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MAY 2016 5th EDITION

A message from our Chairman, Steve Churcher

As you will all know by now, our first AnnualGeneralMeetingtookplaceonthe11thAprilandIwould like to take this opportunity to welcomeDaveCouldridgeandAmyWeaverontotheBoardofDirectorsandtothankthe75orsomembersinattendance.AtoursubsequentBoardMeeting,thefollowingofficerswereelected:-Chairman SteveChurcher ViceChairman ChrisDrewTreasuryandFinance MalcolmMcLeanAcademy,Youth&Juniors JohnGibbonsStadiumandFacilities DaveNetherstreetCommunicationsandPR JimRoweWell,our2015/16seasoncametoanabrupthaltfollowing our defeat in the play-off semi-finalagainst East Thurrock and I would like to thankyou all for your terrific support this season. Iwould also like to think you will all join me inapplauding Steve McKimm, his players and thebackroom staff for their efforts during the2015/16 football season. When we originallyinvitedSteve to takeonthemanager’spositionatLongmead, we asked him to put a smile back onourfaces;makeusproudaswellasimprovingourdisciplinary record. I think all three have beenachievedoverthepasttwoseasonsandlongmayitcontinue!Our generous sponsors of the “Sponsor a Goal”ended up donating £94 each, raising a total of£1,504 which will provide a new professionaltravelling sprinkler system for the Longmeadplaying surface. The pitch itself undergoes itsannualrefurbishmentstartingthesecondweekofMayandwill include theadditionofover60 tonsoftopdressingandnearly20bagsofgrassseed.

Thenewsprinklersystemisawelcomeadditionandwillenableourgroundsstafftoensurethepitchisevenlywateredduringthesummermonths.Whoknows,wemayevensaveafewshillingsonourwaterbill!Ourothermajorexpenseduringthesummermonthswillbetosortoutourfloodlightsandwehopetohavean“expert”contractorinshortlytoadviseusoftherequiredcourseofaction.Wedidtryandreplacesomeoftheblownbulbsearlierintheyearbutunfortunatelytherequiredcherrypickerwasunabletogetontothepitchduetotheprevailinggroundconditionsatthetime.Fingerscrossedthatitwillsimplybeacaseofreplacingthelampsataround£90eachratherthananythingmoreexpensive!AsImentionedinarecentprogramme,justbecausethefootballfinishesourexpendituredoesn’tandIcannotunderstatejusthowimportantoursummereventsaretotheClub.Ifyoucanpopalongtooneortwoevents(orevenallofthem!),itdoesmakeahugedifferencecomethestartofnextseason.Enjoythesummer.Steve.

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Director,ColinFryotherwiseknownas‘Fryco’outlinesplansforthissummer’sNorthEasttourTonbridgeAngelsareonceagainplanningavisittoourfriendsinNorthumberlandaspartofthepreseasonpreparationsforthe2016/2017campaign.OnFriday15thJuly(kickoff7.30pm)weplaytheBedlingtonTerrierswherewehaveunfinishedbusinesstoattendtohavinglosttothemsome4seasonsagobyawidemargin.ThefollowingdayweareatCroftPark,hometothefamousBlythSpartanswhoseFACupfightingexploitsarelegendary.Lasttimeoutwefoughtveryspiritedlyfora0–0drawwhichwentsomewaytowardsalleviatingthepainsufferedatBedlington.Kickoffforthismatchis3.00pm.Coachtravelarrangementshavebeenmadefortheteam,DirectorsandstaffleavingLongmeadat7.30amsharponFriday15thJuly.Theremaybeafewseatsavailableforsupportersbuttheseareextremelylimitedandwillbeona‘firstcomebasis’throughColinFry(tel07956954224).

CostfortravelandaccommodationatthePremierInn,Holystone,WhitleyBaywillbe£150eachbasedon2peoplesharingaroom.Breakfastisavailablebutisnotincludedinthecost.ThecoachwillleaveHolystoneat11.00amonSunday17thJulyarrivingbackatLongmead(wehope!)forabout5.30pm.SteveMcKimhasexpressedhisintentiontousethesematchesasseriouspreparationfortherigoursaheadandwillbefieldingstrongsidesbefittinghiswishes.Thetripshouldprovememorableandenjoyablewithsociabilityattheheartofitall.Supporters wishing to make their own travelarrangements should note that both BedlingtonandBlythareaprox.12milesfromNewcastleCitycentre from where taxis and even buses arereadily and frequently available and of courseaccommodation is plentiful. Holystone (thePremier Inn) is betwixt and between Newcastleand our opponent’s venues so those wishing toengage in the delights of night time Newcastleareonlyashorttaxirideaway.We are looking forward to another successfultripawaywiththe‘Angels’.

‘ANGELS OF THE NORTH’ FOOTBALL TOUR WEEKEND 15TH – 17TH JULY 2016

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DirectorresponsibleforStadiumandFacilities,DaveNetherstreet,recallstheeffectsofStormKatie,updatesrecentgroundimprovements,andoutlinessummerworksatLongmeadOnceagaintheweather,thankstostormKatie,affectedvariousareasoftheground.Thepitchasyoumayhavenoticedhadsandputonittotrytodrythemoistureoutfromthedampareasandthegoalareaswerecoveredwheneverrainwasforecasttostopthemfrombeingwaterlogged.Thecauseoftheunderlyingproblemasfaraswecanascertainisthatduetocompactionofthesoilandahighwatertablethewaterisunabletodrainawayquicklyenoughandwillrequirealotofworkinthecloseseason.Thatsaidonlytwofirstteamhomefixtureshadtobepostponedduetoweatherthisseason,LeatherheadandMetropolitanPolice.StormKatiealsowreakedhavocwiththeperimeterfencingandgateswhilethemarqueesuffereddamagealthoughduetothehardworkofourvolunteersthiswassoonrectified.TheTerraceBarinthemainclubbuilding,adjacenttothemediatower,hasbeencompletedanditisnowbeingusedforfunctions.IfyouareinterestedinhiringitpleasecontactourBarManager,TamaraJohnson07947898271Themarqueeisnowupandrunningforfunctions,thenextonebeingtheWestKentGardenandLeisureShowovertheweekendofMay15/16.Therearecontinuingmaintenanceitemsbeingcarriedoutandyoumayhavenoticedthenewwalllightsintheclubhousebaraswecontinuallytrytoupgradethefacilitiesattheclub.

Plannedworksforthecloseseasonareasfollows:-

1. Completingtheinstallationofthemetalroofingsheetsonthechangingroomroof

2. Theinstallationofmetalroofingsheetsontheclubhouseroof

3. Completionoftheemergencylightinginstallationinthemainstand

4. Redecorationoftheclubhouse5. Upgradingoftheinternalandexternal

lighting6. Reconfigurationofthestoragecompounds7. Repairstofootpaths8. Pitchandgroundsmaintenance-including

grasscutting,weeding,cuttingbackovergrowntreesandvegetation.

9. Refurbishmentofthetoiletsintheclubhouse

Ifyouareinterestedinvolunteeringorhaveanyideasofhowtoimprovefacilitiespleaseleaveamessageformeontheclubhousephone01732352417.