The Watling Festival of Football

The 2009 Watling Festival of Football

Here's the Full Story

Last week was supposed to be the week of the Watling Festival at Montrose Park. The organiser, Patti Skeats is an old friend of mine and we've supported the festival for many years by staging the music and more recently the football 5's tournament.

I was most upset to find that this year, Patti was unable to stage the full festival. She worked like a trojan, but I returned from holiday in late August to find it had been cancelled. I'd arranged for a 5 a side tournament to be staged, but clearly no festival meant no football. I rang around all of the teams taking part (with lots of help from my friends). I was quite surprised at the reaction. Everyone said "the boys have really been looking forward to it can't we do something". That was 2 weeks ago. My boy plays for Watling FC under 10's. A quick discussion followed. First problem - No pitches. No problem, Mill Hill Village Sports Club stepped in and said "We'll get the pitches sorted out and you can use our clubhouse". We then rang around the teams. We've got 2 Watling FC teams at under 10, Mill Hill Village put in an Under 9 and an Under 10, St Andrews put in two under 10 teams and Belmont FC put in their under 9's (the reigning champions). To accomodate the number of boys wanting a game, we decided to play a 7's tournament, rather than 5 a side.

So we had the teams and we had the ground. I then asked Patti if she could do the presentations. We decided to have a "friendly tournament" - no cards (ie unregistered players as well), following FA under 10 rules, but with mixed age groups.

So approx 70 boys, their parents, their dogs and their coaches etc made their way to Mill Hill Village FC's ground in Burtonhole Lane, Mill Hill. All in all about 200 people. Many thanks to the Mill Hill Village Sports club and their help in the kitchen and bar and for use of their pitches. Patti Skeats presented the trophy to St Andrews and all the boys got their medals.

The Watling Festival had a year off, but the Watling Festival of football was a fantastic success. All the more so because we organised the whole thing in 2 weeks.

How did it go :-

Final

St Andrews 1- 0 Belmont U 9's

Third Place
Watling Orange 3 - 2 St Andrews B

Group stages
Group A
Belmont 2 - 1 Watling Yellow
St Andrews B 1 - 0 Mill Hill Village
St Andrews B 0 - 1 Belmont
Mill Hill Village 0 - 3 Watling Yellow
Belmont 3 - 0 Mill Hill Village
St Andrews A 3 - 0 Watling Yellow

Group B
Watling Orange 1 - 0 Mill Hill Village U 10
Mill Hill Village U10 0 - 3 St Andrews A
Watling Orange 0 - 3 St Andrews A

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Friendly Match
Mill Hill Village 2 - 1 Watling Orange

Thanks to all of the teams, their managers, coaches and parents for a great tournament. Special thanks to Glen and Paul at Mill Hill Village for their efforts in staging the event. Also to Eddie for his support in organising the teams, Livvy for getting the medals etc, To St John, Luis, Eddie and Paul for refereeings and the kitchen, barstaff and groundstaff at the clubhouse. If I've missed anyone out, thanks.

Pictures (Top to Bottom)
1. St Andrews receive cup from Patti Skeats, Watling festival organiser.
2. Runners up Belmont receive their medals
3. 3rd Place final winners Watling Club receive their medals
4. 4th Place St Andrews B receive their medals
5. Action from Watling Vs Mill Hill Village

A simple blueprint to save Mill Hill Village Sports Club

Without wishing to upset all of my readers from other parts of the Borough of Barnet, I've always been a firm believer that Mill Hill is a rather special place. You can jump on a train and be sampling all the delights of central London in less than 15 minutes (on a good day and on the right train). You can eat the finest Chinese food at The Good Earth and Hee's. You can eat the finest Indian food at The Mill Hill Tandoori or The Day of the Raj. You can walk to the museum with the greatest collection of British World War II airoplanes in the world. You can see the last example of a Wellington bomber such as my dad flew on 40 missions over enemy territory. We have some of the best primary and secondary schools in the country. We've some of the ugliest urban scars (the M1 bridge in Mill Hill Broadway) and some of the finest views (The Ridgway).

We've also got a sports club that has 140 years of history. It's in Burtonhole Lane and it is Mill Hill Village. Now I don't have an association with the club, I used to play for Hendon School old boys and my son plays for Watling Under 9's who soundly trounced their Mill Hill Village counterparts this season, but I have a great deal of affection for the club. Many of my friends and their children play there. It's main sports are Football and Cricket. A trip down will show that this is a multi racial and very harmonious and socially beneficial club. It has a beautiful setting and many members.

Which brings us to the question of how Barnet Council think a club like this should be treated? Not very well it seems. They are planning to double the rent from £7,400 to £13,500. This is at a time of rising obesity and related health problems. Sport is recogised as a vital ingredient in combatting this. Part of Barnets waffle about Future Shape talks about "nudging" people into healthy lifestyles. It seems to me that this will nudge them all back on to the couch. As with most things, Mill Hill's Tory's seem to be a bit brighter than those elsewhere in the Borough. Mill Hill's sole Tory councillor, the redoubtable John Hart is leading the campaign to "Save The Village". He says

"I want to help the club survive. With the problems we have with obesity, we’re supposed to be trying to get young people off their botties and playing sport."

I've said it before and doubtless, I'll say it again. John Hart is the finest Tory in the Borough. I have a practical suggestion for John to take to Mike Freer when he goes to see him. One which will achieve a classic Tory goal of saving money, so we all win. It is reported that Barnet council pay a salary of £60,000 a year to a cabinet advisor. This is a taxpayer funded political appointment. His job is to ensure that Barnets Tories stick to the true blue ethos. In my opinion, it is a job for the boys, a method of giving work to someone who can't get elected. There are 33 Barnet Tory Councillors who have been elected. Why do they need a 34th Tory on the payroll who hasn't been.

So here's my plan. Get rid of the cabinet adviosor - This saves £60,000. Then cut the Mill Hill Village rent to 1p a year. This will mean the taxpayer is £46,500 better off. Being a good old socialist, I'd then appoint a full time soccer coach and a full time cricket coach at a cost of £20,000 a year each. The taxpayer would still be £6,500 a year better off. With that I'd cancel the price hike in infant burials. We'd have 2 full time sports coaches so the club would flourish. Oh I said that there would be a saving to the Taxpayer. Well yes, because they would save the employers NI on the salary.

Now you may ask, what if the Barnet Tories need the advice of a political officer to function properly. If that really is the case I'd say they are not up to the job and should resign. I wonder how often, Barnets most sensible Tory, John Hart has availed himself of the services of Mr Robeson (the politcal Officer)?