LIFE IN NON-LEAGUE: WELWYN GARDEN CITY FC

Merry Christmas and a happy new year...

That's exactly what were going to have at my non league club @WGCFC! A big derby win against local and promotions rivals Hatfield Town on Saturday makes sure we stay top of the league, 3 points clear of second place (with 3 games in hand) and 5 points clear of Hatfield (with 1 game in hand).

With a week between fixtures, no training and the festival holidays it was important that I did something in-between. Gym on the Tuesday and then a morning run on Christmas Day (with the dog), meant I felt fine come the big Derby Day.

The weather didn't help things over at Herns Lane, a load of non league games got called off but our superb groundsmen made sure the game could at least be given a go! The pitch was heavy and by the 60th minute it was more about who wanted to win more. 3-2 winners, an assist from myself meant the team Christmas night out was an even better occasion.

I'd just like to say, a massive thank you to all our fans who braved the cold to watch the game on Saturday! 354 was the attendance and I'm lead to believe it was 9 spectators off the league record. Superb!

Our next game isn't until Wednesday 7th January. Again, New Years Eve and New Years Day falls between. I'm heading away for the occasion with the family so a lot of drinking and eating will take place no doubt. Hoping to stick to a jog in the morning but all depends on the amount I drink the night before.

If your wondering why training sessions aren't being put on, it's because 3G/4G training surfaces are hard to come by in our area. The two that we do have close are always fully booked and our training pitch is also used as a game day warm up area so the condition of that at the moment isn't too great. That's the problem in non league. No luxury training facilities to keep us sharp and fit! Instead it's down at each individual to make sure they "tick over" ourselves this time of year! The gaffer makes sure we're all doing something. Promotion at stake!

Craig Arnott was going to bring you an insight into how work effects him playing and training, but that will have to wait till next week as I believe he's still in his lit recovering from Saturday night :) !

All the best, and I wish you all a Happy New Year.

Here's to 2015 and out promotion push!!

@SamPerrin_

LIFE IN NON-LEAGUE: WELWYN GARDEN CITY FC

Here's the second iinstalmentin our LIFE IN NON-LEAGUE feature, with big thanks to Sam Perrin over at Welwyn Garden City again.

"Good things come to an end...

That's exactly what happened last Wednesday night when we played Codicote at Herns Lane. We lost our un-beaten record going down to 2-0. The defeat last week - the only one we have suffered in the league his season - has lifted the pressure of us.

There was a lot of talk about @WGCFC going the whole season unbeaten, but when we did lose it was important that we re grouped and went again. We did just that by beating Amersham away on Saturday 5-0. Obviously it was disappointing to lose to Codicote because we felt we were on a great run and never looked like getting beat. But that's football!

I saw someone tweet about "how hard" is it mixing work life with Non-League football commitments. Well, for me, because I work in football myself it's not too bad. There's no rushing here there and everywhere to get to training or a midweek game. Sometimes if my job takes me on a journey of all journeys on match days for my 16-19 boys, there's still normally enough time for me to get back in time.

In next weeks feature, I'll be speaking to one of the lads in our squad who has missed a few games due to work commitments, so you can get an inside of how hard it can be for him.

I was sitting down in the cafe Sunday morning reading the sun newspaper when a piece in an article from Harry Redknapp struck me. He mentioned how his QPR team play Swansea on New Years Day and how they would have the team stay in a hotel New Years Eve. He said how hard it can be for the players to sleep in a hotel when other guests are doing the conga until 3am. Hard life for the professional footballer isn't it. I'm sure there will be a few non-league players doing the conga at 3am and then getting up at midday to go and play a game of football.

That leads me on to finish by mentioning our Christmas Derby Day game v Hatfield Town on Saturday 27th December. Lucky enough we don't play Boxing Day, but with no training between last Saturday and this Saturday, a few of our players would have drunk and eaten a lot, (more of the latter from me), over Christmas, have a few more beers Boxing Day and then be ready for a big match the next. I know there's a few lads in both teams that will be doing that this week, but that's Non-League life around Christmas."

@SamPerrin_ 
Welwyn Garden City FC

LIFE IN NON-LEAGUE: WELWYN GARDEN CITY FC

Here we have the first helping in our new LIFE IN NON-LEAGUE feature. Welwyn Garden City defender Sam Perrin was kind enough to offer us an insight into life as a non-league player.

"So this weekend took us to Top Field – home of Hitchin Town to play Baldock Town FC who ground share with the Southern League side, in the Quarter Final of the Hertfordshire FA Senior Centenary Trophy.

The away dressing room was small, wooden and very old school. It wasn’t my first visit to Top Field though so I knew what to expect but the showers, normally cold or not working at step 5/6 in non-league football were decent. A far cry from the result, we lost 4-1, which now leaves us with the League Cup and promotion – we are still unbeaten 15 wins and a draw - and neither have been achieved for over three decades.

Elsewhere in the South Midlands league, Edgware Town have had a change in management and have made a plethora of new signings in the past few weeks. Results are starting to come in for the side that were slowly plummeting to the bottom of the league. They are now on a run of form and playing on a new 3G pitch and I’ll be expecting them to continue that into the new year! Lets hope they take points of our promotion rivals.

Midweek sees some big fixtures; we have our first of two derby games in the space of 11 days: Wednesday night, we host Codicote at Herns Lane, 7.45pm before local rivals and fellow promotion candidates Hatfield arrive 10 days later. Elsewhere, on Saturday, AFC Dunstable host Berkhamsted in the SSML Premier, both teams are in the top six and four points separate the two teams."

@SamPerrin_
Welwyn Garden City FC

LIFE IN NON-LEAGUE

SAM PERRIN - WELWYN GARDEN CITY FC  - 15/12/14
SAM PERRIN - WELWYN GARDEN CITY FC  - 22/12/14
SAM PERRIN - WELWYN GARDEN CITY FC  - 31/12/14