v Hemel Hempstead

[Reading Rebel]

Nice weather for a game of football, hopefully we can get a decent crowd.

[Kaiser Gibbs Batman (KGB)]

Similar weather to that that memorable Good Friday in 1965 at Crab Tree Lane when the linesman adjudged that Kevin O'Brien had allowed John Ford's ball into the box to cross the line in goal and we sensed that the Rebels were on their way up.  

https://www.sloughtownfc.net/reports/2148

[Irishadrian]

Thanks KGB for that trip down memory lane  Some  Rebel greats in that Team!.

[Reading Rebel]

Open first half where the score could easily have been 2-2 at the break.

After we were gifted a goal Jon North proceeded to pull off an excellent one on one save to keep the score at 1-0.

Hemel then had a few chances where again only some last ditch defending prevented a goal.

Alfonso then missed a glorious chance to put us 2 up when it looked easier to score.

Second half was in the balance until Josh Jackman popped up to score to make the game relatively safe.

With Hemel now down to 9 men after showing more intent to do some harm to a player than play football we saw the game out comfortably.

Another excellent result and clean sheet from the Rebels which keeps our faint hopes of a play-off spot still alive.

Lenchy by far the MOTM with possibly his best performance of the season.

 

[Irishadrian]

4 hours ago, Reading Rebel said:

Open first half where the score could easily have been 2-2 at the break.

After we were gifted a goal Jon North proceeded to pull off an excellent one on one save to keep the score at 1-0.

Hemel then had a few chances where again only some last ditch defending prevented a goal.

Alfonso then missed a glorious chance to put us 2 up when it looked easier to score.

Second half was in the balance until Josh Jackman popped up to score to make the game relatively safe.

With Hemel now down to 9 men after showing more intent to do some harm to a player than play football we saw the game out comfortably.

Another excellent result and clean sheet from the Rebels which keeps our faint hopes of a play-off spot still alive.

Lenchy by far the MOTM with possibly his best performance of the season.

 

Frankly RR It looked for a long time that we,d finish in the lower part of the table but it begins to look like we will finish in the top half and maybe within a few places of the playoff zone  I'll consider that an OK season with a lot of potential for the next one.

[Irishadrian]

Anyone know what our declared holiday crowd was ? Thank You.

[Reading Rebel]

6 minutes ago, Irishadrian said:

Frankly RR It looked for a long time that we,d finish in the lower part of the table but it begins to look like we will finish in the top half and maybe within a few places of the playoff zone  I'll consider that an OK season with a lot of potential for the next one.

Possibly a top half finish but with 3 difficult away games and Dartford at home to come anything can still happen as far as our finishing position goes. 

 

 

[Reading Rebel]

2 minutes ago, Irishadrian said:

Anyone know what our declared holiday crowd was ? Thank You.

I've seen somewhere that it was 744.

Reasonable I'd say considering it's still holiday time. 

[Guest Wycombe Rebel]

This season has been a success regardless of what happens now, with the amount of youth brought through/in we have overachieved in my opinion and long may it continue, looking forward to next season already. More youth and a sprinkling of experience, I'm all for it!

Edited April 19, 2022 by CookhamRebel

[Reading Rebel]

2 hours ago, CookhamRebel said:

This season has been a success regardless of what happens now, with the amount of youth brought through/in we have overachieved in my opinion and long may it continue, looking forward to next season already. More youth and a sprinkling of experience, I'm all for it!

It's only my opinion but I think it should be the other way round.

Experience with a sprinkling of youth.

With 4 going down next season we've got to be careful not to over load with youth.

[Guest Wycombe Rebel]

1 hour ago, Reading Rebel said:

It's only my opinion but I think it should be the other way round.

Experience with a sprinkling of youth.

With 4 going down next season we've got to be careful not to over load with youth.

Unless someone can pull a bucketload or 3 full of £50 notes out of their jacksy then it won’t be the other way around hence the reason for having an Academy now. The club is clearly gearing to towards youth with a few experienced heads until a gem or 2 get snapped up for £200k-£300k. We could be in amongst the bottom 4 who knows but it will be exciting to see what happens.

