Sutton United Under-7s are urgently seeking a new manager for the rapidly approaching new season.  Ideally you will already be a qualified coach but, if not, training can be arranged for a suitably enthusiastic and responsible candidate. Click here for more details.

Sutton United were defeated 1-0 today at Gander Green Lane in their pre-season friendly encounter with Staines Town. Marc Charles-Smith scored the only goal of the game after just 56 seconds,  but U's performance was worth a draw at least, with Tom Davis hitting the post, Bradley Woods-Garness denied by a fine save and Richard Jolly, Sam Page, Karim El-Salahi and Jerson Dos Santos all missing good chances. Full match report to follow later in the week.

Team: Shaw, El-Salahi, Bray(Woods-Garness), Downer(McKimm), Page, Kavanagh, Slegg, Davis(Dos Santos), Dundas, Jolly(Watts), Orilonishe.

We are very grateful to Paul Doswell , Alan Payne and Bruce Elliott for setting aside the evening of Thursday 12 August to answer supporters' questions about the team and the club in general.

We are hoping for a big turn out for this opportunity for fans to find out how Paul and Alan see the season ahead and about the running of the team and the preparation for the 2010/11 campaign - they will be available from 7.45pm to 9pm to answer your questions.

After a short break, Bruce will then pick up the baton and answer your questions about the club. Last year this evening was a great success with all three men offering honest and insightful views on what they are hoping to achieve for Sutton United FC.

Paul and Alan's huge enthusiasm and the tremendous hard work they have put in speak volumes for the ambitions they have for the team - come and find out for yourself what they are hoping to achieve on the pitch this season and how they hope to get there.

Bruce and his colleagues do an enormous amount of work behind the scenes to ensure the club operates smoothly off the pitch. Come and find out his views on what it takes to run this club and where he hopes to take it.

SUFC is YOUR local club - this will be a really interesting evening but it's down to you to ask the questions. Entry is free - make sure you come along and spread the word to others to come too.

This afternoon's pre-season friendly for the President's Trophy between Sutton and a very strong Southampton side ended in a 1-1 draw, Craig Dundas giving U's the lead but Ricky Lambert's free kick being deflected in early in the second half for the equaliser. Full report, with photos, here.

Sutton United’s Commercial Director Barry Aplin is pictured with Clive King from Allgold Coins, the Wallington based gold coin and investment specialists, who won first prize in the Super Sponsors’ Club draw that was held at the club on Monday night. The Allgold Coins name and logo will now be carried on the front of the shirts of U’s away kit this season.

Second prize went to Design-a-Glaze, whose name will appear on the back of the home shirts, Falcon Builders won the right for their name to be on the back of the tracksuits and G4S will appear on the back of the home shorts.

Southampton manager Alan Pardew has confirmed that he will be bringing a full-strength first team squad to The Lane on Saturday.

http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10280~2098699,00.html 

There will be a ground collection in aid of the Royal Marsden Hospital.

The large bar will be open from 1.00pm serving food and drink, and we will be delighted to welcome Southampton supporters who would like a drink or a bite to eat before the game.

Manager Paul Doswell has urged supporters to support the End Goal Initiative, the scheme launched just after the end of last season in a bid to raise the funds to buy the strike force that would provide the goals to help U's achieve the aim of promotion to Blue Square South. ''I can't emphasise how important the funding is. We've been able to add sign Richard Jolly and Craig Dundas during the summer, and are looking hopefully to sign Tom Dunford, and I think we're building a squad that could not just do well in this league but hold its own in the Blue Square South, but it's a collective effort and we do need the help that the EGI will give us. I've got a target that I'd like to see 100 people signed up to the scheme, and that would make a real difference in paying for the goals that will make our season a success.

The scheme costs £20 per calendar month and subscribers will be entered in to a monthly draw with the chance of winning one of a number of special prizes.

- matchball signed by all members of SUFC first team squad

- framed signed first team squad photograph

- SUFC shirt signed by all players in the first team squad

- framed signed photograph with you, Paul Doswell and the player of your choice

- 2 x places observing  SUFC first team training session

- 2 x places observing SUFC first team match preparation including pre-match and half-time dressing room team talks

- 2 x lunch, half time and full time SUFC Board Room hospitality

- Final prize will be grandstand season ticket for 2011/12 - hopefully in  the BSS!

Each month's prize will be different and publicised at the beginning of each month.

Sign up now by registering your interest here or by contacting Adrian Barry on endgoal@suttonunited.net .

*Payments can be made by 9 monthly direct debits of £20 starting in August and finishing in April ,or a one-off season payment by cheque (made payable to Sutton United FC) of £150 or two half season instalments by cheque of £75 each. Eligibility for the prizes will depend upon being fully paid up for the scheme for the month which has elapsed at the time of winning the prize. Prizes can be won by the same person more than once throughout the season. You can have more than one £20 monthly "unit" thereby having multiple entries into the monthly prize draw.

Ticket prices have been frozen again for the 2010/11 season.

