Three More Points Banked

Looking back upon our win against Lowestoft a fortnight ago I lyrically waxed about our performance and play off prospects, possibly a little too much. The following Tuesday the Trawlerboys went south and lost to a resurgent Hastings United side whilst we spent last weekend labouring in the 2^nd half once again on Canvey Island. I ought to have learned long ago to stop reading much into results here, there and everywhere because they mean absolutely Bo-Jiggles in the long run.

So in the wake of this weekend’s 3 points against title chasers AFC Hornchurch, Harry Hyperbole is taking a break and will be replaced by Dougie Dourness.

It was a glorious (Ed – steady on, pleasant will suffice) sunny Saturday in North West Wembley as Hendon looked to build on their recent improved home form against Billericay’s closest challengers as things stand for the title AFC Hornchurch. As I think I’ve said before, the Greens boast a good record against the Urchins, something which considering the heavy influence of Messrs McBride and MacFarlane and their record against Hendon with Purfleet / Thurrock, would have been unthinkable a decade ago.

Before kick off on Saturday, Hendon were unbeaten in their previous five meetings with the Urchins, a run that included four wins. The visitors arrived at Vale Farm on the back of a defeat at home to Hastings in midweek that ended a run of four straight wins and clean sheets. Like the Greens, much of the Urchins’ success this season has been built on extremely solid foundations, as you’d expect from a side managed by Jimmy MacFarlane who, for the record, I rate as consistently the best centre half I’ve seen at this level.

In the wake of that reverse MacFarlane rang the changes, James Love replaced Michael Spencer at number 2, Simon Glover was fit to come into the heart of midfield in place of Andy Tomlinson, Tambeson Eyong swapped places with Jonathan Hunt and Lewis Smith returned to the bench. Meanwhile, Gary McCann handed a second debut to on-loan goalkeeper Rikki Banks, who arrived on Friday from Eastbourne Borough, James Parker and Scott Cousins returned in the full back positions after missing the defeat to Hampton in midweek whilst Greg Ngoyi and Elliott Charles led the line up front.

The game began at a frantic pace with the visitors very much on the front foot. I was impressed with them in the early stages. They moved the ball quickly, but with purpose trying to release the pacy men out wide in Eyong and former Thurrock and Sutton man Fola Orinoshole and get good balls into the box for the tall and dangerous Martin Tuohy and Leon McKenzie to attack. Simon Glover sat deep in midfield and passed the ball well, whilst Frankie Curley had license to get into the box and support the two strikers.

Defensively they looked very strong, if not quite as physically imposing as they have in previous years. Elliott Styles and Rickie Hayles are as good a centre half partnership as you’re likely to see this season along with Rob Swaine and Chris Wild this season. It was noticeable in the first 20-25 minutes how much physically stronger they appeared than those in Green shirts, and although not quite hanging on, the back four were under a lot of pressure in those early stages. Going forward, as has often been the case when getting a foothold in a game, there was little in terms of service or support for the front men to enjoy.

Leon McKenzie had the ball in the net early on with a looping header, but the assistant’s flag was already raised signalling offside giving the referee no option but to chalk the goal off. So he did with a great deal of subtlety I thought.

That early effort apart, the Hendon back four, protected by the hard-working Casey Maclaren and Elliott Godfrey did well to keep Banks largely unemployed. At times it was a stretch, but neither Tuohy or McKenzie really had a sniff of goal, much of this was down to the efforts of Parker and Cousins at full back who although on the back foot dealt well with the threat from out wide.

It took 26 minutes for the Greens to have their first effort on goal, Casey Maclaren lashing the ball quite a long way over the top of the bar from distance. Although not troubling Joe Woolley in the Urchins net, it signified the moment where Hendon decided that there were going to be two sides taking part in the game as an attacking force.

Suddenly passes began to find their men, Ngoyi in particular worked the two centre halves harder as the service into him improved and perhaps most importantly, Darren Currie was able to exert some influence on proceedings down the left flank. On a couple of occasions he sold James Love a body swerve or a dummy with a moment of class and gleefully reaped the rewards (Ed – watch those superlatives laddy). He was also responsible for the first effort of note on target in the first period as a free kick was half cleared to him on the right angle of the penalty area. Taking a touch he drilled a low drive through a crowd of bodies that Woolley did very well to not only get down to but also to hold.

On the stroke of half time, the Hornchurch custodian bettered that save after the best Hendon move of the match down the left flank saw Cap’n Cousins swing a beauty of a cross in. Carl McCluskey got up and directed his header towards the top corner of Woolley’s net from about 8 yards out. The goalkeeper reacted brilliantly to get an extremely strong hand at full stretch to the ball and send it behind for a corner. I certainly haven’t seen too many better stops this season by a visiting goalkeeper.

Any Greens fans holding their heads in despair soon experienced the full roller-coaster of emotions as MacLaren picked up the cleared corner down the right hand side, sent a cross over towards Greg at the near post. Someone got a touch and sent the ball off towards the far stick where Elliott Charles was able to climb and after a game of head, nose, shoulders, chest, bundled the ball far enough over the line for the well placed referee to signal goal before it was scooped back to give the home side the half time advantage.

After the break, with Elliott Charles sitting a little deeper on the left flank and what looked to all intents and purposes like a 4-2-3-1 formation similar to the one with which I have achieved so much success with on Football Manager 11 with FC Porto (3 defeats in 57 matches for the record), in order to stem the tidal wave of blue and white shirts that was headed towards our penalty area.

For the most part the early storm was weathered. A couple of long range efforts missed the target by a similar distance, and an impressive run down the right flank by James Love ended with the right back unable to get a decent cross away and Banks was able to smother with ease. Fola Orilonishe then sent an overhead kick towards goal from inside the penalty area which Banks managed to scoop slightly unconventionally around the post for a corner, but these efforts were the exception rather than the rule.

The reason for this, not for the first time, was the excellent performance by the back four and two men shielding them in particular. There was nothing desperate about the way they defended, where possible they passed the ball out from the back in an attempt to relieve the pressure on them rather than just mindlessly hoof the ball onto the head of an opposing centre half for the ball to come straight back at them.

Jimmy MacFarlane introduced the lively Leon Smith with half an hour remaining, popping him on into an inside left position place of Orilonishe and he brought a new dimension to Hornchurch’s attack with his pace and ability to cut inside. He used this to good effect on a couple of occasions, bringing one good low block from Banks, but for the most part, the move probably played into Hendon’s hands as he always looked to cut inside where things were already pretty congested. In theory this could have opened the left flank for Joe Anderson to overlap from left-back, but with James Parker able to pass Smith on when he came inside, he was able to deal effectively with the threat that Anderson provided.

The game was sealed in rather predictable fashion. With Isaiah Rankin on the pitch and the game deep in stoppage time you know there’s every chance of a goal. And so it proved once again as the substitute broke into the visitors half, controlling a long clearance with a delightful first touch. He was away, with two Urchins in pursuit trying to pick his pocket and although they kept pace with the striker, they couldn’t muscle him off the ball without giving away a free kick and their place on the pitch as this was a very definite goalscoring opportunity. Ranks proved as much by powerfully sending the ball over the advancing Joe Woolley (who did well to get a hand to the effort) and into the roof of the net.

