News

OUR LATEST 7-A-SIDE LEAGUE RESULT Updated on 22nd July 2008 EDMONTON ROVERS...........2 G-UNITED.........................5 (Monday Night League Qualifying Group match played on 21st July) CLICK HERE FOR FURTHER DETAILS	CLICK HERE FOR FULL DETAILS OF OUR FORTHCOMING FIXTURES ...INCLUDING THE SQUADS FOR EACH MATCH Updated on 22nd July 2008

MANAGER'S COLUMN - TREVOR HUGHES WRITES ! (via e-mail !) Updated on 22nd July 2008
Our opponents on Monday were G-United who were fielding several experienced Saturday players in their team but we started well taking the lead after 3 minutes when James Whittick’s header was fumbled over the line by the keeper. We were under a lot of pressure but defended well until a poor pass by Terry Moore was intercepted and a slick move led to the equaliser. An excellent finish from G-United’s forward put us behind after 14 minutes but almost immediately another header by James from Dan Green’s deep cross put us level. We were grateful to Gavin Stacey for several fine saves but it remained 2-2 at half time. The second half saw us facing ever increasing pressure but despite more fine saves by Gavin and some good defending we conceded 3 further goals after 35, 40 and 46 minutes to end up losing 5-2. Although it was disappointing to lose again it was against good quality opposition and good match practice for our new players as we prepare for the coming season.

THURSDAY NIGHT 7-A-SIDE LEAGUE Updated on 22nd July 2008
Please note that our next Thursday Night 7-a-Side League match (on the 24th July) has been postponed as our opponents International have withdrawn from the League. This means that we have now completed our Qualifying Group fixtures. Thankfully, we have already managed to finish in the Top Six and Qualify for the 'Cup League' (formerly known as the 'Champions League') in which we will play the best teams on Thursday nights for the rest of the Summer. You can view the Thursday Night Qualifying Group Table by clicking here. The Southgate Hockey Centre are allowing us to use the pitch on Thursday night for a training session instead (which will be between 7.00. & 8.00.p.m....the time that our match was due to take place). THIS WILL DEFINITELY GO AHEAD AND FULL DETAILS ARE NOW ON THE FORTHCOMING FIXTURES PAGE. Fixtures for the Thursday Night 'Cup League' will be announced on Monday 28th July and our first game will be on Thursday 31st July.

PRE-SEASON FRIENDLIES Updated on 22nd July 2008
I am currently in the process of arranging Pre-Season Friendlies for the last three Sundays in August only. (We do not need to play on any other dates as we are continuing to play 7-a-Side every Monday & Thursday Night right up until the second week of September). The latest situation is as follows:- SUNDAY 17th AUGUST....We are still looking for opponents to play on this date, but they must have a pitch available, and preferably for a 10.30.a.m. kick-off. I know it's being a bit 'fussy', but we do not want to play a team from the top three Divisions of our League, or teams who have a bit of a 'reputation' for being a physical side. We don't mind travelling though...say within a 30-40 minute drive from Edmonton. I would prefer it if any of our current or former players can find or recommend a team to play against on this date rather than us playing a team 'at random'. Ideally, we want to use this match to try out some of our younger players (e.g. Ozel Ozerman & Tem Adil's mates) and those of our older players who have been out injured for ages (e.g. Peter Murphy, Paul Ellerker, Clark Williams, etc...if they are available). SUNDAY 24th AUGUST...We are playing A.C. ENFIELD on this date at Brimsdown Rovers F.C., but it is a 12.00. mid-day kick-off as the pitch is already being used for a 10.30.a.m. kick-off. A.C. Enfield won Division Three in our League last season and are a very good side....probably good enough for the Premier Division in fact. They are mainly Anglo-Italians and their Manager is our ex-goalkeeper from the 90's Marcello Devizio, although unfortunately he is away on holiday for this match. Their Player-Coach is Mario Noto, who played for Ryman League Premier Division Champions Chelmsford City last season and is now on trial at Ebbsfleet United. He has also played in the Conference for Canvey Island. Needless to say, we will be treating this particular Friendly as an ideal 'tough test' for the coming season and therefore fielding our strongest available side. SUNDAY 31st AUGUST...We are playing our former players Chidi & Eric Ibekwem's current team WOODHURST at the Ashton Playing Fields in Woodford Green. (10.30.a.m. kick-off). This has now been confirmed. Woodhurst are in the Premier Division of the Essex Sunday Corinthian League and Chidi is now their Club Secretary. They finished second from bottom last season, but they should be of a similar standard to us, so we will once again give priority to our better players in this match. Full details of these Pre-Season Friendlies will appear on the Forthcoming Fixtures Page in August. Please note that our first League match of the new season is on Sunday 7th September, although the fixtures will not be announced until Friday 29th August.

