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Just picking up on Dev’s comments in the local paper last week and the fact that he was saying ‘Don’t panic!! Don’t panic!! ‘Apologies to Corporal Jones of Dad’s army.
It is an old adage that the leagues/ promotions are not won in the first 6 matches, but they can be lost in that time! We have had two defeats already and when one considers that the last two seasons have seen 7 reversals each season, it gives an indication as to what is required to win this league.
This season we have been hit by a number of injuries as well as suspensions and whilst I think that Davis is a good keeper, we and the team have got very used to Lovett in goal and he has been missed. It looks as if Wells will also be missed through injury and suspension, so the two players who have missed so very few matches in previous seasons have not or will be available in these opening weeks of the season. Add Scarborough, Harper and Hodges and that is a lot of experience regulars to cover at the start of the season. In midfield Collins will be very useful, but do I detect a slight alteration in style with him in the side? He like the other new signing Smith are injured, so we are very stretched hence the number of forwards on the bench at Bromley. Barry Fry once famously said ‘you can’t have enough centre forwards at a club’. Hodges and Yaku have been great in the past and long may it continue! Dev recognises that you need cover in this area and Dundass has scored goals at this level previously so I would expect he will be very useful. I am still not sure that Tarpey will be a heavy enough scorer. I see from the web site that Dev is looking to bring other players in at some time. I have heard Michael Charles mention, he would bring goals and cover for Yaku? [ See other post] . Let’s hope that some of the injured get back quickly. As an aside, thought that Tanner is playing very well considering he is one who had been out for a long time.
In observing this league, it is clear that budget cuts further up the football ladder have started to see players being prepared to play at our level and this will improve the overall standard. Right across the leagues at our level one is hearing reports of players accepting offers that they would not have accepted previously as they realise that there is a recession in football at most levels except of course if you are Manchester City!! At present Dover, Woking, and Chelmsford look very strong, early days and as you know I never comment on where we will finish!

A very interesting post but i wonder which players you mean. Surely most players have always played at the highest level where they can get a game. If a player is not good enough for say, a Division One club he goes to a Division Two club and so on. I'm not sure that has anything to do with budget cuts. Probably more to do with how good the player is possibly much more to do with overseas players coming into the game at a higher level.

I think clubs in the likes of League 1 and League 2 are finding that with smaller budgets they are working with smaller squads, which therefore means the players left out are looking lower down the ladder to find a game (and some of them simply to find a contract!).

Darren Caskey at Halesowen Town last season and the season before was on a basic wage of £800 per week in the Southern Premier! Bear in mind that he had a long league career, a big factor in him dropping down to that level was probably the offer of a contract on big money that clubs higher up would not have risked giving him, especially when you see how big he is now!

Regarding the subject of overseas players joining English clubs, I think it's great when you have the players who undoubtley bring real quality to the standard of football, but what really annoys me is when for instance a Premiership club has a third choice goalkeeper who is foreign! I mean a third choice keeper might get one game a season if they are lucky so I do not see why teams don't have a home grown player or even one from their own academy taking up this role. It's like Man City, at the start of this season they had eight first team forwards! The only British one being the Welsh Craig Bellamy, they let a really talented English lad go in Danny Sturridge, and have foreign players as 7th and 8th choice!

Captain, in response to your query, in many ways you and Jamie have answered your question. If you want an example then, Adam Birchall left Barnet and signed for Dover as did Nicky Southall from Gillingham, there are other players from league clubs going on long term loans, for example, Moses Ademola from Brentford to Woking for 6 months.

There have recently been changes in the playing staff with Tyson going on dual registration and Kember and Knight released, being balanced with the arrival of Michael Charles who, according to Dev , as a possible long term replacement for Yaku. Granted they are similar type players and one must recognise that Yaku is no longer as young as he once was.[like all of us!] Personally I think we now have a potentially good balance up front.

Lovett is available again and Davis is an experienced back up, in addition, I see that Talbot has been included in the first team squad, so this should see us ok in this area. Ramos is a good shot stopper, but there are other aspects of his play that give me heart stopping moments!

Injuries to Harper, Braithwaite and Wells have affected the defence, let’s hope Scarborough is back for the Bath game. I think we have enough cover and with everyone available, I don’t have that many concerns in this area.

Collins and Smith’s injuries have left us with Lake, Matthews and Quarm in midfield. I know that Jeffrey has been used as a defensive midfield shield recently, but wonder if a defensive midfielder would be very handy and perhaps the final piece in the jigsaw? What do others think?

This season’s outcome may well rest on the next few games, as we struggle with the twin burdens of suspensions and injuries. Whilst all clubs get these problems, it depends on how the players and managers cope. I think we are very blessed in this department. However the timing of these two factors is crucial, as to the season’s final outcome.

Adam Birchall was born in Kent, so presuming his roots are in Kent it's not surprising he has opted to play for a non-league club in that county.

Nicky Southall is 37 so in fairness is at the end of his Football League days as a player. So no surprise there.
By the way, anyone remember how old a certain Craig Maskell was when he joined H&RBFC? (I'll give you a clue. He wasn't 37)

As i've said in my previous post, there seems (to me) little difference this season in the quality of players leaving the Football League to join Non-League clubs as there has in the past. Just have a look through the stats of players who have taken this route.

I think Maskell was 31 when he joine Hampton. Rumour was he turned down offers from clubs in leagues above us.