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The Season So Far!

10/12/2011

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It’s been 6 weeks since my last Blog and with a busy fixture schedule it’s flown by! The Robbins currently have 11 points secured in the Nest and as I predicted there has been some ‘ups’ and ‘downs’. 
 
In the league we have played 10 won 3 drawn 2 and lost 5, leaving us in 16th place. All 3 wins have come at home and we have only picked up a single point on our travels and this was on the first day of the season!! If we can continue our home form and become difficult to beat away, our season could become a lot more interesting.
 
Firstly, my thoughts on the refereeing decisions made during our only home defeat of the season, losing 1-2 against GE Hamble cannot be included in this blog. All I can say is, that during the game there were two blatant handballs one was given and the other was not and we should still be unbeaten at the Nest! Next came a home tie in the Wessex Cup against Hythe & Dibden, where we ran out 1-0 winners and got the job done.
 
We then hit the road on two consecutive Saturdays and returned pointless! First playing well enough against Alresford Town, where we lead twice (Vinnie scoring a screamer in the postage stamp!) but couldn’t cope with having a man sent off for handball and 2 penalties given against us, we ended up losing 2-4. The following Saturday saw us again take the lead but end up losing 1-3 to Alton Town, but I believe Simba is still looking for his leg on the pitch somewhere, Gully any ideas!?! On both occasions our second half performances let us down and whether this is due to fitness on not quite being savvy enough in this league, we need to get our away performances sorted, FAST!
 
We hammered Ringwood Town in the FA Vase 9-1, a result that was a timely boost for the lads and now we know why Matty Palmer moans at us for not giving him the ball – thunderbolt! Now we just need him to give us his fine money!! Holmesy’s first game back was a bit of a hit and we now look forward to the next round on the 22nd October where we entertain Fareham Town at the Nest. Only a nine goal thriller followed, with us beating Totton & Eling 5-4, with Craig Lewis’s chip being the highlight  and a 94th minute winner from the skip!! Moneyfields arrived at the Nest and in my absence, Smithy led the boys to our third victory in a row, withstanding a lot of pressure in the first half and then Turps continued his fine start to the season scoring his 11th and 12th goals in the second 45 minutes, a smashing return which I’m sure he will continue.
 
After three wins in a week, we crashed back down to earth last Saturday where we put in our worst performance of the season. For 15 minutes Blackfield & Langley couldn’t get a touch of the ball, Ben Smith notched and then... we pressed the self destruct button, giving countless free kicks away around the area which let the opposition back into the game. Each and everyone of us then underperformed, leaving the squad,  Jeff and our travelling fans embarrassed with a 1-5 defeat. We have a chance to put it right against Alresford at home, where a win would take us back up to the middle of the table and interestingly we have drawn Backfield in the next round of the Wessex Cup where we will strive to take our revenge!
 
Overall we have to take each game as it comes, aim to keep our excellent home form going, start picking up some away points and learning from the mistakes we make. I believe we can really move up the table, as we have only been outplayed once this season. If we can sustain our periods of good pay for longer in games, then the Nest will look at lot more healthier as we approach Christmas.
 
Please keep up your support as this is the league we belong in and are aiming to challenge in....         

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New Captain. New Season. New Blog!

8/30/2011

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I would like to start my first blog by wishing Dan (Trigger) Newman all the best with his new challenge this season. He was a great lad with some immense banter!!
 
We’ve got a brand new home and away kit for this season and would like to thank Mark and all the sponsors on behalf of the lads for making this happen. Mike Turner has also joined the club as secretary and is already doing a very professional job. Overall the club is moving in the right direction and long may it continue.
 
Onto football matters now and since the boys started back in early July a lot has happened! We ended up unbeaten in pre-season and you couldn’t ask for a better way to go into the new season. As things stand we have played 4 league games, won 1, drawn 2 and lost 1, leaving us 12th with 5 points. This league is a lot tougher than last year’s and there have always been very capable players playing in it. It was very disappointing to fall at the first hurdle of the FA Cup, but the lads have responded well picking up 4 points from the two bank holiday derby games. We now need to show that level of commitment throughout the season and we will be all right.
 
We have added to last season’s squad with a good mix of youth and experience. Vinnie Rusher has bags,
no sacks of experience that is invaluable to the team, also joining him from Andover is Mark Keogh, again he has Southern League experience, always give you 100% and a yellow card most of the time! Dan Finnigan has joined us from Amesbury Town and will make his presence felt in the centre of midfield or up front if needed. Dan Hounsell joins us from the Army and can teach us all a thing or two in the press up department! Craig Lewis made a quick move to us from rivals Bemerton Heath Harlequins, why they let him go I cannot understand!! He will play a big part in our season with his silky skills and ability to take a player on with ease. Harvey Coker has also joined the Robbins, a player I like a lot, he has the ability to get the ball down in centre midfield and spray some lovely passes he could go a long way....
 
