All my work for the club is well away from any football pitch, wether it be representing the football club on the parish council or chairing our committee meetings or helping with fundraising or making the tea's...What happens on the pitch is out of my hands as it is all our supporters yet we all strive to make it happen, a quick round up of our teams, the first team are doing great, Robbo & Dan have not only put together a good squad but clearly a team-spirit aswell, this doesn't just happen...there's a healthy competition for places that the best player's are thriving on and the results are bearing fruit. Well done all involved. Simon has had a very difficult job amidst a lot of injuries yet continues to battle on in difficult times, The youth sides have all enjoyed some good wins and the Under-10's still have a proud unbeaten record in league & cup so far.
I recently had an interesting conversation with a man in the Swan Inn who asked me "What gives you the f&%$*ing right to be chairman of Long Stratton Football Club?" I proceeded to tell the man, who shall remain nameless, about how I was elected at the AGM, but that wasn't what he meant. What he meant was how could I, who hadn't played for Long Stratton FC or even been involved with the club for very long become chair and that I was a woman! The funny thing was that this man hadn't been involved with the club for a lot of years yet he still felt justified in questioning my involvement, but it got me thinking about what a football club such as ours means to people and how those people feel it is 'their' club. It also got me thinking about how much people invest in this club, I’m not talking about financial investment (although we are always grateful to those who do) but the investment of their time, their commitment and in the case of some players their skill. There is a dedicated band of people who take it upon themselves to insure that LSFC keeps ticking over and moving in the right direction. Whether it is someone who manages a team and deals with all the flak that can entail, someone who sorts out the paper work or keeps the books in order or who paints the goal posts or perhaps a player who is dedicated enough to turn up to training come rain or shine. Sometimes it can mean doing things you might not want to do but you do them anyway because it is for the good of the club. So as chairman is this MY club? Yes it is, but the club also belongs to everyone who gives their time to run, support or pull on a red shirt. We are all Long Stratton Football Club and to mis-quote JFK "Ask not what your club can do for you but what you can do for your club". And in answer to man in the Swan? Yes I am a woman, no I have never played football and yes I have been only been involved with the club in the last couple of years but I am here now, I give my time and energy and I want for nothing more than this club to go from strength to strength and get the success that 'we' the people deserve.
Come on the Reds!
Georgina Race - Chairlady
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