Category: Team news

Hi everyone

I hope you are all well and eagerly looking forward to the new competitive football season.

With the further easing of lock-down restrictions by the Government we are please to announce that we are now able to admit spectators in to our forthcoming games. The home matches we have in the next few weeks are:

• Fri 28 Aug: (Friendly) Home v Honiton Town (7.30pm)
• Weds 2 Sept: (FA Cup Extra-preliminary round) Home v Bridport (7.30pm)
• Sat 5 Sept: (Friendly) Home v Truro City (3pm)

Due to FA restrictions our ground capacity is restricted to 200 paying spectators on Friday 28 August. This will rise to 400 for the matches on the 2^nd & 5^th of September.

Entry into the ground will be slower than usual as we are required to collect Track & Trace information from everyone passing through the turnstiles. In an attempt to hasten this process and reduce the numbers physically signing in on the night, we are requesting that as many of you as possible arrive at the gate with a small, pre-filled in slip of paper containing your name & contact number & pass that in with your entry payment.

We will be opening the gates at 6.00pm on Friday and would advise that you arrive early as entry will be granted on a first come first served basis up to our permitted capacity. Entry prices for the friendlies will be: Adults £5, Concessions £5; and for the FA Cup match Adults £8, Concessions £6.

Social distancing measures will be in place inside the stadium: we would ask that you help us to comply by respectfully following the guidance of signage around the ground and any instructions given by our volunteer stewards.

Our clubhouse and bar will be open but admission may be restricted at times to avoid overcrowding: an outside bar & outside kitchen servery will also be operating.

Your understanding & patience will be much appreciated as we too will be on a “steep learning curve” for all the new processes we have to implement.

We look forward to seeing you all at these games.

We are pleased that the FA has, today, given consent to allow spectators back into our stadium. Unfortunately this rule change only becomes effective on Saturday 22 August, so our friendly at home to Mousehole on Friday evening has to be played behind closed doors yet again! The same regime will be in place on Friday as that operated last Saturday: the Clubhouse and bar will be open with access off Orchard Way with only players & officials permitted to access through the main gate; the pitch will be screened off & no spectators will be permitted around the ground during the match. Due to complaints received on Tuesday about the number of cars parked along Orchard Way, if you are driving to the ground on Friday please park on Silver Street or around Meadow Park (as you would have done for a pre-covid match) rather than park on Orchard Way. We will have all the procedures & processes in place to finally welcome you back into the ground through the Silver Street turnstiles for our friendly against Taunton Town on Friday 28 August, kick off 7.30pm – note: our capacity for this game will be restricted to 200 spectators. Look forward to seeing you all then. MH

Rovers will be playing their 42^nd FA Cup tie on Wednesday, September 2, when they entertain Bridport at Silver Street. 

Rovers first ever experience of FA Cup football did not go well for they lost an extra preliminary round tie in the 202/-03 campaign, going down 3-0 away at Wimborne FC where they took on Christchurch. 

Indeed it was not until the fifth time of asking that Rovers eventually won an FA Cup and it came in the preliminary round of the 2006/07 season when a visit to Chard was won 4-0 and that was followed by a 4-0 win at home to Tavistock in the 1^st qualifying round before exiting in the next round, beaten 3-1 away at Clevedon Town. 

The longest run in the FA Cup to date came in the 2014/15 season when they were beaten 3-1 at home by Gosport Burough in the fourth qualifying round – just one win away from potentially meeting Football League opposition. 

The run that year began with an extra preliminary round 3-1 home win over Radstock Town. 

Next up came a 2-0 win at Odd Down, then a 2-1 home win over Saltash United and then after a 0-0 second qualifying round draw at Blackfield & Lnagley, they were beaten 1-0 at Silver Street in the replay. 

That season the 3^rd qualifying round success was a 3-2 home win over Aveley before heartbreak in the 4^th qualifying round and that 3-1 home defeat. 