The team had great success last year and have managed to keep hold of the majority of the squad. ‘Goal machine’ Declan McGregor and Turps will again be potent up front,  Joey, Paul Gully and Halski will all play their parts in midfield during this busy campaign and Olly Hoare and Matt Palmer add strength to the star man at the back Ben Smith!! Charlie is ‘class’ and always pulls out the stops when needed. Nothing to report on Holmesy at present, as he is still living it up in Las Vegas, I’m sure he’ll be on a strict fitness regime when he returns!!!
 
Rae Hughes is a top coach and this season and will deliver high class training sessions and tactical knowledge in the changing room. Mitch Blake is another great personality to have at the club, he will aid Charlie in his development between the sticks and get us motivated for matches – especially promising Smithy a few
Quad Hops!!! Last but not least the Boss Jeff Softly, who led us to a title winning promotion last season. Jeff worked hard on the phone all summer, pulling the squad together and now has the job of keeping everyone happy – good luck!
 
This season the players and everyone involved at the club have to stick together, as there will be some tough months and some brilliant months ahead. I look forward to reporting next month’s events in my second blog.   

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Christmas Comes Early...

11/12/2010

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Hello and welcome to the Captain's Blog...

I don't know about anyone else but myself and Ben feel like 2 kids on Christmas Eve ahead of tomorrows big game! Let's just hope Jeff’s good at playing Father Christmas…

The lads have looked really good in training this week, Turps and Danny Western look like they’re on fire, if Danny plays like he trains he will be a world beater!

Lance has still not scored this season in a game or even at training - he makes Holmer look prolific! He also looks very similar to Buzz Lightyear!

There is so much good stuff going on at the club behind the scenes with Jim, Mark and Mandy working their socks off to make days like tomorrow happen. I must say, welcome to the Nest to Mandy, she has already started to push the club forward.

We haven't played for a couple of weeks now since the Stockbridge game. Another great win but it was disappointing to give 2 soft goals away. What should you get when you visit the nest, boys? NOTHING!

Dec was superb again, he's already got 20 goals this season. He will score 50 this year at this rate!

Let's hope this rain stops and the boys can do the business tomorrow on the pitch. Best of luck to the lads - let's do the Robins proud!! 

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Captain Fantastic!

10/28/2010

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Hello fans firstly let's get it out the way...

Picture this: 1-0 down on a cold Wednesday night, miles away from home… The lads are struggling, exit from the county cup is looking very likely, Jeff’s pulling his blonde highlights out Holmesey is ready to eat someone… suddenly, out of nowhere comes a left foot wonder strike from the edge of the Calne penalty area... “Must be Halski with that left foot”, shouts Dibby …”or was it Decky with that sort of quality”, shouts Franky.... One arm in the air, celebrating like Alan Shearer out of the melée of players, I give you Captain Fantastic… What a strike boys! As Hughsey’s rightly named me, Dan "Gareth Bale" Newman! Take a bow son…

It was good to not play well Saturday yet still get a very hard fought win. Dec and Turps worked their soaks off and Charlie was superb in goal. He's having an amazing season.

We all knew Turps would come good, he’s scored goals everywhere he's played and he's starting to bang them in for us now. We are scoring goals from all over the pitch which is also good to see. Well almost everywhere - any danger Holmer?!

Welcome Josh "Besty" Thomas to the nest. The lad is quality  and proves how far we've come as a club to be able to sign him. We've some hot some competition now in the squad.

On the transfer front I'm pleased Joey has decided to stay at the nest - he is so funny to have in the changing rooms and not too bad at being water boy either!

Last but not least must mention Deckys 1st half hat trick against Tadley, that 3rd goal was unbelievable. Might run my left foot volley close in the goal of the season competition!

Best of luck to the lads on Saturday at home to Stockbridge.

Much love, Trigger

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Happy Birthday, Declan McGregor!

10/9/2010

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He stands at only 5 ft 3, Decky Decky
He'll shoot us up the Wessex League, Decky Decky
He gets the ball, he scores the goals
He is just like Andy Cole, Declan McGregor, Downtons goal machine!

Happy birthday to the best thing to come out of Ireland since Guinness. Wishing you loads of birthday goals!
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Robins on the Wembley trail!

10/9/2010

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Hello all, Captain Fantastic here! I would like to say a massive “well done” to  all the lads on a superb win in the FA Vase last Saturday. We have now gone further then any Robins side in history, which is a huge achievement and with a great home draw in the next round we are certainly well on the long road to Wembley!

