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News Archive

18th February 2006
Review Of The Week

Premier Division leaders North Ferriby United maintained their three point advantage when they were the day's only away winners in the top tier but second place Frickley Athletic also won with just one goal being enough to overcome Runcorn FC Halton who drop in to the bottom three as a result of their defeat. Marine had moved briefly in to second with a midweek win over Farsley Celtic but were held to a home goalless draw at the weekend by Wakefield-Emley to fall back again to third despite extending their unbeaten run to 21. It wasn't a good week for Farsley who picked up just one point from two games when held at home on Saturday by Ilkeston Town and they lost fourth spot to Blyth Spartans who won at bottom club Leek Town in midweek only draw at home on Saturday with AFC Telford United for whom it was a first point on their travels in seven games. Telford's point moves them out of the bottom three as a result and elsewhere down amongst the strugglers Ossett Town won their massive "six-pointer" against next to bottom Radcliffe Borough whilst Leek Town are now more than a year without picking up all three points at home after being held by Gateshead. A stoppage time goal ended a run of seven successive defeats for Bradford Park Avenue in a 3-3 thriller at Whitby Town.

Both the First Division's top two Mossley and Kendal Town had 1-0 wins to consolidate their positions and they meet in an intriguing encounter on Tuesday evening. Fleetwood Town's victory at Gresley Rovers moved them above Bridlington Town who crashed 5-0 at the resurgent Rossendale United whilst Stocksbridge PS and Colwyn Bay also lost ground on the leaders. The "Steels" were held at Chorley but the Welsh club fared even worse at home to Belper Town and suffered their fourth game without a point. Woodley Sports though, with their games in hand and current form, are a danger to all after their fourth win on the bounce. Bottom club Bishop Auckland made it three games without defeat when holding Bamber Bridge but are still fourteen points adrift of safety despite the four clubs immediately above them all losing.

Sampson Leaves Borough For Marines

Radcliffe Borough's difficult season took another downward step this week when 24 year old former Manchester United trainee Gary Sampson announced that today's game at Ossett Town was to be his last for the club as he has been accepted to join the Royal Marines. Veteran Physio Roy Davies, who himself is leaving Borough at the end of the season to retire to Portugal, commented: "I know we haven't been getting the results but to join the Marines is taking it a bit far".

League Cup Semi-Final Draws

Whilst the Quarter-Final draws of all three UniBond League cup competitions were extremely unkind to First Division clubs with seven of the eight lower tier clubs pitted against Premier Division clubs drawn away the same could not be said for the three First Division survivors all of whom are drawn at home in the semi-finals.

In the League's premier knock out competition, the Challenge Cup, both the previous winners still left in the last four were drawn apart. Runcorn FC Halton, who enjoyed back to back wins in 1980 and 81, will travel to Farsley Celtic whilst Marine, who have appeared in five finals, winning three, will visit the sole surviving First Division side Stocksbridge PS.

The draw for the President's Cup threw up a nice Derbyshire "derby" with last season's League Challenge Cup winners Matlock Town playing host to Ilkeston Town. First Division Brigg Town, meanwhile, will receive Bradford Park Avenue in the other tie.

The Chairman's Cup semi-final produced a home draw for last season's beaten finalists Woodley Sports who will take on Ossett Town whilst two of the Premier Division's top sides meet in the other game when Frickley Athletic are at home to Blyth Spartans. All ties to be played to a conclusion on Saturday, 11th March when the League Cup semi-finalists will be playing for a minimum of £1,000 for reaching the Final whilst winning the trophy will pocket them a nice £3,000. The President's Cup semi-final winners will be at least £500 better off and possibly £1500 should they go on to win the competition whilst reaching the Chairman's Cup Final will be worth a minimum £250 with £750 going to the winners.

