Bath & Wilts SFA has teamed up with Larkhall to build an outdoor cafe at Lansdown.  The basic facility will allow us offer players and their families a bit of respite from the Lansdown extremities.  The facility has been kindly built by Larkhall and volunteers are currently preparing the outside ready for the grand opening in 2 weeks time

Following the second lockdown, training will commence again on Saturday 5th December at Lansdown:

09:30 – 11:00         U9 – U10 age groups

10:30 – 12:00          U11 – U12 age groups

11:30 – 13:00          U13 – U14/15 age groups

We will then be back at Odd Down on Monday and Tuesday on the astro as normal.

Excursion

written by T Kirk Nov 20

Today was an early start.  Ahead of us was a packed day in which we would travel to the rainforest to do a canopy walk, and to the City to visit an former slavery castle.  Being a self-diagnosed hyperactive who cannot sit still for more than 5 minutes, the thought of spending 4 hours on a coach did not exactly have me bouncing with joy, but there was no doubt that the boys were brimming with excitement! What helped pass the time was the various interruptions from hawkers trying to sell all manner of objects (some edible some seemingly inedible!) each time the coach lurched to an abrupt stop.  Sometimes I was thankful for the break.  The roads are not exactly….well, roads in Ghana.  Pot holes do not do justice to the gaping gorges that sometimes appeared in the road, but it did not deter the driver from casually ploughing through whatever obstacle came his way, and that whilst drinking coke, dancing in his seat and occasionally answering his phone.  Shane closed his eyes.

Unfortunately, some were feeling the effects. Having done much preparation with them boys so that they could make good decisions to keep themselves fit and healthy, we were beginning to think that we may escape the usual travel bugs.  We were wrong.  The familiar acidic smell reached my nose before the first hollas of horror echoed to the front of the bus.  Shane being useless with anything squidgy and smelly, quickly pretended to be a sleep and so I was left to battle my way towards poor Swanny and Angel who were both looking rather on the pale side.  I was rather relived when we eventually arrived at our first destination.

The rain forest was different than I expected.  Firstly, the lush green canopy was sometimes intermittent with dry barren areas where trees had been cut down for whatever reason.  The further we ventured the more mountainous the terrain became and the temperature changed.  Secondly, the area had obviously been well visited and so the concerns I had regarding the potential threats from curious animals, any manner of insect and man eating plants were unfounded.

We followed the guide along a narrow wooden path and found ourselves suddenly above the trees.  It was very high, so high that some of the parents began to reconsider their further participation.  We were hoping to see at the very least some monkeys but were told they usually appear at sunrise, and that avoiding them may be advantageous; apparently monkeys really are as mischievous as their reputation demands, if not worse! As it happened, there was enough to wonder.  In every direction trees reached towards the sky, some piercing the canopy stretching to impossible heights.  The wooden bridges between the trees quivered with every step, the parents glancing nervously from side to side and flashing with huge relief each time they made it across to a tree trunk for apparent safety.  The boys of course thought this was very amusing and preferred to make sure the walkway bridges swayed and dipped as much as was physically possible.

The next part of the day involved a dash across the region towards the coast, our destination Accra and more specifically Cape Coast Castel. Jane explained how Ghana, once known as the Gold Coast of West Africa, was one of around 40 slave castles that served as prisons and embarkation points for slaves en route to the Americas (the Caribbean, South America, and the U.S.). Thousands of enslaved Africans from regions near and far, sometimes hundreds of miles away, were taken to these castles to be sold to slave ships. The boys knew this of course from our research, but we were actually ill prepared for the feeling of foreboding within the castle walls.

Since the foundation of Bath and Wiltshire SFA in 2003 the organisation has had the pleasure of looking after hundreds of boys and their families.  One of the greatest privileges and pleasures is being able to accompany young people at the start of their ‘journey’.  We are aware that it is football that brings us together, but recognise that each individual’s path will be unique and can lead in any direction.  There is no judgment of one boy’s path being more successful than an other’s; ‘in the long run, what people think about shepherds and bakers becomes more important to them than their own destiny’. In this sense, we see part of our role to cajole, energise and support whilst the boys figure out for themselves what their destiny could be – it is both intriguing and exciting.

