CURRENT SEASON'S ARCHIVE page |
14 to 19 July, 2004
|
14 to 19 July, 2004 |
Vauxhall Motors has a newly revamped website. Links to all Conf. North club sites, and to many more non-league football sites are here.
The Holker St Newsletter says that Barrow expect to sign Ian Kilford. "Kilford is one of three players that [Barrow boss Lee Turnbull] had been chasing recently... Turnbull was also confident of signing Bradford PA centre back James Stansfield but he has been made another offer by a fellow Nationwide Conference North team and is considering his options. The third target was defender Rob Jones of Stockport County, though it's thought that he is unlikely to sign as he's been in talks with Darlington".
Chris Downey, who was briefly at Moss Lane last season, scored for Mossley last Saturday in a friendly against Castleton Gabriels. Downey "controlled on his chest before blasting home a stunning drive from an awkward angle ten yards out on the left... Downey again hit the woodwork before rounding off a comfortable win with his second goal. The former Bolton Wanderers' striker keeping his cool to finish well" reports the Mossley site.
Steve Aspinall, who assumed Mark Maddox's no.7 shirt in the second half at Abbey Hey, watches as Mark Rawlinson (14) awaits the next move from Gareth Feeney (on the ball).
Alty's next game is away at Trafford FC on Tuesday. Details and directions are on the Friendlies page.
Stalybridge Celtic fielded Paul Nelson yesterday against Clitheroe; he was briefly with Alty Youth last year.
Two goals each from Kieran Lugsden, debutant Colin Little, Stuart Wright and Peter Band gave Alty a comfortable win in their first friendly of the season. Alty also missed a penalty, won and taken by Peter Wright. As well as Little and Peter Wright, other new faces for Alty included Mark Rawlinson (ex-Dorchester Town, Weymouth, Exeter City and Man. Utd) and Gareth Feeney (ex-Flixton). There were also returns for David Holt, who was loaned to us last season by Stockport County, and Jamie Almond who made one sub. appearance last season. Report and pictures to follow.
Above, Colin Little slots home goal number four, into the bottom corner of the net, from the penalty spot.
Hinckley United say that "Former Doncaster striker Paul Barnes whose 25 goals presented Doncaster Rovers with the Conference Championship and reclaimed their place in the football league [and who] had been playing with Tamworth last season has started training with Hinckley United". The manager said, "Signing Paul would be the icing on the cake, but quality doesn't come cheap and we'll have to look at a way of financing the deal... We could be losing Chris Smith up front for a while anyway, as he's going to need to see a specialist about his ankle injury and it could be that if he needs an operation he will be out for 6 weeks at least".
"Andy Wright and Craig Morley have re-signed for Harrogate Town", reports their website. "Left-winger Andy Wright is a former Leeds United trainee who lists Reading, Dutch side Fortuna Sittard and Scarborough amongst his former clubs. He made his Harrogate Town debut as a substitute on 18 September 2001... and made 4 further appearances... Spells with Whitby Town and Droylsden followed, and more recently he has played for Bradford PA and Wakefield-Emley. Craig Morley is a young defender who made 2 substitute appearances for Town last season on loan from Scunthorpe United".
IC Sefton quotes Runcorn's Liam Watson who reports on "the tremendous season ticket sales and that gives everyone encouragement. The training has gone really well so far without any real problems and our only casualty has been new signing Jerome Fitzgerald who has been laid low since being on holiday... We have been running in the pinewoods, doing numerous circuits, had a boxing instructor take us and lots of 5-a-sides".
IC Coventry quotes Nuneaton boss Roger Ashby on their pre-season visit to Sussex: "The three-day tour is about getting the cobwebs out of the system". The report adds: "The Nuneaton-based duo of Steve Farmer and Marek Szmid are among those out to establish places while former Torquay central defender David Cairns is out to resurrect his playing career following serious injury. Transfer-listed Mark Clifford is another striving to win the confidence of Ashby".
