Football

[DarloRich]

And apropos Darlo, I remember my going to watch Peterborough v Darlo in the late 80s with my uncle, who had a season ticket at London Road. It's the only time I've been at a game where the home fans stood and applauded an opposition player for a goal he scored against their team. I *think* it was David Currie, certainly a striker with dark hair in a bit of a mullet

That sounds like David Currie - another great player for us. Came from Boro who were about the same level as us at the time. 34 in 94 games in a side that was relegated from the third division. There are people in the next age bracket up from me who say he was the best player ever to play for Darlo.

I cant really say that as he was playing for us just when I started going regularly so cant really weigh him up against others but he was good. Very good.

David Currie there’s a blast from the past I remember him playing against us for Barnsley and scoring a few, I think there was a bit of a mullet going on.

Oh yes, there was definitely a more than a "bit" of a mullet going on! However, he was only growing a starter mullet when with us.

He went to Forrest for £1m but fell out with Cloughie when he, apparently, parked in his spot at the training ground!

 

[Old Yard Dog]

Successive relegations have left Bradford in an overglorified parks league (NPL-1E) with 9 teams in the north east and another 4 near the east coast. Couldn’t be further from where I live in West Cheshire. And now its almost impossible to get to any by train, even if I wanted to, as there’s engineering works somewhere between Leeds and Darlington almost every Saturday. From watching 95% of games, home and away two years ago, I’m now getting to less than half.

Only 189 hardy souls turned up for our glamour match v Consett this week with only 125 there when we played at Newton Aycliffe. Hard to think we’re 9-8 up on head-to-heads with Man Utd and once won 8-2 at Man City in the FA Cup.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Hard to think we’re 9-8 up on head-to-heads with Man Utd and once won 8-2 at Man City in the FA Cup.

Surely that's the record of the predecessor club with the similar name that failed back in 1974?

 

[Old Yard Dog]

The current Bradford (Park Avenue) club is officially recognized by the FA as a continuation of the old. No different from Halifax, Hereford, Wimbledon, Newport, Aldershot, Darlington or Chester - or the multitude of clubs who have gone into administration or even been liquidated and yet continued in their own particular leagues.

Administration (British football) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[1D54]

And in many cases seem happy to have claimed the trophies and glories of the old clubs but didn't pay any of the creditors!!

 

[Tetchytyke]

Only 189 hardy souls turned up for our glamour match v Consett this week with only 125 there when we played at Newton Aycliffe. Hard to think we’re 9-8 up on head-to-heads with Man Utd and once won 8-2 at Man City in the FA Cup.

I'm surprised how low some of the attendances are in that division, you only got 346 for the game with Garforth. Not many other clubs are getting more than that.

In the division below, the NWCFL Premier League, both FC Isle of Man and West Didsbury and Chorlton (a club I have quite a bit of time for, except when they're playing FCIOM!) are both averaging over 500.

 

[Haywain]

officially recognized by the FA as a continuation of the old.

What's the source for this?

No different from Halifax, Hereford, Wimbledon, Newport, Aldershot, Darlington or Chester

Quite a few of these retain different names* from the originals, so are clearly not continuations.


*AFC Halifax Town, Hereford FC, AFC Wimbledon, Aldershot Town.

 

[AlterEgo]

The current Bradford (Park Avenue) club is officially recognized by the FA as a continuation of the old. No different from Halifax, Hereford, Wimbledon, Newport, Aldershot, Darlington or Chester - or the multitude of clubs who have gone into administration or even been liquidated and yet continued in their own particular leagues.

Administration (British football) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

AFC Wimbledon are not recognised by the FA as a continuation of the old club. MK Dons are.

That would be news to AFC supporters whose grievance is exactly that MK Dons are treated as Wimbledon by the FA, and "stole a league place".

That is why AFC Wimbledon cannot list "Old" Wimbledon's honours on their own website without the qualification "we believe" at the start of the page.

And in many cases seem happy to have claimed the trophies and glories of the old clubs but didn't pay any of the creditors!!

"Old" Wimbledon's players' insurance and pensions are paid for by Milton Keynes Dons, for example.

 

[PlatformEdgeVT]

Altrincham FC 4-2 Scunthorpe United
Scunthorpe opened the game in the 13th minute, with Altrincham equalising in the 33rd minute. Scunthorpe regained the lead in the 60th minute, and held it rather dominantly until the 89th minute, where 3 goals were scored in 7 minutes (1 from Kosylo, 2 from Crankshaw) to bring the game to finish 4-2.

This is why you don't leave a match early.

