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CURRENT SEASON'S ARCHIVE page |
27 May to 6 June, 2003
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27 May to 6 June, 2003
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"New Gainsborough Trinity manager Paul Mitchell will expect his players to abide by the rules of the beautiful game when the season kicks-off in August", according to This is Lincs, which adds that "The former Sheffield Wednesday trainee has promised to scrap the long ball technique employed by predecessor Phil Stant in favour of a more cultured style of play". Mitchell added "I will build a side here which will pass and move and keep it entertaining... It's how the game should be played and I do believe you can play the ball on the ground even in the UniBond. But even if we have lost a game I want the fans to go home and say: 'shame about the result, but boy they didn't half play well'. Hopefully, when you start to play attractive football the crowds will come back and that's what our aim is - to get the gates up and build a side which will get into the Conference". Meanwhile, "New chief-executive Rick Knowles, who was appointed on Monday, said 'We need to strengthen in the community. We have to see where this club has gone wrong in the past and try to fix it'".
Hucknall Today states that Hucknall Town "were still waiting this week to hear the decisions of Danny Bacon, Clint Marcelle, Russell Cooke and John Burns on the offers of new terms for next season". Worksop Today confirms that former Southampton defender Richard Dryden "has joined the Tigers on a two-year deal after turning down offers from Conference sides Scarborugh and Tamworth. "Tamworth and Scarborough had the pull of Conference football," Dryden said, "but Steve Ludlam has offered me a coaching role alongside the player role and that is what swung my decision".
The Ormskirk Advertiser reports that "There has been much speculation about Burscough manager Shaun Teale's future and he has been linked with several clubs following the Trophy win, secretary Stan Strickland admitted this week. 'Our priority is Burscough Football Club and over the next couple of weeks we need to know just where we stand and firmly establish our plans for next season'", he said.
Postscript: Terry Rowley has today kindly identified the players on the 1936 team-photo and these now appear on the above linked-page.
Worksop Town's site reports the club's sixth close season acquisition. He is ex-Scarborough centre-back, Richard Dryden, who is almost 34, and has League experience at Birmingham and elsewhere. Champions Accrington Stanley have "brought in two more new faces for next season. Goalkeeper Craig Dootson [who] spent last season as Stalybridge Celtic's first choice keeper... Also joining the Reds will be 21 year-old striker Darren Connell, who was released by Scarborough... He played 10 games on loan at Barrow last season, scoring 5 goals".
The NW Evening Mail says of Barrow that "some [players] are concerned at having not been informed of their deals for next season by the club". However, assistant manager Lee Warren said: "As far as we are concerned we want all the side who finished last season to come back".
This is Lincs reports that
Gainsborough Trinity "chairman John Reames has told fans they would have
every right to call for his head should the club not qualify for Conference Two next season... Speaking at a fans' forum at the Blues' Club [he] said 'The financial consequences of missing out would be grave. We
won't settle for being left in footballing backwaters'". The same source says that "More than 150 [Trinity] fans unanimously voted for an increase in adult
gate prices from £6 to £7. The extra revenue will boost new boss Paul
Mitchell's budget".
This is Runcorn reports that Runcorn FC Halton "has already seen season ticket sales almost double during the summer... Only 18 fans bought season tickets last season but already 30 have snapped them up for the 2003/04 campaign". Staying at Runcorn will be youngsters Tom Spearritt and Paul Allen, as well as striker Paul Prescott, who scored against Alty last season. Meanwhile Everton FC has confirmed that "its reserve side will NOT play at the Halton Stadium next season". Southport's Haig Avenue is a possible replacement venue. "Everton has been keen to point out in no way does the decision reflect on the facilities available at Halton Stadium and that it is purely because of the excessive use of the pitch". (Right: Peter Band scores at the Halton Stadium, 21/4/03, watched by Dalton Steele.)
A more recent former Alty midfielder, Scott Wilson, who was in the Radcliffe Borough side which won the UniBond Premier promotion play-off against Chorley in May, has surprisingly moved back down a level to Rossendale United.
A number of UniBond clubs are believed to have had extensions till June to finish work on their grounds. These include Marine, where work will finish at the weekend. According to the UniBond League Forum, "If clubs do not get the 'A' grading before the UniBond AGM [14 June] there may well be forced relegations".
IC Cheshire quotes Vauxhall Motors' manager Alvin McDonald: "I've talked to a couple of players about coming on board for next season, but to better our squad is difficult, once the subject of money comes up... Money is a problem when you are looking around for quality".
Burscough are selling a video of their FA Trophy win. It will cost £15 (£17 by post) and will be available soon from Burscough FC, Victoria Park, Mart Lane, Burscough L40 0SD.
The NW Evening Mail reports on a new book by Barrow fans Darren Gardner and Phil Yelland, called Barrow AFC 100 Post-War Holker Street Greats, which will be launched in September. it will cost £10 and covers from the 1940s to the present day. The authors have now written an incredible "32 books between them on Barrow AFC".
IC Newcastle confirms that John Charlton, former Blyth boss and son of Jack Charlton, is the new manager of Whitley Bay of the Albany Northern League. Charlton said: "They are keen on promotion and a return to the Unibond League. That suits me".
