Catching Up With The 'Side - A Decent November

SportTrades Adam Dennehey writes: Now that November's started and the nights are getting darker, I thought it'd be a good time to give you guys an update on one of SportTrades's adopted clubs this season - Barkingside FC.

It's been an ok last couple of months for the team since i last gave an update on the team, and its fair to say that quite alot has happened. The team have risen up to a respectable 5th in the Essex Senior League table. In the last 2 months they've only lost 2 out of the last 15 games they've played and that includes some 3 friendlies that have been played when the team hasn't had a fixture on the odd weekend. This has been seen as a good tool for Manager Tony Fenn to try out new players to the squad and also give the youngsters in the side some time on the pitch.

One youngster that has come to the fore recently has been Liam Burgess. The stylish midfielder has coome to the side with good pedigree and is a former trainee and youth product from West Ham. He's not the tallest player in the world but makes up for it with some skillfull touches and reminds a few Oakside regulars of Arsenal's Jack Wilshire - who isn't a bad player to be comapred to at the moment.

Up front the team are playing well with a good bunch of strikers at the team. Leading the way is Sean Thomas, who is well-known at non league for his goals with previous form for Brentwood Town and Aveley to name a few. Thomas has scored 13 goals so far and does look a threat in every game. Then the team have the pacey Ryan Imbert who has impressed since the start of the season scoring 8 goals. The most important of these came againgst Stanstead when his 90th minute winner won the Monday night clash on the 26th October.

Off the pitch the club have just got a grade D Stadium listing from the FA, this means that providing they can get promoted they could apply to be in the Ryman League North next season. This is an important step for the club in wanting to be ambitious. However just like the club's Oakside stadium's tennants Redbridge, the club are continuing to raise funds for the future of the club to keep the club going.

Everyone involved at the club from chairman Jimmy Flanaghan and his family, to the maangement team and the players, to the regulars at the club like Rob Meyers and John Belsey - is playing their part. Its a credit to those people that the club so far have got the Second Best attendence figures in the league with an average of 87 so far this season. The highest attendence of the season so far for the club was the 154 who turned up, on a Monday Night to see the team triumph over Stanstead Town on the 26th October.

The team should be looking to move into the top 3 over the next couple of games, which are all winable. Local rivals Barking visit the Oakside stadium this weekend and if past encounters are to go by, it's a game that will be well worth seeing.

For more on Barkingside FC, do visit their website @ http://www.barkingsidefc.co.uk/ and if you're ever down in Barkingside, in the borough of Redbridge do visit the ground and see the team in action. More from Barkingside FC in December!