NEXT MATCH :

RECREATIVO vs Jeff's Chippy

sunday 15th Nov 2pm kick off

Regents Park

Livingstone Academicals 2-0 RECREATIVO 8.11.09

Handbags and Gladrags

After a roundabout trip which included picking up Joe, Gregg and our ever so clean kit, searching for Ivan our Mexican keeper in Clissold Park and doubling back to squeeze in Nihat who was late, we finally made it to Regents Park with 30 minutes to get kitted out, warmed up and ready to play. Half the team managed to begin the warm up, the rest nonchalantly stretched out in ones and twos to the dressing rooms, strolling over with not many minutes to get organised. Stef had brought his dog, a gorgeous sandy coloured Staffordshire Terrier cross that barked constantly for the next 90 minutes.

Despite the canine over excitement, the spirit throughout the team was good, the squad bulging today to allow for four subs. The plan was simple, get on with the game, take three points, shake hands and get home in time for the second half of Chelsea-Man Utd. Unfortunately, we were two goals down in the first half, the ref playing a big part in our downfall. Debutant Max had a clear cut penalty shout waved down and every Recreativo tackle was greeted with the sound of the ref's whistle. To top it all a downright disgraceful decision to award Livingstone a penalty when the ref adjudged Lee to have handled the ball (smacked against his hand, his arm by his side) brought an unsavoury handbags element to the game. Despite it all, there were some real positives from this game. Once again a really good turn out. Max and Bilal looked really good up front, plenty of chances and goals to come in the very near future. And at the final whistle, at last, Stefan's mutt finally stopped barking! Meanwhile,the kit washing rota is in full flow, Mario the lucky boy this week! Next up, Jeff's Chippy. Bring it on!

Team : (Roll on-Roll off) : Ivan Murillo Ortiz, John Megaughin, Joe Dunthorne, Gregg Morgan, Joao Spinola, Mario Pisano, Lee Walsh, Adam Bradbury, Michael, Nick Candy, Max Bland, Bilal Talib Ali, Stefan Garcia Fernandez, Nihat, Tino.

Sick notes: Marcus (arm), Jimmie (rib/knee), Chris (knee), Vico (ankle).

The Llamas 4-1 RECREATIVO 18.10.09

Always Look On The Bright Side of Life...

A busy weekend for Recreativo Football Club. Friday evening saw both our Under 9 and Under 11 sides cruising to victory in the Camden & Islington League, the kids telling us it was our turn now to go and win sunday's game and return to Stoke Newington without the sack load of shame we've heaped on Recreativo's good name the past few weeks. They are always eager to know the score and scornful when we tell them! And so another sunday lunch time, we are waiting around at Clissold for latecomers and no show-ers, but at least Nihat turns up as promised and we bundle into the cars, a large nail sticking out of the blue Astra which we decide we have no time to sort out. Every team in our league seems to be here today as the colours of Lyric, Barking, Jeff's Chippy, Ladzio et al emerge from the dressing rooms. The game itself was in truth a struggle, Recreativo having a brief

period in the first half where we managed to string more than a few passes together, but the fact that our first shot on goal came on 44 minutes summed up the reality

that we are struggling to offer much of a threat around our opponent's box. It's not through want of trying, our merry-go-round of strikers all putting in the effort, but to little effect. Almost every goal we've scored this season has come from a set piece or penalty. Still, we're big boys, we're not going to cry over this game. The Llamas are a decent side, have a physical presence on the pitch, faster, fitter, but definitely not as good looking as us. We pull into the Esso garage on Walworth Road on the way home, chocolate and fizzy drinks as always perking us up and making everything

seem all right. We debate the good and bad of the game and after a few mouthfuls of Double Decker and glugs of Lucozade the score is quickly forgotten. Joe volunteers for kit wash duty, the best result of the afternoon and Gregg puts thing into perspective when he says despite losing he really enjoyed the game. And that's what's important to us. Bombing around a football pitch on a sunday afternoon, striving to win and doing your best for the team. We bid our farewells and look forward to our next match. On the positive side we hope to have Ivan, Michael and upcoming raw young talent Max included for our next encounter in two weeks time.

Team : Chris Read, Mario Pisano (John Megaughin), Gregg Morgan, Jimmy Lloyd, Joe Dunthorne, Lee Walsh, Adam Bradbury, Joao Spinola, James Humphreys, Nick Candy, Nihat.

RECREATIVO 2-2 Lyric Celtic 11.10.09

"Low Lie the Fields of Regents Park..."
After a two and a half hour journey back through the traffic hell of Clapham last week, it was a relatively short dash up across Camden and on to Regents Park today. Two heavy carloads, with the arses and elbows of various team members squashed within, were joined with the rest of our mob as the dressing room door swung open and in walked veterans of Recreativo's seasons past and a few new faces. Hands were shaken, dressing room banter began and smiles beamed from every face as anticipation and excitement took it's familiar and welcomed grip. We want to win, but as we always say, if it was just down to the results we would have given up years ago. It's that anticipation, that adrenalin, that rush of excitement whizzing through our veins that keeps us coming back week after week.

Outside, every available strip of grass has a game of football trampling across it. Even in between the marked pitches smaller games of football are under way as groups of lads thunder past each other, weekend Ronaldos tasting the delicious glory of the beautiful game before the tyranny of work drags them back to the hell of monday morning. It's always a sight to behold, the matches stretching out across the gorgeous green of Regents Park, the

surrounding skyline of the Zoo and London's landmarks encircling us as the blood red Recreativo strip flashed across the pitch.

A decent match unfolded, new signing Michael strongly challenging every ball that came his way, Adam maintaining his engine of the team status and both Joe and Jimmy L outstanding in shoring up our defence. A Joao Spinola penalty and a bullet header from Joe grabbed a vital point for us today, a decent draw against a good Lyric side. Ivan, having only been in the country three weeks, is a welcomed addition to our squad, a confident goalkeeper who made some outstanding saves today. Vico and Michael too will strenthen the team as we face a back to back stretch of sunday football taking us right up to Christmas. And so a fair result in the end as we leave Regents Park and look forward to a southbound trip to Clapham next sunday.

Team : Ivan Murillo, Mario Pisano

(James Humphreys), Jimmy Lloyd, Nick Candy (John Megaughin), Joe Dunthorne, Lee Walsh, Adam Bradbury, Joao Spinola, Chris Read (James Other), Michael Joao's-Mate, Vico Welbeck.

Barking Mad 4-0 RECREATIVO 4.10.09

Can't Get Used To Losing (You)...

It's 3am four days before the match and some of us simply cannot sleep. Instead of counting sheep, the names of players either injured, away or called into work drift through a worried manager's thoughts. Jimmie (knee), Marcus (broken arm), Mario (work), Jimmy L (work), Tom (work), Adam (father-in-law's birthday), Kali ("bird's birthday party"), Dario (bad back). It doesn't look good as we begin to wonder if we'll have to send our U11s team down to Clapham. Twenty-four hours before kick off and another three players text or email to say they are now not coming. There's kit all over the front room floor, socks being paired, shirts and shorts being folded as Preston Vs West Brom flickers on the telly.

Two match balls are pumped, first aid kit checked and everything put in the 'football cupboard' ready, the saturday ritual diligently carried out as the family step over shin-pads and goalie gloves and try to eat their lunch.

The phone is as busy as Harry Rednapp's mobile during the transfer window, as calls are made to try and get a team together

within 24 hours. John tracks down two mates, James can possibly get one, German Dan is duped into coming to watch unaware we will force him to play. Calls are made to Ivan, Chris's workmate, a goalkeeper from Mexico. We track down 15 year old Wala in the local park and rope him in and arrange to give Vico his first game, if only he knew how to get to Clissold Park from Homerton!

Sunday comes and we find ourselves driving all over the place to pick up players that we don't even know what they look like! "What are you wearing?...A bright orange goalie's shirt?". And after a long journey snaking through the roadworks of South London we arrive at Clapham.

Hands are shaken in the dressing room as six new players turn up, pull on the Recreativo shirt and are welcomed into the team. Aaron, James 2, Dan the Bayern fan, Wala, Vico and new keeper Ivan, we salute you! After a very decent opening 15 minutes we concede from a corner and then go 2-0 down before the break. Another two Barking goals hit the back of our net in the second half as despite some decent footballers out there, we simply didn't click. One of them days. But as is often the case, just getting 11 players together out there on a sunday afternoon with such short notice is a victory in itself and we leave the pitch happy to have found a half-decent new goalkeeper and an energetic and committed new bunch of lads who will hopefully pull on the blood red shirt of Recreativo a good many times to come. Next up, Lyric Celtic at home. The build up to that game begins tonight as the the kit spills out of the washing-machine and is hung, dried and packed away ready for next sunday. Let's be having you....

Team : Ivan the Mexican, Chris Read, Gregg Morgan, Aaron Belfast (James Humphreys), James 2 (John Megaughin), Lee Walsh, Joao Spinola, Russell Smith, Wala Hassan (Daniel Lucht), Nick Candy, Vico Welbeck.

Yavruvatan 5-0 RECREATIVO 27.9.09 London FA Cup Round 2

Altogether Now

The romance of the Cup drew us northbound, up past White Hart Lane for a morning game, a welcome change from afternoon kick offs in grubby south London. Still, Tottenham High Road does need a makeover and by all accounts will get it soon when Tottenham Hotspur begin to build their new super stadium - think the Emirates in blue. We drive onwards past The Pheonix public house (Kali's second home)

and across Silver Street to Pymmes Park, a beautiful oasis of green in the grey urban sprawl of Edmonton.

It's a gorgeous sunny day, the Yavruvatan manager is putting up the nets and it all seems laid back, a fabulous morning to play a cup game. Despite mates telling us Yavruvatan are a

top side, tough Turkish League winners on numerous occassions - the first half saw Recreativo defend like our lives depended on it. James threw himself into everything, Jimmy Lloyd and Marcus blocked every through ball and Chris was

solid between the st

icks. A couple of minutes until half time and we were already thinking about the possibilities of penalties and another round of cup footb

all. Yavruvatan took the lead with a few minutes of the first half to go, but we kept our heads and got back out to attempt to level the score. As always fitness (or the lack of it) kicked in and the younger fitter opposition increased their advantage with another two goals. Marcus, never shy of a 50-50 ball, landed badly on his arm and the game came to halt as we realised it was a nasty break, his arm and wrist deforming like a scene from American Werewolf In London (when the American tourist collapses behind Jenny Agutter's settee and hands morph into elongated claws). It seems that all of us are on our phones calling for an ambulance, the management of Yavruvatan assisting our distraught player with a shin-pad keeping his arm straight. It's never nice to see a player suffer a horrendous injury, especially one of ours, a founding Recreativo member and popular player. All thoughts of finishing the game disappear as we wait in vain for the ambulance, more and more players from both sides offering comforting words and attempting to keep Marcus's spirits up. The game continues as the paramedics from the ambulance crew arrive and attend our injured player. The final two goals put past us seem pretty meaningless as we hear the final whistle and leave the pitch. A tough encounter today, but a match played in the true spirit of football. Good luck Yuvruvatan in the next round and get well soon Marcus from the entire Recreativo family!

Team : Chris Read, James Humphreys (John Megaughin),Jimmy Lloyd, Marcus du Sautoy, Lee Walsh, Russell Smith, Adam Bradbury, Kali Gregory-Hickling, Abdul Daewoo, Nick Candy.

RECREATIVO 4-7 Shepherds Tuesday 20.9.09

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Despite a squad of 18 players, the emails and text messages leading up to this game came thick and fast. "Moving house", "not well", "working", "good luck!". A bloody nightmare if you have to be there, drive the car, carry (and wash) the kit. We send out the call for a ringer or two and John comes up trumps with Ked who travels down from Southgate to make up the eleven. The usual suspects show up at the meet wondering just how many we'd put past our old keeper, now at Shepherds Tuesday. And of course we do indeed put four past him. Problem is we let in seven ourselves in a huff and puff kind of a game. Nothing too exciting to report from the game, bar the decent header Nick scored from a corner, a penalty scored by Joao, a penalty missed by Joao and a debut goal from Ked. One of them days when the football simply didn't click, but we know we'll be back soon and do so much better. We trudged off back to the car, past the giraffe enclosure at the Zoo, eager to seek the Utd-City score (4-3 to Utd with Owen scoring the winner in the 95th minute...bloody hell!). Back home a feast of roast chicken, veg and gravy awaits, gulped down with a lovely bottle of Camp Viejo Rioja. Despite us losing, despite Chelsea beating Spurs on the box, life doesn't seem all that bad.

Team : Chris Read, Kedesh Mather, Marcus du Sautoy, Jimmie Gregory, John Megaughin, Mario Pisano, Adam Bradbury, Russell Smith, Nick Candy, Joao Spinola.

Ladzio 4-1 RECREATIVO 6.9.09

Young Hearts Run Free

The combined age of the occupants in Jimmie's car on the way home? 179! It's almost the top score in darts! We are once more holding an inquest after what went wrong as we head back to Stokey, scoffing this season's choice of chocalate bar, a Chunky Caramel Kit Kat and wondering where the feeling in our legs has gone. Our strict policy this season is to freeze out the kids, those who neither train, answer emails, text messages and phone calls. Those who stay out all saturday night and roll out of beds five minutes before kick off. So it's down to us veterans to go that extra yard, to grab the Recreativo shirt by the scruff of the neck and

drag it kicking and screaming all the way through to March 2010. It's un-pretty football today, but early days. Both Lee and Jimmy Lloyd stood out today, something positive we can take from the game. And Joao's fantastic header too.

Ladzio. Adam said he didn't like them because they had names like "Biffo". Those of us

who support the red side of Rome are no great fans of the Laziali. But the new boys to this league seemed a fairly decent bunch, despite the Lazio colours.

Away days always include some strange occurance. Today we notice ex-Reccy keeper Steve's car across the road to the changing

rooms. It transpires he's joined Shepherds Tuesday. Even stranger is that he's spotted joining them in a warm up on the adjacent pitch - something he managed to wangle out of, in the six years he played for us! We look forward to our match against them in two weeks time.

And so, not the score we wanted, but that's never really important. A good turn out again, a funny drive home (Mario spotted Beth, Jimmie's 19 year old daughter and asked him for permission to marry her...well, sort of) and sunday dinner, lemon cake and

a gorgeous Rioja waiting at home. Altogether now, "Roma Roma Roma

core de 'sta Citta
unico grande amore
de tanta e tanta gente
che fai sospira...."

Team : Chris Read, Mario Pisano, Jimmy Lloyd, Marcus du Sautoy, Jimmie Gregory, Lee Walsh, Joao Spinola, Adam Bradbury, Tom Lawless (John Megaughin), James Humphreys, Nick Candy.

Lyric Celtic 0-1 RECREATIVO 30.8.09 (friendly)

Whoop! Whoop! Its da Sound of the Police!

This was a first for Recreativo - our game being stopped in the second half by the police, who wanted to check whether we were wearing studs! I say police, but in truth we thought they were two police impersonators, pensioners dressed in police fancy dress, the park police we guessed, the hardcore. Farcical scenes ensued as we argued with a Captain Manawarring-esque male cop and an antique Juliet Bravo about what constitued football boot studs, moulded, blades and astro pimples. This was the first game Recreativo had ever played together on astro-turf and we didn't think it would cause such a kerfuffle. In the end, two of Lyric Celtic changed their footwear and the match continued, a mighty fine game of football indeed with a real football score at the end of it. 0-1 in our favour, after a fabulous strike by Joe from the edge of the box.

With a handful of players making their debuts, some of our squad playing for Lyric for a half, a dog bursting our best match ball, the police intrusion and general strangeness of being in

a distant part of town again, it felt like another fabulous sunday outing, a top Recreativo away day. We actually played some very good football at times and despite losing some of our younger kids over the summer, our grown up industrious squad will see us through a long season ahead of us. Well played the new lads!

Team : Chris Read, Mario Pisano, Jimmy Lloyd, Gregg Morgan, Jimmie Gregory, Nick Candy, Adam Bradbury, Joao Spinola, Lee Walsh, Onur Uzan, Joe Dunthorne, Alec, James Humphreys.

RECREATIVO 6-6 East One FC 2.8.09 (friendly)

A decent warm up game this, against a youthful good passing side from the Bangladeshi Football League. Workmate of Jimmie and Kali and good friend of Recreativo, Abdul Koyar, brought his boys over from the East End proper for a very competitive game.

The Marshes looked lush today, sun shining, lots of pre-season matches taking place, it felt good to be back. However Recreativo's five month break certainly showed today as despite going one up, we

were slow to the ball and allowed East One's slick passing to cut through us. Our previous game should of been a warning, a 1-1 draw against our Under 11s!

Fitness. It's always the fitness...or lack of it. Lee made his debut, another positive note, and held his position well on the right midfield - a good debut after racing from Croydon early sunday morning. Another positive was Nick, Joao and Joe all getting off the mark and getting the top goalscorer's race going. A fair result, a decent run out, but we all know we have to step it up with such a hectic schedule about to take over our weekends in the coming months. Good effort lads.

Team : Chris Read, Mario Pisano, Joe Dunthorne, John Megaughin, Jimmie Gregory, Kali Gregory-Hagenstede, Russell Smith, Joao Spinola, Lee Crystal Palace, James Humphreys, Nick Candy.

Bobby Robson R.I.P. 1933-2009

Recreativo stand with the world wide football family in paying respects to Bobby Robson, England's finest manager for many years who took us so close to the World Cup final 1990. Football has lost one of it's best loved sons. Respect xx

Trophy Presentation 5.7.09

Blimey! We had our very own San Marino moment as our Under 11s side scored against us in our Trophy Presentation match in Clissold Park. Luckily, Russell's late equaliser managed to save our blushes and we managed to scrape a draw after being made to chase shadows for most of the game by Recreativo Juniors. A trophy ceremony followed, our lot getting a nice little momento for all the hard work of last season. Well done everyone who took part, the kids loved it! A lovely few hours bringing together the Recreativo family. Nice one!

Rio Kaiserslautern 2-1 RECREATIVO 29.3.09

The clocks have gone forwards ("is that the good one?"), the Recreativo sick, injured or drunk list is unending and to top it all we have to drive to bloody Putney. Oh, and the Boat Race is on, starting from Putney Bridge...

Still, as we have done all season, Recreativo turn out prompt and punctual and we find ourselves in the dressing rooms of Wandsworth Park with an hour to spare before kick off. It's the final game of the season, a campaign that has seen the team reach it's highest position in this league, beat some of the fancied teams and bring together the finest bunch of football comrades that North London has produced.

Russell is hung-over, hands thrust deep inside his leather jacket as we go through our warm up. Bilal's hamstring is strapped up and given him severe gip. Jimmie's cake and wine addiction is showing around his belly. Dario is still in Streatham failing to have changed his clock. The ref is old enough to be ex Reccy keeper Steve Jones's grandpa (as bow legged as Garrincha, but quite endearing despite not keeping up with the game). Still, the sun is out, it's the final game and we put on a decent footballing display.

As usual our football is pretty good. Both James and John have a fine game in our busy backline. Russell and Adam are flying into eveything in midfield and the youngsters charge up and down, skilful, tricky and energetic. We play most of the second half with 10 players, both Jimmie and Bilal hobbling almost as much as the ref. Once again Joao stands heads and shoulders above everyone. There's not a better player in this league. Fact.

Despite Miguel putting us one up early in the second half, Rio get two back and ensure they go on to become champions. As the chants of "Champ-i-arneeees, Champ-i-arneees" eminate from the dressing room, we head back to North London for a well deserved break. Congratulations to Rio on winning the league. However, next season we will come back and really give it a go. It's been a fantastic season for our club and a real laugh at times and ultimately, that's what it's all about. The future definately looks bright for Recreativo FC. Nice one lads!

Team: Chris Read, James Humphreys, Joao Spinola, Jimmie Gregory (Dario Costa), John Megaughin, Nick Candy, Stefan Garcia Fernandez, Adam Bradbury, Russell Smith, Miguel Morales, Bilal Talib Ali.

Shepherds Tuesday 0-1 RECREATIVO 22.3.09

The dressing room is packed as once again an almost full Recreativo squad turns out for the short trip to Regents Park under another beautiful sunny sky. Greetings are made, hands are shaked as we ready ourselves for this penultimate match of the season. The sun baked pitch brings with it the usual dilemma of studs or astros?, blades or barefeet? as various players change footwear and then stick with whatever they've got on as the ref blows his whistle and the game begins.

We dominated the first half, camped in and around the opposition's box. Dario's persistant and dangerous forays down the left paid dividends and he grabbed a first half goal that was the only goal of the game. Injury saw both Alex and Bilal withdrawn and Lee the Shepherds manager was gracious in letting us bring back on our substituted players to keep 22 players on the pitch. Despite second half pressure, Chris kept a clean sheet and we left the pitch with all three points. With the league positions not having been updated for a couple of weeks we go into the last match not knowing quite where we are in the table, but safe in the knowledge that we're up in the top three. It's been an almost classic season for Recreativo. The football's been great and the squad large, bolstered by a mighty fine group of lads who turn out week after week. Hats off to you all boys! Forza Recreativo!



Team : Chris Read, James Humphreys (Mario Pisano), Joao Spinola, Jimmie Gregory (Joe Dunthorne), Nick Candy (John Megaughin), Stefan Garcia Fernandez, Russell Smith (Adam Bradbury), Alex Fenn, Miguel Morales, Bilal Talib Ali, Dario Costa.

Clapham Alexandra 2-3 RECREATIVO 15.3.09

Another away day to South London, today in glorious sunshine as golden rays stream down from the heavens above. Bloody marvellous! It feels like summer has arrived and with it brings the business end of our season.. As always, it great to see another really good turn out, the early meet at Clissold Park gets the excitement flowing as we cram into cars and head south. Past the Emirates, down the Cally road, Kings Cross and Blackfriars Bridge - a journey we've taken so many times over the years.
We reach Clapham with an hour to spare, the Common busy as a summer's day. The gorgeous weather makes a much welcomed change from the cold open space of Hackney Marshes and the good spirits flow throughout the team.

Joe bravely volunteers for first half goalie duty, a wise move as the infamous over-sized goals of pitch eight certainly need someone of a tall frame to fill them. He does a sterling job too, despite Clapham finding the back of our net on two occassions in the first half. Alex latches on to a through ball just before half time and we're back in it, 2-1 at the break.

The second half saw Recreativo come out with all guns firing, refusing to be shamed in front of the Clapham Alexandra Wags watching from the sideline. (We'd crumbled 7-0 to the Llamas here earlier in the season, the Llamas's wives and girlfriends cheering them on against us scruffy Hackney lads, a major factor in our capitualation that day!). Miguel got us level and then Joe got the winner, heading goalwards and reeling away in celebration. Fantastico!

A really great performance, a real fight back and in the end a very deserved victory for Recreativo today. Beautiful sunshine, a bloody great game of football and some funny conversations about ex-players made today one of the best sundays out in a long time. On the way home Alex recounted some fine tales of following Reading away on a pre-season tour of Sweden. Chunky Kit-Kats and Lucozade complimented our journey back to Stokey as always. It will be a shame when this season ends. It's been beautiful.

Team : Joe Dunthorne, Mario Pisano, Joao Spinola, Jimmie Gregory (James Humphreys), Marcus du Sautoy, Nick Candy (Stefan Garcias Fernandez), Alex Fenn, Russell Smith, Miguel Morales, Dario Costa, Bilal Talib Ali.