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News Archive

25th March 2006
Review Of The Week

It was a bad week for long time Premier Division leaders North Ferriby United who didn't find the net in 180 minutes of action and although they kept a clean sheet in midweek to glean a point against lowly Lincoln United an eighth minute strike by Gary Jensen for Marine in a top of the table clash on Saturday ensured there wasn't to be a repeat goalless draw. The "Mariners" themselves had lost ground on Tuesday when losing to a stoppage time goal at Ilkeston Town in what was only their fourth reverse of the campaign. The other three sides in the shake-up at the top, Frickley Athletic, Blyth Spartans and Farsley Celtic all took full advantage of the slip-ups by the other two and picked up six points. Spartans had Robert Dale to thank as he scored all five goals as his side beat bottom club Radcliffe Borough on Tuesday and Prescot Cables at the weekend. Farsley had two away Yorkshire "derbies" against Wakefield-Emley and Ossett Town and one goal was enough on both occasions but it is Frickley Athletic who sit at the top after ending Leek Town's run of five straight wins. This followed a 2-1 midweek win at home to Guiseley who bounced back to beat Matlock Town on Saturday. The three remaining games all saw sides who have been flirting with relegation ease their worries as AFC Telford United, Ashton United and Ilkeston Town secured home victories. Ashton's 4-0 win over Wakefield-Emley will leave the Yorkshire club looking over their shoulders with some considerable worries as they are dropping quickly towards the relegation zone.

It was a good week for First Division leaders Mossley who increased their lead to seven points with wins over Chorley and Stocksbridge PS whilst nearest challengers Fleetwood Town were suffering a shock on Tuesday losing at home to Kidsgrove Athletic. Fleetwood must also have been panicking a bit on Saturday when bottom club Bishop Auckland pulled back from two down to level terms but Town held their nerve and second place with a late winner. Kendal Town also lost ground on the leaders when they went down at Brigg Town after beating Bamber Bridge in midweek but there is no holding Woodley Sports at the moment and the fourth placed club with their games in hand and current form are a threat to everyone. After a recent disappointing dip in form Gresley Rovers seem to have recovered and scored seven goals in the week to claim six points and move up to fifth with Colwyn Bay hanging on to the final play-off spot after drawing at home to Bamber Bridge. It was a disappointing week for Stocksbridge PS with just one point from their two games and they stay just outside the play-offs. Although Bishop Auckland remain anchored at the bottom the one other relegation place is up for grabs with Warrington Town now having caught Spalding United courtesy of two drawn games in the week. The "Tulips", however, responded with a point of their own against Shepshed Dynamo but have failed to score in their last six league outings and have played five more games than Warrington who look favourites to escape.

Another Manager Goes - But Not Just Yet

Kidsgrove Athletic's joint-managers Anthony Buckle and Darren Twigg along with coach Chris Holmes have notified the club that they will be leaving at the end of the season.

Buckle, a 36 year old builder, and his backroom team are in their second campaign in charge but he said "The job is much more time consuming than I ever envisaged and it is very difficult combining it with running a business. Work is piling up and I am struggling to do both. When we took over our brief was to steady the ship and bring stability to the club. This we have done in addition to winning the Chairman's Cup last season. I don't want to go out of football but I don't want to be the main man and neither Twiggy nor Chris want to carry it on".

Chairman Stan Brown revealed that the club already has replacements lined up saying "I have been talking with the manager about his intentions for a couple of months so have had plenty of time to get things sorted. We have people lined up to replace the current management team and have already reached an agreement with them but we are not yet in a position to make any announcement".

Exodus From Runcorn

Runcorn FC Halton manager Steve Carragher is under no illusions about how hard the remaining weeks of the season are going to be. With the club in a financial crisis it has been necessary to release a number of players with Lee Furlong moving to Vauxhall Motors, Colin Flood to Marine, Shaun Whalley to Witton Albion and Adam Hunter to Prescot Cables. Some reassuring news for Carragher, however, is that 'keeper Robbie Holcroft is set to stay. Carragher is currently busy bolstering his squad with signings from further down the pyramid plus teenager Paul Parle on work experience from Blackpool. Parle is the younger brother of former Runcorn FC Halton player Lee Parle who is now with Marine.

Bridlington Up For Sale

Another club facing financial problems is First Division Bridlington Town and Chairman Peter Smurthwaite, who is battling on all fronts to keep the club afloat even to the extent of taking over the managerial reins with assistance from senior players Wayne Lewis and Shaun Baker following the recent departure of former boss Billy Heath, has confirmed that the club is up for sale.

He said: "I have had four calls from interested parties but only one of them looks as though they may take their interest further. However, I will keep the club going until the end of the season and I am firmly of the opinion that a Supporters Trust would be the way forward even if they had to drop down the pyramid to make it work. I would be prepared to offer the facilities to such a group but I wouldn't want to be involved in any way with the running of the team. If the club ceases to exist it will be a sad day for the local community for where else will local talent such as sixteen year old Andy Wardell who made his debut last week get an opportunity to progress their football careers?"

On their way out from Bridlington this week were skipper Lee Harper and Martin Thacker to Bradford Park Avenue whilst Steve Underwood has signed for Northern Counties East League side Winterton Rangers. Steve Heath has joined Frickley Athletic and others who may well have played their last game for the Seasiders include striker Paul Palmer.

