Football

[Loppylugs]

I am a long-suffering AFC Wimbledon fan who has seen his team throw away 33 points from winning positions this season and has seen them win just twice this calendar year. This holiday weekend saw us concede in the 89th and 98th minutes on Friday at Harrogate to draw 2-2 and concede in the 95th and 96th minutes to lose 2-3 at home to Salford yesterday. Now looking over our shoulders at relegation. Those 33 points would have us in 2nd position.
Stupid game!!!

 

[JD2168]

Dean Smith has been appointed manager of Leicester City until the end of the season.

Paul Ince has been sacked as Reading manager with Noel Hunt appointed manager until the end of the season.

 

[swt_passenger]

Dean Smith has been appointed manager of Leicester City until the end of the season.

Paul Ince has been sacked as Reading manager with Noel Hunt appointed manager until the end of the season.

Managers will soon be calling for a sacking window, like for transfers…

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Managers will soon be calling for a sacking window, like for transfers…

It'd still end up being 1st June - 31st May, wouldn't it?

 

[swt_passenger]

It'd still end up being 1st June - 31st May, wouldn't it?

Maybe they could just avoid sackings on Christmas Day then…

 

[150249]

Maybe they could just avoid sackings on Christmas Day then…

Or St Patrick's Day for all the Patricks out there

 

[londonbridge]

Sky wanted Arsenal vs Chelsea at 5:30 on Saturday 29th. The safety advisory group and the met police both approved it. The coronation is the following weekend, so all police leave for May 6th has been cancelled and those who were meant to be off now have to take the previous weekend. The met yesterday withdrew their consent for 5:30 29th because they’ve suddenly decided they don’t have enough resources to police the game and have forced it to be moved to May 2nd. They obviously knew about the coronation and leave being cancelled so why did they approve the 29th in the first place?? What has changed? Fans being screwed over with late notice changes to kickoff times yet again.

 

[Old Yard Dog]

Kettering 0 v Darlo 0 - zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz We could be playing now and wouldn't have scored even if Kettering gave up and went home for their tea.

Blythe came off bench on 83 minutes. first touch shanked out of play, second touch 50 pence piece header, third touch header in the air. Ran about. Not a great start but no worse than anyone else on the field.

You might want to make the journey. We are there for the taking. Took Kettering about 85 minutes to realise that then they nearly scored twice before the end. We couldn't defend a castle!

Darlington 2 Bradford 2

Watching this game on the live stream brought back many memories of lockdown. Teething problems with the feed and then a pair of rather biased commentators perpetually whingeing about the referee's decisions and alleged time wasting by my lot. Having paid almost £10, I expected the commentators to be neutral or at least have one from each side. But apart from that, it worked quite well and I would watch Bradford that way again if they do live streaming in the NPL next season. It's been a season of long drives and occasional overnight stops with the railways being unreliable for much of the time. In the end a draw did neither side any favours - nevertheless our goalie was off his rocker coming up for a corner in injury time.

 

[DarloRich]

Darlington 2 Bradford 2

Watching this game on the live stream brought back many memories of lockdown. Teething problems with the feed and then a pair of rather biased commentators perpetually whingeing about the referee's decisions and alleged time wasting by my lot. Having paid almost £10, I expected the commentators to be neutral or at least have one from each side. But apart from that, it worked quite well and I would watch Bradford that way again if they do live streaming in the NPL next season. It's been a season of long drives and occasional overnight stops with the railways being unreliable for much of the time. In the end a draw did neither side any favours - nevertheless our goalie was off his rocker coming up for a corner in injury time.

Sadly the feed wasn't done by Quaker TV so was quite shoddy and not up to the standards Darlo put on during lock down. The NPL player took the Darlo fans radio commentary ( which is quite good for a fan run thing) rather than provide their own people so it was always going to have a home slant.

We get nothing off referees and he missed a foul on the keeper in the build up to your first goal and a stonewall penalty at the end so grumbles are fairly common on DFR!

BPA were a poor side and we made them look good but then our recent form is worse than yours. We are one win in 13 so I was surprised we got a point. We certainly are doing our best to chuck away a play off place and it is inly the equally poor form of Brackley and Scarborough keeping us in with a shout!