The Rovers FA Cup record reads: 

All matches (home and away) 

P 41 W 18 D 5 L 18  F 61  A 64 

And home 

P 24 W 13 D 1 L 10 F 40 A 36 

And away 

P 17 W 5 D 4 L 8 F 21 A 28  

The prize for the winners of the tie on September 1 is a trip to either Shepton Mallett or Torrington on Saturday, September 12. 

Rovers will also enjoy home comforts in the first round of the 2020/21 FA Trophy for they were drawn out at home to Bristol Manor Farm in the 2^nd Qualifying Round (Rovers avoided a 1^st Qualifying Round tie) and that tie will be played at Silver Street on Saturday, October 17. 

Rovers will have home advantage in the extra preliminary roudn of the 2020/21 Emirates FA Cup.

The draw was made this afternoon (August 18) and Rovers were drawn at home to Western League side Bridport Town.

The tie will be played at Silver Street on September 1 with a 7.45pm kick-off

The Southern Football League has announced the date and time it will publish the 2020/21 fixtures, with the season scheduled to commence on Saturday 19th September 2020. It is the League’s intention to publish the fixtures on Friday 28th August at 1pm.

The League Cup competition is suspended for the 2020/21 season due to its later start than usual.

Clubhouse & Bar: As advised at the end of July we have been working extremely hard in the past few weeks with risk assessments, signage & the development of operating procedures so that we can safely welcome you back into the Club bar. We can confirm that we successfully re-opened to all on Saturday, 1 August: thank you to everyone that supported us.

Whether there is a match or not we will be opening the clubhouse & the bar every Friday (from 3pm) & Saturday (from 1pm on match days). If you can, please pop in and enjoy a bevvy with us!

Friendly Matches: we have a number of home friendly matches arranged for the next few weeks.

Russell has really excelled in the quality of opposition he has arranged for pre-season warm up games. His list of forthcoming home matches is:

• Sat 15 Aug: Home v Westbury Utd (3pm)
• Tues 18 Aug: Home v Plymouth Parkway (7.30pm)
• Fri 21 Aug: Home v Mousehole (7.30pm)
• Fri 28 Aug: Home v Taunton Town (7.30pm)
• Sat 5 Sept: Home v Truro City (3pm)

Currently, due to Government and FA directives the ground will be closed to spectators for these games. Only essential club officials and stewards will be allowed pitch-side during play.

The Clubhouse and bar will be open & operating under the Government’s hospitality venue rules throughout the matches. If you attend the clubhouse for these games you will not be able to watch the match. Access into the club will be through the back-gate off Orchard Way & into the clubhouse through the skittle alley door: this will be policed by stewards. The outside smoking area to the front of the clubhouse has been screened off from the pitch: this will be the only outside area accessible from the clubhouse during play and it will be monitored by stewards during the game to ensure that clubhouse users remain within the screened-off area.

As we all know, Government advice can change daily: If the directive regarding spectators attending friendlies changes we will advise you immediately via the club website & our social media accounts

We have already had a number of volunteers come forward to help us with match day stewarding duties. If you are interested in volunteering too please get in touch – by responding to this email or by phoning me – so we can build up a list of stewards that can be called upon. All stewards get the perk of free entry to the ground on match days and a cup of Cath’s/Jenny’s tea at half-time!

Membership Subs for 20/21: It’s that time of year when membership subs become due for the new season. Subs this year are still extremely cheap & exceptionally good value at £10 per couple and £6 for a single person. Every fully paid up member will get discounted drinks prices at the bar.

I attach a membership form with this email that you can print off, fill in & return with your fee to the club bar. Membership forms are also available in person at the bar.

Bingo: it is still intended to re-start in early-September: keep an eye on the website & social media for the exact date.

Many thanks for your continuing help & support.

Stay safe and well, and we hope to see you in the club soon.

Regards

Mike Hawkins

On behalf of Willand Rovers FC