I would just like to go on record and say how gutted I am at the news last night about Postal United folding. Most clubs of a certain vintage would have played against them in some capacity over their 44 years  and we all realise how big a club they were and how much history they had. This comes almost in the same week that one of the giants of Saturday morning football had to call it a day. Dennistoun Vale and Postal United are both based about a mile away from each other so this is a big loss for the area in general as well as those connected to the clubs.

I don’t think I speak out of turn when I say that the clubs weren’t going through financial trouble. From what I gather the problem lies directly with player commitment, or serious lack of it. I think a lot of young men now like the idea of being signed to a football team without really considering what it means to actually train and play football on a serious level. It’s a status symbol to tell their pals they play for (team name). The excuses I have heard for missing training this year have been chronic. Sometimes players can’t even be arsed playing in the games. Why has there been such a dramatic change in these boys attitudes? I don’t get it.

If each player in your squad knew a fraction of what it takes the keep an amateur team going and what you do for them then there is a slim chance they would adapt their thinking but every week we are fighting a losing battle. You can spend a lot of time getting one guys head back into it and you think your back on track and one text message later you have another guy who wants to leave and you start all over again.

I could talk all day about the involvement of woman and how wives and girlfriends affect who can play and who can’t but I think that’s for another blog.

I hope, somehow that the folding of Postal United is the last time we hear of a club of such stature ceasing to exist but sadly I doubt it. I hope the players who were committed and the guys involved in running the club can find somewhere else to keep their interest going and I wish them all the best.

On a side note would like to congratulate John Hughes who previously managed Postal on his recent appointment at Maryhill Juniors. John has been a supporter of the blog since day one and I am happy to see someone from the amateur game doing so well for themselves and making the step up. Let’s hope he doesn’t do too many raids for our quality players though.

Good Luck to the Postal and Vale boys

The Gaffer