Gareth Messenger's Top 10 WINOL Non-League Footballers

Carrying on from my last blog on Europe's top 10 Young Footballers to look out for in 2012, this time I have diverted my attention to the lesser known, but nationally appreciated non-league and in particular Hampshire. Of course, I am only basing this on my evidence from WINOL and Sportsweek so the teams involved are AFC Totton, Basingstoke Town, Eastleigh and Winchester City, but Hampshire is home to many well sought after footballers from Football league clubs so let's go!

10. Jonathan Davies

At the age of just 20, Davies' creativity in the centre of midfield has been influential for an AFC Totton side on the march up the leagues. His two goals against Bradford Park Avenue in the FA Cup first round were just a sign of his quality and at this level, Davies is a dominant player in the Evo-Stick South.

9. Mike Green

Joined AFC Totton from Eastleigh, left Totton to join league side Port Vale, but is now back at Eastleigh. A strong, quick left sided player who usually finds himself in the back four, but his return to Eastleigh provided a welcome boost to a struggling Spitfires side. Experience at Port Vale and learning from football league players should pay dividends in his long-term career.

8. Michael Charles

Former Basingstoke and Woking striker Michael Charles (centre of picture) is an important and valuable player for Stuart Ritchie's AFC Totton side. Charles had an outstanding goalscoring record in the Zamaretto South and West league last season. His two goals in last season's Hampshire Senior Cup final against Sholing gave Totton as a whole an extra something to cheer about in a 3-1 win, just days after beating Sholing to the league title. Recent form has been unlike him, with Charles contemplating a loan move away from Totton.

7. Jamie Slabber
Key player for Eastleigh. Slabber's strength and goalscoring ability may him a huge threat for opponents and a vital player for Eastleigh. The former Grays striker had a fantastic season last year but a quiet start this year was the pinnacle for Eastleigh slump in form. His return to form and the arrival of creative midfielder Graeme Montgomery re-juvinated Slabber, and is still an ever-present figure at the Silverlake Stadium.

6. Leigh Mills 

The former Tottenham Hostpur defender was bought for £700k from Swindon Town at the age of just 16 with big things expected for the youngster. Successful loan spells at Gillingham and Brentford made him a target for lower fotball league sides, but his decision to quit professional football and join hometown club Winchester City, under the management of ex-Gills defender Guy Butters, have made him a dominant player in the Wessex League. He is a class above, but Mills' desire to enjoy his football seems settling at Winchester. A club on the up, and a player who should have been, but a player who is now happy nonetheless. Currently holds the captain's armaband at the Denplan, and his versaility to play anywhere in defence and midfield make him an important player in the Winchester side.

5. Graeme Montgomery

Former Aldershot winger Graeme Montgomery enjoyed a successful loan spell at Eastleigh earlier this season, and was later released by the Shots which prompted a permanent move to Ian Baird's side just hours later. An attacking, creative player who also has an eye for goal, and a very talented left boot on him. Changed and out-of-form Eastleigh's fortunes earlier this season.

4. Wes Daly

Former QPR midfielder Wes Daly has provided Basingstoke with a strong, competitive midfield battalion this season, and it's a season which sees them fighting for a play-off place. Frank Gray's young side has a terrific, yet surprising side to this season and even made the First Round of the FA Cup with an away tie against League One Brentford. Daly's contributions have been valuable for The Dragons, a hard-worker, an eye for a great pass, and scores goals. Great signing for Basingstoke but will they keep hold of him next season? Discipline is an issue though, with 10 yellow cards already this season.

3. Jamie White

Unexplainable form from this man. Even at the Wessex League level, nobody can stop this young striker, and the former Southampton forward has certainly made his mark this season. League side AFC Bournemouth have been highly interested in his services, and for a player who has overcome a huge number of career-threatning injuries including broken legs and ligament damage, White's decision to join Winchester is one which is going to boost his long-term praise in the game. Saints have also been linked with a move for their ex-striker, but I doubt White would want to move to a club with the likes of Rickie Lambert, Guly du Prado, Adam Lallana, Lee Barnard, David Connolly and now Billy Sharp standing in his way. Quiet start to his season but has been hot on form averaging TWO goals every game since October. Winchester City have accepted the fact they will lose him. Jamie finds himself at number three in my top 10 Hampshire WINOL players, and maybe his FOUR goals against Laverstock & Ford at the weekend have something to do with that?

