Rhodes

Nearly 3.00pm folks, lets get ready to rumble, I wonder how many of 'our' Club's can make it through to the First Qualifying Round, no tie looks easy

Nearly 3.00pm folks, lets get ready to rumble

Apologies if that is the case this afternoon, I have been off the radar for a while and would never have dreamt in a million years that the Official in question had somehow risen through the ranks to be handed a prestigious FA Cup tie, good luck to him. As you rightly say he is a very good Official but there has always been eyebrows raised concerning his connections and links at certain Club's hasn't there.

Has a certain Official not been allocated a SSML fixture today or is he away on holiday, if he ever is given a St Panteleimon or New Salamis game this season I am sure there will be a flood of complaints and objections

It's ludicrous isn't it having the likes of Wycombe Wanderers compete in the Berks & Bucks FA Senior Cup as they may as well just hand either them, Reading or Milton Keynes Dons the trophy without a ball being kicked in anger, they even get a bye into the first round just to rub salt into Newport Pagnell Town and Aylesbury Vale Dynamos wounds: https://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/sport/17831902.wanderers-compete-berks-bucks-cup-first-time-5-years/

It won’t feel great for the ten Premier Division sides, Winslow United and London Tigers will it knowing that they could have still been in FA Cup action: Saturday 24 August (all games 3.00pm) PREMIER DIVISION Crawley Green v Broadfields United Edgware Town v Potton United Harpenden Town v Baldock Town Leverstock Green v Eynesbury Rovers Tring Athletic v Oxhey Jets DIVISION ONE Amersham Town v Rayners Lane Ampthill Town v Hillingdon Borough Brimsdown v Enfield Borough Langford v Buckingham Athletic Milton Keynes Robins FC v FC Broxbourne Borough New Salamis v Winslow United St Panteleimon v London Tigers Shefford Town & Campton v Bedford Wodson Park v London Lions DIVISION TWO Bovingdon v Berkhamsted Raiders Pitstone & Ivinghoe v Sarratt The 61FC (Luton) v Codicote Totternhoe v MK Gallacticos LEAGUE CHALLENGE TROPHY First Round Mursley United v Park View Tring Corinthians AFC v Old Bradwell United

Savagebee - You can see here can't you why Berkhamsted Raiders ruffle feathers as their Chairman, Keith Pollard, is one of these all action, get up and go types who can't sit still for a minute, I'm sure he is a nice enough chap with obviously the Club's best interests at heart but I certainly wouldn't want to be dealing with him as he seems to ride roughshod over everything in his way: https://www.keithpollard.com/playing/ https://www.berkhamstedtoday.co.uk/news/it-s-all-kicking-off-over-plans-for-community-stadium-at-berkhamsted-fc-1-8476464

I thought we might want to make an early start in discussing the weekends eagerly awaited FA Cup ties, it will be well over 30c for Dunstable Town and Harefield Town on Sunday won't it: FA Cup Preliminary Round Arlesey Town v Peterborough Northern Star Aylesbury Vale Dynamos v North Leigh Cirencester Town v North Greenford United Dunstable Town v Shortwood United (Sun 25 Aug, 3.00pm) Evesham United v Harefield United (Sun 25 Aug, 2.00pm) London Colney v Halstead Town Long Melford v Colney Heath Newport Pagnell Town v Flackwell Heath Soham Town Rangers v Biggleswade United Stotfold v Canvey Island Thame United v Leighton Town Wembley v Berkhamsted

Karen - I wasn't aware of that however presumably you receive a courtesy call or e-mail from the home SSML Club just to check whether the date they have chosen is agreeable so it still adds to your workload

Savagebee - There could well be some needle in the game couldn't there as, reading between the lines, Berkhamsted Raiders aren't flavour of the month at Broadwater

Is Eric Turner still at Ampthill Park, I''m sure he wouldn't have allowed that to happen, on-line programmes are simply sacrilege, nothing more nothing less

Yet more fixtures for Karen to worry about and juggle with: Middlesex FA Senior Charity Cup draw First Round Enfield Town v Broadfields United Hillingdon Borough v Kensington & Ealing Borough North Greenford United v Harefield United Rayners Lane v Cockfosters Southall v Bedfont & Feltham Spelthorne Sports v Enfield Borough Wealdstone v CB Hounslow United Byes: Ashford Town (Middx), Uxbridge, Northwood, Harrow Borough, Hanwell Town, Hanworth Villa, AFC Hayes, Hampton & Richmond, Hayes & Yeading https://twitter.com/i/status/1159834656696492032 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middlesex_Senior_Charity_Cup

A messege from Ampthill Town on another Forum, they are right that on-line programmes are going to have a huge knock on effect on attendance figures and groundhoppers will avoid those Club's like the plague. It is a nice gesture however by the Ampthill Park Club to offer printed programmes on request: Ampthill Town took the decision in the summer to only produce online programmes for the 2019/20 season. Increasing costs and lack of sales made this business decision for them. Unable to quantify it accurately, it has definitely been noted that not producing paper programmes is likely to put some people off attending (the number of people that stay away because of this is unlikely to outweigh the cost savings). With this in mind, Ampthill Town are willing to produce printed matchday programmes on request, or I can send you the PDF to print at home. On a much more positive note Ampthill Town now stock pin badges (thanks to Terry's Badges) and these will be available in the clubhouse (£3) or can be posted (£3.50) - please message me if you want one sent to you.

Karen - That's interesting, can we read anything into that as Hertford Town's website were shouting about the eagerly awaited 'local derby' from the rooftops when the draw was made: TOWN DRAW (VERY) LOCAL RIVALS IN HERTS FA CHARITY SHIELD 10TH JUNE St Mags likely to be the new managers first competitive opposition Hertford Town FC have been given home draw in the 1st round of the @hertsfa Charity Shield against local friends and rivals @StMargaretsbury. Speaking to the website, manager Ben Herd said ''This represents a great opportunity for both clubs to kick start their seasons with a nice cup run. And its always nice to have a local derby to draw a good crowd to the club.'' The date of the game is to be confirmed.

Oxhey Jets entertain Colney Heath on 10 September: HERTFORDSHIRE CHARITY SHIELD First Round (Games to be played by the 1 October 19) Harpenden Town v FC Broxbourne Borough (TBC) Hertford Town v St Margaretsbury (TBC) Leverstock Green v Hoddesdon Town (Tue 24 Sept) London Colney v Sawbridgeworth Town (TBC) Oxhey Jets v Colney Heath (Tue 10 Sept) Tring Athletic 4 Codicote 0 https://www.tafc.co.uk/report-r.php?fixture_id=3568 Ware v Letchworth Garden City Eagles (Tue 3 Sept) Welwyn Garden City v Hadley (Tue 24 Sept)