|
|
FULHAM DEAF V CASUALS PREVIEW
Thursday 30 July 2009
We meet again: FDFC & WCFC The Westminster Casuals kick off their 2009/10 pre season campaign this Sunday with a trip to the Fulham F.C Training Ground to face our friends and old rivals Fulham Deaf.
The traditional season curtain raiser is now in its third year and the Casuals are current holders after a 5-1 win in 2007 and a 3-3 draw last year.
For the third year in succession we are going into this match with a new Gaffer at the helm. Grant Payne marked his managerial debut in 2007 with a goal in the 5-1 rout, and 12 months ago Joe Maughan took up the reins for his second spell in charge. Geordie called it a day during the close season and club captain John Skelly has been installed as caretaker manager until further notice.
2008: Dom Edwards gets his hands on the Shield This year Fulham will be competing in the Surrey South Eastern Combination Division Two (one league below the Casuals). Five members of their current squad will be representing Great Britain at the Taiwan Deaflympics this September and they are always super fit and well organised and are sure to provide us with a great workout.
Our keen rivalry with Fulham Deaf began back in January 2004 when Fulham inflicted a 3-0 defeat on Phil Malcolm's Casuals in Kingston & District League Division Two. The two clubs went onto meet six times in two years and despite the hugely competitive nature of our meetings a great mutual respect grew between the clubs leading to Fulham donating the Fulham Deaf v Westminster Casuals Annual Shield which is contested every pre-season.
You can read a rundown of our six memorable encounters here.
Eighteen players attended last nights training session in Battersea Park and several new faces are set to make their first Casuals appearance at the weekend.
Dom Blacklock, Edward Gramolt, Oli Phillips, Tom Greenwood and Richard Lancaster are set to pull on the shirt for the first time and we look forward to seeing them all in action.
Paul Stroud is set to make a welcome return to action having missed much of last season travelling but Nico Heslop, Addy Cutts, Tim Greaves and Michael Rootes are unavailable and Andy Barnett has dropped off the radar completely.
Sunday should be a great day on a carpet of a pitch. Don't be late!
Details
Fulham Deaf v Casuals Shield
Sunday 2 August 2009
Meet: 1pm PROMPT at Fulham FC Training ground in Motspur Park. Motspur Park train station is a 10 minute walk from the ground.
Kick Off: 2pm
........................................................................................................ |
|
|
|