As the Greens wheeled away, forward and back in delight, further back towards the halfway line it became obvious that Ryan Wharton and Leon McKenzie were involved in a ‘full and frank’ discussion. The Hendon number four very definitely landed a fairly meaty jab onto the Hornchurch number 10’s chin, but had the wisdom to do it whilst the official’s attention were otherwise engaged 80 odd yards away. I can’t imagine that McKenzie was entirely innocent as Wharton isn’t the kind of bloke to randomly smack a bloke without some kind of mitigating reason. Both benches became involved, one Hornchurch fan in particular showed his displeasure with Wharton extremely vocally and to be fair, I can understand why. The referee, once order had been restored, showed both men a yellow card, presumably because that was the simple thing to do having not witnessed the original incident.

The goal was pretty much the final kick of the game, and another very impressive three points were racked up. The side moved up the table to 5^th, back into the play-offs and with only Cray and Wealdstone in touching distance if they win their games in hand. One suspects that the home fixture with Cray on the 27^th is going to play a massive part in proceedings, a win could be enormous. However, the key isn’t going to be one home match, it’s is likely to be how we get on against those sides with little to play for towards the end of the season and battling against relegation. For the time being, with a free midweek to get people focused for the tricky trip to Concord on Saturday, the fans can look back on another job very well done.

Player Ratings

1. Rikki Banks: Returned on Friday for his second loan spell at Hendon and performed very well. Highly rated by Lewes, Gary’s pulled off a masterstroke getting him in again. Looks more dominant and commanding than six years ago and picked up a well deserved blank sheet. 7/10

2. James Parker: Up against an experienced winger in Fola Orilonishe and then a different threat in Lewis Smith, Parks had one of his most impressive games of the season. Coming into form at a crucial point in the season. 8

3. Scott Cousins: Once again dealt well with a pacy opponent, keeping the service from his side of the pitch to two good centre forwards at a minimum. Linked up well with Darren Currie, and later Michael Lewis. 7

4. Ryan Wharton: Went dangerously close to blotting his copybook with a moment of madness just ahead of the final whistle, but up until that point had been as impressively solid and strong as ever this season. 7

5. James Fisher: Superb performance at centre half bringing an air of calm authority to proceedings defensively. Organises things well and compliments Ryan Wharton very nicely. Better in the air than you expect him to be given his relatively short stature. 8

6. Casey Maclaren: Another excellent midfield performance by the elder Maclaren. Kept his head after a first half booking, broke up Hornchurch’s rhythm and momentum well and supplied the cross for the first goal. 8

7. Carl McCluskey: Moments of brilliance paired with moments of infuriation. Unlucky not to score just before the first goal when his header was brilliantly saved, but had a tendency to overplay after beating a couple of men when simple passes were on. 7

8. Elliott Godfrey:  Worked his nuts off alongside Casey Maclaren in a more defensive role, particularly 2^nd half than perhaps he is used to but did the hard work very diligently. 8

9. Greg Ngoyi: As tireless as ever up front he didn’t get a sniff of goal and was well marshalled by Elliott Styles and Rickie Hayles. Replaced midway through the 2^nd half. 6

10. Darren Currie: Once Hendon had got a foothold in the game, he came into his own and dictated things in the last quarter of an hour of the first half with some moments of quality. A great influence on the side. 8

11. Elliott Charles: Got the first goal and led the line with his usual strength and pace. Worked hard, managed to stay onside for most of the game before being replaced late on for Rankin. 7

Substitutes

12. Jamie Busby: Late change for Darren Currie to help shore up the midfield

13. Isaiah Rankin: Once again a goalscoring cameo to seal the three points. Genuinely classy goal from start to finish 8

17. Michael Lewis: Gave us a better shape on the left flank midway through the 2^nd half and allowed Elliott Charles to play as the target man. Worked hard and used the ball with intelligence 7

Match Rating: 6/10

Star Man: James Fisher

Verdict: Another excellent three points against another decent side once again underlining the side’s play-off credentials. It’s quite a few years since games against the top four sides in the division will have yielded four wins out of eight matches, the key in the run in is going to be the matches against sides lower in the division. All very much still to play for.

Note: A big thanks to Rob Monger of AFC Hornchurch for his fine work with the video camera and making the goals available on youtube.

Ranks Awfully, I Sigh

I would have taken a point quite frankly. Before the game, at half time, ten minutes from the end. A goalless draw would have been fine. Maybe not ideal in the pursuit of a play-off spot given the games in hand our rivals have on us, but as that soon to be famous new adage goes, Points in the bank are worth more than games in the tank.

Lowestoft Town arrived at Vale Farm aching to get themselves back into some sort of title form. They began the day five points ahead of the Greens as Billericay’s current closest challengers for the title despite a disappointing run of form that had seen them pick up just seven points since the turn of the year and win one of their previous five matches in all competitions. In spite of that, they remained this correspondent’s pick for the title come the end of April.

Speak of the Trawlerboys to any Hendon fan and the chances are they will break out in a cold sweat and quite probably have a heart attack. Funnily enough though, I don’t think our 8-1 trouncing in Suffolk just over a year ago was the lowest nor most embarrassing moment of last term. That honour went to the 8 man debacle on Canvey Island. This season’s trip to the eastern tip of the UK went much better – it would have had to have gone some to have been worse than last season’s efforts – but despite a good performance, the Greens lost by 2 goals to nil.

With our return to form and the back four once again enjoying their miserly selves since shipping eight goals in two games around New Year, I thought that a point was a realistic hope if not perhaps a realistic expectation.

The Trawlerboys included two ex Football Leaguers of some note in their starting line-up, Adrian Forbes lining up at right back and new addition Dean Sinclair directing things from the heart of the Lowestoft midfield. A collective sigh of relief went around the Hendon faithful when the news broke that their former heart-throb Lubo Guentchev would be starting amongst the Lowestoft substitutes, yet still their starting XI possessed more than enough quality and goal potential to give this scribe in particular mild and irregular palpitations.

Dean Sinclair, seen here playing for Barnet

The first half might as well not have bothered kicking off. About the only incidents of note were an extremely loud penalty claim by the visitors that was waved away (some eyewitnesses of a Greener persuasion suspected we got away with one there) and a superb flowing move that would have had Adrian Chiles looking for a third, fourth and probably fifth hand upon which to count the number of passes from Lowestoft ended with a powerful Matt Nolan effort that was turned aside with a decent block.

On that note, Matt Nolan was completely unrecognisable from the player I remember as a youngster making his name at Hitchin Town more than a decade ago now. It took me the best part of half an hour to realise who he was (I thought for quite a while it was former Harrow, Wimbledon and sundry others target man Darren Grieves). I always thought of him as more of a number 10 than a number 9, a second striker as opposed to a target man. Just goes to show how much I know.