2. Michael Gosney

Left footed attacking player Gosney used to ply his trade at Winchester, but they must be kicking themselves after seeing Gosney's meteoric rise in the non-league status. For a player who finds himself just in the Evo-Stick South at Winchester's local rivals AFC Totton, Gosney also works as a Calendar model and Chef at TGI Friday's. Not bad for a player who alerted Millwall and Championship side Brighton in the summer to his ability. Gosney's pace, skill, direct play and accuracy make him Totton's most important and dangerous player. Despite the spotlight being on youngster Stefan Brown during their televised FA Cup match with Bristol Rovers, Gosney's value to the side was not overlooked by the ITV cameras. His two goals and four assists in the 8-1 drubbing of Bradford Park Avenue in the first round of the Cup made his reputation well known, and his 14 goals in the Evo-Stick South this seasno makes him Totton's leading goalscoring, for the third year on the trot.  

1. Shaun McAuley

Now to the winner, and this is one that not many of the WINOL team would probably agree with, but having spent a lot of time filming at Basingstoke I've come to appreciate how important and how influential Shaun McAuley is for Frank Gray's side. His work ethic, his natural ability to pass a ball, and his impressive goalscoring tally make him a midfielder's dream at this level, and his goals have been vital to Basingstoke with Shaun scoring 11 goals in 29 appearances in all competitions. This making him top goalscorer at the club. Not bad for a centre-midfielder. Frank Gray picked him up in the summer following his release from local rivals Eastleigh, and his good relationship with Wes Daly, and fellow midfielder Stuart Lake on and off the field has provided Basingstoke with some strudy strength in the middle of the park. Hard to say what the future holds for Shaun. League football is a big step at the moment, but a fruitful career in the Blu Square Premier is certainly something that his ability can step to.

WINOL SPORTSWEEK 05/10/11 CRITICAL FEEDBACK

General points

• This week was our first Sportsweek for this year, and I consider it a successful one in terms of productivity and content, but in terms of views we are way behind what we should be targeting. We need to attract a larger scale audience, and I think it’s important to emphasise how important the viewers are for us. If we do not get people watching our programme then all the work we put in goes to waste.
• I can only thank and congratulate people on the hard work and effort they have put in this week, and it was good to see all of you working hard and putting in 100%. The second years especially (Dael, Henry and Sam) I am very impressed with the work and commitment you are putting in. Hopefully, these first two weeks on WINOL have given you an idea of how intense it can be, and trust it will get harder because I will be pushing everybody to produce more content, better quality and to be quicker in terms of editing.
• We need to sharpen up on our camera skills. Visually it was good to watch. Mikey obviously we had your mistake in terms of the settings at the Totton game. You should know better than this and we should not really be having errors like that from somebody who has been on sport for 3 terms, but as a positive, your scripting was fantastic as per usual and you worked hard to get to Totton and edit it down quickly so well done. Sam, we had an issue with the colour of your package. I put the ND filter on but I still stick that it was the best plan because it was so bright at Winchester and we did not want to risk any overexposure.

