Crawley Green

[Rhodes]

Crawley Green's impressive Risk Assessment document for the Brache and their Emergency Action Plan:

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/files.pitchero.com/clubs/73930/qyOrIn7VR0KQSlDdtjxA_Risk Assessment.pdf

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/files.pitchero.com/clubs/73930/lv1urGioSQyhakglYdTy_emergency-action-plan (1).pdf

[Rhodes]

Crawley Green Development are a new team to Division Two of the Bedfordshire County League for the forthcoming season, Craig Bicknell and Craig Meyrick will no doubt be watching them like hawks throughout the campaign to see whether there are any players ripe for picking and bringing into the first team pool:

[Rhodes]

The finalised Constitution for the Bedfordshire County League Premier Division for the coming season sees Crawley Green Reserves continue in the top flight where they have been since the 2017/18 campaign, they were promoted from Division One in 2016/17 when finishing third. Prior to that in 2015/16 they were in the SSML Reserve Division South & East however joined the Bedfordshire County League the following season rather than continue with the SSML in the much derided Under 25 Development Division:

[Rhodes]

Like I said on the Leighton Town thread, looking at this graphic it all looks perfectly manageble weather permitting and considering the late start however it's still a crying shame not to have any domestic SSML Cup and County Cup competitions this season, the draw for the Challenge Trophy First Round is always the highlight of the campaign:

[Rhodes]

Joint Crawley Green Reserves boss's Richard McKinley and Craig Savage wait with bated breath for the Bedfordshire County League Premier Division fixtures which should be out any day now. Pre season games have been few and far between however the 6-2 win last month against the new and highly rated Arlesey Town Under 23's side was impressive:

Bedfordshire County League Premier Divsion

AFC Kempston Town & Bedford College First

AFC Oakley First

Bedford Albion First

Biggleswade FC Reserves

Biggleswade United U23

Caldecote First

Cranfield United First

Crawley Green Reserves

Elstow Abbey First

Flitwick Town First

Marston Shelton Rovers First

Queens Park Crescents First

Riseley Sports First

Shefford Town & Campton Reserves

Stevington First

Wilstead First

[Rhodes]

In addition, the new and highly rated Crawley Green Under 23's side await their Bedfordshire County League Division Two fixtures in what looks a very competitive division, it will be interesting to see how the side get on against some seasoned campaigners and there are often no holds barred in games:

Bedfordshire County League Division Two

Atletico Europa First          

Bedford Albion Reserves         

CS Rovers First          

Caldecote Reserves          

Clifton First          

Crawley Green U23          

Harlington Juniors First          

Lancot Park First          

Marston Shelton Rovers Reserves          

Real Haynes First          

Renhold First          

Sundon Park Rangers First          

Wootton Blue Cross First

 

[Rhodes]

Crawley Green Under 23's entertain fellow Division Two outfit Real Haynes First in the First Round of the Bedfordshire FA Junior Challenge Cup on Saturday 26 September, kick off 2.30pm, should they be successful they will then travel to Shefford Town & Campton 'B' in the Second Round of the competition however it certainly won't be a walk in the park against a Real Haynes side who have been promoted from Division Three:

[Rhodes]

Crawley Green Reserves travel to Bedford Albion in their first Bedfordshire County League Premier Division fixture of the new campaign on Saturday 26 September, kick off 2.30pm, they then entertain Biggleswade FC Reserves the following Saturday at the Crawley Green Recreation Ground: 

Bedfordshire County League Premier Division

AFC Kempston Town & Bedford College First

AFC Oakley First

Bedford Albion First

Biggleswade FC Reserves

Biggleswade United U23

Caldecote First

Cranfield United First

Crawley Green Reserves

Elstow Abbey First

Flitwick Town First

Marston Shelton Rovers First

Queens Park Crescents First

Riseley Sports First

Shefford Town & Campton Reserves

Stevington First

Wilstead First

[Rhodes]

An anorak was at this pre-season friendly on Thursday 20 August between Lea Sports PSG and Crawley Green Under 23's, the two sides locked horns again only last Saturday (5 September) at the Crawley Green Recreation Ground and played out an exciting 3-3 stalemate with Lea Sports PSG this time the better side throwing away a comfortable lead near the end:

Lea Sports PSG 1 - 3 Crawley Green Under 23s (HT 0 -2)
Pirton Recreation Ground, Hertfordshire
Attendance rising to 19 towards the end of the second half...2 of whom brought their own deckchairs.

