Happy birthday Sunday to Kerry Jackson!
Local league lanyards that I still have and will get to you by the restart of training/playing – Peter Orji, Steve Sutton, Tony Nelson, Joe Milton, Jack Pereira. Thanks DH
Birthday greetings Saturday to Shawn Thomas!
Happy birthday Friday to U10s McDonalds lad George Hart, Alan Paggett, who took our U13 Girls to Kent Cup glory in 2014, and former Bromley Green, Appledore and now Vets organiser Jim Kelly. Several decades now since Jim and myself played in the same Green team – we used to enter the field of play in those days with a fag on! Enjoy the day everyone.
Yesteryears photo number 98
“I disagree with what you say – but I will defend to the death your right to say it”
Just in case anyone is in doubt – there are no football activities permitted until further updates (anticipated early February). It is depressing – but there is a great deal of planning going on behind the scenes for the future, both on and off the field. Plus of course our new facility is moving along on schedule and will need fitting out! Any player/parent genuinely struggling financially can always contact me in complete confidence at dhomewood@yahoo.com
A combination of shielding, self-isolation and parents having key working commitments has led to the cancellation of BG Junior Valiants training for the immediate future. Disappointing, and apologies for any inconvenience caused – but we must put health and safety as the priority. We are fully committed to supporting children with disabilities in our area but pragmatism and common sense has to prevail at present. A resumption date will be announced as soon as circumstances allow.
Update message from the EKYL The league management committee will meet on Monday 22nd February after the school holidays
Birthday greetings on Tuesday to Andy Sutton and Kurtis Hooper!
As feared, we are embarking upon another new lockdown. We will keep out of the politics, although there does appear to be a continued and growing abundance of experts on our screens!
The upshot is that only our Junior Valiants are permitted to train and they assemble on Wednesday in the MUGA @5pm. Bring astros or trainers as we will be in the MUGA – and of course invite friends who will be made welcome. Players need to be aged 13 years or under. So far, we have Rylan, Daniel, Ethan and Joshua confirmed for Wednesday and, despite the weird times we are in, it would be great to welcome a few new faces. Just turn up or contact dhomewood@yahoo.com for further details.
So, back to lockdown but, on a brighter note, our leagues are all determined to complete the season – which is encouraging news and evening matches are always brilliant social events – so fingers crossed! Let us all stick together and pray this virus is gone sooner rather than later and we complete the season with a flurry of fixtures.
Birthday greetings Monday to Scott McRobert and Lisa Smith!
Monday – Emeralds U11 Girls MUGA 6pm
Tuesday – U5s Academy MUGA 4.30pm
Wednesday – BG Junior Valiants 5pm
Wednesday – Emeralds U11 Girls MUGA 6pm
Thursday – Under 13s EKYL Pirtek (provisionally MUGA 4pm – tbc)
Thursday – Under 18s MUGA 5pm
Bromley Green FC
Under 5s Academy
For September 2020 Year R Pupils
Coached by FA Level 2 qualified, UEFA B Candidate Guido Bulla and FA Level 3 Lee McRobert (ex Millwall FC) – age related training sessions, fun and safe environment – all sessions are run according to Covid FA guidelines
Under 5s – every Tuesday 4:30pm- 5:30pm
at
Waterside Centre, Turner Close, South Willesborough, Ashford, Kent TN24 0PQ
Please contact Guido Bulla to find out more information or to book your child’s place
Tel : 07854612538 – e-mail : guidobulla@yahoo.co.uk
Bromley Green Junior Valiants @5pm on Wednesday (subject to children not being under isolation). Please bring astros or trainers suitable for the MUGA. Can parents please email dhomewood@yahoo.com to confirm attendance or otherwise. Further update by Monday evening – thank you.
Happy 21st on Sunday to Ellis Middleton!
Terrific training sessions for the U11 Hurricanes and U13s EKYL at Waterside on Saturday morning. Alex Potts was very pleased with the Hurricanes (pictured) ‘David and I were really impressed with the boys today – a great training session’.
Honorary Patron’s New Year Message
Surreal! The past twelve months, ostensibly a year to celebrate our club’s remarkable achievement of 90 years existence, has been just that. Surreal – with society confused and the football fraternity, on and off the field, completely bemused. It has largely been a year to remember for too many wrong reasons.
When circumstances permit, we will pay due homage to the heart breaking losses that several members of our Green family have suffered during 2020. We cannot replace Stan and his legacy of 42 years serving local football; however, we must ensure that his dedication and honesty remain as examples for younger members to follow.
Traditionally, this is a time for reflection; but I feel now is the moment for us all to try and move on and look forward to better times. Of course, so much depends on the covid situation. I can only ask you to refer to the website regularly for training and fixtures updates (home page and Events & Fixtures page).
On the field of play, thank you to all the managers, admins and players for your efforts and I know some were bitterly disappointed at not being able to collect well-earned league accolades due to lockdown. Despite needing to hire venues for training and matches, credit is due to all for keeping things together. Having no home until we are up and running again has certainly pushed our patience, resources and levels of communication to the limit. That said, my thanks go to AnnMarie and Ernie at Sandyacres and staff at Kingswood and Repton – without their cooperation, we would be completely homeless!
Clearly, we are desperate to begin operating from the new clubhouse and by the time everything is ready to go, we will have laboured for over a year with no income from the bar, teas, food, sweets etc. The fact that we remain solvent after such a prolonged period of non-activity bears testimony to the Executive’s fiscal policies and, most pertinently, the resolve of over 90% of our members who have maintained their standing order commitments during difficult times. An amazing gesture and, without you all showing such true club spirit, things would be grim. Fitting out the new home will cost one large sum of money – and I mean large! So a massive thanks to one and all. I will add that those members in financial difficulties are welcome to contact me in confidence and support will be considered. No player should be denied membership as a result of [genuine] financial problems.
Pre-planning for future player/team development is ongoing and both the Youth Forum and the Football Forum will provide opportunities for the young and experienced to have a say, and play a part, in the club’s future planning.
For children in particular, it is so disappointing for them not to have their parties, Christmas presents from the real father Christmas, flip-outs, games buses and so forth. Trips and tours sadly had to be aborted. But I promise we will put this right as soon as physically possible. For adults, we have missed the Vets games and charity matches in memory of those long-gone but never forgotten. Again, these special days will return as soon as it is practically possible.
In conclusion, sincere greetings are sent to our wonderful sponsors, our extended family in Australia, Wales, Spain, the USA and indeed many far-flung places.
Wishing everybody during these surreal times a Happy New Year and please remember the famous Green motto Friendship in distress is the essence of virtue
Dave Homewood
Be careful and follow procedures … but, yes, our Valiants and youth teams can train. Sadly no adult training allowed at present. The BGFC Safeguarding sheet MUST be completed at each session and be available should our Welfare department require it. Thank you.
Birthday greetings Wednesday to Carl Jones!
Fun days on Wednesday and Thursday for the DVS U8s and U12s (10am – 3pm) – miraculous recovery at Waterside after the floods
Birthday greetings Tuesday to former senior manager Kevin Godden!
The situation re forthcoming training changes by the day as we now have floods to contend with in addition to covid!
Tonight – sorry but Guido has no alternative but to call off the U5 Academy training with our MUGA still under water. We aim to get under way again next Tuesday @4.30pm.
For training later in the week, please keep an eye on the Events & Fixtures page.
Two more photos from the archives of all-conquering Sunday first teams
Yesteryears photo number 96
Yesteryears photo number 97
Pictures courtesy of Shane Cowley