The best value way to watch the U's is with a season tickets. Season tickets are available now and are valid for all home first team friendlies and Ryman League matches, and for matches in the Suburban League and Ryman Youth League. 

Click here to download the application form for adult season tickets.

Click here to download the application form for junior season tickets.

When the last ball of the season is kicked, many a well-wisher risks permanent disability by idly saying to an official of a semi-pro football club "Well, I bet you're looking forward to a nice rest now".  At Sutton we are very lucky, we have lots of volunteers on the Board and Commitee to share the duties but, even so, preparations for the end of season dinner signal the start of the real work for the admin team, especially with a manager who keeps you on your toes like Mr Doswell !

This year Dos really had his act together though. KES, AJ and BWG had re-signed by the night of the dinner and with the play-off disappointment still thick in the air, he had called me on Monday to name the new players I had to contact and sign up for 2010/11.  There were six names on that list and we had five deals done inside a week.  Dos agrees the terms and then it's our job to complete the paperwork. Richard Jolly and Tom Davis were free-agents so that was straightforward. Kennedy Adjei was a long-term loan and AFC Wimbldeon did most of the leg-work for me on that one. Fola Orilonishe and Sam Page were a delight to deal with, although having secured their signatures we then had to agree Bosman compensation fees with their clubs. That dragged on a bit because of holidays and I will admit to being mildly irritated by comments that we had announced the deals before they were complete.  As you all know, I go to the other extreme and won't anounce a signing until the paperwork is in my hand with the ink still wet - I've seen too many deals fall through at the last minute - maybe there is still misunderstanding about how the Bosman rules apply. And, of course, I also had to ensure that our own retained list was submitted to the FA on time, especially important this year as we knew that Sam and Sonny would probably be moving on.

So, I went on holiday in early June with much of the work already complete, having also completed the paperwork for Craig Dundas to return.  My other big task this summer has been to help pull together the team running the Football Development Plan, for which I have been appointed Executive Officer, highlighting the folly of missing the directors' meeting where that decision was taken ! To be fair, my main role moving forward should be as the link between the FDP and the Board, allowing decisions to be taken without waiting until the next directors' meeting. Tony Henderson-Smith has the harder day-to-day job, as FDP Officer, and several of us enjoyed a couple of evenings interviewing the candidates for the various FDP roles, all of which were filled, and I have to say we are very pleased with the calibre of person stepping forward to take on these tasks.  The most familar name to many of you will be Andy Iga, our former goalkeeper, whose infectious personality and enthusiasm make him ideal for the role of Schools' Liaison Officer. Full details of the team can be found on the FDP pages of this site.

So back to England in time for the big game against Germany.  I wish I'd stayed on holiday !  Fortunately Bruce had taken responsibility for discussions with Fulham and, as I said, we have lots of other willing volunteers who spend their summers arranging sponsorship, repairing the ground, sorting out the kit and filling in the myriad of forms needed to rubber-stamp our appearance in all the different competitions from the FA Cup to the Surrey Under-18s Midweek Cup. I have to say that I am very grateful to have passed those duties on to the current Hon Sec, and Mr Mills and I met up this morning for the training sesison at Priest Hill. Don't worry, Dos hasn't asked us to dig out our old boots, it was simply to get yet more paperwork completed. Gerard was capturing everyone's signature on Ryman League registration forms and I was there to complete the contract for Simon Downer (see, I told you I only announce things once I'm certain). That's probably it as far as new signings go, although with Dos I have learned never to say never, but of course we now have to make fairly rapid preparations for the visit of Paul's beloved Southampton. On top of that the new FDP team meets for the first time on Monday and on Wednesday about two dozen of us will attend a Surrey FA Safeguarding Children course. Oh, and I've got a meeting on Tuesday with the architect drawing up the provisional plans for the possible redevelopment works for Collingwood Rec.

Someone at work recently asked me whether I enjoy all of this.  Daft question really !!

Sutton will make their first ever visit to promoted Concord Rangers on the opening day of the Ryman League season. The Canvey Island based side came up through the Division One North playoffs last season. U's home campaign will begin against Horsham on Tuesday 24 August, giving centre back Sam Page a quick reunion with his former club, followed by a meeting with another promoted side, Folkestone Invicta, at Gander Green Lane the following Saturday and a local derby at Tooting on August Bank Holiday Monday, with Tooting visiting Sutton on New Year's Day. U's are away to Carshalton on 27 December, the Christmas Bank Holiday, with the return fixture on Easter Monday, which being very late this year makes it the penultimate game of the season before the programme finishes for the second season in a row against Billericay, although this time at New Lodge. U's first trip to Lowestoft is on Saturday 9 October, although as that is also the date of the 3rd qualifying round of the FA Cup U's could find themselves making the long trip to East Anglia in midweek. The trip to Bury Town, another ground on which U's will be making their debut, is on 22 January. Click here for the full fixture list.

Meanwhile in the Surrey Senior Cup Sutton will visit either Molesey or Camberley in the second round, and have Crystal Palace, Carshalton, Kingstonian, Tooting and holders Godalming in the same half of the draw.

