The Non - League thread

[Terminal Boardom]

TB didn't make it either.

Binfield won 1-0, poor game really. Windsor missing a few but not a great way to finish pre season.

Had a family wedding in Hereford this weekend. And if you think last weekend's shirt was bright, there are loads brightrer in the wardrobe.

3rd August we are at home to Molesey, 3pm kick off with free admission to everyone. No doubt there will be some real ale in the bar courtesy of Windsor & Eton Brewery.

[Yellowcoat]

Thurrock have apparently lost their arbitration appeal.

[Yellowcoat]

Glen Little was a second half substitute for Ryman League side Wealdstone tonight, in a friendly at Uxbridge, but as they lost 4-0 suspect this may turn out to be a one off.

[Royal Rother]

Wealdstone beat Slough 6-0 last week.

Still, can't judge anything much as triallists get chances, and the teams chop and change during those fairly intense 3 or 4 weeks of activity in pre-season.

I find it hard to believe that GL wouldn't still be able to run rings round the Uxbridge defence I saw last season.

[Yellowcoat]

Certainly some strange results in many of the pre season games at all levels. Bit more explainable in non league where some people have actually gone on holiday!

[Four Of Clubs]

...the 'serious' stuff in NL also starts tomorrow 'locally' in the Combined Counties and Wessex Leagues:

CCLP
Alton Town v Epsom & Ewell
Badshot Lea v Raynes Park Vale - Baddy Lea have moved over from Godalming and now share at Ash Utd
Bedfont Sports v Hartley Wintney
Camberley Town v Mole Valley SCR
Colliers Wood United v Ash United
Cove v Horley Town
Frimley Green v Croydon
South Park v Hanworth Villa
Wembley v Farnham Town
Westfield v Chessington & Hook United
Windsor v Molesey
CCL1
AFC Croydon Athletic v Bedfont & Feltham
CB Hounslow United v Banstead Athletic
Cobham v Worcester Park
Dorking v Sheerwater
Epsom Athletic v South Kilburn
Farleigh Rovers v Knaphill
Spelthorne Sports v Sandhurst Town
Staines Lammas v Eversley & California

[u]Wessex League Cup[/u]
Blackfield & Langley v Laverstock & Ford
New Milton Town v Andover Town
Romsey Town v Pewsey Vale
Stockbridge v Lymington Town
Verwood Town v Cowes Sports
Whitchurch United v Horndean
WESSEX Premier
Downton v Brockenhurst
Fareham Town v Bemerton Heath Harlequins
Hamworthy United v Totton & Eling
Newport (IOW) v Alresford Town
Winchester City v Moneyfields
WESSEX Div 1
East Cowes Victoria v Fleet Spurs
Hayling United v Tadley Calleva
Petersfield Town v Hythe & Dibden

[Royal Rother]

Wahey, here we go!

[floyd__streete]

Wahey, here we go!

+1

FoC - which leagues will have started on or before 10th August? Have a free Saturday next weekend after a wedding in Newbury the night before, so if you can chuck up some sort of fixture somewhere in the vicinity of the A34 I'd be most gr8ful, cheers

Southern League (whoever the hell is sponsoring it) starts on the 17th

[Royal Rother]

Shame, you're a week out - Windsor play at Newbury on the 17th in the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round.

[Four Of Clubs]

Wahey, here we go!

+1

FoC - which leagues will have started on or before 10th August? Have a free Saturday next weekend after a wedding in Newbury the night before, so if you can chuck up some sort of fixture somewhere in the vicinity of the A34 I'd be most gr8ful, cheers

Southern League (whoever the hell is sponsoring it) starts on the 17th

Leagues active round here that w/e include CCL, WESSEX, Hellenic and Hampshire Premier:

... however seems as if you may have dipped out on the A34 corridor that w/e - here's the few that are at home on Sat 10th that are roughly on, or near to it.

Not sure which 'end' you are interested in?

HELLP
Abingdon United v Ascot United
Ardley United v Highworth Town
Wantage Town v Newbury
HELL1E
AFC Hinksey v Woodley Town @ Abingdon Town FC
Didcot Town Res v Finchampstead
Milton United v Burnham Res

WESSP
Whitchurch United v Lymington Town
Winchester City v AFC Portchester
WESS1
Stockbridge v New Milton Town

HPFL
Winchester Castle v Locks Heath

[floyd__streete]

Not sure which 'end' you are interested in?

Oi oi.

[Royalist]

Winchester Castle? Are they a fans club as i know they had disagreements with the owners?

[Terminal Boardom]

Could have been Winchester Cathedral. The older ones amongst us will remember this...
http://youtu.be/Wv_RfFmJ5nA

[Four Of Clubs]

Winchester Castle? Are they a fans club as i know they had disagreements with the owners?

...don't know a lot about the HPFL member clubs - but 'Castle' formed and re-formed around 2000 ish as the result of a merger and subsequent de-merger of 'A' & 'B' sides from the parent club Winchester City.

