Football

6:29pm Tuesday 13th May 2008

Southminster St. Leonards' Gordon Harvey believes it's his "tender loving care" that secured him a third consecutive Groundsman of the Year Award from the Essex County Football Association for his tireless work on the pitch at the Mid-Essex League club.

The stalwart figure, who was even working at the King George Playing Fields when contacted for his reaction, is one of many unpaid volunteers the length and breadth of the county who enhance the condition of local playing surfaces.

Gordon said: "I'm usually down here five days a week cutting the pitch, rolling it and repairing the divots from the previous games. The players are always complimenting me on the condition of the surface and thank me for my hard work. They think it's the main reason why they've won the league for the last two seasons!"

Harvey, who also acts as secretary for his club, stands out as one of Essex's leading groundsmen, having won for the past two years.

ANYONE with a pacemaker should have been advised not to watch Heybridge Swifts in 2007/08.

The premier division table was the tightest many have ever seen it and Swifts were sitting precariously close to the relegation zone with just weeks to go, but three victories in their final three matches kept them afloat and all at Scraley Road were able to breathe a huge sigh of relief.

For so long it looked as though Swifts were going to be playing for their premier division status on the last day of the season - such a difference to last season when they were pushing for the play-offs.

But manager Brian Statham, and on the pitch Stafford Browne, managed to squeeze enough out to fend off the deepening fears of the drop.

It has been a season of upheaval for Swifts. The strong, experienced look the side had in the previous campaign was replaced by a youthful side reliant on a regular influx of loanees.

Swifts used a huge number of players, with a settled side impossible.

Injuries and a tightening of the financial purse strings meant Statham had to wheel and deal to get 16 senior players out on a match day. He was able to rely on stalwart Adam Gillespie, Ian Wiles at the back and Sean Marks up front, who once again didn't quite reach the heights he is capable of.

If this is to be a one-off season then Swifts need stability - both on and off the pitch. But much depends on the finances available - if they are not forthcoming, Statham will keep finding it hard to attract decent players and all hope of Swifts playing a high standard of football in a new stadium down the road at Park Drive in years to come could amount to merely a dream.

IT is hard to gauge whether it was a successful season for Maldon Town because it is difficult to know what the club's ambitions are. A ninth place finish in division one north is no disgrace.

But this comes the year after they finished in the play-off zone and didn't take part, having already informed the league they were not interested in promotion. So, after announcing at the beginning of the season they would be going all out for promotion this time around, it is somewhat disappointing for Town fans that the club has fallen a fair way short of their target.

With Colin Wallington moving on to Tiptree United in the summer, Russell Tanner took over and it looked like a season of promise was ahead. Big name signings Ollie Berquez and Wayne Purser arrived, along with Ross Parmenter and former Arsenal reserve team member Greg Oates. However, only Parmenter remained come the end of the season, as the others sought pastures new by Christmas. They were indebted to the goals of striker Steve Wareham, who enjoyed his most prolific season for the club.He was replaced successfully by former Witham Town strikers Kevin Hawes and Jamie Ricks.

If Tanner can keep hold of the squad he has ready for next season, there is every chance they can think about promotion again.

Times Choice