Hucknall Today says that Town "manager Ernie Moss has welcomed his first two signings... and he has been further boosted by the news that one of the want-away quintet of stars, Dean Barrick, is now staying with the club. The new faces are brothers Joe and Matt Taylor, who were part of the Burscough side that stunned non-league football by winning the FA Umbro Trophy" Joe arrives from Worksop Town and goalkeeper Matt "was with Moss last season at Matlock Town... Speculation is rife that the new boss might raid Matlock again before the season starts with striker Danny Holland (20), last season's top scorer in the Unibond's First Division, and former Mansfield Town midfielder Michael Sisson (25) being linked with Hucknall". Also "Left-back Barrick (34), who was an impressive near ever-present in last season's title-winning side has agreed new terms for another season after looking sure to follow in the footsteps of Barry Miller, Roy Hunter, Paul Pettinger and Jon McCarthy in leaving the club after being offered less money. Hucknall have not given up entirely on luring back Hunter and McCarthy either... Several players have been on trial at Hucknall... They include former striker-cum-midfielder Russell Cooke (23), who is back at Watnall Road" from Leigh and Ilkeston Town.
Altrincham will be without goalkeeper Stuart Coburn, as well as midfielders Ged Kielty (right) and Danny Murphy, for Saturday's friendly at Abbey Hey. Stuart is still recovering from his hernia operation but, more importantly, is getting married on Saturday and Ged and Danny are attending as guests. So, Richard Acton is in line for a recall to the number one jersey after finishing last season on loan at Welsh side, TNS.
Bamber Bridge, whom we meet on 29 July, are playing two other Conf. North sides in friendlies - Droylsden on 24 July and Lancaster City on 31 July.
The Holker St Newsletter's survey of Conf. North admission prices for next season concludes that "Harrogate are the dearest club in Nationwide North". Harrogate will be charging £10 entry whilst Stafford Rangers are charging £9 entry but £11 to sit and it will be £10.50 to sit at Kettering and £10 at Nuneaton. The cheapest entry is £7 at clubs which include Alfreton, Ashton, Hinckley, Hucknall, Redditch and Runcorn. With £8 entry and £9 to sit, Alty, Droylsden and Southport will be in the middle band of charges.
The NW Evening Mail says that "Barrow AFC manager Lee Turnbull has given three summer transfer targets until Friday to decide whether they want to sign for the club... as he looks to build a squad of 20 players... Two of the players, who Turnbull has so far refused to name, have agreed deals. Both have now been told they have until Friday to decide whether they will put pen to paper at Holker Street. Although their identity remains unclear, it is known that one is a centre-half and the other a midfielder, and one is from the same league as Barrow while the other has recently been released from a third division club. The third player set to decide on a possible move to Barrow is out-of-contract Bradford Park Avenue centre-half James Stansfield... [but he] is also understood to be considering a deal from another Nationwide Conference North side".
Harrogate Today says that "Harrogate Town's preparations for their inaugural season in the Conference North were dealt a blow by the news that Shaun Garnett is leaving the club- just two weeks after signing. The ex-Oldham defender was unveiled with goalkeeper Paul Pettinger by Town at a specially-arranged press conference a fortnight ago but with a coaching vacancy arising at his former club Tranmere Rovers, the big defender has decided to part company with Town- to the disappointment of manager John Reed".
IC Cheshire quotes Vauxhall Motors' boss Owen Brown - "The lads have been brilliant in training, and it has been a pleasure working with them. They are in great shape and they have all looked after themselves". The article adds: "Meanwhile, Brown has made his first signings of the summer with the arrival of centre-backs James Glendenning [ex-Alty] from Droylsden and Tony Allen from Blackpool. The Rivacre Road boss expects to make several more signings before the start of his side's league campaign on August 14 but he insisted: "I am not in a hurry. I have made agreements with people and I don't expect any problems".
IC Cheshire also says that Runcorn FC Halton "Player-boss Chris Lightfoot has confirmed the experienced wing-back/sweeper [Steve Carragher] as club captain... Carragher served as deputy skipper to Dominic Morley, who left to join Southport at the end of last season... There have been surprisingly few trialists at training... [but] Lightfoot retains an interest in a left-sided player training with a fellow Conference North club and the Runcorn boss is ready to move in if the opportunity arises.... Left-back Shaun Smith - Lightfoot's one-time team-mate at Crewe - could come through after his release by Hull City. Smith hopes for a deal with Scarborough or York but may yet keep himself ticking over with the Linnets".
