Altrincham Football Club News Archive
16 to 20 August, 2004


20 August 2004

RICHARD AT WOODLEY

NL Daily reports that goalkeeper Richard Acton (left) has followed former team-mate Paul Robertson to Woodley Sports in the UniBond First. Richard (24) remains registered for Conference North at Moss Lane. He was first-choice keeper in 2002-03 and was then injured at Harrogate early last season. Before he recovered, Stuart Coburn had returned to the club from Leigh RMI and he remains the first-choice keeper at Moss Lane. Richard had a short spell at TNS in Wales at the end of last season.

NLP

Don't forget that the Friday edition of The Non-League Paper is out today. It has plenty of Alty interest including a match report on Monday's game, an interview with Graham Heathcote and a eulogy of Ian Craney by his new boss John Coleman.

Of this Saturday's game Graham says, "It is yet another derby; Ashton on Monday, Stalybridge on Saturday - it's like London and the Premiership round here and I think those games can be detrimental to your ambitions". Early in the season "you are in the dark and until you see the teams you can't make a true judgement... I am not setting any targets... I just want to progress again".

Craney scored with "a superb solo run and strike from all of 30 yards" at Morecambe this week. Coleman said, People might be surprised at Craney's goal but nobody in the changing room is. We have seen him do it in training... I signed him because he's capable of scoring goals like that. I'm certain there are plenty more where that came from".

SAM

SAM quotes Stuart Coburn after Saturday's win: "We were speaking in the dressing room after that and we were saying that last season we would have lost that kind of game or we would have conceded an equaliser when 2-1 up... However, Graham told us at half time to keep playing our football. He urged us to get it on the ground and I think the better play showed in the second half. Once the new faces in the side settle in there could be good times ahead for us", he added.

"Altrincham manager Graham Heathcote (right) said, 'There are a lot of physical sides in this division. I saw Hinckley against Worksop last night and none of the three centre-backs on the field were under six foot four in height. But, there are ways around players like that. We have played really well in patches over the course of the first two games, and now it's a matter of extending those patches and controlling entire games. I am confident we have the players who can do that. The new signings have done well but so have the guys who stayed loyal to this football club... I think we deserved to win on Monday night at Ashton, simply by the amount of chances we created... We've got to try to see every team in the league as quickly as possible - which is what Dalton and myself are trying to do - and then we can take stock of what we are up against and plan accordingly".

MANCHESTER SENIOR CUP DRAW

  • Mossley v Trafford
  • Abbey Hey v Maine Rd
  • Curzon A. v Salford C.
  • Droylsden v Oldham T.
  • Flixton v Ashton U.
  • Hyde U. v Glossop NE
  • Byes: Chadderton and Radcliffe B.

    OLD BOY

    Former Alty left-back Steve Porter, who was at Droylsden last season, is now reported to be living in the USA.

    STAR INITIATIVES

    The AGM of STAR, The Altrincham FC Supporters' Trust is on Friday 10th September at 7.00pm [nb changed time] in the Noel White Suite. "STAR will be running a Fans' Forum featuring a panel of celebrity guests including the legends, John King, John Hughes and Rod Thornley among others... followed by the draw for the AGM prize raffle, made by a select band of the current playing squad, so please remember to get your tickets and monies in on time, if you haven't already done so. The AGM is open to STAR members only, so bring your membership card, and entry is free. If you're not yet a STAR member, you can always join up now or at the event! says the STAR website which also has details of other initiatives, including:
  • STAR's involvement in Forever Bury's Duck Race and Family Fun Day.
  • Have the Golf Road End named after you.
  • Seats4Alty- Sponsor a seat in the Main Stand
  • Text4Alty- help the club by texting
  • Shop4Alty- help the club by buying goods from well-known companies
  • Buy a Nationwide North Founder Member's T-shirts - just £6.50.

    CONF. NORTH

    Buxton have have signed Ryan Ludlam from Droylsden and Gavin Smith from Gainsborough Trinity.

    The NW Evening Mail says that "Barrow AFC shirt sponsor Colin Moore believes the on-going battle for the board is a factor in the team’s poor start to the season". After his team lost to Southport, manager Lee Turnbull "laid into them at the final whistle with a verbal lashing as they slumped to second bottom in the Nationwide North".

