Max, Drax and ...

By Follow the Swans3/6/2016 13:34Fri Jun 3 13:34:44 2016

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PLAYERS
Manager Johnson Hippolyte has not stopped working since the end of the season, and has been busy talking to players, both new to the Club and those who have been with us before. Readers will understand that we are unable to publicise names until each player has made a definite commitment to Staines Town – however, the Manager has firm ideas of whom he wants, and is actively pursuing those targets.
The first newcomer to put pen to paper is JEFFERSON LOUIS, a formidable striker with a wealth of experience to his name. The 6’2” striker has been with Vanarama South side Wealdstone for the past couple of seasons, where he was an important member of the side who continued to find the net regularly. After beginning with Thame United as a junior, Jefferson was snapped up by Oxford United, where he played 55 times in the Football League – a figure that he added to in a later spell with Bristol Rovers. He has also played for a host of big clubs just outside the League, among them Woking, Rushden & Diamonds, Crawley Town, Stevenage Borough, Newport County, Lincoln City, Wrexham, and Darlington. Although born in London, his family ancestry is from Dominica, and in 2008 he was capped by the Caribbean nation in the World Cup qualifiers. We welcome Jefferson to Wheatsheaf Park, and look forward to him continuing his remarkable career that has seen him amass almost 200 goals in league competitions alone.

Draxs has also been in conversation with MAX WORSFOLD, who has this week agreed to rejoin Staines Town. Max was a popular player for us in the three seasons between 2012 and 2015, with 155 Swans appearances to his credit, many of them as team captain. A former Staines Town Junior, he started as a pro’ with Aldershot Town, but spent last season in the Vanarama South with Hayes & Yeading United. We look forward to renewing acquaintances with this midfielder / full back, who is still only 23 years old.
As you may have seen, last season’s top scorer Pat Cox has decided to move on to fellow Ryman Premi side Merstham. We wish him success in his new venture, and thank him for his services to Staines Town in 2015/16, which were rewarded with his lifting the ‘Dick Watmore’ Player of the Year trophy.

PITCH & FLOODLIGHTS
Contractors have been busy on the playing pitch at Wheatsheaf Park, making maximum use of the close season, with just six weeks between the last Chelsea Ladies game on 25th May, and their return on July 10th for the game against Birmingham City. The entire top surface has been removed to facilitate levelling and re-seeding, whilst the sprinkler and irrigation system has been substantially maintained and refreshed. In addition, major maintenance work has been carried out on our floodlights.
Further maintenance, tidying, and painting jobs will of course be ongoing during the summer, and if anyone has some free time and would like to volunteer to help, please contact Ken Williams on [email protected] .
As some will know, Graham Gould, who has been our groundsman since 1991, has been unwell over the past few months, but we are pleased to report that he is doing well in hospital following surgery, and we wish him a speedy recovery and a rapid return to Wheatsheaf Park!

EURO 2016 in the SWANS SPORTSBAR
The UEFA European Championships are just around the corner, and for those of you who aren’t travelling to France, what better way can there be to enjoy the games than in our own Swans Sports Bar, which remains under Staines Town’s control for the coming season. All England fixtures will be shown, as will the Final, and other games to be advised on our website, www.stainestownfootballclub.co.uk. The England fixtures in Group ‘B’ and UK kick-off times are:
Sat 11 Jun England vs Russia 8pm
Thu 16 Jun England vs Wales 2pm
Mon 20 Jun England vs Slovakia 8pm
The Final of Euro2016 takes place at 8pm on Sunday 10th July, so you could enjoy a whole day of football at Wheatsheaf Park if you’re also along for the Chelsea Ladies return in the afternoon!

TRAINING
First Team training will recommence on 5th July, with a session at Staines Lammas FC. We are delighted to have renewed the links with our near neighbours at Staines Lammas, and we will of course be providing the pre-season opposition for them in the Family Day on 23rd July.

PRE-SEASON
Our own Pre-Season schedule continues to take shape, with new fixtures announced against Barnet and a QPR U21 side, and a new date still to be arranged for the Marlow away game which has unfortunately been displaced from 16th July.
SATURDAY 16th JULY 2016 (3pm)
Home v BARNET

WEDNESDAY 20th JULY 2016 (7:30pm)
Home v QUEENS PARK RANGERS Under 21

SATURDAY 23rd JULY 2016 (3pm)
away v STAINES LAMMAS
(Staines Lammas FC: The Lucan Pavilion Recreation Ground, The Broadway, Laleham, Staines, Surrey, TW18 1RZ)
For those interested in our history, you may like to know that Staines Town FC played on this site opposite The Turk's Head, less than a mile from Wheatsheaf Park, for a few seasons between WW2 and the move to our present ground.

TUESDAY 26th JULY 2016 (ko tbc)
home v WEALDSTONE
(Staines Town FC: Wheatsheaf Park, Wheatsheaf Lane, Staines, Middlesex, TW18 2PD)

SATURDAY 30th JULY 2016 (3pm)
away v SOUTH PARK
(South Park FC: Whitehall Lane, South Park, Reigate, Surrey, RH2 8LG)

SATURDAY 6th AUGUST 2016 (3pm)
To be announced