Dave Griffiths writes...
SUNDAY THE 27TH OF JULY IMPORTANT DATE ON THE BOROUGH CALLENDER
The 27th of July is very much a big occassion for all associated with the Borough during such time it spreads its wings both far and wide, the first eleven continue their excellent build up in Pre-Season when visiting Kent league side Deal Town previous winners of the prestigious F.A.Vase for a 3pm kick-off, whilst club member Graham Dodd and his wife Annette tackle the 55 mile bike ride between London and Cambridge to raise funds for the Breakthrough Breast Cancer Charity full details of which appear on our website home page (if you can help in any way it will be much appreciated). Graham and Annette initially signed up to this most worthy of cause to honour the memory of Annettes parents we wish them encouragement every inch of the way and God speed
As regards the visit to Deal I am sure it will be a brilliant occassion and with the fixture taking place on a Sunday hopefully will attract a larger "Gate" than normal as not having to cope with the amount of competition it would if say for instance going ahead on a saturday or tuesday night the favoured evening for match play.
Dave Griffiths
BROXBOURNE BOROUGH OPPOSITION KNOWN IN F.A.CUP AFTER DRAW FOR EXTRA AND PRELIMINARY ROUNDS ANNOUNCED
ON F.A. WEBSITE
The Borough have interesting draws in this season's competition which sees a record entry of 762 clubs taking part, our involvement this time around sees an Extra Preliminary Round tie with Eagle Bitter United Counties league Premier division side Long Buckby that gives us an away tie with a side that incidently we played last season in the F.A Vase.
Long Buckby are a Northamptonshire club and the tie will take place on saturday the 16th of August with a scheduled 3pm kick off
for the winners a meeting with Dulwich Hamlet awaits in the Preliminary Round again with an away tie for the extra Prelimary round's successful club this in turn will take place on saturday the 30th of August again with this 3pm kick off
Dulwich Hamlet are a Ryman league first division South club playing at step 4 in the Non League Pyramid
Dave Griffiths
SPOTLIGHT ON ROB KEMBLE BROXBOURNE BOROUGH'S PLAYER'S PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Rob Kemble fully deserved the plaudits received at the clubs 2007/8 end of season presentation evening when voted by his fellow
first team mates as their Player's Player of the year, an honour I can vouch that is richly deserved in recognition of one of the clubs
finest servants alongside Tony Burke Rob provide's Borough with a left flank partnership that is quality in the extreme, both players will play a major role in the clubs immediate and longer termed future on the basis of what they have achieved so far with a healthy respect of each other's ability a most endearing feature at aged 21 it seems inconceivable that he now enters a sixth season with the club the vast majority of these appearances being in the favoured left back position after coming through the Goffs Lane Youth system ranks.
For my money Rob Kemble is a model of consistency and a performer who gives in excess of 100% every time he pulls on the Borough shirt, he has shown great resilience and strength of character to bounce back from a sickening ankle injury during a first half of the 2006/7 season league match at headquarters. It seemed highly unlikely at Christmas that he would play again during that campaign, but a gritty determination aligned to much hard work saw him back in action for the last couple of months, it speaks volumes that Rob has made a full recovery and looks to the future with a spring in step that typifies the Broxbourne Borough feel good factor during his time at the club many occasions have been worthy of mention but an undoubted highlight for Rob was the run to the last 16 of the F.A.Vase and the never to be forgotten 2-1 triumph over Maidstone United in the fourth round proper replay on a Goffs Lane night charged with unbelievable drama by those lucky enough to have witnessed it some few seasons back now in an interview for our popular website broxbourne-borough-fc.co.uk he confirmed the wish that the club should have a good pre-season and the basis to be properly prepared for the fast approaching Molten Spartan South Midlands league Premier division season when one of the main ingredients would be to find the consistency in our match play that deserted us on many Goffs Lane appearances last time around.
He finalised by saying the camraderia within the dressing room was tip top and looked for the club to push on and build on fine showing's produced of late that showed the ability most definitely was in an abundance if produced on a regular basis.