    Lancaster Today says that "City boss Phil Wilson was a happy man this week after his side picked up four points from their two opening games". Aftervtheir draw with Stalybridge he added, 'Stalybridge are not going to lose many games at home this season'... One negative from Tuesday night were the injuries to goalkeeper Jamie Speare and defender Jamie Murphy... Speare's injury meant that City gave a debut to new signing Ryan Yeomans, an 18-year-old keeper from Blackpool".

    "Mark Cartwright will be hoping lightning doesn't strike twice on rejoining Runcorn. The 31-year-old goalkeeper was unfortunate to be on the receiving end of the Linnets' record home defeat on the first appearance of an earlier loan spell from Wrexham... as Stevenage won 8-0 in the Nationwide Conference at Canal Street in November 1995,.. Now, almost nine years on from the torrid debut, Cartwright is returning as cover for Tony McMillan... In 1994-95, he was in the Welsh squad for their visit to Georgia and a home game against Bulgaria" says IC Cheshire.

    Worksop Today quotes "Tigers' boss Ronnie Glavin... 'Sure it is disappointing not to take a win in your first two games, but there is a lot to come yet,.. Slowly but surely we will come through and eventually we will be a tough team to beat.. I want them to play good football'".

    Worcester City "must prepare to fork out around £20,000 to provide disabled toilets, a viewing ramp and better access into the social club at St George's Lane. The club hope to finish the work before the Disabled Discrimination Act comes into force on October 1. Chairman Dave Boddy has made the appeal for fans to buy shares with all cash raised going towards the project which is not covered by grants from the Football Foundation... Boddy said: 'Previous share appeals have been very successful'", he told This is Worcester City.

    UNIBOND NEWS

    Spennymoor United confirm "Tony Lee rejoins the club in the position as general manager with Graham Clark as head coach". Tony was shortlisted for the Altrincham job when he managed Bishop Auckland. Another North East side, Gateshead will play their opening league game against Hyde on Saturday after fears that they might not fulfil the fixture.

    19 August 2004

    ALTY STAY TOP

    After Wednesday's game, Alty stay top of the League Table.

    Wednesday 18th

  • Bradford PA 0 Runcorn FC Halton 1 Goalscorer was Michael Garrity (ex-Alty)

    Pictured, right, is Niell Hardy after Saturday's game, as Colin Little receives his man of the match award in the background..

    TRIALIST THWARTED

    George Clegg was supposed to play last night for Alty Reserves but their game was postponed due to heavy rain on the Abbey Hey pitch. George is not a relation of Steven, who briefly played for Alty and is now at Hyde. A left-sided player, (dob 16/11/1980), he was at Bury last season but former Alty player and current Bury boss, Graham Barrow, released him at the end of last season. He is 5ft 10, weighs 12st and started out at Manchester United, from where he had a spell at Royal Antwerp. After turning down a move to Swindon, in March 2001 he went to Wycombe Wanderers, for whom he made 2+8 appearances.

    LAST AND NEXT GAME

    The gate at Ashton on Monday for the game against Alty was 485. The Tameside Advertiser reports on that game. "It did not get any better for Ashton on Monday night as they lost 1-0 to an injury-time Altrincham strike at Hurst Cross... Smith's second half introduction saw Ashton cause problems down the right, but they were unable to make an impact before Little’s late intervention".

    Howard Watts's Through the Years data is here for Saturday 21 August, when we play Stalybridge, away. The Bower Fold is not a lucky ground for the Robins. Between 1979 and 1992 Altrincham and Stalybridge did not meet, as Altrincham were in the Alliance/Conference and Celtic were not. Since then, there have been nine league meetings at the Bower Fold in either the Conference or NPL - and Altrincham have lost eight of them! There has not been a draw but Alty won 3-1 on 15 March 1994. In that time Alty have scored just two goals against Celtic, the last being in 1999. We lost 1-0 there last season. Saturday's game should see Stephen Rose's 100th start for Altrincham making him the 9th current "centurion" - the others, in descending order, are Maddox, Coburn, Talbot, Scott, Hardy, Thornley, Adams and Band.

