The future's (hopefully) bright... and Amber

Handsworth FC confirmed details of their 1st team squad this week. The group that Froggy and Wardy have assembled is a very interesting mix of new faces plus a few from last season's squad. In my opinion, it's an excellent blend of older, more experienced players and some very talented younger lads.

Having seen all of the pre-season games, it's evident, to me anyway, that the group is starting to gel into a good side. There's a strong work ethic and it looks like there's a growing team spirit amongst the lads. They play some neat passing football when it's possible too.

"The Management"

With the 1st team's opening fixture of the new season postponed, we took the opportunity to watch the Under-21 lads in a training/practice match. We saw some very good young players, several of whom would not look out of place in the 1st team set-up. It's great to know that the club has such strength in depth.

The real stuff starts on Wednesday, 2nd August when we host Golcar Utd at Olivers Mount. That will be a real test. Last season we beat them 1-0 at their place and they won 1-0 at ours although it has to be said that in our home fixture, we hit the post twice, had one effort cleared off the goal line and Golcar then nicked a goal late on.

Last season counts for nothing of course as both teams start with a clean slate.

Looking forward to it with feelings ranging from anticipation to anxiety. Time will tell. One game doesn't define a season but it would be great to get off to a winning start. COYA!!

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A Football Free weekend - or two...

We were at Olivers Mount last Wednesday (19th July) to see Handsworth FC complete their pre-season schedule when they played Stocksbridge Park Steels. We knew it would be tough. SPS finished in a play-off position in the Division above Handsworth last season, missing out on promotion when they lost their play off semi-final on penalties.

The weathermen got the forecast right for once. No rain and plenty of pleasant evening sunshine.

As expected, it was a hard game and Steels ran out 3-0 winners although the scoreline doesn't truly reflect the game. Steels led 1-0 at halftime through a goal which was hotly disputed by the Ambers manager Jon Froggatt and his defenders. However, referees don't change their minds once the decision is made do they?! The Ambers also missed a first half penalty.

The 2nd goal was less controversial but the 3rd looked suspiciously offside, or so I'm told. I was snapping from the opposite end of the pitch so couldn't really tell.

Both sides missed good chances and both keepers made a couple of excellent saves in a generally high tempo game. Even though the game was lost, it was another encouraging performance from Handsworth and it looks as if Froggy and Wardy have the basis of a good team. A couple of additions may be needed but so far, it's been a pretty decent start to the new management duo's reign. 

Anyway, that was that for pre-season and our attention turned to the start of the new season on 29th July when The Ambers were scheduled to make the trip to Goole for the opening fixture in the NCEL Premier Division.

However, in the last couple of days, the schedule has changed. It turns out that Goole have a ground availability issue on 29th and so the game is postponed with a new date to be confirmed. 

With no fixture to go to today (22nd) it means we have two successive football-free Saturdays. Hope there's no footy withdrawal symptoms!

So our season will now begin at Oliver's Mount on 2nd August when we will host Golcar Utd. That will be a tough start to the league campaign but there are no easy games in this division.

Onwards & Upwards. Come on You Ambers!!

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The good form continues for Handsworth FC.

Handsworth FC's latest pre-season game took place on Saturday (15th July) when they visited Hucknall Town.

This was our first visit to Hucknall's new RM Stadium on Aerial Way, just across the road from their old home at Watnall Road and it's extremely impressive. Covered seating and standing areas down one side of the pitch and a covered terrace behind one goal, the ground has everything you could wish for. Nice, flat pitch, spacious clubhouse, ample toilet facilities and a sizeable hard-standing car park.

The stadium was opened in December 2022 so everything is still practically brand new but it is a great set-up and I have to admit to a tinge of jealousy even though Handsworth's home at Oliver's Mount is an excellent facility, much admired by visiting supporters.

The short drive down the M1 was a bit of a drag with congestion for a good part of the way and heavy rain at times. We later heard that there had been an accident and clearance of that had closed at least one lane for a good while. We were just unlucky I guess. Others arriving after us said they'd had no problem with congestion.

As we parked up at the ground, the heavens opened and there was a flash of lightening and a crack of thunder so we made our way to the turnstile during a break in the showers. When we got inside, the rain stopped and the sun came out.

The game itself was made difficult for the players as a strong, gusty wind blew for most of it. 

Handsworth ran out 3-1 winners and probably deserved it, certainly based on their second half performance. In the first half, the Ambers keeper, Dylan Parkin, pulled off a fantastic point-blank save to keep it to 0-0 at half time.

