It’s been a strange build up to the holiday season as the saying goes everything looks calm on the surface but underneath there is lots going on, that's not in a bad way either.

We have continued to play with reduced numbers through injury, illness and also the odd situation that could have been avoided, but that aside we are on a decent run, as I write this its nine games unbeaten and with Sundays game at Whitburn not far away we hope to make it ten unbeaten and round the year off in great fashion closing the gap on the top of the table fingers crossed we can do this and get the holiday season started in great style.

In terms of football we have not really played a great deal and that has seen games postponed and then cancelled all together as some teams just do not want to play, that is the most frustrating thing, we could have played League games when the Cup games were being moved around by the host team unnecessarily, this means THE BULLS are playing catch up and we need to remained focused to catch up, overtake and remain in the hunt for The League Title.

Going back to the game at home to Darlington and following that game we have only had three competitive games and with a squad of seventeen it is certainly not ideal to keep lads playing and to keep a flow going in the team.

We followed up the victory with a hard game against Spennymoor on a hard bobbly surface although never really threatened with respect to Spennymoor, THE BULLS were a little cagy but this could have been following the horrible scenes from the week previous however a 0 v 3 victory was enough to get the points on the board.

NSG away, the last time we played this team left the Gaffa with a head ache and numerus coaches shouting and hollowing instructions at players that were not even on the field of play, however this time THE BULLS hit them hard with a very comfortable 1 v 8 victory, Thomas notched a hat trick and there was five different scores another pleasing aspect of the game.

Then came one of the most frustrating two weeks for THE BULLS Lambton Lions were to play host to THE BULLS in The County Cup, THE BULLS had possibly done enough in their last game against them last season winning 0 v 12 and this was possibly good reason for them not to want to play again the game was cancelled due to issues with the pitch, the game was to kick off around the same time as Leeds entertained Newcastle in the televised game, I am not saying this is why it was off but the game was rearranged for the following week, but again the pitch wasn’t suitable and the game was going to be played at Consett but for whatever reason, parents busy on the afternoon the game never went ahead and THE BULLS went through to the next round.

It is great to progress but you want to be playing games and to miss two weeks and a home League game along the way left a bit of a sour taste.

However we move on and it was league Cup action away to Ouston Juniors the club has a place in the heart of media man Martin and BULLS forward Cook, both having ties to the team Martin former manager and George former player, THE BULLS were making hard work of it but in fairness Ouston played very well. The Gaffa made changes and left some big names out but again with the injury and illness jinx striking again The Gaffa was with reduced numbers but the lads pulled together and pulled of a good win against the division one promotion hopefuls. 1 v 4 and THE BULLS went into the hat for the next round of the competition and were drawn at home to NSG from division two.

With another two week break in games THE BULLS were to travel away to Whitburn another team we have locked horns with in the past, this time following a great BULLS 9 v 0 victory at Belle Vue Stadium, Whitburn tried but just didn’t have enough and the Consett side won 1 v 4 more tripe from the side line and more nonsense from footballs uneducated, again we shake our heads and move on and think of the positives, as it was forty league goals ten against one of the best in the league. We are on a ten game unbeaten run not just unbeaten but winning every game, we are still in all the competitions we joined at the start of the season and are heading up the top of the table and with a little luck and the injuries and illness easing up fingers crossed we can give the league a great go as the teams around us have dropped points, there is a mini league forming and we need to make sure we continue to concentrate on what we are doing and let the others worry about us.

We have the league top goal scorers, one the league’s best defences we have an immense following and an even bigger foundation to build THE BULLS Empire on and to make them the best around not just locally, a dream you might mumble, but believe me it can happen.

It has again been a very hard year the team restored from twelve players at the end of last season, things happen in football and again we have seen just how strong a bond we have formed with in the group, the old lads showing the new lads just what it means to play for the Consett AFC BULLS, the badge and the name on the shirt they represent each game and each time the lads are out in public.

The new lads have integrated with ease not just on the field of play off it, the parents and grandparents have linked up making things as a manager and a coach so much easier.

We always will have opinion and we always will have differences, but one thing that always happens they are sorted out and everyone generally becomes happy. We are all after the exact same thing. We have done the pussy footing around we are now at an age where we know what’s rite and what’s wrong, we will grow stronger and braver and we will grow into something very very special we are heading most certainly in the correct direction.

We have a massive season to finish, which can promise so much lets fulfil the potential and turn that into Trophies and Shields.

it all starts again after the festivities in early January with nine home games

Have a great Christmas and New Year.

Love yous always,

Gav, Davie, Clarkie.

BULL BULL BULL A BULL ARMY

BULLS