    OLD BOYS

    Scunthorpe United have asked to extend Matt Bailey's loan from Stockport. Mario (Sergio) Daniel, the former Alty striker, has moved from Leigh RMI to Mossley.

    CONF. NORTH NEWS

    The Tameside Advertiser quotes Droylsden boss Dave Pace who "said his side were lucky to get a point from their match with Moor Green on Saturday... Consequently, Pace promised to make changes for Tuesday night’s match at Vauxhall Motors. He said: 'We looked ragged - I don’t think they had a great deal with them but they were well organised... I had to be cavalier; I would rather get beaten 5-0 than 2-0'". Droylsden's Billy McCartney has joined Mossley.

    This is Lincs reports on Gainsborough's second defeat of the season, against Alfreton. "'We were robbed for the first goal, Matt was a mile offside, but we played well and scored a great goal to get back in it', said Blues' boss Paul Mitchell. 'We passed it about for fun after the break and looked like Real Madrid, but then we lost our concentration'... Alfreton have one of the biggest playing budgets in the league and the gulf between the two clubs was highlighted once the teamsheet appeared before kick-off. With last season's top scorer Gareth Grant and striker Simon Bird both missing through injury, Trinity could only name three substitutes. The visitors, packed with experience, had former Boston United hitman Peter Duffield and ex-Mansfield striker Mark Sale on the bench. Included in their starting line-up were former Lincoln City pair Lee Butler and Grant Brown along with former Boston United man Ben Chapman, who made his debut".

    Runcorn "boss Chris Lightfoot has pleaded with fans to give the club some much needed support", says This is Runcorn. "Only 270 people turned up to Runcorn FC Halton's first game, a 1-0 defeat to Redditch, in the new Conference North... 'We need more coming week-in, week-out', said the player manager... Lightfoot is also calling on his players to pull their socks up in a bid to win back the fans".

    In contrast, This is Worcs reports that "City manager John Barton was delighted with his team's display. 'It doesn't happen week in week out as we have seen. But when they hit the right spot, that's what happens. It's in our locker to do that with the players we've got'", he said.


    18 August 2004

    MATCH OFF

    Alty Reserves' game against Lancaster City Res. tonight (7.45pm) at Abbey Hey has been postponed.

    NEW DATES

    Because of the Cheshire Senior Cup match against Winsford Utd or Cammell Laird, which has been set for 14 September at 7.45pm, the league match away against Vauxhall Motors, scheduled for that night, has been moved to Tuesday 5 October, 7.45pm.

    Another date to note is Monday 27 September when Alty Youth kick off their FA Youth Cup campaign at Moss Lane against Southport (7.45pm).

    TUESDAY RESULTS

    Tuesday 17th
  • Barrow 0 Southport 2
  • Gainsborough T. 1 Alfreton T. 2
  • Hinckley U. 3 Worksop T. 1
  • Hucknall T. 1 Harrogate T. 1
  • Moor Green 1 Nuneaton B. 3
  • Redditch U. 0 Worcester C. 4
  • Stafford R. 3 Kettering T. 0
  • Stalybridge C. 2 Lancaster C. 2
  • Vauxhall Motors 1 Droylsden 2

    OLD BOYS

    Ian Craney scored a 25-yarder for Accrington last night whilst Lee Thompson scored twice on Monday for Skelmersdale United against Atherton LR.

    CHESHIRE NEWS

    IC Cheshire reports that "Chester City are to take legal action against Weymouth manager Steve Claridge for remarks he made in a Sunday newspaper article regarding the recent Mark Wright resignation. 'Against our better judgement, we agreed a statement from Mark Wright and his agent on Friday regarding his resignation from the football club, then 48 hours later we see an article in a newspaper that totally contradicts the truth, and also bears no resemblance to the agreed statement', fumed City director Dave Burford... We now feel that we must issue our own statement and instead of tip-toeing around the subject, we intend to reveal all the incidents that occurred over the past 12 months and led up to the eventual resignation on August 6'... The article appeared in the Non-League Paper and Mr Burford stated that the club would also be issuing proceedings against the weekly newspaper as well. City chairman Stephen Vaughan is still considering his position as owner of the Coca-Cola League Two club following booing and chanting from a small section of supporters during last Saturday's match against Mansfield Town".

