The Reserves

[Rob_the_Saint]

Well, what about them? Post your thoughts and questions here. They're at home this Saturday so if you can't make Basingstoke why not pop down to the Park and give 'em a try.

[Laz]

I think they deserve a page in the programme, with match reports, stats, the league table and, most importantly, a list of forthcoming fixtures.

[AFF]

I agree that there should be reference to the Reserves in the matchday programme. There is a double page spread in the programme "They also wear the colours" which, when I remember to bring a microscope to read it, is filled with news about the Yoof, St Albans City Youth F.C. and Saints Supporters F.C.

 

The small but perfectly formed Committee who deal with the matchday programme are doing an absolutely fantastic job at present, but that page could do with a little editing and is the ideal place for some stuff about the Reserves. There is another page which has carried a quiz for the past few games although on Saturday it had a couple of b/w photographs. There is an opportunity there, too.

 

I suggest that the chaps who run the Reserves should have a word with the chap that used to drive the red tractor. The matchday programme is another question for another day, I suggest [other than to heap praise on the shoulders of those what produce it, of course.]

 

The Reserves. Do they play 3 or 4 at the back and do they play the long ball game?

 

 

[Laz]

Picking up on the "They also wear the colours" point above, I think the programme would look more consistent if the same font size was used through out. The supporters club page, uses a much larger size to make it fill a page. Why not use the normal size and leave some space for something else, possibly the reserves. The other article could be trimmed.

[GHA EFM]

The rezzies play a passing, attacking, Holland of the 70's ball game. Defending from the front, attacking from the back, jumpers for goalposts, gotta be in it to win it, you'll always win if you score more goals than the opposition, the perfect blend of experience and youth.

 

I've heard they could do with a better keeper, however.

 

I agree with Laz that a same size font would look better. However, I think the reserves should have their own page, and not just a small paragraph or two in size 4.612 font.

[Laz]

So, are there any forthcoming home midweek matches?

[GHA EFM]

You'll have to ask the management. I know there is training this week, but don't bother coming, as it's behind closed doors.

[AFF]

[sigh]

 

The font size in the matchday programme is not uniform. I suspect that The Supporters Club page is produced in larger font to fill the page. There is room there for, say, a quiz if someone would step forward and volunteer to produce one each week.

 

The existing "They also wear the colours" is desperately in need of editing to make it more interesting, not to mention readable, in a larger font size, if someone would step forward and volunteer to do it.

 

Upon reflection, I agree with GHA, firstly with regard to the need for a quality keeper, and secondly that The Reserves should have a section on their own, perhaps in place of the existing quiz/b&w photograph page if someone would step forward and volunteer to do it.

 

Whilst on the subject, the "Our Visitors" double page would benefit from a sub-editor, too, if someone would step forward and volunteer to do it.

 

As far as stepping forward to volunteer is concerned, to my certain knowledge, only one fan has stepped forward this season to assist the small but perfectly formed Committee what organise the matchday programme, and a truly brilliant job the chaps' do, too. One or two others would be welcomed, I imagine.

[Laz]

The thread goes silent. Someone must be looking for volunteers.

[GHA EFM]

See the calendar for forthcoming fixtures.

[Webbo MFI]

or the reserve bit on the site....

 

copy and paste is all that is needed

 

[HKS_EFM_GialloBlu]

Good afternoon and thanks for starting the thread Rob. You're all quite right, I think that the chaps deserve a page of their own too. The age old problem being ........who's going to do it? All previous publications, both in the programme and on the web were written by me, so I can only hold my hands up and say that it's probably my fault that there's been nothing recently. I do however hope to address that this week, work permitting, and put something together for the site.

 

Just to pick up on a couple of points.......yes we do play 4 at the back. Only played 3/5 once and that was due to the personnel available and the fact that we conceded 5 the previous week.

 

The other points made by GHA are generally correct, excluding the one about the Goalkeeper. We do try to play football whenever possible, some times a little too much and in the wrong places, Greg Deacon take note, we loathe and despise the long ball and on our day we switch play as well as anyone.

 

All I can say is 'come and have a look'. If the first team are away and you don't want to go shopping, there are far worse ways of spending an afternoon.

[HKS_EFM_GialloBlu]

I'm replying to myself here, but I've just seen a question from AFF asking why don't the chaps train with the 1st Team.

 

Simple answer is that if we can't use the pitch, and at this time of the year it's very hit and miss, there's not enough room around the ouside for 30 odd players.

 

 

[mdetaylor]

One club: two systems

[AFF]

Hi HKS.

 

Are you saying that the 1st Team train around the outside of the pitch at the Park? Around the outside?

 

[before I get serious, I can't resist a couple of merry quips. a). And I thought that they reduced the size of the pitch last season because we had no pace at the back and they intended to play 3-5-3. And that they have forgotten to ask the chap that drives the red tractor to widen it now that we have some qwality in the side. In reality, they've kept it small as they obviously need the bits at the side for training.

. I suppose that with an area 7 yards wide by 100 yards long, practising the long ball game is one of the few exercises from the manual available to the coaching staff. Perhaps for variety, they practice passing across the pitch from one side strip to the other, and the trick is: don't let the ball bounce on the playing surface.]

 

Now that's out of the way, the serious bit:

 

You cannot be serious HKS. You just cannot be serious.

[Laz]

AFF, don't you have spare acre of land that City could use?

 

Hasn't the City council just spent £200,000 on a new all-weather surface for the Hockey Club? (IE all those of use that pay council tax, not the coucil themselves.) Could we use that once a week?

[Rob_the_Saint]

There must be loads of r*gby clubs that have spare capacity. The Old Albanians club up the Harpenden Road has umpteen pitches, all weather facilities, mobile floodlights etc, and there's one down at Smallford with quite a lot of room too. No harm in asking is there?

[HKS_EFM_GialloBlu]

AFF, it's true I'm afraid. As the ground is the only facility 'available' and has to stage both games and provide training facilities, there's not a lot of choice. When the weather is poor and there's a risk of damaging the pitch we (both teams, different days) train around the outside.

 

To be honest I'm not sure how often this happens with the 1st team, I have witnessed it first hand however, but certainly the reserves have done it several times, which of course always goes down well.

 

To be fair, we've (1st and 2nd) been banging on about it for a while. I'm led to believe that we've tried various other clubs, Rugby, hockey etc. and got nowhere. This was why I managed to get the chaps down to Colney, although that now seems to have gone out of the window.

 

Any ideas, visions, flashes of inspiration greatfully accepted.

[AFF]

Oh, for Heavens sake, HKS. Have I got to wipe your nose, too.

 

We are the SupersoarawaySaints, 3rd in the League that we have every chance of winning, in the semi-final of the Herts Senior Cup, pursuing silverware wherever we look, [apart from The F.A.Cup and Trophy, of course] and you expect t'Lads to train on the central reservation of the M1 Motorway?

 

"You're avin a laugh!" as they say in football. No wonder we've been putting up with.....with....with.... what we have been putting up with over the past two months. I thought that it was certain players having PMT or whatever it's called. Or The Duo concentrating on the long-ball game. How can anyone train around the edge of the pitch?

 

I imagine that OA's would be delighted to rent out space at Woollams? St Albans Rugby Club at Smallford? [The OA's trained there last season as guests.] OV's at Cotlandswick? Nicholas Breakspear? Westminster Lodge? The University? Loads of places. What exactly is the problem?

 

Get a grip, for goodness sake and sort it out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[SAINTS64MAD]

I know some saints team trained over Westminster Lodge a few summers back. Why not just have a kick around at any local park.