The Ambers made a couple of changes to players and formation in the 2nd half and it was sub Alfie Dodsworth who gave them the lead early on. Mitch Dunne pounced on a loose ball and squared it across the area for the unmarked Alfie to score from close range. Hucknall equalised with a spot kick not long after.

With the wind behind them, Handsworth began to press the home side back and scored their second goal when centre back Henry Carne powered home a far post header.

The scoring was completed when Alfie Dodsworth pounced on another defensive error and slotted the ball home past the hapless keeper.

There was no more scoring but we had a couple of "handbags" moments which were sorted out pretty quickly by the referee with the issue of a couple of yellow cards. Have to say, we've seen all of Handsworth's pre-season fixtures and reflecting on the games, I think the standard of refereeing has been pretty good. Maybe there's less pressure on the officials in friendly games but we'll see what happens when the real stuff starts.

On our way home, we stopped off at Chester's fish & chip restaurant in Chesterfield. One of the best around in our opinion and well worth a visit.

The final pre-season game is against Stocksbridge Park Steels who play in the division above ours. That'll be a tough test but The Ambers fans have to be encouraged by what we've seen so far from the all-new management team and squad. COYA!!

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Momentum building as the new season gets ever nearer...

In another relatively quiet week, the highlights were 2 more visits to Olivers Mount for more pre-season friendly outings for the new Handsworth FC squad.

Both games were won and the management duo of Froggy and Wardy seem to be getting things into good shape as far as squad-building goes. 

On 5th July, Retford Utd were the visitors and, as expected, provided a good test for The Ambers who ran out 2-0 winners. The Retford squad included a couple of ex-Handsworth players and manager Ryan Hindley is also well known to the club (and in non-league football circles generally it has to be said!)

Overall, it was another good performance from the lads who played some nice football and defended stoutly when necessary. A goal in each half brought the win.

My personal selection as Handsworth Man-of-the Match was goalkeeper Dylan Parkin. He made 2 or 3 top-class saves to keep The Ambers in front. The clean sheet was well-deserved.

Heavy rain at times during the game didn't spoil it although I got soaked whilst taking my pictures. My own fault. I believed the Weather Channel forecast which predicted a dry evening with the sun making a brief appearance before sunset. The heaviest of the rain came around the time the sunshine was predicted. As my father used to say "Weather forecasters? They couldn't tip rubbish."

The match album is here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/62126085@N04/albums/72177720309582195

It was wet again on Saturday 8th July when Handsworth hosted Dinnington Town although this time, I decided to shoot the pictures from the back of one of the stands rather than at pitch side as I normally do.

This was a fairly comfortable 6-1 victory against a side from a lower division but Handsworth had a couple of "senior" players away so the team had to be reshuffled a little. The lads were 4-0 up by half time and worked hard right up to the final whistle. Nice to see strikers chasing back to challenge for the ball when they'd lost it in the opposition half. An all around team performance - and that's what we're after!!

Match Album:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/62126085@N04/albums/72177720309658678

There's no midweek game this week and so the next test is away at Hucknall Town FC on Saturday, July 15th. Looking forward to that one. That leaves one more tough pre-season test against Stocksbridge Park Steels before the real stuff starts on 29th July.

We also got news of the FA Cup and FA Vase preliminary round draws. Handsworth have a long trip to Skelmersdale in the Cup and another trek to Chorley to play Euxton Villa in the Vase. Games to be played on 5th August and 26th August respectively. Not 100% sure if we'l make those 2 games but we'll see!

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Football's back!!

Highlight of the last week was a trip to Olivers Mount on Saturday to see Handsworth FC's first pre-season friendly game. 

Unfortunately, it ended in a 2-4 defeat to Sherwood Colliery FC but considering that this was the first time the new squad had played a competitive game together, this wasn't too bad.

It was good to see a few old faces from last season and the new management duo of Froggy and Wardy have made some interesting additions to the playing staff.

The Ambers used all of the players available on the day, making many changes to the playing 11 and the format as the game went on.

The overall performance was encouraging. The scoreline was probably about right. I thought Sherwood were the better side overall but the Ambers players are still really getting to know each other and in the second half, they played some good attacking football.

It was good to catch up with some old mates at the game but the chats meant I missed some of the action because I was chatting when I should have been snapping! Still, I managed to get decent shots of the two Ambers goals and I made a (smaller than usual) album on Flickr. Have a look:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/62126085@N04/albums/72177720309495883/with/53016964416/

On to the next one. Another home friendly fixture, this time against Retford Utd. Wednesday evening with a 7:30pm kick-off. It'll be another tough test for the Ambers squad. Retford are a good side but all we can ask is that the boys give it a go! COYA!!

🧡🤎⚽👊