TheBogEnd / Tooting 0 Merstham 0

**Posted by Andy Mc** 17/8/2022 5:48 pm

Not the worst goalless draw you are ever going to see. Despite the lack of goalmouth action and the fact that neither keeper had a save to make in the whole match, I found it quite entertaining.

Tooting started the game quite brightly with some decent approach play but without actually troubling the Merstham keeper too much. Our fantastically named number 9 Eddie Mbango looked the pick of our attacking players in the first half. Gradually Merstham got themselves into the game, produced one or two half chances and a few corners but our defence looked quite comfortable. An even stevens first half and not much to choose between the two sides.

Second half and Tooting didn't show up. Merstham started the half stronger and gained confidence as the game went on. The second 45 was played mainly in our half of the pitch but still no clear cut chances produced by either team. The visitors really piled the pressure on in the last 10 minutes and hit the woodwork with a few minutes to go. The final whistle was a relief for the Terrors, if the game had gone on much longer we would probably have lost, so a point gained, rather than two lost, I think.

**Posted by Andy P** 17/8/2022 6:16 pm

Thank you for the write up.

Saw from the teamsheet that Dembele was absent - injured or not picked?

Is Jaiden Chang a 'new' new one?

Last edited by Andy P (17/8/2022 6:17 pm)

**Posted by Andy Mc** 18/8/2022 5:05 am

I don't know about Dembele. As for anyone else, I recognised very few of the players. If last season is anything to go by, where we went through over 50 players, it will be a revolving door of first team hopefuls.

**Posted by daniel collins** 18/8/2022 6:45 am

I heard from someone yesterday that adkins doesant want to fund the team anymore than the present budget because he feels there is not enough people coming through the gate !!!!!!!
J ust goes to prove how much he as an owner knows about football, fans in general will always want to watch a winning team and at our level there is so much competition in the area that this takes on even more importance. Tuesday nights game was played on a warm summers night and a crowd of 211 turned up what size of crowd does he think will turn up on a cold november evening if the team is not doing well ?
Steve Adkins may well be a an astute business man when it comes to other things but when it comes to football the man is a complere ignoramus i thought the business mans mantra was.
SPECULATE TO ACCUMALATE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**Posted by Andy P** 18/8/2022 8:29 am

Daniel - Absolutely right....

If you think SCR is a family toy backed by big money so they don't care where they play or if 30-50 people come along. Tooting has such huge potential with its history, fantastic ground and amazing support. Just think how many people could be attracted to come along (rather than putting an eyewatering £100 a ticket to fund wages at Chelsea) if the club had a smidge of aspiration. Dorking did it. Why can't we?

**Posted by daniel collins** 18/8/2022 12:14 pm

Easy answer Andy cause Adkins dont want it he would prefer to carry on with his revolving door policy of young hopefuls which dont cost him an awful lot and a management team who are cheap for him whats not to like.

**Posted by Poddington** 18/8/2022 1:08 pm

Andy Mc wrote:
I don't know about Dembele. As for anyone else, I recognised very few of the players. If last season is anything to go by, where we went through over 50 players, it will be a revolving door of first team hopefuls.

So we have played 3 competitive games
8 players have started all three
3 others have played in all three
4 others have played in two of the three

Knocks and work commitments have prevented some being available for all three.

**Posted by daniel collins** 18/8/2022 2:21 pm

So Poddington are you saying that you dont think we will have the same revolving door policy that we had last season.
Is that what you are trying to show by your post ?

**Posted by daniel collins** 18/8/2022 4:40 pm

Quite frankly im not surprised you agree with mr poddington as you are another who is part of the adkins appreciation society and as such you you will all carry on with your deluded and delusional way this football club is run lets just see just how many player we will have used by lets say xmas im pretty sure it will go some way to prove me right and you and your little whats app group wrong.

**Posted by Andy Mc** 19/8/2022 6:59 am

3 games means very little at this stage. If we get 15 games in and the squad is still more or less intact, then we can probably say that the revolving door policy has been reconsidered. I'm sure we are all hoping that this will be the case.

**Posted by Mikem** 19/8/2022 5:06 pm

The Football Team has been “BUILT TO FAIL", since our illustrious owner took the whole shooting match over in 2005, and influenced and manipulated the naive Football Club Committee to sell the Freehold legacy of Sandy Lane without any protection for the Football club. Tell me why the Football Team needed the Imperial Field complex which sucks up money according to Colonel Woolley, so much so they are going to build flats (To house all the Football Agents, so they don’t have to travel far) to alleviate their financial position, yeah right!!!