For the Greens with their 4-5-1 formation (or 4-4-1-1) Greg Ngoyi received little service or support not to mention no change from the strong centre half pairing of Stuart Gaughren and Scott Mitchell. The quality of ball forward from the back and midfield wasn’t great, and part of this was down to the impressive quality of Lowestoft’s pressing game. Led from the front by Chris Henderson, no Hendon player was given time on the ball and this led to possession being recycled time and again.

The deep lying midfielders for either side Dean Sinclair and Casey Maclaren were probably the best players on the pitch in the first half which says a lot for the scrappy quality that was on show. I think this position is the one in which the elder Maclaren excels in best. What you know you will get from him is 100% running and commitment, but when deployed wide in midfield for example, sometimes the quality you might want in terms of the final ball is lacking. When able to keep things nice and simple he looks a very good player, as does Kevin when playing the same role.

Half time came with the game goalless and as coincidence would have it, that’s how the 2^nd period would begin.

Gary Mac made a change at the break with Elliott Charles replacing Jamie Busby and joining Greg up front and immediately, we had more purpose and threat about our play. I think both our main strikers (I’m not including Isaiah Rankin in this because I think his main threat is coming off the bench) are better when playing up front with someone else and the ‘little and large’ combination that Greg and Elliott provide works very well. Faced with the physical presence of Charles, all of a sudden the two Lowestoft centre halves looked quite a lot less secure.

Charles hit the bar with a close range header from a superb Darren Currie corner but was ruled to have impeded Andy Reynolds in the Lowestoft goal. It was noticeable just how much pressure the visiting custodian was subjected to when the Greens had set pieces around the penalty area and it was clear why. At no point did he look secure when the ball was floating around in the air around his head throughout the afternoon.

To be fair to Reynolds, he may well have been unsettled by accepting the award for the most pointless caution of the season when, after being told on three or four occasions by the referee’s assistant stood no more than 10 yards away from him to move the ball back before taking a free kick and refusing to do so the referee was forced to run 40 odd yards to brandish the yellow card. Whilst some may think the officials were being pedantic (and to some extent they were), that doesn’t excuse Reynolds’ unwillingness to take the kick from the place the official wanted him to. Particularly having already been made to re-take the kick, to commit the same offence again is quite frankly bordering on idiocy.

As the game wore on, it became increasingly likely that the breakthrough would come through outrageous fortune or reckless misadventure. Just past the hour mark a backpass from Scott Cousins bounced awkwardly on the sandy, uneven surface and over the swinging boot of Berkley Laurencin. Under pressure from the ever lurking Henderson, the goalkeeper did pretty well to recover before the Lowestoft forward but was extremely fortunate as his clearance rebounded off of Henderson from a yard or two out and luckily for him, ricocheting off the outside of the post. Sigh of relief breathed.

Elliott Godfrey finally had the Greens’ first serious effort on goal midway through the period pouncing on another flap by Reynolds, but his effort was well blocked by a sprawling Gaughren.

The breakthrough when it did come was due to an enormous slice of fortune, and a sprinkling of misadventure as Currie’s through ball should have been dealt with by Reynolds and substitute Stuart Ainsley under pressure from Rankin. Somewhere amongst the visitor’s communications wires were crossed and as Reynolds advanced, what should have been a simple back header sailed over the goalkeeper’s head and with Rankin having gambled as all good poachers do, he stooped to head home his third late goal from the bench in his last three league appearances. Ole Gunnar Solksjaer? Pah! Not needed thanks.

This is becoming a more and more familiar pose for Ranks by the week

There were eight minutes plus four added minutes for the Greens to hold out and by and large they did so without too many scares. Berkley who had previously done well to touch a curling effort from Rob Eagle (I think) just over the top, had a routine save to make from an Adam Smith free kick and Matt Nolan curled a shot just wide of the goalkeeper’s left upright but despite a lot of huff and puff, the Green wall at the back remained steadfast.

Not for the first time this season, immense credit has to go to the back four, in particular the two centre halves. Ryan Wharton was once again outstanding, reading the game well and proving himself more than able to deal with the physical threat of Nolan. Next to him James Fisher once again looked the part, marshalling things with calm cool effectiveness. Is this our best partnership at the back since Cooper and Butler? It’s early days yet, but they quite possibly are.

At the whistle, the home players and fans celebrated a result that could probably rival the win against Sutton United at Vale Farm as the best result since we moved there. I came away with the feeling that we matched one of the main contenders for the title and although I think on balance a point apiece would have been fair reward for both sides, to come out on top in a match like that shows that actually, we have a real chance of seriously challenging for the top five this season. This time last year I think we’d have lost that game 3-0. Things have changed and there is belief, determination and perhaps most importantly togetherness amongst the players. The celebration that greeted Rankin’s goal was proof of that.

Next up it’s back to cup action against local boys Harrow Borough as the Greens seek to reach their second semi final of the season in a week. Having already played Boro three times this season and come out on top just the once, Gary Mac will be very keen to put the record straight and continue our proud recent tradition in the London Senior Cup.

Player Ratings

1. Berkley Laurencin: Another clean sheet for the goalkeeper, the third on the spin and 19^th of the season for the club. I certainly cannot remember this many blanks sheets before. Not really tested, but dealt well with almost everything thrown at him. 7/10

2. James Parker: Faced with the tricky test of keeping former Norwich and Luton man Rob Eagle quiet, he dealt with his task well. Defended superbly, but perhaps lacking a bit of quality at times, first half particularly with his distribution. 7

3. Scott Cousins: Another very good performance by the skipper. No nonsense defending kept Michael Frew quiet down the Lowestoft right flank and linked up well when able to with Currie down the left. 7

4. Ryan Wharton: I think before long I might need to think up new superlatives for the centre half. Another superb performance marshalling a dangerous opponent in Matt Nolan. Read the game well, strong and rarely beaten in the air or on the ground. 9

5. James Fisher: Has slotted in beautifully at centre half alongside Wharton and looks as though he’s played there all his life. I don’t know, perhaps he has. Calm on the ball, read the game well and deceptively good in the air as well. 8

6. Casey Maclaren: Playing in the holding role in which Kevin has impressed so much this season, Casey gave probably his best performance that I’ve witnessed this term. Strong, two excellent challenges in particular and kept the game simple in possession. 8

7. Carl McCluskey: Preferred to Michael Lewis or Jerome Federico in a largely wide midfield role, although occasionally getting forward to assist Greg Ngoyi up front. Worked very hard and used the ball well in the second half in particular. 7

8. Elliott Godfrey: Picked up a booking for a mistimed challenge in the first half, Elliott was quietly efficient and came more into the game after the break as he was given more space to pull the strings in midfield. 7

9. Greg Ngoyi: Worked extremely hard and almost managed to break the shackles of the two opposing centre halves in the first half without the ball falling his way. Helped with the addition of Elliott Charles at half time, lively stuff from the top scorer. 7

