Unbeaten Henley Town are top of the Uhlsport Hellenic League Division 1 East table after a dream start under new manager David Tuttle.
The Lilywhites have won six of their opening nine games,drawing three. It has been 10 years since Henley last won the title but Tuttle, who played 16 times for Tottenham Hotspur, remains cautious about his side’s chances of being crowned champions.
He said: “The players are focused and we are having some good fortune at the moment. We have come up against some very good sides in Newbury, Holyport and Finchampstead and the fair results would have been draws or maybe they should have won the games. We are not even looking at winning the league, we want to finish in the top eight, that’s our target we set at the start of the season. If we look at the other sides, they have a few games in hand on us and if they win their games then the situation will change.”
Tuttle has inherited a near completely new team from last year after his summer switch from Bracknell Town, with many former players choosing to follow his predecessor Roddy Slater to Reading Town. He said: “I am proud of my players and how they have performed but there is still a long way to go this season. The players are playing with some confidence and the team is playing well as a unit. We are getting goals from all over the place and we are defending well as a team.
We go into every game to try our best and I am not playing down how well we have started, Henley have had a good start to last season, but Hungerford, Holyport, Newbury and Milton are all sides looking for promotion. This is a learning curve for everyone. There have been a few good youth players around the squad and have been involved in the home games and the reserve players have done a good job when they have played for the first team. We can go for it if we coach the players right and keep doing what we are doing and we have had some strong results against better sides.”
For Tuttle, the results over the next month will define Henley’s season. He said: “We are doing well but that could change, so we shall see where we are in a month’s time when everyone else has caught up on their games. We could then be sixth or seventh in the league.”
Tuttle says he and the board have a plan to take the club forward over the next few years, to get good group of players and a thriving youth set up, while updating the facilities. He said: “The pitch is looking good, the reserves are set up and doing well and chairman Barrie [Baxter] and the committee are doing a lot of work off the field. The future does look rosy, if we do well this season and finish in the top eight, we will try and improve and finish either fourth or fifth next year and then after that go for promotion.”
Manager Wanted Henley Town FC's Ladies 1st team - 16th July
Henley Town's Ladies football team are looking to appoint a manager as soon as possible whilst they prepare for their new season starting on Sunday August 22nd. Caretaker manager and player Wendy Waterman is keen to arrange for a permanent manager to be appointed. In the meantime, she has already procured a full squad for the 2010-2011 season and initiated a pre-season training plan. Friendly fixtures have been arranged for every Sunday to the beginning of the season, starting with an exciting and prestigious exhibition match at home to elite FA Tescos Womens Premier League Southern Division side QPR Ladies on Sunday 25th July, kick-off 2.00pm.
Anyone interested in the manager's position is asked to contact club chairman Barrie Baxter on 07979 605605 or via email at barrie.baxter@brixx.com. Applicants will ideally have FA coaching qualifications and be committed to training once a week plus Sunday matchdays throughout the season. This is an exciting opportunity to become part of the club management team at Henley Town FC headed up by first team manager, ex-Tottenham Hotspur player and Millwall manager, Dave Tuttle. The club would also welcome enquiries from prospective sponsors, particularly for the QPR exhibition game, and anyone interested should also contact Barrie Baxter (details above).
New Man in Town - 13th July
In a surprise move on Sunday morning, Barrie Baxter announced the appointment of Dave Tuttle as the new first team manager of Henley Town FC.
With the unfortunate departure of Kevin Jeffries owing to unforeseen personal circumstances, Barrie has moved quickly to secure the services of a top class professional coach and manager with an impressive pedigree.
David (right), 38, who was born in nearby Reading, had an illustrious career as a player at Tottenham Hotspur, Sheffield United, Crystal Palace and Millwall amongst others. In December 2005, he became assistant manager to Colin Lee at Millwall, later being appointed manager, before linking up with his old mate Dennis Wise at Swindon Town where he briefly held the caretaker manager's job when Wise left for Leeds United. In the summer of 2007 he became chief scout for MK Dons before taking over the management of struggling Southern League Division One South and West side Bracknell Town in August 2009.
