Report

After a great deal of planning, preparation and effort to start the Youth section of the Salvation Army Football Club, the first season has just been completed in competitive non-competitive football! How the time has flown and how the players have progressed as players and as people.

With Sam Palmer and Luke Davies-Stokes unavailable due to a Cubs camp and with Tyler Dade also not available the two games were played with only one rolling substitute each. However, the Army were playing away to Claydon and Claydon play in blue. That could only mean one thing. Yes, we were playing in the orange shirts, time for total football, Dutch style. Right from the off the Army looked in control of the game. After scoring his first goal for the club last week Tyler Mallett was getting his tackles in on the left of midfield. It was Max Moye who opened the scoring darting on to a loose ball and angling it back across the keeper. He then doubled his tally after some great work by Jack Wharton-Richardson (JWR), whose run through the Claydon midfield and defence fell nicely to Max who swivelled a left foot drive past the keeper.

Meanwhile, Claydon had some very good players of their own but when danger occurred in the Army defence Jack Denny was on hand to sweep up with ruthless efficiency. Indeed Jack’s play was so assured that not only was he sweeping up but bringing the ball out of defence as he was doing so and distributing the ball forward. Time and again throughout the game whenever Claydon threatened Denny calmly and assuredly dealt with the problem and not just by kicking the ball out of play but by creating a counter attacking break. It was great to watch him, he was worth the admission price. As ever, Denny’s example rubs off on his defensive colleagues and once again Lewis Ip showed his increasing talent by covering anything loose and again through constructive play started counter attacks with thoughtful passing.

JWR then scored a delightful third right at the end of the half. The second half saw Claydon come back into the game a little more and they had a near post shot excellently saved by Fred Mallett. From that save the ball went skyward and before the keeper got his bearings the Claydon striker neatly volleyed the rebound into the net. It was to be the only time Mallett was beaten in the game and special mention has to be made about the only recognised keeper in the club who has impressed between the posts this season.

There was a moment during the game when the referee did not react too kindly when some Army supporters were trying to help him with which direction throw ins, and dead balls were to be awarded.  As there are no linesmen in mini soccer the referee cannot be expected to see every decision correctly but he interpreted these suggestions as abuse which was unfortunate as he was having a good game but seemed to want to make an issue of something that simply wasn’t there.

Thankfully the football became the main focal point once again and JWR charged powerfully through the Claydon centre and calmly stoked the ball home for his second goal of the game. JWR was aided throughout the game by Fraser Swann whose tackling and interceptions on the right and middle of the park sent many an attack up for the Army, and his crosses will no doubt become a theme of many an Army victory throughout the forthcoming seasons such is their potency.

Perhaps the highlight of the game came with the introduction of substitute Kyle Potter. It was great to have Kyle play again following his very bad arm break.  The return got even better as he steered a fifth Army goal past the keeper and went very close to getting a brace (of goals, not for his arm), when he let rip with a scorching daisy cutter of a drive which flew just wide of the post.  Tyler Mallett also went close with a right foot drive.

During the second game the author of these reports had to deal with an unexpected matter concerning the mens team and so did not witness much of the early parts of the game but returned to hear that Archie Sayer had once again bagged a goal. Once that news was received Cameron Johns opened fire with a rasping drive which was too hot for the Claydon keeper to handle and the lead was doubled.

Micah Doney was in goal and kept a clean sheet, and the Cobbold twins Connor and Joshua had a full game. Josh must have slept well Saturday night! Kai Wright shared the match with Tyn Akehurst as Archie Sayer and Cameron Johns controlled the midfield.

This then left one other player who has become a footballing clone of Jack Denny. Lewis Hammond has developed into a formidable tackler. To describe him as Norman ‘Bite your Legs’ Hunter will alienate me from those too young to remember who Norman Hunter was and also those who realise he is not as dirty a player as Hunter. However the management team of Cross and Swann are convinced that Lewis is fed on raw meat such is his tenacity. I certainly would not want to be tackled by Lewis Hammond and I’m in my forties let alone an 8 year old.

The game and season ended and attention now turns to the end of season awards afternoon at Solar Bowl in Ipswich on Saturday 19^th May at 3pm.  The event is open to all family members to come along and support and see the boys receive their end of season awards. There is also an opportunity to play ten pin bowling afterwards if anyone so chooses.

The awards afternoon will not be a long drawn out affair and the event is still being finalised but there will be three awards;

Players Player of the Year

Managers Player of the Year

Most Improved Player of the Year

Only three awards for individual honours and it will be a most difficult decision for both players and coaches alike to choose with so many great performances from players and so much improvement.  What shouldn’t be difficult is to see how much the players and management of the Salvation Army Under 8’s have enjoyed their first season. A first season where they will have learned more about how to play the game, how to treat and respect each other, to understand that competition, (even non-competitive competition!) is good but also to understand that it all requires effort and commitment, week in and week out.

These young boys have created history by becoming the very first Youth team within the Salvation Army Football Club and that is something the club wants the boys to realise. They can continue to make history for the club season by season. This is now their club and it’s a club where we would like to take as many of them as we can to enjoying their football right throughout their childhood years and well into adulthood all the time playing for Salvation Army FC. In the years ahead some will move to pastures new, some may consider that football is not for them and new faces will enter our club but whatever happens all of the management team of the Youth Section sincerely hope that friendships that last a lifetime can be formed through the participation of our club and those friendships are not restricted to just the players. We have loved seeing the parents, grandparents and extended families coming to support your boys and please, long may that continue.

If anyone questions the value of the friendships that a football club can forge then let me quote you something written by the Vice Chairman of the Salvation Army men’s team, Paul Salmon, on the occasion of the clubs 20^th season celebrations. In the match day programme Paul wrote about the effect the club has had on him personally while he paid tribute to the work of the officers over the years and thanked them for their service and wondered what would have happened if the club did not exist.

“From a personal point of view I would have missed out on some of the happiest and proudest moments of my life, moments that I have shared with people that have become my closest friends. Who said football’s only a game? – it’s far more important than that.”

I sincerely hope that the boys that play for the Salvation Army Football Club will be able to share Paul’s experience in the years ahead.

Thank you all for your support.