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Welcome to the football pages of Winchmore Hill's website. 

Winchmore Hill Football Club is affiliated to the Amateur Football Alliance and play in the Southern Amateur League. For season 2007/08 the Club will field ten Saturday teams, two Veterans sides playing 'friendly' matches on Sundays, as well as a flourishing youth section with nine teams.

For more information click on the links on the left hand side of this page.

If you are interested in joining the football section, call the main club number in the first instance: 020 8360 1271 or email us at whcc@lineone.net

Review of Season 2008-2009
A season of 30 games, 50 goals scored, 24 goals conceded and 4 penalties missed!!!

The immediate reaction to a season that saw us finish second, lose a final and a semi-final on penalties was disappointment.  However after a few weeks reflection I feel it’s a season we can pleased with, particularly when compared to last season when we were in the relegation mire until the last but one game.  To finish clear second in the league behind an excellent Nottsborough side is a good position from which to start next season’s campaign.

After a familiar outcome of losing to West Wickham in our opening game our season got underway with a string of good performances and results we entered the cup break having amassed 13 points from 7 games.  After two won cup games we re-engaged in the league and produced our worst performance and suffered our heaviest defeat away to Polytechnic.  A chastening experience for all those involved.  However this proved to be the catalyst for an excellent run of form which saw us win 9 games on the bounce,  score lots of goals and concede only a few in the process. 

Our run came to an end with a second defeat to West Wickham.  This was followed by the two penalty shoot out defeats in the cups being sandwiched by our best performance and win of the season at home against Old Owens.   

With a month to go and 5 games to play we were in with a good shout of the league but unfortunately it wasn’t to be.  The deciding game in the run in was away to Nottsborough. A tight largely uneventful game was decided by 3 penalties, One for Nottsborough from which they scored and two for us which we missed.    

Close but no cigar!!

Let's now turn to the players and more importantly the units.  The back four were individually and collectively excellent.  3 of them Peter Gyles, Martin Brannigan and Mattie Knights were largely ever present.  Gylo deservedly winning player of the year after a magnificent year at centre half (always been his best position) ably supported by Branners (or Mr Giraffe as my mate labelled him). Mattie was his usual mix of  aggression, passion and energy and had his best season for a couple of years. The right back duties were shared by Charles Matthews and Samson Dijimba who in their  contrasting styles offered plenty to the side and will be important players next season.    

The middle 3 – Chris Davison, Andy Barrell and Paul Strouts – combined perfectly.  Davo’s discipline, reading of the game and lung capacity was superb and complimented Barrell’s eye for a pass and a goal (technically the best finisher in the club.  And then there was Strouts but I’ll leave him till last!! 

Our wide two – permutations of Abi Seymour, Gofrey Poku and Stuart Board – offered a mixture of speed, tenacity, ability, intelligence (this one refers only to Broady), goals and the occasional bout of screaming and crying.  

Our forward one – Mr. Beya – was excellent.  He scores his goals, gives us shape whilst getting plenty of stick doing a very tough job (toughest on the pitch according to Steve Claridge).   

I would also like to note the important contributions of two other players.  Neil Hurst who was a significant contributor in the first half of the season and was sorely missed in the second half.  And Danny Putt, who came in after Christmas and did exceptionally well, except on the night out in Clapham where lack of experience and timidity did for him!!  He will be important next season and will have big shoes to fill.

Special mention needs to go to Andy Russell.  His enthusiasm and commitment are a given but should never be taken for granted.  In my opinion his greatest contribution is order.  Players, despite what they tell you, crave certainty and order.  They want to know what’s happening, they want to know that the kit is there, they want to know that the warm-up session is sorted, they want to know that they’re being taken care of.  And this is what Andy does week in week out.  This is not to downplay or ignore all the excellent stuff he does around team formations, the opposition, and our tactics.  But at the heart of it he takes care of the team and the players and it makes a massive difference.

This leaves me with one more mention, Mr. Strouts, who as some of you will know has retired.  I’ve been fortunate enough to play football for 30 years and in that time I’ve been lucky enough to play with some exceptionally talented and gifted players.  Stroutsie isn’t one of them! But during that time I’ve been even luckier to play with a very small number of players who for me embody what playing football is all about.  Stroutsie is one of them.  Every game he was the same never the best footballer on the field but always one of our best players.  Two instances stand out for me.  Last season relegation battle away to Old Actonians with 6 regulars missing.  It was 0-0 with 5 minutes to go.  They swung in a cross their striker was winding up his boot when Stroutsie appeared airborne from nowhere, cleared the ball with a diving header whilst getting kicked straight in the face.  He got up and without another word got himself into position to deal with the resulting corner.  A wink was all that passed between us.  The second occasion was this season at home to Old ignatians.  We were 6, 7 or 8 nil up with 5 minutes to go.  One of our more cultured players was in possession when the shout came from behind him ‘turn 'em round’ from of course Mr. Strouts.   

On a personal note the changing room before and after a game on a Saturday will be a slightly less appealing place next season.  He will be missed. 

Happy summer and see you next season.

Andrew Carter

Carts,

You are a gentleman and a scholar.  Be assured that playing in the 1st team for Winchmore Hill has been a honour and given me some of the best times of my footballing career and will be sorely missed.  The banter before and after games has always been tremendous and I hope to get involved in some  of this next season whilst I play the game from the sidelines!  I wish everyone luck for next season and hope that we get  the prize that this band of brothers deserve and be assured that retirement for this old dog won't come easy!

See you all soon,

Stroutsie