Football

[Cowley]

Arsenal have done a Spurs and effectively conceded the title race, to a much better team of course.

I may not be a City fan but they are really quite something.

 

[SuspectUsual]

When it comes to the finals of the smaller competitions such as the FA Trophy and FA Vase, I can see the argument that Wembley is a bit too large. Indeed the very first football match I attended as a small child was the FA Vase final in 1988 between Emley and Colne Dynamoes, which was held at a half-empty old Wembley.
Perhaps there should be a second "National Stadium" with a capacity of say 45,000 which could hold things like England U-21 games, the semi-pro national team, and the finals of the non-league cup competitions?

No. They should be at Wembley, and for the last few years the Vase and Trophy finals have been held back to back with tickets valid for both, marketed as non-league finals day or similar. That helps boost the crowd a little. Tickets are £25 this year which is only four quid more than a league game at t’Shay

 

[61653 HTAFC]

No. They should be at Wembley, and for the last few years the Vase and Trophy finals have been held back to back with tickets valid for both, marketed as non-league finals day or similar. That helps boost the crowd a little. Tickets are £25 this year which is only four quid more than a league game at t’Shay

It was only a suggestion, and not one I'd necessarily advocate myself- though a smaller stadium that sells out is a better look than a big one that's only 60% full. £25 is a decent price for a cup final, but £21 is an obscene amount to charge for a regular league game in the fifth tier. That's more than it cost to watch some our games even when we were in the Premier League.

Quite a few clubs have seen the wisdom of charging less for entry into games and providing lower price season tickets, Huddersfield Town and Bradford City have both done this. My season ticket for next season will cost £249 which works out at approximately £10.87 per game. Hopefully we'll still be in the Championship, but even for League One that's pretty good value compared to many other clubs. I was a bit worried that the new owners wouldn't continue this policy, but thankfully that hasn't happened for next season at least.

The downside I suppose is that if the football is bad, even we thrifty Yorkshire folk will stay away and "vote with our backsides", as has been the case for large parts of this season!

 

[SuspectUsual]

but £21 is an obscene amount to charge for a regular league game in the fifth tier. That's more than it cost to watch some our games even when we were in the Premier League

The problem is that there is pretty much nil in the way of TV money in the fifth division, but their outgoings are broadly similar to league 2. Either you have a rich sugar daddy / Hollywood people to pour money in, or you have to earn it through the turnstiles / other commercial stuff. It isn’t easy.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

The problem is that there is pretty much nil in the way of TV money in the fifth division, but their outgoings are broadly similar to league 2. Either you have a rich sugar daddy / Hollywood people to pour money in, or you have to earn it through the turnstiles / other commercial stuff. It isn’t easy.

I agree, there needs to be a change to the way finances trickle down (or not) in the game. Though it's better to have 6-7k fans paying £15 than 2-3k paying £20.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I've only just realised the FA Cup Final is not until Saturday 3rd June.

Looks like the FA Cup final will be a 3.00pm kick on police "advice".

BBC Radio 5 Live just been reporting that the date of the FA Cup Final (Saturday 3rd June 2023) may possibly co-incide with a (proposed) upcoming new train strike date.

 

[75A]

I think the 'smaller' finals should still be played @ the National Stadium'
It's a once in a lifetime opportunity for these players to play there, it's also a good day out in the Capital for the fans with ticket pricing being sensible.

 

[REVUpminster]

I think the 'smaller' finals should still be played @ the National Stadium'
It's a once in a lifetime opportunity for these players to play there, it's also a good day out in the Capital for the fans with ticket pricing being sensible.

Agree with this as long as kick off is no later than 4pm (preferably 3pm) for fans using the trains.

 

[tigerroar]

We came out on top in the mad scramble for playoff places in the National League North today thanks to a 93rd minute winner.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

We came out on top in the mad scramble for playoff places in the National League North today thanks to a 93rd minute winner.

Who's "we"? Seventh-placed Gloucester City presumably?

 

[Jamesrob637]

Plymouth Argyle are back in the Championship for the first time since '10. Great stuff.

 

[Haywain]

If there was common sense, the Halifax v Gateshead could be played at Elland Road (Leeds Utd) sooner being as both sides are from the Yorkshire and North East Region.

If there was common sense, it would be understood that a venue needs to be arranged long before the participants are known.

 

[tigerroar]

Who's "we"? Seventh-placed Gloucester City presumably?

