CURRENT SEASON'S ARCHIVE page |
13 to 19 December, 2003
|
13 to 19 December, 2003 |
Meanwhile, Worksop Town say that "Andy Todd has agreed terms with Hucknall Town", which Hucknall confirm on their site: "The 23 year old left winger joins on a 2 year deal, with a fee being agreed between the 2 clubs... [But] striker James Tevendale has joined Ilkeston Town on a month's loan". As regards Todd, Worksop Today adds, "The striker is set to be the second player to leave the club this week after Robert Pell joined Harrogate on a free transfer. But the Todd deal is central to other players being released by the Tigers who are looking to bring in new faces".
IC Cheshire reports that "last night, it was revealed that UniBond League leaders Droylsden have had a bid for Chester's midfielder Steve Brodie accepted. Brodie has been on loan at the Butchers Arms for the past month." City chairman Stephen Vaughan said: "We have accepted Droylsden's financial offer for Steve Brodie. It is now up to the player to agree personal terms".
Kevin was Alty's record outgoing transfer when he left for Leicester City for £50,000 in February 2001.
Match report here.
As the following table shows, Altrincham are doing a little better at the half-way point of this season compared with last season. We have scored 4 more goals, conceded 9 fewer and gained 2 more points than last season. However, we have won 2 fewer games and drawn 8 more than last season at this point; but have lost 6 fewer matches. We were 16th this time last year, we are now 14th in the table.
| HOME | AWAY |
| - | P | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | GD | PTS |
| 02-03 | 22 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 16 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 10 | 17 | -7 | 25 |
| 03-04 | 22 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 17 | 11 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 13 | 13 | 6 | 27 |
More good news is that Gary Talbot is confirmed fit for tonight's game.
An Alty win would take us to 10th; a draw to 14th.
Worksop Town have "announced that Robert Pell has been transferred to Harrogate Town". Pell got two on Saturday whilst on loan to Wakefield and Emley, ironically scoring against Ian Bowling, Worksop's keeper who is on loan to Stalybridge.
Radcliffe's longest-serving player, David Bean, is leaving the club says their website. Manager Kevin Glendon said, "Telling Dave he is no longer part of my plans is one of the hardest things I have done and believe me it was a difficult decision to make. He has been with me for over 10 years and has always given me his best and never a problem to deal with". But "Former fans' favourite Jason Astley is expected to make his long overdue return against Blackpool Mechanics in the Lancashire Marsden cup tie on January 6th... [He] has been sidelined for three seasons due to a knee injury".
After losing his assistant manager last week to Stocksbridge PS, Gainsborough boss Paul Mitchell told This is Lincs "There is no question of me leaving, I am not going anywhere, I have not applied for any other job. The board here are superb as are the supporters. Everyone stuck by me and we were struggling at the start of the season and that is the kind of support I remember".
Harrogate Today says that "Harrogate Town will not be going up into the Nationwide Conference unless they move from Wetherby Road, the club confirmed this week". Chairman Bill Fotherby said, "You don't need a load of A-levels to work out what needs to be done. The rugby club, Crest Homes and ourselves need to sit around a table and get things organised. There's this perfect site at Claro Road where we could have two separate pitches, all-weather facilities, everything we need - it would be perfect. I'm sure houses could be built on Wetherby Road, so let's all get together and work something out".
Meanwhile Town manager John Reed said, "In all my years of football motivation has been my strength and I play to my strengths. I go into the dressing room and get them to do what I want them to. When I came here Harrogate were at the bottom of UniBond Division One. Since then we've won cups, promotions and this year we are up there in the league. To do all this from where we have come from is staggering... It would be devastating if we won the league and could not go up but then you have to ask yourself whether we have got the support to go into the Conference?"
Harrogate defender James Riordan is out for the season with a torn groin ligament but "Reed and chairman Bill Fotherby were working tirelessly this week to sign Brazilian left winger Afonso Branco, a player who has connections with former Newcastle defender Marcelino. Branco will hopefully be signed in time for tomorrow and Reed has been delighted with him in training. He added: 'I watched him in training and he has fabulous ability - he excites me'".
