Thamesmead Town vs Heybridge Swifts

T H E O F F I C I A L M A T C H D AY P R O G R A M M E

£2.00

RYMAN LEAGUE

2016/17 SEASON

THE MEAD

versus

HEYBRIDGE Saturday 13th August Kick-Off: 3:00pm SWIFTS

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CONTENTS ISSUE 01

04 - CHAIRMAN’S NOTES 15 - THE OPPOSITION THAMESMEAD TOWN FC Sporting Club Thamesmead Bayliss Avenue, Thamesmead, London, SE28 8NJ Tel : 0208 311 4211 Company Number : 03915330 KEY PERSONNEL Hon Patron - Rt Hon Teresa Pearce MP Life President - Albert Panting Honorary Vice-Presidents - Alan Martin, Peter Tiernay, Eddie McCann, Gareth Connaleigh, Alan Woodward, Keith McMahon & Terry Hill Chairman & Club Owner - Paul Bowden-Brown Directors - Paul Bowden-Brown & Kai Isaksen Club Secretary - Dave Joy Marketing & Communications - Mike Green Boardroom Hospitality - Sue Dingwall Football In The Community Officer - Steve Rous Press Officer - Mike Green Turnstile Operations - Keith Jones Club Photographer - Richard Brooks

FOOTBALL MANAGEMENT Director of Football - Ian Docker First-Team Manager- Tommy Warrilow First-Team Assistant Manager - Alex O’Brien First-Team Physiotherapist - Carly Payne First-Team Coach - Craig Gibson Academy Manager - Ian Docker Under 21 Manager - Gary Ryan

MATCHDAY PROGRAMME Editors - Jamie Barwick & Mike Green Designer - Jamie Barwick Email: jamie_barwick363@yahoo.co.uk Print - Darenth Print and Design

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20 - FEATURE INTERVIEW

04

24 - ENGLAND 50 26 - MEAD MATTERS 28 - INTO THE HISTORY BOOKS Welcome back!

Can it really be sixteen Saturday’s since we last played a league game here at the SCT? So much has happened over those weeks, but this afternoon at 3:00pm none of that will matter and another season will begin with all 24 teams in Ryman League Division One North starting with the same number of points and in an equal position. Where of course we’ll all finish in nine months’ time is anyone’s guess on this the second Saturday afternoon in August.

One thing is for sure – it’s going to be one heck of a journey – one which will be tracked every inch of the way by your new look “The Mead”. We’ve kept a lot of things that you welcomed last season, but we’ve done a “Ranieri” and tinkered with some things – introducing some new features which today see’s last season’s Supporters Player of the Year first into the hot-seat to face yours truly “One-on-One” in the centre pages.

Also included today we’ve got a preview next weekend’s historic FA Cup tie when we head to Guernsey - – we’ve been speaking to Tony Curr from BBC Guernsey for a perspective of the tie from the Channel Islands; our Club Patron – Rt Hon Teresa Pearce MP – looks ahead to the season; and we’ve the first of a brand new community page in association with Thamesmead Police. All that plus the very latest news from the club from the people that matter…

If there’s anything that you’d like to see in this season’s Mead, please let us know at the club and we all hope that you like that changes that we’ve made and that you enjoy your read.

Enjoy the game, and may the best team – as long as it’s the Mead – win!

See you at Thurrock on Tuesday night…

Greenie

THAMESMEAD TOWN The Official Matchday Programme

03

CHAIRMAN’S NOTES

Paul

BOWDEN-BROWN May I welcome the directors, officials and players of Heybridge Swifts to our home at Sporting Club Thamesmead on this first Saturday of the new Ryman League football season and I hope after your short enjoyable stay with some refreshments, you all have a safe journey home.

I would also like to welcome our supporters both new and old – especially those that have once again taken up the £30.00 family season ticket initiative that costs the same as last season with the prices frozen for this forthcoming season as I promised.

Although the new management team has been with us since well before the start of pre-season, I would like to formally welcome both Tommy Warrilow and Alex O’Brien to the club.

Although I feel it has been a disappointing pre-season with regard to the results, I feel the calibre of opponent that agreed to come to the SCT to play our squads were of a far higher standard than previous seasons. So to be honest as I said to Tommy only this week, today is the start of the bread and butter stakes – two hard league games and then a very hard trip to Guernsey in the FA Cup.

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THAMESMEAD TOWN The Official Matchday Programme

As you will know I do not hold much with pre-season games and results, as I prefer to believe that any manager uses it to build a strong squad that will do the job for him on the pitch, and use the time to bond with each other off the pitch. This was definitely the case with our trip to Worthing a couple of Saturday’s ago as the evening was spent in Brighton to that end – it’s all part of the plan I’m told!

I have mentioned that we are playing Guernsey next week, and as the rules allow we fly over on the Friday evening from Gatwick, flying back after the game on Saturday evening.

The plan is that upon arrival, we’ll go to our Hotel and after booking in, we’ll have an evening meal together – I guess that you could call it the chairman’s evening of bonding!

All joking aside, I feel very honoured to be involved in such a game. You’ll all remember that I arranged for Jersey to fly over last season to play our team at the SCT on a very sunny Saturday afternoon. That was history in its own right because it was the first game that Jersey had played out of Jersey. So here we are being involved with making history once again the following season as it’s the first time

that Guernsey has played a home FA Cup tie as the great old competition makes its “debut” on Guernsey soil.

I am personally looking forward to enjoying the day, and hopefully being able to fly back from Guernsey with a win, but whatever the result I want to ensure we are seen by all those in Guernsey as a very professional and friendly team. I have been offered the possibility of streaming the game live back to the SCT, but that will depend on whether we can use the facilities within SCT. We will of course let you all know through social media and our website as soon as a decision is reached.

