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For the past two weeks this weather has disrupted football in general and me in particular! I have lost the last two regular Monday night sessions (which included my "Save for Robbie Appeal event"). Also some sessions with Swindon Town Centre of Excellence goalkeepers and the last two sessions I do for "Lions in the Community" down in Andover. As a Self Employed football coach its costing me money and at this rate the size of my turkey on Christmas Day is rapidly decreasing!

Last Saturday we (Cirencester Town) did manage to play our latest league game down at Bashley. All the way there on the coach I just couldn't see the game going ahead as we were surrounded by snow on both sides of the road but eventually when we got there some late night rain on the Friday had cleared the pitch of snow and it was playable much to our surprise. Thankfully we made the most of it and secured an excellent last minute 2-1 win.

Last night (Thursday) I was with Swindon Town Youth team for our FA Youth Cup tie at Championship side Watford at Vicarage Road. We prepared the lads well leaving early afternoon and travelling down on the First Team coach to a hotel near the ground for a pre-match meal. It was good for the lads to sample what it could be like as a professional footballer if they work hard enough and earn that first contract. I will say though that the Hilton Hotel chain need to invest some money in their toasters as the toast for my beans on toast took longer to cook than a Sunday roast!

We reached Vicarage Road and apart from one side of the ground which is tatty the rest of it is excellent and again it was great for the lads to experience playing at a stadium like that. It was always going to be a tough game as being an Academy side Watford have greater resources such as better training facilities, bigger squad size and will have had more actual coaching time as they have come up through their system. We lost the game 2-0 and they were the better side. However our lads did very well and a few things went against us in the game such as losing one of our influential midfielders in the first ten minutes to a bad head injury, then having a debatable penalty given against us with fifteen minutes gone. In the second half we forced their keeper into two great saves but then late on a bit of naivity by our full back cost us when he gave away a needless free kick and they scored from the resulting ball into our box. Overall the lads did well and maybe if a liitle luck had gone our way the result may have been different but importantly it was a great experience for the lads and one with which they can learn from which will help with their development.

Back to the weather and over the last 24 hours there has been an improvement in the temperatures and having driven past Ruskin School this afternoon I could actually see the green of the astro turf not a glaze of white. Providing temperatures don't plummet again over the weekend all should be well for the "Save for Robbie Appeal" event on Monday evening (13th). It would be great if we can make the evening a success and raise as much money as possible for Robbie and his family.

Blog Number Two

This weeks blog has to start with the news of our "Save for Robbie Appeal" which is an event I have planned and started to put into place this week.

My First Blog!

I write my first blog sat in my hotel room late at night while in the middle of a three day FA Course.