This coming Wednesday night, we are having our first midweek training session (during a season) for about 6 years. It is something that most of our players have been demanding for ages, so hopefully they will make an effort to turn up on a regular basis.

We have booked half a pitch on the Astroturf at the Southgate Hockey Centre (where we play 7-a-side during the Summer) between 9.00-10.00.p.m. every Wednesday night for the rest of the season.
It is extremely expensive to hire (as are all floodlit Astroturfs) and we have no choice but to charge all players in attendance £5.00 each (as per a 7-a-side match). This amount must be paid to myself or Trevor on the night and we need a minimum of 10 players at training each week to break even. If we start getting turnouts of less than that and/or start having to call training sessions off, then we are going to be in serious shit financially.
The ideal number for training is between 14-16 players (including two goalkeepers) and we must aim for that.

In addition to training on the Astroturf, we will be going on a training run up and down Snakes Lane first, starting at 8.30.p.m. on the dot ! If players are not there in time for that and opt out completely, then they are cheating themselves fitness-wise and it could result in them being left out of the team on Sundays.
If you are struggling with the run, we have no problem with you not going the full distance and turning back, but please make an effort to start at 8.30.p.m. with everybody else. It is all part of creating a team spirit.

We will meet up on the pavilion balcony from 8.15.p.m. ready for the run, as some players may need to go in and get changed first. This is when your £5.00's should be paid to myself and/or Trevor (when he is there), so don't 'leave your money in the car'...the usual excuse for not paying at all !

All players attending training must bring proper Astroturf boots or trainers, plus suitable trainers for running up and down Snakes Lane. You will not be allowed to train on the Astroturf if you are wearing moulded stud/bladed boots. (People from the SHC will throw you off if you do !)
You must also bring your own kit and water/fluids...the same as for 7-a-side matches. The changing rooms, showers and bar can all be used afterwards.

As for player availability for this coming Wednesday night, I know that Simon Jackson, Ozel Ozerman, Terry Moore, Martin Loveday, Danny Hagan & Rory Richards are all coming training, so that's 6, then Oz has one or two prospective new players he wants to bring along.
As for everybody else, as far as I know it wasn't discussed in the changing rooms yesterday and a lot of players went straight home without saying anything.
I know that the following players cannot attend training this Wednesday for various reasons: Tem Adil, Alan Barnard, Rob Brown, Terry Brown, Stuart Dorward, Darryl Johnson & Olie Tedder...but I would like to think that we can get at least 5 more current players there in addition to the 6 we already have. If the following players could therefore post a message here as to whether they are coming or not, it will save myself and Loveday having to chase them up by text:
Jim Arrowsmith
Dean Assiamah
Steve Cokell
Lexton Harrison
Lee King
Tony King
Gavin Mardell
Jamie Martin
Conor McGovern
Vernon 'Kizza' Nxumalo
Danny Smith
Andrew Warmerdam

Also, on the 26th September when we don't have a match, there is a possibility that we might be able to get an Edmonton Rovers Veterans team up for a Friendly match, so if any of our ex-players (aged over 35) want to come along to training in preparation for that, they are welcome to do so. They must pay £5.00 on the night like everybody else though. Please let me know on here or by e-mail/text if you are coming along this Wednesday.

The only one of these players who has informed me they will not be at training is Jim, who is working abroad (again) this week.

If any of those others listed told Loveday on Sunday that they are not coming training, can he please let me know so that I do not waste a text ?

Can't make it tonight gents, sorry.

Just to report that only five players (Jacko, Oz, Danny Hagan, Terry Moore & Rory) plus myself turned up to training tonight....but we still trained for an hour and paid £5.00 each !

Here are the excuses (or not) from those who were not there (as far as I am concerned)...and some of these players will need to come on here and explain themselves for the benefit of the five who did make an effort to attend:
Tem Adil...Injured (Genuine)
Jim Arrowsmith...Working Abroad (Genuine)
Dean Assiamah...No reply to e-mails, Facebook or the Forum
Alan Barnard...Playing Netball (Genuine, but poor really)
Rob Brown...Working Late (Genuine, but how many more times ?!)
Terry Brown...Injured and having a fitness test 'later in the week', but couldn't he have had his fitness test tonight at training ?
Steve Cokell...A mixture of family commitments and playing 5-a-side on Thursday nights. (Genuine)
Stuart Dorward...Working Late (Genuine, but ridiculous hours !...We had quite a discussion tonight about the sheer amount of our players who 'work' 8.00.a.m. until 9.00.p.m. Mon-Thurs, mostly due to three-hour 'Brokers Lunches', etc. How the hell are they ever going to turn up to training ?)
Lexton Harrison...Apparently told Loveday on Sunday that he was coming training, but does a similar job to Stuart and was no doubt 'working late'.
Trevor Hughes (Manager)...On Holiday in Cyprus (Genuine)
Darryl Johnson...On Holiday (Genuine)
Lee King...Working late because he didn't appear to realise we had training tonight
Tony King...Left a message on here at 8.21.p.m. to say that he 'couldn't make it'.
Martin Loveday...Texted me at about 7.00.p.m. to say that he 'couldn't make it'. At least he offered to pay £5.00 if we had less than 10 there though.
Jamie Martin...Gave me an e-mail address but is obviously not reading what I am sending him, as I had no reply. He doesn't have a mobile phone !
Conor McGovern...Lives in Leigh-On-Sea, but he did say he would try and make a training session to test his fitness.
Vernon 'Kizza' Nxumalo...Didn't say anything to me or Loveday on Sunday about whether he was coming traininmg or not. Can only guess that he was playing for Wealdstone Reserves instead.
Danny Smith...Was quite rightly moaning on Sunday about the lack of teamwork and players not knowing each other because we don't have training...and now we have, where was he ? According to Loveday, Smithy said he would be there tonight.
Olie Tedder...Watching Arsenal. (Had a ticket). (Genuine)
Andrew Warmerdam...Said he will try and come training now and again, but presumably had family commitments for this one.
Also, we couldn't get any prospective new players to turn up (Oz's mate), or any ex-players wanting to regain their fitness for possible Rovers Vets' matches, despite me e-mailing them and putting a message on Facebook.

