It is with great sadness that i have to let you know, HAC Chairman, Charles Randall, aged just 71, unfortunately passed away on Friday  31st January 2020 , following a short battle with pneumonia. Charles had led a recent drive to rehouse HAC back at Armoury House with a playing surface and hospitality, second to none. His steadfast determination achieved that success and so HAC have played a number of games already at that venue. His passing is a massive shock and he will certainly be missed by all at the club and AFC.
The funeral is Monday 24th February at 12:30. Christ Church Radlett (Watling Street, WD7 7JJ), and afterwards at Porter’s Park Golf Club Radlett (Shenley Hill, WD7 7AZ .  We’re expecting quite a big turnout from the football club, so any representative from the AFC will be more than welcome.
Ian Andrews 
AFC Secretary

I attach a report of the 2-1 defeat in the above match

afc_v_jfc_-_match_report_-.docx

The 2nd Round of the FA Inter League Cup is at Sutton United FC , Gander Green Lane , Sutton  SM1 2EY (4g pitch)

Kick Off 5.30pm - Saturday 16th November 2019

Please can as many players, Club Officials & League Officers attend and support the team.

Squad.
Henry Warne (Dorkinians)
​Seth Clenaghan (Dorkinians)
Joe Marshall (Old Meadonians)
Cameron McGovern (Old Hamptonians)
Charlie Cain (Old Meadonians)
Chris North (Old Wokingians) 
Murray Gibb (Wandsworth Borough) - ITC pending 
Charles Woodman (Dorkinians)
Ross Fleming (Old Wokingians)
George Proctor (Old Suttonians)
Alex Roberts (HAC)
Adam Holmes (HAC)
Ryan Bright (Old Meadonians) 
Liam Hawkins (Dorkinians)
Josh Higgins (Old Meadonians)
Tom Coulter (HAC)
Sam Edis (Old Wokingians)
Craig Jones (Dorkinians)

https://twitter.com/jimwalden21/status/1191630941556543488

​It is with much sadness that I have to report (although as yet nothing from his family) that John (Jack) Frost a referee of some 50+ years has recently died. John was one of the stalwart referees in the early days of the Southern Olympian and Old Boys League travelling far and wide to officiate wherever he was required. In later years John no longer registered as a referee but still turned out whenever asked for local teams including Witan, Wandsworth.

A real character he always stayed with teams for drinks after his games, without fail & knew most players by name. Very popular with our Witan guys and I think at Wandsworth too. Also a big Brentford fan.

John was a great character and the thoughts of all in AFC are sent to his family and friends at this sad time.

Ian Andrews

The AFC Representative team kicked off their 2019-20 campaign with a tight and hard fought 2-1 victory over the Essex Olympian League at Uxbridge FC on 28th Sept. We now play The Jersey Combination League at home in the 2nd round (to be played by 30/11).

Match report for yesterdays game is attached

eol_match_report.pdf

Ian Andrews
AFC Secretary

AFC 3 - 1 SAL 

The AFC and SAL kicked off the 2019/20 season on Wednesday night at Uxbridge FC, competing for honours in the Argonaut Trophy and Steve Langley Cup.

After losing 3-2 in the same fixture last year, the AFC went on to record wins against the Herts Senior County League (3-2) and the Arthurian League (4-0), and came into this game looking to record the first outright win against the SAL since 2009/10.

However, despite a bright start from the AFC, it was the SAL who took a 1-0 lead when Dan Butler curled in a superb effort from the edge of the box, beating Henry Warne’s despairing dive to find the top corner.

Despite the setback the AFC stuck to their game-plan, continued to move the ball well and were duly rewarded when Liam Hawkins played Ryan Bright through on goal with an incisive pass from the left, only for Bright to be upended by the out-rushing ‘keeper as he attempted to take the ball round him in the area. There was no hesitation from the referee in pointing to the spot to give Bright the chance to level things up, which he did cooly to make it 1-1.

After the interval the AFC really pushed on. The ball was zipped around well with the midfield duo of Ross Fleming and George Proctor dictating the tempo and using the ball well and Cameron McGovern linking well with Josh Higgins down the right hand side to create a number of good chances.

The AFC’s pressure finally told when a scramble in the box from an in-swinging Charlie Cain corner fell to Tom Coulter who prodded home to make it 2-1.  2-1 swiftly became 3-1 when Coulter was played in nicely by substitute Alex Roberts and slotted home to give himself his second of the game.

Despite a late SAL rally, the AFC centre halves of Harry Wakeford and captain Chris North marshalled the defence through to the whistle to ensure the AFC held on to record a famous win.

Goals: Ryan Bright (pen), Tom Coulter (2)
MOM: Cameron McGovern

The AFC won 3-1 with a superb performance that sets us up nicely for the clash on 28th. Scorers were Ryan Bright of Old Meadonians  (pen) and two from HAC player  Tom Coulter.

