The Grampound Times
Spring 2009 (Edition 50)
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Grampound Football Club
The club’s fixtures have been very badly hit by the weather this winter and all teams are now very pleased to be back playing again on a regular basis at last. The Under-16s managed no fixtures at all between the last Sunday in November until 21st February, the first team had a longer break than the normal summer close-season, the reserves managed a couple of fixtures only and the veterans also managed to get one fixture played. Where games have been played, pitches have suffered badly and many, including ours, will need some serious work at the end of the season.
First Team
Manager Tony Ford’s team have had a mixed season so far, dropping points in some poor performances yet at other times playing with great style. There have been real problems with both niggling and long-term injuries which have depleted the number of quality players available. A particularly pleasing feature of the season has been the promotion of Jon Ridd from our Under-16 team. His performances have cemented his place in the squad and he is a real prospect for the future. There are some difficult games still to come but all associated with the team have confidence that they can compete with anyone and the club looks forward to a high league finishing position and perhaps yet another promotion.
Reserves
Al Berry has had a difficult first season as manager in that he has a very young squad, apart from one or two old-stagers, and their inexperience in their division (following promotion last season) has meant that far too many points have been thrown away. It was always going to be a difficult learning process for them and they now know how hard it is to compete in a men’s league. We are, though, hopeful that next season they will be able to show they have learned a lot through the difficult times they have sometimes had.
Under-16s
The team continues to develop under Steve Ridd’s influence and it is very satisfying that on more than one occasion this season opposition managers have made a point of coming over and congratulating the team on their style of football and , more importantly, on their excellent attitude and terrific team spirit. They have been a credit to the club in their two seasons with us and have represented Grampound wonderfully. The under-16 league has some very good teams in it and we are expecting to finish third, which would be a highly commendable outcome for a team that two years ago looked out of their depth. Some of the players are already turning out for our men’s sides and we look forward to recruiting most of the others for next season as they are unable to play men’s football until they pass their sixteenth birthday.
Veterans
One of the most enjoyable matches of the season at the Rec was the Devon & Cornwall Cup fixture against Western Inn Vets from St Austell. Although we lost, heads were held high as we came very close against a team composed of many players still playing at the very highest level in Cornwall and many of our players looked every bit as good as their illustrious counterparts. Grampound Vets now go into the Devon & Cornwall Supplementary Cup, the cup we brought home last season. The quarter-final fixture against St Agnes will be played at Grampound on Sunday 29th March, kick-off 11.00am and it would be nice to see a good crowd for what will certainly be an interesting game.
Dates for the Diary :-
Saturday 9th May : End of Season Presentation Dinner (Bosun’s Diner, Charlestown, 7.00 for 7.30pm)
Weekend 23rd to 25th May : Grampound FC tour to Torquay
Saturday 30th May : our traditional FA Cup Final Day Challenge Match, Chairman’s XI v Secretary’s XI, ko 10.30am, followed by lunch, the presentation of the challenge trophy and watching the FA Cup Final together in the Dolphin Inn.
Allan Webb
Chairman, Grampound FC
© 2006 Grampound with Creed Parish Council