LONDON – JANUARY 08: (EMBARGOED FOR PUBLICATION IN UK TABLOID NEWSPAPERS UNTIL 48 HOURS AFTER CREATE DATE AND TIME. MANDATORY CREDIT PHOTO BY DAVE M. BENETT/GETTY IMAGES REQUIRED) Joe Wolstenholme, Jacque Miche and Ben Wilson as the Artful Dodger take a curtain call with Griff Rhys Jones as Fagin during the final performance of Oliver! the musical at Theatre Royal on Drury Lane, January 08, 2011 in London, England. (Photo by Dave M. Benett/Getty Images)

One such journey stands out perhaps slightly more.  Jacques Miche attended Newbridge Junior School and was a definite late developer.  He may have been small, but he was lightening quick, with great acceleration, agility and a bit of trickery.  This made him the perfect offensive player!  He was a fantastic addition to the year group which also included Max O Leary and Zak Vyner who currently play for BCFC.  Whilst Jacques played for Larkhall too, he was unable to attend all of our training sessions owing to many other commitments alongside his school work; music and dance.  It was perhaps this fantastic mix that gave Jacques the skills, confidence and athletic ability that made him stand out from the crowd.  It also highlighted the importance of not specialising too early; it was a practical example for us as coaches that the boys should be encouraged to do as many different things as possible pre-adolescence.

Jacques’ dedication and commitment paid off quickly.  He was chosen from hundreds of hopefuls to play the role of the Artful Dodger in Oliver in the West End.  And boy was he good.  Indeed, it was remarkable how such a young boy could hold an audience and excel whilst showcasing a variety of talents.  He sang, he danced, performed numerous gymnastics moves and acted all at the same time.  Truly incredible, and a real inspiration to us all.

But what was most impressive was his humility.  Jacques may have been a star in the West End, but he took it all in his stride and with the support of his lovely family, continued giving his all in school and on the sports field.  No easy feat when one considers that he was leaving school early and travelling continuously up and down from London, sometimes returning at 0200 in the morning after a show.  Jacques remained the polite and thoughtful young man we came to know, and even agreed to do school assemblies to inspire others to work hard for their dreams.

Jaques has just completed his run on the West End starring in Jason in Saving Jason (Park Theatre) Previous credits include; Bugsy Malone (Lyric Hammersmith); Bugsy Malone(Lyric Hammersmith); Isaac Tallentire in The Hired Man (NYMT, Nikolai Foster); Brett in 13 The Musical (NYMT); The Artful Dodger in Oliver! the Musical (Cameron Mackintosh ltd); Chip in Beauty and the Beast (UK Productions); Tiny Tim in A Christmas Carol (The Royal Northern Ballet Company). Television:Daniel in The Revolting World Of Stanley Brown (Retort Productions).  We are sure the journey has lots of twists and turns yet.

you can follow Jacque on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jacques_miche

West End Star Packs A Punch At Bath Theatre School Master Class

Former player Ben Griffiths has joined the coaching ranks of Bath & Wiltshire Boys.

Nicknamed ‘Baby Ben’ owing to his small stature and young looks, Ben has now graduated from University and is embarking on as a career as a teacher.  Still living in Frome, Ben has agreed to take one of the teams alongside his playing commitment for Frome Town FC.  Ben has had a lot of experience already and had the full experience as a kid growing up.  He joined Bristol City from Bath Schools and then went to Southampton FC for their U18 programme at the Bath Centre.  When the centre amalgamated with Yeovil Town FC, Ben played for Yeovil Town before pursuing a more academic route at Hartpury.

