New Season, Old Worries.

So here we are again. After a summer of Euro football and Olympic achievement we make our way down to Hayes Lane for the start of a new Conference South League season. The pre-season campaign doesn’t always count for a lot and lets hope this one is no exception given that we have been poor at best.    

Mark Goldberg & Neil Smith have both indicated that we are aiming for a play off spot in interviews, but the evidence on the field is that we will struggle to win games as we have no bite up front and thanks to injuries picked up in games we look vulnerable in midfield. Although there have not been that many new faces the side has looked anything but settled, familiar old faces who left under clouds previously have been given another opportunity including Nic McDonnell, Ali Chaaban, Tony Finn and Warren McBean. Sadly for Wozza his return was halted by a terrible tackle from a Cray Wanderers defender which has ruled him out for two months. Whether the appearance of Richard Pacquette last Saturday was anything other than a cameo remains to be seen, but we desperately need a proven striker to avoid the relegation battle of last season.

The bookies have had us out at 88/1 for promotion, which was shortened to 66/1 after a lot of interest, but they are rarely wrong and we may find ourselves with a tough nine months ahead.

The fine work that goes on off the field is still yet to be matched on it in recent times, I hope those behind the scenes get better rewarded this term. It all starts with the visit of Marcus Gayle's Staines Town side this Saturday, lets hope Ali Chaaban can find his goalscoring touch against his old club.