A lot of positives have happened since the end of last season, and I’ve already mentioned one of the main ones. Being able to convince Tommy and Alex to join the club was certainly a coup on my behalf, as their pedigree is first class. Another was the improvement within the running of the club’s academy, and my sincere thanks must go to Ian Docker my director of football/academy manager for the way he took this totally unprofessional set up and turned it in a workable unit, and whilst talking about Ian, I would like to thank him for the role he took within the club whilst I had my operation and subsequent

CHAIRMAN’S NOTES

recuperation without Ian there would not have been a club for you all to enjoy.

The aim is to role this out within the schools in the coming weeks at the start of the new term.

Finally on this subject I must say a few words about our under-21 manager Gary Ryan. I call him “the unsung hero”, as Gary was very instrumental to ensure we could finish last season even without a manager. As well as that he has been working with Ian on a number of initiatives well as his main role as the under-21s manager! So thank you Gary and all of your volunteers for what you have achieved.

Unfortunately, with positives there are always negatives. The main one for us has been seeing our former youth section decide that they did not want to continue to be part of our club as of the end of last season. Without discussing the matter with either Ian or myself as a matter of courtesy, they decided the correct route would be to have these discussions behind our back and they would join forces with

There are some exciting community initiatives that we have been discussing recently with the local Police, which we’re hoping to start in later part of August. Maybe those parties that are quick enough to criticize our community work will at last accept that we as a club are giving our name free of charge together with our volunteers giving their time freely to assist those young people that need help through our sport within the local community.

As I have said many times, we as a club prefer to work under the radar to achieve our aims within the community and of course with local schools, we intend to lay a firm base of these working community initiatives, in full partnership with the local community Police on many of them. I have agreed to offer every school child under the age of 11 a “Football Passport” completely free of charge which will allow them to watch all of our league games as long as they are accompanied with an adult or responsible person, and that person will pay the concession rate only together with a purchase of a programme.

Sidcup and Seven Acre Football Club, who of course ground share here. It was also decided that SSAFC would then rename their club Sporting Club Thamesmead FC. Whilst I wish them all well in their future endeavours, I would just have thought I deserved the opportunity to listen to their reasons rather than the way they decided to take this matter forward with our landlords. To fill the void left, Ian and Gary are in the process of building the pre-academy structure that I authorised last season – they will be bringing in youth teams of the required ages, so one door closes and a number open – all very positive!

Well to the last comment I want to make. As you know, I took over the complete running of the club in January 2015, and since that time have ensured that the club ran on a financial stable footing, without the help of outside parties. I think the time has now come for the question to be asked, “do the community and businesses of Thamesmead want a Football Club?” If so, I would ask why they do not support the club, for as history shows, the club’s gates have always been low. Even though a very good level of football is played, I feel the volunteer’s, management and the players deserve more support. If not, I feel a decision will have to be considered, asking if it is a feasible option to continue to run a semi-professional football team at Thamesmead SCT. You have great facilities but they are not being used; I feel that I am doing my part but I need to see much more exterior support to help run this club rather than you relying on me to continue with considerable financial input. That’s the question that needs answering sooner than later.

Now let’s enjoy the match!

Paul Bowden-Brown Chairman and Managing Director

THAMESMEAD TOWN The Official Matchday Programme

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MANAGER’S NOTES

Tommy

WARRILOW Good afternoon everyone and I’d like to start my first programme notes as Mead manager by welcoming everyone from Heybridge who have followed the Swifts over the Dartford Bridge to be with us here at the SCT on the opening day of another Ryman League season.

As we start my first season as manager of the club, I hope that, along with my number two Alex O’Brien and the rest of the back-room team, we’ll have an exciting and enjoyable season. On the opening weekend, one of my hopes is that we’ll be able to look back come April on a successful campaign.

Assembling a new squad during the summer has been easier

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THAMESMEAD TOWN The Official Matchday Programme

said than done, and as everyone knows one of my biggest frustrations is that there are still players out there who haven’t committed to a club for whatever reason that can strengthen our squad and bring in the competition for places that we’re all looking for. But rest assured, my search won’t stop now that the league season has started – far from it!

Pre-season hasn’t been good result wise – there’s no point denying that as it’s a fact. It’s been very frustrating at times – we’ve been good in patches and poor in patches, very poor indeed. It’s what to be expected from a new squad, but at the same time I need it to be gelling sooner rather than later as we approach 3:00pm

this afternoon and the season’s kick-off.

One thing that I have got on my side is that I’ve now got the experience to change any situation having been in the game for a long time now. I’ve been in situations before during my career when things haven’t gone right and I’ve addressed it and turned it around. Football these days is a very impatient industry and I realise that its results driven. But at the same time, I know that the players that we’ve already signed and the players that I’m still talking to will guide us forward to where we all want to be.

We’ve got a very tough start to the season beginning today with Heybridge. Ironically when I first

MANAGER’S NOTES

walked in to manage Tonbridge, Heybridge were one of the sides who they were fighting with at the wrong end of the Ryman Premier Division at the time. Now my first game here at Thamesmead is ironically against the same opposition. Then we face a very difficult game at Thurrock on Tuesday before quite possibly THE plumb fixture in the FA Cup at Guernsey in seven days’ time! We’ve got to get on with it and hopefully today will be the start of a successful time together…

We’re a

very open management team and after every home game we’ll be open and available to talk to you, the supporters, as we’re all in this together. All of my staff and the players will be in the bar after the game for you to talk to about the good and the bad bits of the day. By doing that, we all find out about more about individuals and the team, and be able to talk about the game before heading home – that’s got to be better than stewing on a performance surely!

It’s also a great way for us all to get to know each other especially as we’ve a very honest set of lads at the club as I hope you’ll discover.

Bottom line is that pre-season may not have been what we all hoped but how many times have we all heard managers say that we’ve won all our friendlies only to lose a load of your first league games?

