Dear parent
I am writing to let you know some details regarding how I will run the football this season. I have enclosed a copy of the fixtures for the season. I must warn you that these dates are not fixed in stone, and may change. I will, of course, let you know of any changes as soon as I am informed.
Training
Training will take place at the Pebmarsh Road site until the light is an issue. When I know the date of the switch to Halstead I will let you know. The sessions run from 6.00 – 7.00 on a Friday. Please ensure that your child is equipped with boots, pads and a drink. Any parent wanting to help out is more than welcome – just let me know!
Matches
Every team faces issues of trying to balance between fielding a strong team and also giving all players opportunities to play. The Earls Colne club’s stated aim is that teams should field their strongest players. Our squad will probably reach 15 and there is a range of abilities within the squad. I think it is unfair for all our players to attend matches when there is little chance of them getting a game, and so I am going to rotate the subs, taking around two to each game. If your son or daughter cannot attend a fixture I would appreciate you letting me know as soon as possible so that I can take this into account as I consider team sheets. I will let players know on the Friday who is required. This information will also be posted on the website – more of that later.
I always strive to ensure that everyone gets at least around half a game, but making these decisions is not easy and I ask for your understanding and patience. If at any time you have concerns please raise them directly with me.
We do not find out until mid week the time when games are to be played. They will usually be around 10.30 am on a Sunday. It is very important that as well as the usual pads and boots players bring a snack, warm, waterproof clothes and a drink.
Finance
Val Doubleday has kindly agreed to take responsibility for collecting subs. The fees are as follows – Training £1.50 Match £1.50.
Kit
Thanks to the very generous sponsorship from Jake Fordham’s parents we will have a new kit this season – hopefully it will arrive in time for the first match. I am not sure how many kits have been ordered, so it will probably be easier to revert to the kit being collected centrally after each match. Collecting and washing the team kit is always an unpopular task, but it is not fair to expect one person to always be responsible, so I will produce a rota in due course. All kit must be washed at 40 degrees and must not be tumble dried.
Other Help
It is always useful to have help on home fixtures shifting goals and returning them to the clubhouse at the end of matches. If you can help with this please let me know. Incidentally if anyone has the skills or contacts to add wheels to the goals, please let me know.
Contact
My contact details are:
Home 01787 224407 Mobile 07809 241276
Email dla@f2s.com
Incidentally, if you prefer email contact just mail me and then I will mail you with details of each match. Full details regarding the league can be found at colchesteranddistrictyouthleague.com. We are playing in the Under 12’s B League.
I hope that these details help you understand the way the team is going to be run, and may I take this opportunity to thank you in advance for your support. I would also like to thank Paul King for all of his help and for keeping the training going over the summer.
Thanks for all your support -
Dave Lee-Allan
Team Coach /Manager
