Chairman bows out

Departing Ferndown Locomotive Chairman Rob Frank gave his reaction this morning to last night’s events at the end of season dinner at Lorenzo’s in Charminster.Once again I’d like to thank everyone for turning up in great numbers again - our biggest ever attendance for a Loco event. To be honest this didn’t come as a surprise to me, as the commitment put in my the players, and the support of their wives and girlfriends has been brilliant all year.

On to the awards and you couldn’t have had three worthier winners this year.

Cash, in his first season at the club, has been absolutely brilliant. He got my vote for Player of the Year and I’m glad he won. He has been a major voice for us this year, he is a leader, a winner, and you can see what a high level he’s played at because his quality on the ball is top class. Without doubt he’s as good a signing as this club has ever made.

Kyle was a worthy winner of the golden boot and yet another great signing for us. We would surely have won trophies this year had he been able to play more games and he is going to prove incredibly hard to replace when he goes to University next year. We will miss him and he goes with all our best wishes.

Finally Stu winning the Manager’s Player of the Year is, to my mind, a superb choice by Paul. It is my belief that this award should go to someone who lives and breathes the club, replicates our desire to win on the pitch but also sits at the heart of the social activities. Coupled with providing real defensive quality on the pitch - as Cash aptly said last night, he has been “The Rock” - Stu has played the best football I’ve ever seen from him this year. It was obvious from his acceptance speech how much it meant to him.

I just want to put on record again my admiration for the work Ali, Steve and Sam have put in to the club this year. The hours they put in behind the scenes mean that without a doubt this is one of the best run clubs in the Hayward League and I would urge you to vote them back in at the AGM. You will not get a better committee.

The final thank you goes to Paul who has been in charge of the side for three and half years now and yet again taken us to our highest ever league finish and our best performances in the cup. His ability to find formations and positions that suit certain players to get the best from them is no fluke, he’s been doing it too many years now and if we are promoted to Division Four next year, I am sure we will compete with the very best and push for promotion again.

Last, but not least, I have to comment on my presentation last night. It was totally unexpected and left me pretty speechless which makes a huge change. The things Paul said did choke me up a bit and I can honestly say, had on heart, this club means the world to me. The enjoyment I’ve got from playing with great friends, new and old, over the last four years has been more than enough to make the effort worth while.

Right from the early days with Bomber, Sean, Scott, Darren, Sam, Jon and Paul through to the newest lads, Luke and Dan, I feel I’ve kept and made great mates and I will really treasure the original shirt as a sign of how far we all took this club from humble beginnings.

The “retiring” of the number 3 shirt really humbled me and I don’t feel I deserve it, but its the biggest honour I could ever be given. Wherever we end up settling, it will have pride of place in my little footy room!! You can be sure that when I come back I’ll be wearing it with pride whatever the weather.

Once again thanks to you all for everything over the years. Its been four years I’ll never forget.

Rob

Congratulations Skinny & Cash!

The Loco web-site can announce the birth of two future starlets for the side, Lee and Cash are now proud fathers - of Oliver and Ethan respectively. Congratulations lads!Congratulations to our wing wizard on the birth of his son yesterday morning in Poole Hospital.

It is believed that Lee has created medical history by actually weighing less than his newborn baby who was (I think) 8lbs 14 ozs.

Rumours are now sweeping the changing room over the baby’s name with Salvatori Bomber Arnold the hot favourite with the bookies…….more to follow.

Congratulations to mum, dad and baby from everyone at Ferndown Locomotive F.C.

Cash causes Property crash

Locomotive ended the season well on Sunday with a comfortable 5-1 win over DBJ Property at Slades Farm, ensuring that we finished the season in fourth spot.Locomotive began the game with Sean Barker in goal, with Steve, Stu, Rob and Cash at the back. In midfield we had Simon, Sam, and Bomber; with Lee, Ali, and Andy up front.

With Loco kicking towards the skate park in the first half, the away side were eager to dominate possession from the off. Although it was difficult to run around on the long-grassed pitch, we did enough - and quite possibly excelled ourselves at times - in keeping control of the whole game.

Indeed, our solid start paid off early into the game, when the ball emerged from the right, and when it was swung in, it was touched on by Andy, and then the ball eventually fell to Simon at the far post, who lashed the ball home into the net - a good start.

Moments later, Loco made it two. It was a similar move, with the ball starting on the right side of the park, and a superb ball was whipped in to Paul Cashmore, who was on hand to nod the ball home into the net - securing his first goal [and a much deserved one] of the season. Fortunately, Loco had a camera-man on hand to catch the reactions when the burly defender did a cartwheel…

Elsewhere in the half, there were a number of half chances, including a couple of wayward Bomber shots, so we didn’t manage to increase our goal tally further. DBJ, although solid, didn’t look interested in scoring - so, we were looking to net more in the second half. So we did…

Half Time: DBJ Property 0 - 2 Ferndown Locomotive

The second half started with the away side doing all the attacking, and, within the space of twenty minutes we netted another two goals, with Andy Smith being instrumental in both of them.

The first of them came when Steve was transferred to play up front (you read it right - UP FRONT), and the defender come golden-boot, made an instant impact by winning the ball at the top of the park, and then dinking the ball forward to Andy Smith, who, running across goal, managed to get the outside of his right boot on the ball to lob the keeper with ease, with the ball bouncing nicely into the net.

Andy was again in on the act minutes later, as a long ball as controlled well by the right-sided striker, and he laid the ball on to Matt Folds, who took his time, composed himself, made a cuppa, and the struck the ball from a considerable distance into the roof of the net to make it 4-0 to the Loco.

With Steve up-front, there was an opportunity for him to score, and he nearly did so with some awesome runs and shots - however one of them went just wide, one went over, and the other was saved. Boo Hiss.

Once player who did manage to convert though was Sean Barker, who was relieved from his goal-keeping duties, as he was replaced by Bomber in goal. The former Loco goal-machine came on, and was put through on goal, and still with a lot of work to do, Biatchi rounded the keeper, and slotted the ball into the net to make it five.

In between the goals, the positional changes, and a lot of pissing about, Mike and Luke came on the pitch, with devastating effect - Luke proving a menace up-front, and Mike being active on the ball at every opportunity.

Similarly, there was also a goal that was scored - after a foul in the area from one of the Loco defenders, DBJ won a penalty kick, and it was successfully converted, as Bomber went the wrong way (just!).

It was a good end to the season for Loco, and with the squad starting to mould well recently, there should be optimism for next season. Unfortunately, Rob may well be without us next season (or maybe it should be the other way round) and he put in an awesome performance today, to ensure that Loco finished in the highest possible position. Rob has done fantastic for us over the years, so as a tribute, from now until the meal, we’ll be running some stories, featuring the finest left-back Loco has ever had (apart from Gary Piper that time)… so stay tuned.

Remember that the meal is on May 19th, and if you haven’t chosen your meals or paid, make sure Steve has everything as soon as possible!

DBJ Property 1 - 5 Ferndown Locomotive