Red handed...

...usually means being caught in the middle of something (usually wrong). If your palms have been stung, this will leave you hands red too.

But without a doubt Red Hand meant to me a Gang of 5 American kids that solved crimes on children's' TV in the late 70s, where I was introduced to madcap capers, big flares, bigger hearts and the hero of the hour with awful eyesight.

The Red Hand Gang amazingly lasted just one season but had a profound effect lasting much longer and never seemed to be off the schedules when you looked in Radio Times.

In the late 1970's one of White Roding 45's very own was donning dodgy trousers, showed he had the courage of a lion, spent his pre-match routine sorting out his contact lenses and reddening the palms of his hands in rescuing the day for his fellow gang members. This season has been no different for goalkeeper Stuart "Fingers" Fuller. Last season after 10 games, the team had conceded 49 goals, where as this time it is 20. "Huge impact!" I hear you cry. Indeed you would be right, but delve a bit deeper and you will appreciate a bit more. Fingers has only played in 7 of those 10 games (more about that to follow) and stand-ins of Martin, Adie and the Gaffer himself have picked the ball out of the net 12 times in total, so now we are down to remarkable 8 times he has been beaten... and one of those was an own-goal. He has kept 4 clean sheets.

Let me put that into context... 3 times in 2018/9, 8 goals were conceded in a single game by White Roding 45s and unsurprisingly no clean sheets. He has saved penalties, come for crosses and said rude things to the Gaffer when injuring himself in an heroic one-on-one. He has given up a day's work to come and play, learnt how to use WhatsApp aged (nearly) 60 and become an integral member of our gang so incredibly quickly. But if I told you that whilst Stuart has connections with this corner of rural Essex, but completes a round trip of 150 miles for a Home Game (NB. Ian Hollanby does likewise from a different direction), then it is time to put your hands together in appreciation. The defence as a whole has been much more solid this year, despite playing 3 different formations and using 12 different players, so applause all-round to those that have seen a swing in our Goal Difference by 39 No game this week, with our only available league opponents (Chipping Ongar) attempt to join us in the Semi-Final stages of the cup and a planned friendly vs Westhamians called off due to water-logged pitch. 5-a-side, sausage sandwiches and some bonhomie in the bar afterwards will be done instead.