The Non - League thread

[paultheroyal]

I read that Newport IOW have permission to move to a new ground. ASDA taking over St Georges. Got fond memories of that place and crazy moving out as not long been there!

If I won a considerable sum of money I would buy this club! Sleeping giant and what would be a decent fan base.

My understanding from the IOW county press is that Asda don't want the football club site, they have another one lined up....but that Newport want Asda to buy their site and have made counter proposals.

edit- here is the link - http://www.iwcp.co.uk/news/news/asda-re ... um=twitter

God knows what's going on then. However, on the 9th January the Newport chairman wrote

You will already know of the plans of Asda and perhaps more importantly our landlords South Coast Leisure. Obviously, these are still at the preliminary stages but we can now cast off the mantle of uncertainty relative to our ground and facilities. Moving from season to season on the flimsy 2 year lease basis is extremely unsatisfactory and with the assurances of SCL, we can at least look forward to playing at an entirely newly built ground whatever the outcome of the recent proposals and know it will be built within the Newport boundary. We know that three sites have been earmarked as possibilities but so far we have not been privy to their whereabouts. So, we are now in the solid position of comfort that whatever the outcome, we shall be well looked after – I am delighted for all of us. In my book it is an an ideal way to start on our next 125 years with optimism. Thank you South Coast Leisure.

[The Beardy Man]

Agreed it all looks pretty uncertain.

My best guess is that SCL want to relocate the club and are hoping to rope ASDA into paying relocation expenses.

Can't be too many brand new purpose built grounds at that level of the football pyramid. Be interesting to see what kind of impact it would have on the club. I would think the sheer expense of crossing the solent would always hold them back in terms of away fan attendance. Around £50 for a car ferry in winter, would be a lot to pay on top of ticket prices for part time football.

[paultheroyal]

In my refereeing days they were getting good crowds of around 450 in the Doc Martens League and often well supported away clubs would bring a few coaches over. Remember doing Newport vs Dartford and just short of a thousand there and a good number were Dartford fans.

Problem Newport had when successful was thr very little contact with the local fanbase. When Steve Mellor was in charge only the goalkeeper lived on the island and the team trained twice a week in Basingstoke because of the home locations of the players. All in an attempt to keep the costs down!

But yes, if I win euro millions, I would buy this club!

[Royalist]

Think i went there on a Tuesday night once! We also went there on a Saturday in August. Perfect time of year for a trip to the IOW...pissed it down all day! Wasn't many home fans but certainly made more of an effort because of the novelty.

If Guernsey can do it Newport should be able to have a large fan base without the costs of flying or hosting clubs!

[The Beardy Man]

A further update on the Newport (IOW) ground situation.

Now seems their owning company want to switch the ground around 90 degrees. To what end? Lord only knows....

This is the link... http://onthewight.com/2013/01/21/newpor ... um=twitter

[Royal Rother]

The 250 best supported Non League clubs...

http://www.nonleaguematters.co.uk/global/attendances/

[Terminal Boardom]

Ok, so nothing to do with the number of clubs / football fans in the area?

Actually the justification for moving to Monday nights was that it would not clash with European nights (and hopefully, as a result, improve the gates).

.

It has everything to do with number of fans in the area. Too few spread over alot of clubs. Moving to a Monday night plan was to set it off as different to the dozens of clubs playing on a Tuesday so you'd get more groundhoppers or people who just fancied a game on a Monday night or people who are watching Champions league on Tuesdays or going to watch their league club alot of the time.

Not suggesting fewer clubs by the way its just apart from FA Cup runs and free gates on a boxing day the crowds won't rise much at any of the local NL clubs.

Ladies

Jack to do with the number of clubs in the area. Mondays was chosen to avoid televised games and to play on the fitness levels of Keith Scott's squad. End of. If the club move to Tuesday or wednesday nights then that will make creation of programmes so much easier especially when looking at cup replays. That I don't do the award winning programme any more is irrelevant

[Royalist]

I think it was the late Tony Kempster that used to do yearly charts for club crowds from Manchester United to Brache Sparta(!) and how much they had gone up and down from season to season. A real loss to all non league fans when he passed away. His last stats have Windsor and Eton FC crowds at 175 average so it shows crowds at Windsor FC are more or less the same.

[Royalist]

Am hearing Ben Harris out for the season with a torn cartilage in his knee which got me wondering. Are NL players 'covered' by insurance or do ops have to be done on the NHS?

[Royal Rother]

Yeah, I heard on Saturday that height be out for a while. He's been carrying an injury all season apparently.

Imagine how good he'd be when fully fit...

Unfortunately we might have seen the last of him at Stag Meadow which would be a real shame.

[Royal Rother]

Update on Harris from the Observer:

WINDSOR FC have been rocked by news that inspirational captain Ben Harris has been ruled out for the rest of the season through injury.

