Yesterday, after the final whistle of the Worthing game, Mark Hutton presented him with a Dulwich Hamlet TOFFS 1937 Ernie Toser Amateur Cup shirt as his reward.
Sunday, 20 September 2009
Our top man in Helsinki
Following the traditional team vote ( hope everyone got asked this year!) after out tour game in Helsinki in the summer, John Prendergast was voted our player of the tour.
Yesterday, after the final whistle of the Worthing game, Mark Hutton presented him with a Dulwich Hamlet TOFFS 1937 Ernie Toser Amateur Cup shirt as his reward.
Yesterday, after the final whistle of the Worthing game, Mark Hutton presented him with a Dulwich Hamlet TOFFS 1937 Ernie Toser Amateur Cup shirt as his reward.
Saturday, 19 September 2009
Rabblers crushed by Rebels!
Saturday 19th September 2009
"The Rabblers" 1,
Worthing supporters' 5
Friendly match
At Belair Park
Report by Mishi D. Morath
It's great to play the likes of Worthing supporters'. A genuinely decent bunch of lads, who play for fun, and are-give or take- as rubbish, make that ineptly keen, as us! so I'm gutted to be out 'injured'. And what makes it worse is that I haven't a clue how. I've got pains in my shoulders, like pulled muscles or something, & whilst I'm not in agony, it's fairly constant enough to be annoying & restrict some movement. I'd put it down to 'old age', but I'm 'only' forty two. Oh dear, that'll be old age then.
I still turn up to watch, & some of our lads look a little concerned when they see how young some of the Rebels fans look, but that's not unusual, as anyone under thirty looks young to most of our boys.
Nick Courtnage, the person who runs the Worthing fans' team, AKA 'The Caveman', has asked in advance if the Worthing first team manager Simon Colbran can play for them. Our gaffer Mick O'Shaughnessy has no problem with that. He might be a former semi-pro footballer, but who are we to stop them having the chance to play alongside him? He did look a class above though, and got on the scoresheet from a free-kick. Shaun Dooley was more than happy to 'catch him' early on. Not deliberate as such, he explained it, with a smile, that 'I just wanted to let him know I was there!'
As it happens, when the match gets underway, we have a severe problem of 'first team-itus' and fail to take our chances, which will come back to haunt us. We are two down at half-time, but the game has been more even than the scoreline suggests. The second half is another story. As we start to weary & Worthing gain the upper hand. Though we did deservedly pull one back, with James O'Shaughnessy getting on the scoresheet with a quarter of an hour to go. Well taken, but scant consolation for the previous hat-trick of chances he'd missed. Towards the end we were going to 'sneak' on Vikki Grater, & she makes a bit of history being the first ever 'mother & son' combination to play for us, being on the pitch at the same time as her 14 year old son Louis Grater, who joined the fray earlier in the half.
Making his debut for us was Ennio Gonnella as one of a number of second half changes, who is the new club sponsor. Not the biggest of corporate tie-ups, I've heard it's three hundred quid a month, but it all helps. You may recall the Club were concerned he may have been offended by some supporters' choice language at Horsham YMCA. Clearly he wasn't, by asking to play this morning! After the match he asked for a few words, and explained how he was getting involved in the Club, & had heard on the grapevine how some fans weren't too happy with the way the bard had been run. He said he was laying on some decent food before games, reducing the prices of pints prior to kick off, and making sure the pipes were being cleaned regularly. He apologised for the way things may have been & hope we would use the bar more. Fair play to him.
And fair play to both teams. A really enjoyable moment, without a nasty moment in it. Despite the defeat everyone enjoyed it, this is what supporters' football is all about. Having fun and a bit of a laugh with the opposition supporters. Marvellous!
Time to head back to Champion Hill & the comfort of the 'new,improved bar' for the game between the 'big boys'.
Roll on the return down their way on the coast in January!
"The Rabblers" 1,
Worthing supporters' 5
Friendly match
At Belair Park
Report by Mishi D. Morath
It's great to play the likes of Worthing supporters'. A genuinely decent bunch of lads, who play for fun, and are-give or take- as rubbish, make that ineptly keen, as us! so I'm gutted to be out 'injured'. And what makes it worse is that I haven't a clue how. I've got pains in my shoulders, like pulled muscles or something, & whilst I'm not in agony, it's fairly constant enough to be annoying & restrict some movement. I'd put it down to 'old age', but I'm 'only' forty two. Oh dear, that'll be old age then.
