Wokingham & Emmbrook

John Ansell
1946 - 2012

On Friday 6th January 2012 our great friend and fellow supporter John died very peacefully in his sleep. We all lost a fellow Satsuma but more than that we lost a non-league football brother. Our thoughts are with his wife Gloria son Nick and the rest of his family at this time.

At 65 years young his life was cut tragically short by a wicked disease. We all witnessed his unbelievably brave fight against this disease. We witnessed a man who approached his untimely death with amazing resolve and dignity. We were privileged to share with him his pragmatic and philosophical acceptance of his situation. To be a part of his final years has been truly an honour for all of us. He leaves us with the legacy of being able to better cope with our own mortality which is a very special and selfless gift indeed.

Last we spoke I phoned him from the pitch at Binfield FC before playing them in the local derby. This was a match we have enjoyed together over many years. He was asking about the players, Roger's team selection and the inevitable question "any news, Mark?" When I told him the latest he not only put me right but added bits I had not heard – he was our 'Statto' to the end! When I asked him how he was he replied that he was suffering from jaundice but that was ok as he looked like a Satsuma!

John worked for British Airways at Heathrow for 42 years. There was many a time during my early years as chairman of Wokingham Town FC that he'd come straight from work to a midweek away game in London. He'd guide me through my chairman duties sometimes going back for another shift afterwards.

He was OUR reporter and although he provided a commentary in The Wokingham Times I am proud to say he was never neutral – a Satsuma to the end! His greatest memories and stories were Wokingham Town F C's F.A Cup and Trophy runs of the 1980's. Although, he was equally as proud of The Wokingham & Emmbrook FC Senior Cup victory at The MAD STAD in 2010.

John you will be sorely missed but you will always be with us; home or away – there is ONLY ONE JOHN ANSELL
R.I.P
Mark Ashwell
President W&EFC

Strive To Keep Young Suma's - 19 January

Roger Herridge is predicting a testing few months ahead at Wokingham & Emmbrook as he tries to keep the brightest young players at the club.

Herridge is the first to admit that the 2011/12 season hasn’t gone to plan for the Sumas.Currently lying 14th in the table having lost more than half of their games in the Hellenic Premier Division, Herridge and his young squad have a difficult task ahead if they are to beat last season’s debut finish of 11th. The early season target of a top eight finish is now looking increasingly unlikely, despite Wokingham having plenty of games in hand on their rivals.

However, Herridge is relishing the challenge, although he admits he already has one eye on the 2012/13 campaign. Midfielders David Bellis and Jack Broome, and defender Alex Walton all finish their university degrees this summer, meaning they will be available for far more of Wokingham’s games next season. With a more settled side, Herridge believes Wokingham & Emmbrook could really start to realise their full potential.

“What we now have to do is make sure that we win our fair share of the games we have in hand on the teams above us,” he said. “If we can do that then the league position will be a much stronger reflection of how good we are. I can’t help but look at the  table and think ‘what if’. We have lost 12 games now which I actually find quite incredible, but we have been punished for not taking our chances and making silly mistakes. We could easily have won eight or nine of the games we have lost and all of a sudden our position would be much more comfortable".

“Most managers will tell you that 40 points should be enough to stop you going down, but if we can’t get 11 points from our remaining games then quite simply we deserve to go down. We lack consistency, but we are very much a work in progress although I believe I’ve got a far stronger squad than the one I had last year. We go into the second half of the season with every chance of finishing higher than we did last year. If we become more consistent and turn our good performances into results we will be fine. We are still in the semi-finals of the Reading Senior Cup and we are still in the league cup as well. There’s a few twists and turns to come between now and the end of the season and who knows what will happen. If I can keep this group together then Jack Broome, David Bellis and Alex Walton will all be back from university next season. If they decide to stay around here then it would be very interesting to see how we would do if I could field a more consistent squad and consistent starting 11. I’ve got a bit of work to do over the next few months to persuade a lot of my players that Wokingham is the place for them to play their football. But the group of players I have here know that we are helping their progression, and I also think that they want to be at the club.”

One player Herridge will be hoping wants to play for his club is striker Ben Knight. The former Finchampstead striker, who is Bracknell Town’s top scorer this season, is the subject of a seven-day approach by Wokingham and is currently mulling over whether he wants to switch allegiances.

