News 2007-8

Record Total Raised
The 2008 Sponsored Marathon, run in record time, has to date raised a staggering £1,800 for the club. This means we've beaten the 2007 record total of £1,500. Given the current financial climate this is an amazing achievement. Many thanks to everyone who has contributed. It's much appreciated!

Shrooty Called Up For Under 21s
Balham Blazers coach and Under 13 Manager Robin Shoot, currently playing for Harrow Borough in the Ryman League Premier Division, has been called up for the Northern Ireland Under 21 international squad to play Scotland on November 18th. Robin has been selected alongside players from Premiership clubs such as Man Utd, Chelsea and Everton. The match will be shown on Sky Sports. Here's hoping that Shrooty, who has six Under 19 caps, makes the starting line up. For further info and a list of the full squad go to:
-http://www.irishfa.com/the-ifa/news

High Note In Chertsey
The Balham Blazers season finished on a high note at the Abbey Rangers tournament in Chertsey on July 13th when our two Under 12 teams entered won both trophies on offer. Balham Blazers A won the cup and Balham Blazers B won the plate competition. Both finals were played on adjoining pitches at the same time. This provided double the excitement at the end of an enthralling competition and much jubilation as the B's won with a golden goal in extra time and the A's came back from 1-0 down to win a pulsating, high quality final 2-1. Earlier in the day our U15s topped their qualifying group before going out in the semi finals and our Under 14s topped their group too but, having hit the post with less than a minute to go, lost in the quarter finals to a goal ten seconds from time.

U9's Win Inaugural McDonalds 4's Festival
Balham Blazers U9's won the first McDonalds 4's festival on Tooting common after a sudden death penalty shoot out against Broomwood Town F.C.

The Blazers won all their qualifying matches notching up 23 points, which was 10 more than anyone else. Goals from Lewis Mitchell, Theo Naqvi, Oliver Scott, Tommy Graham, Jamie Allen and audaciously two from our keeper, Peter Andersen, ensured a successful passage into the semi finals where having taken a 4-0 lead against Acton & Ealing the foot went off the gas and two quick goals were conceded. Found in space by Jamie Allen however Tommy Graham netted to relieve a few nerves.

The Final itself was a tight affair with neither side creating as many chances as were seen in the earlier rounds. Balham conceded late on but with only a minute or two on the clock a slight reorganisation of the attacking line saw Tommy Graham fly down the right wing and as the other Blazers moved in Broomwood gave Tommy a sight of goal and he powered a shot in at the far post past.

Broomwood started the sudden death penalty shoot out with a goal which piled the pressure on Tommy Graham who stood up to it firing into the top of the net. A miss by Broomwood then gave Lewis Mitchell a chance to fire in the winner but his shot was expertly saved. Broomwood then scored again leaving Jamie Allen the unnerving task of keeping Balham in the match. His left foot drive gave the keeper no chance however. We were now down to the keepers. Peter Andersen watched as the Broomwood keeper shot wide before he stepped up himself and blasted the ball into the top right hand corner to win the festival for Balham.

The medal ceremony took place at The Jackie FM Radio outdoor broadcast station with Mike Smith from McDonalds presenting the winners medals.

15s Up
Congratulations to our Under 15s who have been promoted to the Tandridge B Division. A brilliant second half of the season which saw them lose only one of their final seven games and that by the narrowest of margins, meant after an inconsistent start to their League campaign they climbed the table to finish in 3rd place and as a result are going up.

Presentation Evening
The weather was kind, the food was first class - many thanks to Moen & Sons of Clapham for their delicious burgers and bangers - and there was another excellent turn out for the annual end of season Presentation Evening on July 4th at our home ground in Dulwich. This is the big night of the year for the club when all four age groups gather together to share in and celebrate each others achievements and there was plenty to celebrate once again at the conclusion of another very successful season for Balham Blazers.

Parkgate Developments
Many thanks to Jeremy Clarke and Parkgate Developments for sponsoring the trophies for this season's Presentation Evening. We very much need the support of companies such as Parkgate and can't thank them enough for their generosity.

Promotion
Congratulations to our Under 12s who have won promotion to the A Division next season. Having been unbeaten in all competitions for two thirds of the season they eventually finished as Runners Up in the B division and having claimed some notable A division scalps on the way they also reached the semi finals of the League Cup.

