CURRENT SEASON'S ARCHIVE page |
13 to 17 December, 2004
|
13 to 17 December, 2004 |
Jo Ryan of STAR advises that some 180 STAR calendars have been sold so
far.
SAM is running a vote on the respective merits of the STAR/Altrincham FC
and the Sale Sharks' calendars; so vote now on their website! Steve Lunt has also
done an interview for Talksport, which had picked up the story from the
article in the Daily Star this week. You can order your copy of the
calendar on the STAR site.
And "Ashton United chairman Tony Ryan said: "It would be fair to say he (Phil Wilson) is our number one choice but that does not mean he's coming to Ashton United. The deadline for applications is the New Year; we are looking for someone with experience at senior non-league level and a proven track record". Mr Ryan confirmed that the "proposed name change to Ashton Tameside United appears likely to go ahead next year. The change is dependent though on an agreement with Tameside Council to extend the club's current 20-year lease on Hurst Cross". Mr Ryan added, "We have a five-year plan to bring Hurst Cross up to Conference standard".
This is Redditch says that "United have brought in Walsall reserves' keeper Dean Coleman as cover for the injured Richard Anstiss... [who] has fractured his hand. Reds' reserve keeper Paul Maynard [played]... on Saturday but boss Rod Brown said it was too much to ask of the youngster to play the next two or three games on the trot".
"Jimmy Mullen, manager of Bromsgrove Rovers, "praised defender Matt Gardiner, who is on loan from neighbours Redditch United. Gardiner, who has only just recovered from broken ribs and a punctured lung, has been sent to Bromsgrove by United boss Rod Brown to get some much-needed games under his belt" reports This is Worcs.
Bad news for Barrow is that recently signed striker Glen Murray from Workington (played 9, scored 9) has signed for Carlisle United. Meanwhile, the NW Evening Mail reports that Barrow "Striker Gavin Knight is set to be recalled from his loan spell, despite failing to rediscover his goalscoring touch. The 24-year-old has been out on-loan for nearly two months after struggling for form... Yet spells at Brigg Town and Bridlington Town have failed to help Knight find the form which saw him finish the Bluebirds deadliest marksman last season with 20 goals... He looks set to rejoin AFC for the festive double-header against arch rivals Lancaster City. With striker Neil Campbell struggling to shake off a back injury, manager Lee Turnbull faced going into the busy Christmas period with just two available strikers, Glenn Murray and Mike Kewley" - but Murray has now gone.
Stalybridge Celtic have given 13 primary schools in the area free tickets for Saturdays' game to help boost attendances at the Bower Fold.
IC Cheshire says that "Danny Byrne, who played for Runcorn in their last home match, will line up against them at Halton Stadium this Saturday. The livewire striker has been recalled by Droylsden, the Linnets' last Nationwide North visitors of 2004. But, ironically, Carl Furlong, who faced Runcorn when the clubs last met in September, is in the reckoning to fill the void left by Byrne's departure after a month's loan. Ex-Altrincham striker Furlong was registered by Chris Lightfoot four days before the former manager was sacked in October, but he hasn't featured in any of the 13 games the Linnets have had since. A hamstring injury the player had picked up before joining Runcorn for a second time, after a spell in their Conference days, proved more serious than first thought. However, Furlong has now declared himself ready to return to action. 'We will have a look at Carl in training and see how fit he is,' said Alvin McDonald... Byrne has been summoned back to Droylsden because Lutel James... has broken a bone in his foot... McDonald's side have lost their last four league games... 'We need a win desperately to turn it around'",the boss added. "Former boss Chris Lightfoot has signed for Marine as a player".
This is WCFC says that "Worcester City's stand-in goalkeeper James Coates admits he is devastated after failing to earn a contract at Boston United. The talented 19-year-old had been training with the Pilgrims and played five reserve games... But... Coates has left York Street after being told by the club's management that he lacked Football League experience. It is the second time Coates has suffered rejection from a professional club this year, having been released by Mansfield Town earlier this summer". Manchester-born Coates played against Altrincham for City earlier this season.
Move: Chris O'Brien (Vauxhall M. to Colwyn Bay)
Match report in the Reserves' section.
IC Southport quotes Watson as well; "We are going to be a hard nut to crack if we are in the same position at the start of 2005, I am very confident we have the squad to win the Nationwide North title... It was great to see Neil Robinson back to his best. Dominic Morley and Kevin Lynch bossed the midfield. Hope-fully Carl Baker and Kevin Leadbetter can kick on from that performance because on the right and left they contributed the way I want. Earl Davis and Farrell Kilbane were 'Steady Eddies' at the back and we still have Neil Fitzhenry to come back. Both full-backs, Alex Mortimer and Steve Pickford, did their jobs".
