The season has finished and I thought I would just put a
summary of the season up as a final bit on a fantastic season for the first
team.

August

Pre-season, the first thing to be said about pre-season is it’s very tough and very quickly it became clear that “Bat & ball” was going to hamper preparations with cricket quickly being a banned word from the dressing room and a fine was implemented for anyone using the “C” word and  all “bat & ball” activities were to be referred to as exactly that!

The first team opened up with  a tough looking game vs Matt Wroes new
Waterfield team.

Matt a Alfold managerial target turned up with his Premier
league outfit and we promptly smashed them 4-1 the highlight was a 35 yard
cross from Si Poore that flew in to the top corner.

This would be Si’s first goal of the season, it was also his last goal of the season.

Next up we welcomed Division 1 Southwater again signs were good with us  turning them over 3-1.

A quite frankly dull 1-1 draw in the heat vs former captain’s Boccy’s  Stedham followed
before Faygate came to the fold and put some manors on us in the first half before a spirited second half display eventually saw us going down 4-1.

All in all a good pre-season campaign I knew we had a good side not the finished article  but the foundations were in place and the spirit was good the dressing room was lively and everyone looked up for the season ahead.

September

The opening game of the season saw us play Newdigate at home, Newdigate who came to Alfold on the last day of last season against a very depressed and disappointed Alfold and beating us 6-1.

Revenge was swift with a comprehensive 5-0 win.  First team debuts for Ryan, Bisset, Zach & Arron Skibinski, Sully scores on his debut a hat trick for Karl and Zach with a hat trick of assists.

A perfect start.

Then it was Hammer time in what would prove to be the most dramatic game of the season against our Divison 4 opponents.

You will have to read the match report top get the full picture of this 5-5 cup game.

Highlights of the game was Sully scoring a screamer Zach with in my opinion goal of the season with a chest and dipping lobbed volley pure class.

Robbie scoring a last minute penalty in normal time to level at 4-4 then Sean Lee scoring in the last minute of extra time to level at 5-5.

Liam with the crab goal keeper save and me shouting at Sean as he made his way to  the winning penalty “NOT one of those” after the hammer player tried and failed to take a Pirlo dink penalty.

We went on to win 4-2 on pen’s.

Next up we unleash the BAT to Alfold as Si “The Bat” Poore don’s the gloves in a game which we controlled against Faygate. Karl scores the goal after 2 minutes before Bisset despite being told “AWAY AWAY” decides to play a disastrous  back pass to the Bat
who could do nothing and was beaten and we only managed a draw.

Bisset was later blamed wholly for us finishing second in the league....harsh but fair!

A routine 2-0 win away at trinity would follow followed by a 6-0 county cup win against Coulsdon.

October

We open the month in the Chichester charity cup with a home game vs Fittleworth cruising along and winning 6-0 I decide to unleash the highly thought of Jermaine!

He had showed signs during the warm up that he might not be what we had hopped for with such comments as “I have forgotten how to curl a football” and when asked to dribble the ball he was seen drawling on his shirt.

He came on the right wing after 2 minutes of me quite literally shouting at him Karl was begged to come on the wing and we threw Jermaine up front before throwing him out of the door and kicked down the road! We hung on to win 6-4.

A home 2-1 home win to Holbrook followed before our first defeat against Billingshurst reserves Wayne and Colin all morning making the pitch fit for purpose probably wished they hadn’t bothered as we were deservedly beaten.

A Sam Goodway own goal was later sighted as the reason we finished second in the league....harsh but fair!

We recover the following week with a comfortable win over Barn Elms Utd in the county cup.

November

We start with an accomplished 2-0 win vs Rudgwick but we had a man down with Goodway carried off late on which would see the skipper out of action for 4 months.

Next up it was Holbrook away in a game which we dominated and had so many chances we only managed a draw.

Jamie who somehow fired over the bar from 2 yards would later be singled out as the reason we finished 2^nd in the league....harsh but fair.

Next up we were knocked out of the Centenary cup with a 4-1 defeat to Barns Green.

December

Our only game in December was  against Virigina waters with a stonking 9-0
away win in the county cup before the rain came!

Upper Beeding, Horsham Trinity & Faygate fixtures were all lost as we spent a month at home looking out of the window.

January

We returned in the new year with a 3-0 defeat in the county cup to the eventual winners Chessington KC.

I know I mentioned Si Poore scoring his first and only goal of the season in pre-season  I had however forgotten about the screamer of an own goal in this game a volley in the top corner top draw finish matey!

MORE BLOODY rain means it’s is February before we get back on the pitch with an accomplished 3-1 away win at Partridge green with Jamie Hopkins donning the gloves this time & doing a fine job.

We then steal a point from Faygate as we draw against our promotion rivals in a game which we didn’t deserve much.

