I'd like to welcome all our visitors to the new look website, loads of information about our club can be found here I hope all our supporters and sponsors find it a valuable resource aswell as our players.

As the season enters the final run-in I'd like to reflect on what has been another interesting season at Manor Road.

Both our mens senior teams have had to endure some indifferent luck, the first team (managed excellently once more by David Robinson) have seen top players part, suspensions to key players at crucial periods, injuries too but look at the league table, currently 4th and our second highest ever finish in Anglian Combination history looks on the cards following on from last season's top 3 finish. All this achieved with still a largely local squad and both first and reserve teams full of Long Stratton lads who've come through our youth sides.

The reserves are sitting in the relegation zone at this moment but with 4 games in hand of teams around them I'm told by the manager they have it in them to climb clear of danger. They have gone through a season of transition more so this season than in many years previous. A vast majority of Steve's squad is 18 or below, young lads going straight into mens football at Ang. Combination Div. 4 I'm told by football people it's quite a leap from youth football, but the lads have adapted well and along with some promising league results they had two fine cup-runs aswell. They have used a staggering 37 players this season, as with last year the reserves have supported the first team's promotion bid whole heartedly often their own detriment. On Wednesday I witnessed a terrific display of determination by all the players to beat Watton on a cold misty night, a win that will go a long way to avoiding relegation.

We made the conscious decision to create and support a full ladies team this season, womens football is the fastest growing sport in the UK and we wanted to reflect this in our village. We now have a squad of 18 girls aged from 16 up to 40 enjoying their football and led by manager Chris Wiseman they are having an excellent season, a top 3 league finish on the cards and a big cup semi-final to come next week at home. A great effort and with more and more girls coming forward wanting to join the future looks very bright.

The youth teams are all coming on nicely it appears, no league titles or promotions this year but 50 lads aged between 9 and 14 loving their football week in week out, wearing their red & black hoodies, tracktops etc with pride. A great sight and we remain committed to the youth side of the club with a hope we can add more age-groups this summer.

Off the field we've held a very succesful race night and the bonus ball (run so well by David Ball) is an excellent scource of vital revenue for the club.

All in all we continue to progress as a club, moving forward all the time. If you look at where the senior teams finished 2 years ago, the first team just above relegation zone in Division 1, the reserves 7th in Division 5 = progression on both positions. We had 3 teams then and now we have 6 = progression. We have matchday programmes now and more exciting ventures on the horizon of which I will speak more about next month.

Long Stratton Football Club

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