With tonight's game being called off because of the England v. France match, our next 7-a-side League match is supposed to be this coming Thursday night against Wood Green Old Boys 'A'...the best team in the League and a side who have won their last two matches 11-1 !

However, the situation at the moment is that the continued heavy rain is delaying the installation of the new Astroturf, while the grass pitches are also badly flooded and unplayable. The current weather forecast is for it to continue raining heavily on and off for the rest of the week, so at the moment it looks unlikely that we will be playing this Thursday unless they can somehow get the Astroturf laid (and marked up ?) in time. (It was originally supposed to be ready for this evening).
The Southgate Hockey Centre can't even arrange kick-off times for Thursday yet because they don't know what the situation is going to be by then. If we are playing on grass, then all games will kick-off at 7.30.p.m. because there are no floodlights, but if the floodlit Astroturf is ready, then we might be kicking-off at 8.30.p.m. instead.

I am guessing that the SHC will make a decision on Wednesday afternoon, so all we can do until then is name a squad and just hope for the best.
I have therefore named those who were originally due to be playing last Thursday...which is as follows:
Simon Jackson (GK)
Lexton Harrison
Danny Hagan
Daniel Cascoe
Ben Keating
John Scouller
Dan McKenahie
Volkan Dalgic
Fraser John

Terry Moore is on holiday and Alan Barnard is working, but hopefully we will have other players available if anybody drops out.

The current situation is that the new Astroturf will not be ready for tomorrow night, so we will be playing on grass with a 7.30.p.m. Kick-Off.

It was dry yesterday and it is supposed to be dry all day today and most of the day tomorrow, so it looks like the SHC are assuming the flooding from Sunday night/Monday will have gone by then and the grass pitches will be playable.
However, the weather forecast at the moment is for it to start chucking it down again from about 4.00.p.m. tomorrow afternoon...and with strong winds as well !

All I can do is just text and phone everybody this evening and try and find 8 players who are prepared to commit themselves despite all the uncertainty.
If we have to play with just 5 or 6 including me or even 'non-fulfil' and pay a £38.00 fine, then so be it.

I'm planning for it to be on, so count me in.

The SHC have confirmed the game is definitely ON ...and on grass with a 7.30.p.m. Kick-Off.

Everybody has confirmed their availability except Cascoe. He normally texts me back on the afternoon of the match to confirm he is playing, so I am expecting him to do that today.
He is probably waiting to see what the weather is like before committing himself ?...well, at the moment the forecast says it is going to start raining at about 6.00.p.m. then really start chucking it down at 7.30.p.m....just as we kick-off !
However, I am expecting the Referees to finish all four matches taking place whatever the conditions are like !

Don't forget we can use the changing rooms and showers after this match...and the Spain v Ireland match will be on in the bar for those who are not recording it on Sky+/V+ or whatever.

Cascoe is playing.

Terry Moore is also now available if anybody has to drop out, but he will probably need to know by 7.00.p.m. at the latest.