It’s derby week for Hassocks Fatboys with a mixed squad set to kick things off on Wednesday night against old rivals Amici Athletic.
That will be followed on Sunday by the first team taking on Pink Flamingos, out of retirement for one morning only following their decision to quit the Sussex Sunday League at the end of last season.
The Fatboys have earmarked the Amici game for giving players yet to feature in pre-season a run out. There are also spots for those who, as Gary Whittington so diplomatically put it when requesting a place in the squad, are “two stone over weight, probably three.”
As a result, Jamie Stratton will lead a mixture of first and reserves into battle. Whittington and Jason Gander will be there in a bid to reduce the first team’s defences collective weight before the start of the season to less than that of HMS Belfast.
Ryan Collins has recovered from injury and could make his first appearance for the Fatboys in over three years while it will also be supporters first opportunities to glimpse the likes of Chris Britton, John Humphrey, Ross Joannides, Mark Potter, Ananda Hoque and Kieran Poulton this season.
Josh Evetts meanwhile continues his return, looking to build on the 15 minutes he lasted at full pace against The Long Man on Sunday before being declared clinically dead. Matt Freeman will also be involved for only his sixth appearance since 2014. Should he escape from Ardingly unharmed, it will be the first time he’s completed a game without injury since 2013.
Fatboys Reserves and Amici faced off three times last season. The first came in a friendly in which the Fatboys ran out 6-4 winners. That was despite the best efforts of Peter Martin, who was swayed into pulling on an Amici shirt at half time and went onto score twice for the visitors in the second half.
In the league, the sides drew 3-3 in their first meeting and the second ended in a 4-2 win for the Fatboys with an eclectic mix of scorers as Rob Lloyd, Tommy Tyler, Reece Wickwar and Kenny Tinnion all netted.
Prior to that, the two sides met in the 2013-14 season as Daniel Lawrence led the Fatboys to promotion from Division Five, completing a double over Amici in the process. There was a 4-2 win at Fairfield Rec, a remarkable result given that the kit turned up being pushed in a stolen Waitrose shopping trolley by Scott McCarthy, Freeman didn’t make kick off because he was lying on the floor of his shower crying and throwing up and Jon Ballantyne had a crate of Scrumpy Jack on the sidelines.
That was followed by a 6-1 win at Waterhall, when a threadbare squad meant Martyn Buxton moved from his normal left back berth to become the shortest central defender in footballing history. Chris Martin notched his last goals for the club with a brace.
Kick off is 6.45pm at Nine Acres Field.
Squad: Nick Jones, Kevin Ticehurst, Ross Joannides, Jason Gander, Gary Whittington, Ananda Hoque, Reece Wickwar, Andy Brown, John Humphrey, Mark Potter, Justin Parker, Chris Britton, Kieran Poulton, Ryan Collins, Chris Clayton, Josh Evetts.