2011/12 season preview

[updated 11/09/11]

A new season beckons and it's Banter Central FC's fifth campaign since beginning back in 2007. Optimism usually fills the air around this time of year, although that might just be Phil Hughes as most prefer to stay pessimistic and then you're never let down at the end. Well, we do have a vast amount of Arsenal fans in the squad, so it's to be expected.

The season's first game kicks off on Sunday 18 September.

Opening games:
18/09/11 - Away to Addiscombe Corinthians
25/09/11 - Home to Croydon Corporation
02/10/11 - Away to Portland B
09/10/11 - Away to Shirley Rangers (Surrey Cup)
16/10/11 - Home to Souls

In 2009/10, Banter hit the ground running with a quick start to the league campaign and having won the final pre-season friendly against Croydon Postal in some style, the team won their first three league matches, which would leave things in good stead come April. It wasn't to be, but there was a chance of promotion until near the very end.

In 2010/11, Banter started sluggishly and by the third game, two had already been lost. With such a small league last year, it became difficult to come back from. That really wasn't our fault with only eight teams, of course, but we were let back in later on only to toss it up against Woodmansterne.

2011/12 then, and we'll need to take a leaf more from the 2009 book than 2010 and give ourselves the best possible chance. Some of you may not believe it, but I think we can do very well this year if we work at it. I really believe this. We have a strong and experienced back line, a host of creative players as well as ball winners in midfield and an attack with goals and pace to burn. We do need to tighten up defensively and start keeping clean sheets, but the improvements are showing throughout most of our play now.

The 19 man 2011/12 squad:

4. Rob Stewart
5. Ben Doherty
6. Parin Patel
7. Richard Clark
8. Edd Adkins
10. Justin Said
11. Tommy Warburton
13. Tom Ridley
16. Andrew Sheridan
18. Jim Manhire
19. Jonny Gill
20. David Baird
21. Phil Hughes
24. Phil Tyler
28. Dan Wilkes
44. Chris Brown
---. Chris Goodenough
---. Jordan Leach
---. Gus Saunders

To stand our best chance, we need consistency and committment. That's in performance and in attendance, at either matches or training. So far, since July, we've struggled to get our best squad out for friendlies, as well as draw big numbers at training. But it's not too late to start or kick on.

As far as opposition goes, we know we have a first round Surrey cup date away to Shirley Rangers on 9 October. They reached the final of the competition last year. In the league, it looks like this:

Addiscombe Corinthians
Banter Central
Croydon Corporation
Hyderi FC
Portland B
Sanderstead Spitfires
Santos 92
Souls
Surrey Valley
Wheelwrights

What do we know about such opposition? Well, Addiscombe we faced in last year's league cup and it was quite the one sided affair in our favour, 16-3 to be exact. They did well in division three in the end though, ending up third.

Croydon Corporation have come on leaps and bounds since 2008 when we played them last. They won division three last year.

Winning division five was Hyderi FC. As history has shown, win any division and you're a contender in any other. So that's two winners in division two.

Portland, well we'll all be looking forward to a trip to John Ruskin. I have no idea if 'B' is the side we faced between 2008-10 or not.

Sanderstead Spitfires we've faced about a dozen times down the years. Always close games, they did of course beat us this pre-season too.

Santos are another team we're familiar with and they were a game away from winning our division last year, whilst Surrey Valley finished one point behind us.

Souls and Wheelwrights I am less familiar with. The latter I think could be new to Croydon's Municipal, whilst records show Souls finished mid-table in division four last time out.

Still, it depends who turns up; Banter or Central. That's another game that will be arranged at a later date too, by the way. Hopefully to be played at Trenham Drive, as our broken bridges look to be repaired. If we are to play our home matches there this season, most are likely to be afternoon kick offs. Failing that, we'll have to take the odd game somewhere nice like the Purley Way. But I think if we take as many games as we can in Warlingham and keep our end of the bargain by using the facilities and bar, then they'll be happy. They appear to be so far, so that's a real positive.

All aboard the Banter bus. Let's hope it doesn't leave us stranded in Warlingham like the 403 did in May, then.