Woodham continued: "It will be interesting to see if the same managers who have been ringing Ben up behind my back trying to pester and unsettle him, show the same sort of commitment now as we will.

"Windsor now have an opportunity to show what a good club we are. We've got the right people to put a programme in place for Ben and he'll be recovering amongst friends."

Harris will be sidelined for the rest of the campaign with deep marrow bruising, a small fracture and a tear in his meniscus cartilage of his right knee.

However, he insists he will finish the season as an avid Windsor supporter and a regular on the Stag Meadow terraces.

Shame.

[Four Of Clubs]

...still a much reduced programme this PM in NL

... here's the 'survivors' but pre-match pitch inspections may rule out a few more....

Saturday 26th January 2013

FA Trophy 3rd Rnd
6 Gateshead v Barrow
FA Trophy 4th Rnd
1 FC Halifax Town v Dartford
2 Southport v Wrexham

FA Carlsberg Vase – 4th Round
1 Gornal Athletic v Wisbech Town
2 Bodmin Town v Ashington
5 Rye United v Guernsey
6 Bitton v Shildon
7 Larkhall Athletic v Peacehaven&Telscombe
8 Brantham Athletic v Whitley Bay
9 Newport (IW) v Brighouse Town
10 Bemerton Heath Harlequins v Blackfield & Langley
11 Ampthill Town v Enfield 1893
12 Ely City v Spalding United
14 Rocester v Runcorn Town

CONFS
AFC Hornchurch v Tonbridge Angels
Basingstoke v Welling
Boreham Wood v Salisbury
Bromley v Weston-S-Mare
Dorchester v Havant and W
Eastleigh v Farnborough
Hayes & Yeading v Bath City
Staines Town v Eastbourne Borough
Truro City v Chelmsford

SOUTHP
Gosport Borough v Chesham United
SOUTH1C
Beaconsfield SYCOB v Uxbridge
Chertsey Town v Godalming Town
Guildford City v Fleet Town
North Greenford United v Ashford Town (Middx)
SOUTH1S&W
Sholing v Abingdon United

CCLP
Badshot Lea v Egham Town
Bedfont Sports v Epsom & Ewell
Camberley Town v Raynes Park Vale
Cove v Croydon
Dorking v Wembley
Molesey v Ash United
South Park v Chessington & Hook United
Windsor v Hartley Wintney
CCL1
AFC Croydon Athletic v Banstead Athletic
Epsom Athletic v CB Hounslow United
Eversley & California v Cobham (2.00 p.m.)
Farleigh Rovers v Worcester Park
Mole Valley SCR v Frimley Green
Sheerwater v South Kilburn (2.00 p.m.)
Spelthorne Sports v Warlingham (2.00 p.m.)
Staines Lammas v Feltham
Westfield v Knaphill


HELLP
Reading Town v Ascot United - hastily re-arranged as Ascot's Vase tie was postponed yesterday.
Berks & Bucks Intermediate Cup Q-F
Letcombe v Marlow United
Grendon Rangers v Bracknell Town

WESS1
Tadley Calleva v Stockbridge
Whitchurch United v United Services Portsmouth

[Royal Rother]

Latest from the Non League Forum

CCLP
Badshot Lea v Egham Town OFF
Bedfont Sports v Epsom & Ewell ??
Camberley Town v Raynes Park Vale ON
Cove v Croydon OFF
Dorking v Wembley OFF
Molesey v Ash United ON
South Park v Chessington & Hook United OFF
Windsor v Hartley Wintney ON

[Alan Partridge]

Diiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiid 5 Winchester 2

7 goals, 1 disallowed, a penalty, 2 sent off and an injured linesman. Jokes.

Did 1 down early after a keeper cock up (wasn't Marco as he was suspended) then 1-1 due to a keeper cock up, Diddy down to 10 men when Reading legend Ricky Allaway hauled their striker down on the edge of the box having given up a 20 yard head start chasing back. Winchester scored following more dodgy defending to go in 2-1 at half time. 2nd half Diddy had a right go and got their deserved equaliser when Mark Janes shot was deflected in. At 2-2 the game changed when Pablo Haysham was put clear, the keeper came out, he stood up but clipped Pabs which sent him down, penalty and a red card for the keeper. Elliot put the penalty away for 3-2 then Morgs decided to waltz two goals in following more good work from Pabs to put a bit of gloss on the scoreline. Up to 11th now after a cracking run of form for Diddy. New players have been excellent.

[Royal Rother]

Same scoreline at Windsor, 5-2.

Included 2 absolutely hilarious bits of defending from Hartley Wintney. Inside their own 6 yard box, keeper and defender doing an "after you, no after you, I insist" dance when both within a yard of the ball, allowing Gould to stick a foot in and knock it over the line.

Followed 5 mins later by equally calamitous cock up where they got in each other's way resulting in a pass to Lazarczuk on the edge of the area who side footed it into an empty net.

