It's been a strange start to the season for lots of different reasons. The first few weeks have been very hectic but largely positive and the big picture at the club is a very exciting and an optimistic one.

I haven't set specific targets for the team this year other than looking to build on last season's 9th place finish and cup final appearance. It's fair to say that the Essex Senior League is extremely strong this season, maybe the strongest ever, but I feel very confident that we will improve on last season's achievements.

I was delighted to be able to bring in Mike Walther as my Assistant Manager recently and along with first team coach Ian Bent means we have an extremely strong management team. Mike has done a fantastic job at Clapton F.C. as first team manager over the last two seasons and turned them into a real force in the Essex Senior League. The fact that he has left and joined us is hopefully a testament to the direction we are moving in.

We have been busy rebuilding the squad and have added quite a number of talented player to the nucleus of the team that we brought together last season after I took over as 1st team Manager in November 2015.

We've been a bit unfortunate with so many injuries early in the season, to the extent that for the recent away match at Tower Hamlets we had 17 first team squad players unavailable due to injury and holidays, but credit to the players involved that day for securing a 2-1 away win, our first of the season. Our excellent physio James Heaton has been the busiest person at the club so far!

The absence of players has meant a sluggish start but after losing our first three matches by a single goal, including conceding to the last kick of the game in the FA cup, we are unbeaten in the last three and the team is starting to gel although there is much, much, more to come from the group over the coming months and I'm very excited by what we can achieve together this season.

We have two hugely challenging matches this week starting with an away league game with Waltham Forest who have won 9 out of 9 games this season including 3 matches in the FA cup. Following on from that we have our first home game of the season against Saffron Walden Town in the FA Vase. The team and staff are looking forward to both games and are ready to give everything in order to secure positive results in both games.

We have also started up a new reserve side this year having not had one for several seasons and the long term benefits of bringing through talented local youngsters into senior football are obvious. Having both teams training together under the watchful eye of myself, Mike and our 1st team coach Ian Bent is already paying dividends and the reserves were very unfortunate to lose 1-0 to a strong Barking F.C. side last Saturday in their first league game.

The reserves will play the vast majority of their home games at Hargrave Park on a Saturday when the first team are away and for those supporters who aren't able to travel to 1st team away games then I hope you will come along and provide them with your support which they will be thrilled by.

Lastly I'd like to finish by thanking all those involved with running and supporting our club. We need each and every one of you and genuinely appreciate your backing for the teams. Win, lose or draw I will be in the clubhouse after matches and will always make myself available to anyone who wants a chat. I may not always agree with you but will always have a constructive conversation and hopefully we'll have a few laughs together.

Mark