My first visit to Pirton Rec, accessed down a narrow pot holed tarmac road, with parking for well over 30 cars. A second football pitch along side, and a cricket square that was cordoned off. Some cricket net cages were also present. The clubhouse pavillion has a refreshments hatch, but not open this evening.

Much as I would like to call them Paris St Germain, the home team was named for the villages of Pirton, Shillington and Graveley (I think). So explains the anomaly of a Bedfordshire League team physically playing their fixtures in Hertfordshire! Pirton's other main event would be the Pirton Pumpkin Show, held in the Village Hall during September, showing many decorated cucurbitae, as well as the Giants, one year having a 45 stone pumpkin. (I was there.)

The first 20 minutes of the match belonged to Crawley Green, with their very youthful team, looking like some of them were actually in the 16 to 18 age bracket. This may explain the rise in spectators towards the end, as some may have been parents picking up their offspring. 2 goals up, and just before half time, a penalty was awarded to CG, which they didnt score from. I didn't actually see the indiscretion for which it was awarded.

The second half started with a change of GK for Lea Sports, it seemed more fairly matched with both sides scoring. Although it was noted that the size of the goal posts were a bit on the small side, being 9 a side goal posts....they are currently awaiting delivery of their new goal posts.

[Rhodes]

It's 'criminal' isn't it that Crawley Green are not being allowed spectators at their home games at the Brache, I wonder how long Luton Town are likely to enforce that ruling on the Club for, it's just as well that Crawley Green Reserves and the Under 23's side are able to play their games at the Crawley Green Recreation Ground in the Bedfordshire County League Premier Division and Bedfordshire County League Division Two respectively:

https://nonleaguematters.co.uk/forums/index.php?threads/crawley-green-ssml-premier-division.2578/

[Rhodes]

I see that there is a post on another Forum that has 'let the cat out of the bag' as to why Crawley Green are not allowing spectators into the Brache and playing 'behind closed doors', calling it a 'misnomer', it seems like they are allowing spectators in afterall but only Luton Town season ticket holders who they have sold €30 season tickets to. It doesn't seem right does it when their own fans, who are not Luton Town season ticket holders, and fans of visiting Club's can't get in to watch games, I assume that all Officials/Committee members of visiting SSML Club's are able to attend:

"BCD" is something of a misnomer. Due to their tie-in with Luton Town (they share Luton's training ground at the Brache), Crawley Green have being selling season tickets to Luton Town season ticket holders at just £30 for the season. Presumably take up of these, particularly with it likely to be extremely difficult to get in to watch the parent team this season, has no doubt reached the limited quota of fans being allowed into Step 5 stadia for the present under the emergency COVID regulations. Therefore tickets will only become available to casual supporters if and when these regulations are relaxed. The doors are open, but only to a select few at the moment.

https://www.nonleaguematters.co.uk/forums/index.php?threads/ssml-midweek-kick-off-times.2661/

[Rhodes]

YouTube action from Crawley Green v Newport Pagnell Town at a 'ghostly' Brache on Saturday 12 September with Newport Pagnell Town winning 3-2, it's actually quite sad and depressing to watch:

 

[Rhodes]

On 09/09/2020 at 02:22, Rhodes said:

Crawley Green Reserves travel to Bedford Albion in their first Bedfordshire County League Premier Division fixture of the new campaign on Saturday 26 September, kick off 2.30pm, they then entertain Biggleswade FC Reserves the following Saturday at the Crawley Green Recreation Ground 

Crawley Green Reserves managed to avoid a curtailment of their second Bedfordshire County League Premier Division fixture of the season this afternoon due to the weather conditions and drew 1-1 at home to Biggleswade FC Reserves following their excellent start to the campaign last Saturday with a 3-2 win at Bedford Albion with goals from Elmagbari Ibrahim, Rashaun Rattigan and George Onwusonye who later saw red in the contest. Next Saturday sees an awayday to AFC Oakley M&DH who worryingly won 8-1 at Wilstead today and beat Cranfield United 5-1 at their Church Lane base last week. Meanwhile the Under 23's side were redundant today in the Bedfordshire County League Division Two due to a waterlogged Real Haynes pitch and will have to wait until next Saturday for their first League outing against Clifton. Last week however they beat Real Haynes 3-2, despite trailing 1-0 at the interval, in a Bedfordshire FA Junior Challenge Cup First Round tie at the Crawley Green Recreation Ground with goals from Emmanuel Kushi and a brace from Luke Andrews, they will now travel to Shefford Town & Campton 'B' in the Second Round on Saturday 24 October.

