Terras Times The newsletter of Weymouth FC Supporters Association.
February 2022
2018/2019 Southern League Champions 2019/2020 National League South play off winners. A week is a long time in football, let alone a month. I wouldn’t be bold enough to state the great escape is on just yet, but the performances have definitely been encouraging since the Kings Lynn match. As the Manager states, we need the results to match the effort and application now because without them, we won’t be staying up. So if you are reading this Lady Luck, please point your finger our way and let us have some Terras goals off the shin or from an opposition player putting through their own net. If Yin and Yang does exist we have paid a big enough price in bad luck for those Dartford penalties in the Conference South play off… Of course WFC isn’t just about the men's first team and it has been great from a Supporters Association perspective to get involved with some ladies team match sponsorship. They are certainly going well again this season and deserve our support. In addition there is lots of positive social media (yes, positive !!) about some of the clubs younger teams at the moment and the youth tournament coming in May is a great opportunity to play on the hallowed turf of the Bob Lucas Stadium and for players to come to the attention of the Terras. I am 47 and still dream of taking a penalty at the Speedway End (if you are reading Mr Oldfield) That investment in the future won’t keep us in the National League in 2021/2022, but it might just play a part in season 2030/2031. I certainly hope so. Enjoy the coming weeks of football, I am hopeful there are more wins and points coming soon. Keep the faith. James https://www.wfcsa.co.uk/
Terras Times The newsletter of Weymouth FC Supporters Association.
Chairman's Update Hello everyone and welcome to our latest newsletter. There has been much activity around the club since our last issue so plenty to cover! The new manager, David Oldfield, seems to have settled in well and we have seen our results start to slowly improve, culminating recently in the fully deserved draw at home to Chesterfield and then the fantastic win against Eastleigh the following Tuesday! Such wonderful scenes when the goal machine got the winner and at the final whistle! Our first league win since October 2021! Boy did we need that? I know we are a long way from safety, but we can start to believe the great escape may just be on. We have our role to play for sure, the backing given to the lads recently has been fantastic and we have more work to do on that front, so please, keep it going, it makes so much difference to the team. I know I sound like a stuck record, but we don’t have money to throw at an all-out survival quest, we have to do it sensibly for the long term future of the club. It got me thinking, again, about how I have in the past mentioned that it would be nice to emulate some of the teams we used to play regularly in the Alliance Premier league when it was first formed back in the late 70’s! Teams like Cheltenham Town, Burton Albion, Wycombe Wanderers and Stevenage Town, teams that have all gone on to enjoy a sustained period in the Football League! Then I realised, anyone under the age of 40 will think I’m a total nutter, no idea what I’m talking about! So for that, I do apologise! You might just remember Forest Green Rovers back in our Southern League South days, possibly a better example, currently sitting atop League Two? Anyway, it matters not, the point is, a town the size of Weymouth has the undoubted potential to sustain a Football League club for sure, but we have work to do to make it happen. I’m not personally a fan of a money man, when they have had enough, it can all so often end in tears. What we need to do is build income streams away from matchdays, so that we can continue to build and improve. We may need to seek investment to do so but we have plenty of shares available, so the channel is there. Whatever happens though, rest assured, this great football club of ours is currently in the safest hands it has ever been in. There will be no selling out to developers and sailing off into the sunset leaving us with no club to follow! Before I sign off, can I on behalf of all Terras supporters everywhere, offer our sincere thanks to Paul Maitland, who has stepped down from his role with the club to spend more time with his young family. It was an epic decade Paul, and we are in a much better place for your involvement. Thank you so much for all you have done and for always stepping up when it mattered most. Best wishes to you and your family from us all. Until next time, stay safe and stay well. Look out for those around you who may be in need of a helping hand.
Pete Nash Chairman WFCSA
https://www.wfcsa.co.uk/
Terras Times The newsletter of Weymouth FC Supporters Association.
Membership update - with Ken Willis As the WFCSA has sponsored several of the away matches this season we have a prize of a pair of free tickets for SA members only for the away trip to Wealdstone on Saturday 12 March courtesy of the away travel team. Please email me by Wednesday 2nd March if you intend to go to the match and want to be entered into the draw for the chance to win the two tickets for you and a friend. There is no cash alternative.
Kind Regards Ken Willis Membership Secretary
Ladies match sponsorship If you have been following the WFCSA social media you will have seen we are sponsoring matches for WFC ladies in the run in this season. Here are all the remaining fixtures, try and pop along to one. 6th March - Poole Reserves (H) 13th March - Dorchester (H) 20th March - Poole (A) Cup 27th March - Merley Cobham (H) 3rd April - Broadstone (H)
https://www.wfcsa.co.uk/
Terras Times The newsletter of Weymouth FC Supporters Association.
Paul Maitland departs the Terras Some might call it the curse of the newsletter. After a pre-season interview with former Manager Brian Stock predicted an 11th placed finish, I was deep in discussions with Paul Maitland over him being interviewed in this months newsletter. Then the news broke that Paul was stepping down and one of the key protagonists in the clubs recent history had left. As Pete had said elsewhere in this issue, all at WFCSA wish Paul the very best of the luck for the future and you never know, when a bit of time has passed we might find the answers to some of the questions I posed to Paul.
Following the Terras from afar… This season has been a frustrating one for a whole number of reasons. When the fixtures came out I put a tick next to a large number of away days that were closer than the 225 miles I live away from the BLS. However, lots of things including work and kids has meant that slowly, but surely I have been crossing matches out instead of buying tickets. I suppose when the team is losing a lot of matches it's sometimes easier to prioritise picking the youngest up from Karate rather than asking a grandparent to do it and getting in the car to head back south. The exception has been King Lynn last month, a match that I probably cursed with my attendance with us being 2nd best whistle to whistle. Thankfully our match day coverage on Radio Terras and social media is up there with the best of the best and I would like to offer my thanks to Ben and Ted for their efforts. Being an Exile is a challenge, for sure, but you guys help cover the distance between where all of us live and the stadium on match day. That is priceless.
Boost the playing budget by joining the Wessex Fantasy Football this season. Click here for more.
https://www.wfcsa.co.uk/