The season was always going to be a challenging prospect, even well before a ball was kicked. It all started in the early summer of 2009 when 2nd team manager Neil Moran wanted to take, not just his team but club as a whole further forward. Having won the Mivam League at the end of season 2008-09, the next step to match Neil’s and the senior member’s of the club’s ambitions, and federate the club to play at a higher level.
For the first league match the club had only managed to sign a handful of players and just scraped out a side to inaugurate our presence in the Tercera Regional League. Despite the irregular start with logistics being the main reason for not winning our opening dozen or so matches all the lads involved must be praised for their work rate, top attitude and desire. At one stage, the team was lying at the bottom of the group whilst the other teams shot off at pace that would make any of the top La Liga managers nervous. However, Manager Moran and his players kept the faith and desire until the team managed to get onto the winning trail. Although consistency was a factor FC Británico de Madrid Regional team did start to find their winning ways and all the effort put in during the early season paid off as the club finished solidly top of the bottom half of the table, 5 points clear of the team below.
With the first season at Regional over, focus still remains for the second season in the federated league. For all the lessons learned throughout this first educational season FC Británico de Madrid must be looking to pass most, if not all, their exams next year as more new people become involved with the club.
Unfortunately, for Manager Rami Majid, most of his star performers had left his team having taken the decision to step up to form part of FC Británico de Madrid Regional set up. Last year’s efforts after finishing third must’ve had most of the opposition in the Bunwer league wondering what had happened to the club as FC Británico de Madrid Bunwer practically mirrored the performances at Regional level. Again, it didn’t take long before Rami was able to use his management skills and talents and create a side from scratch to compete against the so-called ‘big boys’. As the team pushed it’s way up the table, it worked out that had the team not lost it’s opening five or six matches, the side would’ve have been fighting for the top honour. How the far the team came was witnessed towards the end of the season, after going undefeated for up to thirteen matches, when the club had to play the top two in three weeks. Our nemesis Faustos Ondarreta were victims of the typical FC Británico de Madrid free flowing football style and were nerved throughout the match until their luck paid off with two late goals taking the match 3-2. However, Union Selección were to have their title hopes abolished after FC Británico de Madrid frustrated them with a 1-1 draw. These are now games against the top sides where FC Británico de Madrid, next season, will be expected to win.
With FC Británico de Madrid Bunwer consolidating 5th place in the end, Rami is already thinking ahead for the new season and will be looking to build on last year’s final sprint, as well as the many other top positions the club has enjoyed in season’s 2007-08, 2008-09 finishing second and third, respectively.
Regional League Player of the Year: Lee Armstrong
Bunwer League Player of the Year: Omar Majid
