First training session

It was the first training session over at Dartford and initial reports coming out are positive.  The new team seem to be getting on well.

Colin Ward’s money is safe though with Surrey bound players taking more than the stated 30 minutes…

Hayden speaks

The Ryman Official site runs an article where Hayden denies an increase in budget.  Well, he laughs it off anyway.

He should mention, however, his love of Leatherhead players both past and present.  In addition to the “Leatherhead three” Steve Sargent joins him, as does Jack Macleod and Greg Andrews.

There is a fella called Craig Tanner joining him too…

Friendlies are announced

The Official site has published the friendlies that have been organized to date.  Only six so far but often more are added nearer the date.

Saturday 13th July - away vs. Corinthian(Kent)

Tuesday 16th July - away vs. Romford

Tuesday 23rd July - away vs. Alton Town

Saturday 27th July - away vs. VCD Athletic

Thursday 1st August - away vs. Thamesmead

Saturday 3rd August - home vs. Welling United

 

Jerry Stays!

Good news from the Official Site that Jerry Nnamani has committed to stay at the Grove next season.

Hayden would no doubt have his eyes on one of last season's stand out players but he is ours.

Last one out shut the door...

Chris Boulter makes it a hattrick of signings for Hayden Bird by returning to his old club Merstham.  The veteran defender made a Paul Scholes-esq return from retirement once before but his departure looks a little more permanent this time.
We still await news of incoming players...

Another one bites the dust...

They are falling thick and fast now as Hayden Bird continues to assemble a Leatherhead 2^nd XI… Elliot Thompson now joins their ranks.

 

Elliott was quite the player for us.  Adding some pace down the wings plus also standing in as a right back towards the end of the season.

 

Meanwhile, Leatherhead fans wait news of replacements…

Tommy is off!

News just in that Tommy has decided to leave Leatherhead after some fine years of service to join Hayden Bird's Mertsham.

A bitter blow for Richard Brady's plans no doubt with rumours that more will follow...

Ryman league it is...

Just released (subject to handshakes, backslapping and chats over brandy at League AGMs)

Ryman League One South:
Burgess Hill Town, Carshalton Athletic, Chipstead, Corinthian-Casuals, Crawley Down Gatwick, Eastbourne Town, Faversham Town, Folkestone Invicta, Guernsey, Hastings United, Herne Bay, Horsham, Hythe Town, Leatherhead, Merstham, Peacehaven & Telscombe, Ramsgate, Redhill, Three Bridges, Tooting & Mitcham United, Walton Casuals, Walton & Hersham, Whitstable Town, Worthing

Guernsey looks to be the stand out fixture... midweek away fixture (no doubt clashing with my wedding anniversary) anyone?

Season ticket news

For those of you who didn't get the email...


Season tickets have been increased in price by £5 for next season to cover the inflation increase over the past year. However if, as we hope, we remain in Ryman Division One South next season then you will be able to attend two extra home league games next season as there will be 24 teams rather than 22 in our division.

Please get back to Richard Bligh as soon as you can get copies of the forms and take advantage of the Early Bird discounted prices.

Where to go?

So good was the post by Evergreen on how the leagues are worked out I nicked for the main page...

The decision is based mainly on geography. Had we won promotion we would have been in the Ryman Prem again next season. However the ever increasing number of Kent and Sussex clubs in Ryman South means we are on the very edge of the catchment area. On the Tony Kempster forum there is a very good spreadsheet produced by black Douglas which he predicts where teams might be placed for next season.

In theory there could be NINETEEN Kent and Sussex clubs in our division next year plus Guernsey! Leaving just 4 other places,to be  filled by Carshalton, Tooting,  Redhill, Merstham and Chipstead, that's 5 clubs for 4 places. The spreadsheet shows us, Walton & Hersham and Corinthian Casuals in the southern.

This is all conjecture because nothing can be decided until all playoffs are completed. Our destiny could even be affected by the outcome of a northern prem play off! After the play offs two FA people sit down and produce their own suggestions for the split, this is submitted to the FA and the leagues. The Ryman and southern usually squabble over clubs and some sides even refuse to take promotion if they aren't in the league they hoped to be in. It's impossible to predict at this stage but I will update when I hear anything. However if we were to gain promotion from the southern central next year we would probably return to the Ryman Prem again.