“Ben Knight has two or three friends at this club and if he wants to leave Bracknell then I’d like him to consider us and hopefully come here,” said Herridge. “He’s not the finished article, but he can score goals and I think he would score a lot of goals in my side. But, if it doesn’t happen, then it doesn’t happen.”

With Wokingham’s poor record against the teams below them in the table this season,  Saturday’s trip to Henley Town (3pm kick-off) promises to be a very tricky encounter for the Sumas.

Doubts remain over the fitness of Dean Thomas, Sam Duffelen and Sam Whiting for the short trip, while Matt Jones will definitely be out as he is serving a suspension after picking up five yellow cards.

Retain Momentum - 6 January 2012

After ushering in 2012 with back-to-back victories, Wokingham & Emmbrook manager Roger Herridge has urged his side to carry their momentum into January.

Satsumas took six points from their two games over the weekend, beating high-flying Shortwood United 2-1 on Saturday and then defeating landlords Bracknell Town 1-0 on Monday.

Whilst the wins were welcome relief for Wokingham, Herridge admits it is vital his side string a run of results together, something they have struggled to do this season. "It's all about momentum and we need to go on a run," he said in the Bracknell News. "This is a very hard league, you look at the table and anyone from 11th down could get relegated if you have a bad spell so we want to go on a run now and put some distance between us and the sides at the bottom. We did it last year with six or seven victories on the spin and it's important for us to win matches, it breeds confidence."

Worryingly for Wokingham, their longest unbeaten run in the Hellenic Premier Division this season has been three matches and their current two-game winning streak equals their best to date. Wokingham won high praise from Saturday's victims Shortwood and Herridge added: "It is inconsistency that has put us where we are," he said. "There are some sides above us who still could get drawn into it, sides who have played more than we have, so we have to keep going now."

Meanwhile, Herridge will hold talks with goalkeeper Stuart Harris this week, with new Reading Town signing Garry Aulsberry now first choice. "Probably one of the hardest decisions I have made is dropping Stuart," Herridge confessed. "I've played with him for a long time but I didn't feel we saw the best of him this year. I could see as a back four we were nervous at times and we weren't sure what was going on behind us and Garry has made a difference, Reading's loss is our gain."

Little To Choose - 22 December

Wokingham & Emmbrook's inconsistent league form suggests there is little to choose between them and Binfield when the two sides meet on Bank Holiday Tuesday at Hill Farm Lane (27 December 3pm kick-off).

Wokingham are on a run of three league defeats, but manager Roger Herridge is adamant that their poor form will only be temporary. Of the 10 games Wokingham have lost this season, five have been to teams below them in the table, losing by just a single goal to nil. In all of those games, Wokingham had more than enough chances to secure the points, but lacked the killer instinct in front of goal.

However, in comparison, the Sumas have fared compartively better against the better teams in the Hellenic Premier Division, and with Binfield and Shortwood United up next for Herridge's men, six points is certainly not beyond them. Binfield themselves are without a win in four league games, so this could therefore be the perfect time to face their near neighbours.

"Games don't come much harder for us than our next two," said Herridge. "Binfield and Shortwood are both favourites to be up there at the end of the season and we will go into those games as underdogs. But, to be honest, the way our season is going we're just as likely to go into these games and win them, such has been our erratic form. I always look forward to the local derbies."

"Binfield have a good squad but perhaps you could say they are underachieving at the moment, looking at their recent league record. I think both teams will be looking to get back to winning ways, for them to start pushing back up the table, and us so we can simply get a few more points on the board. We will go there as underdogs, but I don't think Tally (Binfield manager Mark Tallentire) will underestimate us. He'll know we performed well in our recent games, but we just haven't put the teams away. I know I've got players in the squad who can hurt them, but we will have to play very very well to do so."

Wokingham will have enjoyed a 16-day break between their last game and the Binfield derby after having two games called off due to a waterlogged Larges Lane pitch last week. With a three-game losing streak hanging over their heads, Herridge insists he is desperate to get out there and put things right. Although Wokingham are in danger of being dragged towards the relegation zone if results don't improve, Herridge knows his side has the quality to climb back up the table. He will be hoping to further strengthen the squad later this week as he made seven-day approaches for two new players.