I still turn up to watch, & some of our lads look a little concerned when they see how young some of the Rebels fans look, but that's not unusual, as anyone under thirty looks young to most of our boys.
Nick Courtnage, the person who runs the Worthing fans' team, AKA 'The Caveman', has asked in advance if the Worthing first team manager Simon Colbran can play for them. Our gaffer Mick O'Shaughnessy has no problem with that. He might be a former semi-pro footballer, but who are we to stop them having the chance to play alongside him? He did look a class above though, and got on the scoresheet from a free-kick. Shaun Dooley was more than happy to 'catch him' early on. Not deliberate as such, he explained it, with a smile, that 'I just wanted to let him know I was there!'
As it happens, when the match gets underway, we have a severe problem of 'first team-itus' and fail to take our chances, which will come back to haunt us. We are two down at half-time, but the game has been more even than the scoreline suggests. The second half is another story. As we start to weary & Worthing gain the upper hand. Though we did deservedly pull one back, with James O'Shaughnessy getting on the scoresheet with a quarter of an hour to go. Well taken, but scant consolation for the previous hat-trick of chances he'd missed. Towards the end we were going to 'sneak' on Vikki Grater, & she makes a bit of history being the first ever 'mother & son' combination to play for us, being on the pitch at the same time as her 14 year old son Louis Grater, who joined the fray earlier in the half.
Making his debut for us was Ennio Gonnella as one of a number of second half changes, who is the new club sponsor. Not the biggest of corporate tie-ups, I've heard it's three hundred quid a month, but it all helps. You may recall the Club were concerned he may have been offended by some supporters' choice language at Horsham YMCA. Clearly he wasn't, by asking to play this morning! After the match he asked for a few words, and explained how he was getting involved in the Club, & had heard on the grapevine how some fans weren't too happy with the way the bard had been run. He said he was laying on some decent food before games, reducing the prices of pints prior to kick off, and making sure the pipes were being cleaned regularly. He apologised for the way things may have been & hope we would use the bar more. Fair play to him.
And fair play to both teams. A really enjoyable moment, without a nasty moment in it. Despite the defeat everyone enjoyed it, this is what supporters' football is all about. Having fun and a bit of a laugh with the opposition supporters. Marvellous!
Time to head back to Champion Hill & the comfort of the 'new,improved bar' for the game between the 'big boys'.
Roll on the return down their way on the coast in January!
The team against Worthing
Back row (left to right): James O'Shaughnessy; Mark Hutton (co-manager); Steve Rickerby; Lawrence Marsh; Nicolas Lucas; Matt Hammond; Ian Gannon; Jim Marshall; Mick O'Shaughnessy( manager).
Front row (l.-r.): Louis Grater; Vikki Grater; Phil Doyle; Shaun Dooley; John Prendergast; Ennio Gonnella; Andy Murphy; Phil Baker (kitman).
And here is the Worthing team, our good friends from the South Coast:
Front row (l.-r.): Louis Grater; Vikki Grater; Phil Doyle; Shaun Dooley; John Prendergast; Ennio Gonnella; Andy Murphy; Phil Baker (kitman).
And here is the Worthing team, our good friends from the South Coast:
Come on...get in line!
This set of photos, along with many others further down, were kindly taken by Melanie Lucking. I thank her for doing so, & suppliying the disc they were on.
This set is from the chaos that always happens before & after a team photo.
It could just be me, but I do like to see silly sets like these...
This set is from the chaos that always happens before & after a team photo.
It could just be me, but I do like to see silly sets like these...
A few more snaps from me...
It must be Hutty wittering on, because everyone is looking amused, with Louis just bemused!
I told you it was him!
Five minutes before kick off..and we decide to have goalkeeper trials!
A Ladyboy with a ladder...and NOT in his tights! ;-)
Well he had to be good at something! ;-)
Just a stroll in the park...
A corner comes in...
As you can see my camera's not designed for action shots. I don't call it my 'digital box brownie' for nothing!
Half time...time to relax!
Lovely morning...do we have to get up for the second half?
Come on we can win this...oh no we can't! Oh yes we...nah, this is getting silly!
"Now if only Hutty had seen my formation we wouldn't be in this mess!"
See what I mean about crap action photos...
But at least I caught this...which is James about to score our only goal of the game!
I'm not sure whose 'war wound' this is...I think it was Steve's. The things we do for Dulwich eh?
I told you it was him!
Five minutes before kick off..and we decide to have goalkeeper trials!
A Ladyboy with a ladder...and NOT in his tights! ;-)
Well he had to be good at something! ;-)
Just a stroll in the park...
