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3 to 7 May 2005 |
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3 to 7 May 2005 |
Kettering Today quotes Kevin Wilson as saying, "When you get a day like this everyone should enjoy it. That will be my message to the players. They should savour this because it doesn't happen very often. Obviously we want to win and go on another step further but it will be a tough match against good opponents. We are all in this together and that includes the fans. Their support could be vital to us tomorrow. If you don't have butterflies in your stomach before a game like this then I don't think you can be human. There are bound to be nerves but that is natural. All I want is for our players to go out there and give it everything they have got".
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Carole Nash Insurance, one of Altrincham's most successful businesses and a leading national company in motorcycle and car insurance, has generously doubled its existing sponsorship of Altrincham FC. The company logo will appear on the back of Alty's home and away strip next season, as well as on the shorts. The main stand (above) at Moss Lane has been known as the Carole Nash Stand for many years and this will continue to be the case. To visit the company website, please click on the company logo above. So, if you need insurance, you know where to go! The club would like to thank Carole very much for her sustained support.
Moor Green's ground has reportedly suffered a third arson attack which affected the turnstiles adjoining the carpark. The surrounding fencing has also been damaged.
Nuneaton Borough "have retained the registrations of Rob Oddy, Matt Collins, Mark Noon and Michael Frew. Manager Roger Ashby said, "They are the nucleus of the side here". All came to the club after being released by League clubs.
Harrogate Today says that manager Neil Aspin, "expects a big overhaul in his playing staff... and, with a string of Town favourites now out of contract, Aspin was expected to discuss their futures during showdown talks this week... And with some Wetherby Road players already understood to have been approached by rival clubs, Aspin is in no mood to be held to ransom by his troops. 'I don’t want players here who aren’t totally committed to the cause. I’d rather work with players who have less of a profile but who are willing to work hard and learn... I won’t go for no-expense-spared signings for short-term glory. ... It might well be a case of... getting lads in on year-loans, things like that'".
Above Chris Adams is seen in action at Nuneaton in Tuesday, courtesy of Gavin Rathbone's camera. See Gavin's website for more pictures in his Events section.
Tonight's MEN says that "Gary Talbot (right) is winning his battle to be fit" for tomorrow's game at Kettering. "Skipper Eddie Hussin, keeper Stuart Coburn and right-back Steve Aspinall are each also fighting to shake off knocks, but [Graham] Heathcote is optimistic all three will be fit to start". Manager Heathcote added "It's one down and hopefully two to go [in the play-offs] but anything can happen in these games and, despite the fact Kettering finished 12 points behind Nuneaton, it will be no less easy for us tomorrow than it was on Tuesday".
In today's NLP, Graham Heathcote says of the Kettering game, "This is just like every other game we have played this season. There was presure on each of the 42 league games and the Nuneaton match and this one will be no different". Kevin Wilson stated, "Altrincham are a very good side. We've had a couple of tight games with them already this season. Graham Heathcote always has his teams organised. We know a lot about them but it's what we do, not Altrincham...Colin Little is an excellent player and isn't long out of League football. Give him half a chance and he will score... Altrincham showed a lot of desire and commitment to go to Nuneaton and win but we will be ready for them".
NL Daily reports that "Worcester City's veteran captain Carl Heeley is leaving the club. Heeley, 35, who has spent eleven seasons at St George’s Lane... has failed to agree the new terms offered to him by City boss Andy Preece... Preece has released player-coach John Snape and Dan Parker... Former England semi-professional international Christian Moore, who has been plagued by injury since joining City last summer from Burton Albion, has been placed on the transfer list".
At Lancaster City, "boss Phil Wilson sat down with talismanic top scorer Ryan-Zico Black to talk new terms. And now the manager can start forward planning after the 23-year-old put pen-to-paper on a two-year deal to stay at the Giant Axe... One player who may not be around next season, however, is strike partner Peter Thomson" states This is the Lake District. Wilson added, "I know I need to bring more players in because we have not been strong enough this season... I do not set my stall out to finish fourteenth. I want us to do better next season... I think that I need four or five new faces just to freshen things up a bit". The report adds, that Wilson "may also lose winger Neil Prince to long-time admirers Northwich Victoria. But the manager laughed off suggestions winger Tony Sullivan has retired... Wilson says: 'Tony will be back'".
Lancaster City have their centenary season in 2005-06. After a charity game against an Emmerdale XI, the Dolly Blues include Preston NE and Blackpool in their pre-season friendlies' programme.
On Kettering Today Poppies' boss Kevin Wilson said: "Altrincham are a good side who will make it very hard for us. But we are at home and we have an opportunity to get into the North and South play-off final. They will come and try and hit us on the break here but as long as we concentrate then we will be in with a chance". Against Droylsden, Kettering sprang "a couple of surprises with centre-half Rob Gould given a role up front while fellow defender Craig McIlwain played in midfield". The manager said, "Our supporters may have been a bit surprised by the team selection but I had to put a big and strong side out there... As a defensive unit we were excellent".
Kettering Town report that for Saturday's game against Altrincham "Admission for this match will be 'All Pay' as the gate receipts will be divided between the three parties in question... Kettering Town, Altrincham and The Football Conference". The club website also has a match report on the semi-final win over Droylsden for which "Over 400 Kettering supporters made the long trip North and were soon in good voice". Their team was: Mark Osborn, Wayne Diuk, Martin Matthews, Luke Graham, Brett Solkhon, Derek Brown (capt), Ollie Burgess, Craig McIlwain, Rob Gould, Chris Difante, Jamie Gould. Subs: Scott McCafferty, Jonathan Bewers, Stephan Morley, Scott Cross, Mark Danks.
