Captain Marvel's last game for the club. Ash is leaving and his last game will be on Saturday in the home game against Didcot and I am asking EVERYBODY to come along and say fairwell to Ash before he goes off to California!

I have never made any secret of my great admiration for Smash - not only as a footballer but as a leader on and off the field. His passion for the club and the fact that he wears his heart on his sleeve has always struck a chord with me. We have not always agreed but we share a passion and a mutual respect and I am proud to call him a friend!
This may be reading a bit like an obituary and although it obvioulsy isn't - he's only moving, a bit of the club will go with him!
People may point to other people who have represented the club for longer but I doubt whether many will have worn it with the same pride and passion!

I asked Evo to write a piece for the web site and the programme and my request was superflous as John was going to write one anyway. What surprised me was the depth of feeling that came out in the piece and I am delighted to reproduce it here!

Every now and then a Manager needs to find a player to build a team around. I have been fortunate enough to do that on a few occasions. This player needs to be special both in character and ability. Nobody epitomises this sort of player more than Ashley Thomas. He came to the game late having preferred Basketball at School and was a raw young Centre Half plying his trade for his local club Chalford when I saw him. I needed a Centre Half and Ash looked as though he had the raw materials to have a chance at our level. Seven days went in straight away and I'm pleased to say big Ash joined us at Shortwood. Little did I know then that he would become such a stalwart for our club.

He quickly became a fixture in the side and helped us start to build a team that established ourselves at Hellenic level. He was a quick learner and with his skinhead haircut, certainly started to look the part of an Old School centre half. When I was daft enough to have a mental blip and move for a couple of years to Slimbridge, big Ash followed and became an important part of their successful side. As a Manager you need a lot of luck and when I was lucky enough to return to Shortwood, I was also fortunate that the wheels had come off at Slimbridge and Ash returned too.

We started to build a team to challenge, Andy Hoskins had joined, and gradually other players joined to make Shortwood a force to reckon with. Success started really through the F.A. Cup and with wins over Tiverton and Gloucester City people started to take notice. Unfortunately this meant some of our better players were noticed and Ash was tempted to Gloucester City. Quite rightly he went and did really well at the start. He was then unfortunate that a change of formation took him out of his comfort zone. Playing left of three Centre Halves was probably not the best thing that could have happened to him!
Gloucester"s loss was our gain and Ash returned to the Wood and became the natural successor to the retiring Andy Hoskins, as skipper. Since then he has been a rock in the heart of our defence and a motivational skipper. He is a big part of the success we have achieved, and one of the main reasons we have realised our dream of Southern League football at Meadowbank.

Ash I am going to miss you as a player, a captain, and a person. I totally understand, though, your reasons for uprooting and moving to sunny California. On behalf of all at the Wood, thanks for everything you have done for us. You will always be welcome at Meadowbank on your visits home and I know I speak for everyone in wishing you all the best for your life in the states.

Best wishes Evo

There is a nice piece in the Forest Green Gazette - sorry SNJ - today as well!
I will see you Saturday Ash and believe me I think you will realise the huge affection we all hold for you at the Wood...

Jim