I can't stop watching this

 

[150249]

Plymouth Argyle are back in the Championship for the first time since '10. Great stuff.

Booooo Argyle

 

[DarloRich]

We came out on top in the mad scramble for playoff places in the National League North today thanks to a 93rd minute winner.

Who's "we"? Seventh-placed Gloucester City presumably?

Peterborough Sports 0 v Darlo 1 A good goal from Jacob Hazel to end our frustrating season and our awful post xmas form. We were top of the table at Xmas and 3 points of the top in February. We finished in 10th place ONE point out of the play offs. One win in a geological age will do that. FFS.

This game was played at Kettering because of truckfest, wibble from the old bill & Peterbourgh Sports ground wasn't up to standard due to delayed building work. The game was changed at 5 days notice with no apology. Darlo had to put a coach on from Peterborough station to get fans who had bought train tickets to the game. I HOPE PBO Sports paid for it! SO sick of the clowntownism on this league. It is so amateur despite the good level and many pro clubs. Also the stewarding was so far over the top as to be funny - they seemed to be expecting full on Green Street naughtiness rather than a meaningless end of season NLN game - first time I have been searched at the ground for years. Lovely to have my civil liberties infringed once again. It was like them olden days!

PS I have to ask how bad the PBO sports ground is if Kettering is an upgrade!

BTW: We beat Gloucester 3-1 at home and 6-2 away. How on earth you made the playoffs is beyond me but good luck. You will need it against Kings Lynn, Chester & Brackley. Kiddie are on a good run to!

Plymouth Argyle are back in the Championship for the first time since '10. Great stuff.

Never forgiven them, Warnock or Robbie Mauge for the 1996 play off final. Better side lost. Another season where we should have gone up automatically without the playoff. ffs Darlo.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Never forgiven them, Warnock or Robbie Mauge for the 1996 play off final. Better side lost. Another season where we should have gone up automatically without the playoff. ffs Darlo.

Leave Warnock alone, another point (hopefully on Thursday night against already promoted Sheffield United) and he'll have done the impossible and kept us in the Championship when we looked down and out at the end of January.

Of course it would be typical Town to lose both our remaining games 0-1 and end up snatching defeat from the jaws of victory!

 

[Haywain]

he'll have done the impossible and kept us in the Championship

I think you should be thanking the EFL for that as much as Colin, without Reading and Wigan getting points deductions your situation would be a bit bleaker.

SO sick of the clowntownism on this league.

Back in 2009 (I think it was) Histon v Luton had to have the date changed to accommodate a Cambridgeshire FA meeting at Histon's ground!

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I think you should be thanking the EFL for that as much as Colin, without Reading and Wigan getting points deductions your situation would be a bit bleaker.

This is true, however those deductions came about due to rule breaches. It's high time that the EFL started enforcing those rules in a timely fashion.
Had we not suffered a failure of goal line technology earlier in the season in the home game against Blackpool, we'd be one point better off and would already be mathematically safe.

 

[Old Yard Dog]

Bradford 0 AFC Fylde 2

It all ended with weeping and gnashing of teeth as Fylde clinched the NLN title at our place. Our recruitment last summer was abysmal and, later on, our squad simply wasn't big enough to cope with long spells of two matches a week in the extended 46-game NLN season.

So its back down to the almost invisible NPL which gets less media coverage than wheelchair rugby league and Brighouse Town Ladies. But I'm looking forward to reuniting with our friends and fellow re-election rejects Workington - I just hope the railways aren't on strike when we visit.

 

[tigerroar]

BTW: We beat Gloucester 3-1 at home and 6-2 away. How on earth you made the playoffs is beyond me but good luck. You will need it against Kings Lynn, Chester & Brackley. Kiddie are on a good run to!

Form now, not then. The 3-1 was a farce anyhow, Darlington should've had a player sent off in the first minute.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 30 Apr 2023 ==

Bradford 0 AFC Fylde 2

It all ended with weeping and gnashing of teeth as Fylde clinched the NLN title at our place. Our recruitment last summer was abysmal and, later on, our squad simply wasn't big enough to cope with long spells of two matches a week in the extended 46-game NLN season.

So its back down to the almost invisible NPL which gets less media coverage than wheelchair rugby league and Brighouse Town Ladies. But I'm looking forward to reuniting with our friends and fellow re-election rejects Workington - I just hope the railways aren't on strike when we visit.

It puzzles me how teams like Bradford PA, Farsley and Guiseley have struggled at this level given the massive area that they are based in. There must be decent, hardened players around there?