Above: Rod Thornley drives home Alty's goal.
Above: Stuart Coburn saves Reeves's penalty.
As well as these excellent photos from Nuneaton, Gavin Rathbone has more than 100 other images from the game on his new website which is well worth a visit. On the site, there is also an Alty on-line shop for buying photos.
There are also photos of the game by Kipax.
IC Coventry has a match report on the Nuneaton v Alty game wher "The gates closed for the last time on the club's home since 1937 after battling Boro lost out to Altrincham on penalties... A despondent [manager Roger] Ashby said: 'The fans were terrific. Manor Park has come alive in the last couple of games. We've had two really good gates and it's possibly a fitting end in one way as the atmosphere was tremendous and there was an awful lot of passion around. We were a bit unfortunate not to make the next play-off game, especially when you finish 12 points clear of Altrincham in the league and they go through... The first half is where we lost it. We were uptight, nervous and didn't play in certain areas whereas they were sharp and decisive... Terry got the equaliser in injury time and we thought we would go on to win. But it didn't quite happen".
Barrow boss "Lee Turnbull [has] agreed to the release of striker Neil Campbell following 2 seasons at Holker Street".
NL Daily reports that "Former Premiership star Mitch Ward is the highest profile player of several released by Nationwide North club Alfreton Town this week as the Reds begin a rebuilding campaign for next season. Ex-Evertonian Ward is joined on the outgoing side by another vastly experienced former Football League player Carl Bradshaw. Nick Heinemann, who was on loan, is also through the exit door, as are out of contract Grant Brown, Mark Sale, Emeka Nwadike, Gav Saxby, Ben Chapman and John Knapper". Chairman Wayne Bradley said "The club hasn’t necessarily ruled out new deals for all the released players whose contracts expire this weekend, but any new deals will have to be sanctioned by the new manager once appointed". Also, "Chris Dolby is the only player contracted until the end of May 2006, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if he moves on during the closed season. Retained are Chris Bettney, Mark Blount, Matt Fisher, Mick Godber, Mark Hume and Stephen Woolley while 29-goal striker Peter Duffield has agreed a new one-year deal... The board are also hopeful of agreeing new deals with goalkeeper Lee Butler and Ian Robinson... both Richard Cooper and Luke Foster are considering new deals put to them". Bradley said, "Next season we will have to be as lean as our gates dictate, and we will have to look at a trimmer squad of probably no more than eighteen".
Hyde United report that "At a FA Appeal Hearing today, the FA upheld the appeals made by Hyde United and Workington. They ruled that the Unibond League were incorrect to expunge the record of Spennymoor United. They awarded three points to all clubs having unplayed games with Spennymoor with the effect that Hyde United are crowned champions and Prescot Cables replace Burscough in the play-offs. It should be noted we only appealed against the expungment and that the award of points was purely an FA decision based on the facts before them... The decision is final and binding on all parties". So, Hyde are in Nationwide North next season.
Revised Final Positions:
 ABOVE: After the game, Jonathan Mitten and Mark Maddox leave the pitch. RIGHT: Colin Little heads for the dressing rooms. |
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Match Report Here
Nationwide North Regional semi-finals:
Monday 2 May, 3pm
Tuesday 3 May, 7.45pm
Nationwide South Regional semi-finals
Tuesday 3 May, 7.45pm
Graham Heathcote and Dalton Steele, as well as players Eddie Hussin (right) and Chris Adams, were amongst a bumper crowd at The Butcher's Arms yesterday for the Droylsden v Kettering play-off. Eddie, the Alty captain, is expected to be in the squad tomorrow after recent injury.
If you want to use the STAR supporters' coaches travelling to Nuneaton tomorrow evening, please contact the club as soon as possible on 928-1045. Alty's last visit to the Manor Ground was an exciting goalless draw and when the sides met at Moss Lane, this season, Alty were the 1-0 winners. However, Nuneaton are the form side with nine straight wins, though Alty themselves have only lost once in the last eight matches - in the last game at Hucknall. Over the years, Alty have played 9 league games at Nuneaton and only won once, but have also drawn four and lost four. In those 9 games they have scored only 6 goals! But history counts for nothing tonight and as the underdogs, Altrincham have nothing to lose and they will be looking to emulate Kettering's win yesterday over higher-placed Droylsden. If Alty win tonight they will be away to Kettering on Saturday (3pm) but if Nuneaton win, they will be at home to The Poppies.
Nuneaton Borough say that "Saturday`s game attracted the club and the league's biggest gate of the season and - despite the unsavoury incidents in town before kick-off - inside the ground, there was an excellent atmosphere created by both Nuneaton and Kettering Town supporters. Altrincham are being welcomed with open arms by the club [tonight]". After their highest gate of the season last Saturday, manager Roger Ashby said "The atmosphere inside the ground was electric and the players have told me what a great crowd it was to play in front of... The way the Cock and Bear sang their hearts out in the second half was amazing - let`s hope for more of the same [tonight]!"
NL Daily reports that "Dean Thomas, manager of Hinckley United, has targeted the play-offs as a 'minimum requirement' next season... Their season has fizzled out disappointingly and Thomas is desperate not to let the same happen again in 2005/06. "I want us to push on and take this club forward. We need to get ourselves into the play-offs at least and then, over the next two or three years, look to get out of this division".
