WELCOME TO

BRICKFIELD LANE

AFC SOUTHGATE vs

BERKHAMSTED RAIDERS CFC

Saturday, January 27th Kick-off: 3PM

SSML Division Two

Volume #1 Issue #12 AFC SOUTHGATE vs BERKHAMSTED RAIDERS CFC Saturday, January 27th | 3PM | Brickfield Lane

AFC Southgate BERKHAMSTED RAIDERS CFC

Osman Barkat Steven Badu Luke Bernard-Morgan Rob Courtnage Steven Eyango Lee Flynn Dale Glaude Vinny Ivanov Oltian Klosi Eddie Munnelly Danny Osbourne Stephen Owen Chinua Phinn-Archer Josh Scott Lee Scott Mariusz Serwin Dale Small Jhoan Tabima Steven Velandia

Matt Alderson Emmanuel Boffah

Alfie Boswell Joel Danso

Luri Duuroe Jack Elleray Lee Groves

Ibrahim Jabbie Austin Lee

Drew MacFarlane Jeffrey Mentah

Gillyane Norton-Silva Daren Till

Joshua Yeboah

(squad taken from last fixture)

Managers Ade Olorunfemi Samuel Fatoba

Colours: Blue shirts, blue shorts, blue socks.

Manager Rak Hudson Coach Julian Hudson Club Assistant Ishmeal Jack Colours: Red shirts, red shorts, red socks.

Match Officials Fernando Lopez

Ruben Fernandez Peter Jago

MANAGER’S NOTE Manager Rak Hudson welcomes you to Brickfield

Lane for only our second match of 2018.

We are pleased to welcome Berkhamsted Raiders CFC to Brickfield Lane today in what should present an interesting clash.

We have a really large squad of players available at the moment with not too many injuries. Selection is as hard as it’s ever been.

We’re playing well, but we’re suffering from a lack of games during this cold and rainy winter period. Today’s fixture will be only our second in 2018.

Now, we’re looking forward to having a run of games.

to having a proper run of games.

Hopefully the weather will start improving and fewer games are called off in the coming weeks and we can start to get back into our stride. Last time out against Clean Slate (4-0) was a good performance at home. We hadn’t had a match for a long time and it was obvious that we were still trying to get our rhythm together. Really, we were just pleased to be able to play.

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LEAGUE TABLE

27/01/18 AFC

Southgate 15:00

Berkhamsted Raiders CFC

Brickfield Lane

03/02/18 Amersham

Town 15:00 AFC Southgate

Spratleys Meadow

10/02/18 Tring

Corinthians 14:00 AFC Southgate

Icknield Way

17/02/18 AFC

Southgate 14:00 Unite MK

Brickfield Lane

24/02/18 Pitstone & Ivinghoe

14:00 AFC Southgate Pavillion & Sports Hall

FIXTURES

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Berkhamsted Raiders was established in 1996 from a collection of individual teams run by enthusiastic Dads who wanted their kids to enjoy football. They played their football on the outfield at Berkhamsted Cricket Club on a Sunday morning.

Under the Chairmanship of Paul Beard, the Club progressed rapidly achieving Charter Standard and then Charity status. Tragically, Paul died suddenly at work on January 15th, 2008 at the early age of 43. His drive, enthusiasm and effort was the stimulus for the future success of the Club.

By 2008, the Club had grown to 30 teams. In 2015, the Club had doubled to 60 teams. And in 2017, we will be running 80 youth teams from U7 to U18 plus sections for Seniors, Veterans, Ladies, Walking Football and Inclusive Football.

The Club has become a true community sports club, providing sport for around 1,000 children in Berkhamsted and surrounding areas.

Berkhamsted Raiders CFC has become one of the most successful and respected youth football clubs in the country, and in Europe!

Last Season, Raiders were awarded the Herts FA Charter Standard Community Club of the Year 2016/17 for the fifth time, and in 2015/16, Raiders won the UEFA European Grassroots Club of the Year – Silver Award.

