We had to concede the match again tonight (for the second game in a row) with us having just three players (Jacko, Lexton & Hagan), myself & Trevor at the venue ready in time for the 7.30.p.m. Kick-Off.
...and yes, we got absolutely drenched in the torrential rain.

The culprits ?
Martin Worthington & Ivan Bass both dropped out the night before when they suddenly realised they would be working late, so during the day I then texted Daniel Cascoe, Frankie Karemo and Lee King to try and get them (and Cascoe's mate Daniel Euripidou ) along instead. I received no reply from any of them and got no answer from Cascoe & Frankie when I tried to phone them. My text message to Lee was to phone Ben for a lift if he could play.
We still had 7 including me at that stage, so I had to stick with that in case Cascoe, Dan E, Frankie and/or Lee could play at the last minute, but then Kizza texted to say he was stuck on a train and wouldn't be coming, then Ben texted to say he was stuck in traffic and wouldn't get there in time for the kick-off, while his mate Jay Rolfe had failed to turn up !
Barney then phoned Trev at 7.15. to see how many we had got and asked why hadn't I phoned him instead of Cascoe and the others ! Good question, but I am not a mind reader.

Following this debacle, I have now decided that we have no option but to name squads of 9 for the time being, and also get our most reliable players doubling-up on both Mondays and Thursdays wherever possible. If players moan about continual roll-on, roll-off substitutions if all 9 turn up, then tough. Any more Non-Fulfilments and I will fold the club up, irrespective of the damage it will do to my business.

The squad (of 9) for this coming Monday Night's match against SHUG (8.30.p.m. Kick-Off) is as follows:
Simon Jackson (GK)
Martin Worthington
Alan Barnard
Martin Loveday
Terry Moore
Gavin Mardell
Tony King
Danny Hagan
Danny Smith
I have put Martin Worthington in because he is apparently on holiday from next Thursday onwards. Jacko will therefore play in goal on Monday as he gives Martin a lift. Hopefully Tim Beeden will be available to go in goal on Thursday next week if Jacko cannot ?

On Thursday next week (a 7.30.p.m. Kick-Off), in addition to Tim or Jacko we will have Lexton Harrison, Ivan Bass, Ben Keating and then 5 reliable players from the Monday Night squad if they are available.
If we can only get four, then Lee King can play as well if Ben (or anybody) can give him a lift.

I will not be picking Kizza for 7-a-side again. That's the final straw I'm afraid.
As regards everybody else (i.e. those who are not mentioned in the squads above), it's now up to them to get in touch with me if they want to play. I am not going to chase them up any more.

One other thing...We are getting too many players who (in my opinion) are deliberately trying to get to the Southgate Hockey Centre just 5 minutes before the kick-off because they can't be ar$ed to stand about in the rain or wait in their cars for 30 minutes. They then get caught up in traffic or on a delayed train and therefore miss the kick-off, or even decide to turn back and go home because they won't get there until the Second Half. This has happened so many times this Summer it's unreal, and in our last two fixtures it has contributed to us Non-Fulfilling.
All the other teams in the 7-a-side League come from Southgate, Oakwood or Cockfosters, so they don't have a problem. If half our players are coming from Waltham Cross or from working in the City, they are just going to have to leave earlier I'm afraid.

I was texted by Loveday about playing at about five past seven last night, so I assumed you'd failed to get enough players. The soonest I could have got there would have been about 7.50, which is pretty pointless, so I phoned Trev to check if the game was on, and if I was needed. I didn't get in touch beforehand because I assumed you had enough players and everything was in hand. If you need me at short notice, either night I can quite often be available with about an hours notice.

I'm the same Lol, if you are short on a Thursday more often than not I will be able to come in at short notice and help out.

Ok for Monday btw.

The rule we have brought in where we try and get replacements if certain players who are listed in the squad on here fail to confirm before 5.00.p.m. on the evening of the match is a good one, but the problem last night/now is what can I do if those I am trying to get as replacements on the day are in jobs where they cannot answer their phone or reply to text messages until well after 5.00.p.m. ?

How long do I wait for them to reply before trying somebody else ?
That's what happened last night. I was trying to give them every chance.

I accept it is mainly my fault because I should have 'seen it coming' and phoned Barney & Gavin at about 6.00.p.m.
We still would have only had five players though (or 6 including me), as there was nothing I could do about Kizza, Ben & Jay Rolfe all dropping out between 7.00 & 7.30.p.m.

I'm unavailable from now on

Noted.

Just to confirm then that we have a squad of 8 for tonight, although Hagan still has no phone (as far as I am aware) and I also need assurances (from Jacko ?) that Martin Worthington is going to turn up.
I am still waiting to hear from both at the moment.

Everybody else has confirmed their availability.

Hagan and Jacko are o.k., but Martin Worthington has lost his phone and we can't get hold of him.

We therefore need one more player, so the first one to come on here (or texts me) offering to play gets in. (Obviously that can include Martin if he is reading this).
If nobody has done so by 6.00.p.m., then I will ask Barney and Gavin to get somebody from the Church team. (e.g. Courtney or Sam).

Hi Lol - I'm not sure it's quite as simple as that - Courtney doesn't drive, and Sam lives in Dalston now, so it might not be practical. I would suggest ringing around some of the Rovers players if you don't get a response on here by 6pm, as not everyone will be reading this forum in the next hour or so.

Just going to have my dinner now.

I will text about 20 players at 6.30.p.m. and see who I can get.

Right...I have just bulk-texted the following players.
(Let's see who we get).

Tem Adil
Jim Arrowsmith
Stuart Dorward
Danny Green
Steve Cokell
Martin Cruickshank
Lexton Harrison
Ben Keating
Lee King
Yianni Kyriacou
Leon McKenzie-McKay
Nev Niyazi
John Scouller
Kris Spyrou
Colin Bester
Daniel Cascoe

...and the winner is...Cascoe !
Replied straight away !

Ben also offered to play and Colin also texted me...but to confirm that he is no longer interested.

Nobody else has replied yet, but if they do, I will ask them if they want to play on Thursday.

Kizza e-mailed me earlier asking if he can play 'this week'. I told him he can play tonight...in the knowledge that he will almost certainly be 'stuck in traffic and won't get there in time' anyway.
If he turns up and we end up with 9, that's Trev's problem.