Learn more about The Bastard Alts

PAST:

The Alts were born out of the popularity of their cousins, The JJs. A social bunch with some talented players, most who came along to play for the JJs wanted to stay and so the team grew and grew, and after one particularly busy pre-season trial in early 2018, and having plenty left over after a squad was picked, it was decided that JJs old-timer James Cane could branch off and oversee a spin-off team of those that didn’t make the cut. Add in the fact that fellow Island Bay team ‘the Sea Captains’ had just disbanded and a few were left clubless, there were enough players to form this JJs second team, who were initially going to simply be known as the JJs Reserves as the original plan was to pick the best team each week from those available for the JJs and the rest would play for this newly formed team. Using the current (but old) JJs 2nd strip of black with white sponsorship, and with a more fetching title for the project having now been decided, The Alt-JJs were born (named from being an alternative JJs team mixed with the title of Indie Rockers ‘Alt-J’).

PAST - PRESENT:

Initially, The Alt-JJs had a small squad (again, the JJs were the priority and so the Alt-JJs only had what was left over), and spent most of their first season pilfering for ‘ringers’, often needing up to 7 per match! Consistency was nigh on impossible, and the squad was found a little wanting in terms of quality, and with the JJs being left short mid-season themselves and Cane going back to finish the season with them and leaving the running of the Alt-JJs to others, a relegation scrap ensued, luckily ending in survival.

Next season in early 2019, Cane decided the only way to go about it was to go all-in and really try to beef up the squad with quality, and no matter what the outcome, to stick with the project until the end. Old contacts were used, more trials were had, and within a few weeks a more fully-formed squad took shape. There was an excitement in the air as the Alt-JJs were an unknown quantity, even to themselves! More and more quality players were added right up until the big kick-off, where the Alt-JJs beat their new rivals ‘The Unmanageables’ (having played and lost to them twice in the friendlies before the season) to claim an opening day win, much needed to add a bit of belief that this rag-tag bunch of players, most of whom who had only met just weeks prior, could actually accomplish something together. As it turns out, it became another season of struggle, but it was always felt that they were just short a player or a piece of luck or two from turning losses to draws and draws to wins, but key to all this was that no matter the result, the team were still happy and socialising after the game, and it was always believed that the next game would see a change in fortunes. They survived on the last day of the season by beating another Island Bay team, The Barons, 2-1 after going a goal behind. Nothing less than a win would have sufficed but this ensured that the season still ended on a high and offered a fine platform to build on.

Ending the season with 3 wins from 4 and wanting to continue the buzz, a team was drafted up to compete in the Summer league. Exactly half of the Alt-JJs couldn’t commit and so Cane had to pull out all the stops – advertising on Facebook, getting in touch with contacts and the contacts of contacts – to draft in another 9 players to give them a new squad, as ever basing this not only on the quality of their football but also from their personalities. Now unofficially just called The Alts, there was again a feeling of anticipation as the mystery of if they would be a decent team or not, and if so then how they’d compare to the rest of the teams in the league, would soon be solved. Again, they started with a win, coming from 2-0 down to win 3-2, and with the majority of the team buzzing from the result and the type who wouldn’t say no to a beer, a trip to the pub later and the team bond had already started to form from day 1. Nobody would have thought 10 minutes into that game and 2 goals down that this new-look Alts would go on to be league champions 5 months later in March, but that they did! The performances, and bond, grew more and more, into what they are now and going forward – a good footballing team and the loveliest lads in the capital!

The Gaffer - James Cane

PRESENT - FUTURE:

Feeling that they could no longer be seen as a reserve team and that they had truly become their own entity, The Alt-JJs officially became The Alts in late April of 2020. The success of the Summer season, mixed with how tight they had become, meant Cane had to sacrifice some of the would-be returning Winter team for the forthcoming season, informing some that had played in the last 2 seasons that there was no longer room for them in the squad. Although decent footballers and lovely lads themselves, a new spirit had emerged that simply could not be sacrificed, and so apart from 1 or 2 returning Winter team members replacing the 1 or 2 from the Summer team that never saw the season out, the 2020 Winter season will be largely made up of the Championship winning team from the Summer.

If the Coronavirus allows, that is!

The Alts still found ways to keep in touch during the sudden pandemic– messages, games, poker, songs – and it is hoped and expected that once football resumes, The Alts will carry on where they left off…..winning football matches, and drinking ales in the pub. Having found now the ‘perfect 17’ (plus 2 part-timers), going forward it is a case of 1 out, 1 in for the team, and any new member will again be deliberately chosen for their ability and personality. It is hoped that this current bunch can take The Alts up to the promised land of Cap 5, but if not then their ambitions are already met – to play with a bunch of lads they want to be with, that they are super-proud to be playing alongside, that they’ll fight for without a moment’s hesitation, and that the highlight of their week is being together on a pitch or in a pub. Hopefully nobody ever leaves and the 1 out/1 in system never has to come into play and this is the bunch of players and team that we will all being playing for for the next 20 years and beyond!

UP THE BASTARD ALTS!