The Holker Street Newsletter says that the result on Saturday "was harsh on the visitors, and especially on their cluster of travelling fans who out sang the Barrow crowd for virtually the entire 90 minutes, but on the few clear chances created, the home side deserved their win".
Frickley report that "Phil Sharpe has signed former Frickley goalkeeper Jon Hood from Goole AFC but we look to have lost Karl Colley to Halifax Town".
Transfers:
Runcorn FC Halton welcomed back Dominic Morley on Saturday against Lancaster for his first game after being seriously injured when falling off scaffolding.
Worksop's "Andy Todd is considering a move to rivals Hucknall Town this weekend, after they had put in a four figure bid for last season's top scorer".
Report here.
4 of Alty's 14 man squad were making their Alty debuts either as league-match starters or as subs today, whilst 2 others were starting only their second league game. This was Alty's first defeat in 11 games and the first defeat suffered by Stuart Coburn since his return to Altrincham.
The Radcliffe Borough site reports that ex-Manchester City star Ian Bishop "has left Stainton Park after discussions with the manager, Bishop who made 9 appearances and scored 1 goal for the ‘Boro’ is the second player in a week to leave Stainton Park. Manager Kevin Glendon explained ‘I have a great deal of respect for Bish - he did just what I asked for in giving us an initial lift, however I explained to him I was looking further forward and that I wanted to bring in some new players and I have too much respect for him to not involve him or keep him hanging around if he was not involved’, he further commented ‘Bish has always been my type of player but at this moment in time I need to progress in another direction and he fully understands the politics at non-league level that determine the making of these decisions".
Also, "Radcliffe Borough have agreed a £2,000 fee with Stalybridge Celtic for 21-year-old Chris Denham, the former Stalybridge Celtic forward who has made 22(3 sub) appearances scoring 4 goals was put on the list after a meeting with the manager on Monday night. Manager Glendon confirmed that Denham was being sold back to his former club, saying "Unfortunately the move has just not worked out with Chris and myself due to a number of reasons and he did not really fit into the club and surroundings and I felt it would be in the best interests for both parties if he moved on". But, "Boro' are set to complete the loan signing of Southport’s 31-year-old central defender Niel Whitworth".
Southport report that "Jimmy Williams [has] signed a 2 year contract... The former Swindon Town teenage star is viewed as a big signing by manager Liam Watson". Also, Port's "Andy Whittaker has put pen to paper and signed for Bamber Bridge".
Spennymoor "have completed the signing of Hartlepool United left-back Mark Robinson for a one month loan period".
Stalybridge confirm that "Ian Monk joins us from FA Trophy opponents Leigh RMI. Wing back Ian (35) will go straight into the squad for [the] game with Wakefield".
Halifax Today reports that "Chris Wilder, manager of Nationwide Conference club Halifax Town has turned to a centre back from... Frickley Athletic in a bid to solve a defensive crisis at The Shay. Karl Colley, 20, has joined Halifax on non-contract terms.
The NL Daily says that "Harrogate Town may have a new striker when Ashton United visit Wetherby Road on Saturday. Agreement has been reached between Harrogate Town and Scunthorpe United for Andy Parton to come on loan to Wetherby Road for a one month period... Meanwhile, the club have scotched internet rumours linking Harrogate with Barrow duo Mark Hume and Scott Maxfield. The rumours are completely unfounded".
On the positive side, the above absences mean that three existing Youth team players get their chance to join the first-team squad. They are Lewis Chalmers and the twins, Kieran Lugsden (striker) and Kelvin Lugsden (defender/midfielder). Midfielder Lewis is the Youth team deputy captain. They join Steve Lunt who is the fourth Youth team player to be in the squad today.
Barrow's social club, The Cross Bar, will be open from noon and until 2pm it will be offering free food to all to celebrate the club's emergence from liquidation last week. Drink prices are also reduced between 12 and 2pm.
Copyright: ©
Compiled by John Laidlar