No longer Baby Ben, we are delighted that ‘grown-up Ben’ will now share his experience with the younger boys in the programme, we are sure the kids will love having him as one of the coaches.  Ben’s appointment also helps complete the cycle, whereby ex-players reengage in some way with the organisation.  Ben also joins Alex Harrison who has coached with Bath Schools for over a year now having played himself almost 10 years ago.  Welcome back Ben!

Bath and Wiltshire Boys vs Gloucester Schools u10s team

 The game started off with some quick passing to people’s feet and good pressing forward when we lost the ball. It was fast paced and there was lots of movement up and down the pitch. Early in the first quarter, BWB surprised Gloucester with a quick early goal and a nice assist from midfield, but they were quite strong and equalised 1-1.  

Defence played very well and got in the way of the Gloucester attackers with some good tackles, moving the ball out from their feet to the midfielders. Our goalkeeper made some great saves and firm passes back out to the defence. Gloucester had lots of shots on goal, but BWB were always running back to help defend. A few minutes into the second quarter, Will slotted the ball into the corner of the net from an awesome assist. By half time, the score was 2-1. 

Throughout the second half of the game, we kept the ball forward, stopping any attacks from Gloucester. During the third quarter, Gloucester got a lucky goal. The ball was switching between sides quickly, as it was nearing the end of the match. In the last few minutes of the game, the ball was passed to the midfielders from the defence, who brought it up near the goal. They shot, but it rebounded off Gloucester’s goalie’s hands. Luckily, Harvey backed up the attack and put himself in a perfect position to score. The final score was BWB 3-2 Gloucester. 

Charlie McDonald

Bath and Wiltshire Boys vs Bristol Inner City u11s team

On Monday 12th October the U11’s played against Bristol Inner City. We took the lead early on and had most of the possession but two attacks and two goals from Bristol meant we were 2-1 down. We dominated the rest of the match, scoring 5 goals and making the score 6-2 at the final whistle. The person I think played especially well was Alfie K because he was always getting behind the defenders and making space. I think the team improved on our passing and stretching the opposition by playing wide, which made gaps to attack.

Whilst Shane enjoyed a night off, Patrick from Freiburg in Germany put the boys through their paces with a freestyle session.  The new lockdown has meant that training has once again halted, but fortunately Patrick jumped at the chance to help out the Smurfs by agreeing to run some online sessions for a few weeks.  Initial tricks included around the worlds and different ways to flick up and catch the ball.

Boys did really well and we plan to run the session again next Monday.  Thanks Patrick…and wake up Shane!

Bath Schools would like to congratulate Patrick Bäurer on achieving one of his life’s dreams.  In August, Patrick achieved the most sit down football (soccer) crossovers in one minute (male) – 118.  Patrick from Baden-Württemberg, Germany helped the Bath & Wilts boys with various freestyle activities during the first Corona period.  The sessions were very popular and we hope Patrick can enthuse the boys once again now with the new lockdown. The boys have a session with Patrick every Monday at 17:30. Here is Patrick in action:

Ross County have signed ex-Bath Schools Player Jordan Tillson from League Two side Exeter, pending international clearance.  The 26-year-old midfielder departs the Grecians having been a lengthy servant at St James’s Park, playing for the club since 2012. He has made 136 appearances but now he has opted for a move to the Highlands.

During his time at Exeter, Tillson almost helped them into League One. They were denied that feat by Blackpool in the 2016/17 play-off final. This season though, Tillson’s only made seven appearances in all competitions.

The new County man has cited his reasons for joining the Staggies. He says that they are a club with a positive future and that he can’t wait to get involved in SPFL action. Pending international clearance, he could make his debut away to Ayr United in the Scottish Cup this weekend.  Tillson said: “It’s a club on the way up. It’s been sold to me in a really good way and everyone seems really friendly. Coming from a club like that, it’s been really easy for me to settle into. I want to play as many games as I can for the club.”

County co-managers Steven Ferguson and Stuart Kettlewell told the club website: “We are delighted to bring in somebody like Jordan, who, at 26, has had great experience in English Football.

