In 2023, the Oxford English Dictionary Word of the Year was "rizz". As in, he showed great composure on the pitch, and sublime rizz off of it. I’m sure many of this year’s squad will lay claim to that particular distinction.
While we aren’t quite done with 2024 just yet, we have our own suggestion for this year’s entry:
Rifatball (n): Accumulating a record amount of points and a highest-ever league finish, despite being the general consensus pick to finish bottom of the league.
And while we don’t want to dwell too heavily on the events of the previous season, the way it played out will no doubt be at the front of most minds as this campaign gets underway against Dulwich on 10th August.
Of course, plenty has changed. Our strike trio of Carvalho, Long, and Chukwu have moved on to pastures new (Maidenhead, Welling, Welling respectively), and ex-club captain Ben Goode has returned to Chesham. All four will be playing in Step 1 or 2 next season, and it is no less than they deserve after brilliant seasons with the Blues.
And in their place, new faces now roam the Maurice Rebak Stadium and Barnet Lane training facility, ready to take on the challenge of picking up where the 23/24 squad left off. Goal threat Ogo Obi leads the list of additions, joined by the likes of Lonit Talla, Arthur Iontton, Andronicos Georgiou, Ayo Tanimowo, and Ryan Lowe. Together with other new joiners not listed, they represent some real quality, and have begun to show their level in pre-season. Who is to say what they will be capable of during this edition of the Isthmian Premier League?
But there remains consistency throughout. New club captain Billy Cracknell will once again patrol the back line as he did so successfully last year, accompanied by the ever dependable Ben Frempah, who played more minutes than any other Blue in the season. Rhamar Garrett-Douglas will hope to recapture some of the brilliant form that he brought to the right edge last season, and up top, there will be Luke Deslandes and Zack Newton, both of whom had their moments last year and both of whom you feel will be integral to any success delivered on the pitch this time around.
And let us not overlook the welcome return of First Team Coach Ricky Machel from Watford. He was instrumental in setting up the team, alongside Ahmet, last season, and his return to the set up will be a real boost as the season gets underway, partnered as ever by GK coach Gavin King, and new addition Ruben Gaspar.
You’ll have heard by now that Dulwich Hamlet will be the first visitors to the MRS this season,and having taken 6 points from us last time around, including scoring six goals across the two games, there is somewhat of a score to settle. Beyond that, there are some mouth-watering ties, particularly with teams in the North London area:
Hendon return to our league, ready to resume the rivalry, having knocked us out of the London Senior Cup in the previous two campaigns. They visit the MRS on 25th January.
Cheshunt, having just managed to stay in the division last year, come to N12 on Boxing Day, and host us on Easter Monday. We will look to rerun our double over them this time around, too
Potters Bar, ever up for a close fight, will be our guests on the August Bank Holiday, and will host us on New Year’s Day.
And if the North London rivalries weren’t enough to convince you to pop down to Summers Lane, the division has a number of new, and big names in it this season. Dartford and Dover have dropped into this league from the NLS, and are joined by newcomers Chichester City, Cray Valley PM, and Bowers & Pitsea, who return after a brief hiatus at Step 4.
There will be drama, as anyone who witnessed the comeback to end all comebacks against Billericay last season will tell you. There will be late goals, like where we beat Haringey with the last kick of the game last August, and there will be moments of sheer quality, like Alkeo Bani’s wonder-strike against Horsham, or Elliot Long’s hat-tricks against Hastings and Carshalton.
With new beers on tap in the clubhouse bar, and a new ticketing system now in action (Fixr will be the home of pre-match tickets and season tickets), there’s a real sense of positivity around the whole of Finchley right now. Don’t leave it to get involved this year, and get down to Summers Lane early in the year to witness some top-class football, to indulge in some first–rate beer (or drink of your choice), and to be involved in a really welcoming North London community.
Who knows where we might end up, but let’s enjoy the ride together, shall we?
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