Div 1 Round up 24/01/09

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An injury to goalkeeper Nicky Maynard marred Eastbourne United’s rise back to the top of the County League.
Maynard suffered a groin injury in Saturday’s 3-2 win at East Grinstead and has been pulled out of the Sussex squad for Wednesday’s game against Middlesex.

No 31 THE RFC INDEPENDENT WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

Please tell everyone that Herve King’s memorial game is on Sunday 15 February at the Caburn at 2pm ko. I am told its against Three Bridges FC and admission prices are £5 for adults and £2.50 for everyone else. Other clubs read this Newsletter and through it I ask that you inform everyone of this event and make sure that every County league side has representatives at the game.

Training this week is definitely on Tuesday night for all squad members at Falmer and hopefully at the club on Thursday night if it ever stops raining. But it stopped raining long enough for us to get the reserve game on at the Caburn on Saturday. To be honest I felt we didn’t have a chance of getting it on with the amount of rain we’d had through the week – and after the first team game being postponed against Hailsham on Tuesday night - but when I went out there on Friday at around 4pm it looked almost playable. And play it we did against Southwick who, I understand, have many new signings to show. Well apparently we huffed and puffed our way through this slogging contest and came out honours even. I haven’t spoken to either Neil or Geoff yet but I suspect they’ll be happy with a point but disappointed in going a goal down in the first minute. 1 all in this game and hopefully we move one point closer to maintaining our Reserve Premiership status in the County League.

No such similar fortunes for our first eleven. On a pitch that looked ok to start with then resembled a ploughed field at half time, we battled with a resurgent Chichester City FC. We were disappointed not to have the variety of squad players we’ve become used to with Will Broomfield, Dave Altendorf, Luke Huggett, Simon Greatwich, Keiran Patel or Sam Sowter not available but nevertheless we should really have got something from this game. Chi are certainly on the up but our record shows 2 out of 3 wins of late and we’ve scored 9 in three games but in this one we struggled to convert. We lost this one 2-0 and I look forward to meeting Chichester at home later and playing, perhaps, different personnel and most likely a different formation.

Thanks to everyone for the comments about being in The Times newspaper on Saturday. To have our club’s name in the same column as Sir Alex Ferguson and The FA Cup was great. In fact it was great to see Ringmer FC in a national paper and not followed by the word “Administration” I guess. Good to see us in the paper for the right reasons, I think we’d all agree. For the record, they said I knew about this 124 year old rule in the FA Cup. Of course the truth is I did know and it was me who let Fergie know when I talk tactics to him on a Sunday evening…. Ha! – I didn’t have a clue mate. The Sussex FA said play to the end and we did. And we won. If you dunno what we’re talking about see story below for a laugh:

Next week we entertain Wick who are flying high in third place. We beat Wick if you recall earlier this season in a game that was hard fought but great football from both sides. They play a similar way to the way we (try to) play so I’ll make no secret of the fact we’re gonna put a side out there to really get at em. I’m hoping the pitch will be ok and we can play and watch a great game. 3pm at home for the first eleven this Saturday.

The reserves play away at Eastbourne United, similarly 3pm ko too. Neil will notify you of your involvement. I understand that you guys may need to rally round and sort transport as I understand that Deb has an appointment and will not be travelling to the reserve game.

I read that Steve Johnson and Tommo have rejoined their forces to manage East Grinstead Town. I bet that was a wake up call at the first training session. Best of luck to you both.

See you all on Tuesday night.

Sir Alex takes a tip from Bob

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Who will be first to ask for extra time?

Bob Munnery, the manager of Ringmer, knew all about it. So did Clive Taylor, his counterpart at Rye United. It may have been an East Sussex derby match, in the extra preliminary round of the FA Cup in August, but there was no way this tie was going to the inconvenience and additional cost of a replay 36 miles away. And so it was played out on the day, with Ringmer winning 4-3 after extra time in front of 73 spectators.
Somehow Article 11a of the FA Cup’s regulations had gone unnoticed at the top end of the game until yesterday, but suddenly it is the talk of football. Sir Alex Ferguson more click title.

STEVE & TOMMO AT EAST GRINSTEAD!

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Steve Johnson has been appointed manager at East Grinstead Town.
Johnson's appointment is the first time Town have gone outside the club.
And chairman Richard Tramontin

No 30 RFC WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

Watching the encounters and form of other clubs as we all do, I have to say I'm saddened to hear the latest goings-on at Crowborough FC. With several of our last year players signed for the Ryman South side, I had hoped for their survival - at least - in the next step in the pyramid system. I speak to Steve Johnson a lot and I know he'll be disappointed not to have finished the job he started at the beginning of the season. I hope that the ex-Ringmer players together with Steve find happier times soon.