[Shredding Green]

7 minutes ago, CookhamRebel said:

Unless someone can pull a bucketload or 3 full of £50 notes out of their jacksy then it won’t be the other way around hence the reason for having an Academy now. The club is clearly gearing to towards youth with a few experienced heads until a gem or 2 get snapped up for £200k-£300k. We could be in amongst the bottom 4 who knows but it will be exciting to see what happens.

It would also be exciting to hear some supporters talking positively ahead of next season like most of them were yesterday, probably for the first time this season.

The club and football management are always thinking positively ... we just need the supporters to as well.

This season to me has had four bad patches :-

  i) The start!

 ii) Losing 1-3 at home to Whitehawk in the FA Cup.

iii) A run of 2-4-5 in between beating Maidstone United (A) and Dorking Wanderers (H) on successive Saturdays and winning 1-2 at Ebbsfleet United.

iv) A run of 0-3-2 in between beating Maidstone United (H) and Tonbridge Angels (A).

This season has been difficult for player availablity which has contributed to iii) and iv) as it has been for many other clubs. But the management have learned a lot about that extra little bit that is needed to win those matches that Rebels so nearly did in an extremely competitive division.

 

[Reading Rebel]

2 hours ago, CookhamRebel said:

Unless someone can pull a bucketload or 3 full of £50 notes out of their jacksy then it won’t be the other way around hence the reason for having an Academy now. The club is clearly gearing to towards youth with a few experienced heads until a gem or 2 get snapped up for £200k-£300k. We could be in amongst the bottom 4 who knows but it will be exciting to see what happens.

No one knows what our budget will be except the powers that be.

Ok we know it won't be a top half budget but likely to be similar to what we've had in the past and possibly a bit lower hence the continual use of players from our Academy.

I don't expect to see a flood of youth into our first team but something similar to what we've seen this season with the players that impress being given a chance to make their mark in the first team with  players being loaned to clubs lower down the pyramid to gain experience in senior football. 

[3spirit]

17 hours ago, Reading Rebel said:

No one knows what our budget will be except the powers that be.

Ok we know it won't be a top half budget but likely to be similar to what we've had in the past and possibly a bit lower hence the continual use of players from our Academy.

I don't expect to see a flood of youth into our first team but something similar to what we've seen this season with the players that impress being given a chance to make their mark in the first team with  players being loaned to clubs lower down the pyramid to gain experience in senior football. 

I can see where Cookham Rebel is coming from with his angle but I agree with you here, Reading Rebel. I think next season will be down to if we want to win anything. It's all very well bringing in loads of potentially good young players but they are work in progress and aren't going to instantly win you trophies, or get the team competing for the title.

The board don't need to spend big to do this but they do need to help our management out a bit at the start of the season, as if they don't we will start getting nearer the relegation places than the play offs. With the players we currently have,we are over achieving big time in my opinion. That's down to our managers acumen, not our superb quality on the field of play. The squad is going in the right direction but let's not get carried away and think we are best team we can be. With money, or not. 

This season has been a success in terms of recruitment and rebuilding our squad but from my perspective we have some way to go to be among the better established sides. 

In the new pre-season, I'm hoping Bakes and Unders do what they did last season and cherry pick 3 to 4 experienced Conference South players to add to what we have. To me that would include at the very least, one new experienced forward of note but I would go for two. In terms of changing lots of players that will be unnecessary but of course,a few of the current players will naturally move on, as with every season.     

[Curtis]

Jon & Neil clearly have an eye for good young strikers, you need look no further than Elijah Adebayo scoring goals at Luton which look like taking them into the play-offs, Mathew Stevens at Forest Green with more than 20 league goals leading to promotion to League Two, and currently Alfonso Tenconi, who we have a record of W10 D8 L5 38pts when he has played (W2 D3 L8 9pts when he hasn’t). It’s unfortunate Alfonso hadn’t made the squad before we had exited the FA Cup.

