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NOTTS 3’s 09//10
A DAMN FINE VINTAGE
P31. W29. D0. L2.
F107. A40.
SAL JUNIOR LEAGUE WINNERS
SAL JUNIOR CUP WINNERS
AFA JUNIOR CUP RUNNERS UP
NOTTSBOROUGH RECORD FOR CONSECUTIVE WINS (19)
At the end of such a fine, fine season it would be remiss to not take a look back…
But this vintage season started difficultly.
Lack of strength and depth. Lack of new faces. Lack of strikers. Lack of keeper.
Even Notts’ blazer sporting legend, Mitch, was threatening to ‘take a step back’.
After consulting with Matty B last July; we decided a coalition leadership was the way forward and that we both wanted this year to be different from those before it. In a move a bit more reminiscent of government’s past; I would be the face of the team, the speaker, the motivator, the friend of the yanks. Matty would play the thinker, the organiser, the strategist.
What seemed an unlikely leadership plan somehow seemed to work.
I clearly got carried away with my new position of power and proceeded to ask a few ridiculously ambitious things of the team… 1) Everyone trains; 2) Get fit. Quickly; 3) Take responsibility for yourself; 4) Pay your dues; 5) Help each other out; 6) We’re a team.
Whilst these six things may have been a step too far for previous 3’s regimes, they somehow managed to resonate. And, with a little cajoling here and there, six things we’ve pretty much managed to stick to.
And it seemed to do the trick for the members of the previous squad. Mitch, Martin, Matty B, Smurph, Croft, Rob Moore (returning from a huge performance in the Clapham Common Aussie Rules league) and Loughborough legend and backstreet quack’s favourite, Ross Emery, were all in and up for it. Paddy Collins, part of the old Sheffield boys’ network, was also in.
It was a good start, but what truly defined the team this season was the intake of new players that came through. Something that started pre-season and carried on through the year; right up until the last game of the year. This was the real difference between this season’s squad and last season’s squad. And this fills me with confidence for the future seasons of this team and this club. Many new players won’t stay with the 3’s and rightly deserve to play at a higher level. However, for spending a season with us and for helping to shape the team quality, spirit and desire in the way they did; I will forever be thankful.
First up were two more mates of Martin’s. Steve and a guy called Cards (although he wanted to be called Ben). Cards had a bit of a legendary status attached to him. Steve came attached to Cards. Luckily pretty useful too. They popped into a pre-season drubbing that we gave to someone at Tolworth. We thought they looked OK and proceeded to ask Carder to never, ever, go to training. What broke request number one was for the long term good of the 3’s.
A lanky, moaning, brummie was next up; recruited by Paddy. Deano became one of the very best players we had over the course of the season, and even made me look half decent at times. No easy task, but one he achieved with aplomb.
The defensive line was made up by a small posh kid from Nottingham Uni at right back. Rocher, Tom Rocher had played varsity football at the City Ground and had his own Mini convertible, not (contrary to popular opposition opinion) one borrowed off his mum. And surely they knew it was his because his mum had put his name on the front and back? Luckily we only had another two right backs in the squad. I thought of consulting Mitch and Martin, but reason took hold and I just invited him in anyway. In reality, having six defenders through the year did us no end of favours, and I’m massively thankful to the versatile Mitch and Martin for very acceptingly filling the holes left by injuries and holidays with more than capability.
Having played with Leon in campaigns passed, a few of us knew that the smooth class, post game Clapham conquest stories, deft first touch and tireless work rate was exactly what we needed up top. Leon accepted the offer and we were nearly there.
But we had some notable gaps. We needed an out and out tour-de-force up top to complement Leon and a Gerrard-esque midfielder. The 1’s didn’t need a couple of used strikers, so we took them in and decided to offer show them some real football and give them a home for a season. Jono and Apo’s man love arrived with the 3’s and the team was nearly complete.