On the flip side of that I’ve also heard managers bemoaning preseason only to go on a winning run when it matters in the league – today is what counts! Hopefully it’s the start of a good season for us all!

Enjoy the game!

Tommy Warrilow First-Team Manager

“Pre-season hasn’t been good result wise - there’s no point denying that as it’s a fact” THAMESMEAD TOWN The Official Matchday Programme

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THE TREATMENT ROOM

THE

TREATMENT

ROOM

In her first column of the season, firstteam physio Carly Payne brings us up to date with the current injury list...

Good afternoon all!

Welcome today to Bayliss Avenue for our opening game of the 2016-2017 season.

After a busy pre-season we’re all ready to go in what we hope to be a successful season

under our new management team.

Thankfully nothing major to report on the injury front going into today’s game and long may that continue.

start the season as we mean to go on winning and taking all 3 points.

Have a great afternoon.

Carly Payne FIrst-team Physio

Let’s get behind the boys and

THAMESMEAD TOWN The Official Matchday Programme

09

THE UNDER-21S

THE

UNDER-21s Well another season is now upon us - and I for one can’t wait!

First of all, we would like to welcome our new gaffa - Tommy Warrilow - and his number two Alex “O’B” O’Brien to the club. It’s been an absolute pleasure to work with them both over the preseason. The ideas and approach being abided to at the club at the present time are second to none. First class, and I’m proud to be a small part of the team, and obviously I wish them all the very best for the season.

I’ve also had the pleasure in the last few weeks of working with our academy lads and Ian Docker over the pre-season. It’s valuable experience for me working closely with an ex-pro! There’s some good kids on board this season.

They have a great opportunity to be involved in the youth conference league this year as well as playing in the FA Youth Cup! It’s been a very busy and pro active pre season for everyone concerned with the under-21s.

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THAMESMEAD TOWN The Official Matchday Programme

We’ve built a great team over the past few weeks, with the inclusion of Jamie, Richard, Martin, Liam and Paul all of who will assist in the day to day running of our under-21s. Thanks to each one of you for your backing and help over the coming weeks. On the field, as well as adding quality to our playing squad, we’ve also got some great youngsters in our ranks so watch this space!

Hopefully some of you may have seen some of our game with Tooting and Mitcham earlier on when you arrived for today’s game, which followed Wednesday’s game against Brentwood...

Here’s hoping that both games have gone well, and of course good luck to Tommy, O’B, and all the coaching and playing staff on today’s game.

Cheers Gary Ryan Under-21s Manager

2016/17 FIXTURES AUGUST Tue 30 AFC Sudbury SEPTEMBER Sat 10 Brightlingsea Regent Tue 13 Harlow Town Tue 27 Brentwood Town OCTOBER Wed 5 Billericay Town Tue 11 AFC Hornchurch Tue 18 Cheshunt Tue 25 Cray Wanderers NOVEMBER Thurs 3 Great Wakering Rovers Tue 8 Tilbury Wed 16 Witham Town DECEMBER Thurs 1 AFC Sudbury Tue 6 Brightlingsea Regent Tue 13 Harlow Town Tue 20 Cheshunt JANUARY 2017 Thurs 12 Brentwood Town Tue 17 Billericay Town Thurs 26 AFC Hornchurch Tue 31 Haringey Borough FEBRUARY Mon 6 Cray Wanderers Tue 14 Great Wakering Rovers Sat 18 Tilbury Tue 28 Witham Town MARCH Mon 6 Haringey Borough

SECRETARY’S COLUMN

FROM THE

SECRETARY’S DESK

Welcome to everyone for our 2016/17 season opener against Heybridge Swifts, we hope they enjoy their brief visit to SCT for the match.

As expected there will be many new faces wearing the green of Thamesmead Town this season, new manager Tommy Warrilow has had the difficult task of basically replacing most of the squad from last season, the new lads will take time to settle together.

Pre-season has been tough we played some very good opposition but learnt a lot about the player’s character and the best system for us to adopt with our new look side.

This will be another hard season in the Ryman North Division, there are some strong teams aiming for promotion and I fully expect AFC Hornchurch, Thurrock and VCD to be looking firmly at a minimum Play-off spot.

This season will see us venture into Suffolk on quite a few occasions, with new boys Norwich United adding another East Anglican club to the list.

Hope you enjoy today’s match, our games are always tight against Heybridge and I would expect nothing different today!

Dave Joy Club Secretary

THAMESMEAD TOWN The Official Matchday Programme

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TERESA PEARCE

I am sure that we are all looking forward to a successful season with Thamesmead Town Football Club.

TERESA PEARCE

This is going to be an exciting season with the club even due to play an “international” for the second successive season! Well maybe that’s stretching it a bit but in just seven day’ time, the team is heading across the English Channel to play what is an historic tie on the Channel Island of Guernsey in the FA Cup – and let’s face it, the Channel Islands are across the water!

Sadly I can’t travel to the game as I’ll be away myself, but obviously wish Tommy and all of the players my very best wishes

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THAMESMEAD TOWN The Official Matchday Programme

You know when you look at the wider picture of set up of clubs at our level, our club is a club that is a perfect example of what a local club can be.

Thamesmead itself is facing many changes through regeneration and with the coming of “Crossrail” it will face many more, but I am proud to not only be Patron of Thamesmead Town Football Club but also a supporter and I’m looking forward to backing a couple of the fantastic schemes that the club are currently looking into that will hopefully encourage more young people and local residents to support our team.

and one of these initiatives that I will be proud to back is a plan to involve local schools in the new school year in a scheme designed to get more families to come along to fixtures and to watch live matches. It really is hard to believe that so many children only ever see football on TV and there is nothing like a live match to instill a love of sports.

