Non-League and Academy football writer

Stonewall FC’s first team have made a tremendous start to the 2024/25 season, as we approach the new year. Apart from their excellent start to the Middlesex Premier Division season, Stonewall were also crowned champions of the 2024 IGLFA World Champions this year, in Argentina. Manager and club legend, Eric Najib, has been with Stonewall FC for a long time (he previously played for the club, for many years), and Eric, his coaching staff, and players have been really impressing in the league so far this season, as a team. After having won their first five league matches of this season, including a very impressive home win over current league leaders SL Benfica, Stonewall were unbeaten in the league up until the 23rd of November, when they lost 3-1 away to Pitshanger Dynamo. In total they have only lost two of their first 11 league games so far this season, winning eight and drawing one.

Really looking to build on last season’s (2023/24) seventh place finish in the Premier Division, Stonewall have shown already this season that they are (in my opinion) title challengers, along with SL Benfica, Hayes & Hillingdon, and Jolof Sports, to name just some of the teams who are doing really well this season. The Premier Division season of the Middlesex League, has been a fascinating one so far. And although I don’t want to make any predictions as to who might win the league at this stage of the season, it really has been a fantastic league season, as we approach the final Premier Division fixtures of 2024, on Saturday. A lot of the players in Stonewall’s Middlesex Premier Division side have been playing for the club for a long while. Players such as Dennis Aware, Stonewall’s talented and very reliable goalkeeper, the wonderfully technical Mike Sholly, clinical forward Jay Lemonius, and the tenacious and clever footballer, Coltrane Morley-Williams, have all been playing for the first team for a number of seasons now.

Stonewall play good and effective football, and they are confident in how they play their football as a team. However, in the games that I have watched them in, in recent times, I have always been very impressed with how well structured they are as a team, and how they defend their penalty area. Capable of beating any team in the Premier Division of the Middlesex League on their day, Stonewall have a really good balance to their side this season. Strong in defence, with defenders such as the very vocal and commanding George Volis leading by example with his defensive work, and then with players a bit further up the pitch such as Mike Sholly, who is so clever with the ball at his feet, and who reads the game so well.

There are also goals in this Stonewall team, with the very experienced and clinical Jay Lemonius (he has arguably been Stonewall’s player of the season so far) already having scored ten league goals so far this season. Also, Yusuf Isiaq, who had previously played for the reserve team in the Division (East & Central) has seven first team league goals so far this season. And with last season’s top scorer, Cameron McEwan, and goalscorers such as Charley Hobbs and Shane McCullough still with Stonewall for this season, there are definitely goals in the team. The other thing that I’ve been impressed with, when I have seen Stonewall over the past year in the Middlesex Premier Division, is how they manage games. For example, against Kodak (Harrow) in a league match earlier this season, they would see out a good spell in the game for Kodak, defending and managing the game well, before eventually winning 5-0 in the second half. As a team, they never give up in matches.

Having bounced back from a 4-1 away defeat to Eagles Land Cricklewood two games ago, Stonewall would win 3-1 at home to Kodak (Harrow), last Saturday. However, this coming Saturday Stonewall face another side who have started the season really well, in Jolof Sports, in what should be a fantastic east London derby match at the West Ham Memorial Ground. I hope to be in attendance for that game, to do a match report on my blog. I wish Stonewall FC all the very best for the remainder of the 2024/25 season. There is a long way left to go of this league season, particularly for Stonewall. However, they have done really well so far this season, and I look forward to seeing how they do during the remainder of this season, in this fascinating Middlesex Premier Division season, and title race.