Handsome… not hideous.
Reading Men’s 2As is the pinnacle of any respectable and good looking player’s career. The young aspire to play in our squad, whilst the oldies clamber for selection on their way down from the dizzy heights of the ‘performance squads’.
The 2As is about winning and it is about enjoyment. Banter rules both on the pitch and off. Looking good is a pre-requisite for squad selection, and a strict regime of beauty therapy is strongly enforced. Winning “The Best Looking Team in the London League” Award in 2005/06 was no mean feet, matched only by the hard work and champagne hockey that also won us the London League Division Cup and promotion to London League Div 1 last season.
How we didn’t win Reading men’s team of the year I do not know, but I am sure a fat cheque from Reza (Distinguished Captain of the 3’s) to the Club Captain had something to do with it.
This year, your Captain, Johnny D, tackles a duel role in the additional role as Club Captain. Clearly this will bring benefits to the 2As, as building and sustaining a more comprehensive integration with the ladies is a primary goal of my term in office; it is a panacea for a thriving club.
The International Urban Youth Development Programme (IUYDP) is a core philosophy of the 2As. Introduced in 2003/04 season it has seen the likes of Jonno Codling (the original Wella Shock Waves model and First XI heartthrob), Rohit Kapoor (international illicit substances trader and England U16) and Big Dave Harding (still looking for that special someone) pass through the programme.
This year, the esteemed committee has sat and discussed at length this year’s list of plucky applicants. We can proudly announce that the IUYDP candidate for 2006/07 is Master Pete Roseff. There is much work to be done. There is much banter to endure. There is much beer to be drunk. We wish him good luck.
There will be much competition for places this year, of that I have no doubt. The standards just got higher, though we will still beat Surbiton. Hard work, determination, and an unfaltering tan-line will be needed. And so I say to you, “once more unto the breach dear friends, once more unto the breach.”
The 2As encourage responsible drinking… if you’re responsible, you drink.
Mens 2As End of Season Report 2008 18/06/2008
London League Division One - 3rd place and Cup Runners Up
http://www.londonhockeyleague.org.uk/
This season has been a bit of a rollercoaster for the 2As.
The first half of the season was indifferent as a result of low numbers and poor availability and the team struggled to maintain mid-table. Nonetheless, the team proved hard to beat, producing a remarkable 5 match draw spree to end the year.
However, in the second half of the season with a more consistent team bolstered by ex-Refills and new-comers the 2As got back to winning ways, playing some Sweeney Todd pie fuelled hockey washed down with cavalier champagne.
As always, 2As dogged determination was thrown in to help us out of many a hole. The team morphed into a well-oiled unit from February, going on a winning streak which saw us finish a very respectable 3rd in the league and also led to a Division final appearance.
The 2As are a mongrel breed with a mix of naïve youngsters, urban youth, beer toting graduates, mortgaged twenty-somethings and the elderly. As always, success has built on the youngsters with Cook, Parkes, Kapoor Jnr II, Yates, Barber, Record and McDermottroe playing well beyond their years.
This young flock has been expertly shepherded by the wiley Brown, sticky Walsh, bionic Bairstow and poised Lander and scared sh*tless by the driving of al-Qu’eda Ansary and “goal-machine” Anderson. Jedi masters Briscoe and Steel have showed us the true side of the Force….when not playing golf, skiing, suspended or in Fiji! Play well you did 2As.
Best goal: Ali Parkes v EG (Home) – reverse roof ripper
Honourable mentions: Shiv Kapoor, Jon Lander, Ian Anderson
Player of the season: Ben Cook
Capt’n Rob Foster
2As captain
Powered by FixturesLive
by FixturesLive
News