    CONF. NORTH NEWS

    The Conference site reports that "Alfreton Town manager David Lloyd has added new signing Ben Chapman to his squad for the club's first away game of the campaign... Chapman was signed from Boston United just 20 minutes too late to appear in last Saturday's 2-1 home win over Bradford (Park Avenue) but is expected to make his debut at the Northolme".

    Transfers:

  • Paul Fewings (Kettering T. to Cambridge C.)
  • Michael Frew (Yaxley to Nuneaton B.)
  • Ross Hannah (Gainsborough T. to Stocksbridge PS)
  • Michael McKenzie (Kettering T. to Bedford T.)

    From NL Daily "Nuneaton Borough continued their policy of signing young talent when manager Roger Ashby snapped up highly-rated striker Michael Frew from Eagle Bitter United Counties League side Yaxley just ahead of the new campaign. Ashby has labelled Frew as the new Malcolm Christie... The 19-year-old is an aggressive and speedy front-runner who has been outstanding since joining Yaxley on his release from neighbours Peterborough United".

    The Trinity website now has a report on last Saturday's game against Altrincham.

    BBC North Yorkshire reports that [Harrogate's] John Reed "is refusing to get too carried away this season, despite the weekend's win over Barrow in Conference North. However, Reed admitted that 'the signs are promising'. Barrow boss Lee Turnbull told the NW Evening Mail that his game plan was left in tatters on Saturday when ex-Doncaster Rovers midfielder Jamie Patterson failed to arrive at Wetherby Road, after a tyre on his car blew up as he travelled to the game from Scotland. 'Our game plan was built around Jamie on Saturday... Losing Jamie almost gave them a goal start'".

    Hucknall boss Ernie Moss told This is Nottingham after defeat on Saturday, "Several players never got up to the pace of the game and we never really got started".

    Stalybridge, whom we meet on Saturday, reported that for Tuesday's game there were "doubts about Gregg Pearce, who received a severe knock [on Saturday]... Celtic still have injury woes, with Bowker, Caldecott and Denham all on the physio table, and with the suspension of Calcutt. This leaves the team almost picking itself: Dootson, German, Whealing, Keeling, Pearce, Wharton, Sykes, Parr, Hayward, Eastwood and Monk".


    17 August 2004

    CSC

    Altrincham should know their opponents in the Cheshire Senior Cup after 25th August, which is when Winsford United play Cammell Laird in the preliminary round.

    DATE CHANGE

    Confguide reports that "All fixtures for 30th April will be rescheduled, with that date being used for the play-off semi-finals 1st leg. When the fixtures were first announced, many people expressed concern that there were only two days between the last day of the Conference league season (30th April) and the play-off semi-final 1st legs (2nd May). This would leave no time for advance ticketing, and would leave little time for player recovery. The sensible decision has been made to alter the dates. The games currently scheduled for 30th April will be moved (presumably to a midweek date). The final games will therefore be 23rd April, with play-offs starting a week later (30th). The promotion play-off 2nd legs will be on Wednesday 4th May". Alty are due to travel to Hucknall on 30 April.

    LAST SATURDAY

    This is Lincs reports on Alty's 4-1 win over Gainsborough on Saturday. "It left manager Paul Mitchell feeling disappointed. 'I am upset with the result, but not with the performance'. Mitchell said the game was snatched from their grasp because of a lack of concentration... Mitchell criticised referee Brian Tatton, after he refused to delay the kick-off despite Trinity's late arrival. 'Things were very rushed at the start because I only had 40 minutes to get the lads ready for the game', he explained. 'I asked the referee for an extra 15 minutes but he refused'. When the Blues' teamsheet finally appeared former Northolme favourite Jason Maxwell appeared at number 10. His contract at Bradford Park Avenue expired at the end of last season and he has spent the past week training with the Blues".