"We just want to get out there and play," he said. "We need to get a few wins and get some points on the board. We still have a few games in hand on the teams above us, but now we're looking over our shoulders as well because the division is really tight – especially from about 11th to 20th. Our league position is difficult to take when you consider our last few games. Against Cheltenham last week, if the game had been a boxing match the referee would have stopped it at half-time such was our dominance. We created enough chances to win three games and then lost to a very disappointing goal. Now were are putting a lot of pressure on ourselves because we aren't taking our chances, but I expect us to put it right soon."

Defensive midfielder Jack Broome is unavailable for the Binfield game, while defender Scott Bursill is suspended. Therefore, with a near full-strength squad to choose from, Herridge will have some difficult decisions to make with his selection, especially if his two potential new signings come to fruition.

Christmas Points - 16 December

Points, not performances, are what Wokingham & Emmbrook manager Roger Herridge is wishing for this Christmas.

The Satsumas have had little to cheer this December as all three of their Hellenic Premier Division encounters have ended in defeats. Their woes were compounded last Saturday when they dominated Cheltenham Saracens but lost 1-0. Now, with matches coming up against high-flying Highworth Town, Binfield and Shortwood United, Herridge is desperate for his side to do whatever it takes to halt their losing streak.

"We need to find an ugly win from somewhere," he told the News. "I would be happy if we put in a poor performance but ended up taking the points, we just need a bit more luck. I'm enjoying the challenge but I'm not enjoying losing and unfortunately it's been a similar story with us for the last few matches."

Even prior to the recent barren spell, which has seen them lose 1-0 to Cheltenham and 2-1 to both Oxford City Nomads and Shrivenham, Wokingham have found themselves losing by the narrowest of margins. Of their 10 league defeats just one - the 4-2 loss to Slimbridge, has come by more than a single goal, and Herridge acknowledges that his team need to get on the right side of a 'fine margin'.

"I do not know how we have lost 10 matches but it is worrying," he said. "There's a very fine margin in this league between winning and losing and we have to make sure that when we dominate games we score more goals."

In a bid to aid Wokingham's recovery, Herridge is attempting to strengthen the squad and hopes to make a new signing by next week. "We know the areas that we need to improve and I have put in a seven-day approach for a player who will make us stronger," he commented. "We're judged by results and at the moment they have been too inconsistent."

After their midweek game with Holyport was postponed due to the heavy rain, Wokingham's next chance to return to winning ways is tomorrow when they host Highworth Town (3pm ko).

Build On Wins - 2 December

Roger Herridge has called on his Wokingham side side to build on their back-to-back wins over Flackwell Heath and ensure they do not let their level drop.

Satsumas dominated Hellenic Premier high-flyers Flackwell to win 2-0 in the Challenge Cup on Saturday and then beat the same opponents 2-1 in the league on Tuesday evening. The victories come as welcome relief for Wokingham, who were slipping down the table after a run of games that saw them win just twice in eight outings.

During that barren spell, Satsumas were beaten by a number of clubs below them in the league, including Fairford Town, Witney Town and Cheltenham Saracens. With another potential banana skin coming up at home to Shrivenham on Saturday (3pm ko), Herridge wants his side to emulate their strong showings against Flackwell.

"We have to make sure we apply ourselves in the same way in all of our matches and that starts with the game against Shrivenham on Saturday," he told commented. "It's a fine line between success and failure in this league but I have been delighted with the work-rate of the team and we just need to keep that up each week."

Satsumas face a tough run of games in the coming week as they host Shrivenham on Saturday before facing REME Arborfield in the Reading Senior Cup on Monday and then travelling to Oxford City Nomads in the league on Wednesday (7.45pm ko).

"It's a very busy week for us and I will be mixing things up for the cup game on Monday," said Herridge. "A lot of players have impressed me in the last week and I couldn't knock any of them so I have to work out now what my strongest side is. The performances against Flackwell were very good and I'm proud of the team. They were as disappointed as I was with the poor run we were on and they responded as I wanted them to."

No Panic - 11 November

Wokingham & Emmbrook manager Roger Herridge insists there is no need to hit the panic button, despite Satsumas' winless league run extending to five matches this week.

Satsumas have now not won in the Hellenic Premier Division since mid-October and Herridge admits they need a change of fortunes. "We're certainly not panicking yet but we do need to start winning games. There's no need for us to worry, we still have games in hand on a lot of the teams around us and we haven't become a bad team overnight. Every team, no matter how good or bad they are, goes through patches when things don't go for you and we just need to keep working hard to turn things around."