The final gap, and the basis of any great team, was a man for the sticks. We needed a leader. We needed a unit. We needed Stephen Bails. We somehow managed to persuade the old legend of Notts to join the clan. Unfortunately for us, he didn’t last for the whole season unscathed, but we were lucky to recruit the best dressed keeper we’ve EVER had (Tom White aside) in George Pearce, for the second half of the campaign. Another sign of great strength of contacts that should see us well on our way over the seasons to come.
The squad was complete. It was game on.
The season that followed was in all reality a beautiful blur of good football, good banter and good results. There are simply too many highlights to call out (or for me to ever possibly remember), but this is what I got when I turned it over to the team a few weeks ago…
17th consecutive win – away at Winchmore. Bodies on the line” Jono's phone call to Apo after we smashed Winchmore away” 19th consecutive win; smashing an old club record” 10 men. Bails with a broken arm. Playing on to beat Owens at home” The game away to Crouch End was amusing for scary reasons!” 1-0 last minute winner before the first team night out in October (forget who against....carder scored it)” Nearly losing my leg at home against Kew and watching a great set of teammates stick up for me” Jelly legs Collins vs. Winchmore” Carder’s frankly ridiculous, Gascoigne-esque goal” Got to go for Smurph’s goal away vs. Winchmore Hill as I honestly think that win was the most important moment of the season” Away win to Owens, when they were playing their SAL Rep striker” Crofty’s moses-esque winner in the cup final, after extra time”
And the tale of the tape (courtesy of Statto Beckett) makes for glorious reading…
RECORD: P31. W29. D0. L2
GOALS FOR: 107. We failed to score on only one occasion - the second game of the EBOG double header
GOALS AGAINST: 40. 10 clean sheets in the league; 2 in the cups
GOLDEN BOOT: Apo 22; Matt B 14; Cards 13; Leon 12; Jono, Steve 8; Crofty, Dean 3; Smurph, Ross, Rob Moore 2; Rocher, Paddy, Si, George, Mitch 1; MARTIN CORCORAN 0
APPEARANCES: Matt B leading the charge on 30 (demonstrating that he has nothing better to do with his life!)...in the process confounding the Notts critics who always thought he was the next Darren Anderton! Next along was big Dean Mitch on 27 appearances - this also suggests that he has nothing better to do with his life on Saturdays. Captain Marvel Si Owen was third on 26 appearances, demonstrating the close bond to Dean, also underpinning the notion that Dean is somebody who needs an arm around his shoulder, very much appreciating the unyielding support of the team's other defensive lynchpin. Paddy managed a very credible 25 appearances = 25 tins of beans opened with his left boot. That's a lot of beans. Stevie Mac tallied 24 games, and got better with each and every one of them. Ross and Martin equaled 23 appearances each.....for Ross the 23 represents the number of times he argues with himself, for Martin the 23 represents his number of shots off target for the club in his two seasons - he has yet to register a shot on target, but hope springs eternal for next season. Next up were Apo and Cards on 22, Rocher on 21, with Smurph and Jono both on 20. Mitch was there on 19, which matches the age of an early season conquest! Leon managed 18, which despite his injury and ban problems was probably a record for him. We also point to a good finish to the season for George (12), Crofty (12), Bails (6) and last but not least Notts first and only Tasmanian Devil Rob Moore (11).
All the above being said, the highlight of the season for me as captain was seeing almost everyone at the SAL awards presentation at a very glamorous hotel in Holborn. The team spirit, the bonds that have been built over the season are immense. Singing voices less so.
However, what’s more encouraging is the legacy that’s been left from this season gone; the appetite to do it all again. I’m not sure I’ll be able to do it again next season as captain. But whoever does take it on has a core of players who will move mountains to hold onto these trophies. Above that; a bunch of players who want nothing but all three next season.
Winchmore, Owens, EBOG and the rest will have different ideas, as always; but I have no doubt whatsoever that we can take them on any day of the week.
Viva the 3’
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