HOLIDAY DATES Updated on 22nd July 2008
All players are advised that they must inform me either by e-mail, text (to 07949 128505) or on the Forum of their holiday dates for July, August & September, together with any other dates that they are unavailable for 7-a-Side matches (Mondays & Thursdays), Pre-Season Friendlies and League matches (Sunday mornings). We will also need to know if you cannot attend the A.G.M. on Sunday 10th August. Please do not inform me verbally when I do not have a pen & paper handy. I will definitely forget what you said ! The unavailability list I have at the moment is as follows: ALAN BARNARD...Playing cricket on Sunday 10th August (at the moment) and probably won't get to the A.G.M. until 9.00.p.m. STEVE COKELL...Wife expecting last week in August, so unavailable for a few weeks thereafter. STUART DORWARD...Currently away in Spain until 31st July, then away in Macedonia watching Scotland on Sunday 7th September (First League match). Then Buckley (ex-Rovers 'player'/hanger-on)'s Stag Do & Wedding on Sunday 14th September & Sunday 28th September. DANNY GREEN....On holiday between Monday 4th August & Thursday 14th August (so missing four 7-a-side games and the A.G.M. !) DANNY HAGAN...On holiday between Monday 21st July & Monday 4th August. DARRYL JOHNSON (GK)...'Possibly on holiday for the whole of August' ! TONY KING...Unavailable for Sunday 24th August (Pre-Season Friendly). MARTIN LOVEDAY...Away for Monday 4th August. CONOR Mc,GOVERN...Going to the V Festival on Sunday 17th August. Buckley's Stag Do & Wedding on Sunday 14th September & Sunday 28th September. TERRY MOORE...Not available on Thursday 31st July, Thursday 7th August and Sunday 31st August. (Family/Social commitments). ANDREW WARMERDAM...Not available on Thursday 24th July (Wife expecting). JAMES WHITTICK...Away from Monday 18th August to Friday 22nd August. PAUL WOOLSTON...On holiday between Saturday 26th July & Tuesday 5th August. Unlikely to be available for Thursday 7th August. TREVOR HUGHES (Manager)...In Cyprus for the first League match (Sunday 7th September) & the two 7-a-side matches beforehand (Monday 1st & Thursday 4th September). LAURENCE HUGHES (Cameraman)...Filming Grays v. Kidderminster (2.00.p.m. kick-off on Sunday 7th September)...so somebody will have to get the subs & kit in on the final whistle of our game in the morning, as I will be leaving straight away ! Please let me know if any of the above is incorrect.