Though it signals the worst run of form that the side has faced since the early days of Herridge's reign in autumn 2010. But he is adamant that change is on its way, and with the young, talented squad he has at his disposal, Herridge believes it is a matter of time before the tide turns their way. "I think I lost four in a row soon after I took over last year, but then we were very flat and probably deserved what we got in those games," said the former Wokingham Allied Counties manager. "We have got all the ingredients of a very good side, but sometimes you go through these periods where things just don't go for you. I have a belief that over the course of the season things will even out. I compare the squad I have for mid-week games this season and the one I had last season and they are like chalk and cheese. If we weren't playing with confidence or not creating chances then I would be worried, but we are certainly a hard side to beat, Flackwell will tell you that. There's still a good team spirit and there's actually a feeling in the dressing room of 'what have we done to deserve this?' We're not playing poorly and for large periods of these games we have played well. We have to keep working hard and hopefully our luck will turn – we can't keep on playing the way we are and continue to lose, we will absolutely thump someone soon. I still feel we will finish higher than we did last year, but we need to start picking up points and the players need to keep believing in themselves."

Despite Saturday's defeat at Hellenic Premier Division leaders Flackwell Heath, Herridge's charges went into Tuesday night's game at Ascot United confident of turning their form around. It is the start of a four game run of derbies which sees them face Reading Town away in the league on tomorrow (3pm kick-off) and then at home on Tuesday in the Berks & Bucks Senior Trophy (7.45pm kick-off). They then face Holyport back in league action away the following Saturday.

Herridge, who is hoping to welcome back striker Luke Lee and midfielders David Bellis and Jack Broome for the games, is confident that repeat performances of Saturday's game should see them through. "I was pleased with the performance, especially in the first half which was probably the best we have played all season," he said. "We knew they would come at us in the second half, but generally we defended really well and had it not been for two great strikes, which nine times out of 10 don't hit the target, then we would have won. We will play much worse than this and win games this season."

Sargeant Vacates Satsumas - 5 November

A poor couple of weeks for Wokingham & Emmbrook continued to get worse this week, the team has also lost the services of striker Garry Sargeant.

Sargeant signed for Wokingham after spending last season at Binfield. He has also played for Bracknell Town and Finchampstead in recent seasons, where he has gained a reputation as a consistent goalscorer.

However, manager Roger Herridge revealed the forward has simply lost the appetite for the game and doesn’t believe he will be signing for one of the club’s Hellenic Premier Division rivals. “Garry’s reason for leaving is that he doesn’t have the motivation for Saturday football anymore so he wants to persue other interests,” said Herridge. “With the situation we are in at Wokingham, I can’t just keep 11 players happy, I have to keep a whole squad happy, so therefore I have to concentrate on the players that do want to play for us. I wish him the best, though.

Herridge continued “We know have to concentrate on getting out of our rut. We’re feeling a little hard done by because we’re not playing poorly and the results are not an indication of how well we are playing. I’ve got no doubt in the ability of the players though.”

Wilkins & Coppell Special Guests - 26 October

Wokingham and Emmbrook FC are pleased to announce details of their 2011 Annual Sportsmans' Dinner.

This hugely successful event will take place on Thursday 1st December 2011 at Blue Mountain Golf Club. This year we are extremely lucky to have secured the services of two footballing legends who have also moved into successful management and coaching careers. Ray Wilkins former Chelsea, Manchester United , AC Milan, Chelsea Assistant Manager and now Sky Sports pundit and Steve Coppell Manchester United and Reading legend will be our special guests taking part in a Q&A session covering any topic that guests would like to cover.

The evening will be hosted by award winning comedian Barry Williams and includes an excellent 3 course meal.

For further details regarding tickets which must be booked in advance please email Paul Rance on rancepaul66@yahoo.com

League Concentration - 30 September

Wokingham and Emmbrook manager Roger Herridge wants his side to put their recent cup woes behind them when they return to league action after a month-long hiatus this weekend.

