A mid-season report from LGFC Chairman Emma Smart.
Chairmans report – Christmas 2023
Season 23/24 seemed to start in a flash this year after finishing the previous quite late due to our success in the St Mary’s Cup. The first half of this season has been very difficult off the pitch but, on the pitch, we have been lucky to witness some great football. Before I talk about football, I must mention the tough start to September that everyone at the club had to go through.
The worst thing happened when we sadly lost Dean Bradford, our club Secretary, very suddenly. Whilst arriving at an away game in Shefford, I was told the devastating news about Dean, and this turned out to be one of the hardest days as my role as Chairman but also as Dean’s friend. The club came together during this tough time for each other but also for Dean’s family. Dean we will remember you fondly and you will always be in our hearts.
On the Pitch
For the first time in 7/8 seasons the club decided to run a Development side for this season, allowing players to take the step from the Under 18s into the men’s game and then into the first team. This was a new venture for many of us but was going to be exciting as we started the new season.
The first team started training early as normal and pushed on into Pre-Season games. A lot of old faces were back, and we welcomed a few new ones also. Pre-season went well with 5 out of 7 wins and scoring quite a few goals made us look very much forward to the start of the season. The lads had a mix bag from August to October, winning just as many games as we lost, with a little visit to Walthamstow in the FA where we were very unlucky not to win, although the scoreline would suggest different.
Middle of October rolls round and we push on with 6 games unbeaten only to fall at the hurdle against Harpenden. Next up we faced a difficult couple of games against a very good MK Irish and a hardworking physical FC Romania, coming out with 4 points out of the 6 available. The weather has since got the better of us but as Christmas rolls around, we have some very local games to look out including Dunstable, Colney Heath, Crawley Green and Tring Athletic.
The First team are currently sitting in a very respectable 4th place for the first half of the season which keeps us all very excited for the next 4 months ahead.
The Development Team stepped straight into the Herts County League Premier Division for their first season at Leverstock. A big step but one we all grabbed with both hands. It’s been a very up and down start to the season for the lads and the management team, as we unfortunately had to make a change in management mid-way through as we bought in the new management team of Andy Murray and Steve Newing.
The Development Team’s results have been varied over the first half of the season, but they have been able to show their abilities. We’ve played very well against some of the top sides, just narrowly losing out to Belstone just before Christmas in a 2-1 defeat and winning important games to hopefully keep pushing us above that line. I’m excited to see what this team builds on for the remainder of the season.
The Under 18’s have also had a very varied start to the season with results not showing the effort and abilities that this group of players have between them. We started this season with a new Management team in Aaron, Dan Renton and Dan Sadler which introduced players from last season’s EJA U16 team and some remaining players from the season before.
A highlight for all the lads I’m sure was the brilliant away win at Barnet which was so well deserved with the performance of the season so far. They are such a great bunch of players and I’m very much looking forward to seeing the second half of the season and seeing where these lads will end up.
Off the Pitch
Off the pitch work is never ending as normal and this year was no different. We worked hard to finish some summer jobs around the club and the grounds team worked incredibly hard to get the pitch ready in a very short space of time.
We started off the season in the same way as we left last with regards to the Officers and welcomed a few new faces to the committee, making the committee the largest it has been in about 7 years. It’s a pleasure to welcome new committee members and allow them to see why we all do what we do.
A thank you to Lords again for signing up for another season with us as our main club Sponsor, providing all the kits for the first team and under 18s. We also welcomed Condell’s who come on as the Sponsors for the Development Team, thank you again for all your support.
A huge thank you to all the sponsors that have come on board this year with board signs, donations, and package deals, we are so grateful for your support.
A massive thank you to the Management teams, Players, Officers and Committee members for their hard work and effort as always, allowing the club to push forward in the way we all believe it can. The Supporters for watching us in the sunshine, cold, wind and rain and supporting all the teams equally. The Bar and Tea Bar staff for all your hard work and to the backroom staff, I thank you.
I’m very excited to see the remainder of this season with opportunities for Leverstock to progress further than before, changes going on to the facilities and changes in the backroom staff, stay with us as we all go through these exciting times.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
Your Chairman Emma