Kettering Today says that "Town manager Kevin Wilson... needs to bring in a goalkeeper before this weekend's big Nationwide North clash with Worskop [as] Gary Hateley is suspended... But Wilson is also keen bolster his attack by signing a striker – possibly on a month's loan – as top-scorer Darren Lynch continues to sit out because of injury. Wilson said: "Jonathan Rowan and Chris Difante are the only out-and-out strikers available to me at the moment. Danny Haywood is moving to America so it leaves us a bit short up front".
This is Lincs reports that "A young and inexperienced Gainsborough Trinity side lost 4-1 at Worksop last night in the second round of the National Conference Cup... Trinity manager Paul Mitchell, watching from the stands, not only gave several young players a chance but also handed the running of the side over to reserve team manager Tommy Bannon". Trinity fielded "three brothers; Anthony, Mark and Carl La Rocca, from Gainsborough".
"Runcorn FC Halton's goalkeeper Tony McMillan is to be reported to the FA after allegedly spitting at a Worcester City supporter" says This is Worcs.
Phil Wilson, manager of Lancaster City, has reportedly turned down an approach from Ashton United. Although Ashton United's board has voted to rename the club Ashton Tameside United, this is dependant on the Council renewing the lease on Hurst Cross.
Leeds Today states that "A deal to bring Danny Holland from Hucknall Town permanently to Wetherby Road, [Harrogate], is imminent". Manager John Reed said "Hopefully, it will all be signed and sealed this week... Holland, who is currently on loan, has scored 8 goals in his last 4 matches" - including one against Alty last week. Meanwhile manager "John Reed has been fined £75 by the FA and warned as to future conduct... following the match at Redditch" reports the Harrogate Town website, which says that Alfreton Town manager David Lloyd has also "recently been charged with using abusive and/or insulting words to a match official. He has received a 2 match touchline ban... and a £100 fine".
This is Nottingham quotes Hucknall chairman Brian Holmes - "We still have problems with the ground. The Football Foundation has only just responded to an application for funding to improve things at Watnall Road. We'd be in a difficult position if we did enough to go up. We could have gone up the season before last but the rules changed and we couldn't go up last season. I wouldn't be surprised if the rules change again".
From Kettering Today comes Town manager Kevin Wilson's views on Drew Roberts's move to Aylesbury United. "The fact that I heard about it from somebody else was a shame... It is a disappointing that he has decided to drop down a level and I don't believe the theory that the fans getting on his back was a reason why he left. In all honesty I don't have any interest in any player who doesn't want to play for Kettering". And the Kettering website reports that Birmingham City have taken 17-year-old left-back Stephan Morley on a week's trial.
Preston Today has more on Harry McNally, whose death was reported here yesterday. Harry was chief scout at Altrincham many years ago. It quotes him as saying, "I could have been a seriously rich man, but who wants to die in a coffin full of 10 pound notes?" McNally became manager of Wigan Athletic and Chester City. Anecdotes include a Chester Christmas party "when Harry's No 9 Keith Bertschin led the celebrations... Harry recalled: 'The last thing I could remember before I blacked out was Keith Bertschin launching himself over the bar, shouting 'this is how I scored the winner against Liverpool!'".
Tuesday 14th
Saturday 18th
Gary Scott, Peter Band, Steve Lunt, Barry Shuttleworth and Chris Adams all
feature in yesterday's Daily Star newspaper in a half-page about the STAR
calendar.
STAR has negotiated a price with the BBC for a licence to sell a limited edition Alty highlights DVD including many of Alty’s greatest TV moments. The DVD will include footage of goals from Jackie Swindells, famous goals from John Hughes at Everton, Jeff Johnson at Spurs, the goals from the defeat at Spurs, including that disallowed goal, beating Macclesfield 3-0 in the FA Cup, the 4-1 win at Lancaster, the wins over Chester and Lincoln, the 2-1 victory at Birmingham, the fourth round appearance at York, the victories over Scunthorpe and Wigan, a Football Focus Liverpool match feature, Runcorn FA Trophy final footage, victory over Barnet in 90/91, plenty of interviews with players and managers and, much, much more. Because we have to be sure of selling a certain number of DVDs to break even, ordering at this stage is by pre-registering for a copy. We will only go ahead and produce the DVD if we achieve sufficient pre-registrations to breakeven. If you pre-register now you are guaranteed to receive a copy if we go ahead and produce the DVD. So please get your orders in now. DVDs will be priced at £18 each, and we would expect to have them available around April. This is a strictly limited edition and we are only licensed to sell a small number of copies. No money is required at this stage. In the event of over-subscription, it will be first come, first served so please email Jon Stack with your name, address and phone number and the number of copies of the DVD you require (max 3 per person at this stage)".