Individual Feedback

• Dael – In terms of presenting Dael, I think you did very well. You seem clear, focused and exciting to watch which is good. Hopefully the experience of presenting Sportsweek will give you some much needed training for when you come to present the actual bulletin. In terms of your package, visually it was good. We had some good shots and a lot of action in a short space of time. As a critical comment, I think we need some work on your scripting of your piece because at the moment it is (This person scored a goal, then 10 minutes later this person scored again) – it’s a little repetitive and we need to just brighten up the package and make it more exciting. Also, try and put in more cutaways of celebrations. As soon as the goal is scored, cut to the close up celebration and carry the sound long. Angus loves that, and it just looks and sounds so much better. But other than that, well done and keep working hard.
• Mikey – As I said, no comments about scripting as it was very ood and I especially like the introduction to the piece. In terms of filming, just another error again which is becoming a common trend with you my friend. Just make sure everything is set up a good half hour or so before a game so that when it comes to kick-off there are no obvious amendments that need to be made putting you in a rush. You will present Sportsweek this week and hopefully we get an Olympics story from you soon!
• Sam – You looked like you enjoyed it and for a first time out filming you did well. It was very tricky with the sunlight as it was so bright, and in terms of filming the goals and keeping the camera steady on that rickety stand you kept your composure. Think we need some help on your scripting too. There are too many gaps in your package. Remember to introduce an interview by putting in some clever commentary, I don’t want to hear “Guy Butters said” so maybe go for something like “Manager Guy Butters was pleased with his side’s display” or something like that. Try and fill out the package as well, at times it was too quiet and felt a little boring so just fill out the voiceover with bits of information about the game. Maybe some stats. We love stats. E.g. “Jamie White completed his hattrick on 75 minutes......the former Southampton striker scoring his first goals for the club after a quiet start to his Winchester career” something different. As for your presenting n the bulletin, I still actually haven’t seen it but I have spoken to Will and he said you were very very good so well done in that department and I hope you enjoyed the experience.
• Henry – Rugby is hard to film and can get quite boring because usually at games like this there isn’t a massive crowd, but the filming is very good. I think we spoke about your voiceover, it is a little too slow, and it sounds like you are really bored, but I think that’s you being over cautious more than anything else, so try and get a bit excited about it! Very good though, and I was impressed with how switched on you were this week and how determined you were to get the work done.
• Connolly – I cannot really criticise this week. Best package of the week by far. It was an exciting game that had everything, and you may sure you had some close up shots, of skates, helmets, pucks etc so really good. Your voiceover was very good as well (with a little help from Angus) – you got excited about it and that’s what we need. We need vibrancy so that’s good. P.S. NEVER SAY “DOOKED IT OUT” EVER EVER AGAIN.

Next Week

• Even though we were organised and committed last week, I want the same this week. So as soon as the debrief finished start editing and get your work done as quickly as you can to a very good standard.
• We need sports news stories. I need everybody to come in with ideas. Can be absolutely anything, come in with something and then we can go on with that. I found it insulting that only a few people “enjoy watching sport” during the bulletin, because let’s face it, they wouldn’t know how to work at the intensity we do. Let’s just remember that on average Sportsweek finds 800-1000 viewers each week so let’s make a point to everybody and keep that record going and more importantly, improve it. I don’t want us to prove anything to anybody else in WINOL, we just do what we have to do. I’m not making this a war, but I think some appreciation is required by the WINOL team as a whole for the work we put in because we work on weekends whereas they literally come in on Mondays and get given a story or find it there and then. So let’s come in with some news stories, with some different new sports, some feature ideas. Let’s work hard to receive the reward we deserve.
• We’re not promoting Sportsweek enough. Facebook, Twitter and emails is not enough. We need to get our show on clubs’ websites; we need to get their fans watching it. We need to get away supporters watching and supporting it. I will be writing our total views on the board and I will set us targets. If we do not reach that target, I consider it a fail.
• Work on voiceovers. It is vital we get our scripting sorted soon. Anybody who needs some help or advice go to Mikey as he is very good. Any technical issues come to me.
• I need links written to me early on Tuesday. Try not to write a link which is similar to your first line so for example NONE OF THIS, “Dael Gornall was at Eastbourne to see if Eastleigh could kickstart their season.” ------ROLLVT ----- “Eastleigh were looking to kickstart their season at Eastbourne this weekend” – it sound smessy, so links into me for Sportsweek as soon as on Tuesday so if we need to mix them up and change them we will.
• Mikey Smith will present Sportsweek this week, and Aimee Pickering will do the Tables.
• If anybody wants a shot at presenting the bulletin let me know. I haven’t got anybody in particular in mind at the moment so let me know. If not I may give it to Jake and have an OB from outside, well that isn’t up to me but I’ll pitch the idea to William
• Mikey is now doing the Winchester package because Sam is away, so Sam I need a news or features piece from you please! A womens team? A university side? Have a think and pitch it to me Monday.

Thanks you for everybody’s hard work. Please do not feel like I’m having a go, just take this as constructive criticism for everybody to learn from. Keep the hard work going, be committed, work together, be a team.

Regards,
Your Sports Editor

Gareth