Dave Griffiths
SPOTLIGHT ON TONY BURKE OUR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Broxbourne Borough have one of the brightest talents in local football in Tony Burke a supremely gifted player and make no question about it an on day match winner who works superbly in tandem with Rob Kemble down our left flank, being richly deserving of recieving the prestigious Player of the Year award at the clubs presentation night at headquarters on saturday the 26th of April following the final league game at Langford.
it is an acknowledged fact that Tony is well capable of playing higher up in the Pyramid but is looking forward to an exciting new era at Goffs Lane on the back of performing in his own words on "the best playing surface in the Molten Spartan South Midlands league and within a team spirit framework second to none"
The previous 2007/8 campaign saw Tony register strikes for us out of the very top drawer alongside numerous "assists"
but despite his individual brilliance is very much a team player operating as an attacking midfielder. Aged 22 he joined up early into last season from Ryman league first division North Potters Bar Town, and whilst speaking to the club website very much hopes that from the solid base of the previous campaign we can push on this time around, but know's that it is essential to keep the present squad together to be in a position to mount a serious promotion challenge and by enjoying a good Pre-Season build up which is neccessary to this end.
Borough's visit to Blue Square South club Bishops Stortford in the Herts Senior Cup gave ample evidence of the team potential
and confirmation that the big occassion enjoyed at Woodside Park has wetted the appetitite for more of the same, players of
the quality as our left sided flank player most defiinitely belong to the provided big stage, and whilst instantly becoming a firm
favourite with the home faithful Tony Burke is a player who's all round ability will I suggest become acknowledged from much further afield in a future time.
TO THOSE WHOS CARED A HEART FELT APPRECIATION AS BOROUGH EMBRACE AN EXCITING NEW ERA
Although it is on paper the close season their is much behind the scenes activity that sees Borough gear up for the challenge of the 2008/9 Molten Spartan South Midlands league Premier division campaign with indeed a justifiable optimism, however at this time in its preceedings I wish by the medium of the club website to pay a heartfelt thank you to those who's dignity ensured we still have a Senior football club (or for that matter a team at all proudly wearing the Blue of Broxbourne Borough)
It is not my intention to mention the situation which befell our club during the previous close season because by definition it has been chronicled elsewhere in its terms of relevence, this scenario would have seen lesser men walk away but to Peter,Tony, and to those who fought so valiantly to save the club during the darkest of days you are indeed owed a debt of gratitude from us all.
I make no reservation on this matter how many times I might mention it, Broxbourne are one of the gems of our wonderful Non League game where old fashioned values still hold sway in these so called enlightened times, the Chemistry within its ranks embraces all that is good in life, people count here and that is what matters most.
The sweet smell of success on the field of play is indeed an inspiration to us all but at the same time measured by a brief that excepts defeat in same proportion of dignified surround, however to those who cared (they know as indeed I do who they are) take a bow on this occassion your actions ensured everyone as winners as light at the end of a long tunnell embraces a new dawn
previously I had made mention of this subject on www.broxbourne-borough-fc.co.uk a website gaining in its popularity every day but the zest that awaits F.A.Cup and Vase draws league fixtures etc, would not have been their for us as we take time to reflect on the unthinkable alternative.
Dave Griffiths
2008/9 PRE-SEASON VISITORS POTTON UNITED
Tuesday the 29th of July will see Bedfordshire side Potton United visit Goffs Lane and if the game is half as good as the 2-2 draw when we visited the Hollow prior to the 2007/8 campaign it should be a cracker our visitors are a well run club and compete in the Eagle Bitter United Counties league at the same step 5 level as the Borough and were formed in 1943, last season was one of transition and saw them escape the Premier division drop zone on the last league saturday of the season, with both Wooton Blue Cross and A.F.C.Kempston Rovers going down to the first division.
Potton played their last game of the campaign in the Hunts Premier Cup final (Wednesday the 14th of May) when they narrowly lost out 2-1 to Biggleswade United at the headquarters of Huntingdon United. They are affectionately known as "the Royals" and offer an excellent match day expierence (they are blessed as indeed the Borough are) with a well respected long serving Secretary and Programme editor in Bev Strong, alongside Chairman John Shipp who help to provide's the neccessary stability for indeed an excellent all round outfit.
Dave Griffiths
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT ON MARK BRENNAN
Mark has just completed his first season with us after signing up from Herts County league side Whitewebbs and typifies all that is good about Broxbourne Borough where the Chemistry within its ranks is spot on, in fact in his interview for the club website Mark made special mention of the great camraderia and team spirit at Goffs Lane during the course of the 2007/8 campaign, the highlight for him playing in his midfield role against Blue Square South Bishops Stortford where Borough really impressed in the Herts Senior Cup quarter final tie before bowing out 3-1 this at a Stadium graded for step 2 match play in the Non league Pyramid.