The Tuesday night encounter against Hassocks proved to be a strange game - not least with Mickey Jewell and I being sent off for no offences being committed. And that statement from the ref himself by the way. I try not to go on about refs at all but the one thing I want to say is that refs have to do better than that. No disciplinary report going in but two managers being sent off. I think it needs explaining. What doesn't need explaining is a 2-3 victory though. We were 2 down and finished when we found new vitality to grab three goals and three points. Hassocks will be disappointed but no more than we were when we were winning at 90 minutes against East Preston only to lose 3-2. Its football - thats it.

On Friday we achieved our second win in four days beating Littlehampton in the Brighton Charity Cup. I said in last week's Newsletter that it was a game I really didn't want to play as the timing and our personnel was off line. We left five squad players out giving starting opportunities to others. In my view, we never looked like losing this game and we looked like we could score at will but at times we were defensively vulnerable. But we managed to move on safely into the next round. Forgive me if I don't get too excited about it.

Before you judge that statement as a "manager who doesn't care" - let me explain. A comment was made about the Charity aspect of this competition. If its about the money then Ringmer's involvement wont change that as any club playing will give the end result so its not imperative we're in it. I can see authority figures or ex-authority figures perhaps within our club raising their eyebrows at that statement. Well before you do that, look in the mirror at yourself and decide if you're responsible for the FA deliberating as to whether we now have ten points deducted. If you were involved in putting Ringmer FC into Administration and you feel that your actions have put this club at risk and possibly into division 2, send me an e-mail saying its down to you and I'll include it in next weeks Newsletter. Raised eyebrows now? I await the FA's decision and I think I know what it'll be. I wont hold my breath on any "sorry about that" e-mails.

On Tuesday night we meet Hailsham at their place in a game that very much does matter. In a proverbial 6 pointer - should we be deducted the ten points - we need to win to get ourselves to 34 points (24) and closer to survival. I think it's a 7.45pm ko but check Malc's web site to see.

Neil's reserves went down to Shoreham being let down by three key players on Saturday morning and with time and experience against him, Neil put out a makeshift 11 to play. Inevitably I guess the experience of Shoreham's more senior players saw the home side get the points. Three individual errors didn't help the cause and if you didn't have a great game, saying "I aint playing next week" will result in you sitting home watching Sky Sports on a permanent basis. Get over it and get out there and play. Neil puts you on the park after that its down to you. Be more adult and start getting a winning mentality.

Saturdays games are away at Chichester for the front side and home for the reserves against Southwick. Check Malc's web site for details.

Training for the reserves is at Falmer on Tuesday night and for both squads at the club on Thursday. Deb will send texts with all information. Respond as soon as you can please.

The rocky horror show at Hassocks

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Published Date: 14 January 2009
IT MAY still just be the pantomime season but Hassocks put on a performance of the Rocky Horror Show on Tuesday as they lost 3-2 at home to Ringmer in a game where they appeared to be cruising to victory.
Panic and an alarming lack of discipline cost them dearly as they conceded three goals in the last 12 minutes and had skipper Ashley Marsh sent off

Only right that both joint managers took responsibility: Boyes

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By Brian Pollard, Sx Express
CROWBOROUGH Athletic chairman Malcolm Boyes said it was only fair that both Steve Johnson and Harry Smith took equal responsibility for the team's recent poor run.
The Crows have gone on a nine-game losing run and are five points adrift at the bottom of Ryman One South.

No 29 RFC WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

The cold, together with the “recession” and a bleak outlook at the weeks ahead it makes you feel a bit pessimistic with regard to the future of County football in general. At Ringmer, I note we have a floodlight inspection on Wednesday night - I can only assume this happens periodically - and it ponders the question - what happens if we fail it? We have falling attendances, the club is in the stranglehold of Administration and we await news of our fate with regard to a possible points

penalty which could lead to possible relegation. The Administrator e-mailed me this week to make several points - one being that it is only his office that can resolve this administration issue - a view I have to accept - but surely its the members that should have the final say? Earlier in the week the ex-chairman e-mailed me to express his “disappointment” at my comments in the previous Newsletter and to him and to the Administrator I would say the same thing. Let the members decide the fate of Ringmer Football Club. Lets not see the club as an old girlfriend that’s been cast away only to decide that we don’t want anyone else to have her.

