From The Chairman's Office
Ian Barry's website notes
Update: 2 June 2009
Time for a quick update on the football club and what’s happening so far in the closed season.
It was decided at the last committee meeting and during subsequent meetings that the club was to end its association with the Ladies Section. It has become clear over a period of time that my ethics about ‘clubs’ being run within ‘clubs’ was clearly happening as far as the Ladies Section was concerned, and despite efforts to get the relationship to where it should be over the past couple of years, it wasn’t to be, so we came to this decision.
There were clearly issues on both sides as to the relationship and although I appreciate that it was far from ideal that we couldn’t accommodate them more with regard to playing at the club, I could no longer accept the fact that a team could represent our club without carrying out the basic practices that we need in place in order for our survival; namely, the support of club fund-raising initiatives and functions. We wish them all the best in the future, whatever path they decide to take.
On a more positive note, the agreement with Watford Ladies has been extended for a further season, so we welcome Women’s Premier League Football to Chestnut Avenue again. My thanks go to Watford Ladies for their support, including the donation of some fantastic auction items for our Presentation Night and I look forward to another successful season with them.
For those of you who have had the misfortune to visit the clubhouse in the last week or so, you cannot have failed to spot the vandalism that has taken place on the outside of the clubhouse and the surrounding areas in the form of ‘graffiti’. I understood graffiti to be an art and this is clearly not the case. The London Borough of Hillingdon will be down soon to clear the mess that has been created by these mindless, idiotic individuals who have nothing better to do with their time. We will win this battle and are currently working with the Police to capture the culprits, who have been spotted.
You will have seen from the website of the League constitution for next season, which involves us in some more lengthy travelling, but it will be good to see some new clubs. The pre-season fixture list is almost complete and we look forward to kicking off the new season against Crystal Palace on 25th July.
I hope to make an announcement shortly in respect of the Summer Soccer School, which was a resounding success last year and it’s good to get so many enquiries already about it. Pitch maintenance work starts next Monday (8th June) and the playing surface will be back to what it should be in time for the Palace game.