TT PREVIEW

Andy discusses the Terras

RELEGATION

Naturally bitterly disappointed but I think it had an air of inevitability about it given that just three summers ago we so very nearly went bust but still tried to compete in a league with a fair few full-time clubs. We arguably should have gone down in that first season of 2022/23 but somehow pulled off a miraculous escape by winning our final three matches when bottom of the league going into the final week! I’m glad we did though because it meant we could enjoy league matches against your good selves and bitter rivals Yeovil Town who had both suffered relegation from the National League.

Last season though was something of a disaster on the pitch. The uncontested appointment of former successful manager Mark Molesley was a poor decision by the Board given his CV since he left us for Southend United in 2020. We lost our opening seven matches and relegation looked a near certainty before even September was out. To be fair to Molesley though, the loss through injury of Goodship and Linton, both for around three months during that time was not insignificant. Inexplicably, Molesley wasn’t relieved of his duties until mid-November, and conscious of their undue haste beforehand, the Board conducted a much more patient. robust recruitment process culminating Warren Feeney’s appointment just before Christmas. Improvements in results did materialise during the second half of the season but the damage had long since been done. We managed to drag the mathematical certainty into April but defeat at Eastbourne Borough confirmed it. At least we had plenty of time to get used to the idea!

I’m not happy with us being in the Southern League as I feel it’s one step below where a club of Weymouth FC’s stature should be, but we are where deserve to be and I just hope, after five seasons of struggle we can enjoy seeing the team win more matches than it loses. Local derbies against Dorchester, Poole and Wimborne will be looked forward to as well.

PSF SO FAR

Three on the road at Portland United (won 4-2), Westbury United (won 1-0) and AFC Totton (lost 0-1) followed by home matches against a Swindon Town academy side (won 1-0) and following Bognor Regis’ late withdrawal a hastily rearranged match against JRC Academy (won 6-0) have been our pre-season outings so far. Not a particularly testing programme, apart from perhaps AFC Totton, but this Saturday’s visit from The Gulls will I hope provide the perfect “dress rehearsal” for the upcoming season – for both clubs!

HAPPY TO KEEP GOODSHIP?

I think so. Goody was one of a handful of last season’s squad that I felt could hold his own still at NLS level (Jake McCarthy, also retained, is another). Goody tore it up for us in the Southern Prem between 2017 and 2019 scoring 87 goals in those two seasons to propel us into the NLS. It might be asking a little too much for a repeat of that six years on but he’s still got some quality about him.

NEW SIGNINGS

The aforementioned Jake McCarthy along with retained skipper Tom Bearwish and Andreas Robinson, bolstered by the signing of Callum Watts from Salisbury, who has looked very impressive in the two pre-season friendlies I’ve seen, should make for a decent midfield.

Up top, the experienced Reuben Reid, signed from Weston-super-Mare could be a useful acquisition in this league too as could two “monsters” at centre-back in Joe McNerney and Keiran Douglas. In goal we have Ben Clarke on loan from Bristol City.

Last season, we faced enormous problems with finding suitable training facilities to include quite a few players based in and around London – something I believe was the most significant factor in our relegation. These, good as many of them were, have all gone now and replaced by much more locally based players such as strikers Matt Burrows (from Wimborne) and Tom Hewlett (Poole Town) as well as right wing-back Oakley Hanger (also Poole). There is also a potentially exciting winger in Manny Yeboah but due to injury we’ve not seen him yet.

LEAVERS

Several of last season’s squad will still be playing NLS football this season. Hemel Hempstead Town have snapped up centre-back Jordan Thompson and defensive midfielder Charlie Rowan, left back Leo Hamblin has joined Maidstone United, NLS new boys AFC Totton have signed striker Malachi Linton and left wing-back Ben Greenwood is now at Farnborough Town.

We will, however be facing two ex-Terras in the Southern League this season as veteran midfielder Josh McQuoid has joined Wimborne Town and defender Corey Jordan has teamed up with Poole Town.

Brooklyn Genesini and Euan Pollock have also left the Bob Lucas Stadium but I don’t know of their whereabouts at the moment.

STRAIGHT BACK UP?

All the talk from the club and manager at the moment is, understandably and quite rightly, to bounce straight back up to the NLS but realistically I can’t see that happening. There are some big-spending clubs even in the Southern League, some I think even operating a hybrid full/part-time model – something Weymouth FC is nowhere near yet equipped for. My hope is that I see more wins than defeats which in itself will be a bit of a novelty given recent seasons and if we can sneak into the playoffs, I will consider it a good campaign.

THE MANAGER

Despite initial reservations, I’m warming to Warren Feeney. It took a while but he without doubt got a tune out of last season’s squad which prior to that had been dreadful. Some individuals like Genesini came on leaps and bounds once he had got to work on them.

Of course, the improvement was never going to be anywhere near enough to get us out of trouble and so for most Terras fans, including myself, the jury is out until the new season is a couple of months old. So far though, I’m satisfied with what he’s done here.

Have a safe journey. Hopefully segregation won’t be in place this time so both sets of supporters can enjoy a drink together. Also, very best wishes for the season ahead and if there are no league matches between us in 2026/27, it’s hopefully because you have been promoted as well!