God knows how many players have played for the Football Team over the last few years. This grew rapidly when the owner finally got his master plan and the yes and inclusive managerial staff to follow his grand plan, which did not include the First team.

These postings havebeen going on for years now, so something must be drastically wrong! Many fans and volunteers have quit in disgust after being taken for mugs. Which means the end of this scenario is still light years away.

If the revolving door shuts this year, that means the team will be left with current players! Not a problem it seems the agent are now recruiting under 10 players. How many players have left over the last 4 years and not made it? They never return to Tooting unless they are they really desperate.

Since 2005: Quote “The challenge is to make Tooting & Mitcham United FC the best semi-professional club in the land, one built on sound foundations of good practice in all matters!!” (You can’t make this up lol)

Last edited by Mikem (20/8/2022 10:19 am)

**Posted by evthedog** 19/8/2022 5:40 pm

Would a Steve Adkins supporter/ apologist care to reply?

Probably not.

**Posted by Poddington** 19/8/2022 10:25 pm

I simply posted a truth.
You sadsacks just twist everything. You say this is a forum for all and welcome input. Yet a simple post of facts gets abusive comment.
If, as you say, you'd welcome match reports, updates etc then stop stop being dicks and sucking up to each other.

**Posted by daniel collins** 20/8/2022 6:56 am

Really managed to rattle your cage poddy old boy as far as i can see you and the little adkins whats app group are the only sadsacks and dicks around why else would you post basically on the appaling way this club is run by someone who has zero interest in the football club.

**Posted by Mikem** 20/8/2022 10:29 am

Paddington,
have to agree with you on just posting facts, as you say, " but only three games play". However judgement cannot be made yet without completing the season! The comments made made against you are based on past seasons. As for posting match reports etc, you are most welcome, unfortunately we have not seen one from you this season!

Ev the dog, requested you respond to my posting on this thread, but you have chosen to ignore this message. Your comments on my posting would be very welcome. We may then begin to understand your views on the Football team and the structure it operates under?

**Posted by Joseph Hayes** 21/8/2022 4:26 pm

Genuine question.

Why is everyone so angry at the chairman, Mr Adkins.

Please, no silly replies, I genuinely want to understand peoples anger because it seems so virulent.

Might I suggest a top 3 perhaps, to keep it to the point.

1.
2.
3.

**Posted by Andy P** 21/8/2022 6:52 pm

Joseph

1) Lack of investment in the first team
2) Concentrating all resources and praise on the youth set up
3) Sticking with a manager with the tactical nouse and player "pulling power" of a boiled potato

Last edited by Andy P (21/8/2022 6:53 pm)

**Posted by Joseph Hayes** 21/8/2022 7:04 pm

AndyP

1. Do you think throwing money at the first team will guarantee success?
2. Which/what resources are prioritised on the Youth setup? Is a thriving and successful youth setup not something to be proud of?
3. Do you know the manager personally? How do you know what his tactical nouse or pulling power is?

**Posted by Mikem** 22/8/2022 10:00 am

JH,

Not sure how long you have been supporting Tooting, but having the Audacity to ask Darren P “Where did he come from” on your first posting is real cheek. He politely replied to your message, I think you should tell him where you came from!

Your question on Adkins would take several books to answer your question 3 irrelevant questions. There has been constant displeasure with him even before he took over the whole shooting match in 2005. There has been many posting since then giving full details on what he’s done to the Football Club and Team, who are just a vehicle for his own plans and always will be. I am not going into full chapter and verse as most of it is history, but the real fans will never forgive him!

Since 2005: Quote “The challenge is to make Tooting & Mitcham United FC the best semi-professional club in the land, one built on sound foundations of good practice in all matters!!” (You can’t make this up lol)

Last edited by Mikem (22/8/2022 10:02 am)

**Posted by daniel collins** 22/8/2022 12:59 pm

Joseph Hayes just seen your post as to why a lot of us hate the chairman earlier i asked you how long you had been a supporter thats relevant because if you have been coming for a good number of seasons you wouldant have to ask that question.
You can ask any one of a number of older supporters that question and they will tell you that man and his greed has ripped this club off for a long time now and if you ask me how im not going to tell you cause it would take a very long post to tell you why.
Inany case i think you might not be who you are saying you are and are actually one of the adkins apologists under a different name just trying to wind up the regular supporters who post on this forum i dont know who you really are and quite frankly i dont care but there in my mind something very bogus about you.

**Posted by Andy P** 22/8/2022 1:02 pm

Joseph,

You asked for three points and that's what I gave you - whether I am feeding a troll here, who knows...however..

