Smoother ride for Fairclough
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Your support makes all the difference.After the political wrangling that soured the build-up to last month's friendly in Belgium, the England National Game team manager, Paul Fairclough, has so far had the benefit of smoother preparations for next Tuesday's trip to the Netherlands.
Fairclough's debut in charge of the country's non-League select XI was almost spoiled by the refusal of the Nationwide Conference management committee to sanction the release of its clubs' players. The former Stevenage Borough manager had to recruit hurriedly a replacement squad drawn from clubs in the Ryman, Dr Martens and UniBond Leagues. Not surprisingly, a young England side went down 3-1 to a Belgian Under-20 team preparing for the subsequently cancelled World Youth Championship.
Next week's friendly against the Dutch in Beek en Donk, near Eindhoven, is an open-age game, and Fairclough has been able to pick what looks like a much stronger squad. Only Canvey Island's former Ipswich Town full-back John Kennedy keeps his place from the party beaten in Belgium.
Although Fairclough has not been restricted by interference from the Conference this time, he has been mindful of club commitments. "With five midweek Conference fixtures," he said, "the FA and myself have been sensitive to those clubs' needs, and therefore I have not selected players from clubs such as Doncaster, Burton and Southport."
One of the uncapped call-ups for the last friendly prior to May's Four Nations' Tournament is the goalkeeper Chris Weale, one of three Yeovil Town players in the squad. Another new face is the Northwich Victoria midfielder Richard Norris. His club-mate Gregg Blundell will compete for a place up front with Barnet's Junior Agogo and Junior McDougald of Dagenham & Redbridge.
It was all change at Barnet this week when their manager, Peter Shreeves, resigned. "I was unhappy that I wasn't able to give the Barnet public the success they deserved," the former Tottenham manager said. The coach Martin Allen, the ex-West Ham midfielder, has taken charge until the end of the season.
The FA Vase favourites, AFC Sudbury, visit their Jewson League rivals Maldon Town tomorrow in the first leg of the semi-finals. In the other tie Oadby Town entertain Brigg Town.
ENGLAND NATIONAL GAME SQUAD (Friendly v Netherlands, Sportpark 't Heereind, Beek en Donk, Tuesday): W Brown (Chester City), C Weale (Yeovil Town); J Kennedy (Canvey Island), T Skiverton, D Way (both Yeovil Town), S Guyett, D Collins (both Chester City), M Rose (Hereford Utd), R Norris, G Blundell (both Northwich Victoria), S Drummond, L Elam, A Rigoglioso (all Morecambe), J Agogo (Barnet), M Janney, J McDougald (both Dagenham & Redbridge).
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