10. Darren Currie: Simply oozes class. Have I said that about him already? Able to last 90 minutes and barely break sweat, yet works as hard as anyone on the pitch. Very neat and tidy, keeps things simple, keeps possession and capable of the killer ball. 7

11. Jamie Busby: Quiet first half from the midfield dynamo who still seems to be trying to shake off the effects of his time out of the side injured. Replaced at half time in a tactical move that definitely paid dividends. 6

Substitutes

12. Dave Diedhiou: Played about 90 seconds and hoofed the ball towards Greenford once.

13. Isaiah Rankin: What can you say? Another late goal, although by his own standards this one was practically opening minute. Gambled on a mistake and reaped the dividends. Another classy little cameo. 8

15. Elliott Charles: Gave us an outlet after the break and certainly unsettled the Lowestoft back four with his pace, power and strength up front. 7

Match Rating: 4/10

Man Of The Match: Ryan Wharton

Verdict: An excellent three points that confirms us as definite contenders for a play-off berth now. Good results against Bury, Hornchurch and now Lowestoft have proven that we can mix it with the top sides in the division. This win was as much about brawn and spirit as anything else and although a goalless draw would probably have been fair, I’m certainly not going to be writing to the League and asking them to take the extra two points away from us.

A Sparkling Return?? Developments on and off The Pitch

I haven’t posted in ages, but it's not as bleak as it seems. That reminds me of a song lyric, but I can’t think which one. If it comes to me, I’ll let you know. On with the show.

On the pitch, after the autumn slump things have stabilised somewhat with progress being made in the two county cups, and a place just outside the play-offs being maintained in the league. Frank Sinclair has departed the scene, joining Colwyn Bay in the Blue Square North, a club which is an awful lot closer to his Bolton home than Vale Farm. That he commuted so far shows the measure of the guy, and he leaves with my very best wishes. Replacing him is Lewis Hunt, who has more than 250 league appearances under his belt following his release from Bradford City. One suspects that Junior Lewis’ contact list on his cellphone had something to do with this addition and reports suggest that he looked the part on his debut at Met Police. The big loser in all of this seems to be Michael Peacock who in spite of a decent start to the season, has had to be content with grabbing the odd piece of action at Northwood and Chalfont St. Peter to maintain match fitness.

The injury situation is easing, both Elliott Charles and Greg Ngoyi have returned to the fray in fine form, the latter having taken his tally to 13 goals for the season in just 17 starts. It’s quite a few seasons since we have had a player showing that kind of an eye for goal. It was noticeable against Bury Town, when he went through on goal just before half time to equalise that I expected him to score. Not just hit the target, but to find the net. Although since the days of Whitmarsh and Lewis we have seen decent strikers in the shape of Eugene Ofori, Dominic Gentle, Brian Haule and Wayne O’Sullivan, I don’t think any of them match the clinical edge that Greg has shown this term when fit. Not only that, but his response to being left on the bench for tactical reasons at Imber Court recently was outstanding. Given a start in the London Senior Cup tie at Barking, he grabbed his chance by netting the winner in fine style. Further back, Jamie Busby is back in action, James Fisher is beginning to settle in quite well either in midfield or more recently at centre half, and Jerome Federico and Michael Lewis’ return to fitness has given us an extra dimension out wide with a bit more pace and trickery.

With 17 matches remaining, we sit 8^th in the table just 3 points behind Cray in 5^th place. As time has gone on it has become clear that there isn’t a side that is obviously a class above the rest of the division as Dover or Dartford and to some extent Sutton have shown in recent years. There is all to play for and if we can sort out our home form (1 win from our last 10 matches at Vale Farm) then everything is in place for a genuine tilt at the play-offs. If pushed to say now, I suspect we may finish just short of them, but if we are able to find the consistency that we had at the start of the season again, then there is no reason why our season couldn’t conceivably last for another week.

Claremont Road

Of as much interest to events on the pitch have been recent developments in the sale of the freehold of the site where the Claremont Road lies has been put on hold following an intervention from Liberal Democrat Councillor Jack Cohen who has called for alternative uses for the land. As I explained in the summer, Barnet Council approved plans to sell the freehold to Montclaire Developments Limited amidst much opposition from local residents, who have cited a historical covenant dating from the 1920s protecting the site from such a move in their objections. More information can be found in this Hendon Times article, and this piece here from BBC London News.

Setting aside my thoughts on Barnet Council in particular, and many Conservative led councils in London (they have no place here), I truly hope that the covenant is upheld and the land protected because the knock-on effect if the sale of the land to Montclaire could have a severe impact on similar open spaces throughout London. In a year when London is hosting the Olympics and the Government are falling over themselves to talk about the legacy of the games, cases such as this lead one to wonder whether or not these words are nothing but hot air.

The eagle-eyed amongst you may have seen a familiar face in the photo on the Hendon Times article in the shape of current club chairman Simon Lawrence. Which perhaps begs the question, why weren’t the Supporters Trust, or fans, more vocal in their opposition to the ground situation. Afterall, we knew long before we were eventually kicked out that the end of our time at the famous old ground was nigh. The answer is simple.

A couple of years before the ownership of the club transferred into Trust hands, the previous owners  had made it abundantly clear that they would no longer fund the football club. That was entirely their prerogative and as such, the Trust agreed to finance the playing side of the operation to keep the club alive. The only alternative was extinction. In spite of this, the previous owners of the club held all the aces. They were sitting on the goldmine that the lease on the ground provided. Although presumably the lease was in the name of Hendon Football Club Limited, they were separate from the Trust. As such, the owners were happy not to call in the alleged £3million (ballpark figure) that the club owed knowing that the sale of the lease, as and when it went through, would more than cover what they were owed. Hence, the agreement was made with the Trust to hand the football club over debt free once the freehold on the ground was sold. At any point in that period, powers that be behind the scenes could have closed Hendon Football Club down. They had no interest in whether or not the club survived, their names were on the lease. Hendon Football Club was an irrelevance.

When the announcement of discussions being opened on the sale of the freehold of the land was made in the summer, Barnet Council was opening negotiations with Hendon Football Club Limited. Who then were Montclaire Developments and how did they arrive on the scene all of a sudden? Again, the answer is simple. A quick google search divulged that the registered director of Montclaire Developments is Andrew Landsberg and that Hendon Football Club Limited is listed as a subsidiary of Montclaire Developlments. They are one and the same. Quite what transpired to bring about the sudden eviction of the team from the ground in September 2008 is unknown and would be mere conjecture, but one does wonder.

I don’t think for one minute that any halt on the sale of the freehold suddenly means that there is light on the horizon for anyone harbouring hopes of a return to Claremont Road. One only has to see the state of the site in the BBC London report to understand the level of investment that would be required to return the ground to a level fit for senior football, never mind Ryman Premier Level. Even if the deal between the council and Montclaire fell through, any hopes the club had of returning to the ground would be based on us receiving planning permission, support and funding from the council, as well as various other foundations as well as what the club could raise itself. The club on its own cannot hope to fund a new ground. Whether in these austere times individuals can find significant amounts to donate to any fundraising effort for a new ground remains doubtful. That is before we even begin to think about garnering the necessary approvals and support from Barnet Council. It doesn’t take a genius to predict how difficult (or perhaps impossible) that will prove to be. Nonetheless, it will be very interesting to watch how things develop.

