult members is £17, senior members £16 and junior See John or Sandie Derben or call members £15. For non-members it them on 01494 441145 to do this. It is £21 across the board. is always a good night and you may be lucky and win a few bob! There The draw hasn't been exactly kind will also be a raffle run by Marion to us, although I thought the same and Harold, who need help with when we were drawn at Millwall supplying the prizes, so anything last season and look how well we you can donate will be most played there. Whatever the result, welcome. the games at Fratton Park between NEWS LETTER

NO. 2 OCT 2016 the two sides have always been ON THE FIELD-THE SEASON SO FAR good to watch. Since my last notes we have played eight games and have continued to Looking further ahead, we are give up and down performances. For planning to make a weekend of it several seasons now our home form for our last away game of the has been our Achilles' Heel, while season at Morecambe on Saturday, we have done very well on our April 29th, leaving on the Friday and travels. returning on the Monday (which is a Bank Holiday). We now seem to have reversed the trend, until Saturday's defeat to a The cost, which includes three typical Barnet performance. Away nights B & B and evening meal in a though we continue to struggle, good hotel and coach travel is £199. gaining just a solitary point in the We need around 30 people to make four games. We are now without an it viable. If you want to come and away league win in 16 games since finish the season in style please Dagenham, back in February. contact Rena or Graham as soon as possible. The highlight has been the wonderful display against Crewe, A deposit of £25 per person is our biggest win for some time. It is needed. Another coach will run on the first time that we have scored the day for those who do not wish five in a league game since beating to make this trip. Hartlepool on 25th February 2012. Scorers that day were Stuart Beavon For all of our trips see our website and Paul Hayes with two apiece and at www.owwsa.co.uk. Gary Doherty. Paul actually made his 100th appearance for us against Coach bookings can be made with Crewe, while Scott Kashket and Rena (01494 520179) or Graham Dominic Gape scored their first (07876 267301) or by person in the goals. Another, Dayle Southwell, Vere Suite before each home match. also netted his first goal for the Club NEWS LETTER

NO. 2 OCT 2016 in the 1-0 win over Stevenage. awful road of a separate away strip. Unfortunately, due to an injury Years ago, when you watched sustained in training (just what do highlights on the television you we do to get so many injuries this always knew who were playing way?) he hasn't played since. without being told, because you knew more or less every teams' As I write this, I have learnt that colours. Nowadays, if you didn't Paul Hayes was missing on Saturday know beforehand, it could be to yet another training ground anyone out there. Some are even injury!! changing the colours of their home kit ! Your colours are your identity, Also, just when we were thinking why would you want to lose it ? we may have unearthed a goalscorer, Scott Kashket then WHERE ARE THEY NOW? misses two games due to an illness. After writing my last article about We really are struggling to keep a Alex Lynch, he has since moved on full squad fit. Let's hope this will to National League (Conference) take a turn for the better soon as we side Chester. Also, after reading the need to get together a run of good Non-League Paper recently, I have results. found there are several of our ex- players playing in that League. Danny Rowe made his 50th appearance for us against Barnet At Aldershot we have Nick Arnold, and it's good to see him playing Matt McClure, Scott Rendell and regularly. He always thinks about his Anthony Straker. pass and tries to play to teammates feet. Boreham Wood have Bruno Andrade, Angelo Balanta and One little gripe, why are we playing Anthony Jeffrey. in our change kit at some away games when we don't need to? I Max Kretzschmar, Keiran Murtagh hope we are not going down that and Gozie Ugwu are at Woking. NEWS LETTER

NO. 2 OCT 2016

winter break, no replays in the latter and Sergio Torres at rounds of the F. A. Cup, the moving Whitehawk. of some rounds to midweek and the restructuring of the Football League. Elliot Benyon & Matty Whichelow at Wealdstone. Now to me a solution is an answer to a problem. I can't see there are Dean Morgan at Welling. too many problems for clubs such as us, except the poor distribution of Scott Davies at Oxford City. money filtering down. Most of the proposals I have seen are only for It was also great on watching Match the benefit of the big clubs, so I of the Day Saturday evening to see don't know where the Whole Game Alfie Mawson make his Swansea name comes from. debut and there were good reports of his performance afterwards. Thankfully, the League itself are against a break and, for any changes FOOTBALL MATTERS made, a 90% majority is needed. Do Those of you with E-Mail should any of us really think the Premier have received a message from boys would have a break anyway? Lynden, with a link to a survey No, they would be flying off to the supplied by the Football Supporters' Middle and Far East for lucrative Federation. I would like to think that friendlies. The concern for me about you all filled in it. the F. A. Cup is that I believe that the F. A. want to eventually do away It is very important to let the with replays altogether to appease powers that be know the views of the big clubs. That would mean no supporters all over the Country. more wonderful occasions like Grimsby and Selhurst Park (2001) There are several ideas being and last season at Villa Park. When I bandied around under the heading was a teenager we reached the First Whole Game Solution, including a Round in 1966/67 and were drawn NEWS LETTER

NO. 2 OCT 2016 at home to Bedford Town. There followed a wonderful saga of four matches (no limit on replays then). We eventually lost 3-2 at Bedford in that fourth game after so much drama as each game ebbed and flowed. The attendances were 7,488, 7,641, 8,821 and 8,105. How we would welcome those figures now!

I hope you have enjoyed this latest edition. I would like to stress the opinions in the last section and those in the On The Field section are mine and not necessarily of OWWSA itself. I am grateful to John for allowing me to express certain views so that all of you are kept informed of what is going on out there. If any of you have any comments on the content of this newsletter or if there is anything you wish to see included, please contact me at [email protected] or on 07484 723982 I would be really glad to hear from you. Dave Finch