Tuesday, 7th October 2008

News Archive

9th February 2008
Review Of The Week

Premier Division leaders WITTON ALBION piled the pressure on the chasing pack with another victory in midweek as opponents MATLOCK TOWN went down to their third successive defeat.

Nearest challengers FLEETWOOD TOWN, however, responded on Saturday with a solitary goal giving them three points against WHITBY TOWN to close the gap again to ten points with three games in hand.

The rest of the games in the top flight on Saturday concerned the opposite end of the table but so tightly packed is it that HEDNESFORD TOWN ended the day in eighth place after beginning it just five points clear of the relegation places! Their win condemned bottom club LINCOLN UNITED to a fifteenth game since tasting three points and United now have won just once in nineteen league outings.

The scoreline may well have been only 0-1 to NORTH FERRIBY UNITED but their win at KENDAL TOWN was huge in putting seven points between themselves and their victims whilst a 1-1 draw kept both ILKESTON TOWN and PRESCOT CABLES very much in the battle to avoid the drop.

Having been knocked off the top of the First Division North last week CURZON ASHTON had a great chance to go back to the top with new leaders SKELMERSDALE UNITED on cup duty but they fell victim to a CHORLEY side revitalised under new boss Tony Hesketh whose new charges grabbed their sixth point since he took over last Monday to move out of the bottom two where they are replaced by BRIDLINGTON TOWN.

In the First Division South CAMMELL LAIRD closed the gap on leaders RETFORD UNITED to seven points with a game in hand when they beat KIDSGROVE ATHLETIC 2-0 leaving the Potteries side now nine games since a win and with only one victory in their last nineteen league matches.

At the bottom SHEPSHED DYNAMO supporters will be reaching for the vertigo tablets after their third win on the bounce saw them leap to the giddy heights of fourth bottom and well within sight of victims WARRINGTON TOWN. Bottom club SPALDING UNITED gave new manager Alan Biley hope with a 1-1 draw at BELPER TOWN and they edged to within five points of Kidsgrove.

There will be a new name on the League Challenge Cup this season with the only previous winners MARINE going out at the quarter-final stage to the only First Division team still left in SKELMERSDALE UNITED. Elsewhere, WITTON ALBION's perfect 100% home record proved no obstacle to GATESHEAD whose debutant former England Youth international Paul Brayson scored the only goal of the game as the Tynesider's attempt to reach their third League Challenge Cup final.

The other known semi-finalist will be FRICKLEY ATHLETIC whose main pre-occupation this season has been avoiding relegation but they overcame WORKSOP TOWN in extra-time. EASTWOOD TOWN edged out GUISELEY 4-3 after extra-time in their delayed Fourth Round game and they now face Ilkeston Town for a last four spot.

In the President's Cup Mick Goddard scored four for RETFORD UNITED but finished on the losing side as OSSETT ALBION won 6-5 on penalties. Another to bag four was RADCLIFFE BOROUGH's Steve Howson although he went home with a smile on his face as Borough beat BRIGG TOWN 5-1 but how Radcliffe must wish they could transfer their cup form in to league points. GOOLE pipped WAKEFIELD to claim a last four spot whilst NANTWICH TOWN and FC UNITED are still to play.

Luczka Becomes Number Eighteen

Chorley boss Gerry Luczka became the third UniBond managerial change since the turn of the year and the eighteenth of the campaign when he left Victory Park following his side's disastrous 7-0 defeat at Skelmersdale United last Saturday. The "Magpies" had won just three of 26 league games but had reached the last four of the Lancashire FA "Co-operative" Trophy. Luczka's Assistant Manager Kenny Mayers who also doubled up as manager of Chorley's umbrella company Chorley Sporting Club where his duties included running the club bar and all its social functions is also expected to leave.

Chairman Ken Wright said: "No one has worked harder for Chorley than Gerry over the past sixteen months and he can leave with his head held high. Losing him was the last thing we wanted but something had to be done". Luczka himself added: "Our inability to convert draws in to victories was our undoing but as football is about results the manager has to carry the can when things don't go well".

Taking over is another very experienced manager from the UniBond circuit Tony Hesketh who also played for Chorley in midfield. He has managed Barrow, Lancaster City and Kendal Town and been Assistant Manager at both Morecambe and Southport. Without any time to bring in any new players he immediately guided the "Magpies" to a 3-1 win against Mossley on Tuesday evening despite going a goal down. He has brought in ex-Lancaster City and Barrow player Phil Brown as his Assistant.

Biley Picks Tulips

The above numbers quickly became four and nineteen respectively when the First Division South's bottom club, Spalding United, appointed their third manager of the season in Alan Biley, one of the hot shots of the late seventies and early 1980's.

He replaces Dominic Genovese who had taken over earlier in the campaign from Phil Hubbard. The 50 year old Biley has coached in America, Holland and Greece and had a stint as Assistant Manager of Irish club Waterford United in 1989. He was also Assistant Manager of Kettering Town under his former Derby County team-mate Kevin Wilson and managed Rothwell Town from November 2006 until May 2007.

This will be his third spell of managing the Tulips having been in the hot seat six years ago and again as caretaker when Steve Welsh left to join Boston United just prior to Hubbard's appointment in February 2006.

In his playing days he was a diminutive striker making his Football League debut for Cambridge United where 75 goals in only 165 games earned him a transfer to Derby County who then sold him to Everton where he became Howard Kendall's first signing in exchange for £300,000. Another six figure fee later saw him move to Portsmouth where he was again prolific with 51 goals in 101 appearances before a new manager in the shape of the late Alan Ball did the unthinkable in the eyes of many Pompey fans and sold the ebullient striker to South Coast rivals Brighton for £60,000 in 1985 prior to a move to New York Cosmos.