[Savagebee]

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/12856323/sons-funeral-slam-covid-rules-pub-mum/

 

[Savagebee]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-54431900

[Rhodes]

It's simply terrible isn't it, I'm sure all our thoughts are with Craig and his family at this difficult time:

A son has been left "angry and upset" after he was told to move after comforting his mother at his father's funeral.

Craig Bicknell, from Milton Keynes, said a staff member at Crownhill Crematorium interrupted the service to tell him and his brother to put their chairs back.

He made the decision to sit by his "vulnerable" mother as she was "lost".

Milton Keynes Council, which runs the building, said it was sorry.

Mr Bicknell, 43, said: "I made everyone aware that I [would] need to comfort my mum at some point.

"When I saw my mum break as she did, it just took over that I had to comfort her and put my arm around her."

At the start of his father Alan Wright's service the chairs were set out separately, but he decided to move his to comfort his mother as she was "lost, empty and she was so upset".

When his brother followed suit, an employee rushed in and told them, "you have to put them back, I'm afraid".

"You can't move the chairs, you were told," he added.

Mr Bicknell said the experience had left him "angry, upset; it was just an empty feeling".

"It totally ruined the day," as he still had to deliver his eulogy after the confrontation, so he just moved and carried on so it would not be cancelled, he said.

"It was very hard to do. I need the service to carry on for my dad.

"It was a really scary feeling, I've never felt before."

Milton Keynes Council said: 'We are sorry to have upset this family.

"We don't usually step in if a guest needs to be comforted by another family member and in this instance should have taken a more considered approach.

"We ask funeral directors to let us know whether any chairs should be grouped in advance, and from now on this includes guests who are in the same household or bubbles, as well as people who need extra support."

The current Covid government guidelines allow up to 30 people to attend a funeral, and social distancing must be "strictly adhered to".

Mr Bicknell wants the rule of six to be changed to include people who are not from the same household at funerals so they are "able to comfort each other and not have to worry".

"We know this is the new way of living, we know there are rules to adhere to, but if we can change this, we have achieved something," he said.

He said if this happened it would be in honour of his father.

[Savagebee]

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/12860499/widow-blasts-lunatic-crematorium-funeral/

[Savagebee]

1 hour ago, Savagebee said:

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/12860499/widow-blasts-lunatic-crematorium-funeral/

It's a bloody disgrace ?

You can sit next to a stranger on the Bus or Tube but you can't sit next to a family member at a funeral and comfort them when they are crying there eyes out?

Silence is compliance.

[Rhodes]

I'm not sure whether this is going to affect Crawley Green's groundshare at the Brache, if and when it happens:

https://www.dunstabletoday.co.uk/sport/football/luton-town/luton-council-make-decision-hatters-academy-dome-lease-future-meeting-3002479

Town CEO had warned the Hatters might be forced to move their training facilities out of the town

Luton Borough Council have confirmed they will make a decision on the lease for the site of Luton Town’s Academy dome at a future executive meeting.

Earlier this month, the council passed the Hatters’ application for a sports dome to be built on a playing field off Cutenhoe Road, which means Town can look to develop their academy from Category 3 to Category 2 status, allowing them to play in the Premier League’s U23 development games programme.

However, chief executive Gary Sweet revealed in his recent programme notes ahead of the 2-0 win over Wycombe, that building the facility wasn’t possible yet, while also warning that the Hatters could be forced to move their training facilities out of the area, saying: “Pre-lockdown, we had proposed a lease of the playing fields on the site adjacent to Cutenhoe Road and Park Street, next to our training facilities at The Brache.

“Alas, we currently have a long way to go to persuade a number of Councillors who, despite agreeing to it initially, have more recently rejected the proposal meaning we can’t proceed at this stage despite our plan being given consent.

“There was no formal reason given at their last meeting, making it rather difficult for us to make any form of appeal even though we’ve met all of the requirements validated by the Council’s own officers and consultants.”

After being asked by the Luton News why the lease was turned down and whether they would be accepting Sweet’s invitation, a council statement said: “A formal decision will be made on the lease for the Dome at a future meeting of the Executive.”

Edited October 14, 2020 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

An dug out from the old Brache and the Vauxhall Motors FC (Luton) days: