The High Flying Hawks

It is pleasing to see the Hawks plans carefully laid at HQ starting to pay rich dividends. Football Managers and Club Chairmen have a unique relationship in the game of football. The Managers have to provide results while the Chairman/Board of Directors have to find funds to make it all possible.

“I just need a couple more players” is a phrase often heard around football clubs at all levels. Hawks Manager Lee Bradbury has not only found his ‘couple of players’ but has also signed them up for the club. Brian Stock (midfield) helped Burnley get into the Premiership last season. Alan Connell, an experienced football league striker, has also joined - from Vanarama Conference side Grimsby Town, a respected Football Club, until recently playing in the higher reaches of the English football league ladder and one of the favourites for promotion from the Conference Premier League this season. Neither of these players have played ‘part-time’ football before but on the evidence so far will be major stars at Vanarama Conference South level.

Since this pair came to the Club at the start of September, initially ‘training with the Hawks squad’ to keep their fitness ticking over, they have joined up with other transferees Warren Cummings (left-back) and Dan Strugnell (right-back) and the rest of the squad, and helped the Hawks soar to the top of the table, after six consecutive victories, conceding not one goal.

The question now on everybody’s lips is why have so many quality players signed for this small community based club in Hampshire at this time, some having likely turned down the chance of more lucrative full-time offers? Friendship, but more so mutual respect, seems the most likely explanation, given that Stock, Connell, Cummings and Strugnell - together with Hawks Boss Lee Bradbury are all former AFC Bournemouth players. Each has bought into the Club, its professionalism, ambition to attain higher status and the loyal band of supporters. After spending all their careers at ‘big’ clubs these players have in essence decided to give something back to the game which has given them good careers. The upshot is that everyone around the club now has a smile on their face.

After many false dawns over the past decade, although coupled with the building of solid foundations, optimism is now at an all-time high at Westleigh Park. With important matches coming thick and fast, never can there have been a better time to be a Hawks supporter. The numbers attending matches are increasing both home and away as the side keeps churning out result after result.

Although in all reality the side has yet to hit top gear, they are already a strong unit that defends solidly, has a high work-rate, tempo and the ability to impose their game on their opponents. Obviously there could be disappointments along the way but this new found strength and confidence has been highly contagious amongst the squad and augers well for the season ahead.

Ian Radford concluded by saying “I would invite your readers to come along to a match soon and see if they can resist the Hawks Fever. I must warn you though, once you catch Hawks Fever there is no antidote. With various Community programmes for both the young and young at heart there is sure to be something for your readers, to become involved in.” So that is the challenge from the Club!

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Tim Randall talking to Ian Radford, Club Webmaster and all-round stalwart
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