IC Coventry confirms that "The experienced duo of Neil Moore and Gary Fitzpatrick will be at the forefront of Nuneaton Borough's bid for glory in the inaugural Nationwide North season. Central defender Moore... continues to captain the side while mid-field schemer Fitzpatrick takes on the vice-skipper's role... And while Ashby purrs over his two stalwarts, he's making sure that talented youngster Matt Collins is fit and ready to do himself justice following a summer on the treatment table with stomach and groin problems".
This is Worcester reports that Worcester City "keeper Shaun Hayes has moved to Bedworth United".
Hustle & Bustle: the Silkmen Uncovered is the title of an "exhibition charting the highs and lows of Macclesfield Town FC" at The Silk Museum, Park Lane, Macclesfield, which runs in early August. Rumours that STAR is organising a coach trip to this event have been denied.
IC Cheshire says that "Northwich Vics believe they are on the verge of an exciting season - and future... So far Burr has only made one signing - striker Phil Hadland from Leek Town... Two high-quality former League men are ready to join the attack and former Doncaster Rovers front-runner Tristram Whitman has also impressed in training... Off the pitch the long ground-out rescue and takeover of Vics is at last reaching an end. An announcement may be made within the next week. The deal will see a new majority shareholder at the club with big plans to develop the Victoria Stadium for sport and leisure".
The Holker St. Newsletter reports that "Following a not too great summer, Barrow AFC have now been hit with the news that the Bank Holiday Monday Conference North fixture on 30 August against Worksop Town will have to kick-off at 3pm due to the match being on the football coupons... Whilst Barrow AFC do receive a small sum from the pools, it won't be anywhere as near as much as what the club will suffer in lost revenue as a result of the kick-off being at 3pm. The counter attraction of Cartmel Races that day, and the point that BAe employees don't have this day (Monday) off work as a holiday means that the attendance figure will presumably be much lower than if the match was played as a night game, when supporters would have returned from Cartmel races or work".
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Altrincham play their first friendly of his summer at Abbey Hey on Saturday. Their last daytime visit to Goredale Avenue was in July 2002 when the above picture was taken. It shows the modern club-house and four Alty players in action, all of whom are no longer at the club. From the front they are Stuart Locke, Ian Craney, Neil Ryan and Simon Woodford.
The Worksop Forum says that "Tigers' manager Ronnie Glavin made a triple swoop into the transfer market yesterday when he signed 22 year-old utility player Paul Dempsey, Steve Nicholson and former Wakefield and Emley player Mark Wilson".
Nuneaton Borough report that their "Planning application for a new stadium on land off Ptarmigan Place (Liberty Way) was presented to the Planning Applications Committee at the scheduled meeting yesterday Monday 12 July 2004... The council having approved the application will have to refer it to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister to see whether the application should be called in for determination by the Secretary of State... The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has 21 days once he has received all the information to decide whether to call it in or not... If it is called in then there will be a public inquiry which could take 6 months to complete. IC Coventry confirms that "The club has finally been given planning permission to move from its ageing canalside Manor Park ground to a river-fringed site at Attleborough... Worries about building on a flood plain, forcing the River Anker to be diverted, had been taken up with the Environment Agency...C'llr John Preedy (Lab, Arbury) said of Manor Park: 'It's a sad old ground at the end of its life'".
"Bradford Park Avenue fielded five trialists in the first half, and almost as many in the second half, against a Doncaster Rovers side featuring a smattering of first choice players at the Horsfall Stadium on Monday night... but Rovers clinched the result with a second goal late on in the match. All in all it seemed to be a very satisfying start to the season in a speedy and often skilful performance by Park Avenue which bodes well for the upcoming league programme" reports their website.
This is Worcester says that "Mark Owen has emerged as a slight doubt for Worcester City's opening pre-season friendly... The 26-year-old striker is nursing a sore knee and will not risk it unless he is fully fit".
In addition to Darren Middleton (25), a striker signed from Worcester City, Moor Green confirm that "Jae Martin, Daire Doyle and Richard Robinson have all put pen to paper on deals for the coming season. This brings the squad up to 17 players with one further signing expected before... Saturday".
Harrogate Town report that "Shaun Garnett has left Harrogate Town, to take up a coaching post at Tranmere Rovers".
Copyright: ©
Compiled by John Laidlar