A history of… Berkhamsted Raiders CFC

Again, last week, we missed another game, which was far from ideal.

It’s important now that we can get back into the groove of weekly football and build ourselves up for a strong finish to the season.

Today’s game against Berko Raiders completes the first half of the SSML Division Two fixture list.

Thank you to all those who have supported AFC Southgate so far this season, our first, it’s much appreciated by all those involved with the club, and I hope you’ve enjoyed some of our displays.

Despite having had so many postponements, we currently sit second in the table, seven points off Park View.

Looking at the form table, it’s good to see AFC leading the way with six wins in our last six games in which we’ve scored 23 times.

It’s now time for a strong second half to the season as we look to keep the pressure on Park View.

Enjoy the game!

RAK HUDSON

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Today’s opposition: Berkhamsted Raiders CFC

Also in their first season in the Spartan South Midlands Football league, Berkhamsted are a successful youth football club, though are overshadowed by Berkhamsted FC locally, who are in the Premier Division. The Raiders are currently 13th in Division Two. Regularly shipping goals, they have one of the poorest defensive records in the league, having conceded 52 league goals this season, the fourth-worst in Division Two. They’ve had some impressive wins,

Top goalscorer With five players joint on only three goals this season in the Raiders’ goal scoring charts, the scoring has been limited, though seemingly evenly split.

13/01/18 Tring Town

AFC 1-0 Berkhamsted

Radiers CFC Division

Two

06/01/18 Berkhamsted Radiers CFC

4-5 Pitstone & Ivinghoe

Division Two

23/12/17 Grendon Rangers

3-1 Berkhamsted Radiers CFC

Division Two

09/12/17 Berkhamsted Radiers CFC

3-1 Mursley United

Division Two

25/11/17 Berkhamsted Radiers CFC

3-1 Old Bradwell

Utd Division

Two

Last 5 Results

P W D L F A Home 15 5 1 9 24 39 Away 9 0 1 8 5 36

Overall 24 5 2 17 29 75

Recent form: LLLWWLLLL

TOM BUZZARD

CHAIRMAN’S WELCOME

We welcome the players, staff, committee and supporters of Berkhamsted Raiders CFC to Brickfield Lane today for our Spartan South Midlands division II clash.

Our lads are raring to go after a great run of wins and training in the week.

The league is incredibly tight at the top and we need to ensure we keep the pressure on the leaders Park View

Park View knowing we still have to play them once more.

We wish all club players and staff of Berkhamsted Raiders CFC the best of luck for today's game and the rest of the season.

Enjoy the game!

CLUB CONTACTS

Co-chairmen Ed Harvey Tom Buzzard Manager Rak Hudson Secretary Julian Hudson Kit Man Ishmael Jack Director of Football Vinny Ivanov Programme Editor Harry Robinson Email info@afcsouthgate.com Office tel. 020 8360 4273 Web www.afcsouthgate.com

Our club is owned and run by Enfield based sports

business Kalo Sport Ltd. Company number 8371270. Ofsted Reg No. EY496451. kalosport.com

“We need to keep the pressure on the leaders Park View.”

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FROM THE EDITOR Harry Robinson

Monthly feature: England is 1 of 15 European countries without a

winter break – it’s time to change This is a modified

version of my article for

VAVEL UK last Christmas

MATCH REPORT AFC SOUTHGATE 4-0 CLEAN SLATE

Mariusz Serwin 7’, 21’, Oltian Klosi 60’, Chinua Phinn-Archer 76’ AFC Southgate XI: Badu, Barkat, Bwanga (Bernard-Morgan 73’), Flynn (c), Glaude, Ivanov, Klosi (Bonket 80’), Munnelly, Osbourne, Serwin (Phinn-Archer 73’), Velandia.

Attendance: 19

Mariusz Serwin and Oltian Klosi continued their good goalscoring form of late by helping AFC Southgate to a sixth consecutive win.