EDMONTON ROVERS UNDER-8's ? Updated on 20th July 2008
Laurence & Trevor Hughes's 7-year-old nephew Ollie Carey is currently looking for an Under-8's Team to play for this coming season and he is asking us if we can start up an Under-8's side as he would much rather wear the 'famous Jade & Black' than play for any other club ! Our sister and her husband are not particularly keen on being Secretary and Manager respectively though, as they like to go away at weekends and would not be available every week to run the side. Starting a Youth setup is very much in our plans for when the kids of our more recent (and current) players are old enough, but none of them are aged 7 yet (as far as I know). If there are any current or former Rovers players out there who have 7-year-olds who wish to play for an Edmonton Rovers Under-8's Team this coming season, and more importantly are willing to be Secretary and/or Manager if required, please let us know. They would just be training and playing Friendlies this coming season with a view to joining a League as Under-9's for the start of Season 2009-2010.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING - SEASON 2007-2008 Updated on 17th July 2008
This season's Annual General Meeting & 'Presentation Night' will take place on Sunday 10th August at The Beehive Pub (Garden) in Little Bury Street, Edmonton, London N9 9JZ. We have the Garden 'booked' from 2.00.p.m., so this year the A.G.M. will be an afternoon/early-evening barbecue & social gathering with wives, girlfriends & kids invited. We will do the Presentation Of Awards (and the Goal Of The Season competition) when the majority of our players have arrived, although this may have to be as late as 8.00.p.m. due to cricket and other commitments for some of our players beforehand. All current club members, prospective club members for next season and ex-club members are invited to attend. Full details will be sent out by e-mail shortly, together with the Players' Player Of The Year Voting Forms for those who are eligible to vote. If any current club members have not been receiving e-mails from me during the past year or so, please let me know. In some cases it could be because my e-mail address has been picked up from my websites and used by 'spammers', so it is therefore going into your Spam/Bulk folder and being automatically deleted by your Anti-Virus software without you knowing.

7-A-SIDE LEAGUE MEETING & CHANGING ARRANGEMENTS Updated on 17th July 2008
Due to justifiable (in my opinion) complaints by Bill The Ref at the Southgate Hockey Centre about our players turning up at 6.50/7.50/8.50.p.m. over on the pavilion balcony, then taking ages to get changed in the changing rooms when other teams turn up already changed (or do so at pitch-side), we are now only allowing players to get changed in the changing rooms if they turn up before 6.45/7.45/8.45.p.m....and to do so they will have to take their own individual kit out of the bag up on the balcony, with Laurence and/or Trevor Hughes then going down to pitch-side with the kit bag at those times 'on the dot' for the usual latecomers to get changed there. That means that players can turn up at 6.50/7.50/8.50.p.m. if they want, and also wear their own shorts (preferably black) if they want. It will then only take them five minutes to put on our jade shirts & socks from the kit bag on the touchline or in their cars (as other teams do), and Bill can then kick-off as soon as the previous match finishes....which is invariably at 7.55/8.55.p.m. He does this because he has to get up at 6.00.a.m. for work the following morning, and on Monday mornings he drives all the way from Bristol (where he now lives) to work in London for the week, and to be fair to him, it must be quite tiring Refereeing three matches in one night after that ! Also, he is a good Ref, and if we 'piss him off', he might stop doing it and the League will then be back to what used to happen 5 or 6 years ago with neutral players from other teams having to be persuaded to Referee games...which was a total nightmare ! Yes, I know we are supposed to kick-off at 7.05/8.05/9.05 after being allowed a five-minute warm-up, but virtually every other team in the League all arrive at 6.50/7.50/8.50.p.m. already changed and then do their five-minute warm-up on the grass outside the Astroturfs. We are the only team that complains about Bill kicking off 'early' ! The meet up on the balcony idea was for players to turn up at 6.30/7.30/8.30.p.m., but nobody ever does that anymore (for reasons best known to themselves). If players are coming straight from work via the Tube and turn up at 6.50/7.50/8.50.p.m. wearing a suit which they don't want to get dirty, then they will have to take their own kit from the bag on the touchline, walk over to the changing rooms with it and risk missing the start of the match. After the match, using the changing rooms (and showers) is not a problem.