The first fixture of the season is the Argonaut Trophy vs the Southern Amateur League to be played on
11th September 2019 at Uxbridge FC, Honeycroft, Horton Road, West Drayton, Middlesex  UB7 8HX
Kick-Off 19:45 PM.

The AFC will play in all blue and the SAL in all red , match officials are:-
Referee :- Mourad Bougouizi   AR's Malcolm Edwards & Robert Poole

Final squad for tomorrow listed below:

Henry Warne (Dorkinians)
Cameron McGovern (Old Hamptonians)
Charlie Cain (Old Meadonians)
Charles Woodman (Dorkinians)
Harry Wakeford (Old Suttonians)
Chris North (Old Wokingians)
George Proctor (Old Suttonians)
Ross Fleming (Old Wokingians)
Alex Roberts (HAC)
Ryan Bright (Old Meadonians)
Josh Higgins (Old Meadonians)
Liam Hawkins (Dorkinians)
Xavier Mackney (Old Meadonians)
Tom Coulter (HAC)

The FA Inter League Competition sees the AFC drawn against The UK Prokit Essex Olympian League  and the match will be played at Uxbridge FC   on Saturday 28th September 2019 ko 3pm. All AFC Premier teams have a free week on that date and so no games are being arranged. All Support is most welcome.

The minutes (draft) are attached from the 2019 AGM afc_agm_minutes_2019.pdfand please note that the start date for the 2019-20 season is 14th September for all Premier, Senior & Intermediate Divisions and 21st September for all teams in 1-7 South & 1-6 North.

Clubs voted for the constitution option of 11/12 divisions and the final agreed constitution (plus one additional team Southgate County 5th xi)  is attached here  afc_constitution_2019-20_as_at_30.06.2019.xlsx      

WGS Player Registration starts in 2019/20 and all players for every club MUST be entered in full on WGS before the season starts as all need to be approved before they play. Please read the attached help guides and please enrol on one of the many webinars to help you.
support_programme-1.pdf
portal_player_registration_v4.0.pdf
playerregistration_leagueclub_1920.pdf

Please contact either Melanie Armstrong or Deryll David  at the AFA Office, to merge all players with multiple FAN numbers, using the unique email address created just for that process      dupefan@amateur-fa.com

Following hours of negotiations between Charles Randall and Armoury House it is with great delight that we can know post this press release:-

The Honourable Artillery Company will be playing more than half their AFC home matches at Armoury House in The City next season, after a long absence. This is good news for visiting sides and officials because plans are advanced to open the main building, dating back to 1735, for Saturday hospitality for the first time, in at least 20 years For those who have not played there, it is an evocative place, with a lawn-like pitch flanked by mulberry trees and skyscrapers as a backdrop. The venue at Dulwich Village will still be frequently used as back-up

.Who are the HAC? The football section has been a 100 per cent open club for many years, as with all the AFC clubs. The establishment is a successful Army Reserve unit dating back to 1537, the second-oldest regiment in the world behind the Vatican Guard. More than 400 part-time soldiers, including females, are well paid and drawn mostly from City workers. Anyone reading this would be very welcome to join as a recruit for a taste of excitement and camaraderie.

The most eminent former HAC player is Mike Jolley, currently manager of Grimsby Town.

www.cityam.com/footballs-coming-home-to-the-city-for-the-square-miles-unofficial-club-the-honourable-artillery-company-fc/

Charles Randall,  HAC president

The AFC Representative team have been accepted once again into this seasons competition. Games will be played on Saturdays with this seasons draw being as follows:-

THE FA INTER-LEAGUE CUP 2019-2020
1st Round – TIES TO BE COMPLETED BY SATURDAY 28 SEPTEMBER 2019
1 Yorkshire Amateur League v North Riding Football League
2 Wearside League v West Cheshire Football League
3 Isle of Man League v Cheshire Football League
4 West Yorkshire Football League v Manchester Football League
5 Liverpool County Premier League v York Football League
6 Anglian Combination League v Cambridgeshire County League
7 Lincolnshire League v Northants Combination League
8 Bedfordshire County Football v Staffordshire County Senior League
League
9 Suffolk & Ipswich Football League v Peterborough & District Football League
10 Amateur Football Combination v Essex Olympian Football League
11 Herts Senior County League v Kent County Football League
12 Essex & Suffolk Border Football v Southern Combination Football League
League
13 Thames Valley Premier League v Southern Amateur Football League
14 Dorset Premier Football League v Mid Sussex Football League
15 Hampshire Premier Football League v Guernsey Football League
16 Jersey Football Combination League v Somerset County League

Congratulations to former Meadonian - Albert Adomah

Congratulations to Meads' former top scorer Albert Adomah who helped Aston Villa, with their Championship play-off win at Wembley, to get back into the Premier Division. Having been promoted previously when playing for Middlesbrough Albert has now done it again. Albert is a splendid example how a player from the grass roots of football can make it all the way to the top.