    CHESHIRE NEWS

    "Chester City's immediate future is in doubt, after the club's chairman and owner Stephen Vaughan announced that he was, 'considering his future involvement with the club'. The outburst came after a small section of the club's supporters berated and booed the chairman's son, Stephen Vaughan junior, during Saturday's 3-0 defeat against Mansfield Town". Vaughan said, "I am going to spend the next few days considering my future involvement with the club. That (booing and chanting) was unacceptable". Against Mansfield, Chester's ex-Alty man Kevin "Ellison brought out a good save" reports IC Cheshire.

    ASHTON UNITED 0 ALTRINCHAM 1

    Above: Action from the Ashton game - Gary Scott goes for a header as Alty play in their new yellow kit.

  • Match report here.
  • Alty Line-Up
  • Alty Statistics
    16 August 2004

    ALTRINCHAM 4 GAINSBOROUGH T. 1

    For photos, see below in the news dated 14 August.

    Match report here.

    TONIGHT

    Alty travel to play Ashton United tonight; click the Away Travel link for coach details.

    Ashton lost 1-0 at Nuneaton on Saturday . In The Pink, manager Gerry Quinn said "Alty have, in my view, made some great summer signings and so this is going to be a real test for us". Howard Watts's Through the Years data for today has been added here.

    OLD BOY

    Woodley Sports manager Tony Hancock is "hoping to snap up former Stockport County left-back Paul Robinson [i.e. Robertson]. The 32-year-old ex-Altrincham defender played for the Steelmen in last Tuesday’s friendly against Droylsden, with a view to a permanent move" reports the Stockport Express.

    CONF. NORTH NEWS

    NL Daily confirms that "Matlock Town's leading scorer for the past two seasons has followed his old boss Ernie Moss to Hucknall Town... Matlock Chief Executive Keith Brown [said] 'It’s now up to Matlock and Hucknall to agree the financial details, else the matter will go before a tribunal'... Town's joint player-managers Phil Brown and Gareth Williams had prepared for Holland's departure by snapping up the experienced [ex-Robin] Leroy Chambers from Droylsden".

    Worksop Town boss "Ronnie Glavin has signed three more players this week with defenders Brian O'Callaghan and former Frickley player Antony Jackson putting pen to paper. Glavin has also snapped up Chris Davies from Hucknall Town" and also "A goal just 12 seconds into the second half by Tigers striker Gary Townsend, ensured the points were shared with their visitors Stalybridge Celtic in this opening day of Nationwide Conference North. In a tale of two halves which saw Celtic take a 1-0 lead in the 16th minute when Nathan Wharton converted a left wing cross from close range, the visitors enjoyed the majority of play in the first period, but the Tigers were in charge in the second half and at the end of the day both Ronnie Glavin and his counterpart Dave Miller must have been satisfied with a share of the spoils in this opening fixture. "

    Nuneaton Borough had an unusual initiative on Saturday. Their "Supporters' Club invited ALL fans to a post-match hot meal with the players, manager and staff following the first home game of the season against Ashton United on Saturday August 14th. Select your meal when you buy your ticket from either fish and chips, chicken and chips etc... Tickets are just £5 for Adults".

    Worksop Town "are pleased to announce that both Ryan Davis and former skipper Linden Whitehead have been taken off the transfer list".

    STAR

    STAR's Jacqui Forster reports that one of the winner's of the NLP season ticket competition was Peter Crawford, an Alty fan. "I am really pleased to have been the first name out of the hat for Alty... All we want now is Alty to get off to a great start with a win", he told Jacqui.

    STAR's half-time buckets raised £72.74, for which the club sincerely thanks collectors and contributors alike. STAR's new Nationwide North t-shirts are available at just £6.50 from their website.

    OUT NOW

    As well as the Sky Sports ("Rothmans") Football Yearbook which has now been published for 2004-05, in the bookshops is the Cherry Red Non-League Newsdesk Annual 2004. "The Annual carries exhaustive statistical details from 2003-04, and new season directories for some 50 leagues including the top Welsh competitions, and tables from many other leagues. In all around 400 tables are included and over 5,000 teams are covered. All these teams are fully indexed. Also listed are round-by-round results and attendances of all FA Cup, Trophy and Vase ties, the latest amendments to the Laws of the Game and the results of all county senior, and many regional, cup competitions. All this gen is crammed into a handily sized 256 page A5 book, priced just £7.95".
    FOR EARLIER NEWS, CLICK HERE