Oh, by the way. The lyric I was thinking of? It was from this.

Goodnight 

Put Through The Grinder - Hendon 1-1 Aveley

Hendon 1-1 Aveley

Ryman League Premier Division

Saturday 3^rd December 2011

Vale Farm

Nearly 72 hours have passed since the end of our game at the weekend and I still cannot decide whether we should have won the game, been happy with a point or thought ourselves fortunate to have come away with as much as that. At the end of an open and entertaining 2^nd half I was disappointed not to have won the game. The amount of possession we had after a turgid first half an hour or so was, whilst not quite of Barcelona height levels of dominance, as high as I’ve seen us have this term so far. Yet, in spite of all the possession and territory, apart from a comfortable save towards the end of the first half, Dave McCartney in the Aveley goal wasn’t stretched. It was the 'siege' of Tobruk.

To Aveley’s credit, they made life difficult for us, particularly after going ahead through a superb drive from Sean Bonnett-Johnson that I thought Berkley did quite well to get a hand to, even if he did only help the ball into the top corner of the net. The goal came about, not for the first time this season, after a run from deep by an opponent (in this case the lively Abs Thompson) that was unchecked by the retreating Hendon defence and as the ball fell some 25 or so yards out it was met with interest (and then some) by the Aveley enforcer.

Eliott Charles and Greg Ngoyi were fit enough at last to take their places on the Hendon substitutes bench but Frank Sinclair, James Parker and Mauro Vilhete were all unavailable. Dave Diedhiou moved to right back, Michael Peacock replaced Sinclair, Carl McCluskey came into midfield and Jerome Federico made his first start for the club providing support to Isaiah Rankin, who once again worked his socks off up front.

A lively first start for Jerome Federico provided much of Hendon's weekend threat

As I’ve already said, the first half hour was a turgid, boring, dull affair full of overhit long balls and powder-puff efforts on goal. Neither goalkeeper was needed save for mopping up a few loose balls and taking goal kicks. I’ve said before that I don’t have an issue with Hendon playing long. It can be a sensible tactic, especially when Charles is up front but when he isn’t up top to hit, then the ball needs to be aimed into channels for the likes of Vilhete when fit, and on Saturday Jerome Federico to use their pace on. All too often in that opening spell, the ball was hit too straight and picked out no one but the opposition goalkeeper.

Aveley played some neat stuff, prompted by the neat and tidy presence of Joe Keith at number 8 and the pace of two genuine out and out wide players in Thompson and Evans Kouassi augmenting the burly figure of Ellis Remy at number 9. Although lively, the visitors threat was limited. Remy lobbed tamely wide of the target and Ryan Wharton bravely blocking a powerful effort from either Keith or Paul Shave (my memory has failed at this point).

The Greens finally came alive late in the half when Federico, who was impressive throughout with his direct running, skill and intelligent use of the ball ran at the Aveley back four and curled a shot from the edge of the box no more than a couple of feet past the flying McCartney’s left hand post. Rankin then lobbed McCartney after seizing on Harry Milton’s casual back header, and landed the ball on the roof of the net. Whilst the number 9 would probably have scored if he had gone low, the ball didn’t really come down for him and he had to improvise. Elliott Godfrey fired a powerful volley glancing against the crossbar on its way over the top after a corner hadn’t been cleared before Federico forced the save from the Aveley custodian. Had Hendon taken one of these openings in the last 10-15 minutes of the half, I think we would have gone on to claim all three points.

We didn’t score and we didn’t go on to claim all three points. We played some pretty intricate stuff in the 2^nd half, keeping the ball well and probing, but found the Aveley back line able to deal comfortable with what they were faced with. Charles and Ngoyi were both introduced, and although the former equalised with 6 minutes remaining, remaining onside long enough to nod Darren Currie’s sumptuous (and it really was) cross that was arced towards the far post yelling ‘NOD ME IN!’ at the top of its voice. Charles did, for his 5^th goal of the season, and we expected a tumultuous crescendo of pressure as the game approached its conclusion.

Despite our best efforts, it never really transpired that way. Not even the late late introduction of Junior Lewis some 12 and a half years after his previous competitive outing for the Greens could affect proceedings. Indeed, Aveley could have snatched the points late on when Daniel Francis turned a low right wing cross just over the top of Berkley’s goal. In actual fact, Aveley provided a real threat going forward on the break – Kouassi in particular had two or three decent openings after excellent runs but could only leather the ball over the covered terracing behind the goal instead of into the top corner of the net.

Junior in familiar coaching pose

I think on balance a point apiece was fair enough. The feelings of disappointment soon evaporated as the realisation dawned on me that really, we didn’t do enough with our possession to warrant anything more. Aveley will battle hard in their fight against the drop, that much is obvious, but I am not sure whether there are four sides that will finish below them. Certainly, I thought Leatherhead were a better side a few weeks ago, but of course, I’m only basing my thoughts on the evidence of one look at either side. There are some decent people involved at Aveley, and Lee Hodges seems to want his side to try and play football as well as scrap and fight for every available point. I can get right behind that kind of idea and hope dearly that when we travel to Field Mill on the last day of the season, that the Millers are safe from relegation and we have our play-off spot guaranteed. Wishful thinking perhaps…

Player Ratings

1.Berkley Laurencin – Overall quite a quiet match for the Hendon custodian who had little chance of keeping the goal out. Otherwise commanding and solid. 6/10

2. Dave Diedhiou – Played at right back and gave his most commanding performance for a few weeks. Dealt reasonably well with the pacy threat of Evans Kouassi and got forward to support the attack when able to. 7

3. Scott Cousins – Defended well, his ability to time challenges has been tested quite a lot this season and he rarely comes off 2^nd best. Linked up well with Darren Currie down the left flank at times. 7

4. Ryan Wharton – Yet another excellent performance by the number 4. As well as his ability both on the ground and in the air, I was really impressed with his reading of the game that on half a dozen occasions enabled him to avert danger. 8

5. Michael Peacock – Defended pretty well, did well in the air and on the deck. Was guilty at times of being a little casual in possession though. 6

6. Carl McCluskey – Quite an industrious performance in a more central role than usual. Some lovely touches in the 2^nd half and a couple of purposeful runs, much more his old self after a few weeks of struggle. 7

7. Kevin Maclaren – I’ve been impressed with Kevin Mac recently. Quietly and efficiently patrols the midfield, passes the ball simply, but well and breaks up the opposition’s rhythm in midfield very well. 7

8. Elliott Godfrey – Unlucky in the first half to see his powerful volley glance off the crossbar, and used the ball well in his role wide on either flank. Lively performance. 7

