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5 to 18 June 2005 |
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5 to 18 June 2005 |
Reserves' manager Neil Brown (left) is currently busy assessing players for next season - as well as labouring hard under a hot sun in his role as groundsman to get the Moss Lane pitch in good condition for next season.
But a late change to the Lancashire League, in which Alty Reserves play, has been announced this weekend. Vauxhall Motors have resigned from the league but four new teams were expected to be joining (Thackley and Ossett Albion from Yorkshire, as well as Fleetwood and Clitheroe), so there would be 19 teams in the League. The League was therefore expecting to arrange the season with each team playing each other just once with the rest of the season taken up by a cup competition to be played initially on a regional group basis. However, since the AGM, it has emerged that Northwich and Thackley have now withdrawn from the League and that the League has now decided to go back to playing a full league programme of home and away games (i.e. 32 games per team). Also, the season will now start on 6 August. Alty Reserves have arranged a friendly - away at West Didsbury & Chorlton on 13 August (2.30pm) but this is now likely to clash with a league game.
Now that Alty are back in the national division of the Conference, the BBC has a specific page for Altrincham FC. It currently includes an articleby Pete Oliver. "'I knew from the moment we won it we would be in for a difficult time', Graham Heathcote told BBC Sport. 'You only have to look at the last couple of years to see that part-time clubs have had problems... But we will try and bridge that gap the best we can within the ways of a non-league club, training a few nights a week. We will find out if Altrincham Football Club, in its present situation, is a Conference National side that can compete with 16 full-time clubs in what it is a fourth division. Or is Conference North the level for a part-time non-league team. That's what we will find out, but we won't push the boat out just to survive... We have got a lot of homework to do on the teams we are going to play'". The Alty manager added, "For me personally it means everything and I believe this club is now back at a level it should be operating at". Oliver adds, Heathcote "now wants to attract four-figure gates to watch affordable, entertaining family football. Heathcote has brought former players Peter Band and Steve Hawes back to the club... There will be one or two other additions but Altrincham will stick largely with the squad that battled through to beat Eastbourne in the play-off final. 'One, because of finance, and two, because I believe they have earned the right to have a go', Heathcote added. 'They won't continue to play in the Conference National on sentiment but they deserve a chance to show me they are up to it. I have no fear in terms of the players' attitude to it. Now we have to see if we are good enough and I believe that, initially at least, we will be. I think the spirit that got us up will be a big ingredient this season, especially early doors. I think that will make sure we pick up some points and then there might be a levelling off point. And if there is, we will have to deal with it'".
Fans returning to Moss Lane next season will see a number of changes. Amongst them will be a permanent camera platform on the Popular Side from which the obligatory matchday video will be recorded. This is a requirement of the Conference as video evidence is called upon to assist in judging disciplinary cases.
Another physical change will see the Robins' Shop enlarged by being extended within its existing structure towards the Golf Road End. As well as stocking a wide range of merchandise, it will also provide a base for Gavin Rathbone's photographic sales. The shop will stock a very wide range of Alty replica kits, coats, sweat shirts, etc., manufactured by Prostar and provided to the club by Ian Senior's Sensports. Pictured, right, is the new away kit. More pictures of other Alty merchandise and a full price list will be on the website shortly. All orders should be placed with Jenny Heslop at the club (928-1045) with delivery of orders by Ian's company being very prompt.
Other Senior Cup ties include:
Round 1, w/c 22/8
Round 1, w/c 12/9
Altrincham Football Club are proud to announce the launch of a commemorative triple DVD.
The package includes two discs which depict full match coverage of the play off final (v. Eastbourne Borough) at The Britannia Stadium, Stoke, together with the presentations and post-match celebrations. A further disc relives the highlights of all three play-off games at Nuneaton, Kettering and, finally, Stoke through the eyes of our club photographer Gavin Rathbone of GR Photography, with approximately 400 images.
Price: - £20 + £2.50 p+p (UK). Cheques made payable to Altrincham FC.
Copies of this memorable souvenir can be obtained through the club or via Grahame Rowley by e-mail or by ringing 07720-606-897.
Altrincham FC can confirm that Chris Adams, Colin Potts, Colin Little and Stuart Coburn are amongst the players who have re-signed for next season. Others are away on holiday and will sign in due course. So far two "new" players have signed - both of whom have been at the club previously. They are Steve Hawes from Stocksbridge Park Steels (as previously reported) and Peter Band from Northwich. Peter was with Alty till early last season when he moved to Northwich Victoria.
Less good news is that two Alty players face operations next Tuesday. They are captain Eddie Hussin (left) who is having a cartilage trimmed and right-back/midfielder Steve Aspinall (right) who is have a minor ankle operation. It is hoped that both will be fit for the start of next season.
Wayne Jacobs admitted that the chance to join Halifax Town had come 'completely out of the blue'. The 36-year-old replaced Sean McAuley as assistant to manager Chris Wilder when he signed a twelve-month deal... He left Bradford City after eleven years last month. On his release from the Bantams he set off for the Far East to walk the Great Wall for charity... 'When I left for China everything at Halifax was sorted," he said. "It was only on my return that I got the call from Chris to say that Sean McAuley was leaving... I am here to assist Chris, but it is a dual role. "I will definitely be ready to play when called on'", Jacobs told Halifax Today.
"Goalkeeper Ryan Clarke looks set to spend next season on loan at reprieved Nationwide Conference National club Forest Green Rovers after being told there is no future for him at Bristol Rovers" reports This is Bristol.
More on these stories (and other news) tomorrow...