Rudgwick away was next up the return of el capitanio unfortunalty this was by far our worst performance of the season as we are soundly beaten 4-1. This was the only time all season that I had harsh words with the group after the game, we had let our standards slip and the season was drifting like the one a year before it was time to step it up or suffer the same
disappointment as a year earlier.

More bloody rain!

It would be the 30^th of March before we returned to action this time away at Newdigate in a
game which was a could of should of but ultimately didn’t take all 3 points from we manage a 0-0 draw.

This was followed by a another 0-0 draw this time at home to Partridge green, however there were signs that we were finding our groove again we had started creating chances again and whilst the point was tough the way we were playing I could see it was coming.

Next up was Ockley the unbeaten eventual league champions were in for a shock as they came to Alfold El capitano put us in front to end our goal drought and we played the better of the two sides. Although Ockley managed a draw the manor of the draw would prove a turning point for our season.

More rain meant that we had to wait another week to get back on the pitch as we welcomed Ockley back to Alfold in a Monday evening fixture, our whole season really did hinge on this game and after going 1-0 down early on we rally and Russ Thorne levels it up before Dave Burke drafted in from the reserves comes off the bench and him and Chris Muggeridge combine to put us 2-1 up we hang on and take all 3 points & inflict the first defeat on Ockley, belief was back in the dressing room and from this game onwards we never looked back.

Next up was Billingshurst the game was fairly routine as we cruised to a 3-1 win Robbie with a hat trick.

This game is remembered more  for it’s comedy gold however.

After Robbie is denied a 3^rd goal towards the end of the first half some more than iffy lino decides to tell the ref it was clearly offside!

Wayne running the line on the opposite side is less than impressed and in the campest way possible throws his flag to the floor and marches on to the pitch to tell the ref exactly what he thought of the decision.

This earned Wayne his 3^rd “DIV” of the season. (The first for getting lost on the way to Virginia Water and arriving 30 minutes after kick off & one vs PG when Wayne traps a pass on the sideline before stacking it.

Upper Beeding & Capel can’t field sides but we make our point by beating both of these sides by 5 goals to nil each over the coming days.

After the Upper Beeding game we are phoning Ockley Pete for an update on the PG vs Ockley game little did we realise that this was a late kick off and we would have to wait a further 40 minutes to get confirmation that Ockley had beaten PG guaranteeing us 2^nd spot with a game to spare.

Trinity sadly couldn’t field aside on what would of been a fine way to conclude the season and we finish with a record of

Played  Won Drew Lost For Against G/D

27       17       6     4    64     30     +34

And a league record of Played 20 won 12 drawn 6 losing just 2 with 42 points.

It has been a terrific effort from everyone involved we have kept 11 clean sheets this season (14 if you include the 3 0-0 wins!) we conceded just 14 league goals the best in the division and the second best in all 11 leagues.

We have two prolific goal scorers and the midfielders have picked up more dressing room MOM’s than any other position, Sean Lee leading the way with a mighty 5 for the season put it all together and it show’s we are a team and not just any team we are the #Ateam.

This hash tag caught on via twitter and it has embodied the first team this year not only because of the show and the really excellent music associated with the A-team but from my point of view every time I saw this written down they were writing “A team” which we have been and we will continue to be in future seasons.

Before nearly every game I reminded everyone of why we were here how football can be taken to seriously and as many have heard so many times “this is what we do for fun, we pay money to be here we give up our Saturdays and Wednesday’s and whilst winning is great it’s not everything” it is as important that we are enjoying being here being a group winning and losing together.

I firmly believe if you get the balance between winning at all costs and enjoying the game you get the best out of the players. If they are relaxed able to express them selves but prepared to work their tails off what you get is a successful promotion winning campaign.

From my point of view I could not of done this on my own, special thanks to firstly the two captains Sam Goodway and Karl Bearryman who have led by example have transferred the talking in the dressing room too performances on the pitch.

To Barnsley who’s experience around the place has been enormous I will work harder with Barnsley next season to extract the maximum out of you guys to Charlie who helped me on the side lines as well as smoking 259 of my cigarettes and all the people behind the scenes who open the bar wash your kit and support you all on a match day. As well as the Ultra’s who follow us home and away and encourage and cheer you all on.

A special mention to Wayne and Colin for setting the pitch and Malcolm for keeping it in such great condition everyone who sorts the dressing room out and the many many hours of work behind the scenes to make the club what it is and one that we are all proud to be a part of.

As for me I am all signed up for next season I hope you all will too this is just the start of something from my point of view and we will continue as a club to go from strength to strength.

I have learnt a lot during this season, I will get better I will improve; I thank you for being patient with me and buying into the spirit of the club.

So that’s it as one season concludes behind the scenes people are busy preparing for the next one.

Until July 10^th folks enjoy your break.

Saunders

The Secretary has been given the first bit of good news towards our quest for Intermediate Football next season.