9. Isaiah Rankin – Worked tirelessly again up front chasing lost causes and unsettling the two big Aveley centre halves. Some touches of real class, perhaps will be disappointed not to have scored in the first half. 6

10. Darren Currie – Got a good look at him in the 2^nd half as he played down the right flank. On a couple of occasions he sent more than one defender the wrong way with a body swerve. Worked hard, provided the goal with a delightful cross. Classy. 7

11. Jerome Federico -  The liveliest attacking threat of the afternoon. Ran directly with pace, showed some purpose and was unlucky not to come away with a goal. Impressive. 8

Subs

12. Elliott Charles – Infuriatingly caught offside three or four times in good positions again, but nodded home the equaliser for his 5^th goal of the season. 6

14. Greg Ngoyi – Really pleased to see Greg back in action and showed his intent within seconds of his introduction with a powerful shot that was blocked. Looked lively and interested. 6

17. Junior Lewis – Late introduction, showed an unlikely turn of pace to chase a defender down though.

Star Man: Jerome Federico

Match Rating: 6/10

Verdict: A good point for Aveley, this may turn out to be a decent one for Hendon come the end of the season. I doubt we would have gained the point 3 or 4 weeks ago and with players slowly coming back to fitness, hopefully we can have a good seasonal period.

Four Good Points, Aveley Approaching and RIP Steve Cheesewright

After the defeat against Leatherhead a few weeks ago I said that the next five matches, all against title and play off challengers could end up making or breaking our season. At that point, having lost at home to the Tanners, Met Police and only drawn with Horsham, anyone offering me a return from those five matches of 7 points would have received a warm hug and maybe even a little peck on the cheek. By and large, the performances since the first whistle against Canvey Island have shown a vast improvement on what we witnessed prior to that. It is perhaps telling that in these last five matches, Gary Mac has by and large been able to field a pretty settled XI. The injury situation seems to have settled down a little and the additions of Mauro Vilhete, Frank Sinclair and Darren Currie does seem to have had a slightly galvanising effect on things.

As a result, we see ourselves going into December sat in 5^th position having played 18 league matches already. Barring a winter of epic proportions, fixture congestion ought not to be an issue this term. We have two cup competitions to come and ought to be able to fully concentrate of making progress in each of them so quiet optimism has been renewed, particularly when you consider Aveley, Tooting & Mitcham and East Thurrock United make up our next run of league fixtures. I am hesitant to start setting targets and making predictions because as we’ve already seen this season, the league table means absolutely nothing on the pitch.

Our week began with a solid performance at Cray Wanderers whose season up until now had largely matched ours. A great start followed by a slightly rougher patch and then some signs again of life. Remarkably, Cray were able to name 3 players in their starting XI with hat-tricks to their names this season already, and a fourth on the bench. They promised a stern test of Hendon’s back four and to their credit, they responded excellently. Indeed, the Greens had the better of proceedings after the break and could have taken home the three points had Andy Walker, replacement for Dave King in goal for Cray this season, produced an outstanding save from Vilhete, who himself had struck the inside of the post minutes earlier in pursuit of his first goal in a Hendon shirt. He won’t come any closer than that. In the end, a point apiece was a fair reflection of an absorbing encounter and the clean sheet was a big boost.

52:45 hours later and it was back off East of St. Pauls to Upminster to take on the in-form Urchins of Bridge Avenue. Unbeaten in their previous 9 matches in all competitions and with their front two of Martin Tuohy and Lewis Smith having scored 19 league goals between them (Hendon’s entire total for the season stood before the game at 22) everything pointed to a home banker. Admittedly, and perhaps inexplicably considering the fact that two of the architects of Thurrock’s dominance over everything Hendon in Jimmy MacFarlane and Colin McBride are heavily involved at AFC Hornchurch, our record against the Urchins is good, unbeaten in our previous four meetings.

It wasn’t backs to the wall stuff by any stretch of the imagination, but a performance full of defensive discipline and threat on the counter attack. The only goal of the game came at the end of the first quarter when Elliott Godfrey’s low drive from 20 yards skidded past Joe Woolley in the Hornchurch goal. Try as they might, the home side were unable to break down the visitor’s defence and Berkley Laurencin was able to enjoy his 7^th blank sheet of the season in his 14^th match. Sinclair in particular drew many of the plaudits amongst the 3.14159265 away fans trying in vain to make themselves heard above the 500 home fans thronging amassed in the crowd of 187 as Hendon completed what was probably their best result since the victory at Carshalton. When the report on the Urchins website grudgingly concedes that Hendon deserved the three points, you know you’ve done well. (Thanks to AFC Hornchurch for the video below)

Tomorrow we welcome struggling Aveley to Vale Farm. The corresponding fixture last season saw the Millers pick up their first points against Hendon at the fourth attempt with an impressive and committed showing winning 2-1. It was one of the least impressive performance by the Greens that I witnessed last season, and the hope is that tomorrow is very different. Having received the annual reprieve from relegation regularly handed out to the side finishing 19^th in the division, Carl Griffiths was looking forward to a season away from the relegation zone. Unfortunately for the former Leyton Orient man, things didn’t work out and the end of October saw the end of his tenure. Replacing him is former West Ham, Billericay and Thurrock man Lee Hodges and his first game in charge saw his charges pick up a 2-1 win over fellow strugglers Horsham. He has been quick to bring in his own players with Danny Smith, Joe Keith, Jamie Richards and Rikki Burbridge all making their debuts against the Hornets. However, a surprise 2-1 defeat in the Essex Senior Cup to Witham Town will have provided a quick reminder as to the size of the job on hand. However, the Millers currently sit in 18^th place, 3 points ahead of 19^th placed Concord Rangers but having played more games than the three sides immediately below them in the table. They will be scrapping for everything tomorrow and we will need to make sure we match them for commitment first and foremost if we are going to come away with anything. 3 more points would do us very nicely.

In sadder news, it was announced that regular Hendon fan Steve Cheesewright passed away earlier in the week following a 2 year battle with cancer. I didn’t know Steve well, but he was a familiar face on the terraces at Claremont Road in particular. Clearly his illness restricted his attendance over the last couple of years but he was still able to come when he was able to, even to the match at Luton only a few short weeks ago. Aged just 30, the following excerpt that was posted on Facebook pays tribute to him better than I ever could.

"Steve passed away peacefully yesterday after his 2 year battle with cancer, his family were with him when he died and he was comfortable. Steve was a very much loved son, grandson, friend, brother and daddy and will be missed by so many."

My thoughts are with his family at this very difficult and sad time, I know his huge smiling face will be much missed on the terraces behind the goals by all who came into contact with him in the common pursuit of Green glory. RIP Steve.

3 points in his memory tomorrow would be a fitting tribute.