After the off field struggle that the club endured during this same stage 12 months ago, their is a great deal of optimism towards the 2008/9 season with the excitement of the league challenge along with the opportunity to play in the prestigious F.A.Cup and F.A.Vase competition's, Mark has a good grounding already on this after having scored for a former club Hoddesdon Town in the F.A. Youth Cup.
He finalised by saying that he has known Tony as manager for some while now and when the opportunity to sign for him came along jumped at the chance he along with all the Borough squad would look forward to the return to training at the end of June alongside the Pre-Season game build up so important in any club's preperation
Tony commented, "for me Mark Brennan has silky ball skills, and a bright future in the game, lets hope all the ambition's are realised wearing a Blue Broxbourne Borough shirt for both club and player".
Dave Griffiths
DANNY WARD
Our latest player profile for the club website spotlights a popular figure at Goffs Lane our striker Danny Ward, who has been with the club for six season's now, after former service in the Molten Spartan South Midlands league with Royston Town and Potter's Bar Town.
In total Danny has scored six "Hat Tricks" in his Borough career to date with the most recent of these coming against Welwyn Garden City, in the present campaign previous to the home league game with Chalfont St Peter on tuesday the 15th of April, he is again our leading scorer with 21 in all competitions.
At 25 Danny is a well known figure on the Spartan South Midlands scene since making his debut for Royston aged 16, and looks forward to pushing on with the Borough next time around, especially as he confirms "that with one or two addition's to our squad we could definitely mount a realistic promotion challenge"
One of the high points apart from his two "Hat Tricks" the other coming at London Colney during the present campaign, Danny cites as being "our marvellous little run in the F.A.Cup" which took in 5 games before bowing out 2-0 at Bedford Town in a first qualifying round replay but before such time we progressed through the extra Prelimary Round by virtue of drawn away game at Biggleswade United before 2-1 winners at home in the replay.
3-0 preliminary round success came at Bedford, and a 1-1 draw with Bedford Town at the first qualifying round stage this against a side playing two rungs higher in the Non League Pyramid.
In finalising Danny along with many other's agree that Broxbourne Borough's team spirit is quality that is why they are a such special club in his affection's.
Dave Griffiths
BROXBOURNE BOROUGH RESERVES A BREATH OF FRESH AIR
One of the most endearing features of our 2007/8 season has been the contribution made by Mark's excellent Reserve side
which culminated on Wednesday night (16th April) with their sealing of the Spartan South Midlands League Reserve division two East Championship, and also for good measure reaching the Herts Intermediate Cup Semi-final when they lost out to its winner for the previous two season's Kings Langley.
During this run to the County Cup semi's they put out amongst other's sides playing a division higher such as Hertford Town Reserves and Leverstock Green Reserves a marvellous achievement by any standards, but all the more praiseworthy in their first season together as a side, to this end all credit is due to Mark as team manager alongside his assistant boss Matt Kearney and to all the players in their efforts in making all this possible, none more so than Micky Nathen with 8 goals in the final two matches a "Hat Trick " against Ampthill Town Reserves and 5 in the 6-0 win over Kentish Town Reserves.
Nuts and bolts see Borough winning the Championship with 55 points from their 24 games 18 which were won, 1 draw, and 5 defeats with 87 goals scored and 30 against (this in itself was worth another point as being the best in the division)
runners up were Brache Sparta Reserves on 53 points.
Dave Griffiths
Bradley Drisdale
One of the very best Broxbourne Borough signing's has been our talented right sided wing man who initially came to Goffs Lane from fellow Molten Spartan South Midlands league side Haringey Borough during the second half of last season and became an instant crowd favourite.
Bradley's pace and quality supply of ammunition in to our strikers has played a major role in our much improved league form over the previous campaign and carried on this time around despite the problems endured during the close season which could well have
derailed our progression. In a interview for the clubs website Bradley confirmed that our excellent showing in the F.A Cup earlier in the term alongside that provided against Bishops Stortford in the Herts Senior Cup gave great confidence booster's to both himself and the team in general by competing on the big stage successfully against outfits such as Bedford Town playing two rung's higher at step 3 in the Non league Pyramid where a 1-1 Goffs Lane draw followed a 2-0 reverse in the First qualifying round replay that did not fully reflect our contribution to an excellent effort at the New Eyrie.