Our Beloved Recreation Ground has been given the Green Light, we have been told all is satisfactory for Intermediate Football at Alfold should we be given the nod by the WSFL.

Obviously we have jobs to do before the July 1st deadline but as usual the Secretary has these in hand.

We now just wait and hope that our Runners up spot is deemed enough for promotion to Division 1.

I just cant wait to see our name up with the elite clubs in the WSFL but until I see the proposed league formations I am taking nothing for granted..

We will know our fate by our AGM on Wednesday 12th June..  Where the announcement will be made..

Fingers crossed folks..

"How can so Much be Drunk, By so Few, In such a short time" famous words of Winston Mouring..

Well another fantastic evening at Alfold HQ as the 2012-13 season came to a close..

Sadly numbers were down slightly due to various functions but the 50+ who did attend were treated to a most enjoyable relaxed evening.

As usual at Alfold FC everyone are winners but the chosen few who picked up the main awards are as follows.

The Ultra's Supporters Player of the Year:- Dan Taylor

Reserve Team Top Goal Scorer:- Dane Mitchell

Alfold FC Top Goal Scorer:- Robbie Brininger

Reserve Team Players Player Donato De Vita

First Team Players Player:- James Bisset

Young Player of the Year:- Dan Taylor

Reserve Team Player of the Year Dale Milliam

First Team Player of the Year Sam Goodway.

As well as the above awards the first team squad were presented with there WSFL Division 2 Runners Up Medals.

The back bone of any Club were thanked with flowers and bottles in a true Alfold Tradition.

Ann & Bev:- Kit washing

Dave and Kevin:- Bar Staff

Malcolm:- Groundsman

Barnsley:- Coaching

Adam & Matt:- Managers

Finally a massive thank you to all our loyal supporters, enjoy the next couple of months off and we will meet again in August, as a Intermediate status Football Club.

The Annual Alfold Football Club Presentation evening takes place tonight, and the burning questions will be without doubt, who will pick up the silverware..

All the answers will be posted here tomorrow along with any hot gosip..

Here's to a great evening...

Until tomorrow..

Have You Booked For Saturday Evening Yet..

Just a little reminder to all Players, Officials, and Followers of Alfold FC have you booked your place for Saturday evenings celebrations yet..

All though the season is now over, the Secretaries work is not so as please help by confirming your availability for the evening to either Wayne, Adam or Matt before Thursdays closing date..

Any questions please contact Wayne..  

Everyone is expecting it and everyone wants to hear it, so here it is....

Firstly I would like to say that the main target this season was to avoid relegation from division three. We have done just that so actually it's been a successful season. One has to think that two seasons ago before I came to this fantastic club the reserves were slumped at the bottom of division five. Within two seasons we are now battling away in division three, this achievement is massive and it couldn't have been possible without the support we have behind the scenes; and more importantly, the players that have made it possible.

Building up to Easter things were going right for us, we'd hit a run of good form and we were sailing along, competing in every game and getting our just rewards. Then we had the some 14 week lay off between beating Cowfold 2-1 to playing Ashington and getting stung for four. We had a real opportunity at Easter to get a foothold inside the top three but unfortunately we appeared to crumble and I guess thats the way football goes. Since Easter we have had seven injuries meaning that it's been a struggle but the lads have done their best and that's all I can ask.

I'm in a bizarre but good position of not knowing what it feels like to have two seasons in the same division so it's come as a shock really and looking at the season as a whole, maybe we just weren't ready to step up to division two this year. Sometimes I just have to face the reality maybe. But one major plus and comfort for us is that we survived division three together, as a reserve team. We've done it ourselves unlike various other clubs who may add strength to their squads by including first teamers or in some cases second teamers. Double standards I hear you say, not really, you try getting a squad together when the majority of your players are under the knife, torn hamstrings, knee ligaments, bad shoulders the lot. I've always said this and I will stick to it throughout my managing career (unless i'm managing a first team) - I will only call upon first team players if I really have to and yes after Easter was an instance like that. I had to but I didn't go over board, plus it doesn't always pay off.

As a club we are on the brink of something special. The first team have promotion in their own hands and I think they are capable of finishing the job. I am fully at the disposal of Adam and will help him in any way possible should he need it. Intermediate football is what Alfold FC deserve and I think it's a remarkable achievement should it happen. Yes I take some delight in the way the first team have been constructed, seeing my lads progress and ultimately being in a position to achieve "that goal" but I haven't managed them week in week out like Adam has so that credit goes to him, you've done a great job.

In terms of the reserves and next season....we'll see!

Division 2 North;

Faygate res 2-2 Ockley,

Billingshurst res 1-3 Upper Beeding res.

Faygate reserves see their promotion bid end tonight and they were very unlucky not to take all 3 points against the league champions, whilst Upper Beeding reserves lift them selves off of the bottom of the division with a morale boosting 3 points at Billingshurst.

Table updated.

Over to us......