Brian Flynn has an interview with Gary Talbot on Clubcall currently
(details, right).
As well as Northwich Vics, Stafford Rangers are reported by NL Daily to be interested in signing Hucknall's Gary Ricketts. "Clubs were alerted to Ricketts’s possible availability last week when Hucknall were forced to trim their wage budget".
But it has been a season of contrasts so far; we have gleaned 21 points from 10 home matches and just 10 points from 11 away games. And, after taking 21 points from our first 11 games, we have taken only 10 from the last 10 matches as injuries have bitten into the already thin numbers in the Altrincham squad.
A very pleasing aspect of the season is that we have scored in every game except two in the league this season and are the division's joint second-highest goalscorers after Droylsden with 34 goals. Defensively we are the sixth best team and have kept 6 clean sheets in the league. First team home league attendances at Moss Lane this season currently average 626 compared with 584 at the end of last season - a 7% rise. (Terry Rowley's updated crowd statistics are here).
Individually, Colin Little and Colin Potts are our leading scorers in the league with 7 each, but Colin L. also has 9 cup goals as well compared with Colin P.'s one. Marcus Hallows has also been impressive with 5 league and 7 cup goals from a total of 17 starts and 8 sub appearances.
Alty have named 32 players in league and cup games this season but only 25 have got onto the pitch in a league game. All in all, Graham Heathcote can be very satisfied with his team's performance especially given the absence of any transfer kitty, the loss of two team captains since the summer (Ian Craney and Peter Band) and the injury problems. It has also been pleasing to see the newly re-formed Reserves, under Neil Brown, developing young players who have made the first-team squad this season (Adam Brindle, Lewis Chalmers, George Melling, Joey Roberts, Paul Tilley and Matt Tooth), some of whom had previously graduated from George Heslop and Neil Thomason's youth set-up. The second eleven has also helped to rehabilitate injured players such as Rod Thornley and Sean Smith, whilst also nurturing Val Owen back to football action after a lay-off.
The youth team, too, has seen an improvement in form recently after a shaky start and has now hit 34 goals in its last 6 league games and progressed to the NWYA Premier Cup semi-finals.
Match report here.
The Harrogate Town website also has a report on yesterday's game.
Former Alty winger Michael Reynolds has had his loan from Worksop Town to Belper Town made permanent. Former Alty Youth and Reserves' keeper Dale Newbrook has joined Padiham, leaders of NW Counties Two whilst winger Jamie Phoenix was a used sub for Stafford Rangers on Saturday.
Other moves:
In a bid to boost their gates, Harrogate Town printed a voucher in Saturday's programme granting free admission "to the first 3,500 through the gates" for their home match with Stafford Rangers on 15 January.
Hucknall chairman Brian Holmes has written on the club Forum that "The club has an open policy with its players and agreements to advise if any offers or approaches are received from clubs in the Conference or Football League. This agreement is one reason that players like Danny Bacon agree to sign and that trust is maintained between the club and its players. With regard to Danny Mayman... Discussions were held with Danny when it was clear he would need an operation and he was not prepared to re-sign for next season... In those circumstances and with the knowledge that clubs were interested at this time, rather than let the matter drift, it was decided to let him go [to Northwich]. With regard to Gary Ricketts; we have had several clubs interested in obtaining Gary’s services and the matter has been discussed with Gary... No offers or deals are currently in the club's interest or Gary’s and... we agreed to let matters rest and for Gary to continue as a Hucknall player. On the question of Danny Holland [who scored against Alty on Saturday]; we are at present in discussions with Harrogate and it is likely that a permanent transfer will be concluded". Mr Holmes adds that Town's ground improvement application will be considered by the Football Foundation next March. "During recent discussions it was clear that no urgency or system was in place for clubs who may be considered for promotion and therefore what will happen at the end of this season is now a matter of concern... Unless all the clubs in promotion contention for the play-offs have the grade then the issue will be very difficult especially for a club like ours whose capacity is the real issue".
Copyright: ©
Compiled by John Laidlar