The Ryman League has today released the following announcement:

''As a result of the ongoing issues being raised by Grays Athletic Football Club, the publication of the Ryman League fixtures for the coming season, originally planned for tomorrow (Wednesday 14th July), will now be delayed until after a meeting called by the Football Association with the club and the Ryman League, and other involved parties, on Thursday, 15th July.''

UPDATE - following the agreement on Thursday that Grays will play in Division One North of the Ryman League we expect the fixtures to be available this evening (Friday 16 July), subject to ratification of that agreement by the FA Leagues Committee.

Crystal Palace have named seven players who played in last season's Football League championship for Wednesday night's friendly at Gander Green Lane. Popular Argentinian goalkeeper Julian Speroni and experienced former Ipswich and Charlton midfielder Darren Ambrose, who between them missed only three of Palace's 46 league games last season, have both been included in the squad provided to us today, while the list also includes Republic of Ireland youth international Sean Scannell, Allassane N'Diaye, Wilfred Zaha, Calvin Andrew and Kieron Djilali. The remainder of the squad comprises first year professionals and players from the Academy side.

Kick off on Wednesday is 7.45pm and standard first team admission prices will apply, with free admission for U's season ticket holders.

WORLD CUP SOUTH AFRICA 2010

Come to SUTTON UNITED this Sunday to watch the big game in the World Cup

ENGLAND v GERMANY

Members bar open from 2pm to 7pm

Match admission and season ticket prices will again remain the same for the 2010/11 season. Season tickets are valid for home league games in all competitions: Ryman League, Suburban League and Ryman Youth League. 

Click here to download the application form for adult season tickets.

Click here to download the application form for junior season tickets.

It is with sadness that we report the death earlier this week of Maisie Carr. Maisie was the second wife of United legend Ralph Carr, who represented the club over six decades as player, club secretary and director and Maisie was a familiar figure at The Lane in her ever-cheerful support of her husband.

The funeral will take place on 14th June, at 11.00 am, at All Saints Church, Banstead and all are welcome to pay their respects. The family request that well-wishers do not bring flowers, but donations would be welcome to the Macular Disease Society, c/o Trueloves, High Street, Banstead.

Sutton United are delighted to announce the significant signing of prolific striker, Richard Jolly. Despite missing out on Richard last season, Paul Doswell is delighted to have signed one of his main summer targets. 'We tried to sign Richard for the last month of the season on loan to help us in the play-offs but unfortunately Carshalton at that time still needed him. Mark Butler the Carshalton manager then rang me at the end of the season and said we could talk to Richard.  The most pleasing part of the negotiations was Richard's willingness to come to Sutton United, and the fact that he has taken a substantial pay cut shows his desire to be part of the club. He is a top striker at this level and I am delighted to have signed him'. 

Paul praised the U's supporters for responding so quickly to the club's End Goal Initiative.  'The fans here are excellent, althought the scheme was only launched a week ago the response has already been superb and has played an important part in us being able to sign someone of Richard's calibre'.

For an in-depth interview with Paul where he goes through all the comings and goings so far in what has been a busy fortnight since the season ended, click here.

Do you have any spare time on a Tuesday afternoon ??

The Sutton United Maintenance team work at the club from 1pm to 5pm each week, we are looking for people to help out with painting, cleaning and general maintenance of the ground.

If you can help please contact Graham Baker on 07816088281 or e-mail graham.baker1@virgin.net for further information.

A Sutton United Veterans Team beat a Celebrities team 5-2 on Thursday night at Gander Green Lane, with a hat trick from substitute Micky Joyce, the other two goals for the vets were from Nko Ekoku and Paul McKinnon. The Celebrity Team included Angus Deayton, Peter Duncan and Sutton United Coach Steve McKimm.

The outstanding performance of the evening was from the celebrities goal keeper Clive Offer, who made many great saves during the game.

Sutton United would like to thank everyone who gave up their time last night to make the occasion a success.

Click here for photos from the game.

This coming Sunday our veterans’ side will defend the ‘Rivals Cup’ which they won last summer. Once again the event is at Carshalton Athletic’s Colston Avenue ground, and this year will be a six-team tournament also involving Carshalton, Tooting, Kingstonian, AFC Wimbledon and Metropolitan Police. The Sutton squad, with Paul Harford as player-manager, is likely to include Gareth Howells, Mark Harper, Gary Elliott, Dave Harlow, Mark Watson and Danny Bolt. Admission is £5, and £1 for children, and proceeds go to the Help for Heroes charity. Doors open at 12 noon, and further details can be found here.

Last night's game against a celebrity XI at Gander Green Lane ended in a 5-2 win for the veterans,  Micky Joyce rolling back the years with a second half hat trick. Paul McKinnon and Nko Ekoku scored the other goals.

Our first confirmed pre-season game (which will actually be our last pre-season game, if you see what I mean), will be at Imber Court on Saturday 14th August, 3pm, against Metropolitan Police.

We have games lined up for each of the previous three Saturdays and will provide details as soon as we receive written confirmation of the matches

The Ryman League season will commence on 21st August.