This weekend, this month and the future

Udney Park

Teddington Athletic Football Club is very glad to announce that it has exchanged leases to use the Udney Park playing fields in central Teddington. The initial agreement is for 18 months but hopes are high that this will be extended far into the future, and that TAFC will be able to call the 13-acre site home.

Competitive games will start from next season, but first this summer's end-of-season Awards Night should be held there, as we are at liberty to use the clubhouse (pictured). The club will be announcing further plans in due course; the first priority is finding a groundsman...

This week's training

In a change to the usual venue, this Friday's training session will be held at Udney Park, at 4.45pm to 6.15pm. Please can the girls wear their blue tour training tops, blue shorts and blue socks - and bring rain jackets just in case.

This week's match

In another change to the usual venue, Sunday's home game against AFC Wimbledon will be held at the NPL Sports Club (Queen's Rd, Teddington, Middlesex TW11 0LW) at the north side of Bushy Park. 10am kick-off, be there for 9.15am.

Remaining fixtures: the four-way fight

While in Tampa, the league finally confirmed that the November's game at Crystal Palace Reds, for which Teddington couldn't raise sufficient players due to half-term holidays, has been awarded to Palace as a walkover (three points, zero goals). Also, Teddington dropped to third as a result of Wimbledon’s walkover win against South Park, which took the deposed champions into second place above Teddington on goal difference. After drawing 1-1 in Berkshire last Sunday, Maidenhead are a point back, with Abbey Rangers two points behind that. In other words, there’s only three points between second and fifth, and each of the four teams could finish in any of those positions.

The 1-1 draw at Maidenhead was Abbey’s fifth successive winless game (drawing with Maidenhead twice, Wimbledon and Teddington, and losing to Teddington). The Addlestone outfit are struggling to fit in their remaining six league fixtures, and they might have another date to add if they beat second-tier Hampton Youth in this Sunday’s League Cup semi-final. Following that they travel to champions Crystal Palace Reds then face two more league ‘double-headers’, on successive Sundays at Crystal Palace Blues and Wimbledon, before finishing their league campaign at South Park.

Wimbledon are also busy. After travelling to Teddington they have the Surrey County Cup final against second-tier Carshalton, they travel to South Park before that double-header against Abbey and closing home game with Teddington.

After an impressive first season, Maidenhead have a rest this week then play host to South Park and Crystal Palace Reds.

If Teddington won both games against Wimbledon, they would finish above Maidenhead and match last season’s fourth-placed slot; it would also mean that Wimbledon would require at least three points from that Abbey double-header – which might in turn stop Abbey finishing above Teddington…

It’s all to play for, and the management value all parental help in making sure the girls are supported, fuelled and rested for these last two vital games of a groundbreaking season. It could be Teddington's best yet.

Click the image below for fixtures