I’ve just a few things to remind you about; firstly the clubhouse will be open on Friday showing Algeria V England, k.o. 19:30. Everyone is welcome inc friends and family. (free entry). Let’s hope it’s more exciting than the first game and we see an England victory.

There has been a lot of interest in the Beer Festival which we are hosting jointly with the Billericay Lions Club. It starts Friday 2nd July opening at  4pm to 11pm. Saturday 12 noon to 11pm and Sunday 12 noon to 5pm  There will be 40 + beers and Ciders available, a BBQ, a marquee with music stage, and TV screens in the clubhouse showing World Cup Quarter finals games.

Hill Piling are not renewing their sponsorship next season so we have launched a ticket draw with prizes which include various ticket and advertising opportunities, but the major prize is to be sponsor of the first team shirt next season. Tickets are an amazing price of just £25 each, I see some clubs are doing a similar draw but their tickets are far more expensive. I think Margate’s tickets are £300 each and Chelmsford’s £500. Our tickets are available and affordable to anyone and everyone, and at this price I am hoping to see significant support from within the Club. It’s a great opportunity to win a prize worth £10,000 for just £25.

There seems to be a lot of activity in Essex with regards to non league football., Grays Athletic have finalised a deal to share at East Thurrock and have been placed into the Essex Senior League, but they are appealing to the  FA for a place in a Ryman Division. Its hard enough running a non league club on a normal day-today basis, but to do that whilst having to secure a ground share, build a new future, and fight your corner with the FA as well is quite a task. I wish Andy good luck, Grays have a good man in place.

Briantree have parted with last seasons management team of Robbie Garvey who was assisted by our former manager Jason Broom and appointed  Rod Stringer from Aveley. Rod did a fantastic job at Aveley last season, and also did very well before that at Barkinside. Quite a few of the Aveley players have moved with Rod, inc Michael Alaile who was with us the season before last.

Witham is another club who are appealing to the FA. Having finished second in the Essex Senior League, and with the winners not eligible to go up due to ground grading problems, Witham think they have good grounds for an appeal

Tilbury is another club who have been in the news. Last seasons management team which included former Blue Lee Hodges were sacked, and a new management team put in place.  It also looks as though Tilbury are re-structuring the club.

Chelmsford have released fans favourite Ricky Holmes who has since signed for Barnet, and they have dipped into the lower leagues in search of their next star man. Chelmsford are the biggest non league club in the county but they, like the rest of us are feeling the pinch and have budgeted  for crowds in the 800’s. I wish we could settle on a figure of 800 for a few seasons.

And for us… things are going well, Craig is an experienced head and doesn’t want to start announcing we have signed this player or that player until the forms are available and we are able to actually sign them.  He has mentioned a few names to me recently who have said they are coming, but then I read them as being ‘signed’ elsewhere. Now I don’t know if they had said they were going with one club then decided to join us, or the other way round, but it does go to show that Craig is right in his decision to not announce names yet.

What I can say though, is that we will have a competitive team, we will have a fit team, we will have a good team spirit, and we will have a team who wants to win. Once the squad is settled and the forms are signed, then that will be our team for the season. Craig is keen to have a team who will bond and play for each other, he is keen to work with and improve his chosen squad. Craig likes to play attacking football and he will pick a squad who he believes can achieve that, but within that remit he will also be setting out his side to play to its strengths. Its never an exact science but I know Craig is keen to establish his squad sooner rather than later so he can concentrate on tactics and patterns of play. One thing I’m sure of, is that our team will improve as the season goes on.

£25 each (A fiver a week for five weeks) for a chance to win a 10k prize, you know it makes sense.

See you all soon.

Steve.