If they haven’t got similar about to emerge from the under 23’s they need to be given some funds at the beginning of next season to bring an equivalent in on loan for the first three months with an option to extend to the full season, which could be funded if it resulted in a good FA Cup run with the prize funds & additional cup match attendances.

[3spirit]

17 hours ago, Curtis said:

Jon & Neil clearly have an eye for good young strikers, you need look no further than Elijah Adebayo scoring goals at Luton which look like taking them into the play-offs, Mathew Stevens at Forest Green with more than 20 league goals leading to promotion to League Two, and currently Alfonso Tenconi, who we have a record of W10 D8 L5 38pts when he has played (W2 D3 L8 9pts when he hasn’t). It’s unfortunate Alfonso hadn’t made the squad before we had exited the FA Cup.

If they haven’t got similar about to emerge from the under 23’s they need to be given some funds at the beginning of next season to bring an equivalent in on loan for the first three months with an option to extend to the full season, which could be funded if it resulted in a good FA Cup run with the prize funds & additional cup match attendances.

Is it 'an eye', or good contacts in the game. I know Bakes watches a lot of games at different levels but he can't be everywhere all the time.Last season he had his hands full, so some of these signings may be recommendations.

It hasn't always worked out with young strikers on loan at Slough ie Tommy Wood, Noel Gifton Williams [think I've got his christian name right?]. We've been fortunate with Matt Stevens and Tyler Goodrham[who isn't what I call an out and out striker].

I don't know anything about James Beauchamp,this Binfield striker but it looks likely that he will be with us for a couple of the games we have left and next pre-season but I still feel if we are to sign one proven Conference South player next season, it should be a striker.

I haven't managed to get to many games this season but of the ones I have, I have found our front line not always leading the line that well. Alfonso Tenconi has been a good find but in some of the games I've seen he hasn't been able to find space or trouble the opposition centre halves, as much as I had hoped he would. As he is not with us next season, and with Tyler's loan coming to the end,our cupboard looks threadbare up front. Ben Harris is probably worth hanging on to but is becoming more of a squad bit part player as time goes on. He is still useful but I believe there's room now for a proven goalscorer to head our attack. Last season we tried to get this with Tom Derry but although in the long run it didn't work out, it wasn't totally the failure it's perceived. 

Our current squad,with the input of the U23's, looks a fair proposition that has been able to cope with the demands of this division but winning against Tonbridge Angels and Hemel Hempstead in end of season games with nothing much to play for,mustn't make our managers complacent that next season we're ready to take on all-comers. We lost Guy Hollis, Mark Nisbet, Warren Harris, Max Worsfold through the season and to my mind we've not replaced them yet. Edon Pruti has been a revelation but if we lost Lee Togwell for a period of games we would be in trouble. Joe Dandy will not be the answer [I would use him next season as a right back vying with Sean Fraser for games]. With Josh Jackman such an all round player we have options where we play him. I would use him more as a right sided attacker than a right back/defender now but with the notion he can now play pretty much anywhere. We still need a left winger to bring some flair to our attacks and this seems the other position that needs addressing for next season.  

[Reading Rebel]

13 minutes ago, 3spirit said:

Is it 'an eye', or good contacts in the game. I know Bakes watches a lot of games at different levels but he can't be everywhere all the time.Last season he had his hands full, so some of these signings may be recommendations.

It hasn't always worked out with young strikers on loan at Slough ie Tommy Wood, Noel Gifton Williams [think I've got his christian name right?]. We've been fortunate with Matt Stevens and Tyler Goodrham[who isn't what I call an out and out striker].

I don't know anything about James Beauchamp,this Binfield striker but it looks likely that he will be with us for a couple of the games we have left and next pre-season but I still feel if we are to sign one proven Conference South player next season, it should be a striker.

I haven't managed to get to many games this season but of the ones I have, I have found our front line not always leading the line that well. Alfonso Tenconi has been a good find but in some of the games I've seen he hasn't been able to find space or trouble the opposition centre halves, as much as I had hoped he would. As he is not with us next season, and with Tyler's loan coming to the end,our cupboard looks threadbare up front. Ben Harris is probably worth hanging on to but is becoming more of a squad bit part player as time goes on. He is still useful but I believe there's room now for a proven goalscorer to head our attack. Last season we tried to get this with Tom Derry but although in the long run it didn't work out, it wasn't totally the failure it's perceived. 

