I think it was the great Errol Flynn that once said ‘There’s no point playing if you don’t go all in’, which given his reputation must have been somewhat alarming for his co-stars and explains why a few of them walked like our captain after a night in Propoganda. Fleet Spurs Vets have a lot in common with old Errol. We play a debonair style with rapier-like wit and our compression-wear keeps even the most swollen of our players in check for a weekly 90 minutes of mesmerising jousting. We’re all closer to centenaries than any trophys.
Every season the vets step into the first game knowing we have a fighting chance of building on the year before. There’s always that glimmer of hope that 6 other teams will drop out leaving us as respectable 3rd in a league of 3. This year has been no different. Teams promptly dropped out and unsurprisingly they were the teams that we could beat.
With a larger squad, the match day faff around was to be a thing of the past as we had a blessing of multiple keepers, a gamut of midfielders, an extravagance of defenders and an embarrassment of strikers. Yes, Roy had made a return to regular football. I say regular, I mean he made a return to turning up and passing the ball in the same way that Pete passes the deli counter.
Martin continues to throw his disappointed parent look at anyone who runs out of puff, a look he has perfected given the asthmatic chaffinches that comprise our team. Paul has perfected the art of the slow turnaround, taking five minutes to retrieve the ball so we all get a breather, and not always from the back of the net.
Filks returned to the fold, larger than life….larger than most of the back 4 to be fair, but still with a sublime short passing and a majestic long one. With Lil’ Lee and Krispy completing the mix we had a great squad. Krispy demonstrating his vision and awareness by getting his new van and driving it straight into the barriers at training. Perceptive.
Spavo, proving that life mirrors sport as he married and is punching well above his weight. We’re all thankful that Ankers is making a great recovery from a broken leg. Predominantly as it keeps Racey on the bench.
This season’s fittest specimen Ironman Etherington promptly broke an arm early season and Ironman Dyson’s knees confirmed what we all knew, that fitness and football are unlikely bedfellows, much like the new center back pairing of Fluety and Taw. Lambo celebrating his ‘Player of the Season’ award (since retitled the ‘Ricky Hatton Off Peak Award’) from the previous season by dining out in style and timing his return to full fitness just in time for the final cancelled match of the season.
It’s always nice to see a family turnout, and I don’t mean just when dysentery strikes whilst camping. Upholding a long tradition this year we saw a premiere of the Vickery father-son combo. Colin & Son proving that genetics aren’t necessarily inherited as Tom has pace, skill, visible bone structure and skin that appears the appropriate size for his frame, Colin has feet, I’m not sure they’re his. Matt and James Coote showing that quality always finds its level….Both are still playing for us. John John and son also made an appearance, John John shouting a lot, John John Junior, charging his dad an appearance fee.
Normandy, revitalised by a relaxation on the import tax on caravans, dominated the league. We stayed in touch as a part of the chasing pack and could have stolen second place if we had won our last league game. Unfortunately we drew, always shunning the limelight of second place in favour of sexy football. (If indeed your definition of sexy football is watching a dinner time when it’s corn on the cob night at a naturist old peoples home).
Honourable mentions this year for the range of penalty takers, Pete stepped into the breach and scored 2 in a match. If he’d bothered to score the third one we would have won, so in essence he has cost us the league, but as with all great teams we lose together and when we win it will be as a result of superior tactics not a team performance.
On a serious note the management team would like to thank all of our players for coming together to be a close-knit squad who fight and play for each other. Whilst we have our rows on the pitch the post match and training atmosphere is as good as it’s ever been and that is a testament to all the players wanting to be a part of the bigger team. As part of a bonding exercise, we will be throwing Racey into the canal later.
Fubar@Forty 