Satsumas have been involved in three different cup competitions over the past four weeks, meaning they have not played a match in the Hellenic Premier Division since beating landlords Bracknell Town on August 29. Whilst the win against the Robins capped off an impressive opening month, Satsumas travel to Slimbridge this Saturday on the back of three straight defeats. Spartan South Midlands League Division Two side Winslow United were the latest side to beat Satsumas in the FA Vase and Herridge is keen for his team to return to winning ways this Saturday (3pm ko).

"We have to end this run quickly because losing can be a habit just as much as winning can be," he told the Bracknell News. "We need to start doing the basics right again and if we do that then I don't see any reason why we can't beat Slimbridge. We know that on our day we can compete with anybody in the league and we need to start showing that. We've lost three games on the spin but that doesn't mean we have gone from being a good team to being a bad team. We knew that Winslow was a potential banana skin and we didn't stamp our authority on the game as we should have done."

With Buckingham Town now awaiting Winslow in the first round proper, Herridge admits he was disappointed his side could not go further. "It was a shame that we didn't get through because there was an opportunity for us to go on a decent run" he said. "You look at the draw and it almost opened up with Ascot going out to Buckingham, but we didn't manage to make it past Winslow, so we have to forget about it now and move on."

Wokingham will be buoyed by their past form in the league, which has seen them pick up seven points from their opening matches. This weekend they are set to welcome back a number of players who didn't travel to Winslow and Herridge is looking for a response from his side. "We're looking forward to getting back to the league but we've got to be better than we were in the second-half last weekend," he commented. "We were much better than Winslow in the first-half and then let it slip. I don't know if it is because of a lack of experience but we need to turn things around against Slimbridge."

Nothing To Fear - 16 September

Wokingham & Emmbrook have the potential to cause an FA Cup upset on Sunday, according to manager Roger Herridge.

The Satsumas host Evo-Stik Division 1 Central side North Greenford United on Sunday (3pm kick-off) in the FA Cup first qualifying round. They have already knocked Hellenic Premier Division rivals Holyport and Kidlington out of this season's competition, but the Middlesex side, despite having a relatively slow start to their campaign, represent an altogether different challenge. This is the furthest Wokingham have progressed in the cup since the 2003/04 season, when they were knocked out 1-0 by Deal Town in the same round. Back then Wokingham Town, as they were then known, were a team on the slide, but the 2011 Wokingham & Emmbrook outfit are a completely different proposition. And Herridge, who watched North Greenford beat previously undefeated Bedworth Town 2-1 in the Southern League at the weekend, has warned Sunday's opponents to underestimate his young side at their peril.

"North Greenford are a decent, well organised and strong team, but if we perform to the level we know we can then it is certainly a tie we can win," said Herridge. "Make no mistake, though, they are the favourites simply because they play at a higher level than us. But if we can play like we did against Kidlington then it'll be a tough game for them. We are a side that will always score goals, but we have also tightened up defensively this year. I can't see us not scoring on Sunday, so if we can do a proper job defensively, stay tight and cut out individual errors, then who knows?"

Wokingham have gone eight games unbeaten, and they won against Hook Norton in Tuesday night's FA Vase Preliminary Round replay, going into Sunday's tie without a loss since the opening weekend of the season. North Greenford, on the other hand, lost four of their six opening games this season, although before Tuesday night's trip to Chertsey Town, the Blues had won their previous two matches. With a team in form, Herridge insists confidence is high at the club and they they have nothing to fear from Sunday's game.

With the club trying to raise their profile as they attempt to convince the council to provide them with land for a new ground, the extra publicity that comes with a prolonged cup run certainly wouldn't go astray. "We're under no pressure and we are enjoying ourselves as we are just trying to progress as far as we can," he said. "There's an expectation at the club at the moment – the players are disappointed if they are not winning. We can dream and although we're obviously not going to win the FA Cup, we can get a result on Sunday and then we will be in the hat for the next round where we could come up against Conference South sides. Come Monday, if we're still in the hat then I'll be like a kid with a new toy waiting for the draw. Being in the cup has created a bit of interest and we have former players getting in touch again asking about the game. The more interest we can create then the more the council might notice us. But we're under no illusions – we go into the game as underdogs, but we won't go in with any fear and we know we have every chance." Wokingham, however, will have to make do without two of their most influential players in club captain and 2010/11 player of the season Tom Hopper, as well as his central defensive partner Ashley Mitchell. The duo have struck up a solid and disciplined partnership at the heart of the Wokingham defence, and although Hopper has been away for the last two games, losing former Reading academy player Mitchell will be an added blow. Alex Walton is almost certain to retain his place at centre-back, where he could be partnered by David Bellis, James Rusby, Neal Hanson or new signing Scott Bursill. Left-back Alex Luis is also unavailable on Sunday, while Herridge will monitor the fitness of striker Garry Sargeant (Achilles)

Sumas Look To Continue Strong Start - 14 September

Wokingham and Emmbrook assistant manager Dan Bateman believes the Satsuma's are riding the crest of a wave after progressing to the first qualifying round of the FA Cup.

