The 'tour virgins', so to speak!
What made this trip a bit unusual was that there were no less than four of them-three of which were making their "Rabblers" debuts to boot!
Shaun Dooley is an old veteran of the team, having been a major part of our earlier years, including a spell as manager. He returned to playing last season, but was only expecting a 'few minutes' on foreign soil on this trip, as he had suffered a recurrance of an old knee injury in the seven-a-sides a few weeks before. But he played the whole tour between the sticks, with trademark bandana, after a passportless Matt Hammond failed to appear.
The new three were Mick Spencer, despite the grand 'Diana-esque' surname he is as 'rough & ready' as you can get! Introduced to the Hamlet terraces by his ex-work colleague & mate Dawn Taylor, hopefully he'll have some more run outs for us this coming season. His professional team is Reading, despite the fact they've knocked the Hamlet out of the FA Youth Cup twice in the past, he's a great addition to the squad!
Next up is Stephane Tournay. 'On loan' to us for the tour from our Belgian Second Division counterparts from the home town of another very good Belgian friend of ours, Nicolas Lucas, UR Namur. He was part of the Belgian group who came over & cheered the Hamlet on, at home to Sittingbourne last season. He was made honourary captain for the match against Jalgpallihaigla, which is why he has a pre-match memento to present them in his hand.
And finally...you would hardly beleive it...but gaffer Mick O'Shaughnessy has a sensible son! If I had a pound for each time someone mentioned how different he was to his younger brother James, who also turns out for us, over the weekend it would have paid for my flight! David O'Shaughnessy is obviously the more sensible lad, & the fitter one, if the HJK girl's tastes who was with him all Sunday was anything to go by. Lucky girl! ;-)
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