At the moment, we have no match arranged for Sunday 26th September and by all accounts we are unlikely to be given one at short notice.
I am therefore looking to try and a arrange a first-ever Edmonton Rovers Veterans match on that date instead, and I am looking for suitable opponents who have a pitch available.

I spoke to ex-Northmet (Riverside) Secretary Nick Savage during the Summer about this possibility, as he now plays for Buntingford Town Veterans. They have their own ground and play regular Vets Team Friendlies most Sundays...as you will see here. It appears they already have a match on the 26th September, but I am hoping that one of their opponents may have a pitch available and will be willing to play us.
If not, then we will certainly look to arrange a Vets' match at some other stage during the season when our current side do not have a match.

For the time being then, I am trying to contact as many of our over-35's as I can, starting with those who played for us since 1990 onwards first (bearing in mind it will be Over-35's instead of Over-45's !).

At the moment, the following Veterans have replied to say they are available for a 10.30.a.m. Kick-Off on Sunday 26th September:
Myself
Paul Woolston
Conor McGovern
Lee Osborn
Peter Murphy
Tony Speller
Stuart Dorward
Derek Dorward
Terry Moore
Gary Cokell (If he can get off work)

Players who have replied to say they are not available on the 26th September but definitely interested in playing the occasional Vets match are:
Shaun O'Neill (GK)
Russell Beeden

The following players have not yet replied to the e-mail that I sent out this morning:
Steve Beasley
Terry Deller
Marco Ellerker
Paul Ellerker
Chidi Ibekwem
Shamus McGovern
Steve 'Willie' Platt
Paul Rebairo
Scott Robertson
In some cases though, their e-mail addresses bounced back as undeliverable. However, I may be able to contact them (and also Mark Howley, Stavros Elia (GK) and one or two others) on Facebook, while I have mobile phone numbers for most of the above, plus Aaron Dart & Gary Southam, although whether they are still on those numbers remain to be seen.

Some of the players I have completely lost contact with include:
John Dyer
James Dyer
Stafford Dyer
while there are numerous players who only played a handful of games for us who some of our Vets' may be in contact with.

There are also some other players where I am not sure if they are over 35 or not...Clark Williams being one who springs to mind, while Kevin Dedman is still playing Sunday morning football regularly for another team...managed by Marcello Devizio (another Rovers Veteran). Obviously, they can both play for us if they don't have a game.

If any of the Vets' who have got in touch so far see any of the others mentioned, please get them to post their availability on this thread or e-mail me if they cannot post on the Forum.
In the meantime, I will work on trying to arrange a match for the 26th September. It will either be a 10.30.a.m. or a 2.00.p.m. kick-off.
There are three live games on TV on that date...Bolton v. Man United at mid-day (on ESPN), Wolves v. Villa at 2.00.p.m. & Newcastle v. Stoke at 4.00.p.m.
I wouldn't have thought any of them will cause a problem.

I will update player availability on here if and when I get a match arranged.

I would play but guess I am ineligible because I am 34 and a half.

He's 34 and a quarter, the short arse

I know I don't look it but I am 35, unfortunately I'm off to see Ned's Atomic Dustbin on Saturday in Birmingham, so I'm not around.......

Screw the pooch, Hagan, you don't know you're born..........

Laurence, I'm available and would be intereted in playing. Cheers, Terry

Buntingford Town Vets have now confirmed that they definitely can't play us on the 26th as they already have that match arranged that I spoke about earlier.

I have been too busy today (Tuesday) to try and find other opponents with a pitch available, but hopefully I will have time in the next couple of days to make some enquiries.
Unfortunately it is probably more likely that we will have to arrange a Vets match for later in the season, as I just don't have the contacts for Vets Football at the moment, bearing in mind we are new to it !

Definitely no Vets' match this Sunday I'm afraid.
We can't get a pitch or opponents.

We will try again later in the season.

For fecks sake!

I was halfway through a 2 week intensive fitness regime in preparation for my eagerly awaited return in the Jade n black!! There will be so many disappointed fans.