For the fifth year in succession, The Robins' Review, Altrincham FC's matchday programme has lifted the national Wirral Programme Club's "programme of the year" award for its division. Edited by Grahame and Terry Rowley, and designed and printed by Expressions Offset, the programme incorporates plenty of textual content and colour photos and at just £1.50 knocks many of the over-priced efforts at our level (and above) into a cocked hat. The Wirral awards are apparently ceasing this year so Grahame and Terry will have no chance of a sixth award. Congratulations to all concerned!
Only two clubs will charge less for a standard season ticket than Alty (£170) next season; Crawley (£162) and, commendably, Hereford (£155). (Please remember that you can get £10 off an Alty season ticket if bought before 30 June). The most expensive club is Kidderminster (£242) followed by Aldershot and Halifax (£230) and, surprisingly, Accrington (£220).
But, rather than league position, it is the progression of players from the Reserves to the first-team which gives the management team, which includes assistant manager Carlos Marsden and physio Alan Ainsley, the most pride. Youngsters George Melling and Lewis Chalmers established themselves as regular members of the first-team squad, whilst Val Owen, Kirk Hilton, Paul Tilley, Sean Smith, Matt Tooth, Steve Torpey, Joey Roberts and Adam Brindle all also played for the Reserves before joining the first team squad last season.
Equally importantly, as well as Chalmers and Tooth, a number of present and former Alty Youth players featured to varying degrees for the Reserves last season, including Adam Douthwaite, Sam Fox, Matt Garland, Richard Gresty, Danny Grimshaw, Lee Hendley, Arron Hevingham, Levi Kennedy, Marcus Maddix, Paul Monaghan, Daley O'Neill, Rico Richards and Hassan Zareh-Ourang.
With the first-team's promotion to the Conference National, Reserves' manager Neil Brown has had to adjust his plans for next season as his squad will now have to produce players capable of graduating to the national rather than regional stage. News of the Reserves' plans for 2005-06 will appear on the website in due course.
Despite relegation from the Conference Forest Green Rovers are pressing ahead with going full-time next season says the NL Paper.
The close-season is a busy time at most football clubs as preparations are made for the next season. Above, is a view of the Moss Lane pitch taken yesterday showing work in progress to improve the playing surface.
Both matches are free to holders of 2005-06 season tickets. As a consequence of the Lincoln game, it is likely that the home match against Bangor City scheduled for 29 July will now be moved, probably to either Tuesday 2nd or 9th August. Of course, Alty last met Crewe in the Cheshire Senior Cup final this season, which Alty won. As for Lincoln, Alty met them during the Imps season in the Conference in 1987-88, when the sides drew 0-0 at Moss Lane; Alty lost the game at Sincil Bank 5-0! The sides have also met in the FA Cup, in 1988-89, when Alty knocked the Imps out of the FA Cup in Round 1, 3-2 at Moss Lane in front of 2,196 spectators. John Timmons and Ronnie Ellis (2) were the scorers.
Lincoln have just lost out in the Division Two promotion play-offs, their third unsuccessful play-off campaign in three years. They are managed by Keith Alexander, the former Northwich boss, who has taken numerous non-league players into the League, not least Hyde's Simon Yeo, who has recently announced his emigration to New Zealand so will not be playing against us.
"Skipper Tony James admits he agonised over the prospect of leaving Nationwide Conference National club Hereford United. James, 26, currently the Bulls' longest serving player with almost 250 games to his name, pondered a move away from Edgar Street before finally agreeing to sign a new twelve-month deal. 'But in the end, for the sake of signing another year's contract, I did not feel there was any need to move on. And at the end of the day, I believe we can get promoted"... Tamika Mkandawire, midfielder Rob Purdie and goalkeeper Craig Mawson have also agreed new deals" reports This is Worcs.
The Cambridge News says that "United's fundraising concert planned for July has been called off. The recent announcement of the new Live 8 concerts for the same weekend in early July has hit ticket sales so the club has decided to postpone the event until next year. Pop singer Natasha Bedingfield was due to play at the Abbey Stadium on July 1 as part of the two day Abbey Aid event... The decision to delay the concert until next May will affect the club's transfer budget for next season but the board of directors says it has raised enough money through other activities to ward off the prospect of going bust. CUFC finance director Justyn Medd said: "It might have an impact on the number of players he can sign and the quality of those players".
Scarborough report that ex-Alty "Striker Mark Quayle looks set to sign for Boro for the second time early next week. The 26 year old Liverpool-born striker spent last season at Northwich Victoria".
Tamworth's website says that "Kyle Storer has undergone keyhole surgery on his knee and the damage was not as bad as feared which means that the young midfielder will be resuming preseason training this coming week. Scott Stamps will also start this week - four weeks earlier than most of the 2005-6 squad". Manager Mark Cooper "will be meeting former striker Julian Alsop later this week to discuss a possible return".
This is York says that "Transfer-listed striker Paul Robinson would still like to be a York City player next season. Robinson's availability was circulated to other clubs at the end of last season despite... still having one year of his contract left to run. As yet, he has only received a sniff of interest from prospective new employers... Robinson, who once signed for Wimbledon in a £1.5million deal, added that he is unwilling to languish in City's reserve team."
This is KHFC quotes Kidderminster chairman Colin Youngjohns - "We've sold almost 600 season tickets which is great when you consider the confusion that has surrounded the club... It means that we can offer Stuart Watkiss some form of budget already". Last season, the "Harriers had record season ticket sales of 1,100 and they are on course to challenge that figure".