The Dragons are now the in-form team in Division Two of the SSML. Rak Hudson’s side have scored 23 goals in their last six games, conceding only seven and now sit second in the table with Park View ahead comfortably and Totternhoe behind. Those three sides seemingly have an unassailable lead on the rest of the division.

Chinua Phinn-Archer is leading as the club’s top goalscorer as he netted his ninth of the season three minutes after replacing Serwin, who netted twice early on to make it a comfortable occasion for AFC against a weak Clean Slate side.

Oltian Klosi, who’s been a revelation at left-back since coming into the side in mid-October, scored his fifth of the season. A coach for the club’s youth sides, Klosi’s also assisted prolifically and has now featured in the last eight games.

New signing Boris Bonket made his debut by replacing the Albanian on the 80th-minute mark while Steven Velandia made his home debut in Red.

WWW.AFCSOUTHGATE.COM

The English are one of just 15 leagues in the whole of Europe to have yet to introduce a winter break. Whether it is down to tradition for the fans or money for the business-like Premier League clubs, there is no doubt it is a pressing issue in English football.

Where there is also little doubt is in the fact that English football has declined somewhat.

It is not down to the lack of a winter break that Roy Hodgson’s England side finished bottom of their tricky but ‘get through-able’ World Cup 2014 group consisting of Costa Rica, Uruguay and Italy. However, it may play a small part of a compounded issue and the lack of a winter break is hurting footballers and hurting the quality of the Premier League.

In the 2014/15 Premier League

In the 2014/15 Premier League season, there was a total of 1181 injuries. The month with the most injuries reported, as per PhysioRoom.com, was January. While across Europe players returned midway through the frosty month of January after their winter break, players in England toppled just like the British Christmas trees. 149 injuries were picked up in January.

December closely followed suit with 145 injuries while November had the 3rd most at 142. October and February had 120 each while April had 119. There is a small, hazy trend formed in the data.

In the two months of the traditional European winter break, December and January, 25% of injuries of the entire football season were picked up. That is astonishingly high. Or perhaps, it is not.

The English football winter schedule is mayhem, it is bordering on senseless. As English football fans, Boxing Day

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07/10/2017 MK Gallacticos 5-2 AFC Southgate

14/10/2017 Corinthian Casuals Res. 7-1 AFC Southgate

28/10/2017 AFC Southgate 1-3 Unite MK

04/11/2017 AFC Southgate 5-2 Pitstone & Irving

11/11/2017 Tring Town AFC 0-4 AFC Southgate

18/11/2017 Clean Slate 2-4 AFC Southgate

25/11/2017 AFC Southgate 3-1 Loughton Manor

23/12/2017 The 61FC(Luton) 2-3 AFC Southgate

13/01/2018 AFC Southgate 4-0 Clean Slate

P W D L F A GD Home 11 8 0 3 38 24 14 Away 9 6 0 3 25 22 3 Overall 20 14 0 6 63 46 17

Form: LWWWWLWW AFC Southgate are STILL yet to draw

a game this season, having played 20

games in all competitions.

Day would simply not be the same without us adorning our colours and trudging in the snow, if limited in England, to the pub or to the ground.

Tradition is brilliant and enjoyable, but change benefits all sides

Away fans know better than anyone the impact of television companies on the game, with crazy schedules decided just weeks before the game.

Last season, Arsenal and Man City fans bore the worst, with the Gooners facing three evening games during the Christmas period due to TV schedules.

Meanwhile, the players are embroiled even further in this. Fans may be paying extortionate amounts of money five times in 15 days, but the high-end athletes who make up the Premier League will be facing fatigue, huge amounts of time away from family and still be criticised. Yes, they are paid sometimes sickening amounts of money but footballers are humans just like fans, in fact, they still are fans. They need time to rest, to recover both mentally and physically and they cannot do so.