Winchester Castle play at Chilcomb over the Eastern side of the M3 nr jn 9 just off the Petersfield Rd (A31)

There was certainly something amiss at the back-end of last season with the ex-Southern League club 'City' - they had long since declared their intention to seek voluntary demotion for 13-14 into the Wessex and I have seen some indications, that they have rebranded themselves 'Winchester City Community FC' - so I'd expect the bit about fans club may well have stemmed from there? They have an entirely new committee and management team.

The HPFL for this season has absorbed another minor league the 'Hants 2004 League' as its 'First Division' - which makes sense if it wishes ot be a proper feeder to the Wessex.

[Royalist]

Thanks! My knowledge and interest below Windsor FC's level isn't very much.

Couldn't make the game yesterday but heard the crowd was a lot lower than the other free days. Sad that momentum is fading.

[Royal Rother]

Momentum fading? You do make me chuckle. The crowd was 387, last year's free entry game was over Easter and against the might of Guernsey. A different kettle of fish entirely.

Mark my words, the crowds this season will be well up on last year.

Good start to the season with a comfortable 3-0 win over Molesey. Considering we were without 3 of our usual midfield through injury that was a decent performance. 2 brand new players with exotic names flown in from somewhere (nobody had ever heard of them) and a very young bench. So much for the hope of a settled squad going into the new season! (One of those, Bevan Van Wyk was with the John Madejski Academy last season, the other being Travis Richardson-Hodge, who was playing for the Berks & Bucks FA U16 representative team last year. Bloody hell, is the average age going to be even lower this year!? )

The central defender pairing of Adam Kirby and Dan Hicks were excellent - that pairing will be very difficult for opposition attackers to get through, as was the 'keeper Carl Dennison who has played successfully at a higher level.

South Park next week will be a tough game. If we get through that one intact I could see us going through the entire season unbeaten. (I am kind of joking because keeping the squad together is the unpredictable factor, but when Harris, our best player returns (soon), and the established midfield gets back in we will run rings around most teams in the league....)

[Royalist]

I hope they will be up on last year but why was the first free day twice as successful? Can't just be people escaping the in laws on boxing day! Or did a lot come and not like what they saw or is it just that the price really isn't what most new comers think is fair? I have a bee in my bonnet about non league ticket prices full stop not just Windsor.

I am sure momentum on the pitch will be a upwards curve mind!

[Terminal Boardom]

I hope they will be up on last year but why was the first free day twice as successful? Can't just be people escaping the in laws on boxing day! Or did a lot come and not like what they saw or is it just that the price really isn't what most new comers think is fair? I have a bee in my bonnet about non league ticket prices full stop not just Windsor.

I am sure momentum on the pitch will be a upwards curve mind!

The first free game against Egham Town was extremely well publicised and our previous home game saw us hammer Raynes Park Vale 10-0. There was also a really good link with the teams in the lower age groups which helped swell attendances that season. Ticket prices? £6 for adults, £3 for concessions (65 and older) and Armed Forces personnel (on presentation of appropriate id, Under 16s free if accompanied by an adult (otherwise £1) is not excessive iin my opinion. And these have been the prices since Windsor started in 2011.

As for the game yesterday, it was my first competitive Windsor fixture since September last year and I was not disappointed. I think that 3-0 may have flattered overall as Molesey had a great chance to score when 0-0 with a one on one which was brilliantly dealt with by Carl Dennison. From my viewpoint, Molesey were denied a clear penalty with a very clumsy shove in the back which the officials did not react to. Even when 1-0 up, Molesey could have equalised when a free kick was well saved by Dennison. Then again, Windsor created a number of good goal scoring chances and, with a little more composure, should have scored more.

The most pleasing aspect of the game was the spirit shown by both sides. Next to no nastiness and a distinct lack of verbal abuse to be heard. No dissent shown to the officials either so great credit must go to both clubs.

As Rother said, South Park will give us a hard game but I really doubt that Ben Harris will stay. Once he has proved his fitness he will go on to higher and better things.

[Royalist]

Ultimately i guess the success of the free days is how many first timers return afterwards not the gate on the day. Would be interesting in a few years time to ask how many fans came down first time because of the free games.

6 quid for a match is fine but i have family who have season tickets at league one clubs only paying double that per game. It's a tricky one for sure but i'm not sure any more than a fiver is expected by most. And not just at this level but higher!

That's just my view!

When does the conference proper start? Games shown on BT Sport will most likely be the only non league football i see this side of christmas

[Royal Rother]

It's a promising sign that all through the months Harris has missed through injury he has rarely missed attending a Windsor game, including friendlies. But crikey yes, he could definitely play at a higher level, everyone acknowledges that.

From the little I saw of Ryan Bird I would say that Ben Harris is the better player, and Bird has just gone from Burnham to Portsmouth. But he stayed at Burnham far longer than most expected, apparently because he just enjoyed his football there.

Maybe once Harris gets back in, starts scoring for fun and sees that he can lead the team to a trophy or 2 this season, it might encourage him to stay. But a career as a builder / carpenter -v- a potential career as a sportsman....? Not much of a choice is it? Given the opportunity of getting paid (even if it's at Conference Level which is well within his capabilities imo) he must surely take it.