League Challenge Cup
Farsley Celtic v Runcorn FC Halton
Stocksbridge PS v Marine
President's Cup
Brigg Town v Bradford Park Ave
Matlock Town v Ilkeston Town
Chairman's Cup
Frickley Athletic v Blyth Spartans
Woodley Sports v Ossett Town

Pounds For Points

In addition to the increased prize money for the winners and runners-up in the cup competitions clubs are very definitely also playing for big cash rewards in the league with extra money on offer right the way down to 14th place in both Divisions this season.

The Premier Division champions will take home £4,500, Runners Up £3,500, 3rd place £3,000, 4th £2,600, 5th place £2,400, 6th place £2,200, 7th place £2,000, and 8th place £1,800. Clubs finishing 9th to 14th will each receive £1,500 and the bottom eight clubs £1,250.

The First Division champions receive £2,250, Runners-up £1,750, 3rd place £1,500, 4th place £1,300, 5th place £1,200, 6th place £1,100, 7th place £1,000, and 8th place £900. Clubs finishing 9th to 14th will receive £750 and the bottom eight £625.

So as well as battling for the title, a play-off place or to escape relegation every point gained between now and the end of the campaign could be worth a lot of cash come the last Saturday in April - a point that Club Chairmen will no doubt be hammering home to managers of mid-table sides in particular over the next couple of months!

Telford Appoint Smith

AFC Telford United have appointed the Willenhall Town management team of Rob Smith and Larry Chambers to their vacant managerial position following the recent departure of Northern Ireland international Bernard McNally.

Smith had been in charge at Willenhall since 2001 and led them to the UniBond League First Division play-offs last season immediately after the West Midlands club had gained promotion from the Midland Football Alliance. Prior to managing Willenhall, Smith had twice achieved top six places in the Dr Martens Western Division with Redditch United. At both clubs Smith had Chambers by his side. As players Smith played eight years with Redditch as well as appearing for Halesowen Town, Tamworth and Stafford Rangers whilst Chambers was part of Sutton Coldfield Town's team that faced Bolton Wanderers in the 1st Round Proper of the FA Cup in addition to appearing for Dudley Town and Bilston.

The duo quickly returned to Willenhall to make Gary Hay and Inderpaul Khela their first signings for Telford.

Spalding Appoint Hubbard

Spalding United have named Phil Hubbard as their new manager following Alan Biley's recent departure to Kettering Town. Hubbard, a new face to the UniBond League scene, made around five hundred appearances in the Football League for Grimsby Town, Lincoln City and Norwich City with one of his two spells at Lincoln being under former England manager Graham Taylor. He has had experience as Assistant Manager with Boston United but most recently has been managing Central Midlands League outfit Nettleham.

Prize Winner Donates Prize To Cables's Players

Prescot Cables fan Phil Blundell, who recently won the star prize of a week's holiday accommodation in Majorca in a fund raising raffle held by the club, has donated his win straight back to the club for one of the players or management team. But not only has Phil donated the prize back he has also offered to pay for the flights as well!

Manager Andy Gray said "It is a measure of what people will do for this club. We are stunned by his generosity. The supporters who are now running the club are doing a magnificent job and Prescot Cables really is a community club". The Mayor of Knowsley (in which Prescot is situated) Councillor Jim Knight OBE attended today's game against Premier Division title chasers North Ferriby United to draw out the lucky player's name with Phil Blundell making the presentation to Lee Smith who must be pleased he switched to the Cables from Warrington in October.

The management team of USA University Rio Grande were at Prescot Cables last weekend seeking new talent for their very successful team that finished top of the USA University's ranking lists last season with twenty wins and just one defeat. Last season Cables manager Andy Gray had recommended a young player, Paul Nicholson, to them after forming a connection with the Rio Grande management team of Scott Morrissey and Tony Daniels through the annual Dallas Cup competition to which the Borough of Knowsley always send a side. Suitably impressed with Nicholson the Rio Grande bosses wanted to run the rule over Cables' young side for more additions and indicated they had identified a number of possible targets without revealing the names of the players concerned.

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Lincoln Pre-match News

At home to:
Willenhall Town (UniBond President's Cup 2nd Round)

Tuesday 14th October, 7.45pm

View previous encounters with Willenhall Town