Berkhamsted Raiders

[Rhodes]

10 minutes ago, Karen Browne said:

Their forthcoming appointment at Hemel is the worst kept secret in football

Karen - Like FC Broxbourne Borough leaving the SSML you mean. I wonder though if it is just one Manager as opposed to a partnership which would then rule out Steve Bateman and Lee Bircham: 

[Karen Browne]

Well who would have guessed

Lee Bircham assisted by Steve Bateman named as new management team at Hemel

[Winslow Boy]

45 minutes ago, Karen Browne said:

Well who would have guessed

Lee Bircham assisted by Steve Bateman named as new management team at Hemel

Somebody several months ago when they left Berko...

didn’t expect it to be that way around though. 

[Rhodes]

Yes, congratulations to Lee Bircham and his trusted assistant Steve Bateman, it only seems like yesterday that Lee was at Green Lane with Bovingdon:

https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/sport/16240265.manager-lee-bircham-hopes-bovingdon-build-on-herts-senior-county-league-title/

[Deano5]

3 hours ago, Winslow Boy said:

Somebody several months ago when they left Berko...

didn’t expect it to be that way around though. 

Was always going to be that way round.  Suits both of them perfectly.  Spoke to Lee personally earlier and fantastic he has been given this opportunity.  Loved my time working with him at Berko.

[Savagebee]

18 hours ago, Savagebee said:

WB has contacts I'm going with what he says ?

? ?

Never knew Lee Bircham played for Fisher Athletic FC ?

Remember him having a cracking season a few years back for Leverstock Green FC where he scored a load of goals for them during one season.

[Winslow Boy]

5 hours ago, Deano5 said:

Was always going to be that way round.  Suits both of them perfectly.  Spoke to Lee personally earlier and fantastic he has been given this opportunity.  Loved my time working with him at Berko.

Makes sense. Lee will be looking to go on in management and Steve with his experience will be good support. Brennan did well there, good luck to them, great opportunity. 

Edited July 16, 2020 by Winslow Boy

[Rhodes]

On 19/06/2020 at 15:31, Big J R said:

'Home & Colonial'  !

That brings back memories.  Ooops - showing my age again.

Big J R - Perhaps I should PM this to you as it has nothing whatsoever to do with Berkhamsted Raiders but are you interested in old signs:

 

[Big J R]

No need, but thanks all the same

[Rhodes]

What on earth happened to Berkhamsted Raiders at Hertfordshire Senior County League Premier Division Belstone on Saturday (22 August) at their leafy Medburn Ground in Radlett (pictured), I was shocked to learn that they had succumbed to an embarrassing 4-0 defeat, it doesn't bode well at all for the season ahead does it:

[Rhodes]

On 24/08/2020 at 02:19, Rhodes said:

What on earth happened to Berkhamsted Raiders at Hertfordshire Senior County League Premier Division Belstone on Saturday (22 August) at their leafy Medburn Ground in Radlett (pictured), I was shocked to learn that they had succumbed to an embarrassing 4-0 defeat, it doesn't bode well at all for the season ahead does it:

Some flesh on the bones from Berkhamsted Raiders embarrassing 4-0 defeat at Hertfordshire Senior County League Premier Division Belstone last Saturday, it would appear that Berkhamsted Raiders were nowhere near fit enough and Belstone always had the upper hand apart from arguably the first half an hour with the score surprisingly still 0-0. As soon as Belstone took the lead, around 31 minutes through a defensive error, the game was already all over bar the shouting and they added a second shortly before the interval following more sloppy defending with Berkhamsted Raiders already showing signs of tiredness. It was just a matter of time for more goals to arrive for the home side during the second period and despite one or two half chances the Belstone goalkeeper was rarely called upon and won't have an easier afternoon all season.  

