WFU Regional Final v. Gosport Strollers

The Many Shades were drawn against Gosport Strollers in the Walking Football Union National Competition Regional heats and as we were the only two teams that entered, it was essentially the regional final.

Expectations were running high particularly with local media personality David Hall being handed the role of caretaker manager prior to the game as Matt the Miss had become Matt the Missing, again.

During the previous Thursday’s training session, Shaun put the squad for this match through its paces with a series of testing training games enabling us to fine tune our tactics ready for the big day.

But wait! Stewart received a shock email the evening before the event from the Strollers’ manager who withdrew his team from the match and awarded us the tie. As you can imagine, the conspiracy theorists have gone into overdrive. Some say that just the appointment of Dave was enough to scare them off whereas others are convinced they had a spy at the training session and realised there was little point in turning up.

Anyhow, never letting a paid-for pitch go to waste, the Many Shades turned up at the allotted time at Horndean college for an impromptu training session.

The victorious Many Shades sporting their smart new kit.
L-R : Jeff, John, CJ, Richard, Ian, Pete, Stewart

The Gosport Strollers

So we find ourselves in the next round of the WFU National Competition and wait to see where this adventure takes us next.

But the story of the afternoon doesn’t end there. Halfway through the training session, a group of Horndean’s finest youth footballers arrived on the scene and asked if they could possibly use the other half of the pitch.
One of the Many Shades – I’m not sure who – saw an opportunity and challenged the youngsters to a match. As we’d paid for the pitch, it was obviously to be played to our rules.
They accepted and, having arrived a few minutes earlier for a Sunday afternoon kickabout, found themselves being given a lesson in Walking Football by the Many Shades. I think we won 6-3.
Seriously, if any of them should by any chance stray on to this page, many thanks to you all from the Many Shades. It was great fun. Keep practising playing the ball to feet and we’ll see you at South Downs on Thursday mornings in 35 years time!

Below is a group photo.

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Pompey ITC Tournament 16/5/16

Match Report (written by Stewart and blatantly nicked from the Hawks’ Walking Football Forum) :
16/5/16 Pompey ITC Tournament (ROKO)

The Many Shades entered an “Old Fogeys” side into this friendly Tournament organised by Pompey ITC. As such we were put into the “Older Group” along with Pompey ITC Blue, Pompey ITC Black, and Eastleigh Dambusters B.

The round robin matches saw us get under way with a comfortable 5-1 win against Pompey Blue, with a hat-trick from Stew Russell and a pair from Rich Bishop. Next up Pompey Black suffered a 5-0 defeat thanks to goals from Russell (2) and Bishop (1), backed up by Paul Sealey and a first ever competitive Many Shades goal for Baz Carter.

Our spectacular form continued with another victory in the final group game, this time a 4– 1 win over Eastleigh Dambusters B. Goals this time from Russell, Sealey, Andy Wilson and Barrie Gray.

The group stages were followed by 1st vs 4th and 2nd vs 3rd play-offs, and then the winners of those two played each other as did the losers also play each other. Too.

We played Pompey Black again, this time winning 4-1 with goals again from Wilson, Gray, Bishop, and Russell. Pompey’s goal was an absolute cracker that gave keeper Dave Rowbrey no chance. The problem was that it was scored by Pete Dolamore, who was on a Tournament-long loan to an injury-ravaged Pompey squad.

Finally it was Eastleigh Dambusters B again, and this was a closer game, although we took an early two-goal lead through an Andy Wilson brace before they pulled one back with another cracking shot. It took another clinical Rich Bishop finish to seal the match 3-1.

So basically the Many Shades won the second division!

Your Many Shades squad was: Rich Bishop (5 goals), Baz Carter (1), Barrie Gray (2), Dave Rowbrey (gk), Stew Russell (7), Paul Sealey (2), and Andy Wilson (4). Pete Dolamore generously played for Pompey ITC Black.

Summer 2016 Many Shades Fanzine

Many thanks go to Stewart for, once again, burning the midnight oil to ensure the world is kept fully updated with the latest adventures of the Many Shades.

For those who missed the last two home games at Westleigh Park (and weren’t you the lucky one) and, with it, the chance to get your hands on this much coveted publication, this is your lucky day. Click on the link below to download a full colour version of your favourite walking football fanzine.

Summer 2016 Summer 2016 Many Shades Fanzine

 

 

But first, a word from our sponsors…

The Many Shades were pleased to meet up with our new sponsors at the Westleigh following last week’s training session.

It was great to catch up with Alan Wilcox of Uni-Guard Fire Protection, Carl Hill of Circuit Supply Ltd and Rachel Morley of Initial Medical Training & Events and discuss the finer points of walking football over a cup of tea and a jammie dodger.

And, of course, we weren’t going to miss a photocall opportunity :

Back row l-r Matt Bartolo, Tony Jewell, Colin Baker, Derek Pope, Dave Rowbrey, Baz Carter, Shaun Gale, Dave Richards

Middle row l-r Derek Trapp, Rich Bishop, Robbie Brown, Mo Hill, Richard Bonsey, Pete Dolamore, Clive Wilkin

Front row l-r Stew Russell, Rob Kelly, Alan Wilcox (Uni-Guard Fire Protection), Carl Hill (Circuit Supply Ltd), Rachel Morley (Initial Medical Training & Events), John Lee, Barrie Gray.