Our current squad,with the input of the U23's, looks a fair proposition that has been able to cope with the demands of this division but winning against Tonbridge Angels and Hemel Hempstead in end of season games with nothing much to play for,mustn't make our managers complacent that next season we're ready to take on all-comers. We lost Guy Hollis, Mark Nisbet, Warren Harris, Max Worsfold through the season and to my mind we've not replaced them yet. Edon Pruti has been a revelation but if we lost Lee Togwell for a period of games we would be in trouble. Joe Dandy will not be the answer [I would use him next season as a right back vying with Sean Fraser for games]. With Josh Jackman such an all round player we have options where we play him. I would use him more as a right sided attacker than a right back/defender now but with the notion he can now play pretty much anywhere. We still need a left winger to bring some flair to our attacks and this seems the other position that needs addressing for next season.  

With the budget we will have next season we have to make every penny count.

At least one striker is a must for next season. 

You say 'Ben Harris is worth hanging on to' this will still take up part of our budget so can we afford to hang onto a player who will only play a bit part during the season?

Tom Derry scored a couple of nice goals but as major signings go I think it was a bit of a flop.

Guy Hollis is a free agent so I wouldn't be surprised to see him return. 

On Joe Dandy it's early days but I think he shows a lot of promise. His best position is at center back so not sure why you think he will not be the answer. 

 

[3spirit]

1 hour ago, Reading Rebel said:

With the budget we will have next season we have to make every penny count.

At least one striker is a must for next season. 

You say 'Ben Harris is worth hanging on to' this will still take up part of our budget so can we afford to hang onto a player who will only play a bit part during the season?

Tom Derry scored a couple of nice goals but as major signings go I think it was a bit of a flop.

Guy Hollis is a free agent so I wouldn't be surprised to see him return. 

On Joe Dandy it's early days but I think he shows a lot of promise. His best position is at center back so not sure why you think he will not be the answer. 

 

I don't know anything about what budget we have or will have.

I would have got rid of Ben Harris 4 seasons ago, as he is just not the type of player I favour. However like Ed Smith,his negative traits can often be overlooked by some of the good stuff he does do. The last two seasons I have altered my opinion on Ben because I now view him as a squad player, and not a first teamer. To me he is never fit enough to be included as an automatic choice up front but with our 'smaller budget' his experience and craft has been worth keeping around ie better the devil you know ! ha ha ! He will get goals regardless of how much time he's on the pitch and because of that fact added to how little experience we have upfront, I would have him pencilled in for next season's squad.

In hindsight Tom Derry was a flop but at the very start of the season he was a boost to the team and a talking point. Ok this time it didn't work out but there have been numerous times over the seasons when bringing in a proven striker has. Think of the lift it will give us, to fans,the club to sell season tickets, and to the managers to have someone up front who will put the ball in the net on a regular basis. That's what brings money into the club. A proven goalscorer. That's when attendances start rising, at a start of a new season when local publicity is rife for a great signing for the club. Not keep going for cheap loans and youngsters,though of course there is a place for that as well.

On Joe Dandy, I mustn't judge him too early but I like his mobility. I wouldn't use him as centre back next season. I'm not saying he can't play there but for me I wouldn't choose to use him there just yet. I would use him next season as a right back, with the odd lower cup match in a midfield or a centre back starting role. Unlike most supporters I don't have fixations about young players having to play in positions they've been accustomed to. I can easily see why Bakes and Unders acquired him and that's only on the one game I've seen him play[against Braintree]. To me as a centre back I might use him in say a Berks and Bucks cup game or say in an emergency situation if Lee Togs or Edon Pruti is out but I want to see what else he can do in other positions. If Guy Hollis or Ryan Bird return,then I see even less appeal to rush Joe Dandy into a centre back slot. His time will come there but for me it's not yet.  

 

Edited April 21, 2022 by 3spirit