Best of luck to Tommy and the boy today – and indeed for the whole season! And to all my fellow supporters, if we all get behind the team who knows just how far they might go, Take care,

I know that the club is working with various parts of our local community,

Rt Hon Teresa Pearce MP

THE OPPOSITION

CLUB INFO Nickname: Swifts Founded: 1880 Chairman: Gary White Manager: Jody Brown Last Season: 20th Ground: Scraley Road

PRE-SEASON Heybridge Swifts took part in eight pre-season games in the build-up to the new season. But the club only notched two wins out of their fixtures coming in the form of a 7-0 win over Burnham Ramblers and a 4-0 victory against Conard United three days later.

Elsewhere they were draws against Brantham Athletic, Colchester United and Hertford Town.

Chelmsford City and Braintree Town yielded heavy defeats as did AFC Sudbury in their final preparation match.

THE OPPOSITION

HEYBRIDGE SWIFTS

Thamesmead Town kick-off the 2016/17 season with a home fixture against Heybridge Swifts Both teams will be hoping for better season this year after the Mead finished outside of the Playoff in 10th whilst Swifts avoided relegation by seven points with a 20th placed finish.

The match is irnonically the same fixture that kicked-off the season last year albeit away with Thamesmead recording a 2-1

victory after goals from Tyrus Gordon-Young and Richard Butler.

The repeat fixture brought about a 0-0 stalemate at the Sporting Club Thamesmead.

After finishing pre-season Tommy Warrilow has already admitted he wasn’t happy with some of the elements of their preparation but will be hoping to get off the new campaign to the best of starts starting with three points this afternoon.

THAMESMEAD TOWN The Official Matchday Programme

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THE OPPOSITION

CLUB HISTORY The club was formed as Heybridge FC on the 1st November 1880 and it was a number of years before they played their first league match in the North Essex League.

The “Swifts” prefix was adopted after the 2nd World War and there has been clubs called Heybridge FC & Heybridge Swifts FC during the early 1920’s.

have come a long way in a short space of time. Who, in the early 1960’s when the club nearly folded having been evicted by their landlords would have dreamed that by the turn of the millennium the field that was purchased as a carrot field has seen much hard work, blood, sweat and tears that have turned it into a stadium to be proud of.

after such previous high expectations.

A disappointing start to the 2008 09 season led to the resignation of Statham, replaced by former reserve team boss Wayne Bond and despite heroic effort Swifts lost their Premier Division status. Swifts missed out narrowly on the play-offs finishing 6th in 2009/10 and subsequent seasons saw them finish in 9th and 16th places.

For the first 70 years of the last century the club played in the local leagues working their way through to become founder members of the Essex Senior League in the 1970-71 season.

Former player Liam Cutbush managed the team that defeated Croydon 3-0 to win the Ryman League Cup and finished 7th in the Ryman Premier League in 2000/01.

The switch to senior status was a difficult at first, but three successive championships saw a move up to the Isthmian League in 1984, and solid progress was made culminating in winning the Division Two North title in 1989-90 then runners up to Oxford City in Division One in the 1995-96 season, with richly deserved promotion to the Premier Division.

After Cutbush’s departure the side began badly under new manager Steve Dowman and he was soon replaced by ex-Swifts player Dave Greene guided Swifts to a comfortable mid table position. The following campaign was a struggle after a promising start, but a win in the final match of the season ensured Swifts survival in the Ryman Premiership.

Brian Statham was appointed as manager earlier in 2005 with Barry Lakin as his assistant, and they oversaw a rise to the fringes of the play off zone.

Last season was a season of highs and lows – Manager Mark Hawkes led the side to the FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round and then departed with a number of key players to Chelmsford City at the end of November. Jody Brown came in as Manager and built a play-off challenging side that finished 3rd in the league. Sadly the semi-final play-off against Harlow Town saw a 0-3 defeat. Brown left the club during preseason in disappointing circumstances and Swifts have now turned to new manager Keith Wilson to lead the team.

Promotion to the Premier Division was achieved in 1997/98 but the following year a struggle against relegation ensued under ex-Colchester boss Roy McDonough who was soon replaced by local boy Robbie Nihill, turning things around to rescue the side and retain their Premiership status.

To look back at these achievements means that the village side from Essex

Then in the 2005/06 campaign after a slow start Swifts finished as runners up, a tremendous achievement from all concerned, but unfortunately lost in the play offs. In the subsequent seasons, final positions of 10th and 12th respectively were disappointing

Cliff Akurang replaced Wilson in December 2014 and with Gavin Dawes turned matters around with Swifts form in the second-half of the season more likely of a side that was pressing for the play-offs, finally finishing in 12th position. A poor start to the 2015/16 season saw Swifts part company with Cliff Akurang in September 2015.

THAMESMEAD TOWN The Official Matchday Programme

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ACADEMY MATTERS

ACADEMY MATTERS

Hello and a warm welcome to you all. Here’s hoping for a successful season for all the teams under the Thamesmead Town FC umbrella. I would like to personally welcome both Tommy and Alex to the club and wish them well in this years campaign.

It has been an eventful off season with our youth section up and leaving and I was very disappointed by the manner in which it was done. A simple conversation with myself and the chairman, by all parties involved, would have been a much more courteous and professional way of dealing with the situation but, alas, this was not to be. However, our building of the pre-academy goes on and I wish the departing management/teams all the best for their future endeavours.

Our Academy squad came to an end last season, as nearly all the players had finished their two/three year programme with us.

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THAMESMEAD TOWN The Official Matchday Programme

It was great to see Sam Karoma make his debut in the second to last game of the season, for the first-team, where he competed well and did himself and the academy justice. With only four first year scholars starting their second year, we have basically had to start our recruitment from scratch. It is still an ongoing process, but by the start of the season we should have achieved our numbers.

The standards of the players are varied but all are very enthusiastic and are looking forward to the education/ football programme. I would like to thank Gary Ryan, our U-21 manager, for assisting me with the pre-season training. His help has been invaluable and the lads love him being involved, as do I. This season, we are hoping to get the scholars more involved around the club, especially on match days, by getting them to do match analysis and helping our football in the community

scheme with their initiatives. This will help them develop a multitude of skills needed for whatever paths their lives take.