[Rhodes]

I see that, worryingly, there has been a steep increase in Covid-19 cases in the Berkhamsted and Tring areas this week, I wonder whether this will have an affect on Berkhamsted Raiders friendly fixture on Saturday (29 August) at Stotfold Development, due to be played on the 3G pitch at the Pendleton Sports Centre in Arlesey, kick off 3.00pm:

https://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/health/coronavirus/coronavirus-rise-confirmed-cases-tring-and-berkhamsted-2951528

The public health chief for Hertfordshire County Council is reminding residents to follow the Government guidelines around social distancing following a rise in the number of cases in Dacorum.

Over the weekend Dacorum recorded 14 new cases, there are now 578 confirmed cases in the borough, a rate of 373.5 per 100,000 - according to Public Health England.

There has been a small number of positive cases in Tring and Berkhamsted, particularly among young people.

Cllr Tim Hutchings, executive member for Public Health said: “We can confirm there is currently a small number of positive COVID-19 cases in the Tring and Berkhamsted area, primarily amongst young people (17-19yrs old).

Contact tracing has begun and early indications is that transmission is likely to have taken place in a number of social gatherings. Although this number may yet spread further over the next few days, it is contained within this locality and age group.

We want to take this opportunity to remind particularly young people to stick to the rules regarding social distancing and the number of people you meet from outside your household. If you think that you may have been exposed to COVID-19 or are feeling unwell, you should speak to an adult or call 119 or visit www.gov.uk/coronavirus for more information.”

[Rhodes]

On 27/08/2020 at 14:18, Rhodes said:

I wonder whether this will have an affect on Berkhamsted Raiders friendly fixture on Saturday (29 August) at Stotfold Development, due to be played on the 3G pitch at the Pendleton Sports Centre in Arlesey, kick off 3.00pm:

Not only was the pre-season friendly with Stotfold Development played on Saturday at the Pendleton Sports Centre in Arlesey but Berkhamsted Raiders managed to win the game 3-1 with a positive performance unlike the disappointing 4-0 defeat at Belstone a week earlier. It will have pleased Manager Lee Groves ahead of the forthcoming SSML Division Two campaign where his team start with a home game against The 61 FC (Luton) on Saturday 19 September before travelling to Icknield Way the following Saturday to meet Tring Corinthians AFC:

[Rhodes]

Here's the news everyone has been waiting for, Berkhamsted Raiders go to Broadwater to face Berkhamsted Comrades on Monday 28 December with the return fixture at the Orbital Fasteners Stadium not until Saturday 3 April. I wonder why we have to wait with bated breath until 28 December for the first meeting between the bitter rivals particularly as Berkhamsted Raiders will have already played Pitstone & Ivinghoe and Tring Corinthians AFC twice by then and Berkhamsted Comrades will have also faced Totternhoe home and away.

[tringarmy]

8 hours ago, Rhodes said:

. I wonder why we have to wait with bated breath until 28 December 

For the last few seasons the first post Christmas game & one around Easter have been used for the local derbies so no great surprise. 

[Rhodes]

I have heard of things going bump in the night but not at 3.00pm on a Saturday afternoon which was very much the case for Berkhamsted Raiders on Saturday (5 September) as they came back down to earth with a bump at Creasey Park following the encouraging 3-1 win at Stotfold Development last week. Boss Lee Groves will have been disappointed that Dunstable Town took the lead on just three minutes when the defence was all at sea and allowed Leonardo Pedro to dance through their stationary ranks, disaster struck again on 26 minutes when the ball wasn't properly cleared as it should have been and Khyreece Smith-Reid made it 2-0. The visitors seemed to wake up from their slumbers and pulled a goal back on 36 minutes through Emmanual Agyeman however five minutes later it was 3-1 when Dylan Fitzpatrick finished clinically following good ground work from Chris Day. I'm not sure if tea cups were sent flying by Lee Groves at the interval however Berkhamsted Raiders began the second period well and just after hitting the woodwork Joel Agyeman made it 3-2 on 59 minutes, unfortunately their good work was undone six minutes later when more defensive hesitancy allowed in Cedric Ibarra to make it 4-2. After that it was pretty much all the home side who could have extended their lead on a number of occasions prior to the final whistle sounding.

