Thanks Dan

As I say, playing 7-a-side up until mid-July has never been a problem. It's once players start 11-a-side Pre-Season training in midweek that we have always struggled to field a side on a Thursday night. That's why we only entered the Monday Night League last season and I think most of our players have forgotten that. If the SHC ran a Thursday Night League that was 1st May until mid-July only, then we would enter it. No question.

I think Barney is now away somewhere according to his out-of-office replies, so I may not get an answer from him.

I would be grateful if other players tell me (either on here or privately) asap what their feelings are regarding the 7-a-side League and Pre-Season training, as the only players I was able to speak to yesterday in depth about it were Jack, Lexton and Garry.

Yes, but if we are training on Thursday nights from mid-July onwards, then we have a problem.

We won't know if we are Pre-Season training on Wednesday or Thursday nights until July because we don't know what players we are going to have playing for us yet and which Saturday clubs they are playing for.
If I filled in the application form for 7-a-side tomorrow, we can't just drop out half-way through the Summer if we suddenly find out half our players are training/playing with Saturday clubs on Tuesdays & Wednesdays, meaning we are therefore training on Thursdays.
That's why we needed to go in the Monday Night League instead...but there isn't one this year.

...and two of those players you have mentioned owe ridiculous amounts of subs by the way, although I have spoken to one of them about that today.
If players cannot afford to catch up with what they owe and cannot afford to play 7-a-side, then we can't play them.

I'm pretty easy either way to be honest, which probably isn't going to help the discussion much. I think that we'd benefit more from Wednesday night training sessions as a squad than we would from 7 a side, but I'd be happy to do both (when I can) for fitness. That said, if we don't think we'll have enough reliable (i.e. turning up and paying) players, and if Lol isn't willing to run it / bring the kit, then it might be more hassle than it's worth.

Sounds like James has some good new players lined up, which hopefully will give the current squad the kick up the backside they need to get fitter, turn up on time and listen to instructions. I think we showed yesterday that we're not a bad side when we play to our potential, but as the last 15 minutes highlighted, we're just not fit enough, and that has to change off we want to be competitive.

Cheers
Barney

From what James has been telling me about his Pre-Season sessions, if they are on a Wednesday night, players will not be in a fit state to play 7-a-side on a Thursday as well. They will be aching like hell...and rightly so. Even you, Barney !

I have just e-mailed Liz at the SHC to tell her that we will not be entering this year...unless she wants to take a risk by accepting us and then allowing us to drop out in late-July with no financial punishment for doing so. I can't see her having that though.