A corner comes in...
As you can see my camera's not designed for action shots. I don't call it my 'digital box brownie' for nothing!
Half time...time to relax!
Lovely morning...do we have to get up for the second half?
Come on we can win this...oh no we can't! Oh yes we...nah, this is getting silly!
"Now if only Hutty had seen my formation we wouldn't be in this mess!"
See what I mean about crap action photos...
But at least I caught this...which is James about to score our only goal of the game!
I'm not sure whose 'war wound' this is...I think it was Steve's. The things we do for Dulwich eh?
Some better ones from Melanie
Many thanks, once more, to Melanie, for the following set of pictures:
Larry offers some team selection advice, forgetting he no longer runs the team! ;-)
A smile that says 'That's me starting then!' ;-)
Matt with his half time sandwich box! ;-)
The Worthing lads help out with their net, while our Gaffer Mick does..not a lot!
On the way to the pitch...Danuta appreciates that Belair Park is as beatiful as the Citadel in Namur! Maybe not...
Almost ready!
Get those nets up!
These continental types take it seriously. Pre-match water? Whatever next? Proper warm ups?
Now how does this bleeding camera work?
When you grow up Louis you too will be that big!
Vikki Grater wears that "Why on earth did I agree to play today?" face!
Hamlet fan Tony Squires turns up to watch.
Now where's the 'on' switch?
Pretending to take things seriously! ;-)
Ian looks as though he's about to throw up! Pre match nerves?
Getting ready for the pre-match 'ring-a-ring-a-roses!'
James has to suffer the pre-match waffle from his old man!
Someone suggesting the Gaffer talks out of his arse? ;-)
A nonchalant Ennio is a bit laid back!
Or just too knackered to get up!
Tony dashes over to lend him his walking stick!
Press briefing before the match.
Well Hutty looks as though he knows what he's doing!
Well at least they look as disorganised us us, just a few years younger!
In my day we warmed up with a pre-match can of beer & cigarette!
Vikki gets ready to put the fear of god into Worthing!
"Well I'm not getting it!" -jinx!
Mick recalls his childhood dream of working on the railways.
Flying overhead...an unlucky omen, one for each goal conceded!
"Is she laughing at me?" Why not? Everyone else does!
Danuta takes charge...the clipboard queen!
"This is how we shall play!"
"Yes, that looks ok. I'll pretend it's my tactics!"
Two nice ladies...and a dirty old man!
Pretending to take things seriously at half time!
Tut, tut Steve. That's not setting a good example to young Louis! Bet none of his team mates have a half time ciggie on a Sunday!
Larry offers some team selection advice, forgetting he no longer runs the team! ;-)
A smile that says 'That's me starting then!' ;-)
Matt with his half time sandwich box! ;-)
The Worthing lads help out with their net, while our Gaffer Mick does..not a lot!
On the way to the pitch...Danuta appreciates that Belair Park is as beatiful as the Citadel in Namur! Maybe not...
Almost ready!
Get those nets up!
These continental types take it seriously. Pre-match water? Whatever next? Proper warm ups?
Now how does this bleeding camera work?
When you grow up Louis you too will be that big!
Vikki Grater wears that "Why on earth did I agree to play today?" face!
Hamlet fan Tony Squires turns up to watch.
Now where's the 'on' switch?
Pretending to take things seriously! ;-)
Ian looks as though he's about to throw up! Pre match nerves?
Getting ready for the pre-match 'ring-a-ring-a-roses!'
James has to suffer the pre-match waffle from his old man!
Someone suggesting the Gaffer talks out of his arse? ;-)
A nonchalant Ennio is a bit laid back!
Or just too knackered to get up!
Tony dashes over to lend him his walking stick!
Press briefing before the match.
Well Hutty looks as though he knows what he's doing!
Well at least they look as disorganised us us, just a few years younger!
In my day we warmed up with a pre-match can of beer & cigarette!
Vikki gets ready to put the fear of god into Worthing!
"Well I'm not getting it!" -jinx!
Mick recalls his childhood dream of working on the railways.
Flying overhead...an unlucky omen, one for each goal conceded!
"Is she laughing at me?" Why not? Everyone else does!
Danuta takes charge...the clipboard queen!
"This is how we shall play!"
"Yes, that looks ok. I'll pretend it's my tactics!"
Two nice ladies...and a dirty old man!
Pretending to take things seriously at half time!
Tut, tut Steve. That's not setting a good example to young Louis! Bet none of his team mates have a half time ciggie on a Sunday!