With the usual season break already disappearing fast around the corner we now embark on our preseason friendlies. As before our first game saw us entertain Southend United with a healthy 829 attendance and for that I thank you for your support, the score was the score but personally facing 30+ professionals over 90 minutes for our players was hard work but we can take plenty of positives from the match going into a season that see's our Manager target a top 10 finish and your support can only but help.

I would ask you to review our website and note our other forthcoming friendlies and look forward to seeing you all then.

Every season a club like Great Wakering Rovers seeks if possible a home game to stage what is called a non-league day, a day were the higher echelons of the game have a day off to enable its top players to perhaps represent our country in a prestiges international match! then the likes of Great Wakering Rovers hope the supporters of those team look elsewhere temporarily for a football fix.

Following the recent Euro 2016 player performances I wonder whether those consistently cash strapped supporters would enjoy not just a one off non league game a season but perhaps a few more, and why you ask! Well the following points can all be seen to be valid for non league in this Country and not just Great Wakering Rovers: -

1 - You could be WITNESSING the next big star.

2 - Match day COSTS are a welcome change.

3 - Non league clubs are predominantly VOLUNTARY led, people whose love of the local community is paramount. Just look around today and perhaps ask a Rovers volunteer what they do not just during the work day but what they also give to the club apart from time!

4 - Non league can have a great LIVE atmosphere whether standing or sitting or just hiding from the elements, especially here on a midweek winter evening when the weather appears with venom from across the fields.

5 - As a non league club what you see today isn't just our first team here at Rovers, we also have U21's/ Alliance football at 18's and 16's as well as Great Wakering Colts YFC with 16 Youth sides providing a great base for GRASSROOTS football as well as the Great Wakering Rovers Ladies.

So I would ask kindly that you remember us in your thoughts for our coming pre season games as well as for the season to come, we seek our revenue significantly from the turnstile which provides a firm ground for us to continue whilst the extra capacity provides the support all non league players love to hear!

Tony
The Future is Green, the future is Youth