It was 14 years ago today... (Looking Back to Leyton Orient)

That Hendon taught the Orient how to play…

Let us take a step backwards in time to my proudest moment as a Hendon fan. Today marks the 14^th anniversary of the club’s FA Cup 1^st Round Replay win at Brisbane Road against Leyton Orient. Our previous season’s road to Ninian Park had seen us exempted to the 4^th Qualifying Round of the FA Cup in the 1997/8 season and two Colin Simpson goals had been enough to see off St. Albans City at Clarence Park to set up a place in the 1^st Round proper. This was in the days,  if I recall correctly, where the 1^st round draw would take place at 5pm on the Saturday afternoon. The cheers in the bar as we were drawn at home to near neighbours Leyton Orient was something else. A great draw, and the excitement began.

Orient, with sports promoter Barry Hearn even then at the helm, swiftly offered the Blues, as we were in those days, the chance to switch the tie to Brisbane Road with the guarantee of a crowd in excess of 5,000. Thankfully, Ivor Arbiter declined the invitation, instead choosing to bring the ‘giants’ from North East London to Claremont Road and letting them sweat things out in our cramped little changing rooms. The game was all ticket, the game was moved forward to 2pm on Police advice with countless other matches taking place in the capital on the same day. I remember well the feeling walking up Claremont Road from Brent Cross tube station talking to a couple of pessimistic O’s fans. Previous seasons had seen them humbled by Non League opposition at the first hurdle, the fear was that history would once again repeat itself.

Choosing to enter the ground through the rarely used turnstile at the Shopping Centre end, there was already a good crowd in. Portaloos had been brought in and lined the top of the terracing at that end, and the walk around to the banqueting suite end was something to savour. By the time the gates closed, there were 2,421 fans in the ground, it was a great sight seeing so many people packed into the ground, sadly a sight that was all too rare.

Hendon 2-2 Leyton Orient – Saturday 15^th November 1997

Let's all do the Simpson - Gary Mac shows Paul Hyde how to do it

After 50 seconds, the writing seemed to be on the wall. A ball into the box was headed clear only for the waiting Dean Smith (if memory serves) to smash the ball back past Gary McCann to give the away side the lead. Those of us congregated behind Macca’s goal perhaps feared the worst, but remained hopeful. Hope turned to murky misty glee when we realised that at the far end a bit later our friend from his days at Hayes - Paul Hyde, the Orient custodian had thumped his clearance against the onrushing Colin Simpson and was left helpless as the ball sailed over his head in the gloomy North London sky and into the back of the net. It wasn’t until we saw Simpson wheeling away with his shirt halfway over his head that we realised we were back in the game. Orient took the lead again on the stroke of half time, and although the action happened right in front of my nose I simply can’t remember who scored or how they did it. Never mind that though, our story has yet to get going.

After the break, Hendon were outstanding. Freddie Hyatt gave what the watching former Chelsea legend Alan Hudson described as the ‘perfect inside forward performance’ and was unfortunate not to score from a free kick that forced Hyde into a tip over. Roared on by a vocal following, reward came when John-Simon White’s cross to the far post found Simpson unmarked. The number 9 simply stooped, and nodded the ball inside the far post beyond Hyde’s somewhat limited attempts to keep the ball out. At the final whistle, supplied by former top flight referee and current County Championship umpire Martin Bodenham, the away side blew a sigh of relief at still being in the competition and attention moved on to the replay in 10 days time.

Team: Gary McCann, John-Simon White, Simon Clarke, Paul Kelly, Richard Nugent, Steve Bateman, Steve Heard, Freddie Hyatt, Colin Simpson (Tony Lynch), Tony Kelly (Matt Howard), Junior Lewis

Sub not used: Curtis Warmington

Tommy Taylor, the Orient manager boldly and publically proclaimed after the match that Hendon had missed their chance and that Orient would probably win the replay 5-0. Hearn meanwhile admitted his relief that they were still in the hat saying ‘I thought we would score six, especially after taking the lead.’ Frank Murphy got wind of this, and needed little to add to prepare his charges for the return. On top of that, Taylor made an approach for two goal hero Simpson, who wasn’t under contract and could thus move within 7 days of any approach being made. So although not illegal, it looked like a deliberate attempt to unsettle the player and destabilise Hendon’s preparations for the replay. Taylor would get his man in the end, but not before Hendon’s interest in the competition came to an end.

Leyton Orient 0-1 Hendon: Tuesday 25^th November 1997

Brisbane Road at this time was a three sided arena much in the style of Dean Court or the Kassam Stadium is these days as it was undergoing redevelopment. The 4-500 Hendon fans were crammed into a section of the main stand, at the corner of the ground at the stand-free end and were in great voice. I felt nervous, even more so than the first time around. I thought our chance had probably gone, but at the same time, felt that Orient were beatable.

It felt like 90 minutes of bombardment. Wave after wave of ball flew in and around the Hendon 6 yard box yet they were repelled by a heroic effort form everyone concerned. Steve Bateman and Matt Howard were about eight foot tall on the evening and when they were beaten, Gary Mac wasn’t. He gave a truly commanding performance in goal making a number of excellent claims and one or two top draw saves as well. Simpson had the opportunity to give Hendon a first half lead and further endear himself to his future employers when he was played through on goal and although he beat Hyde, he also narrowly beat the far post.

The moment came in the 2^nd half and was a genuinely classy goal. The ball fell about 15 yards inside the Orient half and was controlled by Hyatt. A shimmy and a step over later, all of which was bought for full price by his marker, the ball was spread wide to John-Simon White who was steaming (literally and figuratively) as only he could down the right flank before sending a nectarine of a cross onto the forehead of the onrushing Junior Lewis, about 15 yards out who sent the ball fizzing past the flailing Hyde and into the roof of the net. The enclosure we were packed into erupted. I couldn’t believe it, we were ahead at a Division 3 club. I’d never felt anything like it. People were hugging eachother as if they were part of the same family rather than a load of strangers brought together by a common purpose. That was nothing though compared to what came less than half an hour later.

I can’t tell you how long the closing stages dragged on for. Every minute felt like ten. The pressure the home side put us under was immense, but somehow we held out. Refrains of ‘In Dublin’s Fair City’ rang out somewhat nervously as the frustration grew amongst the home fans with every overhit ball forward that Gary Mac was able to mop up. When the final whistle finally sounded, the place went mad. Taylor and his charges were booed from the pitch whilst the Hendon players and coaching staff came and celebrated in front of us. The scenes were immense, fantastic and unbeknown to us, being played out live on Radio 5 Live. This side had just written themselves into Hendon folklore along with the Amateur Cup, Isthmian championship, Barassi Cup winning, Newcastle United and Reading humbling sides of the 60s and 70s. It was a wonderful time to be a Hendon fan and one that hasn’t been matched for me since.

Team:  Gary McCann, John-Simon White, Simon Clarke, Paul Kelly, Matt Howard, Steve Bateman, Steve Heard, Freddie Hyatt, Colin Simpson (Michael Banton), Tony Kelly (Curtis Warmington), Junior Lewis

Sub Not Used: Greg Tello

The 2^nd round pitted us once again against Cardiff City at Ninian Park for the 2^nd year running, and this time we were beaten comfortably 3-1, Nas Bashir getting a second half consolation for the Tangerine clad Blues. The media glare took itself elsewhere, Richard Nugent’s teddy cried himself to sleep and we were left with the league and Puma Cup to focus our attentions on.

