Blogger missing in action... Chatham down to 5th.

Evening all. Or morning, depending on when you're reading this. Massive apologies for the down time. This blog started life at a time when I foolishly thought I had more spare time on my hands than I had imagined I would have. Turns out time is a slightly more finite commodity than I had previously imagined.

That very same commodity, old father time, is also part and parcel of the reason I simply can't make as many games as I had planned. I'll keep the personal side of things out of here - after all, its a blog about Chatham Town FC, not the author - but I feel the need to offer my sincere apologies for the lack of updates.

Since my last post, we were beaten 2-1 at Merstham on Saturday, meaning they've leapfrogged us to third in the league, pushing us down to fifth. I have to admit to an air of despondency when I saw that result come in, but, on reflection this season is still, at this admittedly very early stage, far beyond what we've become used to over recent seasons.

Last term, our one and only in the Ryman One North, a very misplaced air of optimism pervaded the club and its supporters. Mistakenly believing it to be an easier league, we spent the early months looking very much like relegation certainties. A trip to Norton Sports for a competitive fixture clearly did not fit into the club's long term plans, and the arrival of both Matt Longhurst and Alex O'Brien should, in my opinion, be credited with the turnaround in fortunes.

It was a shock when Longhurst left us - on good terms it must be said - as many had felt he was the man to take us forward when Steve Binks moved on. But it wasn't to be; My immediate response was that the side that it appeared he had brokered would collapse without him, but in truth it became stronger. Lee Barnett began to stand out more, and his growth in confidence as a player was confounded when AOB Big Don Logan joined us, on a temporary basis towards the end of the season.

I think the current positivity can be attributed to the fact that we are unbeaten at TOSC since February this year. Given a four month downtime in the Isthmian, that's not as long ago as it seems, but we've not been a club to be spoilt with things such as form and results for many moons. To go 12 unbeaten at the season's end was to me a beautiful reward for a season that had seen early calamitous performances (the failure to clear our box in injury time at a bitterly cold, windswept athletics stadium in East London for Waltham Forest away for example) turn to our best league finish in 23 years. Personally, the away performance at Ware was the pinnacle of what this club, this side, can achieve. We never gave up. 1-0 down, we dominated from the back to the front. A unit. United. Pushing together, every man standing up. Lee Barnett's performance in that game, marshaling the front line (yes, marshaling - forwards simply are not supposed to do that), was the most assured and noteworthy individual display I've seen at this level ever. It was the first game for ages he hadn't scored in. And he still was man of the match. Its no surprise with hindsight that at that time, he was being scouted by league clubs again. And despite being the best player on the pitch that day, by some distance, the whole team performed superbly. It remains to my amazement that we could ever keep him.

But keep him we did. AOB's first magic trick. AOB's second magic trick - contracting Matt Solly. Solly. Still so young and with so much to give the game - he's what - 22, 23? He never says die, he plays one killer ball per game minimum, and his performances in midfield last season always threatened to turn games or control them - even when we were, lets face it, crap.

And then AOB performed his prestige trick. The return of the Cass. Cassback. Kiss my face. No more needed to be said.

AOB's first managerial season is shaping up, thus far, nicely. Yes, its going to take time for certain elements to bed in. He openly admits on yourmedway this week that Cass's natural game is taking a backseat for the team's playing style. We need to work on that. As I've said before, Cass is a fox in the box, cartarista of a striker. Long balls to run onto will not work. We need crosses and 1-2s. But its coming.

This Saturday sees a visit of Canvey Island's second team Concord Rangers, think Leysdown to Sheppey United 1984 to put it into a kentish context, in the FA Trophy. It'll be a tough game. Last time we met, on the Isle of Quality Holidays (TM) we were beaten 5-0, in what was Lee Barnett's debut. They should note, things are very different now. I just hope they are differnt too - that they have a bit more class than when they last visited us. We were one of their first away games of their inaugural season in the Ryman league. One of their officials behaved like they were at a park game - specifically the then kit man, who's name I can't recall, who was an ex player, retired through injury. It was hard not to notice his behaviour. Towards the end of the second half, he walked from behind the home dugout, fouly abusing the home bench with language not uncommon in Chatham, but not acceptable from a club official. One of the Concord management team also gave the best comment in relation to a frankly evil challenge by Simon Austin as they came off at half time - paraphrasing, it was along the lines of "don't care if you get sent off, just make sure you hurt him". Nice people Concord Rangers. Lets hope they've grown up.

Sadly, again I won't be there - my reports of wit and whimsy are becoming a distant memory, I know. But normal service will be resumed soonish. I promise.