The turn of the new year found great pride in performance for Bradley in the quality Borough showing against Bishops Stortford that proved to all and sundry that playing a Blue Square South outfit this time three rungs higher in the pecking order in their own Woodside Park back yard, was a challenge taken successfully head on which provided the belief to take into the league action, that sees us nicely placed but very much looking to push on if the squad can be kept together in the close season.
Asked for his view on next time around his view was the same as many other senior players the need to have a good Pre-Season and not to have its preperation blighted by the loss of two important build up fixtures that was of consequence not ideal in the build up to this one. At aged 20 Bradley has a great future in the game but is prepared to pledge the 2008/9 campaign to Borough if we can push on and build from the platform provided thus far. He finalised by saying he enjoyed the great camraderia at the club, and alongside his teammates benefitted from playing on the best surface in the league and that his wish was for more local people to get involved and help take the club forward into a bright new era.
BROXBOURNE BOROUGH PRE-SEASON 2008/9 A CAUSE FOR OPTIMISM BUT ALSO NEED FOR CAUTIOUS
REFLECTION
With the present season moving towards its conclusion albeit with a considerable amount of match play still to be contested, thoughts turn very much to the planning of the 2008/9 campaign as regards to its Pre-season build up, and in this respect we look long and hard towards this time, because due to the politically incorrect actions of certain parties our preperation during the last two build ups has been severely blighted. This time around Broxbourne Borough will have the need to deal exclusively with clubs who are known to them by good practice and association of individual person and club verification of the highest order, which I know that both John as Secretary and Tony as manager will have the full imput toward the build up remit full advertisement of what is on offer will be displayed at the earliest of opportunity but as their is no governing body protection from the percentage of "Cowboys" who populace our game today with their lack of integrity and firm belief in " Cherry picking" as being an acceptable norm practice as just one example of being as it were "economical with the truth" but at the same time keeping all their respective options open, at the expense of those who least can afford to be the recipients of their poor social grace
Broxbourne Borough are a decent club who treat all and sundry with a reverence that is indeed of a refreshing nature, but this time around will be on their guard towards the lack of respectful involvement which does not lend to a trend of isolated case minority, it seems the day of the given word although holding up well amongst parties of high morale standing no longer holds sway in its entirety of the lesser principled.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHTS:
BRADLEY POOLE
One of the best signings for the Borough for some considerable passage of time has been right sided player Bradley Poole who joined up from fellow Hertfordshire outfit Royston Town and before that Ryman league first division North club Potters Bar Town earlier during the present campaign. After waiting patiently for his opportunity to break into the Goffs Lane sides first team he has turned in many cultured performances to date and showed his class and undoubted all round qualities in the Herts Senior Cup quarter final tie against Bishops Stortford at the Blue Square South clubs Woodside Park headquarters where Borough took them almost to the wire in the 3-1 defeat on the night that did them the utmost of credit.
The recent 2-1 Goffs Lane success over Hertford Town in league action being another occasion when Bradley gave a big performance with his expert goalline interventions saving us on more than one occassion during such recent time he has become an assured first eleven regular. He cites the all round feel good factor of the Broxbourne Borough set up to be instrumental in his signing not the least of these being the opportunity to play on a regular basis arguably the best playing surface in the Molten Spartan South Midlands league alongside partaking in a team spirit second to none and look's to stay with us and work towards next campaign's concerted push towards a club on field promotion.
OBEY MUREFU
December 2007 saw Obey sign up from Herts County league side Whitewebbs and has since made the first team goalkeeping jersey his own on the back of some excellent performances and works hard at his game with keeper Coach Jason Henderson to maintain the excellent standards set so far. Following an interview for the Borough website Obey confirmed his praise for the noteworthy efforts of a well organised club making the valid point that everyone was pulling together in the right direction and that he was indeed enjoying his football with the Goffs Lane outfit and benefitting from proper training and well organised match play.