This season, we won’t be in partnership with the Business Academy Bexley and I would like to thank the Head of Sixth Form, Gary Cook, and the scholars from the school for all their hard work and efforts last season. As we speak, both the chairman and I are in negotiations with another school regarding them becoming a satellite partner, alongside our existing academy. More exciting details will follow shortly.

Finally, I would like to thank Paul Bowden-Brown, our Chairman, for his continued support and investment in the Academy and the Pre-Academy and I hope all connected with these projects can do it justice.

Yours in sport Ian Docker Academy Manager

GOALKEEPER 2016/17 APPEARANCES: 0

ANDY WALKER

DOB: 30/09/1981

FEATURE INTERVIEW

FEATURE INTERVIEW:

ANDY WALKER

This season in each edition of the Mead, MIKE GREEN will be speaking to a member of Tommy’s squad in a series of interviews “One-on-One”. And what better place to start than the name at the top of the team-sheet, Mead stopper and last season’s Supporters Player of the Year ANDY WALKER… As one of the more established members of the squad, we started by trying to work out just how many pre-season’s Andy had now completed. He told us, “This has been my eighteenth proper pre-season and they don’t get any easier I can assure you… That said I’ve still got the same enthusiasm for the game that I had on day one of my first.

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As soon as I don’t that’s when it all finishes for me – I don’t think that you can perform if you’re not enthusiastic about what you’re doing as I think you’ll be cheating yourself as well as everyone around you. I still love it – I love being around the changing room; I love being around the boys; I love playing the game and as long as I

feel that I can still contribute and keep enjoying it, I’ll keep playing.”

Today of course, as we welcome Heybridge Swifts to the SCT, marks Tommy Warrilow’s first game in charge of the Mead, and it’s an appointment that has excited last season’s Supporters Player of the Year.

“First and foremost Tommy coming

FEATURE INTERVIEW

in is massive for the club – it’s a very positive step by the Chairman – fair play to him for that – and for everyone involved,” Andy said.

“He’s an experienced manager who knows what he’s doing. It’s a massive bonus and it says a lot about the club that we can attract that sort of manager. I think everyone’s excited about Tommy being here and what we can achieve. Thing is whether we like it or not it won’t happen overnight – that’s always difficult as you start from a clean slate.

If you’re the manager the season before, you’ve got the whole season to know where you’ve got to improve and what you can stick with. We’re here with a clean slate of players and it’s going to take a while to see how we all bed together and what happens. Certainly when it happens, and it will, you’ll see the club moving forward.

Tommy’s been able to pick his own players and bring in who he wants to bring in which in some respects is a good thing. On the flip side of that, four or five games in pre-season I don’t think it’s enough games to get it right. So as I’ve said, it won’t happen

overnight, but in the long term I’m sure it will be very positive.

“It’s been a tough pre-season we all know that but we’ve played some great sides – Dartford, Ebbsfleet – top, top sides and we’re trying to learn during those games. Now they’re not the sort of games against top players that you want to be having to learn things but at the same time it can only benefit our boys playing against players like we’ve faced, working hard and getting fit.”

“You know it’s hard to know where we’re at the moment until we come up against the first two league games.

Heybridge and then Thurrock – I think that until the games are over I don’t think that we’ll truly know where we’re at. Pre-season hasn’t necessarily gone the way that we would have liked it to, but at the same time, I think that once the prize of three points comes onto the table, I expect a bit of experience to come out in the boys and we’ll see a bit of a different side I think.

We’re just a week now from the club’s historic FA Cup trip to the Channel Islands, and so we asked Andy for the player perspective on the game.

“It’s brilliant for the club and for the

team. All the boys are going to travel together – it will be a great experience and a great occasion for them and of course the club. Everyone wants to do well in the FA Cup but we must focus first and foremost on today and Tuesday’s trip to Thurrock and getting off to the best possible start we can in the League before we go to Guernsey.

If we can make a good start, then we can travel and really look forward to.”

We couldn’t end without asking Andy about the “other” member of his team – goalkeeper coach Craig Gibson. Walks told us, “Craig’s a top man! His enthusiasm is infectious and he’s learned a lot as well since we’ve worked together in the last year. He’d previously done some coaching but probably not as many as others. His sessions got better and better every week last year – he’ll go away from the club and he’s already thinking about the next session that we’re doing. He’s on You-Tube all the time looking for different things and,” he added with a huge grin on his face, ”even he will probably admit that he owes me a pint as I could have really said a few things about him. But as I’ve said his enthusiasm is infectious and I really do enjoy working with him and that’s the main thing…”

THAMESMEAD TOWN The Official Matchday Programme

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GREENIE’S ONE ON ONE

GREENIE’S ONE ON ONE with Andy Walker

What was your first car?

It was a Nissan Datsun.

The first record that you bought?

Mel & Kim’s “Respectable” What was your first job?

An apprentice footballer at Colchester United.

First pro ground that you went to?

Vicarage Road, Watford.

First holiday you remember?

Camping at Dymchurch, Kent.

And the first overseas holiday?

Going to Cyprus when I was 13 years old.

And finally in which year did you first go to school?

1986 I think!!! It was a long time ago!!!

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THAMESMEAD TOWN The Official Matchday Programme

AWAY DAYS Follow the Mead on the road with this handy guide to the grounds up and down the country. Every week we’ll highlight our next away trip for the travelling Mead Army...