This FA Cup run still lives on fresh in the memory, it’s hard to believe that it was 14 years ago that the pinnacle of my time as a Hendon fan was reached. It feels like about 3 have passed. But in that time a lot of water has passed under the bridge, Gary Mac, Freddie and Junior have moved from being part of that great few weeks on the pitch to being integral, important parts of the club off the pitch now. Enough with the looking back though, time to look ahead…

In Debt To…Or Why Rich Benefactors Frighten Me

Sometimes, fans run clubs and disciples of the fans owned model are sometimes seen as sanctimonious little oafs who see themselves as holier than thou. On occasion there is perhaps some truth to this but with news of Farnborough F.C.’s alleged debt of £1.7million, which would be a staggering amount for a League 1 or 2 club never mind a Blue Square South side, breaking less than four and a half years after their formation following the liquidation of Farnborough Town F.C in the summer of 2007, I can’t help but think there is an awful lot of credence to these claims.

Farnborough aren’t the first club to be in peril and I would be enormously surprised if they were the last, this season even, to announce in roundabout ways that their immediate future is in severe doubt. The name of Spencer Day, the differently named but same man who drove Aldershot to their death in the early 90s, would do little to allay my fears. Some players who played under him at Chertsey Town have made some very interesting comments about him on Twitter.

Clubs seem to be going to the wall far more regularly these days with unpaid debts, in particular to Her Majesty, than they ever did in the past, and the really difficult thing is that in many cases, the writing has been on the wall to many outsiders long before the fan has been struck by faecal matter.  Hornchurch, Telford United, Rushden & Diamonds, Windsor & Eton, Leyton, Chester City, Halifax Town, Ilkeston Town, Gresley Rovers, King’s Lynn, Enfield, Leigh RMI / Genesis, Farsley Celtic, Berkhamsted Town, Edgware Town, Fisher Athletic, Newcastle Blue Star, Withdean 2000, all clubs which in the past six or seven years have been forced out of business due to financial difficulties. Not all of these clubs have been reliant on one man’s money, but many have.  Some have since reformed under a different name, some clubs have disappeared sadly for good.

Of course, this list doesn’t include those clubs who it is known are trying to recover from near financial oblivion, or who are sailing close to the wind as I type. Truro City, Croydon Athletic, Lewes, Harlow Town to name just a few. Can you imagine how hard being a Weymouth fan over the last few years must have been? Not so much a roller-coaster ride as a free-fall from 20,000 feet without a parachute. I’ve lost count of the number of owners they have had in the period since Ian Ridley and Steve Claridge left the club, I’ve lost count of the number of times there have been headlines surrounding the club and their parlous financial state. No matter who is holding the purse strings, the story seems to be the same. Likewise Lewes. Thankfully for the Sussex side, their transition into Community ownership looks now to be paying dividends, and long may it continue.

To the Terras’ credit, they have at least gone about things the right way on the pitch and taken their relegations on the chin and on the pitch. Accepting the beatings they handed out on the way up the pyramid as they return downwards. I don’t mind admitting it infuriating me when a club loses their main benefactor and is then able to pick and choose the level they play at. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to see a club put out of business, but I don’t think beating all and sundry whilst paying out wages that can’t be sustained in the long term and then choosing to play 3 divisions lower when the moneymen leave, rather than slashing their playing budget to £0 if absolutely necessary and accepting a couple of years of doom and gloom whilst returning to a level where they are able to sustain a side is a particularly fulfilling way of going about things. Of course, Canvey Island and Grays Athletic have done this in recent seasons after the departures of Jeff King and Mick Woodward respectively. Canvey were offered a place in the Premier Division of the Ryman League and chose instead to try their luck at Division 1 North. That reprieved Hendon from a first ever relegation in their history, and quite frankly, I was embarrassed to have not been relegated because we deserved nothing less. Of course I don’t know the ins and outs of things financially at either club but I can’t help but think that they both chose the easy way out.

Since the Hendon Supporters Trust took full control of Hendon as a debt free operation (all debts to the Arbiter Group I believe being covered by the money they would make from the sale of the freehold of Claremont Road) I have often wrestled with what I would want to happen if a man with a large wallet arrived on his silver horse offering us terraces paved with bronze. I enjoyed the years of football under Ivor Arbiter’s ownership, but the simple truth is that we were paying out more than we could afford to on player wages. The Supporters Trust’s submission last year to the CMS Select Committee as part of their investigation into Football Governance in England cited the case of one player’s wages only just being covered by the gate receipts for that season. Considering the figures quoted would make one’s mind boggle in today’s terms, the fact that they were from 12 or 13 years ago actually defies belief. Thankfully for us fans, Ivor had the club at heart and wanted to try and take it forward onto the next level. Plenty of benefactors elsewhere have had very different motives from the shady speculative investment from Karl Williams at Hornchurch to the downright illegal payments made by Mazhar Majeed at Croydon Athletic. However, despite Ivor’s best intentions, were it not for the fact that Hendon were sat on a lucrative piece of real estate, there is no way the club would be in the position it is now.

The idea of the club going back to being the potential plaything of one man scares me absolutely rigid to be quite honest. I don’t have a problem with people wanting to spend their money on football clubs and if they do it in an organic way, putting a structure in place that can help fund the club in the long term as Danny Hunter has done at Boreham Wood for example, then that is brilliant. But alarm bells ring whenever I see a club being taken over and the new owner suddenly begins outlining his 3 or 5 year plan for Conference football or beyond. And I get angry when I see fans of these clubs saying that they’re just going to enjoy the ride while it lasts. But what when it does end? You just hop off, and exit the place without giving it a second thought? Or will you be around to try and pick up the mess That kind of attitude drives me bonkers and leaves me with a lot less sympathy for the fans’ plight when the bottom falls out of the club and they’re all plummeting towards the murky depths of oblivion. You deal with the devil, expect to be burned. At least Carshalton fans are not burying their heads in the sand as Paul Dipre massages his ego in front of ever diminishing crowds in South London.

I’m ambitious, I want Hendon to progress and challenge for promotion to the Blue Square South, I want Hendon to be able to be playing in a ground they can call their own again, even if nothing will truly replace Claremont Road. But do I want that to come at a price that could see the club die? Absolutely not. Give me two relegations fielding a bunch of 17 year olds and paying absolutely nothing but a debt free club that is still in charge of its own destiny at the end of things and able to compete at a certain level over one that enjoys a couple of promotions before being left high and dry with unsustainable debts and no option but to wither away and die. If the latter ever did happen, would I be able to support a Phoenix club? Possibly yes, but they wouldn’t ever hold the same emotional place in me that Hendon do. Any ‘A’ in AFC Hendon would simply stand for ‘artificial’.