 

[DarloRich]

Bedford Town 2 v Darlo 4

A really exciting game with Darlo trying hard to lose but eventually winning with an injury time dodgy penalty and an even later winner despite having a man sent off.

Upto 4th I the league which is madness!

Yet another poor referee. I laugh when the premier plastics moan about officials!

Ps regardless of what a crested blazer wearing crusty at Lancaster Gate thinks the Darlington Football Club I started supporting 40 years ago is the same one I support today

One club. One history. One name

Stick your rule book up your backside. Your attention to this matter is appreciated

 

[SuspectUsual]

Borehamwood 2-1 FC Halifax Town

A classic Halifax under Adam Lakeland away performance, with all the elements present

Defensive formation? Check
Concede after about 20 minutes of growing pressure? Check
Change nothing at half time? Check
Concede a second? Check
Delay substitutions and change of formation till it's too late? Check
Meaningless late consolation? Check

Two of my kids have season tickets and up till now have also been to every away game, the majority of which are full day jobs because of the surfeit of southern teams in the national league. They decided not to go yesterday and say they won't venture south of Birmingham until Lakeland is sacked

 

[Cletus]

Bedford in a "northern" league is silly isn't it?

I remember Dover playing teams like Telford and Stafford in the Southern League.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I remember Dover playing teams like Telford and Stafford in the Southern League.

And Leek Town ended up having to play the 1994-95 season in the Southern League against teams such as Dorchester Town and Hastings Town. Noted that Leek is even further North than the likes of Telford and Stafford. Think their nearest away day that season was maybe the 60+ mile round trip to/from Hednesford.

 

[Haywain]

Bedford in a "northern" league is silly isn't it?

No.

 

[Old Yard Dog]

What's the source for this?

Quite a few of these retain different names* from the originals, so are clearly not continuations.


*AFC Halifax Town, Hereford FC, AFC Wimbledon, Aldershot Town.

The FA granted the club permission to use its traditional name. Newport County had to wait a while before being granted permission, presumably by the FAW. Accrington Stanley (1968) also had to wait a while to drop the 1968. I'm sure Halifax (FC not AFC), Chester and Hereford could revert if they so wish.

Clubs are about people as much as legal entities so I'm not quite sure what your beef is. Our supporters kept the name going in amateur football from 1974 until 1988 and then were instrumental in the side's rebirth. Everything about the current Bradford club is linked to our history. Pay us a visit if you like and come and see.

 

[Thornaby 37]

And Leek Town ended up having to play the 1994-95 season in the Southern League against teams such as Dorchester Town and Hastings Town. Noted that Leek is even further North than the likes of Telford and Stafford. Think their nearest away day that season was maybe the 60+ mile round trip to/from Hednesford.

If I remember correctly, during that season, there was the unusual situation of a Southern Leaguer club (Leek Town) and a North West Counties League club (Leek CSOB) sharing the same ground (Harrison Park)

 

[SuspectUsual]

Bedford in a "northern" league is silly isn't it?

I remember Dover playing teams like Telford and Stafford in the Southern League.

NLN and NLS have a split that shifts based on who the 48 teams are. The split has moved south in recent times and we (Halifax) have played NLN games at places including Gloucester, Worcester, Oxford City and Histon

 

[Haywain]

The FA granted the club permission to use its traditional name.

That's not the same as regarding the club as a continuation.

I'm sure Halifax (FC not AFC), Chester and Hereford could revert if they so wish.

The very reason these clubs could not immediately use the name of the previous entity is so that they were not regarded as continuations.

Clubs are about people as much as legal entities so I'm not quite sure what your beef is.

My only beef is that you are making claims about the FA that you can't back up. Allowing a club to use a previous name does not mean it is a continuation. But how you choose to regard your club is entirely up to you.

Pay us a visit if you like and come and see.

Thanks but no thanks.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

If I remember correctly, during that season, there was the unusual situation of a Southern Leaguer club (Leek Town) and a North West Counties League club (Leek CSOB) sharing the same ground (Harrison Park)

Leek CSOB were Midland League in 1994-95, but, yes, they were then ground sharing at Harrison Park. Think they were there from 1991 until maybe around 2014 when they moved to Pointon Park.

 

[Old Yard Dog]

That's not the same as regarding the club as a continuation.

The very reason these clubs could not immediately use the name of the previous entity is so that they were not regarded as continuations.

My only beef is that you are making claims about the FA that you can't back up. Allowing a club to use a previous name does not mean it is a continuation. But how you choose to regard your club is entirely up to you.

Thanks but no thanks.

I doubt whether Pep Guardiola & Sheikh Mansour are losing much sleep about a throw away line on an obscure railway enthusiasts' website. But our favourite chant at the Horsfall is

Eight-two, eight-two,
We beat Man City eight-two,
Back in nineteen forty-six, when we showed some tricks,
And we beat Man City eight two

It's just a bit of fun.