NEXT UP

AWAY

AWAY DAYS

vs. Thurrock

Tuesday 16th August Ryman Division One North Kick-Off: 7:45pm

AFC HORNCHURCH

GREAT WAKERING

THURROCK

Bridge Avenue Hornchurch RM14 2LX

Wakering Hall Lane GT Wakering SS3 0HH

Ship Lane Thurrock RM19 1YN

AVELEY

HARINGEY BOROUGH

TILBURY

Mill Field Stadium Mill Road Aveley RM15 4SJ

Coles Park White Hart Lane N17 7JP

Chadfields St Chads Road RM18 8NL

BOWERS & PITSEA

HEYBRIDGE SWIFTS

VCD ATHLETIC

Len Salmon Stadium Crown Avenue SS13 2BE

The Texo Stadium Scraley Road Heybridge CM9 8JA

Old Road Crayford DA1 4DN

BRENTWOOD TOWN

MALDON & TIPTREE

WALTHAM ABBEY

The Brentwood Centre Doddinghurst Road CM15 9NN

Park Drive Maldon CM9 5JQ

Capershotts Sewardstone Road Waltham Abbey EN19 1NX

BRIGHTLINGSEA REGENT

NORWICH UNITED

WARE

North Road Brightlingsea CO7 0PL

Plantation Park Blofield NR13 4PL

Wodson Park Wadesmill Road SG12 0UQ

BURY TOWN

PHOENIX SPORTS

WITHAM TOWN

Ram Meadow Cotton Lane Bury IP33 1XP

The Mayplace Ground Maylace Road East DA7 6JT

The Village Glass Stadium Spa Road Witham CM8 1UN

CHESHUNT

ROMFORD

WROXHAM

The Stadium Theobalds Lane Cheshunt EN8 8RU

Ship Lane Thurrock RM19 1YN

Trafford Park Skinners Lane Wroxham NR12 8SJ

DEREHAM TOWN

SOHAM TOWN RANGERS

Norwich Road Dereham NR20 3PX

Julius Martin Lane Soham CB7 5EQ

THAMESMEAD TOWN The Official Matchday Programme

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ENGLAND 50

SATURDAY 30TH JULY 1966

WORLD CUP WINNERS

The day that will forever live of course long in the history of English football!

The Day of course where English football won for the first and sadly the only time thus far that won the World Cup… A World Cup that was staged in this country and really did signify that “Football’s Coming Home” even if it were thirty years ahead of a time when that phrase was heard all over the country during Euro 96.

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THAMESMEAD TOWN The Official Matchday Programme

But since that fantastic July afternoon half a century ago – an afternoon that many of us have only ever enjoyed courtesy of ever increasing technology – it’s been a tough time for the followers and the players of the

English national team.

What began with total glory and winning the biggest prize of all half a century ago reached rock bottom this past summer in France at Euro 2016.

THE INFAMOUS HAND OF GOD

MOMENT

ENGLAND 50

hitting the Wembley crossbar; Kenneth Wolstenholme thinking it was all over; Nobby Stiles and his toothless grin and of course Bobby Moore wiping his MAN? hands so not to dirty IS BIG SAM THE RIGHT the hands of her Remember majesty when he got his hands how it all began? Blazing on the biggest prize in football – Wembley sunshine: Alan Ball the World Cup itself – and all the running all day long; Geoff Hurst Rule Britannia celebrations that

followed!!!

Since what have we had?

Nowt – nothing! In hindsight the “high-points” have included being beaten by the “Hand of God” in Mexico 86; missing penalties against the Germans – sorry West Germans – in Italia 90; penalty heartache again in our own Euros in 96 again at their hands? The list just goes on and on – over all it’s been fifty years of hurt and frustration!

THE AFTERMATH OF THE ICELAND DEFEAT

ANOTHER WORLD CUP

More-or-less it really has been nothing less than total, complete and utter despair and misery!

A downward spiral that has taken us for the heights of success and triumph on that Saturday afternoon at Wembley to the depths of despair, frustration and despair that every single English football fan felt on that Monday night in Nice six short and painful weeks ago!

But is there a light at the end of the tunnel now with Big Sam? Is he the answer? Or is he just the latest in the line of managers who will “let the country down”?

Just don’t let him loose with a brolly in the technical area…

Whilst uttering “god we hope so!” under our breathes, we’ll look the qualifying campaign for the next World Cup that begins next month and ask will Big Sam be able to send us “From Russia with Love” in his finest

EXIT

James Bond accent, or will we all be sent to Siberia.

It’s really has been a fascinating journey, and over the coming weeks, we’ll invite you to join us down the road of England 50 – a story that will begin next time with the story of the forgotten boycott… and we’re not talking about “Sir Geoffrey” either!

THAMESMEAD TOWN The Official Matchday Programme

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MEAD MATTERS

MEAD

MATTERS ENJOY A FLUTTER TO HELP THE MEAD Elsewhere in today’s Mead you’ll find full details of the clubs all new betting website which has been launched in conjunction with “myclubbetting.com” – it’s simple, the more people who sign up, the more rewards the club receive. But just one thing, please bet responsibly! Leaflets are available today…

2016/17 SEASON TI CKETS

Don’t forget if you’ve already booked your Family Season Ticket for the new season, it can be collected today. If you haven’t, then don’t worry - you can get yours today! Cost is just £30.00 - that’s right jus t £30.00 for the whole season for a fam ily of four - can you afford not too? Get you r application form today...

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THAMESMEAD TOWN The Official Matchday Programme

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES We’re looking for sponsors at all levels for the coming season. Opportunities include sponsoring your favourite player, match and match-ball sponsorship opportunities and of course advertising - in The Mead; pitchside and of course on the Mead’s website.