 

[150249]

I'm watching Middlesbrough vs Norwich. The score is currently Middlesbrough 5-1 Norwich after 59 minutes. As a neutral, I would love to see Middlesbrough get promoted this season, they play some beautiful football. On the other hand, Norwich's defending has been absolutely shocking.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Highland League

Banks O'Dee 9 ... Strathspey Thistle 1

Despite the 24-point penalty awarded against them in this their first season in the Highland League, Banks O'Dee overwhelmed bottom club Strathspey Thistle today and occupy 10th place and would be even higher except for that 24 point deduction

They have won 18 of the 33 matches played and have scored 95 goals. Rather a different kettle of fish than Fort William whom they replaced.

 

[DarloRich]

Brackley Town 3 v Darlo 0

Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful.

Out of the playoffs. One win in 14. Gutless. Cowardly. $hite. Manager and assistant sent off. Total head loss. Brackley were one win in 13 before today and looked bereft of confidence. In trouble? Play Darlo! We will help you out. We were top of the league at Xmas and 3 points of the top with a game in hand in February. Total implosion. Something has gone VERY wrong.

The only benefit: #homeintimefortealeague

( Brackley is 20 minutes from my house. HOW in the name of all that is holy is that a team in National League NORTH? )

 

[150249]

Brackley Town 3 v Darlo 0

Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful. Awful.

Out of the playoffs. One win in 14. Gutless. Cowardly. $hite. Manager and assistant sent off. Total head loss. Brackley were one win in 13 before today and looked bereft of confidence. In trouble? Play Darlo! We will help you out. We were top of the league at Xmas and 3 points of the top with a game in hand in February. Total implosion. Something has gone VERY wrong.

The only benefit: #homeintimefortealeague

( Brackley is 20 minutes from my house. HOW in the name of all that is holy is that a team in National League NORTH? )

Aren't Gloucester in the National League North?

 

[DarloRich]

Aren't Gloucester in the National League North?

Yes - and Kettering, Telford, Peterborough Sports, Kings Lynn, Hereford, Kidderminster, Leamington & Banbury,

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Northern Premier League...Premier Division

Hyde United 4 ... Marine 0

Know exactly how @DarloRich feels as not so long ago, South Shields and Hyde United were at the top of the league, then right near the end of the season up to today, Hyde really hit a bad patch of form and only gained two points out of a possible eighteen and found themselves out of the play-off positions.

Yet today, they beat a well-respected Marine side 4-0 and with other teams dropping points, have crept into the final play-off place. Next match up is against second place Warrington Town.

 

[DarloRich]

South Shields and Hyde United were at the top of the league,

Shields coming up is bad news for Darlo. They are another coined up club digging in the same player mine we are.

 

[High Dyke]

Northern Premier League (East)

Grantham Town 1 Bridlington Town 0

Three wins in three for the Gingerbreads sees them out of the relegation zone, but could still be caught in the bottom of the league play-offs. However a good goal difference could mean a lot by next Saturday evening.

 

[Drogba11CFC]

Winchester City 0...Hanwell Town 3 (Adom 19, 43, Duncan 83)

A disappointing display, but it doesn't matter as we're safe from relegation.

Other results:

Beaconsfield Town 3...North Leigh 3

Bracknell Town 3...Gosport Borough 1

Chesham United 3...Salisbury 1

Dorchester Town 3...Hendon 2

Hartley Wintney 1...Tiverton Town 2

Hayes & Yeading 2...Plymouth Parkway 1

Poole Town 1...Harrow Borough 0

Truro City 2...Met Police 0

Weston-Super-Mare 1...Merthyr Town 0

Yate Town 1...Swindon Supermarine 2

League Table:

Pl. Weston-Super-Mare P40 GD +54 89pts
-------------------------------------------------
Pl. Bracknell Town P39 GD +45 84pts
Pl. Truro City P39 GD +41 80pts
Pl. Chesham Utd P41 GD +33 79pts
5. Poole Town P40 GD +32 77pts
--------------------------------------------------
6. Swindon Supermarine P40 GD +19 71pts
7. Hayes & Yeading P39 GD +13 64pts
8. Metropolitan Police P40 GD +5 61pts
9. Merthyr Town P41 GD +11 60pts
10. Beaconsfield Town P41 GD +3 57pts
11. Plymouth Parkway P39 GD +2 54pts
12. Tiverton Town P39 GD -6 54pts
13. Dorchester Town P41 GD -24 51pts
14. Salisbury P40 GD -12 48pts
15. Hanwell Town P41 GD -11 47pts
16. Winchester City P40 GD -17 45pts
17. Gosport Borough P40 GD -22 41pts
18. Hendon P39 GD -18 38pts
----------------------------------------------------
R. Harrow Borough P41 GD -38 34pts
R. Yate Town P41 GD -40 34pts
21. North Leigh P40 GD -35 33pts
R. Hartley Wintney P41 GD -35 32pts

