I have ascertained that a few of the regular posters on this forum are “lapsed terrors”, who have decided not to attend any more games at Imperial Fields because they have some axe to grind with the ownership or direction of the club. As I have said in posts on that subject, I respect people's right to not attend the match and to spend their money on whatever they want to spend their money on.

What I don’t understand, however, is why those people might use the forum to hark back on times gone by and bemoan the state of the club as it stands when, on the pitch at least, there is actually much to be positive about. This feeling pervades the stands also. The impression of the club from this forum feels to me very different from the impression of the club *at the club*. The stands are pretty positive, the craic at the ground good. The football, while at times frustrating, is often scintillating and never without excitement. We are the champions of London. We have finished curtailed seasons near the top of the league, featuring an exciting mix of emerging talent from the academy and experienced players from levels above our own. One could not possibly suggest that a team boasting the talents of Jake Rose, Akheem Belford, Tom Jelley, Kyrique Garvey-Williams, Dontai Stewart to name but a few could be lacking ambition. Two seasons ago we needed a goal scorer, so plucked one of the most prolific in the league in Danny Williams. The managers wanted a goalie with better distribution, so took the one widely regarded as the best in the division in Gary Ross. Peter Wedgeworth returned. This is not a management team, or a club, that lacks ambition. If young players move on- Ghandour, Bassett, Odusanya, Jones, Coleman, Folarin, Beeden, Morgan-Griffiths etc, it’s because they’re quality and move up a level, or two, or more. Why this is considered anything other than a wonderful reflection on the club is beyond me.

Anyway.

A couple of years ago, a number of the “newe

The vibe at the ground is pretty good nowadays.

Pertinent to point out that we’ve had two seasons of killed plans due to covid. Budgets annihilated. We won the London Senior Cup about 3 months ago. The league season is one game old.

Reflections on the club’s past glory are roundly an introspective waste of energy. Just come and get behind the team. 

I dont think we'll see either of Sol or Dean at RWB- Ajani will be back soon (hopefully), plus we have Joel Vian there, amongst others. You're right- the wing back positions were played about with a lot in the pre season- even Shamal played there, from memory.... no idea the make up of the final centre half options, but Hakim played there a fair bit in pre season and looked good imo, there was a fella called Murray on trial, and another lad (Daly?) who signed. Think we have enough for the time being...

Saidou is a loss, but Kyrique is a quality player and Didi Castanho played at 10 and looked good. With DMG signing on for the season ahead (hopefully) and Daryl sticking around too, think we do have options in midfield.

bump

nice one Charlie

Thought we gave a very good account of ourselves last night, and never looked out of place against the full-time side. We rested a number of our first team including Sol and Daryl, with Danny Bassett only coming off the bench. The scoreline flatters Charlton a little for me (although they did hit the woodwork a couple of times)- the pen at the end wasn't soft as such, but bearing in mind the lino and ref both missed a stonewall handball from their defender in their box just before it, I thought we might get the benefit of the doubt. Ibby Odoh seemed to enjoy scoring the pen.

DMG played out of his skin last night, I thought. He's never outdone physically, despite being one of the smaller lads on the pitch, always, always shows for the ball and gives positive direction to the younger lads around him. A really top, top player.

Stef Ilic wasn't going to feature much I don't think- he struggled to get into the side at times last season, and this season we've augmented our attacking options. With Nebay Haile coming in, and Omari, Sham and Razzaq now returned from loan, I think him finding another club makes sense.

I think as many as are able should get down to this, for a number of reasons. Firstly, to make it worth AB's time. Secondly, to recognise the efforts some have gone to to make this happen, from within the club and the fanbase. Lastly, it'd be great to show fan's gratitude to one of the club's principal sponsors, who has advertising up around the ground, sponsors the MOTM award, has the club's fixtures up in the bar, and also is very active on social media with club news. I'll be down for a pint.

Thought Saturday was very frustrating. We were defensively pretty solid, but didn't have any way of pressing home our numerical advantage. Their 9 was a big lump, not much technically but I'm sure his physicality stresses a lot of centre halves at this level. I didn't see what happened for the pen, but the biggest cheer all day was from their head coach when it was awarded. Speaking of whom, what was all that about?! Something of a spat between himself and SPB, I think? But it was all smiles and hugs at the end.

I do feel slightly like our playoff hopes are fading out. We needed three points and a couple of goals swing to get above them. And what's so f*cking annoying is that with the Molesey result in the bag months ago, we'd be breathing down their necks proper. With the constant postponements it's given Westfield et al a chance to get settled in the playoff spots. Momentum off a win at Molesey may really have helped us. 

I wonder a bit about the futures at the club of some of the guys who might fancy their chances a division above- the likes of DMG, Saidou, Lexus, Isiah and a couple of others might feel they could go up a level next season.But I'll worry about that if it happens.

2-0!

Have to say I was thoroughly impressed by the performance last night vs Palace. Friendly or not, we played really well and our side is predominantly made up of young lads- I'd be interested to see the average age of both sides, especially the team we finished with on the pitch.

Palace are a professional outfit, train every day, have all the nutritional experts, fitness coaches, specific goalie coaches etc that money can buy- the lads on that pitch last night are all presumably on good contracts already- and Tooting matched them all over the pitch.

Their 9 was going over at every bit of contact, clearly not getting any change out of our centre halves. When he was finally given a penno, it was VERY soft, and justice was done by a brilliant save from our keeper.

Seems unfair to pick out any of our side, but I thought DMG played like a man possessed. Was all over the pitch, making tackles in our own box and scoring a great goal in theirs- their keeper saved his first shot, but Dom stayed on his feet, stayed strong against the challenge of two Palace defenders and smashed in the rebound. But the whole team was brilliant.

Like I said, a friendly is a friendly, but none of us would have been surprised had Palace been able to comfortably come away with a result, given the resources available to the team. And they seemed to take the game seriously, as far as I could tell. They weren't mucking about.

Ashley and Cornelius should feel very proud of their team's performance, and the lads should feel proud of themselves. Hopefully a result to give the side a boost going into a very important run of games.

It must be difficult when sides have to travel huge distances for not much dough. Don't Dulwich have to go to Weston Super Mare this season, for example? That's a lot of ground to cover and a big commitment to the staff and players.

Is there also a chance the leagues might restructure again this year?