We’ve packages for all budgets - see us in the Committee Room today or contact commercialttfc@live.co.uk

PAPER PORTS PUTS PEN TO “KNIGHT” AS TOMMY SIGNS A that JAY PORTER has We’re delighted to confirm ther season. Last renewed his contract for ano ters Player of the Year por year’s runner up in the Sup of Tommy’s new look is a hugely popular member the SCT is delighted squad, and everyone here at e time, we’d like sam with the news.... And at the Tommy’s squad to n itio add st to welcome the late IGHT signed on the – central defender LEWIS KN nd’s final pre-season dotted line after last weeke is! game – welcome Lew

MEAD MATTERS

GUERNSEY FA CUP MATCH As you now know, next weekend we will be travelling to GUERNSEY in the Preliminary Round of the Emirates FA Cup in what will be the very first tie EVER played in the Channel Islands.

A reminder that Saturday’s game will be a 1:00pm kick off, and you can be person or spirit...

there in either

directly to the SCT – The club is currently investigating the possibility of a “Beam-back” of the game platforms in the media social our and website our on please watch out for a formal announcement clubs website the through game the of tary commen live stream to is option next few days. Another days… few next the in made be will decision a again – made courtesy If you fancy following Tommy and the boys yourself, travel arrangements have been see Mike Green please etc, costs the of details the like d you’ if and Island, the on ” Solutions of “Travel today for full details...

WE NEED YOU

FIXTURE POSTERS

Can you help us with putting one of the Mead’s fixture poster’s up in your local shop collect yours today!

e The club is looking for som h wit us ist extra bodies to ass ies. dut y -da tch first-team ma t For full details on the roles tha and LER SEL E include PROGRAMM see ase ple NT, ISTA TURNSTILE ASS this m Roo tee mit Com us in the b on afternoon or contact the clu .uk .co live c@ commercialttf

THAMESMEAD TOWN The Official Matchday Programme

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INTO THE HISTORY BOOKS

INTO THE HISTORY BOOKS with Tony Curr...

Next weekend sees’ the Mead head “overseas” as we begin our Emirates FA Cup campaign for another season.

But unlike previous season’s it will be an historical occasion as for the very first time, there will be an FA Cup tie played in the Channel Islands, as we travel to face Guernsey in the Preliminary Round.

of GFC.”

We’re all excited to be part of such a day, but what’s the reaction been from the other end. MIKE GREEN has been talking to BBC GUERNSEY’s Sports Reporter TONY CURR...

We then explored the problems that Guernsey have endured in getting the greatest cup competition in the world to the Island. Tony explained, “That the Green Lions haven’t yet hosted a home match in the cup speaks to the everyday obstacles which face the club. They were drawn at home against Dover Athletic in their debut season in it but had to play the tie at a neutral venue after Dover rejected a kick-off change because of a clash with Guernsey Rugby Club.”

Tony began by saying, “The Mead will be part of history next Saturday when the world’s oldest football cup competition comes to Guernsey, on a momentous occasion for the island club. For the first time ever an FA Cup tie will be played on Channel Island soil fulfilling one of the founding aims

“They’ve had to wait for this one then, but the Guernsey crowd have already demonstrated they love a cup run. The Green Lions reached the semi-final of the FA Vase a couple of years ago, which attracted more than four thousand supporters for the home-leg.”

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THAMESMEAD TOWN The Official Matchday Programme

We finished our conversation by asking what the Mead can expect next weekend. “It’s great to see Thamesmead Town’s enthusiasm for this tie,”Tony said. “You’ll get a fantastic welcome at Footes Lane which can, at times, stray towards too welcoming. A friend of mine - a Huddersfield Town fan and Guernsey FC season ticket holder - on arriving in a blue tracksuit for the recent friendly with their under21s was mistaken for a visiting Terrier.

He said he was struck by the warm reception he got, if a little put out nobody recognised him.”

“If you’re making the trip across, you’ll find Guernsey at its best - the sun shining, the beaches looking wonderful, and the island coming together for a unique sporting event.”

SPONSORS AND SUPPORTERS OF THAMESMEAD TOWN 2016/17 SEASON

Thamesmead Police Team Based in Kale Road, we are the local policing team. Our role is to speak to the local residents and resolve any issues that should arise.

You can contact us by:

Tel: 020 8721 2049

E: Thamesmead.SNT@met.police.uk

TARGETING DRUG DEALERS

We have recently executed numerous warrants based on intelligence about drug dealing. Dozens of people were arrested for drug related offences. Over a dozen have been charged and convicted at court. Do NOT tolerate drug abuse in your area. Let us know and we will do something about it.

If you have any information about crime you can call CrimeStoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111

YOUR COMMUNITY NEEDS YOU

Your local policing team are looking for residents to join their Ward Panel to help improve their community. Each ward has a panel made up of members of the community who live or work within that ward. This panel meets regularly to discuss the concerns facing the local community around crime and anti-social behaviour, and sets the priorities the local police team will tackle. Interested? Call or email us!

DOOR TO DOOR SALES

We have had reports across Bexley regarding people selling knives at people’s doors and trying to get into the house.

They do NOT have permission by the council to sell the knives (or any product) and this poses a risk to the public. Remember, any door to door sales person MUST carry identification (see below).

If they come to your property do not engage with them and call police on 999.

Remember to apply your door chain when answering the door.

@MPSThamesmead

PLAYER SPONSORSHIP

FIRST-TEAM

SPONSORS Tommy

Alex

Craig

Available

Available

Available

Carly

Bode

Phillipe

Available

Available

Available

Richard

Luke

Ainsley

Available

Available

Available

Cesc

Ellis

Scott

Available

Available

Available

Lewis

Jack

Jay

Available

Available

Available

Nathan

Steve

Available

Available

WARRILOW

PAYNE

BUTLER

FAKINOS

KNIGHT

SIMPSON

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THAMESMEAD TOWN The Official Matchday Programme

O’BRIEN

ANIDUGBE

COLEMAN

GREEN

MAHONEY

GIBSON

BLAETTLER

EVERETT

KINCH

PORTER

Adrian

SPRINGETT

STONE

Available

PLAYER SPONSORSHIP

WANT TO SPONSOR YOUR FAVOURITE? Please see Mike Green on matchdays, e-mail commercialttfc@live.co.uk or call 07845 751319 Joe