Windsor now up to 3rd although it's worth mentioning that Guernsey are 5 points behind with, wait for it, 10 (yes ten!!) games in hand.

[Four Of Clubs]

Results from the matches that survived yesterday...

FA Trophy 4th Rnd
Southport 1-3 Wrexham

FA Carlsberg Vase – 4th Round
2 Bodmin Town 3-2 Ashington
5 Rye United 5-6 Guernsey aet
6 Bitton 0-2 Shildon
7 Larkhall Athletic 2-1 Peacehaven&Telscombe
8 Brantham Athletic 1-0 Whitley Bay – perennial winners out aet
9 Newport (IW) 2-1 Brighouse Town
10 Bemerton Heath Harlequins 3-2 Blackfield & Langley

CONFS
AFC Hornchurch 1-1 Tonbridge Angels
Basingstoke 0-1 Welling
Bromley 0-1 Weston-S-Mare
Dorchester 0-0 Havant and W
Eastleigh 3-1 Farnborough
Hayes & Yeading 2-2 Bath City
Staines Town 0-2 Eastbourne Borough
Truro City 1-2 Chelmsford

SOUTHP
Gosport Borough 3-1 Chesham United
SOUTH1C
Chertsey Town 1-0 Godalming Town
Guildford City 4-1 Fleet Town
SOUTH1S&W
Sholing 3-0 Abingdon United

CCLP
Bedfont Sports 1-2 Epsom & Ewell
Camberley Town 1-3 Raynes Park Vale
Hanworth Villa 1-0 Sandhurst Town another one re-arr at short notice due to a Vase p’ponement
Molesey 2-2 Ash United
Windsor 5-2 Hartley Wintney
CCL1
Mole Valley SCR 1-1 Frimley Green
Sheerwater 2-0 South Kilburn
Staines Lammas 2-2 Feltham

HELLP
Reading Town 1-4 Ascot United
Berks & Bucks Intermediate Cup Q-F
Letcombe 4-2 Marlow United
Grendon Rangers 0-1 Bracknell Town

WESS1
Whitchurch United 2-0 United Services Portsmouth

[Alan Partridge]

Didn't put Diiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiid on your list FoC.

[Four Of Clubs]

Didn't put Diiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiid on your list FoC.

... no idea how I missed that one soz.

... more 'n likely cos I didn't actually have my own NL list to work from (I don't usually bother creating one when RFC are at home) so picked fixtures etc straight from the official sites late on Sat AM - hence why I'd also missed Hanworth Villa's fixture off of the preview. They'd re-arranged their home game v the Fizzers at short notice. Generally the weather and the 'on/off' Trophy/Vase ties made a mess of the usual schedule.

No excuses for missing a 'regular' from the round-up though - besides you'd already provided a full summary - anywhich - here's their own report to make up for it : (looked for a Winchester City one too but they evidently have significant issues with web services - could only find a desultory line or two on their forum re a Red card for the keeper.)


http://www.didcottownfc.com//index.php? ... Itemid=152

...oh and their (Diddy's) league match tonight away at the Mangoes (Mangotsfield) is OFF.

... as is my match of choice this eve at Stubbs Lane (Moles v Thame) - can't be ar$ed to go to Beaconsfield instead - which hasn't been called off yet.

- will be hoping something survives tomorrow evening (Tue) - got my eye on Ascot v Newbury or Wantage v Ardley - though Maidenhead (v Sutton) and Farnborough (v Salisbury) are both scheduled to be at home - for the more extravagant amongst you?

...with this wet stuff - still can't see many going ahead.

[Ark Royal]

Bit of a friller at Rye. Guernsey 0-2 down and 4-5 down in ET and end up winning 6-5. Are they now regarded as faves for the Vase?

How on earth are they going to fit in all of their games in hand?

[Four Of Clubs]

Bit of a friller at Rye. Guernsey 0-2 down and 4-5 down in ET and end up winning 6-5. Are they now regarded as faves for the Vase?

How on earth are they going to fit in all of their games in hand?

.. haven't seen any odds but probably NOT 'faves' because of all of their games in hand. Certainly the view is they keep 'scraping' past opponents and it can't last - efforts in the Vase can drain sides who play in relatively competitive leagues.

Still - now 'The Bay' are out I suppose the Vase is open to most of the clubs left in, so why not Guernsey - if they have the energy/squad size?

Would love an Ascot v Guernsey final but doubtless there's a few strong Northern outfits still in it and they've generally controlled the competition in the last few years (since Truro 06-07). Indeed a couple of years before that our own beloved Diddy grabbed the Vase & Winchester City the year before.

Northern winners have tended to stay below STEP04 hence the strength of competition from there.

Will have a look at what news on odds there are on the NL Forum - there's usually a thread on the Vase.