Something For The Weekend (4)

By Simon ‘sprout’ Phillips

Hello and welcome to this week`s something for the weekend. As I write the squad has just returned for pre-season training and we are just a week away from our first fixture. The season proper will be upon us before you know it.

Over the weekend there was a lot of talk of a potential return for former Gas striker Jamie Cureton, however he opted to join Leyton Orient. Jamie would have been a good signing for us in League Two as he is a proven goal scorer but it wasn`t to be. Paul Buckle moved quickly though to snap up Orient striker Scott McGleish almost immediately. Firstly a big welcome to Scott and secondly I am pleased with the signing. I have always rated Scott whenever I have seen him play against us, he is experienced, strong, and also knows where the net is. He may not play 40 or 50 games for us at his age but I am sure will be an invaluable player for us. His experience and know how should also be of great benefit to youngsters like Elliot Richards, Ellis Harrison and Lamarr Powell, who can no doubt learn a great deal from him.

This week has also seen the signing of a second goalkeeper in Lance Cronin. Welcome Lance. I can`t say I have ever seen much of him, but he has plenty of games under his belt and is a good age and should provide good competition for Scott Bevan. On the face of it you would say Bevan is first choice but I am sure the place is up for grabs for both men over pre-season and both men will have a chance to stake a claim for the all important position between the sticks.

It would seem that most of the squad rebuilding has been completed, but it would be nice to see a pacey striker coming in and maybe another defender. There is still plenty of time until the season starts and who knows when the right deal will come along. The main thing is the bulk of the squad is together and hopefully they can (and I hate the term) ‘gel` quickly and become a good unit. A good start to the season may not be vital for us to be at least pushing for the play-offs, but the quicker we can get up and running the better as the team finds its feet in the first 8/10/12 games.

There have also been a couple of departures in Dominic Blizzard and Harry Pell. Whilst I am slightly disappointed to see young Harry go, I am not so about Dominic. I was sceptical at the time when we gave him a three year contract bearing in mind his injury record and in his time here didn`t really show anything to change my opinion. Blizzard will probably go down as one of the worst value for money signings BRFC have ever made. With regards to Harry, I thought he looked a bit raw but looked like he had potential as well as an encouraging loan spell at Hereford, but for whatever reasons he will not be staying which I think is a shame.

Our first game is next Wednesday away at Mangotsfield United and being only a short 10 minute walk from my abode, I don`t really have much excuse to miss it and hopefully get a first glimpse of some of our new players. It will mean I miss The Apprentice, but then I can always catch up with that on iplayer, unlike Rovers. This is quickly followed by a game v our old friends Bath City on the Friday. Hopefully I can also get to this game; however that may require some sweet talking to the girlfriend. If I`m lucky I can drag her along and show her what it is that I get all worked up about on a Saturday afternoon, but I haven`t had much joy in explaining it to her as it is so far, so not holding out much hope on that score.

Anyway have a good weekend, and hope to see as many of you at Mangotsfield as possible. UTG!

Simon ‘Sprout` Phillips