THE EDMONTON ROVERS FORUM
Just in case those who weren't there (including Trev) are wondering how we managed to lose 4-2 to the 'bottom' team last night when we fielded a squad of nine 'good' players, here goes...
Firstly, we only had six players there for the kick-off as Rob Abrahams had been stuck at work (in addition to Terry & Foysol) and didn't arrive until dead on 7.00.
Despite the League rules saying that you have a five-minute warm-up period and then kick-off at 5 minutes past the hour, Bill the Ref insisted on kicking-off at 7.00.p.m. exactly...just because the other team had all been out there warming up for 10 minutes !
We told him that Rob was just getting out of his car and would be on the pitch by 7.05. but he wouldn't have it and we had to play the first five minutes without a goalkeeper !
Also, because Bill was in such a rush, Wooly (Caretaker Manager) didn't have time to instruct everybody properly as to where they should be playing.
Wooly also admitted afterwards that he found it hard in deciding which substitutions to make, and there was a lot of arguments, confusion and moaning from our players all throughout the match...although nowhere near Osborn/Reserve Team proportions of course ! 
It didn't help that Dan Hare and Foysol were both wearing flat-soled trainers instead of Astroturf Boots and were slipping about all over the place, while our opponents 'Far From Athletic' were a lot better than we expected.
Far From Athletic only had seven, all of whom were outfield players (they took it in turns to go in goal and none of them had any keeper's gloves or tracksuit bottoms !).
Their players were all in their mid/late-30's and very experienced big, strong, gangly blokes...the sort you normally find playing for AFA Veterans Teams.
They were also surprisingly fit and really knew what they were doing. Their calling was excellent and they hardly wasted a pass.
However, they were NOT as good as Trent Park (Arkay) or Casuals (two sides we have beaten this Summer) and it was a poor performance by us. A 4-2 defeat was a fair scoreline.
Our current 'transitional period' is still not over I'm afraid. 
Wooly (who cannot access the Forum from work) will be e-mailing me a Manager's Report for the website sometime this afternoon. 
If you find it that difficult perhaps it's time to pass on the resposibility to someone else!
Damn !
Looks like one of our ex-players is using a new computer !? 
I can guess who might have said that, but I can't prove it. 
Correction to that...I have just found out it is one of our CURRENT players ! 
Nice try Lol, but not in the current squad. Have just looked at the top 20 all time performances and surprisingly I played in definitely 3 out of the top 7 (and quite possibly 5) !!!!
Ah yes, it WAS who I originally suspected then ! 
If I am right about who this is, I know that your irritation with Trev was down to a game at the end of your 'career' in which you were one of five subs and three 'inferior' players were then brought on ahead of you, but that's just a personal thing and perfectly understandable.
It happens at all clubs whether they are winning matches or not, and it's not because the Manager is 'crap'.
What I would say about Trev's management though is that we all know he is our version of Sven in terms of not ranting and raving on the touchline or being able to motivate players. He even looks like him with the glasses and the hairstyle !
I did suggest at our last Management Committee Meeting that maybe Trev could step down to become Coach/Regular Club Linesman/Treasurer and we get someone in from outside to be Team Manager who would give our players a kick up the arse and stop our possible slide down the Divisions.
However, it was unanamously decided by myself, Conor, Stuart & Tarby that it would be too risky to go down that route, and the 'compromise' was appointing Wooly as Player-Assistant Manager for next season with Trev continuing as Team Manager and the substitutes taking it in turn to run the line (and getting the offsides wrong !? )
Being Team Manager of Edmonton Rovers is almost an impossible job at the moment.
Virtually all of our players are only available to play every other week on average, they turn up late to 7-a-side because of work commitments, over 50% of them can't go training in midweek, and we still have too many players in the club who should be playing in Division Five, not Division One !
I'm not sure that finding a new Manager will make the slightest bit of difference when we are faced with those problems. We need to find more Division One-quality PLAYERS who can play every week. That's the answer.
I think if it wasn't for Trev's tactics such as zonal marking from corners, the 'Italian-style' sweeper system and his willingness to change formations to suit the players available, we would have been back down in Division Three or Four by now.
...and the 7-a-side defeat the other night WITHOUT him proves that he knows what he is doing at that as well.
Apologies if it wasn't you then, Scott.
Just curious as to who it is that feels it's time for a new (more vocal ?) Manager, that's all.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and I've got no problem with that.
If everyone feels the same way (which I very much doubt), then we would take it on board.
Just checked my records and the other 'candidates' (from the 'played in at least three, maybe five of our Top 7 Best Performances' comment) are:
Darryl, Chidi, Paul Ellerker, Marco, Steve Cokell, Eric, Speller, Robin, Lexton, Steve Beasley and Del !(Plus Stuart & Wooly, but we know it's not them).
Out of those, I know that Paul Ellerker, Wooly and Speller cannot access the Forum, and the I.P. address is definitely not Darryl or Steve Cokell, as they are regular posters on here (although they could be using somebody else's computer of course).
Interestingly, Conor and Osborn both only played in TWO of those seven matches, which I'm sure some people will find amusing . They may well have both THOUGHT they had played in more !?
Also, Nugget only played in two, and John Beasley and Shaun only played in one each.
As it's apparently somebody who no longer plays for the club, out of those I listed, I would have to say Steve Beasley !?
If so, then it's obviously a wind-up, and I don't think we need to take it seriously.
