Colden Common will avoid relegation in their debut season, according to their assistant manager.

Eleven games in, a bullish Louis Howie told Winchester News Online that Colden Common will stay up in this year’s Wessex Division One. 

Colden Common started the season poorly with a 5-2 defeat to last season’s runners up Frimley Green on the opening day, which was followed up to a 4-1 defeat to Fleetlands 

Following Saturday’s draw with Ash United, the Stallions are joint fifth but stay sixth due to goal difference.

The Green Army took the lead through Luca Scanella’s curler before former Winchester City forward Ben Sunley’s volley levelled the game before half-time. 

On the 1-1 draw against Ash United: “It is a tough one really, [I think] Ash were well organised and they will be a threat this season. I thought we kept the ball really well today, we made plenty of chances but it was the same as Thursday [against Blackfield & Langley], just could not get the ball into the net. I think [Ben] Sunley makes a great finish out of nothing really. I think some lads will be a bit disappointed that they did not get a goal today.”

Is it a point gained or two points dropped: “It is definitely two points dropped but it might be an important point in the future. It is a long season, compared to the Hampshire Premier League. It is a marathon, not a sprint – it might be an important point in the future.”

Thoughts on the start of the season: “We have had a tough start to the season, in terms of personnel – we had eight players either injured or suspended. I think we adapted really well [to the Wessex League] but started slowly. I think Cove [away] was a massive turning point, winning that game 4-2 after coming back from two goals down was huge, it has then given the squad confidence.”

“The plan [before the start of the season] was to avoid relegation battle, I personally think we are better than that and I do not want to jump the gun too much but we will definitely be playing Wessex league football next season.”

On 16 October, 1968, under gloating lights of the Olympic podium in Mexico City, two young American sprinters made history – not only for their athletic greatness but for a silent gesture that echoed far beyond the track.

When Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their black-gloved fists during the US national anthem, they transformed a moment in victory into a symbol of resistance, igniting a global conversation about race and equality.

A moment born of turmoil

The late 1960s were a time of turbulence in the United States.

The Civil Rights Movement was at its height, but still racial inequality plagued the nation.

Martin Luther King had been assassinated just months earlier, and American cities were erupting in protest against this injustice.

For Smith and Carlos, the Olympic Games were not just about medals – they were about meaning.

As representatives of a country divided on racial lines, they used their moment on the podium to make a statement.

Wearing black gloves, black socks without shoes (to symbolise black poverty), the athletes stood their in silence as the anthem played, heads were bowed but fists were raised.

The world reacts

The reaction was immediate but split.

Within hours, Smith and Carlos were expelled from the Olympic Village and suspended from the US team.

Back home, they faced death threats, public ridicule, and the loss of their athletic careers.

Yet, for millions worldwide – especially for marginalised communities – their act of defiance became a beacon of courage and solidarity.

The Legacy Endures

More than five decades later, the raised fists of 1968 continue to echo across stadiums, courts and fields.

Smith and Carlos’s gesture paved the way for athlete activism – from Colin Kaepernick knelling during the national anthem to the global “Black Lives Matter” demonstrations that swept through sports in the 2020s.

In 2005, the San Jose State University, where both men studied, unveiled a 20-foot statue commemorating the moment within history.

The spot where Peter Norman stood was left empty – inviting anyone to step up and stand for justice.

From Silence to Power

What made this moment feel so powerful was its simplicity.

No words were spoken, no banners were raised – just two athletes standing still, their fists in the air.

The silence roared across for generations to come.

If they couldn’t be heard they had to be seen.

Market Traders in Winchester opened up about their mental health struggles on World Mental Health Day 2025. 

Many traders say the pressures of running their own businesses can have an impact on their mental health. 

Stallholders often work long hours with little time off, frequently facing financial uncertainties and the daily challenge of keeping their business running. 

Alison Edwards, a street vendor for her business Karoo Beach, said: “We’re already battling with costs, and a lot of people try to cut our prices down.

“There is still this stigma where if you have time off work for Mental Health reasons, people don’t understand.” 

Chris Brooks, a stallholder for his business called Dreamtime UK, said: “The long hours can have quite a toll on your mental health. 

“I suffer terribly with anxiety, and while running my own business, I tend to worry about everything. You have to sometimes stop and take time out, as if you don’t, you’ll just burn out.” 

This year’s World Mental Health Day focuses on the theme Mental Health is a Universal Human Right.

Charities and campaigners say it’s a reminder that support should be available to everyone, including those who are self-employed. 

Traders believe that more open conversations, both in the workplace and in the community, could help reduce the stigma and encourage more people to seek help when they need it.