David will be getting straight down to work trying to get the squad into shape for a season which starts in just 4 weeks time, with his first training session on Tuesday evening at 7pm.
All Hands To The Pumps - 6th July
With just five weeks to go until the opening matches of the 2010/11 season, Henley Town Football Club is currently a hive of activity as the pitch, surrounds, changing rooms and other facilities are prepared for a season that it is hoped will see the club move into a new development stage in an effort to bring it the prestige it deserves as the town's foremost football club.
Meaningful interaction with the local community is extremely important and the local fire brigade have been more than willing to help by watering the pitch (see picture) while the club’s own pump undergoes repair work. Pumping water from the nearby Thames, Henley’s fire crew spent a training evening at the Invesco Perpetual Triangle Ground bringing some life back to the parched ground.
Life is returning inside the clubhouse as well. At last week's AGM, records were broken as the number of attendees was more than double last year’s and nominations for the committee exceeded the number of places available for the first time in over fifty years.
John Bailey was once again appointed President and following the stepping down of Andy Bryan who had held the chair for fifteen years, for which, the meeting gave him a huge vote of thanks, Barrie Baxter was unanimously elected Town's new chairperson.
Tony Kingston, who later received the Eric Bailey Memorial Trophy for his not inconsiderable fund raising efforts last season was re-elected Secretary and Geoff Biggs became Welfare Officer once again. Mick Beedell was voted onto the committee for the first time as Treasurer while Andy Bryan, Kevin Hardiman, Martin King, Charlotte Maskell, Michael Trendall and Wendy Waterman were all elected to the committee. Three unsuccessful nominees, Nigel Ash, Carol Brown and Neil MacAdam were later co-opted to the new committee at its first meeting.
Henley Open Days - 28th June
If you're aged 16 or over, male or female and believe you have the talent to play football beyond local league level then why not come along to one of Henley Town FC's Open Days where we can explain our philosophy of the development of players of all ages then put you through your paces to show us what you can do..
Henley Town is seeking the best football talent in the area to augment its successful senior male and female teams as well as its under 18 youth team. If you think you have the right blend of skill and temperament to win a place in any of these three squads then you will be made most welcome at the Invesco Perpetual Triangle ground in Mill Lane, Henley on Saturday, July 10th at 1 pm (men's and youth teams) or the next day, Sunday, July 11th, also at 1pm (ladies teams).
Qualified FA coaches will assess your skills and, if successful, you will have the opportunity to play for a team in the Hellenic League, Allied Counties League or Southern Women's League, all offering superb quality non-league football and a promotional structure for senior football that extends right through to conference level and beyond for men and to the national premier league for women.
Parents are welcome to attend either session which will last approximately two hours. There will be a barbecue and licensed bar and plenty of opportunity to discuss your child's football development with experienced coaches and staff. Even if you're not yet sixteen, we'd be most happy to see you and discuss your future plans.
Further information is available from club chairman and youth team coach Barrie Baxter on 07979 605 605, email: barrie.baxter@brixx.com or Ladies' captain, Wendy Waterman on 07500 805 557, email wwaterman7@googlemail.com
Unbeaten Henley Town are top of the Uhlsport Hellenic League Division 1 East table after a dream start under new manager David Tuttle. 
In a surprise move on Sunday morning, Barrie Baxter announced the appointment of Dave Tuttle as the new first team manager of Henley Town FC. 
Meaningful interaction with the local community is extremely important and the local fire brigade have been more than willing to help by watering the pitch (see picture) while the club’s own pump undergoes repair work. Pumping water from the nearby Thames, Henley’s fire crew spent a training evening at the Invesco Perpetual Triangle Ground bringing some life back to the parched ground.