“He came to us very well recommended and we really look forward to him joining up with the group and becoming part of our club.”

BRISTOL CITY have announced that ex Bath Schools lad Max O’Leary has signed a new three-year contract – with a one-year option – which ties him to the Championship club until 2023.  Although uncapped at international level, the 23-year-old goalkeeper was called up to train with the Republic of Ireland squad last year by previous manager Mick McCarthy. O’Leary was born in England but qualifies to represent Ireland through his grandfather, who hails from Kerry. “I’m really happy, over the moon,” he said of his new deal. “It’s something I’ve really wanted. I’ll continue my career here and to know I have that stability is really good.” While he’s currently Bristol City’s second-choice goalkeeper, Max is regarded highly at a club he’s been with since the age of 10. In 2018-19, he played 15 times during a Championship season that culminated with Bristol City narrowly missing out on the play-offs.

He accumulated more experience of competitive senior football last season while on loan at League One club Shrewsbury Town, for whom he made 34 appearances.  He has played in both of Bristol City’s recent games in the Carabao Cup and showed up well during last week’s clash with Aston Villa, despite the 3-0 defeat.  Bristol City manager Dean Holden said: “I’m delighted for Max, who is a great professional on and off the pitch. He’s still young, he’s still learning and you can see the hunger and the drive that he has in training every single day.  “He has benefitted from his loan spells in recent years, he’s fully deserving of his new contract and I’m really excited for his future.”  Along with Reading, Bristol City are the early pace-setters in the Championship for the 2020-21 campaign after taking maximum points from their three games so far.

We wish Max the best of luck for the next 3 years in Bristol!

written by T Kirk, Nov 2020

Breakfast at the side of the beach was a definite daily highlight, the strong waves pushing against the fishing nets, the lively hubbub of people hoping for a day’s good trading, and the sun bright but caressing rather than beating at this time of day.  We were up fairly early as we were due to take part in a congregation at the school next to the pitch we were helping to build.  We dressed in clean white shirts, some even braving trousers and made our way.  I doubt we will ever forget the scenes whilst walking through the village.  Most lived in small huts with no access to running water.  It was not uncommon to see children washing from huge dishes, nor to see people carrying as if by magic huge buckets of water delicately placed on their heads.  Babies, toddlers and children alike played absentmindedly in the street with whatever would come to hand: used bike tyres, sticks, plastic bottles. On almost every building was sketched a religious image or quote proliferating the mantra of god. It seemed religion played an important function in people’s lives in Kokrobite, but more important was a sense of duty to the family.  Everyone had a role to play to ensure that the day’s basic needs were fulfilled.  Indeed, it amazed us all how happy everyone seemed, I have never seen such vibrant and honest smiles.  Yet, our perception was that they had so little.  And here was one of our first grave errors.  In our arrogance and naivety we seemed to have adopted the belief that we, having more opportunity, more possessions and material wealth, were in some way, dare I say it ‘better’ than those smiling back at us with wide eyes.  This was wrong.  It was a lesson we hoped the boys would someday really come to understand.  Firstly, what gave us the right to judge others when we ourselves walk imperfectly?  And more importantly, the concept of happiness is surely not about getting everything you want, but more about enjoying and making the most of what you have.  For at the end of the day, whether it be in Africa or in Europe, the same things are important: family, friends, daily sustenance. Perhaps the people in the village saw this more clearly than we did.

By the time we arrived at the congregation the heat of the day was already challenging.  I was amazed at how elegant and smartly dressed everyone was.  We were, in fact, underdressed for the occasion and I admit to being slightly embarrassed and hoped that we would not offend the Pastor.  However, we were shown a warm welcome and guided towards a section of seats.  Not that we needed them, for as soon as we had taken our places we became part of a truly extraordinary service that had the boys clapping, swinging (but thankfully not singing) and exchanging animated looks whilst the congregation sang and danced between snippets of sermon.  What we had not bargained for was the length of the service.  It was becoming clear that some of the boys, in particular Hugh and Archie, were becoming rather drained, their smiles withering and the faces becoming more pale by the second.  The bottles of water we had brought with us had long been eagerly guzzled and I puzzled how we might make a respectful exit before the boys collapsed into a sweaty heap.  Certainly, the thought of a bucket shower was like a mirage in the desert.  Thankfully, the answer came in the form of Jane who had also noticed that we were flagging, so a hastily arranged handing over of bountiful donations enabled us to wander back to Big Millies and refresh before preparing for our first game of the trip!