This is Lincs reports that two UniBond Premier managers of last season are vying for the managership of Grantham. "Ex-Gainsborough Trinity boss David Norton is believed to be strongly interested in the position...[but] his successor at Trinity, Phil Stant...is said to have cooled on the idea of taking over the reins at the Gingerbreads".
Former Alty midfielder Jeremy Illingworth, (right), has been released by Stocksbridge Park Steels, for whom he was the captain last season. Another player from the Mark Ward era at Moss Lane, Eric Seekie, is named as "man of the match", playing for Denbigh in the Alves Cup in Wales.
In 1960/61 Alty finished 21st in the Cheshire County League, having conceded 125 goals in 42 games. However, for 1961/62 Messrs Whites and Swales had just arrived as vice-chairman and chairman respectively and a host of new players were brought in to alter the club's fortunes. These included players who were recent full internationals as well as two stars of the 1958 FA Cup Final between Bolton Wanderers and Manchester United. For their pen pictures, see the 1961/62 section of Players of Past Seasons.
Ashton United report that Phil Denney has been selected to play for the England semi-professional squad in an international 5-a-side tournament in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Harrogate Town have released Scott Jackson and Nick Richardson who both joined Town last season and made over 20 appearances each. However, captain Robbie Whellans has signed for another year.
IC Huddersfield reports that Wakefield and Emley chairman Peter Matthews has "denied rumours the club are in financial trouble. UniBond League gates at Belle Vue... fell sharply last season, when Ronnie Glavin's side finished 12th... There is also uncertainty over the futures of former Town players Paul Cuss and Ryan Crossley. Mr Matthews, however, insisted: "I don't know where these rumours have come from but there is no truth in them. Our preparations for next season are going ahead as normal".
The Whitby Gazette reports that "Work on Whitby Town FC's Turnbull Ground which is required to keep the club in the Unibond League Premier Division is going ahead on time for the 7 June deadline". 50 additional seats are being added to meet the required 250, turnstiles are being renewed and work is also being carried out on the pitch. "Hopes of obtaining the seating and turnstiles from the Darlington FC Feethams ground did not materialise as delivery on time could not be guaranteed and Whitby had obtained the alternative second-hand equipment through a national dealer".
The NW Evening Mail "are among more than 30 potential sponsors to have entered Barrow's 250 prize raffle. It is open to everyone from fans to businesses and the winner will have their name emblazoned across the Bluebirds' new shirt during the 2003-4 Unibond League Premier Division season". The kit will be made by Adidas and "the fabric the club have chosen is a climatic fabric, which will help the players to stay dry and comfortable throughout the 90 minutes".
The Southport Visiter reports that Everton are thinking of switching their Reserve games from Runcorn FC Halton's Halton Stadium to Southport's Haig Avenue next season. "David Moyes and his staff were particularly happy with the Haig Avenue playing surface". An Everton spokesman told the Visiter: "I can confirm that we have expressed a desire to play our reserve matches at Southport FC in the 2003/4 season".
Contemporary pen-pictures of Gerry Quinn's Altrincham team of 1992/93 (above) are the latest addition to the Players of Past Seasons section of this site here.
Teale revealed that Southport "wanted me to go back as assistant-manager," he said, "but what was the point? The recent rumours about me going to Lancaster City were absolute rubbish because they've probably got less chance of progressing than Burscough have and I've got no interest in stagnating".
Following an attack by vandals at Barrow's Holker Street ground a few days ago, another UniBond Premier club, Alfreton Town, has also fallen victim to intruders. The NLP reports that "Wayne Bradley, chairman of Alfreton Town, is appealing to the local community for help in tracking down vandals who have again caused damage to the North Street stadium. There have been five attempted break-ins at the ground over the past eight weeks. 'We are sick to death of spending thousands of pounds on repairing mindless damage to the ground due to these attempted break-ins'", said the chairman. Meanwhile, for next season, the club is installing additional seating, a new manager's office, eight safety gates, a second food outlet and a press lounge with ISDN for Radio Derby to broadcast commentaries on all home games. The ground will then be certificated for up to 3,000 spectators. Another sign of the promoted club's rise is that Town Talk, the club's programme was voted the best in the UniBond League for last season, gaining one more point than Alty's which was the best in the Premier Division.
Hucknall Today says that Hucknall Town goalkeeper Ryan Young's move to Hednesford this week was for a "fee of under £5,000". The whole sum has already been spent on bringing Stocksbridge's striker James Tevendale to Hucknall. "Tevendale's arrival eases the uncertainty surrounding Town's forward-line [in which] Gary Ricketts and Mark Nangle are sidelined by knee-injuries and it is not yet known whether Danny Bacon, Clint Marcelle or Russell Cooke will re-sign for the club, leaving only Zimbabwean Kelvin Mushambie sure to start the 2003/04 campaign".
UniBond Champions Accrington have signed another veteran in 35 year-old defender Gordon Armstrong from Burnley.
This is Lincs quotes new Gainsborough boss Paul Mitchell: "'I have a soft spot for this club', said the former Worksop boss. 'When I was a player with Worksop we ground shared at Gainsborough for two years. I liked the set-up and I liked the people...It appealed to me that John [Reames, the chairman] wanted me to come in as manager and not a puppet'".
Copyright: ©
Compiled by John Laidlar