News

Minnie Winning The Battle
The media circus surrounding young Blazers player Minnie Cruttwell has kicked in again as she seems to be winning her campaign to change the FA ruling stopping girls playing mixed football after Under 11. The FA are looking into launching a pilot scheme next season raising the age barrier to Under 14. An announcement is expected at the end of June. There have been many articles and news items on Minnie again recently which will include an interview in the July issue of highly regarded German football magazine "Eleven Friends". Minnie is in illustrious company as the same interview in the June issue is with Pele!

Petts Means Prizes
Balham Blazers F.C. returned triumphant from the Petts Wood F.C. youth football tournament in Bromley, Kent, on Sunday May 20th. The Blazers three age group teams all made the finals with the Under 11s and Under 14s winning a high standard tournament and the Under 13s finishing as runners up.

A Trip To Trindle
Charlie Barthorp, Fred Fox, Billy Holmes, Tom Jelliffe and Ned Mansfield from our Under 13 squad went along recently, with Under 13 manager Grenville Fox, to meet and thank in person Robert Trindle of Balham based Estate Agents, Robert Trindle & Co for his very generous sponsorship of the Blazers this season.

Record Breakers
April 2007 After coming very close a few weeks earlier U13, Jamie Davis, smashed the club kick up record at training on April 3rd, becoming the first player to top 300 with a stunning 309. His record stood for only ninety minutes however as the previous record holder, Joe Taylor-Holland, who looked on as Jamie took his record, reclaimed it with a staggering 488. At training on April 24th, inspired by coach Robin Shroot doing a mean 500, Joe broke the record yet again with a magnificent, mesmerising 552.

F.A. Rule Forcing Minnie Out
At the end of this season Minnie Cruttwell is being forced to leave the mixed team she has been a key member of since it started. Why should she be made to leave her friends when she is just as strong and technically gifted as they are? If she lived in any other European country she wouldn¹t have to. England is the only country in Europe that stops girls playing mixed football after the age of U11. The government has looked into this and issued a strong recommendation to the F.A. that they change the rule and raise the age barrier. If you agree please sign the petition (http://www.barrhillfc.com/petition/?page=minnie). Please also forward the link to as many people as possible.

Record Almost Broken Again
March 2007 This time it was Joe Taylor-Holland who almost broke his own club kick up record. His 286 total achieved at training on March 27th was just 12 short of the 298 record he set earlier this season. Joe now has the club record and second highest total too. Jamie Davis is his main challenger with the third highest at 272.

Quiz Night
There was an excellent turn out for the second annual Balham Blazers quiz night on March 10th. Thirteen teams battled it out over a fish and chip supper with the simply named, Table Seven, emerging victorious. The evening raised £500 for the club, which is almost double the total raised last year. Many thanks to everyone who came along.

Blazers International
One of the Blazers coaches, Robin Shroot, hopes he has taken his first steps towards captaining Northern Ireland after being called up to their U19 squad.
The 18-year-old has only a handful of appearances for AFC Wimbledon, the club he has supported since he was a boy, but it has been enough to impress Northern Ireland's U19 boss, former Manchester United star Mal Donaghy, who called him into the squad to face Israel in Tel Aviv on March 12th and 14th.
Well done Robin.

Record Breaker
October 2006 Under 14 Joe Taylor-Holland broke the Balham Blazers kick up record, which has to be done in front of other members of the club, at training on October 31st. He eclipsed Reece Hewett's previous record of 248, which had stood for a long time, with a magnificent new record of 298. Joe's new record will certainly take some beating.

New Sponsor
Having received increased sponsorship from Tesco this season, the Blazers would also like to thank Balham based Estate Agents, Robert Trindle & Co, for becoming our latest very generous sponsor. Robert himself is a life long Fulham supporter. As with Tesco and Sportsmatch we hope that this is the beginning of a long and fruitful relationship for all at Robert Trindle & Co with Balham Blazers F.C.

Shroot and AFC
Many congratulations to Balham Blazers newest coaching addition Robin Shroot who has been offered a professional contract to play for AFC Wimbledon. He is the youngest AFC player to have been offered one. Robin has to date played two games for the AFC Wimbledon first team and according to South London Press was man of the match on his debut.

New Home Ground
Balham Blazers are delighted to be moving this season to a prestigious new home ground owned by Dulwich College school at Dulwich College Sports Ground. Having played previously on Tooting Common and at Fishponds Playing Fields in SW17 we are honoured to be the only outsiders granted use of the schools excellent sporting facilities.

New Age Groups
In addition to the existing teams playing this season in the Tandridge League, Balham Blazers will be starting two new age group teams at Under 8 and Under 9. Neither age group will be rushed into playing League football however but will spend the season training together, playing friendlies and if all goes well possibly entering tournaments later in the season with a view to playing League football in their second seasons together.

Sponsored Marathon
The 2nd annual Balham Blazers Sponsored Marathon took place on Tooting Common on September 9th. Players from different age groups, including our new Under 8s, each carried the baton for 1km. The marathon distance was completed in 3 hours 13 minutes, which eclipsed the time for 2005 when it was run in monsoon conditions. The event raised £1,000 for the club in 2005.
We are hoping to beat that total this year.

Club Song
Balham Blazers would like to thank Tooting based group, No Natural Triangles, for writing a club song for us. The song, music and lyrics are copyright NNT 2006. All enquiries to resmash@gmail.com

Have a listen by downloading the track as a mpeg. The file size is 3.6megs

Minnie Cruttwell v The F.A.
Ten year old Balham Blazers player, Minnie Cruttwell, continues her battle with the Football Association. Minnie is seeking  to get changed the current F.A. ruling which states that girls are not allowed to play mixed football after Under 11s. Minnie's campaign has been championed by Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Tessa Jowell, who Minnie wrote to asking for help and support. Miss Jowell came to watch Minnie play and then took her together with team mates, Frank Mably, Eddie Luchford and Cornell Taylor-Holland to meet Brian Barwick, the Chief Executive of the F.A. at their headquarters in Soho Square in order to discuss the issue. Fellow MPs Sadiq Khan and Helen Southworth were also present to lend their backing to a campaign which has engendered massive media interest and support throughout the country. A government Select Committee looking into women's sport, which requested a submission from Minnie, have recently recommended the F.A. change this ruling and allow girls the opportunity to stay in mixed football longer. This would bring England into line with countries in the rest of Europe, all of whom allow mixed football to continue until girls are much older. In some instances there is no age barrier. This is the case in all countries where women's football is strongest, including Germany, who are the current European Champions. Perhaps, if Minnie gets her way and we follow suit England might be European Champions too one day!