First friendly on Saturday
Brian Caffarey
7:20am, Thu 12th Jul 2012
Windsor v Woking
Pre-season friendly
3pm on Saturday 14 July 2012
The Cards’ first match of their pre-season programme sees them travel to Windsor for what should be a fairly gentle work-out. However, one or two trialists will be keen to impress Garry Hill and Steve Thompson as they look to fill gaps in their squad.
WOKING
Garry Hill moved quickly at the end of last season to bring in two of the best players from Conference South rivals – Welling’s Jack Parkinson and Loick Pires – for the coming BSP campaign but is playing a waiting game before completing his squad, working on the basis that as League clubs complete their squads a number of players will find what Woking have to offer increasingly attractive. So far, he has only 13 first team players signed up, including two recent Academy graduates (George Frith and Jack Mazzone) who, presumably, will need to gain more experience before coming fully into contention for a starting place. It looks as though he will want to add another five or six players to his squad before the season kicks off.
No doubt the pre-season friendlies will give Garry and Steve a chance to run the rule over a number of potential additions to the squad, some of whom have already been training at Kingfield. It is expected that several potential new faces will figure at Windsor, where Garry is planning to give everyone 45-60 minutes on the pitch.
WINDSOR
The demise of Windsor and Eton FC led to the formation of the new Windsor FC, which made its debut in the Combined Counties League last season, achieving the runners-up spot. A number of the players had played for the former Windsor club and virtually all the squad have been retained for the coming season. One who will be missed, though, is striker Michael Chennells, who banged in 25 goals in 22 games after joining from Brackley and who has now signed for Chesham. Manager Keith Scott will hope that he can hang onto top scorer, Ryan O’Toole, who amassed 43 goals last season.
On Tuesday evening Windsor beat Hellenic Premier side Ascot United 5-0 away in their first pre-season friendly, with Ben Harris netting a hat-trick.
GETTING THERE
Windsor FC
Stag Meadow
St Leonard’s Road
Windsor
Berks
SL4 3DR
Website: www.windsorfc.net
By car
Head for M25 northbound. Exit at Junction 13. Follow signs to Windsor (A308), eventually reaching large roundabout. Take first exit (signposted Ascot/Bracknell). Take first road on the right (Bolton Road). At the end of Bolton Road, reaching T-Junction with mini-roundabout, turn left into St. Leonard’s Road. Ground is about 500 yards on left (opposite Stag and Hounds Public House).
By train
Windsor and Eton Riverside is the nearest station, which can be reached from Woking via changes at Weybridge and Staines or by going to Clapham Junction and taking the Windsor train from there. The 12.33 from Woking, via Weybridge and Staines, would get you to Windsor and Eton Riverside at 13.51. The ground is about 30 minutes’ walk from the town centre, although there is a frequent bus service. If you’re walking, head down Thames Street and High Street (B3022) and carry straight on as the road becomes Sheet Street and Frances Road (crossing the A308) and then St Leonard’s Road.
FORTHCOMING PRE-SEASON GAMES
The Cards are at home on Tuesday evening to Crawley Town, newly promoted to League One.
The remaining friendly games are:
17 July – Woking v Crawley Town
21 July – Woking v QPR XI
24 July – Woking v AFC Wimbledon (Phil Ledger Memorial Cup)
28 July – Carshalton Athletic v Woking
4 August – Woking v Aldershot Town
The Cards start their league campaign on 11 August with a visit to last season’s BSP runners-up Wrexham, and their first home game is on Tuesday 14 August when they are at home to Dartford.
Come on, you Cards!