We kick off the new year with a Hertfordshire derby by welcoming the Citizens to Wodson Park. We won the return fixture at Herns Way back in August and will be hoping to complete the double over our opponents to boost our promotion campaign.

The sign on their dressing room door might well say “Under new management” following Max Mitchell’s move to the management team at Potters Bar. Marc Weatherstone has come from Wingate & Finchley as his replacement though Tommy Wade is still involved so we hope to see him on his return to the Park.

The new management team won’t want to be reminded of their first game on Boxing Day when they suffered a 4-0 home defeat to Hadley. But that will have been a data collection exercise for them and we can expect things to be changed come Monday afternoon with perhaps new signings. They have already signed James Mulley who made 36 appearances for us in last season’s run to the play-off final. A tough game is in prospect with both teams, for different reasons, needing a win.

I understand we have no injury problems though Theo Ofori is unavailable for the next few weeks. A replacement may have been signed on loan before the weekend.

You can read Paul’s views on the last year and his hopes for the rest of the season in his programme notes on Saturday but there’s plenty more to read including Aiden’s Astroturf review of the World Cup. The programme remains £1.50 and is available at the gate.

Finally, before the match kicks off there will be a minute’s silence in memory of Cody Fisher, the player from premier division Stratford Town, who was murdered on Boxing Day in a Birmingham night club.

[/b]Our ten latest results against Welwyn Garden City:-[/b]

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