Paul

Andy

Available

Available

Available

VINES

VINES

WALKER

Fraser

WALKER

Available

THAMESMEAD TOWN The Official Matchday Programme

33

CLUB STATS

CLUB

STATS

TOTAL APPEARANCES 2016/17 PLAYERS

Anidugbe, Bode Blaettler, Phillipe Butler, Richard Coleman, Luke Everett, Ainsley Fakinos, Cesc Green, Ellis Kinch, Scott Knight, Lewis Mahoney, Jack Porter, Jay Simpson, Nathan Springett, Steve Stone, Adrian Vines, Joe Vines, Paul Walker, Andy Walker, Fraser

LGE APPS

LGE GLS

CUP APPS

CUP GLS

APPS

GLS

RYMAN DIVISION ONE NORTH LEAGUE TABLE P 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

W

D

L

F

A

GD

Pts

AFC Hornchurch Aveley Bowers & Pitsea Brentwood Town Brightlingsea Regent Bury Town Cheshunt Dereham Town Great Wakering Rovers Haringey Borough Heybridge Swifts Maldon & Tiptree Norwich United Phoenix Sports Romford Soham Town Rangers Thamesmead Town Thurrock Tilbury VCD Atheltic Waltham Abbey Ware Witham Town Wroxham

THAMESMEAD TOWN The Official Matchday Programme

35

2016/17

FIXTURES & RESULTS DATE OPPOSITION AUGUST Sat 13 Heybridge Swifts Tue 16 Thurrock Sat 20 Guernsey (Kick-off 1:00pm) Tue 23 Romford Sat 27 Brentwood Town Mon 29 Aveley

H A A H A H

COMP R1N R1N FACP ATTR1 R1N R1N

SEPTEMBER Sat 3 Maldon & Tiptree Tue 6 Tilbury Sat 10 Bury Town Sat 17 Waltham Abbey Tue 20 Haringey Borough Sat 24 Great Wakering Rovers Tue 27 AFC Hornchurch

A H H A H A A

R1N R1N R1N R1N R1N R1N R1N

OCTOBER Sat 1 Norwich United Sat 8 Corinthian Casuals Tue 11 Ware Sat 15 Dereham Town Tue 18 Thurrock Sat 22 Brightlingsea Regent Sat 29 Cheshunt

H A A H H A A

R1N FATP R1N R1N R1N R1N R1N

NOVEMBER Sat 5 Wroxham Sat 12 Romford Sat 19 Soham Town Rangers Tue 22 AFC Hornchurch Sat 26 Norwich United Mon 28 Haringey Borough

H A H H A A

R1N R1N R1N R1N R1N R1N

DECEMBER Sat 3 Great Wakering Rovers Sat 10 VCD Athletic Sat 17 Witham Town Mon 26 Phoenix Sports Sat 31 Tilbury

H A H H A

R1N R1N R1N R1N R1N

JANUARY 2017 Mon 2 Aveley Sat 7 Bowers & Pitsea Sat 14 Cheshunt Sat 21 Wroxham Sat 28 Ware

A H H A H

R1N R1N R1N R1N R1N

FEBRUARY Sat 4 Heybridge Swifts Sat 11 Brightlingsea Regent Sat 18 Dereham Town Sat 25 Romford

A H A H

R1N R1N R1N R1N

MARCH Sat 4 Soham Town Rangers Sat 11 VCD Athletic Sat 18 Witham Town Sat 25 Maldon & Tiptree

A H A H

R1N R1N R1N R1N

APRIL Sat 1 Bury Town Sat 8 Bowers & Pitsea Sat 15 Waltham Abbey

A A H

R1N R1N R1N

Mon 17 Phoenix Sports

A

R1N

Sat 22

H

R1N

36

Brentwood Town

THAMESMEAD TOWN The Official Matchday Programme

ATT POS

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

THAMESMEAD TOWN The Official Matchday Programme

37

proud to support Thamesmead Town FC

THAMESMEAD TOWN FAMILY SEASON TICKET APPLICATION FORM

£30

Still only

Application Form Application Form

Please complete with remittance Please completeand andreturn return with remittance Name: Name: Address: Address: Email: Email: Signed: Signed:

Date:

Date:

For full and please club website Forterms full terms andconditions conditions please see thethe reverse of form

SQUADS THAMESMEAD TOWN

Manager: Tommy Warrillow

HEYBRIDGE SWIFTS Manager: Jody Brown

ANDY WALKER

1

1

DANNY SAMBRIDGE

FRASER WALKER

2

2

GEORGE DOYLE

STEVE SPRINGETT

3

3

KARL DUGUID

SCOTT KINCH

4

4

LEWIS DARK

RICHARD BUTLER

5

5

JOSS NEALE

LEWIS KNIGHT

6

6

RILEY BAKER

ELLIS GREEN

7

7

CALLUM LEAHY

GIANNOULIS FAKINOS

8

8

LEWIS GODBOLD

PAUL VINES

9

9

JACK BARNHAM

LUKE COLEMAN

10

10

REECE GRANT

JAY PORTER

11

11

GEORGE COLE

ADRIAN STONE

12

12

MARLEY ANDREWS

JACK MAHONEY

14

14

GLEN LITTLE

NATHAN SIMPSON

15

15

JACK SMITH

BODE ANIDUGBE

16

16

TYRON ALLEYNE

AINSLEY EVERETT

17

17

ROMARIO DUNNE

REFEREE: Daniel Bonneywell ASSISTANT REFEREE: Ross Alexander & Joseph Mckay

NEXT UP AWAY NEXT UP HOME THURROCK

Tuesday 16th August Ryman Division One North Kick-Off: 7:45

AVELEY

Monday 29th August Ryman Division One North Kick-Off: 3:00