News

No games survived the midweek freeze and just five (including the FA Trophy tie at Durham City who added to their fixture congestion with yet another replay) made it to the starting line on Saturday.

In the only game to be played in the top tier Boston United continued their dismal form with a defeat to FC United of M/CR which was their seventh loss in their last eight home games and their fourth game in succession without a goal.

First Division North leaders FC Halifax Town will have been disappointed to drop two points at home to Radcliffe Borough who ended a run of six defeats on the bounce whilst Woodley Sports made it a hat-trick of wins when beating Rossendale United.

In the week's only other game Loughborough Dynamo extended their unbeaten run with a 2-1 win over Goole AFC.

Groundsman Of The Year Nominations

The UniBond League has announced its five nominations for this season's FA Groundsman of the Year awards. A record eighteen clubs submitted nominations for the national award at this level of the game that was won last season by Garforth Town's Richard Cale.

Trying to win it again for the UniBond League this time around will be Belper Town's Phil Varney (runner-up to Cale in last season's awards) and Colwyn Bay's Elfed Morris along with three newcomers in Loughborough Dynamoes Mark Freeman, Quorn's Stuart Turner and Graham Foxall of Trafford who have come through a high quality field of nominations.

Players Show Support For Oldest Club

The world's oldest football club Sheffield FC are the latest UniBond League side to cut their playing budget for the remainder of the season. Club Chairman Richard Tims said: "Whilst the business world speeds towards what seems like a meltdown it is obvious that football and in particular the game at this level is starting to suffer.

"In order to react positively to the changing economic climate we held a meeting with our manager Chris Dolby and his squad explaining to them that the amount the club can afford to pay them has reduced. To their credit the manager and players have, on the whole, responded magnificently and shown a great respect for everyone associated with this unique club by accepting the wage cuts and pledging their immediate futures to Sheffield FC".

Woodley Sign Northern Ireland International

Woodley Sports have announced the signing of Northern Ireland international Jeff Whitley who has been out of football since leaving Wrexham in May last year following the Welsh club's relegation from the Football League.

The 29 year old won twenty full caps for Northern Ireland in addition to Under 21 and "B" honours for that country after he had already won caps for England at youth level.

He began his career at Manchester City working his way through the youth set up to make more than 120 first team appearances before moving to Sunderland where he made over seventy appearances helping the North East side to the Championship play-offs in 2003/4 and the title twelve months later. In total he made around three hundred appearances in the full time game also playing for Notts County, Cardiff City and Stoke City.

Since leaving Wrexham, Whitley has been out of the game but has started training at Wolverhampton Wanderers whose manager Mick McCarthy is looking to the spell at Woodley to help the player regain his fitness. For his part Whitley says: "This is a great little club with tremendous facilities for youngsters. I hope I can pass on some of my experience to them".

On the subject of his club's youth policy Chairman Tony Whiteside revealed that there had been over a dozen approaches to his young players following the departure of manager Ally Pickering over the Christmas period.

He said: "The players have confirmed their loyalty to the club which is a rare thing these days and only time will tell if they stay but I reiterate the club's position on our youth policy and I shall do everything in my power to keep these talented young players".

Tandy Signs For Salford

Amongst a whole host of signings for the First Division North's bottom side Salford City this week was that of another former Manchester City player Jamie Tandy.

Unfortunately the 24 year old is more known for being the victim of fellow team-mate Joey Barton who was charged with stubbing a cigar out in Tandy's eye and, perhaps not surprisingly, Tandy's game suffered badly after that incident. Last season he played for Droylsden and during the current campaign he had been registered with Bradford Park Avenue.

Grantham Legend Dies

Grantham Town announced the passing away on Monday of one of the club's legendary players and managers in Jimmy Rayner aged 73. He scored 113 goals for the "Gingerbreads" in just 87 games with 71 of those goals coming in 1963/64 including two six timers, two four timers and five hat-tricks. As manager of the club he won 42 of his 54 games in charge drawing six of the others.

As well as making around a hundred and fifty appearances in the Football League for Peterborough United and Notts County, Rayner was also involved with three other current UniBond clubs first as player-manager with Ilkeston Town, followed by a couple of seasons at Boston United for whom he scored 55 goals in 1965/6 - a club record that still stands today - and Durham City for whom he played and where he returned later to be Chairman. His funeral will be held at St Michael's RC Church, Esh, Durham next Thursday 15th January.

Former Lancaster Player Dies

Another death reported this week was that of former Lancaster City striker John Young (62) who was one of only a few players to have appeared for the Giant Axe club in both the Lancashire Combination and the Northern Premier League. A local lad, he made approaching 250 appearances between 1963 and 1972 scoring 73 goals.