So...is it the £5.00 charge that is putting players off, is it apathy because we have lost our first two League matches, or is it because the missus 'won't let you'...hence the 'Sorry, can't make it' excuses.

You won't believe how annoying this is for me when you have all been banging on for months that 'we must have training', then seemingly change your minds when I have finally found somewhere after spending hours looking for something suitable.
I have booked the Astroturf for the rest of the season and we cannot cancel it, so if most players now can't be arsed, we will have no alternative but to charge £10.00 subs for matches instead of £5.00.

Despite only six of us being there tonight, we still enjoyed it. If we can double that turnout next week, then it will be even more enjoyable and there is no reason why we then cannot get a good turnout every week. If players enjoy training, they will make an effort to turn up.
Just give it a try next week please !

"Stuart Dorward...Working Late (Genuine, but ridiculous hours !...We had quite a discussion tonight about the sheer amount of our players who 'work' 8.00.a.m. until 9.00.p.m. Mon-Thurs, mostly due to three-hour 'Brokers Lunches', etc. How the hell are they ever going to turn up to training ?)"

Just for info - I have to work one or two late shifts a week to cover the US markets so I don't actually start till about 1pm. Always stated that as much as I want to come training....I wouldn't be able to commit to it as much as I'd like.

Training at 10am anyone?

What's annoying though Stu, is just how many players said they were 'working late' all at the same time.
It wasn't just a coincidence last night. It happens time and time again for anything we do in midweek.

Sarah was working late last night and I got a fucking babysitter in just so I could come to training, I, for once agree with everything Lol says and I'm well and truly fucked off..................

I made it clear when you were arranging training that I had other commitments on Wednesday evenings (netball), I've been doing the same thing pretty much since I joined Rovers, so I'm not entirely sure what makes my non-attendance poor. At least I'm doing something to keep myself fit, and you knew well in advance that I wasn't going to be there.

I'd really like to train with Rovers, and in fact I will be training for December / January / February when we have a winter break (and any week that netball is called off because of bad weather), but until then, I'm committed, I'm afraid.

On a slightly more constructive note, I'd be happy to pay more on a Sunday to subsidise training if it meant more people were inclined to come along (e.g. £7 on a Sunday, and £3 on a Wednesday).

Cheers
Barney

P.S. please feel free to give me abuse about playing netball / a girls sport etc.

Fair point Barney, but I know that quite a few of our players think your preference of sport on a Wednesday night is a bit 'disappointing'. However, your excuse is nowhere near as bad as some of the others.

I was going to ask you that actually, as I wouldn't have thought they would play netball at that time of year, so if you can train with Rovers for those three months, then that's fine and much better than not at all.

This is definitely something that we are going to have to look at when Trev gets back from holiday. I am pretty certain that the £5.00 charge put people off last night...which is wrong, as people should be more committed.

Would it be as much of an issue if I was committed to playing 5-a-side football (or even something like indoor cricket) on a Wednesday night? As much as people like to give me stick about playing netball, it's absolutely ideal for fitness, and is probably the single biggest reason why I'm one of the fitter players in the squad.

Well, I have to say that looking at some of the birds playing Hockey over the SHC last night while we were training, joining in with them wouldn't be a bad idea !
I suspect that's why some of our players' missus's wont let them come training.
On the other hand, it might encourage more of our players to turn up next week !

Would you believe the posting code for this message was 'MERV'. (Very nearly 'PERV' !)

shut it tubby, you big girl's blouse

I said I'd try to make 7 a-side game but that obviously didn't happen. I am now regularly playing 5-a-side in Powerleague which has been my fitness test really.

If I lived in Enfield - I'd train - simple as that!! By the time I get home from work I just can't get over in time. Not ideal I know but I play regular footy & keep myself fit in other ways.

OK Magoo, so when you ready to warm the subs bench?????

Pipe down Jacko!! Now you know I've never been one to blow me own trumpet but the start speaks for itself Played 2 Lost 2 points 0. Sounds like what ya need is goals & I got goals in me!!

In answer to your question - Vets game next week - see you rthere oldie?

& another thing Lol - wheres my picture? Sort it out

Can you clear whatever the link is under 'Avatar URL' whenever you post anything ? That'll get rid of the blank avatar for the time being.

I'll re-link your picture when I do the new club website. Might not be until November though.

Nah mate I'm off up north, watching another Ned's reunion gig..........I was taking advantage of the free week.

But the week after that I'd gladly watch you score 6/7 mate, no worries......

I might even finger Danny Hagan's arse if you do, he'd love it!!!!!!!!!!!!