And in Wessex Division 1:

Downton 12 (TWELVE)...Fleet Spurs 0

 

[SuspectUsual]

( Brackley is 20 minutes from my house. HOW in the name of all that is holy is that a team in National League NORTH? )

Yes - and Kettering, Telford, Peterborough Sports, Kings Lynn, Hereford, Kidderminster, Leamington & Banbury

Because the feeder leagues are stuffed full of coined up southern clubs. When Halifax were in Conference North we also played Histon, Worcester and Oxford City

 

[DarloRich]

Because the feeder leagues are stuffed full of coined up southern clubs. When Halifax were in Conference North we also played Histon, Worcester and Oxford City

Also there has been a history of semi coined up northern clubs not taking promotion and instead winning the Vase. Took Darlo to turn up to fix that

Looking at next season Scunthorpe are the only Northern certain club to come down. Maidstone & Yeovil will come down also imo. It like one of Torquay, Maidenhead or Aldershot dropping through the trapdoor. York are also getting pulled back in as Torquay beat them today and Torquay on on a hell of run of form pulling towards safety and have a game in hand.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

And in Wessex Division 1:

Downton 12 (TWELVE)...Fleet Spurs 0

Wait, there's a real place called Downton? Which isn't in North Yorkshire as per the TV series?

As for Huddersfield Town, a 1-0 defeat away at Swansea City shouldn't surprise anyone, but it does present a missed opportunity to put some daylight between ourselves and the bottom three, and a first defeat in six. It would be typical Town to undo the hard work of recent weeks. The final game of the season against Reading is looking like a "must win", and anyone who's old enough to remember 2001 will dread such a scenario...

If we do end up being relegated by a one or two point margin, I wouldn't want to be the head of Hawkeye's legal team after what happened in the game against Blackpool earlier in the season.

 

[Drogba11CFC]

Wait, there's a real place called Downton? Which isn't in North Yorkshire as per the TV series?

As for Huddersfield Town, a 1-0 defeat away at Swansea City shouldn't surprise anyone, but it does present a missed opportunity to put some daylight between ourselves and the bottom three, and a first defeat in six. It would be typical Town to undo the hard work of recent weeks. The final game of the season against Reading is looking like a "must win", and anyone who's old enough to remember 2001 will dread such a scenario...

If we do end up being relegated by a one or two point margin, I wouldn't want to be the head of Hawkeye's legal team after what happened in the game against Blackpool earlier in the season.

It's a village near Salisbury.

 

[FGW_Lad]

Wait, there's a real place called Downton? Which isn't in North Yorkshire as per the TV series?

As for Huddersfield Town, a 1-0 defeat away at Swansea City shouldn't surprise anyone, but it does present a missed opportunity to put some daylight between ourselves and the bottom three, and a first defeat in six. It would be typical Town to undo the hard work of recent weeks. The final game of the season against Reading is looking like a "must win", and anyone who's old enough to remember 2001 will dread such a scenario...

If we do end up being relegated by a one or two point margin, I wouldn't want to be the head of Hawkeye's legal team after what happened in the game against Blackpool earlier in the season.

I hope both of us will be safe by the last game, I don’t want to be going to you guys on the last day needing something!

 

[Cross City]

( Brackley is 20 minutes from my house. HOW in the name of all that is holy is that a team in National League NORTH? )

Because they're one of the 24 most northerly teams out of the 48 at that level of the pyramid?

 

[Bantamzen]

I don't often post on this thread, mainly because watching Braford City is way too stressful (at least without a few beers inside) to discuss at length. But I just want to give a big shout out to Rochdale. Despite the fact they were playing for their Football League lives, they still were wonderfully warm and welcoming before the game especially at The Ratcliffe where the beer was well priced and decent, and there was a good curry available even before the famous pies of Rochdale inside the ground. And even though we won quite easily, I felt a glimmer of sadness that they are now facing non-league football as they've always been a decent, friendly club. I hope they find their feet again soon and don't go the way of Bury.

If anyone hasn't been there yet, make a point of doing so if you ever get the chance! Just be aware that after the game if there's a big crowd, you may find some of the pubs in the town centre close their doors for a bit, including bloody Wetherspoons!! Ggggggrrrr!!

 

[Old Yard Dog]

The problem is you now have four leagues feeding NLN and NLS - two are based in the south, one in the midlands and only one in the north. So you are getting more and more "midlands" teams in NLN. These have included Lowestoft, Oxford City, Bishop Stortford, Hereford, Histon, Kings Lynn, Peterborough Sports, Brackley, Banbury and Gloucester. These have had to visit places like Workington, Blyth and Gateshead in the past - and the problem can only get worse over coming seasons.