We were to play on the old pitch in the village.  Upon arrival, it appeared that half of the village had come to see the Oburoni, the name given to white visitors in Ghana.  They gathered around all sides of the pitch and there was a definite vibe of anticipation and festivity.  Me being me, the first thing I frowned upon was the thought that the white shorts would never be white again: the brown dust mixed with sweat was to cajole into a clay like substance that would accompany us for the whole trip.  The players concerned themselves more with some areas of the pitch that seemed to disappear amongst high grass.  And was that a chicken? This should have been no surprise as chickens seemed to be everywhere.  And we should be reassured.  If there was a chicken around, then there was definitely no snakes!  However, it all seemed to add to the experience.  This was Africa after all, this is what we had come for, this was a challenge that few 12/13 year old boys from England would ever experience.

I cannot remember the end result, as usual such things become irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.  What is memorable is the hilarity of our boys trying to play their typical possession based game on a surface that was as far away from the flat and reliable astro turf of Odd Down as could be possible.  The ball bobbled, bounced, flew in all directions and even disappeared occasionally in a bush – I even think we lost Archie at some point as he went to take a corner lol.  The Ghanaian boys had no trouble however, their touch sublime and dribbling begging belief in such difficult conditions.  Pressing was also a no-go.  In fact running around at all was in my view out of the question; it was hard enough standing on the side line and moving the odd limb in support, let alone racing around the field trying to catch 11 ‘Boatengs’!  Nevertheless, the boys had a great time, their smiles clearly beaming past their dishevelled and filthy appearance (the poor white shorts…).  After the game, the boys felt like superstars.  Everyone wanted to talk to them, to have photos with them, to touch them and be part of the festivity.  Thinking of ‘happiness’, well this was it, and it was another example of the power of football to bring people together.

We sent the boys into the sea to cool off before trekking to the Learning centre for dinner.  Here there was also much to be done.  Jane has some lovely ladies who help her to prepare much of the food, but we were keen to give the boys as much as responsibility as possible.  Whilst their culinary skills may not have improved a great deal, their ability to wash up and eat spicy food certainly did.  Of course, there was some apprehension at first to eat some of the dishes that looked and smelled a little different (I think Sam was hoping for pie and chips of some form), but in the end hunger took over and most plates were returned licked clean.  Jollof rice was to become a favourite dish for the week, one of the best activities was trying to find meat on the chicken lol!  Once again, we watched the stars and listened to the unusual night sounds, whilst also being wary of showing any flesh in case the mosquitoes fancied a meal of their own at our expense!  Fortunately, they seemed to enjoy the sweetened flesh of the accompanying parents more than that of the boys!

this is actually happening…

written by T Kirk Nov 2020

An exciting, warm and strangely scented air enveloped us as soon as the doors to the aircraft opened.  It was already 22:00 and very dark, but still the humidity was overpowering.  We made our way through the usual customs and temperature scanning checks, assembled the mountain of luggage we had brought with us, and then descended the treacherous ramps leading from the luggage hall to the arrivals area; it is no exaggeration that I have negotiated black ski slopes less precarious than this walkway.  Certainly, it provided the first skip of a heartbeat as 16 excited boys hurtled at great speed with overloaded trollies towards a melee of people awaiting the arrivals. How no one was injured I will never know!