So Near And Yet So Farncombe
Our Under 14s were Runners Up in a high standard Farncombe five a side tournament on May 18th drawing the final 2-2 aet but losing in a penalty shoot out. Penalties were the curse of Balham Blazers on the day as but for the dreaded spot kicks it would have been an all Blazers U14 final with Balham Blazers B drawing their semi final 0-0 aet before losing on pens too. Our three Under 12 sides entered all qualified from the group stage into the quarter finals where as has been the case in many other tournaments two were drawn against each other. Balham Blazers C made it into the semi finals where they lost narrowly 2-1 after hitting the cross bar twice.

Balham Blazers F.C. Presentation Evening
Friday July 4th 2008 , 6.30pm to 9.30pm. At our home ground, The Trevor Bailey Sports Ground, Dulwich College, Dulwich Common.
The Balham Blazers Presentation Evening is the club's social night of the year and is when all cups, trophies, medals and individual awards are handed out to players. Every player in the club will receive something. Photos for the web site will be taken of all squads and individual winners. There will be a bar, barbecue outside, a raffle and competitions on the night. This is the one night in the year when all four age groups come together to share in and celebrate each others achievements. Players, parents, families, friends and supporters are all very welcome to attend. More details will follow—including what time it starts.
Whatever you do don't miss it!! Put it in your diaries now!

Losers Winners
The Losers ran out winners at the 2008 annual Balham Blazers Quiz Night on May 10th. The ironically named Losers team pipped the Blazing Saddles team at the post when Loser Louise Albrecht answered the tie break question correctly after the nine round, nine team competition was tied at the finish. The evening itself was a great success and has to date raised £535, which betters the two previous years totals.

Blazers v Blazers Again
It's happened many times before and it happened again on May 10th when the two Under 15 Blazers teams entered into the Walton & Hersham six a side tournament both qualified from their two different groups as winners and runners up and therefore had to face each other in the semi finals. The game finished 0-0 after extra time but was won on penalties by Balham Blazers B who finished the tournament as Runners Up after losing 1-0 in the final.

Scoring Shroot
Some footballers can only dream of scoring a hat trick for their club, scoring a goal at Wembley and being called up to play for their country. Balham Blazers coach, Robin Shroot, succeeded in achieving all three in the space of three days. Robin scored a hat trick for AFC Wimbledon against Ashford on Saturday April 12th in a 4-1 win, scored again for them at Wembley in an 8-1 win over Corinthian Casuals on the Sunday and then jetted off to Portugal on the Monday with the Northern Ireland Under 20s to play in the Campo Verde tournament against Portugal, USA and Cape Verde. Unfortunately a hamstring problem restricted Robin to one appearance against Cape Verde. Nevertheless he played the full 90 minutes in a 2-1 defeat.

Services To Sport
Balham Blazers General Manager and Coach Greg Cruttwell was honoured with a Voluntary Services to Sport award at the 11th annual Wandsworth Sports Awards on March 11th. Unfortunately Greg couldn't be at the presentations to collect the award himself however Committee member Arlene Allen and U14 player Charlie Barthorp were there representing Balham Blazers and Charlie very kindly received the award on Greg's behalf.

Club Song
Balham Blazers would like to thank Tooting based group, 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

Many thanks to everyone who attended, ran and helped. We had a great turn out.

The Abbey Rangers Tournament winners. The team on the left with Greg is the Balham Blazers A team, which won the overall Abbey Rangers Cup. The team on the right with Robin is Balham Blazers B, who won the Abbey Rangers Plate competition.

Many congratulations to Jamie Allen, Peter Anderson, Tommy Graham, Theo Naqvi, Lewis Mitchell and Oliver Scott. who brought our U9's first Silverware home this season.

Furngate Finalists
Well done to our Under 12s who were runners up in the Furngate Tournament on Sunday July 6th. Having topped their qualifying group they took the notable scalp of Tulse Hill A, the Tandridge League Champions, in the semi final, before losing out to Three Bridges in a closely fought final.

Under 15s squad won promotion to the B division.

This season's trophies are sponsored by Jeremy Clarke and Parkgate Developments.

Our Under 14s were Runners Up in a high standard Farncombe five a side tournament in May.

Winning quiz team The Losers.