Many thanks

I just wanted to take the opportunity to thank you all for your support for my Ride London event tomorrow. 

After riding 1,500 miles and spending nearly 100 hours in the saddle this year all I needed was the financial support, for Prostate Cancer UK, to qualify and you rose to the task. Over 50% came from Leatherhead FC and I am very grateful.

I cycle through Leatherhead at about 12 tomorrow, so if I see a Leatherhead shirt I'll give you a wave.

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/mattross

Travelling Tanners

Tanners take their pre-season tour to Hayes & Yeading tomorrow as they continue to prepare for the coming campaign.  Our hosts should prove to stiffer opposition than Godalming, but hopefully not too stiff so we can continue to experiment and build confidence.

Kick off at 3pm.  Directions can be found here.

Godalming Town 0 - 4 Tanners

Leatherhead ran out easy winners last night, against a side three leagues below them but what did we learn?

Not a lot.  It was hard to gage how good we were due to the inability of the hosts to organise their defence.  In the first half Midson and Jerry were left completely unmarked in the middle of the box at corners for example.  Also we missed some absolute sitters which don't mean much in July but come October it could become very frustrating.

On a positive note, we looked lively and perhaps much of Godalming's disarray was down to our movement.  Chike and Calum combined twice in the first half to make it two nil.  Chike finishing Calum's pass and vice versa.

Second half and the game threatened to boil over a little bit.  Midson had already had a chat with most of the home side and the ref and a few tackles started flying in.  Chike coolly finished amongst this unprecedented intimidation.  In the dying moments a diving header from a new player I do not know yet made it 4-0.

Good to visit Godalming again, and good to see a team coming together.

Travelling Tanners

Tonight Leatherhead travel (subject to it being called off because it has rained a bit and the groundsman still has the pitch wrapped in cotton wool) to Godalming Town.

It is a venue packed with so much Leatherhead history.  It was the opening game for Bob Langford, where the players made it quite clear they weren't going to play for him after just 30 seconds.  I still remember the death stare from Dave Stevens as he walked off.  Then our hosts employed Chuck Martini, the pantomime villain who made his presence felt in the club house prior to our first meeting.  Good times.

I have no excuse to miss this one, it is just up the road from me.  Kick off at 7.45.  Directions can be found here.  See you there!

AGM review

About 40 members turned up, with some old and new faces, to hear the report on the previous year and an outlook into the future.  The review of the last year's minutes was cut short as it turned out nobody was taken them.  Rod was given the task this year.

The thorny issue of River Lane was raised early.  It is still technically in a consultation process but we were told the appetite for the move appears to have faded for a number of reasons.  We were asked for a show of hands for those in favour to hear of the proposal, a luke warm response was received and less than 50% of the members gave the go ahead to even hear a proposal.

Then on to finances.  These accounts are not in the public domain yet so I will gloss over this, only to say the club has realised some losses through establishing a true position with debts to the council.  The club have a repayment plan and have managed to keep on track since year end.

The existing shareholders then proposed a plan to offer shares, by diluting their own holding, to raise funds to pay off the debt and create a contingency for future floods / surprises.  This vote got a warmer response and so they will pursue options.

The meeting then closed on words of thanks to Alfie and the current Board for their hard work.  I am sure The Lip was next to be thanked but we were running late and the meeting was brought to a close...

Travelling Tanners

Well. Last day of term scuppered my plans of Canterbury City, and good job too as a team of trialists were no match for hosts.  They lost 4-1.

Hopefully a more settled team will travel to Glebe today.  Kick off at 3pm. 

Travelling Tanners

Tonight Leatherhead take on Canterbury City in the first of a Kent double header, as they return to Glebe tomorrow.

Tonight's hosts ply their trade in the Southern Counties East Football League  and currently ground share with Deal Town; a ground I missed when we played them in the FA Cup so I will be making the trip.

Kick off at 7.45.  Directions can be found here.  See you there!

The AGM

Just a reminder that the AGM is tomorrow at the club.  If you are a member then make sure you come down to hear a report on the past year and plans for the season ahead.

Kick off at 7.30.  See you there!

Friendlies start

The new side is up and running with two friendlies in quick succession.

First up, it is a hastily re-arranged trip to Corinthian FC.  This annual fixture always seems to fall on a date I cannot make and tonight is no exception.  If you can make it and want to go, then you can find the address here.  Kick off at 7.45.

I would not be sure of the calibre of new player going to the Kent club tonight as we have our old friends Bromley "visiting" us tomorrow.  Not quite a home fixture as it will be played at River Lane.  This should not be read as a taster session!  The Fetcham Grove pitch is under going some treatment that means it cannot be played on throughout July.  Kick off at 3pm.

I will be interested in hearing how we perform...