The Larges Lane club put in an excellent first-half performance to beat Hellenic Premier Division rivals Kidlington 3-0 in the Preliminary Round . And their reward is a home match against Southern League Division One side North Greenford United this Saturday - September 17.

The Ealing club have endured a tough start to their season - picking seven points from the opening eight matches to leave them struggling near the foot of the table. Wokingham, on the other hand, have bounced back from their opening day defeat to Thame United by beating Wantage Town, Holyport and Bracknell Town and last night Hook Norton 2-0 in The FA Vase First Round Qualifying replay.

With a difficult first month successfully navigated, Bateman (pictured) believes his side can continue to improve and progress, both in the league and the cup. "We're riding the crest of a wave at the moment and the cup run is great for us," he said. "Winning games in the cup builds confidence, it is good for the club, good for the chairman and the bank balance. We've got North Greenford at home next and we don't get beaten too much at home. They're struggling in the league above and we're flying so it's a real chance for us to progress even further and get a big match against a Conference South side."

If Wokingham do progress to the 2nd qualifying round then not only could they draw a higher level club, but they could also get a large payday. The fee for winning a Saturdays match is £3,000 and Bateman is hoping his side can continue the form they have shown over the last few weeks. "After the first game of the season we were looking at the tough fixtures again but the team has responded well and we beat Wantage, should have beaten Ardley and then beat Bracknell," he commented. "The first-half against Kidlington was maybe the best half of football that a lot of the guys have ever played and we want to keep this run going."

High On Confidence For FA CupTie -2 September

Wokingham and Emmbrook go into Saturday's FA Cup preliminary round game with Kidlington at Larges Lane on Saturday (3pm kick-off) high on confidence and in excellent form.

Roger Herridge's side comfortably beat local rivals Bracknell Town 3-0 on Monday to make it three wins and a draw from their last four games. Herridge, with a near full-strength squad to choose from until the university year starts next month, has the ability to rotate his squad, and the strategy is paying dividends at the moment.

Saturday's opponents Kidlington will prove to be a much sterner test than the young Bracknell team they face on Bank Holiday Monday. Goals from Garry Sargeant, Luke Lee and Dean Thomas earned Wokingham victory over their landlords, and Coach Darron Wilkinson is hoping the team can continue that form in the cup on Saturday. "We've got a big week and some hard work ahead of Kidlington on Saturday," said the former Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder and Slough Town manager. "Because we have such a young side not a lot have played in the FA Cup so if we can pass on some experience of that and try to take each round as it comes, you never know. Every season a non-league club comes in and does well. It's a long shot, but you never know."

Monday's derby was hardly the most inspiring of contests. Both sides worked hard, but on a difficult pitch failed to get the ball down and play as much as they would like.
Wokingham, though, were deserved winners, carving out plenty of chances and denying Bracknell a single shot on target all game. And Wilkinson paid tribute to the work that the defence has put in, singling out centre-back Ashley Mitchell for special praise. The former Reading academy player was a outstanding, and his partnership in the centre of defence with Tom Hopper has helped Wokingham boast the second meanest backline in the division after the first month. But Wokingham will have to do without Hopper for Saturday's game with Kidlington as the skipper will be unavailable.
"We knew that Bracknell would make it difficult for us and they did and we couldn't get out of second gear all game," said Wilkinson. "We were disappointed with the performance, we weren't on top of our game, but you can't be good every week so we'll gladly take the three points. Ashley Mitchell was a different grade on Monday and him and Tom Hopper have got a good partnership going there. "We've worked on our defence in training to try and get a solid base there. We need everyone to have a solid understanding because we have to chop and change each week because we have lads going to university."
Wokingham's situation is quite a strange one in that six players will head off to their respective universities when the new term starts in a few weeks. It is a predicament that Wilkinson has never had to face in his 25-year career, but he still feels the squad is strong enough to cope. He said: "We've got some good young lads here, it's just a shame that they're so bright that they head off to university – university wasn't an option when I was playing! There are some good players and we have to work even harder when they're away. You need an education now to move on and we can't get in their way. It's difficult to try to keep everyone happy because we haven't got a reserve team, but we're giving players as many games as we can. There were some lads that did really well on Saturday who weren't in the team on Monday, but they were still there encouraging everyone else to do well. If we've got a good squad off the pitch, the banter is there and everyone is trying to help each other along, then we're on the right way.