Gateshead Sign Former Youth International

Premier Division promotion hopefuls Gateshead have signed former England Youth International Paul Brayson from York City. Now aged thirty Brayson began his career with his home city side Newcastle United as a trainee and in his three seasons there as a full time professional scored five times in eleven appearances on loan at Swansea City.

He later enjoyed a decent strike rate at another Welsh club Cardiff City with nineteen goals in 84 Football League games and all told made around two hundred appearances in his full time career which also took in Reading and Cheltenham Town.

Macron "Safe Hands" Awards

The Macron sponsored "Safe Hands" Premier Division award for goalkeepers in respect of January has gone to Eastwood Town's Ian Deakin whilst Rossendale United veteran Lee Bracey, who made around 250 Football League appearances for Swansea City, Halifax Town and Bury, took the First Division North prize. The First Division South award was shared by Shepshed Dynamo 'keeper Gary Hateley and Brigg Town stopper Damian Steer.

Brownhill Retains England Spot

Witton Albion's Liam Brownhill, who was the only non-Blue Square National player to play for England "C" against Finland in November after impressing in the FA X1's game against Sheffield FC to celebrate that club's 150th Anniversary in October, has kept his place in the sixteen man squad named to face Wales at Exeter City on Wednesday 20th February.

The Manchester born defender was on the books of Stockport County before moving in to the League of Wales with Bangor City and Connah's Quay Nomads prior to joining Witton Albion.

Former Frickley Athletic winger Martyn Woolford who they sold for a five figure fee to York City is in the shadow squad.

Youngster Claims Chorley Record

Chorley defender James Mullineux is thought to have become the club's youngest player to notch up a century of appearances for the "Magpies". Aged just nineteen he has already picked up a dozen "Man of the Match" awards and was voted last season's "Supporters Player of the Year".

Ilkeston Solve 'Keeper Crisis With Senior

With Leicester City recalling on loan 'keeper Carl Pentney Ilkeston Town have signed Philip Senior from Alfreton Town. The 25 year old spent seven seasons as a professional with Huddersfield Town making more than fifty appearances in his last four seasons with the "Terriers".

Sheffield Strengthen Up

Having played less league games than any of the other 56 member clubs Sheffield FC face a hectic run in during the final third of the campaign and have moved to strengthen their squad with the signings of midfielder Steve Hawes and goalkeeper Danny Haystead from Worksop Town and Quorn respectively. 29 year old Hawes remains the youngest player ever to appear for Sheffield United in the Premiership whilst 21 year old Haystead is another former "Blades" player.

Quick Rise For Whitehouse

Mark Whitehouse's star has risen very quickly over the past month. The 23 year old signed for Ossett Albion as recently as 14th January from Winterton Rangers but has already landed himself a contract with Blue Square National side Halifax Town after impressing the Shaymen's boss Chris Wilder in Wednesday evening's County Cup tie between Albion and Halifax which the latter won 4-1 with Whitehouse scoring Albion's only goal. He is the third Albion to graduate to the full time ranks in recent times following on the heels of Shane Killock signing for Huddersfield Town and Lee Bennett joining Barnsley.

Nantwich Youngster Signs For Crewe

Following extended trials with Crewe Alexandra 17 year old Nantwich Town right sided player Kelvin Mellor has signed for the Football League club in exchange for an up front nominal fee which is considerably more than Crewe paid Nantwich in December in respect of another Nantwich youngster Matt Freeman. Further payments will become due after several first team appearances with a 10% sell on clause also included. No doubt Nantwich will be hoping one, or both, players will enjoy the success that Qourn's Luke Varney had when he moved to Crewe and later triggered a substantial sell on payment for the Leicestershire club when he was transferred to Charlton Athletic for whom he scored both goals in this weekend's 2-0 over Crystal Palace.

Lowe Fights Back

After being knocked off the First Division North's top spot last week for the first time this season Curzon Ashton boss Gary Lowe has moved to strengthen his squad with two additions. Joining the Tameside club on a month's loan from Fleetwood Town is Manchester based striker Steve Foster who numbers Hyde United, Radcliffe Borough and AFC Telford United amongst his former clubs. Also now available to Lowe is Jorge Diez following receipt of International Clearance and he is a player that the manager is very excited about. The 23 year old played last season for Rayo Vallecano in the Spanish Second Division B and Lowe said: "He has had a few training sessions with us and both myself and my assistant Derek Hall have been very impressed with him as have the other players. In fact I'd go as far as saying he has been outstanding with good ball control, great awareness and strength".

Matlock Stand A Giant Step Nearer

Matlock Town's New Stand Appeal has received a significant six-figure boost from an unnamed local organisation which means that plans for the new structure could become reality in the not too distant future. The new stand will now be built on the Denefields side of the ground rather than on the Causeway Lane side as had been originally envisaged and will have 600 seats as well as incorporating new changing rooms and a new Social Club.

Fans are also doing their bit for the project and a group of them are doing a sponsored walk to the Easter Monday fixture at Hednesford Town which is a gruelling 45 mile hike!

Unibond League Television
Forthcoming Games

Sat 9th Feb League Cup Quarter Final Skelmersdale Utd v Marine Match of the Week
Wed 13th Feb Newcastle BS v Bradford PA Live Game
Sat 16th Feb Witton Albion v Gateshead Match of the Week
Wed 20th Feb League Cup Quarter Final Ilkeston Town v Eastwood Town Match of the Week
Sat 23rd Feb Matlock Town v Eastwood Town Live Game 12:45
Sat 23rd Feb Bamber Bridge v FC United of Manchester Match of the Week
Sat 1st March Stocksbridge PS v Cammell Laird Match of the Week
Tue 4th March Leek Town v Whitby Town Live Game

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