1) Would it guarantee success? How can we tell? Getting in better and established players would have a higher likelihood of success and would probably attract higher gates.
2) Of course an excellent youth set up is something to be proud of, but to be done to the flagship of the club which is the first team?
3) Do I know Ashley personally? Surprisingly not. If not a lack of tactical nous, explain the absymal run of last season and the lack of experienced and established players brought in?

**Posted by Joseph Hayes** 22/8/2022 11:04 pm

Mikem

I agree. I did state I was being facetious in a previous post and apologised for any offence caused.

I am obviously not fully aware of the exact comings and goings of the club financially or otherwise, however I have read many a post on this forum detailing their frustrations.

I can't objectively see where the anger stems from because it feels the posts are only claims of wrongdoing or disagreement with how the club is run. I honestly don't understand it but that is probably my ignorance.

All fans across all levels of football will have a view on how they want their club to operate but ultimately it will the owners that get to make those decisions based on what their philosophy is. Some will be in it solely for the money, some will have more philanthropic motivations, some may have a combination of the two. We can disagree with it but it almost feels like Mr Adkins has done harm to someone or stolen something from fans because the hatred for the man is so ingrained in so many posts and comments.

I just don't understand. But again, that's my ignorance I suppose.

**Posted by Joseph Hayes** 22/8/2022 11:37 pm

[
Daniel Collins

I agree, a completely relevant question.

I don't claim to be anything other than a supporter of the club and wish to be nothing more. I am a relatively new supporter, first becoming aware of the club in 2014 and then taking a more active interest in the 15/16 season.

I have huge respect and admiration for those long standing fans that have followed the club for far longer than I have. Their knowledge and passion is admirable.

I don't know Mr Adkins, have no desire to know him and have only ever seen him a handful of times at Imperial Fields over the years. I may have seen him previously and not noticed because lets be honest, he doesn't scream millionaire! Lol I think the kids would say.

Anyway, I am certainly not an apologist for anyone thats for sure. I believe everyone should be held accountable for their actions, hence why I am seeking clarity from the fans who hold Mr Adkins with such contempt.

Lastly, I wish to express a sadness. A sadness that a fan must be "bogus" or a "wind up" for expressing an opinion that differs from the negativity and hatred that seems to run rife in this "fans" forum. A beautiful club with a beautiful history deserves a beautiful fanbase.

Alas, harmony will not always prevail I guess.

**Posted by Joseph Hayes** 23/8/2022 12:25 am

Andy P

Thank you for your reply, genuinely appreciated. I respect your reasonings and they are logical assumptions to make.

I would like to come back to you on your 3 points purely on the basis of debate and to give perhaps, a different perspective.

1. Established players come at a cost. Rumours are that players are demanding severely inflated wages and more frequently, clubs are willing to pay them in the hope it brings success. I would suggest that doesn't fit our clubs "model". Whatever that may be.

2. I have seen a thriving youth setup for the small number of years I have followed the club. I would argue against the youth being more "important" than the first team but I can see why some might feel that way. If our first team was also thriving, I wouldn't think so many would pit one against the other.

3. I think there could be a variety of reasons but would like to offer a few. We have had experienced players. Darryl Coleman, Peter Wedgeworth, Mike Dixon, Tom Jelley, James Shaw, Connor French, Antonio Simeone, Sol Patterson-Bohner etc etc. These have all been under the tenure of our current manager I believe. This season we have James Shaw, Cory Walters-Wright, Nathan Daly, Nathan Gordon, Jordan Clarke & Enoch Ako-Adjei. They are all experienced from my research.

The abysmal run of form could be for several reasons. The psychological impact of Covid and all of its lockdowns and restrictions should be taken in to account. I believe all human beings were significantly affected through that period and I think the significance will be felt by society for years to come.

The Sky documentary may have played a part. I would suggest that could of had an impact on many different facets of the club in a negative way.

The clubs finances may have been adjusted. Perhaps we cannot afford those more expensive experienced players that everyone desires. We have seen an increase in clubs becoming non existent and I am adamant no supporter of the club wants to witness that.

Truth is, I don't know. I don't think anyone knows.

All I do know however is that we have had relative success recently. 5 points off the playoffs in the first curtailed season with games in hand. 4th position in the 2nd curtailed season. A record breaking 8th London Senior Cup win.

It's not the ultimate success we all crave I know, but it's success. Progressive.

I dunno. Maybe my optimism is misplaced. Maybe my spectacles are tinted with a rose hue.

Should of gone to Specsavers! Perhaps they'll help me see our tiny pitch a bit better!