Thanks to the club for sorting out coach. Mark works really hard for the club and on behalf of the lads, it’s much appreciated.
It was good for Crouchy to get the winner - he is a legend at the Nest, he works really hard for the team and the players love him. But am I the only person who thinks he looks like Sara Cox?!

Tuesday night’s game put a big downer on an otherwise great week for the club, with the serious injury to Josh Brown. On behalf of everyone at the club, we wish him a full and speedy recovery. It was, of course, disappointing not to finish the game but it was the right decision as no one really wanted to play football after his awful injury.... well, no one except Turps. You have to feel for him, he works his socks off for the team and after a few weeks not scoring, he got himself a real goal scorers hat trick only for the game to be abandoned! Chin up Turps, your time will come again!

Hard game today, away to US Portsmouth. We need to be at our best to come away from there with a win and keep the unbeaten run going! Just spoke to Jeff and he is in a very confident mood…

Up the Robins!

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History in the making?

10/1/2010

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A big welcome back to my blog ahead of the biggest game in the Robins’ recent history. After what I would say is the best Downton performance in recent years away to Hallen, we travel to Calne tomorrow in the 1st round of the FA Vase in a very confident mood. All the lads in the last round and some of the football wouldn’t look out of place on Sky! Deccy scored a great hat trick. He and Matt Redman were simply unplayable.

We are looking very solid as a team and the two new lads, Lance and Matt Palmer, look like very good signings. Jeff “Harry Redknapp” Softley seems to have used the transfer window very well!

Training this week has been very good, although I have never known a team lose as many balls as we do. It is very funny, though, watching Rae after training, trying to find footballs in the trees! One massive net needed behind the goal pplleeaassee Mr Chairman?!
 
A few congratulations if I may, since this is the first blog in a while! Firstly, to Mark and Janine Gulliver on getting married. What a superb day that was even if a few of the lads struggled in the bank holiday game! Secondly to Benjy and Sara on the birth of their daughter, Maya. Thirdly to everyone at the Nest on being club of the month for August. Great effort by all the lads especially the management team of Jeff, Rae and Holmer. And last but not least, a big congratulations on Callum and Leanne on their recent engagement - well done Cal!
 
There’s no reason why we can’t have a very successful season both in the league and the cup competitions - starting at Calne Saturday and then a local derby at Amesbury on Tuesday. Dec and I would look good at the top of those Wembley steps...

Good luck to all the lads on Saturday
 
Trigger

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7 points from 9 - a great start

8/21/2010

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After a very unlucky exit in the FA Cup on Saturday, the lads got back to winning ways on Wednesday at Warminster thanks to a superb Ben Halski free kick, Ben scoring a great header and the “Goal Machine” Dec with yet another penalty! This has resulted in us getting 7 points from our first 3 games and we head into the next 4 games - over the next 9 days - with our sights very much on making sure we stay toward the top of that table.
 
We were cruising until Holmesy got injured. He's been superb so far this season, back to the form that saw him on Sky Sports all those years ago!

Ben (“Benj”) Smith is playing out of his skin at the moment too, he makes it easy to play alongside him. He’s approaching a big milestone in games played and has become an absolute legend at Downton.

There’s been plenty of talk about the front 3 that we’ve playing this season. Truth is, they’re working ther socks off and when they click, they’re a joy to watch. The goals will soon surely flow.

We have 2 home games in next 4 days, and we’re aiming to get 6 points which will keep us right up there! Good luck too the lads for today.
 
Up the Robins!
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The big hello ...

8/12/2010

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A big welcome to all the new lads to the nest this season, it's going to be emotional! A massive thanks to Mark for all his hard work and time he's putting into the robins. The futures bright... It's red and White!

Also massive thanks to Mark Gully and Elmo for the hours they've spent on the ground.

A few things have changed this season... We now have a goalie who can catch, more then 1 player who can score goals, Halski can now head the ball and Jeff’s got a new ridiculous German tracksuit from Sports Direct!

Few things are still the same... The Chuckle (gully) Brothers are injured, Benj can head the ball further then I can kick it, Deccy scores goals for fun and Jeff still wears awful outfits after the game (1 more lager please waiter)…

The lads are looking sharp and ready for the season thanks to Adders and Rae beasting us over the summer and with Turps and Danny "the programme" Western on board we have the best front 3 in the south. On a serious note I would like to put on record my thanks to Nick Holmes for putting Salisbury FC on the map. Mr Holmes, you're a legend…

Best of luck for  Saturday lads. Sorry can't be there but will be at the confederation of aerial industry meeting in Holland…
Will leave you with two words... Lucy May!
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Coming Soon...

8/5/2010

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Be sure to check back in a few weeks to catch the first of our Captain's Blogs....
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    Captain's Blog

    The regular blog on the trials and tribulations of being Captain of Downton FC!

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