PLAYER REGISTRATIONS Updated on 17th July 2008
The Mercury Waltham Sunday League's Multi-Registration Form for Season 2008-2009 has now been returned with 27 players signed on for us. These include James Whittick & Tim Beeden (GK) as new signings, and myself, Jim Arrowsmith, John Beasley and Andrew Warmerdam as 'To help out in emergencies' jobs...unless in Jim, Junior & Warmers' cases they actually want to (or are 'allowed' by the 'missus' to) play regularly for us ? Kris Spyrou and Simon Jackson are both also registered, and after speaking to them at 7-a-side recently, they appear to want to play regularly this season, but another player who has registered, Nick Vertigans, is now emigrating to Finland, so he won't be playing. Unfortunately, Nick only managed to play a total of 40 matches for us as his best years were spent playing for Everest on Sundays, but he scored some memorable goals in his brief time with us and we thank him for his services and wish him well in his new life abroad. (A Club Tour over there perhaps ?!). Our squad of 22 'wannabee regulars' for next season at the moment is therefore as follows: GOALKEEPERS: Darryl Johnson, Simon Jackson, Ozel Ozerman, Tim Beeden DEFENDERS: Alan Barnard, Terry Moore, Martin Loveday, Paul Woolston, Tony Speller MIDFIELDERS: Stuart Dorward, Rob Brown, Danny Hagan, Steve Cokell, Tem Adil, Clark Williams, Scott Jenkins, Kris Spyrou FORWARDS: Conor Mc,Govern, Danny Green, Tony King, Vernon 'Kizza' Nxumalo, James Whittick Anybody else who played last season and wants to re-sign will now have to fill in an individual registration form and supply a passport-size photo before they can play in a League match. This also applies to new players who wish to join the club. This can be done either the next time they turn up to a 7-a-side match, the A.G.M. or a Pre-Season Friendly, or a League Registration Form can actually be downloaded from here on the League website, then printed off and posted to Laurence Hughes at 9 Wimborne Road, Edmonton, London N9 9EZ with the passport photo. (I would certainly advise Peter Murphy, Stuart Byhurst & Paul Ellerker to do that, and others if they are in a situation where they are unlikely to attend any club function before the first League match). If you are filling in a League Registration Form at home (without my supervision), please note that you must fill in the left-hand side of the form only, and in black ink and block letters. For 'County Affiliated' you enter 'London'. For 'Previous Mercury Club', you put 'None' if you played for us last season. The deadline for me to receive your registrations in time for you to play in the first League match of the season is Tuesday 26th August. We used 38 players last season, so I don't think 22 (including four goalkeepers) is going to be enough. All new players joining the club are advised to read through the All About The Club page on this website. This has now been updated for Season 2008-2009.

ANNUAL SUBS & PLAYER INJURY INSURANCE Updated on 17th July 2008
A reminder that Annual Subs for the coming season are currently £20.00 for those who played for us last season who pay on or before the date of the A.G.M. (Sunday 10th August). This incentive is so that we have enough money in club funds to be able to pay pitch fees which are due in August. If you pay your Annual Subs after the A.G.M., then it will be £25.00, which is also the amount that all new players to the club must pay before they play in a League match for us next season. (The first League match of the season is on Sunday 7th September 2008). All non-playing members must pay £10.00 as their Annual Subs. This is for club officials and players who sign a registration form just to help us out in emergencies and do not want to be considered for a regular place in the side. If you want to pay your Annual Subs (or any big backlogs of Weekly Subs you might owe) straight into the club account via the Internet, please e-mail Laurence or Trevor Hughes for the account details. We will still be charging £5.00 per match for 11-a-side next season, but if we manage to get somewhere for training, we will then be charging everybody in attendance extra for that as well. Regarding Player Injury Insurance, please note that the club does not belong to a scheme as we have too many players who already have their own individual policies. We therefore strongly recommend that all players arrange their own individual injury insurance policies....something that has been on the 'All About The Club' page on the website for many years.