Thankfully Martial and his team of workers were there to steer us through the market-type hustle and bustle of the arrivals lounge and we climbed upon the coach for the hour long journey to Kokrobite. Jane was waiting on the bus and plied us full of local delicacies and more importantly water!  I remember Jane enthusiastically explaining what was no doubt very important and useful information, but it was all a bit of a blur and I cannot say I processed much of what was said – I was worse than the boys!  Young and old eyes stared hungrily out of the window keen to take in as much as possible from this new and mysterious land about which we had heard so much.

Evident was that driving in Ghana is akin to white water rafting, just without the water. Whilst trying to avoid gaping holes in the road, cars were continuously hooting their horns, diving into gaps not even Lewis Hamilton would have seen and when miraculously everyone obeyed the traffic lights and things came to a standstill, we were descended upon by countless locals selling anything from food and drink to sports equipment and car parts!   This is when Jane came into her element.  As she dismissed the hawkers, the boys were in no doubt that Queen Jane was now the boss!

By the time we arrived in Kokrobite, I think we were all starting to feel the effects of the day’s efforts.  I hoped we could unload and get to bed as soon as possible so we could wake fresh for the morning.  As I was soon to quickly learn, time has another interpretation in Ghana so my naïve optimism of a quick shower and bed soon evaporated.  After some time we acquired half a dozen taxis for the 200m journey from the main road to the accommodation. The side road was both too small and had craters so big one could only imagine a battle of enormous significance had taken place here, it would have been impossible for the coach to venture any further.  The taxis were not the black cabs of London you may be imagining.  I think we were too tired to care, but it was noticeable that in some there were holes in the floor reminiscent of how Fred Flintstone would propel his car forward with his feet, spider web cracks artistically spread across the windows, and one taxi even had a door missing!  Luggage was crammed into every crevice of the vehicles as well as on top and we suddenly found ourselves shaken and stirred at the entrance of Big Millies where there was evidently a big event taking place.  Unfortunately, the loud drumming and impressive dancing were not for our benefit and we had to cajole quite forcefully some of the boys away from the party goers and towards what would be our residence for the week.

The house in which we would sleep had two floors and one bathroom.  Bunk beds were stacked in every corner and mattresses lay in every other space, interspersed with giant fans trying to disperse the warm air around the room.  It was quite tricky finding space for all the luggage but somehow we managed.  More of a worry was the bathroom arrangement.  There was a solitary toilet and we were told that flushing anything that does not come out of your body was forbidden.  I cannot even begin to describe the assault on all senses upon entering the room after just 30 minutes of arrival!  Worst still, the shower was attached to the wall next to the basin and close to the toilet meaning anyone using it would drench the entire room and everything in it.  We decided it might be best to do it the African way and pour water over our heads outside from water collected from the well – the bucket shower became a rare treat.

And so the first night in Africa ended with a light refreshment at the bar, the boys bewildered by the new sounds of the live African drumming group, the staff trying to remain as still as possible to keep the heightened levels of perspiration at bay.

Matthew Goulding and Toby Mawer have committed their immediate future to Reading FC.  The two under 15 youngsters had spent many years playing for Bath & West Wiltshire and have now decided that moving to Reading is the next step for their progression.

They have now joined the club’s partner school and are staying together with a host family, an experience they are currently very much enjoying.  Matthew made his debut recently for the under 16s against Leicester, whilst Toby is playing for the under 15s in his usual position between the posts.

Here Matthew reflects on his new life in reading:

How did you find moving away from home?
I found moving away from my family very easy because I really want to do everything i can to become a professional footballer, so there was no question. And I am so glad I did decide to go. I was injured on the 21st October 2019 with a fractured foot therefore I hadn’t been with the boys in a long time so I went into this new lifestyle virtually alone. But for me there is only two things that matter; performing the best on the pitch and performing the best in the classroom. It is very difficult and I have to admit that without your parents it is difficult because they are not there to remind you to do your homework or anything; you are on your own, you are independent, you have to do things and remember things because no one else is going to do it for you.

