Oliver Deed on hopes for the new season

Three footballers, one with the ball, as three supporters look on — Hadley taking on Maldon & Tiptree in the FA Cup – (Credit – Chris Forster)

How do you follow up a record breaking season? That’s the question Hadley fans will be asking themselves, as the Bricks seek to top their 2024/25 efforts.

Those efforts culminated in a play-off place, constituting the club’s highest ever finish in league football, a superb run in the FA Trophy, and silverware in the form of the Herts Charity Cup. Much of the credit goes to Hadley manager Anthony Clark, who continues to work miracles with a budget far smaller than most league competitors.

Following this season of success, there has been some change in the Bricks squad over the summer.

Top scorer Isaac Stones and wing wizard Caoilan McGettigan have both departed for Wingate and Finchley, both with the blessing of the club. Between them they scored 40 goals, and the latter deservedly won the supporters player of the season award – those goals, and their combined talents will be hard to replace. But they will be replaced, much in the same way the goalscoring machine Solomon Ofori was four seasons ago.

A clutch of exciting new players have been brought into the squad. Young striker Lenny Asamoah looks very promising, as does the skillful midfielder Tommy Roberts and both have an opportunity to develop their game, in a highly competitive league environment. Several others have also joined, bolstering a core group of players that has been together for a number of years now.

Captain Luke Alfano, Cameron Ferguson and Billy Hayes will continue in midfield, while Finley Aldridge looks sharp in attack again and the ever popular Peter “Captain Chaos” Rosemin helps provide some solidity at the back, alongside his centre back partner Luke Massingham.

At the time of writing, the Bricks have played three times this season, with a mixed set of results. They lost the opening game to Hitchin Town: the Canaries were relegated last season, and they are favoured to go straight back up, so the 2-0 scoreline should be read in that context. That was followed up with a convincing 2-0 win away at Northwood, with Lenny Asamoah and Richard Ennin netting on a sunny evening in north west London.

The Bricks then exited the FA Cup, losing 2-1 to a Maldon & Tiptree side that featured former West Ham United striker Freddie Sears, and others with Football League experience. Hadley went 1-0 down midway through the first half when Sears converted a penalty, but equalised two minutes into the second half when Alfano did similarly. A last minute Matt Price goal sealed Hadley’s exit, at the first time of asking, for the second season in a row.

It’s onwards and upwards now, as the fixtures come thick and fast. In September the Bricks will travel to Ware in the FA Trophy Preliminary Round, seeking to repeat the exploits of last season, when they made it to the FA Trophy Third Round, beating AFC Telford and Hastings United along the way. Upcoming league games against AFC Dunstable, Stotfold, Thame United and Marlow will provide fans with a real insight as to how the season might shape up.

So, how do you follow up a record breaking season? By breaking more records, of course! The Bricks will have to wait to see if that can be done.

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