Obey has indeed an impressive C.V with full International Honours gained with the Zimbabween F.A. during the mid 1990's during such time he made 8 appearences in qualifiers for the Sydney Olympics alongside African Nations Cup qualifying rounds against the likes of Nigeria, Angola, and Uganda, he was also understudy to former Liverpool keeper Bruce Grobeller on National team duty.
He confirmed that big occassion games did not faze him, and looked forward to their presented challenge as he so expertly
carried out to the letter against Bishops Stortford in the Herts Senior Cup, against a team playing three rungs higher in the
Non League Pyramid pecking order one more claim to fame by our impressive custodian was to see get his name on the scoresheet with a wind assisted kick in the recent 5-1 away win at Ruislip Manor in the Molten Spartan South Midlands league Premier division
KEVIN THURGOOD A BROXBOURNE BOROUGH MAN FOR ALL SEASONS
Broxbourne Borough football club have "real football people" in their club membership and Kevin Thurgood most definitely comes into this category and is a very poular character on the Goffs Lane scene, after originally joining up by an almalgamation of junior side Broxbourne Saints coming under our respective wing. Apart from providing a friendly face to welcome all and sundry at headquarters, Kevin's contribution is of immense proportion and therefore term him as being a Borough man for all season's, it is difficult to know where to start to name his attributes towards our collective well being so we will go first to one of his main labour of love's our under 17/18 side playing in the Sunday Mid Herts Rural Minors league.
Kevin talks with great affection of his team who play the majority of their home matches at a venue known as "the dip" further up Goffs Lane but literally within a wind assisted goal kick of a main ground that proudly stages its important Cup ties or the like on a surface that is still the envy of the Molten Spartan South Midlands league for Senior side duty when I asked him what one real advancement he would prefer from its Youth side set up, the answer came back immediately that of the wish for parents of players to become involved in its Senior sides at the end of their tenure as it provided a springboard of continuity and a platform for them to stay within a Borough environment they enjoyed and were comfortable with finance of course is a major listed article but a large proportion of necessary Junior side fees comes in the wake of Kevin giving his time freely to provide teas coffee's Burger's etc at home games which not only sees a far greater appreciation of our match day experience, but the profits from his not inconsiderable labour's helping to keep the Youth side up and running, to the common good and enjoyment of us all originally time was served as representative for the Youth section but now sitting on the full executive Council of our Senior side with great distinction.
Broxbourne Borough are the genuine article as far as I am concerned, this view gathers momentum with the passing of time that caters for a genuine desire to compete on the biggest stage available, but without losing sight of acceptence of victory in equal proportion, to that of taking defeat on the chin with the same good grace, that seems to become in todays changing world spread much more thinly on the ground than in a previous revered past time. Kevin Thurgood and others of like minded principal make this a special club to be at and I thank them whole heartedly for that, last but by no means least, can I put my regular burger order in for the Chalfont St Peter game in advance as indeed a list of well satisfied patrons do on almost a standing order basis, cheers mate, you brighten up our match days long may it continue
Dave Griffiths
Our latest player profile for the club website spotlights a popular figure at Goffs Lane our striker Danny Ward, who has been with the club for six season's now, after former service in the Molten Spartan South Midlands league with Royston Town and Potter's Bar Town.
In total Danny has scored six "Hat Tricks" in his Borough career to date with the most recent of these coming against Welwyn Garden City, in the present campaign previous to the home league game with Chalfont St Peter on tuesday the 15th of April, he is again our leading scorer with 21 in all competitions.
At 25 Danny is a well known figure on the Spartan South Midlands scene since making his debut for Royston aged 16, and looks forward to pushing on with the Borough next time around, especially as he confirms "that with one or two addition's to our squad we could definitely mount a realistic promotion challenge"
One of the high points apart from his two "Hat Tricks" the other coming at London Colney during the present campaign, Danny cites as being "our marvellous little run in the F.A.Cup" which took in 5 games before bowing out 2-0 at Bedford Town in a first qualifying round replay but before such time we progressed through the extra Prelimary Round by virtue of drawn away game at Biggleswade United before 2-1 winners at home in the replay.
3-0 preliminary round success came at Bedford, and a 1-1 draw with Bedford Town at the first qualifying round stage this against a side playing two rungs higher in the Non League Pyramid. In finalising Danny along with many other's agree that Broxbourne Borough's team spirit is quality that is why they are a such special club in his affection's.
Dave Griffiths