A warm welcome to the supporters, players, management and Board of Buxton FC. Please enjoy the game. The reverse fixture was probably our best performance of the season when we were able to come out on top after a 5-0 win with goals from Will Jones, James Foley (2) and Danny McKenna together with an own goal.
Sadly since then both goals and good results in the league have dried up somewhat! We seem to be on the wrong end of a few tight encounters of late and I write these notes after a sickening 90th minute defeat at Lancaster City last Saturday.
In the pursuit of more goals we have added to our striking options with the addition of Osebi Abadaki. Welcome to the club! Osebi will give us some pace and width which many supporters have been crying out for on Social Media and the Forum!! This has not been for the want of trying. Carl and Gary have been busy trying to strengthen the squad on what is now a very tight budget. James Yates has left the club and goes with our best wishes for his future career.
One of the manager’s undeniably excellent traits is that he will not bring a player in just for the sake of it. He has to be of the required quality, fitness, mentality and add something to what is already a good core group that can go toe to toe (and has done) with the best teams in the Division.
Billy Smart’s suspension has hit us hard missing 9 games as a contracted player. Although fined by the club and the FA for comments made after the Lancaster City home game he accepted it with exceptional honesty and contrition. He has shown a new maturity of late and I feel he will be an important player for the run in. Injuries to Chris Noone and Nick Ryan are long term. More recently Danny McKenna and River Humphreys have meant that we were without two crucial players in recent weeks. Squad numbers have as a consequence been low giving Carl and Gary limited options but this situation is easing.
With one notable exception who appear doomed and looking at the table analytically it looks as if any number of teams can be dragged into a relegation battle. I call on all Wittoners to get behind the lads to ensure that it is not us! We need your support. Having played the big guns of late we know that we can pick up points over the next few weeks and hopefully that starts with today!
On a very positive note our Youth Team (Under 18s) which competes in the North West Youth Alliance Division 1 has won two games back to back thanks to excellent coaching from Darren Williams. A 3-1 away win at Crewe FC having gone a goal down early on was followed up by thumping Darwen 4-1 at Winsford United’s ground in a gale on Sunday! The discerning eye will have spotted that six of the seven goals were scored by 15 year olds who make up a large part of this squad! The future looks bright!
Enjoy the game!
John