9 minute read
FROM THE BOARDROOM
CHRIS WHITE
A warm welcome to all of you this afternoon, particularly the officials, players and supporters who have made the journey up the A3057 from Romsey, and also to our own supporters whose encouragement during this rather stuttering start to our season is much admired and appreciated.
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Regarding our current position in the League 1 table, different people react differently to certain situations.
Some struggle to stay positive when things are not going as well as they would like, whereas others are able to take setbacks in their stride.
I always aim to place myself in the latter camp but I can understand both points of view. It was galling to witness the goals we conceded at the very end of the game on Tuesday night.
I know that the players themselves feel the anguish just as much as we do and I know that they will respond in the right way to address these issues.
Defeats on the pitch may hurt us in the short term but the prizes are only awarded at the end of the season.
If Mo Farah was near the rear of the field after three-and-a-half laps of a 10,000m race (approximately the distance we’ve travelled so far this season) then that would not be as much of a concern as if he were near the back after 25 laps.
We can’t always lead from the front and we’ve convinced that our team will come good given patience and support. By rising up through the field maybe our journey is destined to become that little bit more exciting!
It maybe a long and arduous battle but nothing worth achieving comes easily. It does, however, become easier if we all see it through together.
Today’s game is an opportunity to get back to winning ways but it won’t be easy against a very good Romsey side.
Enjoy today’s game and I wish you all a safe journey home and I hope to see once again next Saturday when we entertain Hythe & Dibden.
So...hold on tight and enjoy the journey.
JAMIE COLEMAN
Good afternoon, and a very warm welcome to our visitors today, it’s great that we can even get these games on with all that’s going on in the world at the moment.
Personally football is keeping me sane, (although not after Tuesday night but I won’t go into that!!!) so it’s great that we can have this outlet in life to forget what’s going on and do something ‘normal’. I’d like to thank the club and all the committee for all their hard work in making the club a COVID safe site, as you can all see, they’ve done a great job just so we can get out there and play football and the supporters can watch safely.
Personally for me it’s been a strange start to the season, after having what felt like a 12 week pre season with 6 weeks of that only being able to train and coach the lads in groups of 6 proved a massive challenge in itself, throwing in the fact that we didn’t have a start date for the season just made it a very hard task. We had to mix the training up a lot to keep it fun but also have in mind that after all it was pre season and there was some running to do.
This leads me nicely onto our first team coach Jason, I worked with Jason around 10 years ago at Stockbridge FC and he improved my game a lot, so after him leaving I was always on the lookout to work with him again.
I tried to get him for the last couple of years to be honest but he had work commitments meaning he couldn’t be involved but finally this season he could, but now our working relationship is alongside each other due to me hanging my boots up because of injury.
He is a really good coach and his knowledge of how to play the game is brilliant. We also have Alex Thompson who is our GK coach who is clearing doing a great job as paddy has been one of best players so far this season.
It’s great to work with Thomo as we’ve played together for years so we know what we both are about.
NEW MANAGEMENT TEAM
DANNY DOLAN & JAMIE COLEMAN
We have a new bit of kit up the club, which is the ground breaking technology called VEO. It’s basically films the whole game but with no need of a camera man, it’s technology allows it to track the ball and record the whole game, once downloaded it creates highlights which you can also go into and edit.
It’s a great bit of kit that allows us to watch the game back a provide analysis back to the team. VEO is something I’d never thought I’d see at New Street but it just shows our ambition and that we are going in the right direction.
I’m absolutely delighted to be the assistant manager; it’s all come about a bit quickly after only just being appointed as first team coach at the start of pre season.
Personally I’d still like to be playing but injury has forced me to stop, I had surgery on my right knee 4 weeks ago which was 6 months overdue because of COVID, although all went well quite a bit of cartilage had to be taken out and also have damage to my ACL, I’m also due an op to my left to repair some cartilage which all in all would put me out for another season. The decision to stop playing has been tough but on the other hand I’ve seen the speed of some of these nippers, maybe it’s for the best :-).
