Trials For Scott & Jon

At last week's EGM it was agreed that Scott Greenwell and Jon Wise would be given 12-week trials, after which time club members will vote on whether either/both will be invited to join the club.

Their trials have been backdated to start when they played their first matches for us in 2013.

Scott's trial began on 11 April, which means his will last until 4 July.

Jon's trial began on 28 March so he is halfway through his trial but I have agreed with Greg that as he is now out injured for 3 weeks with a hamstring problem, his trial is suspended until he next plays.  If he's out for 3 weeks then his trial should end around the same time as Scott's which is handy.

Let me take this opportunity to remind everyone why we sometimes give players a trial rather than immediately voting on inviting them to join.  It is essentially for two reasons:

(a) For the player on trial to see what we're all about and decide for himself whether he wants to join full-time
(b) For us to see what kind of person the triallist is – NOT just how good a player they are.  Does he understand our ethos?  Does he play for the team, not for himself?  Does he pay his way?  And so on!

Regardless of what I think about any triallist, it does please me that people are keen to join the Accies. We must be doing something right!

Captain & Two Vice-Captains To Be Elected

The below is to the best of my recollection of last week’s EGM.  Let me know if I’ve misremembered anything!

At last week’s EGM it was agreed that team selection, tactics and other footballing matters should be managed by a panel of three club members.  The new set-up will work as follows:

There will be a Captain and two Vice-Captains.  They will work together to pick the team and communicate tactics etc to the rest of the squad. The Captain will have the ultimate say but he will be supported at all times by the Vice-Captains. Each of the three will have the opportunity to deliver pre-match and half-time team talks.

The panel of three will ensure that team selection is done fairly and will communicate their plans clearly and effectively with the entire squad.

As it states in the newly expanded Club Ethos (see the post immediately below this one) all members must respect the decisions of the panel of three.  If you disagree with any of their decisions etc, wait until we’re off the pitch and changed after a match, then feel free to discuss your issues with any or all of the panel.  You have nearly an entire week to chat to them face to face, or call them, text them or email them to discuss your issues.  Time’s up one hour before the kick-off of the next match – hold your tongue until we’re off the pitch and changed after the match, and so on and so on and so on!

The club has empowered the panel to immediately substitute any player who they feel is not adhering to the club’s ethos or whose conduct is undermining the team.  The panel will decide when that player be allowed back into the team and/or back on to the pitch.

You will be contacted shortly by Club Secretary Andrew Dade re: nominations and elections for the three positions.

Newly expanded Club Ethos, as agreed at our recent EGM

At last week's EGM there was a lengthy discussion about respect and the conduct of members.  It is a sad fact that the way our former captain Andy Thornes was treated was a factor in his decision to leave the club.  So at the EGM we discussed how to prevent such nonsense from recurring.

It was agreed that a new paragraph be added to our ethos, drafted by myself, pointing out that due respect MUST be given to those members who sacrifice their valuable spare time to run the club, both on and off the pitch.  In my opinion the various coaches/captains of the squad have NEVER been afforded the proper respect, and have had to suffer levels of verbal abuse, bitching and so on that would embarrass a team of 11-year-olds, never mind a squad of fully grown, supposedly intelligent men.  Most of the squad has behaved impeccably but a minority has let us all down.  A line has been drawn in the sand.

So the CLUB ETHOS a little way down on the right-hand side of this blog has now been updated as follows:

CLUB ETHOS

1. The main reason that the Accies was formed was to allow a group of friends to meet regularly, have a game of football, a few beers and a chat in a friendly, non-hostile environment.

2. Winning is important to all of us but not at the expense of fairness and friendship.

3. While everyone is expected to give 100% every game and to be as fit as their own personal circumstances allow them to be, there will be no discrimination against players purely on the basis of talent. All members of the club are equal regardless of footballing ability and are entitled to equal playing opportunities.

4. We respect those who give up their time to manage the club. Decisions made by those people can be questioned if someone disagrees with a decision. But this should be done in person and never between the hours of 7-10pm on Thursdays. And in the end the fact that they give up their time to run the club for us makes their decisions final.

5. All new players who join do so on the understanding that the above rules are sacrosanct.

Point 4 is the new addition.  It is pretty self-explanatory but if you need any help understanding it, feel free to ask me.  Show your respect to the members who run your club for you, who enable you to play football every week on a fantastic pitch. If you disagree with any of their decisions etc, wait until we’re off the pitch and changed after a match, then feel free to discuss your issues with any or all of the panel. You have nearly an entire week to chat to them face to face, or call them, text them or email them to raise your issues. Time’s up one hour before the kick-off of the next match – hold your tongue until we’re off the pitch and changed after the match, and so on and so on and so on!

Let's work together as a team to make sure that our club's ethos, which has always been one of the main things that sets us apart from other teams, is followed to the letter.

I will type up another post soon expanding on the theme of respect and stressing the kinds of behaviour that will no longer be tolerated and, frankly, should never have been.

Any Accie with even an ounce of common sense wants to have fun, enjoy playing football and give everything for the team on the field of play.  If you do anything to prevent others' enjoyment then I'm afraid this isn't the right club for you.

Up the Accies!

Prepare For Glory!

This evening my brother Andrew Dade will become the first player to reach 300 11-a-side appearances for Effra Academicals.

Tonight is only our 385th game so to have featured in 300 of them is a truly magnificent achievement, especially when you consider that Andrew has lived in Hertfordshire and then Cambridgeshire throughout the life of the Accies - so his level of commitment to the club is utterly astounding.

Included in his 300 appearances is another incredible club record: he once played in SIXTY consecutive Effra 11-a-side matches.  That record will NEVER be beaten.

I won't be there this evening to witness this historic occasion, but if you are there, please congratulate Andy in person on reaching this milestone.

I'll get to 300 soonish myself, but there are no prizes for second place!

Well done on your TRIPLE CENTURY Dade Jr!