Form Out Of The Window! - 26 April

Roger Herridge believes the form book will go out of the window when Satsumas face landlords Bracknell Town at Larges Lane on Monday (3pm ko).

The two teams have had contrasting starts to the season, with Wokingham losing their first encounter to Thame but then bouncing back in style to beat Holyport and defending champions Wantage Town, while Robins are yet to taste victory in their three league outings. Indeed, Steve McClurg's team only won one of their six pre-season matches and will go into the game against their tenants as underdogs.

Nevertheless, Bracknell proved last season that they are more than capable of upsetting the odds and Herridge will not be taking them lightly. "They've been finding goals hard to come by but there's no doubt that they will be up for the match and the form book will go out of the window," said Herridge "They'll be looking forward to playing us just as we are looking forward to playing them and it will certainly be an interesting and hard-fought game. We're two of the teams in the league who perhaps don't have the resources we would like but everyone will be up for this match and anything can happen in a one-off game."

When the two teams met last season it was Wokingham who came out on top - winning 2-0 in January after the first game was drawn 1-1. Satsumas will be hoping for another three points this time around, especially after a tricky start to the season which has featured matches against Ardley United, Thame United, Wantage Town and Holyport. "I don't think we could have had a tougher opening month," admitted Herridge. "We didn't start particularly well against Thame but we were much better against Holyport and we'll be looking to take something from Ardley this weekend. We know that if we play as we did on Saturday against Port then we can give anyone a challenge and we'll be looking to stay positive and keep improving."

Young Sumas Enjoy FA Cup Experience - 25 August

Wokingham & Emmbrook FC played their first FA Cup match on Saturday 20th August at Larges Lane with an extra preliminary tie against local rivals Holyport FC.

Youth team members Matthew Greenough and Alec McNab were team mascots for the day and brought luck to the Sumas who ran out 4 – 1 winners and now progress to a preliminary round home

Midweek Start For Wokingham - 13 August

The Satsuma's are without a game on the opening day of the Hellenic Premier Division campaign due to Bicester Town's demise but then travel to Thame United on Tuesday evening.

Following their trip to Oxfordshire, Wokingham host treble-winning Holyport in the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round before travelling to defending Premier Division champions Wantage Town. They conclude the month with a bank holiday weekend double against Ardley United, who finished 3rd last season, and landlords Bracknell Town.

While the five fixtures represent a daunting start to the new campaign, Herridge is excited by the early challenges. "It's a really tough start but we want to make sure that we hit the ground running and we believe we can take points from any team in the league. We have to play all these teams at some point in the season and we're looking forward to this month."

After finishing 11th in the Hellenic Premier last year, Wokingham have enjoyed an impressive pre-season and drew 1-1 with Brockenhurst in their penultimate match at the weekend. Herridge is now targeting a top six finish in the league and believes he has a squad capable of competing with the best. "We've got a very integrated team here and we know that we are capable of beating anyone in the league on our day," he commented. "We won't be going into any game expecting to lose but at the same time we are under no illusions that it is going to be easy." Herridge is hopeful of completing the signing of former Binfield striker Garry Sargeant this week and has been impressed with his team's attacking threats. "Garry is still a few weeks behind in terms of pre-season but he has done well and Luke Lee showed last season that he has added goal scoring to his game," he said. "We've also got Dean Thomas, whose goal scoring record you can't argue with, and Sam Duffelen is strong coming forward."

While all the attention will be on the league this weekend, Wokingham have been drawn against local rivals Reading Town in the Berks and Bucks Senior Cup. The tie will be played on November 18 with the winner going on to meet Binfield or Ascot United in the quarter-finals.