To be named assistant manager was a pleasure, this club has been a big part of my life and hopefully we can push the team forward to achieve good things. I’d like to congratulate Danny Dolan on the role of first team manager; he was doing this alongside John Smith who has new moved up to director of football. Every time I’ve played against Danny he would always go out of his way to talk to me after the game, this meant a lot and I could tell that he was also a good bloke off the field. When he came in to New Street I knew it could only be a good thing. After getting to know him quite well I was right, his football knowledge is great and has a very good footballing brain, he also won’t take any drivel and says it how it is, which is a must in football but an even better bloke off the pitch, the kind that will do anything for you.
So all the best Danny, let’s hope, together we can achieve what we want to achieve for this club.
Lastly I’d like to say a big thank you to John Smith and Iain Meechan, I’ve played for John and been his captain for about 10 years, we won a lot together but lifting trophies and getting promotion with New Street are footballing memories I’ll never forget. Both top blokes and lifelong friends.
All the best in your new roles lads. Thanks for everything.
That’s it from me, let’s all get behind the team today and support us for today’s game. Thanks again for your continued support.
Stay safe.
POSITION: DEFENDER | AGE: 29 STAUS: SIGNED AFTER LEAVING ANDOVER TOWN
HE SAID: “It’s a club I’ve been with since the age of 15, growing up in the reserves and then progressing into the first team. When I left last season I thought it was the right decision as I feel the time away has made me a better player. After speaking to John and Danny and seeing the calibre of signings coming in helped massively with my decision. ” DANNY FIELD
POSITION: DEFENDER | AGE: 27 STAUS: SIGNED AFTER LEAVING BEMERTON HEATH HARLEQUINS
HE SAID: “I decided to return to New Street because it’s my local club and after a few seasons away I wanted to get back enjoying my football again. John and Danny have a good setup here and the club is certainly heading in the right direction.”
Are You A Street Fan? Then Come And Join Us!
Andover New Street Social Club Membership Benefits include: Reduced Admission to First Team Home Matches Entry to ANS Swifts & ANS Ladies Home Matches Use of facilities at Foxcotte Park at Discounted Rates Reduced bar prices for drinks Annual membership costs start from £15 For more information contact a club representative or email: andovernewstreetfc@hotmail.co.uk
LEAGUE ROUND-UP
The Wessex League heard last weekend that three Managers have decided to move on. Callum Brooks at Portland United, Jody Rivers at Downton and our own John Smith at Andover New Street.
As we announced last week, Danny Dolan and Jamie Coleman will take on the role at Foxcotte Park with John moving to a Director of Football role. Ben Smith looks to be in sole charge now at Downton, whilst we await an update as regards a permanent replacement at the New Grove, although it’s been reported Gary Bailey and Mark Carter have taken the role on an interim basis.
Doubtless readers will recall Jesse WallerLassen from Team Solent days, the midfielder featured in #Hashtag United’s penalty shoot-out Emirates FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round win over Soham Town Rangers on Monday, which was available on BBC i-player. He marked the occasion with a well taken equaliser around six minutes from the end to send the game to penalties and then converted the winner in the 4-2 win. The Street bolstered their squad with the signing of Mikey Davis from Whitchurch United last week. Davis, was at Basingstoke Town last year and had joined the Longmeadow side at the start of this season but found first team opportunities hard to come by and proved his worth when coming on against Totton & Eling last Saturday and proved a real handful to the Millers defence and produced a fine finish from the edge of the box to secure the win. Director of Football John Smith said “Mikey offers us another option upfront and has great pace that will scare opposition
PORTLAND UNITED MANAGER
CALLUM BROOKS DEPARTS A date has been arranged for the 2019/20 Portsmouth Senior Cup semi-final clash between Baffins Milton Rovers and Horndean – it’ll be on Wednesday 11 November at the PMC Stadium. A date for the tie involving Fareham Town at Moneyfields is yet to be confirmed. The last I had was that the Final would be played at Fratton Park, but given the current pandemic situation, that may well be
WELCOME TO THE FOXCOTTE, MIKEY!
changed.
defences. It’s a great signing for us and gives further competition for places, which is what we have in other areas of the pitch.”