 

[JD2168]

Graeme Souness has announced he will finish being a pundit on Sky Sports at the end of this season.

 

[JamesT]

Graeme Souness has announced he will finish being a pundit on Sky Sports at the end of this season.

https://twitter.com/skysportspl/status/1652745643633307648 says he’s gone immediately, or are there some non Premier League matches he’s doing?

 

[swt_passenger]

https://twitter.com/skysportspl/status/1652745643633307648 says he’s gone immediately, or are there some non Premier League matches he’s doing?

I must admit I thought they said this was his last appearance.

 

[AlterEgo]

Plymouth Argyle are back in the Championship for the first time since '10. Great stuff.

Best team in the division without a doubt.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Best team in the division without a doubt.

A look at the table suggests there might be some doubt or debate on that one... I note that Plymouth Argyle have a goal difference of +33, but second placed Ipswich Town's GD is an astonishing +66.

 

[DarloRich]

Form now, not then. The 3-1 was a farce anyhow, Darlington should've had a player sent off in the first minute.

must be the only time we had a favourable ref this season!

Absolutely re form - i wasn't having a go - you have timed a run to perfection but looking at the table at 14:00 on Saturday I wouldn't have had Gloucester in the playoffs by 17:00!

BTW - I thought your chairman had pulled the plug? How are the club going to cope going forward? Are you still full time?

It puzzles me how teams like Bradford PA, Farsley and Guiseley have struggled at this level given the massive area that they are based in. There must be decent, hardened players around there?

There are good players out there but there are plenty of coined up and/or full time clubs who will pay more even at lower levels coupled with a strong home in time for tea league vibe in some players. Travel in the NLN is a big killer for semi pro people. Why take a day of to get to Gloucester or Brackley or Banbury or Kings Lynn when you can get the same money for playing in the leagues below and be home at a sensible time AND not impact on your job.

It is the same for us. We get some players on our name, crowds and ability to put players in the shop window to sell people back to the pro game. We cant compete with even Spennymoor on wages so we have bot all chance against the really rich clubs. We are part time fan funded. We get the players we can afford and then we sell them! By the same token we have taken players of all three teams you mention because we are a slightly bigger side paying slightly more money. That said @Old Yard Dog can have Jacob Blyth back!

 

[61653 HTAFC]

It puzzles me how teams like Bradford PA, Farsley and Guiseley have struggled at this level given the massive area that they are based in. There must be decent, hardened players around there?

Being in an area with a large population is a double-edged sword. For Bradford there's a league club in the same city which is likely to be a bigger draw. For Farsley there's also Leeds United nearby, and Guiseley have to contend with both. Similarly the city of Wakefield has never had a football league club, and Leeds, Huddersfield and Barnsley tend to be the shirts and car stickers you see being displayed in the city- along with several local Rugby League clubs being popular in the area. Even when a club tried to establish itself in the city (having been stolen from Emley) it failed miserably. Those in the city that want to watch non-league football tend to favour Ossett United.

Contrast this with Taunton Town, who have had a decent few years and climbed to the dizzy heights of the sixth tier. The nearest league club is Exeter City thirty miles away, and whilst the county of Somerset did have a league club in Yeovil Town a few years ago, the Glovers now find themselves at the same level as their neighbours from the county town.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

There are good players out there but there are plenty of coined up and/or full time clubs who will pay more even at lower levels coupled with a strong home in time for tea league vibe in some players.

Would you classify South Shields in that category. I see their well-known manager from his league football days has been replaced by an equally well-known ex-League player.

 

[Purple Train]

Would you classify South Shields in that category. I see their well-known manager from his league football days has been replaced by an equally well-known ex-League player.

Is Julio Arca "equally well-known" as Kevin Phillips? The only thing I know Arca for is getting stung by a jellyfish on a pre-season training camp (or some other exotic club-related function)!

Also, are Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur deliberately providing this much manic clown-show entertainment? I've seen less disordered pantomimes.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Is Julio Arca "equally well-known" as Kevin Phillips? The only thing I know Arca for is getting stung by a jellyfish on a pre-season training camp (or some other exotic club-related function)!

Perhaps you are too young to know of his football career in England when he came from Argentina, from what you say above. Julio Arca spent 14 years playing for two clubs in the North-East,,,,,

2000-2006...Sunderland...157 games

2006-2013...Middlesbrough...160 games

The problem is that defenders do not stick in the memory as much as midfielders and forwards