I have had 2 host families in Reading so far. My first host family was very nice and I stayed there on my own. The food was very good and I was being treated well. I am now with a second family becuase i am together with fellow Bath & Wilts player Toby Mawer. He is a very good keeper and even better friend. He had been at this host family for a while so he helped me settle in very quickly. We do our homework together and we help out each other with organisation, school stuff and everything really.  The host families are welcoming and friendly. They want you to be as comfortable as you would be at home and the club check up on how things are which is good. We have no complaints at all because you get treated better then you get treated at home haha!

What is the training like?
At Reading we train Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday during school. We have 1 lesson, then the mini-bus picks us up and we travel to training. After training we get the buses back to school where we have a last lesson. And depending on the day we have a lesson after everyone goes home to catch up. In this catch up lesson we do Sports Studies, English or Geography, 3 times a week for an hour. Tuesday’s training session is normally a lighter session as we are preparing for training during the week and we slowly build it up. The quality is always high though. Wednesday and Thursday are very intensive. And on Friday it is a very technical and specific training session preparing for the game at the weekend. As well as training through the day on Tuesday and Thursday, we also train in the evening for 2 hours. This session normally consists of a game and passing patterns.

What goals have you set yourself with your new life in Reading?
At the beginning of the season I set 2 goals for myself to achieve before the end of the season. 1 was to play up for the U16s 3 times. And on the 31st October I played my third game for the u16s. But I realise that I can’t be overly pleased as there is still much more work to be done. My other goal for this season was to score 2 goals for the team. I haven’t scored for Reading yet so watch this space. Dominating my opponent and not conceding, is a goal to achieve every game automatically for me. As I have already completed my goal of playing up with the 16s 3 times this season. My next goal is to train with the 18s this season at least once.

How do you find the enw school?
I found moving schools quite easy. Yes I was leaving friends. Yes I was going to the unknown. But this was an exciting new start. This was a chance to make new friends and make new memories. It’s good that I can have a laugh and joke. But I always have to be careful because I am representing Reading football club and anyone can be watching.  Furthermore, I know there are kids at Forest (my new school) who want to play for Reading and so I do not want to ruin the opportunity i have been given. Lessons at Forest are 100 minutes so that was a shock to the system for me and seem very long. However, now that I am used to it I much prefer it as on a non-training day I only have 3 lessons. The school teachers are always checking up on me and making sure I am alright.

How is the Games Programme?
Game day is by far the best day of the week whether playing at home or away, in the cold or hot, in the rain or sun, no matter what it’s the best day. If it’s an away game we will travel together on the bus to the training ground for the game and we will have someone on the speaker playing the songs to prepare us for the game. For me as a defender, playing football is going to war, I have to prepare mentally to not let anyone past, to put everything on the line. ANYTHING TO WIN.

We arrive at the changing rooms and we get handed kit with position specific numbers. We wear our training tops out to warm up in and leave our numbers in the dugout. Our warm up takes place an hour before kick off with our sports scientist and then in with our coach for the last 30 minutes playing a possession type game. After the game we head back to the changing rooms as a team and get dressed and get back on the coach. Depending on the score or how you played, creates the atmosphere on the coach. But we never dwell on it for too long as we got training the next day and analysis.

Can you give your younger BWBs any advice?
You never lose. You either win or learn.

Everyone at BWB wishes Matthew and Toby the very best.

Thank you to all for registering and trialling for season 2019/20. The process is never easy, much as we would like to support all players with additional training, our numbers are limited by funding, facility space and coaching staff available. We congratulate successful trialists and would encourage those who didn’t succeed this season to try again … keep enjoying football and we will see you on a touchline we’re sure in the not too distant future.

The U13/14 squad will be finalised wk comm 1 July (probably on Thursday 4th July by email.)

We would reiterate that our programme is FREE of charge, this means that we have to limit numbers of players to coach / facilities available to us.

Sponsors

If your business can support us and what we do please get in touch and email Damian.

Fixtures

If your club would like to arrange fixtures in 2019/20 – please email Damian Hodge and we will get some dates in the diary as an extension to our and your games programme.