Whichever barmpot came up with the current pyramid structure wants shooting. Most leagues only have one automatic promotion spot with four relegation places. Two bad seasons and you disappear into the wilderness with little hope of return. Even a well supported club like Bury AFC couldn't get out of the NorthWest Counties League this season.

I fear for Bradford in the NPL next season. Our board thinks football at that level is more affordable and sustainable, forgetting that income will plummet due to the invisibility of that league in the media, lower admission prices and fewer away fans. And NPL clubs start so early in the FA Cup and, in particular the FA Trophy, that any hope of a decent money-making run are minimal.

 

[adrock1976]

The problem is you now have four leagues feeding NLN and NLS - two are based in the south, one in the midlands and only one in the north. So you are getting more and more "midlands" teams in NLN. These have included Lowestoft, Oxford City, Bishop Stortford, Hereford, Histon, Kings Lynn, Peterborough Sports, Brackley, Banbury and Gloucester. These have had to visit places like Workington, Blyth and Gateshead in the past - and the problem can only get worse over coming seasons.

Whichever barmpot came up with the current pyramid structure wants shooting. Most leagues only have one automatic promotion spot with four relegation places. Two bad seasons and you disappear into the wilderness with little hope of return. Even a well supported club like Bury AFC couldn't get out of the NorthWest Counties League this season.

I fear for Bradford in the NPL next season. Our board thinks football at that level is more affordable and sustainable, forgetting that income will plummet due to the invisibility of that league in the media, lower admission prices and fewer away fans. And NPL clubs start so early in the FA Cup and, in particular the FA Trophy, that any hope of a decent money-making run are minimal.

Are these the leagues where teams can move sideways if necessary to balance the geographical spread, or is that just for the two divisions below the Conference [sic] fifth tier?

Also to remind myself, is the reference to Bradford the Park Avenue side? I am aware that City (nicknamed the Bantams) started out playing as an oval ball side before changing code (this was a feature round about 2009/10 when Auntie had the highlights of the Football League).

 

[Haywain]

The talk of north and south fails to take account the shape of the country. It is, very approximately, triangular so there is a lot more width at the southern end than in the north. This actually results in some long journeys even with the boundary falling south of Brackley - for example, the longest journeys next season will likely involve matches for Torquay against Braintree.

 

[SuspectUsual]

Are these the leagues where teams can move sideways if necessary to balance the geographical spread, or is that just for the two divisions below the Conference [sic] fifth tier?

There is precedent for moving teams between national league north and south (and vice versa) but it tends only to be if there's a real outlier. From memory it happened to Worcester City about 15 years ago

 

[Old Yard Dog]

Are these the leagues where teams can move sideways if necessary to balance the geographical spread, or is that just for the two divisions below the Conference [sic] fifth tier?

Also to remind myself, is the reference to Bradford the Park Avenue side? I am aware that City (nicknamed the Bantams) started out playing as an oval ball side before changing code (this was a feature round about 2009/10 when Auntie had the highlights of the Football League).

Both Bradford and Bradford City started off as rugby union clubs. City were formerly known as Manningham. Both then switched to Northern Union (now known as rugby league) in the 1890s. Bradford kept an association side which played alongside the NU side at Park Avenue from 1895 before being disbanded for eight years in 1899. Bradford actually played a game of association at Valley Parade before Bradford City/Manningham did - the Leeds Hospital Cup Semi-final replay against Leeds on 14th March 1896 - and won 4-0.

Manningham switched to association in 1903 and were immediately elected to the Football League without ever kicking a round ball - lucky buggers! Bradford followed suit in 1907 but were forced to play a season in the Southern League before being elected to D2 in 1908. The powers that be forced Bradford to add Park Avenue in brackets to their name to differentiate the club from City - but the letters BFC not BPA stood proudly on the middle gable of Archibald Leitch's fine double-decker stand until it was demolished in 1980. The club was always referred to simply as Bradford in the classified results and Avenue and older City fans still get annoyed when the latter is referred to simply as Bradford. Park Avenue hosted the England vs Ireland international in 1909.

For more details on the early history of Bradford FC, have a look at the website

Bradford Football Club 1895-1899

bradfordfc.org.uk

The references section lists some wonderful books by John Dewhirst and Rob Grillo which cover the early days and the rivalry between Bradford and Manningham is great detail.