MIDWEEK TRAINING SESSIONS Updated on 17th July 2008
As most of our current players can now attend training sessions if we have them on Thursday nights between 7.00. - 9.00.p.m., we are desperately trying to find somewhere suitable to re-start training this coming season. We are very aware that we have lost some very good players over the last three seasons because we have not had training, and we must try and put a stop to that. At the moment we are being offered the use of a floodlit 'All-Weather' 5-a-side court at Starks Field Primary School in Church Street, Edmonton, N9 for the day and time we require, although it appears to be more of a green-painted tarmac surface than an Astroturf, and we are also now being told by other sources that Norsemen Youth want to use the facilities at the same time and that they will have first call on it because the school was built on their land. Due to the relevant people being on holiday, we will not know what is happening until the end of July, but we are hopeful of getting somewhere within the confines of the Edmonton Sports & Social Club to train on thanks to our Edmonton Cricket Club connections there and the fact that we are suddenly getting Norsemen F.C. players playing for us on Sundays ! Please note that if we have training, all players attending will be charged an additional amount (depending on the cost of the facilities) on top of their £5.00 Weekly/Match Subs.

LEAGUE CONSTITUTION FOR SEASON 2008-2009 Updated on 17th July 2008
The Mercury Waltham Sunday League Constitution for Season 2008-2009 can be viewed in full by clicking here. You will notice that there are only five Divisions now due to a number of teams being expelled or withdrawing because of a lack of players, although they are mainly from the lower Divisions and certainly not from Division One, which will once again be very strong. Teams we will be facing are as follows:~ ABBEY YOUTH OLD BOYS ...Beat us 3-0 in a Pre-Season Friendly last season and are a very good young side. Promoted from Division Two and I expect them to finish in the top half of the table. We are going to have to make sure our fitness levels are good against this lot ! BROXBOURNE RANGERS OLD BOYS ...Our jinx team ! How many times have we been the better side against them and lost !!!? Hopefully we will have some luck against them this season. Like us though, they are looking to re-build with younger players and may have some good new signings. CHESHUNT (SUNDAY) ...In contrast to Broxbourne Rangers Old Boys, we are Cheshunt (Sunday)'s jinx team after a couple of fortunate wins against them last season. Apparently their Manager next season is George Norman, a Cheshunt F.C. Saturday side stalwart. I don't know him myself, but I have been told that he is a 'hard taskmaster' who will have them challenging for the title. EAST HERTS ...Another young side who have progressed rapidly up the Divisions. Promoted from Division Two. I filmed them in a Cup Final last season and they are a very strong, fit and competitive side. I expect them to finish in the top half of the table and it definitely won't be an easy game against them. Unfortunately, they play on what is apparently the worst pitch in the League. (St. Mary's School in Cheshunt). ENFIELD ROYALS ...Back in April, they apparently asked the League if they could be relegated a couple of Divisions for next season as they would be losing a lot of players, but it appears that is now not the case. Will probably be just as competitive as everybody else in the Division, although their style of play actually seemed to suit us when we played them last season. GREAT EASTERN ...We played them in a Pre-Season Friendly about three years ago when they were known as P.T. Rangers and they were a very poor side. However, they won Division Two last season, so they have obviously had a major overhaul of players to go with the name change. Very much an unknown quantity for us. They play up in Hertford at Hartham Common, so a bit of a long trek. NORTHMET (RIVERSIDE) ...Not sure what's been going on there during the Summer, but a number of long-serving club officials appear to have resigned (including their First Team Manager), and they have also dropped their 'A' Team out of the League. However, their 7-3 win at Hazelwood was by far the best performance by any team against us in the League last season (in my opinion) and we don't have a good record against them at all. ST. MARGARETSBURY (SUNDAY) ...We had to play really well to beat them in our last game last season, and because of their facilities they are always likely to attract good players. Will almost certainly be a typical competitive 'hard to beat' side again. TURNFORD GEESE ...Another fairly young side (with the exception of ex-Everest player Richard Bates) who have come up the Divisions and been promoted from Division Two. Their recent success has been mainly due to ex-Brimsdown Rovers forward (and their Player-Secretary) Paul Dodd though, who has finished as the League's Top Scorer for the past two seasons and is a class act. However, he has now apparently emigrated to the United States, so it will be interesting to see how they do without him. They play at Wormley Playing Fields. UNIQUES ...For the past few seasons it has been ourselves and Uniques battling to avoid relegation, and somehow we always both manage to escape ! However, they beat us 5-0 in one match last season (albeit when we only had 10 men, no Manager and no Linesman), and there is always the possibility that they may sign up players from the now-defunct Trent Park (Arkay) as they have swapped players with them in the past. If they do so, they are unlikely to be in a relegation battle this time. WHITE HART ...Are an ageing side, but still very difficult to beat. They were draw specialists last season and finished in mid-table and will probably do so again, although they should have a bigger squad to choose from having now folded up their Reserve Team. Will still be playing at Waltham Cross Playing Fields. (Dreadful pitch). All in all then, it looks like being an extremely competitive Division with no obvious favourite for the title or for relegation. If we can field more of a settled side and stay clear of major injuries, then we have definitely got as good a chance as any of winning Division One next season.

