A Great Double Act!

Steve Newing and Del Deanus AKA 'The Managment'

Can Steve & Del emulate thier hero's Clough & Taylor ?

"Del do you remember when we won the treble with Edgware?" "Yes but I cant remember where I put your rubber ring !"

"Ernie I heard that Steve & Del are going to sign Big Bird for Edgware" "Bert I heard Del was more interested in the cookie monster"

"Thats right Fred, if you dont score goals you dont win matches" "Barney your'e right we need to 'Bam Bam' the ball into the net

""Bring me sunshine" "3pts on Saturday would be better"

"Thats another fine mess you got me into Del"

'From the Management'

"Well we know there are 3 hard months ahead for us to achieve anything this season,

If we had been told we would be sitting in a play off place come the last week in January after receiving the news back in the first week of July that it looked like the end of Edgware Town FC, we would have snapped your hand off.

It was initially the lad’s willingness to play for nothing so that they could have a crack at the Ryman Division One North (Step 4 of the non-league pyramid) together as a team that led to the clubs drive to survive.

This in an era when many in non-league do it for their wallets rather than their passion to play football.We all know that we were given a stay of execution and at least a promise of another season’s football at the WLG.

Pre season was tough from a results point of view, but the thing that mattered most was fitness and that went fine.Regulation favourites, whipping boys of the league, no money, no real budget; these were phrases being bounded around non league circles.

Going into our first game of the season both Del and I were confident that we would hold our own at this level, money helps but it can be overcome.

We knew from looking at the first 6 league games that they had been kind to us, no real playoff contenders to test us.

We got off to a pretty decent start with 13 points picked up from the first 6 games and we were even disappointed with the dropped points. We had not met a team that were better than us so far.

“They haven’t played anyone yet” – quotes from opposition managers in the non-league papers.

The next 6 games were what promotion was all about, the boys were looking forward to pitting their wits against Enfield, AFC Sudbury, Maldon Town, Canvey Island, Aveley Town and Dartford (2 title favourites and 3 play off hopefuls) Four wins two draws – 14 points and no goals conceded either.

“They haven’t played anyone yet” couldn’t use that one anymore could they. After 12 games we had 27 points, not a bad start.

November was tough on paper and tough it proved to be, we played 6 games in the league during that month without getting a win under our belts, albeit we only lost 1 and managed to draw the other 5 (Hard to beat, you could say that)

Three results really disappointed us during that time, Arlesey Town away is best forgotten and the draws against Bury Town and Waltham Forrest.

Del and I had worked out that if we were going to be in a position to be real contenders for a play off position going in to the New Year, then we needed a productive month through December.

That is how it proved to be with 4 wins and 2 draws from our 6 matches with only 1 goal conceded.

This enabled us to pick up the golden glove award for the 3rd time out of a possible 4 this season as well as ending the year at the top of the table.

Del and I were piped for manager of the month for the second time this campaign by Dean Holdsworth, manager of the other surprise package Redbridge.

Summer 07 – Edgware Town - THE END, December 07 TOP OF RYMAN DIVISION ONE NORTH – you would have thought it was a dream.

January, again, looked like a tough month on paper and as we write after 4 league games so it has proved. 3 draws against fellow play off hopefuls and a narrow defeat against another, Enfield Town.

The month has not yielded as many points as we would have liked.Del and I are conscious, as are the lads, that our nemesis has been finding the back of the net.

Defensively we have the best record in the league, if we could have scored on a few more occasions, from the chances we have been creating throughout the season then, well who knows how many points we would have amassed.

When you look at the bigger picture however, you begin to realise just how well the team has done so far.

No real budget, no finances to replace the long term injuries when they come along. Morts out until Christmas – 40 goals from last season that we couldn’t get on the pitch. Fabio, Denis and Adil, our creative players, who have all been injured since the end of November.

Phil Kane our young left wing back has been injured all season and Adam Wallace who missed 6 weeks at the beginning of the season.

Other teams in this league have the financial clout to replace players who lose form or suffer long term injuries.

In financial terms we are a Championship side playing in the Premiership.Lets not forget that at the time of writing we are still involved in 3 Cup Competition Quarter finals as well as sitting in a play off position with 15 league games left.

We know there are teams circling below, who if they win all their games in hand can drop us back to 7th position, just outside the playoff spots.

They need to win these games mind and if we start to take the chances we create, like last season, then myself and Del are sure that with a little bit of luck we may well still be in a play off position come the end of April (a position we have held since game 3 of the league campaign).

Whatever happens over the last 3 months of the season, it will again have been a season of excitement for all involved with Edgware Town, following on from the TREBLE success of 2006/07.

Del and I are rightly proud of what we have built over the last two and a half seasons, each year we have moved the club forward on the playing front and it seems a long time ago, 5 weeks before season 2005/06 when we had 7 or 8 players at our first pre-season training session.

Boys, can you take it to the next level, 3 months to go and our destiny is in our own hands, lets start turning draws into wins again and we will be fine.

Whatever the outcome, come the end of April, remember it was your willingness to PLAY for NOTHING back in the summer that led to the club doing its utmost to ensure it survived to live another day.

Enjoy the rest of the season"

Steve Newing