Lincoln Latest To Raffle Shirt Sponsorship

Lincoln United are the latest UniBond League club who are turning in ever increasing numbers to raffling shirt sponsorship. Prior to this season the club netted around £2,000 from the main shirt sponsor but for this campaign the club decided to explore whether they could increase this amount by holding a raffle for local businesses. The experiment proved hugely successful with the money raised trebling to £6,000. Club Chairman Robin Taylor said "The winners were delighted that an investment of just £50 could bring them so much exposure. The club itself has benefited enormously too and we are now launching another raffle at the same price of £50 for next season's shirt sponsorship".

Nine Year Wait Over For Leek

It has been nine long years and very different circumstances but Leek Town's win last Saturday against Bradford Park Avenue was their fifth on the bounce - the first time they had achieved five consecutive league victories since 1996/97 season. Then they won their last five games of the campaign to land the title whilst this time, of course, their wins have helped ease the threat of relegation after a disastrous first half of the season.

Thackwray Steps Up Training

Press Release No.24 carried details of Guiseley midfielder Ben Thackwray's ambition to compete in the 150 mile Sahara Marathon des Sables in April to raise funds for the charity Facing Africa which is devoted to the treatment and prevention of Noma - a horrific disease in which the face is ravaged by gangrene and leaves its victims, mainly children from poverty stricken backgrounds, either dead or very badly disfigured. The race, which attracts hundreds of participants from all over the world, is the charity's main fund-raiser. The race is run over six days in temperatures of up to 120 degrees by day and dropping to below freezing at night with competitors having to carry everything they need for the duration of the race on their backs!

Thackwray, who has taken time out from his football to train for the event, has stepped up his training as the event draws ever closer and recently completed the 54 mile Thames Meander in the top forty from well over a hundred competitors. Anyone wishing to sponsor Ben can do so via Guiseley club official Rachel O'Connor at 0113 2506205.

Another UniBond devotee, Radcliffe Borough Supporter's Club Chairman Graham Evans is also running for charity although his effort at 10k in the Great Manchester Run in May is a sprint compared to Thackwray's exertions! He is raising funds for the Manchester based Medequip4kids and is looking to raise a minimum of £500. Graham can be contacted on 0788 6609484

Guiseley Do FA Proud

Guiseley did the Football Association proud last Sunday when their publicity drive surrounding the staging of the Women's FA Cup semi-final between Leeds United Ladies and Liverpool Ladies at Nethermoor resulted in around 1,200 fans turning out as against 400 for one of last season's semi-finals. Club Chairman Phil Rogerson said "I was very proud of the club and its members who worked so hard to ensure that this occasion was a credit to Guiseley Football Club. We conducted a good publicity campaign for the game and I know for a fact that we impressed our visitors and made a lot of friends at the Football Association at both local and national level".

A Sharpe Revolution At Avenue

New Bradford Park Avenue boss Phil Sharpe hasn't wasted any time whatsoever in ringing the changes since taking over the reins a fortnight ago from former manager Gary Brook. This week has seen the arrival of Martin Thacker and Lee Harper from Bridlington Town along with former schoolboy international Phil Rowland from Hucknall Town, Guiseley's Andy Lee and a well known face on the UniBond League circuit Lutel James.

The latter made his name in the UniBond League at Hyde United earning a move to the Football League at Bury for whom he made his debut at Old Trafford against the mighty Manchester United in a cup tie. A St Kitts & Nevis international, James returned to the UniBond League with Accrington Stanley and was instrumental in their promotion to the Conference in 2002/3 with 33 league goals.

With Jay Sobers from Garforth Town also linking up with Avenue, Sharpe's signings this week took the number of new faces at the Horsfall in a fortnight to nine following the arrival the previous week of Nick Buxton from Stalybridge Celtic, Paul Robinson who like Rowland switched from Hucknall Town and the on loan Neil Ross from Alfreton Town!

Whitby Stalwart Robinson Moves On

Graham Robinson, veteran of almost 400 games for Whitby Town, has left to join Bishop Auckland where he was on an "unofficial" loan as a non-contract player earlier in the season. The 32 year old who suffered a suspected heart attack a few months ago but returned to playing said it was one of the most difficult decisions he had ever had to make but, in the twilight of his career, he wished to play in the highest standard of football possible and further his coaching ambitions. He had been at Whitby, apart from brief spells with Gateshead, Blyth Spartans and Bishop Auckland, since 1995 winning the FA Vase, Northern League championship and Northern League Cup along the way. His goal tally reached three figures last August and he made a total of 318 starts plus 58 more appearances from the bench.

Telford Show Community Spirit

Community Club AFC Telford United continue to be very active in the local community and their latest link is with students at a local school who have set up their own company Obelisk Innovations as part of the Young Enterprise Company Programme.

The fourteen year olds, who produce custom engraved glasses using the latest computer aided design laser cutting technology, wanted to develop links with a local business and where better than the local football club. AFC Telford Chairman Lee Carter was delighted with the business presentation the youngsters made to him and the youngsters are now putting together a more detailed business plan to supply the club with a variety of goods such as key rings, coasters and signs in addition to the glassware.

The club have also been busy supporting Fair Trade Footballs an organisation that is attempting to stop the exploitation of children in third world companies whilst four members of the club's Supporter's Trust will be raising cash for two charities in May with a sponsored ground hop taking in all 22 UniBond League Premier Division grounds in 24 hours and covering some nine hundred miles.

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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