Congratulations Maidstone

Congratulations to Maidstone who beat Faversham 3-0 today to go up with Dulwich.

Play-off final

A bumper crowd roared Maidstone home 1-0 against Folkestone.  Elsewhere Faversham saw off Hythe with ease to make it through to the final.

Maidstone host Faversham then on Saturday...

Tanners 0 - 1 Faversham

It was Folkestone who ended our dream of promotion three seasons ago in the semi-final and it is them again who spoil our party by grabbing 5th spot but in truth our failure to reach the promised land was of our own making.

We were lucky even to be in with a shout of this anyway.  The three points against Dulwich made both the title race and the 5th spot exciting where, if you were a betting man, it looked over at the time of the wall collapse.

However life is all about taking your chances and while we did at the replay we failed miserable yesterday.  Faversham looked quite content about the game.  They were not going hell for leather but were not lying down either.

As with the Horsham game, the opening spell looked bright with Leatherhead creating some pressure.  Faversham hit the bar from a freekick and on the death of half time Tommy blasted wide when most expected the net to bulge.

Second half and news of Folkestone being one nil up filtered around the Grove.  It confirmed what we already knew.  We had to score.

That didn't happen and just when it looked like we would end the season missing out on goal difference a freak goal added to our misery.  The visiting striker hit the ball with power from an impossibly tight angle and some how it came off or under the 'keeper and in.  0-1.

Could we respond?  No chance.  Composure out of the window and two one on one chances were missed in as many minutes.

Our friends from Dulwich would say justice was done.  Some fans behind the goal and in the forum are not so sure...

Faversham are coming!

With Folkestone hosting Herne Bay it would appear only a win will do tomorrow.  Failing to win by more than three goals on Wednesday rules out the draw option so we need to take the game to our visitors tomorrow.

Not an easy task though.  Faversham sit in 4th place and have a chance of grabbing a home tie in the play-offs if they win.

Tense stuff then so hope to see you at the Grove at 3pm tomorrow for this encounter...

Eastbourne 0 - 1 Tanners

A Sam Blackman first half goal gives us the three points to give us hope.

Saturday awaits...

Travelling Tanners

Big game tonight.  Lose this one and the chances are we will be playing at this level again next year.  Our hosts sit around mid-table but have only score 6 fewer goals than us so plenty to think about.

There is also a bus leaving at 4.30 should you be wavering on whether to go or not.  Details of how to book a place can be seen on the message board.

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

Horsham 1 - 0 Tanners

A bogey ground? Perhaps. A bad result? Without doubt.

Leatherhead fail to take advantage of early pressure and go down to a 27 minute penalty.

Composure ebbed away as Tommy saw red for giving the officials a piece of his mind. Brady followed soon after.

Have we blown it..?

Travelling Tanners

Leatherhead travel to a side tomorrow that were in the Ryman Premier last year but suffered the same fate of relegation.  They are also looking over their shoulders a bit of the trap door of relegation again but a point will keep them safe.

They are up for this then and look for the double having beaten us 2-1 already this season.  A classic in the making.  Directions can be found here.  Kick off at 3pm.  Good luck fellas.

Tanners 4 - 0 CDG

I was worried about this game.  After the adrenalin of Tuesday to go on and face a handy outfit at home I can be forgiven for thinking this was only going to end in tears... I was quite wrong.

The whole team continued in the fashion as they had on Tuesday.  Typified by two quick goals from Bradbrook.  The first being a wonderful lob from distance.

Second half and we were still on the chase against a rather disheartened visiting team.  Elliott and Tommy adding to their misery.

Big Vern made his way back into the side after a period of absence.  Kev Terry returning from injury was another highlight.  Keep him wrapped in cotton wool though as currently we sit 5th...

Horsham away Saturday...

Crawley Down Gatwick are coming

Getting busy this!  Crawley Down Gatwick come to the Grove after several failed attempts to play their first game here.  This newly promoted side has settled nicely into the league and at one point sat in the play-off spots until they ran out of steam a little bit BUT they still pose a threat to our chances.  You don’t score 70 goals in this division by luck you know…

Kick-off is at 7.45.  See you there!