Satsumas Must Climb - 10 August

Wokingham & Emmbrook manager Roger Herridge insists that, having consolidated their position in the Hellenic Premier Division last season, the club must now look to start climbing into the upper reaches of the league.

In their first season at step five, Wokingham finished 11th, and now Herridge wants to see his team push on and maybe even break into the top six. It will be no mean feat, though. Wokingham have been forced to disband their reserve team from last season, meaning Herridge now has the unenviable task of keeping upwards of 20 young players' content with their place in the squad throughout a long season. Herridge is also facing up to the loss of centre half Shaun Wanklyn, the former captain who has been an almost ever present at the heart of the Sat's defence for more than three years, as well as central midfielder Nick Bateman. Both products of Wokingham's successful Allied Counties team, Wanklyn is currently trialling at Conference South side Staines Town, while Bateman has made the switch to Premier Division rivals Binfield. But with a number of additions across the park, Herridge's squad is actually looking stronger than it did this time last season. Steve Ryan and Sam Wyatt have joined from Bracknell Town, while central defender Ashley Mitchell will be hoping to put his knee injury nightmare behind him and take Wanklyn's place. However, it is two players currently trialling with the club that have raised the most eyebrows. And, should Herridge manage to tie the pair down for the new season, then it could be a very successful one for Wokingham.

Former Bracknell Town and Binfield striker Garry Sargeant scored twice during Wokingham's 5-1 win over Sandhurst Devels on Saturday, while former Oxford United youngster Imani Likita, a left-sided attacker, came off the bench to add another. "Garry is a player who does all his best work in the box, is very intelligent and scores goals," said Herridge. "He has not committed one way or the other, but I'd definitely like to sign him.
Imani works very hard, is quick and very skilful. When he came on Saturday he really livened things up and was at the centre of all the good things. Although I've not got him to sign yet, I'm looking to do so and if I could get him and Garry then they would be two very good signings for us. If they don't sign, though, I still have a very good squad. I have a nice problem to sort out over the next few weeks. It's important that we have a big enough squad to keep up with the demands ahead. We have to keep the players happy and make sure we have a squad to last the season. We need to progress from where we finished last year. If the players who we want to sign do sign then potentially we have a top-six side and if we can do that then it would be a very good season. We're certainly not going to be winning it – as a club we don't have the resources – but our aim this year is to break into the top six or seven and have some good cup runs."

Due to the disbanding of Bicester Town, Wokingham's first scheduled game for the new season, on Saturday August 13, has been cancelled. Their season will now start away at Thame United the following Tuesday August 16.

New Sponsor "Fore" Satsumas - 7 August

Blue Mountain Golf Centre has announced that it has become the new principle sponsor for nearby Wokingham & Emmbrook Football Club for the 2011/12 season.

Binfield-based Blue Mountain GC has had links with the Bracknell-based Satsumas for many years, and regularly hosts East Berkshire Youth Football League meetings at the golf club. It therefore seemed natural that the club should sponsor Wokingham & Emmbrook FC for the coming season, particularly with their big push in the FA Cup.

Mark Ashwell, President of Wokingham & Emmbrook FC, said: "It's great to welcome Blue Mountain as our principle sponsor for the coming season. They join us at a very exciting time, and we are honoured to have them as the match day sponsor for our first FA Cup game against Holyport FC on Saturday 20th August 2011 at Larges Lane, Bracknell. With Blue Mountain's support, anything is possible this season!" James Elster, General Manager of Blue Mountain GC, added: "We are delighted to be sponsoring the Satsumas. It makes our long association with the club more formal, and we look forward to watching their progress in the coming season.

www.bluemountaingolf.co.uk

Satsumas Appointment - 4 August

First Team manager Roger Herridge has strengthened his management team with the appointment of Darron Wilkinson.

Wilkinson (pictured) has management experience at Slough Town, Hayes & Yeading and more recently at Beaconsfield Sycob. In his playing days Darron was a tough tackling, no nonsense midfielder who also filled in at right back and served Wokingham Town, Hayes FC, Woking FC and Slough Town. Darron played professionally for Brighton & Hove Albion racking up 49 first team appearances and also had a season playing abroad.

Speaking about the appointment Herridge said "I am chuffed to bits to get Darron back here at Wokingham, his experience and contacts will be invaluable to me and I know the players will learn a lot from him. I am really looking forward to working with him this season"