The Committee met on Monday 1st July at the Score Centre for its regular meeting.

The women’s League season is coming to an end with final fixtures in July. The team is doing well in both the Essex and Herts League, although the split into a Premiership/Championship structure by the Herts League will be queried by the Club at the AGM.

For the men the story has been scoring goals. With the exception of the over 70s, a mixture of lack of goals, changing line-ups and the loss of two senior keepers has impacted on performance with sides struggling in the bottom half of the tables. An example is the over 60 Whites and over 65s Whites who have scored one goal in 8 to 10 games and drawn the majority of their games 0-0.

The over 70s remain in the Walking Football Leagues Alliance (WFLA) Cup, reaching the semi-final stage with hopefully a date sorted in August.

The major area considered was future tours. The experience in Portugal led the Club to consider whether to move to age specific tours moving away from whole Club tours. The Essex League have also decided not to give any dispensation on games if a Club wants to tour on a date when they have a League game. The meeting agreed to move to more age specific tours. For men/mixed groups, two tours a year will be explored. The Mallorca tournament has an over 65s and over 70s competition and this will be posted to test interest. The Club will also explore potential selection for over-subscribed tours. Once 2025 fixtures are issued a tour for the over 50s/over 60s will be sought.

The women’s team will be taking a party of eight players to Tenerife.

The Club has a party of twelve players going to Edinburgh for the Hearts v Leyton Orient event. It was noted that parts of central Edinburgh will be blocked for the Hearts 150 years commemorative march on the Saturday with 150 pipers in attendance.

The Christmas Meal and awards evening is provisionally to take place on Friday 6 December at Leyton Orient. The event will be posted once the Football Club formally agree the date.

Finally, well done to Phil Stevenson on making the England over 75 team for an 11-a-side game against Wales. It is traditional football with both running and tackling.

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