LEAGUE FAIR PLAY/SPORTSMANSHIP/CLUB LINESMEN MARKS - SEASON 2007-2008 Updated on 17th July 2008
For every match played in the Mercury Waltham Sunday League, teams have to give their opponents a mark out of 10 for fair play & sportsmanship, and at the end of each season an award of a new kit is given by a local sports shop for the team with the highest average mark. Referees also give marks out of 10 for this, and their figures are also included in the average marks. There are 62 teams in the League, and normally we finish in the top six, but last season we finished 22nd ! Although that is not too bad, there were six teams from Division One who finished above us, these being Northmet (Riverside), Enfield Royals, Larsens, Uniques, Chase Side Old Boys and St. Margaretsbury. (Unfortunately I am not allowed to say on here which teams finished in the bottom 10, but some of them are quite amusing !). I suspect that the drop of 16 or more places for us last season is from Referees giving us lower marks because too many of our more recently-signed players over the last year or so are 'chipping away at them' with dissent. Please therefore note that a new kit to use as a second-choice strip instead of the orange 'Opera House'-sponsored shirts would come in very handy now that White Hart (and one or two other clubs in the League) have now decided to wear green shirts as their first-choice. We really should be making an effort to get back into that Top Six next season, so please cut out the unnecessary verbals. Referees also award Club Linesmen marks out of 10 for each match, but unlike the Fair Play Award, we finish in the bottom 10 of these marks for the whole League year after year, and last season was no exception ! Once again this coming season, our Club Linesman for virtually every match is likely to be either Manager Trevor Hughes (who cannot run and has his glasses steaming up when it rains) or inexperienced youngsters who 'Don't know the Rules' or are intimidated by opposing supporters (and Wooly !?). In addition to it being very costly for us in terms of losing matches as a result of mistakes by our Club Linesmen, it is also embarrassing for the club. If anybody has a friend, relative or work colleague who no longer plays and is willing and capable enough to be a regular Club Linesman for us (for £5.00 a match !), please inform Laurence or Trevor Hughes.

GOAL OF THE SEASON (2007-2008) Updated on 17th July 2008
The Goal Of The Season Top 10 for Season 2007-2008 is now showing here...in advance of the A.G.M. at which club members pay £2.00 to vote for their top three goals and win half the money collected in if their vote matches my top three. The goals have been put online already because there will undoubtedly be players unable to attend the A.G.M., so they can therefore vote for their top three now by e-mailing them to Trevor Hughes and £2.00 will then be added onto that player's Subs owed. Please be aware that on virtually all 10 clips, opposing players are swearing extremely loudly whenever we score...presumably because they think we are crap ?! We apologise for the 'obscene language' on the video clips, but unfortunately it is too difficult to edit it out ! Players who are bringing their WAGS & kids to the A.G.M., please be warned !