I see you're a Luton fan. I remember a couple of trips to Kenilworth Road in the 1960's when we used to play your supporters at Subbuteo in a little room under the old Bobbers' stand. We even stopped off for a game on one occasion on the way back from Brentford. The people concerned are still around and help run our club.

 

[DarloRich]

Bedford in a "northern" league is silly isn't it?

I remember Dover playing teams like Telford and Stafford in the Southern League.

it is bonkers but is a symptom of a couple of problems.

No.

It is fairly stupid having Bedford, Oxford, Merthyr, Peterborough and Kings Lynn in national League NORTH. We all know why but it doesn't make it any less bonkers that non full time teams are travelling that distance in what should be a regional league. Travel costs for clubs are incredible and as for fans.................

The very reason these clubs could not immediately use the name of the previous entity is so that they were not regarded as continuations.

yeah, but they are. We all know it, you know and the FA know it even if thier blazers and crests mean they lose the power of intelligent thought.

Like I said: One club, one name, one history.

PS: However, it is easier to punish fans of smaller clubs than tackle the rich clubs extracting the urine.

 

[Haywain]

it doesn't make it any less bonkers that non full time teams are travelling that distance in what should be a regional league.

You need to look at what travel distances are involved for teams in the south.

 

[DarloRich]

You need to look at what travel distances are involved for teams in the south.

yeah - they look terrible. Imagine having to go from London to Bristol down the motorway! Without Truro they are manageable with most sides based very near to the M25. Torquay is the only real outlier

Regardless my point stands. It isn't practical unless the FA are going to subsidise travel costs, which they wont. You cant be having a debate abut whether Hemel Hempstead or St Albans end up in a NORTHERN league. That's is madness and you know it!

last week Darlington were at Bedford. This week we are at Oxford. We were at Merthyr at the start of the November. Bonkers. There are no overnights involved. It is on the coach at stupid o'clock, travel and play then travel home then go to work in your proper job the next day

 

[JamesT]

yeah - they look terrible. Imagine having to go from London to Bristol down the motorway! Without Truro they are manageable with most sides based very near to the M25. Torquay is the only real outlier

Regardless my point stands.

Are there enough teams of a suitable quality at that level that you could expand/split to having more divisions (e.g. North/Midlands/South) and make it more likely you don't have to travel so far?

 

[SuspectUsual]

Are there enough teams of a suitable quality at that level that you could expand/split to having more divisions (e.g. North/Midlands/South) and make it more likely you don't have to travel so far?

The problem then is feeding three regional leagues into the national league. Currently there's four down from the NL and two each up from NLN and NLS. There's no way more than four can go down, so that would mean promotion from a three region structure would be champions only, plus one from some sort of convoluted playoffs

 

[DarloRich]

Are there enough teams of a suitable quality at that level that you could expand/split to having more divisions (e.g. North/Midlands/South) and make it more likely you don't have to travel so far?

There's no way more than four can go down, so that would mean promotion from a three region structure would be champions only, plus one from some sort of convoluted playoffs

it is what needs to happen but it wont so we have to go on pretending that Bedford is in the North!

It should be 4 up from 3 leagues with one grand final play off competition for all leagues in places 2 > 6. Or you do regional play offs with the top sides plus a best loser/Darlington competing in a semi/final shoot out for the final place.

BTW: I am happy having Bedford and Oxford and Brackley and Banbury and the rest in the northern section because it is a home in time for tea league for me but it isn't practical for my club and for other clubs.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Are there enough teams of a suitable quality at that level that you could expand/split to having more divisions (e.g. North/Midlands/South) and make it more likely you don't have to travel so far?

I think that the Northern Premier League have quite a good structure with a premier division, then a lower tier of East / Midlands / West divisions.

 

[SuspectUsual]

one grand final play off competition for all leagues in places 2 > 6

A 15 team playoffs for one promotion place? Am I reading that right?!

 

[DarloRich]

A 15 team playoffs for one promotion place? Am I reading that right?!

why not? it cant be any more mad than National League NORTH Darlington going to Bedford and Oxford in consecutive weeks!

More sensibly is a regional play off structure with the winners and the best placed loser competing in a shot out for the final spot. it will be like the super bowl!

 

[Cletus]

There are quite a few teams in the Southern League in the south west that I wouldn't mind visiting for a Dover game if they ever got promoted further up the pyramid - Exmouth, Brixham, Falmouth & Mousehole for example.

You watch Exmouth Town games from the footpath between the railway and their ground