Lets all share the members names and addresses. Lets be open and hold a meeting and let the members decide the fate of the pitch and ultimately the club itself. If they want the directors’ to have control then so be it. If they want the Trustees to keep control then so be that too. Surely then that would be an end to it all?

This is a members club. You and me and all that are members should decide what happens here surely? It should be the members who say what happens next. You people that have sweated blood and tears dragging down buildings from Croydon, the people who had their dads, uncles, brothers and sons playing for Ringmer who are no longer with us, and you people who have worked tirelessly to keep the club afloat through all these years.

For the record, I will put in attachments from any writer with regards to any matter which will be there for all to see. If it moves us closer to resolving this depressing situation its gotta be worth it I guess. I aint putting in any political crap so make it honest and straight.

Frustration in not playing games can lead to being impetuous when trying to get games on and we are trying to focus when our next game will actually be. No doubt in the blazing sunshine to come in July and August, we will look back on minus 9 temperatures and laugh. Was it really that cold? I visited the ground on Friday afternoon, 24 hours before kick off time and it was minus 2. On Friday night I had the misfortune to have to go out again and the temperature thing in the car read minus 9. Would the game go ahead I wondered for about a millisecond. All games in the County (I hear) were off. So we hastily arranged a 5 a side indoor session for 17 of the squad and we had a 2 hour workout - which is probably more than most teams in the County had.

We’ve arranged a Reserve friendly game on Thursday evening at Ringmer, 7.15 ko. Its against a Bridge View side we played pre-season so we pretty much know what to expect. Thanks to Danny for sorting this out with me. On Tuesday evening the front side play Hassocks away 7.45 ko and on Friday night we have a first team game thrust upon us. We play Littlehampton in the Brighton Charity Cup and although I don’t want to play it (we have no keeper and Steve cant make it) I’m not given a choice. According to David Ruffles we have to do what we’re told evidently. A line of thinking I’m not used to. For the record I want it postponed.

Hope to see some of you at Hassocks if its on in

No 28 RFC WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

With frost snow and all sorts forecast this week we have to get a bit clever and creative with regards to training. Most County sides will look out the window and not train I guess but as with last week when we managed to sort an indoor five a side training session for the first team at Lewes Leisure Centre, this week we have organised a similar session but this time we have a two hour indoor session on Tuesday night at Peacehaven Leisure Centre this time for the entire squad. The squad will be split and Deb will text you your time for your session. In short, if she tells you, you are on 8 till 9, get there at 7.45 and you’ll be off by 9. If you are told 9, get there at 8.45 and you’ll be off by 10. Got it? No? Just tip up when she says then…

On Thursday, and yet to be confirmed, we will either train at the club if it thaws or we’ll be going out to Plumpton College for another indoor session. We think the indoor sessions speed up agility so whilst its not totally in line with normal mid week training its better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick and will serve our needs sufficiently through this cold snap.

The cold snap didn’t stop the Shoreham v Horsham YM game going ahead at Shoreham though although I think a lot of people thought it should never have been played. I didn’t walk onto the pitch but I can vouch for the fact you could hear the crunching of frozen soil as the players ran across the surface. 2 - 2 the final score with Shoreham taking the lead with YM seemingly coming back to what most thought was an unassailable lead, 1-2 up at half time. But the lead was wiped out with the bullish Shoreham in the ascendancy in the second half. Not the greatest of games for me with both sides not impressing the crowd who were less than content with the football in combination with the minus 4 temperatures. I wont bore you with descriptive detail with regard to how cold we felt but without the use of the F word I’m struggling to explain. The F word being “freezing” of course…

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I don’t feel too optimistic with regards to the chances of getting football on next Saturday but hey, here’s hoping huh? The front side play away at Chichester City. I went to watch Chichester play us last term at their place (in which we won, Jack Johnson getting a hat-trick if I recall) but from what I understand they’ve moved to their other place. What a luxury having two grounds a? Can you imagine that at Ringmer lol. The kick-off is as always 3pm. Deb will notify you of your involvement.
Our reserves play their fixture against the third placed side Hastings United at home on Saturday, 3pm ko again.

Our game last Saturday had zero chance of being on as I slid over to the Caburn to check if it was still there at 8am. It was still there but resembled Streatham Ice rink and after humorous call to the ref who asked me to organise a mid-day inspection as it was only 10.30, an hour and a half later and then it was ok to call it off. Our reserve game at Arundel had little drama to it - Arundel calling it off bright and early on Saturday morning.

See you all Tuesday night at training - if not then next Saturday at Chi if you can make it. If not try to get to the Caburn to get behind our reserves with Neil and Geoff.