Glebe
Around this time last year, when Tooting were losing friendlies comfortably, we were reminded that pre-season form was meaningless and that, of course, the team would gel and things would get better.
They didn’t, in the end, and the team carried the same form from meaningless games to roundly every fixture we competed.
With this in mind, but whilst also acknowledging that it probably means nothing to win pre-season games, the Banstead and Glebe results are heartening.
We might already be seeing some consistency in the line-up. Some names that I don’t know, some I do but won’t mention yet. But faces are becoming familiar already and all the players so far announced took to the field. The goalie, Sol, Hussein, DJ and Warren Colman all played. Sol’s defensive partner, who played 90 vs Banstead, completed the game again. I wasn’t at the Banstead fixture, but the man’s performance vs Glebe was one I enjoyed. Indeed, it made me wonder might he have been useful to Tooting in previous years.
He’s fucking loud. Loud and broadly affirming.
“YES! YES DJ I FUCKING LOVE THAT!”
Tooting concede a throw in the final third following a press;
“FUCKING YES BOYS! YES!”
I remember precious little of that kind of affirmation from players we should have expected it from. It won’t be in every player’s arsenal to conduct themselves that way in a match, but it’s helpful in a number of ways to have at least one fella who does. Firstly, it’s good because players on the pitch feel validated. Secondly, it’s good because spectators off the field feel like there’s lads who give a shit. I’m not going to dwell on the past, but last night on the terrace there was chat about Ash trusting the players once they “crossed the white line”. That they were responsible for themselves. We had senior players who ought to have been better at being senior players. Anyway.
On the subject of “the terrace”, I daresay the vibes seemed pretty good. The atmosphere, such as it was for a friendly with 56 spectators, reflected Steve and Ant’s podcast chat of there being some hope for the season ahead. People seemed cheered at the beginning and happy at the end. I wrote after Bagshot that “…one of the worst aspects of our relegation season was that we went down without much of a fight and that players in Stripes, in the main, didn’t seem interested in the cause. That has to be the first thing that changes.” There was enough on show vs Glebe- and again I understand this was a meaningless friendly game- to suggest that there will be men in Stripes for whom shirking will not be an option. A couple of lads who looked, to me at least, disinterested against Bagshot did not turn out vs Glebe. JOC and the senior players were to be heard and to be listened to. The boys did their running, they got their credit, they got their rewards. Two goals and a clean sheet.
Friendly or not, these are decent habits.
Broadly speaking, Tooting supporters will be easy to please this season, I think. Of course we will piss and moan and want more money and better players and of course people will complain and speculate about what goes on in “the corridors of power” but really, where it matters, we’ll be easy to please.
Between 3 and 5 on a Saturday, and 7.45 and 10 on a Tuesday, we want 11 lads on the pitch we can say stood up and were counted. If Byatt and his bench can find those lads and get them on the pitch, there will be time for the rest of it to be fixed. Time we have plenty of. We’re in Step 5 and no-one expects anything from Tooting this season. We just want something to shout about.
Corinthian Casuals next. Another marker. A chance to shout. If the lads bring the grit, we’ll bring the honey.
Up the Stripes