[Rhodes]

I wonder how Berkhamsted Raiders are feeling at the moment about North Berkhamsted based Sunday League Club Gossums End winning £32,000 in funding from the 'Harry's Football Other Guys' competition which gives grassroots Football Club's Nationwide the opportunity to win a full changing room makeover, team sponsorship and playing equipment. Berkhamsted Raiders will no doubt feel they are fully entitled to a slice of the pie but this time they have missed out, it's about time other Club's in Berkhamsted and the surrounding area got a look in and a piece of the action rather that Berkhamsted Raiders winning award after award, such as Herts FA Charter Standard Community Club of the Year on numerous occasions, Greater London FA Charter Standard Community Club of the Year, National FA Charter Standard Community Club of the Year and the prestigious Silver Award for UEFA European Grassroots Club of the Year:

 

Edited September 13, 2020 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

Berkhamsted Raiders have started their SSML Division Two campaign in positive fashion albeit with only two games played thus far, beating the 61 FC (Luton) 7-1 in the opener at the Orbital Fasteners Stadium followed by a 2-2 stalemate at Icknield Way against Tring Corinthians AFC (see match report) where the wind spoiled the fixture as a spectacle, the impressive Alfie Boswell scored both goals but only after the hosts had taken a 2-0 interval lead with Berkhamsted Raiders making life difficult for themselves. Last Saturday (3 October) the scheduled fixture with Pitstone & Ivinghoe was unsurprisingly postponed with the poor weather however, as was very much the case last season, the Club's landlords Kings Langley are so over protective of the playing surface at the Orbital Fasteners Stadium with Watford Ladies plying their trade there at a high level in the Women's National League Southern Premier Division and paying a handsome sum to do so. Tomorrow there is a visit to New Bradwell St Peter who have started their campaign poorly with two defeats under new supremo Jamie Green, Lee Groves men then entertain Buckingham United on 17 October who have recently had a change of leadership so six points should not be beyond the realms of possibility:

https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/tringcorinthiansfc/teams/204841/match-centre/1-6379215/report

Edited October 9, 2020 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

There's a thread on another Forum entitled 'Step 6 Applicants 2020/21', I am assuming that Berkhamsted Raiders still have their hat in the ring from last season and that the rules remain the same for this season, whereby a SSML Division Two Club have to finish in the top five in Division Two in order to be considered for promotion. That's certainly not a foregone conclusion and cut and dried is it with a lot of Club's more than capable of finishing in the top five such as Codicote, Old Bradwell United, MK Gallacticos, Bovingdon, Sarratt, Aston Clinton, Pitstone & Ivinghoe and, of course, not to mention Berkhamsted Raiders 'foes' Berkhamsted Comrades who have started their campaign slowly albeit after only three matches:

https://www.nonleaguematters.co.uk/forums/index.php?threads/step-6-applicants-2020-21.2827/

[Rhodes]

On 09/10/2020 at 09:45, Rhodes said:

Tomorrow there is a visit to New Bradwell St Peter who have started their campaign poorly with two defeats under new supremo Jamie Green

What on earth happened to Berkhamsted Raiders yesterday afternoon, losing 4-1 at New Bradwell St Peter who were pointless prior to the fixture, having lost their first two League games under new boss Jamie Green. New Bradwell St Peter raced into an early 2-0 lead before Berkhamsted Raiders pulled a goal back just before the interval indicating that they would simply receive a stern talking to from boss Lee Groves before coming out with a spring in their step to easily turn the game around in the second period however that wasn't to be and the hosts soon made it 3-1 from the penalty spot before hammering a final name into the subjugated visitors coffin late on. You have to ask where Lee Groves goes from here, next Saturday (17 October) his side host Buckingham United who had a good win yesterday under new supremo John Walton and then they entertain Sarratt who can be dogged on their day however anything less then six points from those two home fixtures will be unacceptable with a blank week to follow and then difficult looking trips to Codicote and Aston Clinton to come.