Hamstring injuries peak in December and January, with 21 and 26 in each month respectively. Meanwhile, at the start of the season in August, there are just 11 and by the end of the season in May there were just 9 in the 2014/15 season.

The football Christmas tradition should not be lost, of course. It is one of the great times of the year in the football calendar, and something that makes the Premier League and Football League more special for many people than the star-laden Spanish and German leagues.

Yet there is a huge case for adapting the current system. For the footballers themselves, there is less fatigue in December and January. Physically, injuries will go down hugely.

Meanwhile, quality of football decreases with fatigue. Fans will benefit.

Arsenal vs Chelsea was two days before Christmas in 2013. Built up to be a fantastic, thrilling game, it was a huge let down.

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RESULTS 05/08/2017 Totternhoe 3-1 AFC Southgate

12/08/2017 Unite MK 1-6 AFC Southgate

16/08/2017 AFC Southgate 3-2 Amersham Town

19/08/2017 AFC Southgate 2-1 Old Bradwell United

26/08/2017 AFC Southgate 10-1 MK Galacticos

28/08/2017 AFC Southgate 2-3 Park View

02/09/2017 Loughton Manor 0-1 AFC Southgate

09/09/2017 Mursley United 2-3 AFC Southgate

13/09/2017 AFC Southgate 3-2 Grendon Rangers

27/09/2017 AFC Southgate 2-7 WGCFC

30/09/2017 AFC Southgate 3-2 Mursley United

Highest scoring game AFC Southgate 10-1 MK Gallacticos

Biggest win AFC Southgate 10-1 MK Gallacticos

Biggest defeat AFC Southgate 2-7 Welwyn Garden City FC

Most common scoreline 3-2

up to be a fantastic, thrilling game, it was a huge let down. This great rivalry, propelled further by José Mourinho’s summer arrival was nowhere to be seen. were 22 players on the pitch all playing far from their best football.

In lower league terms, football could benefit too, fans in particular. With fewer, or no, games during the period of poor weather, less games will be called off. Look at AFC Southgate’s last two fixtures: both cancelled at fairly late notice.

There are still, of course, issues of destroying the Christmas football period. For the club’s financers, television money will be lost. As other leagues rest, Premier League teams rake in money with the whole world watching the only football they can find; unless they want to look to Belarus or Estonia.

With less games crammed into this two weeks, more midweek games become necessary and success in Europe may suffer, although with a break perhaps the players might rest and succeed in the long term. We can have a winter break without losing great festive fixture list It is for us all to come to our conclusion, but what is needed is a break at some point. It does not have to be at Christmas, although the players would would appreciate it. Instead, while the other major European leagues return from their breaks in early/mid-January, the English leagues can take two weeks off until the end of the month. The quality of matches will increase, you won't have a strain on your pocket in December and we get to keep the wonderful festive period. It's time for a change. Let me know your thoughts, tweet me at @HarryRobinson64, or see more content on VAVEL UK (www.vavel.com/en).

AFC SOUTHGATE CLUB STATS

TOP GOALSCORERS Chinua Phinn-Archer 9 Lee Scott 6 Mariusz Serwin 6 Luke Bernard-Morgan 5 Oltian Klosi 5

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@AFCSouthgate

@SouthgateAFC

AFC Southgate

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AFC SOUTHGATE SIGN EX-BLYTH PLAYER BORIS BONKET

We are delighted to announce the signing of Boris Bonket. He is well-known to manager Rak Hudson, who first coached Boris when he was just 15 years old.

Since then, Boris has played for the Hayes & Yeading youth team & he has also made appearances for the first team at Blyth Spartans.

Hudson said, “Boris is an excellent signing for us and I am looking forward to getting him back to his best and helping him fulfil his potential. He will be a massive asset for us.”

Boris told us, "I believe in the manager and group of players at the club and with full commitment and hard work from each and every player the club can go from strength to strength."

Boris made his debut for the club as an 80th-minute substitute in a 4-0 win against Clean Slate.