The Non - League thread

[Barry the bird boggler]

don't think it's too much of a stretch of the imagination to suggest that the success of Chelsea, Reading and Wycombe has probably caused that

Of the imagination, no, but of reality, it would be.

Wokingham and Slough plunged because financial troubles cost them their stadiums. Slough couldn't really afford to be in the conference, and improvements Wokingham made to allow them to go up (even though they didn't make it) knackered them severely.

Newbury were being bankrolled way beyond their means by a rich owner, and it went tits up when he pulled the plug.

Bracknell have always struggled. Their ground, despite being a dump, is hidden away down a lane. It's so out of sight, out of mind, that many people in the town probably have no idea where the ground is. The 80s were the club's peak. They only got into the rymans league in the early 80s and rose to the 2nd tier (when there were four tiers) but couldn't sustain it and dropped down. The reality is that the club has traditionally been a Hellenic league level club, and struggled to make the transition beyond that.

Trouble is in East Berkshire is that there is no money at all in clubs like Bracknell. Even so there are constant rumours that Bracknell will be moving to a new ground but to be honest I reckon these are about as realistic as Bracknell Forest Borough actually starting the town centre regeneration.

To my mind the only way to get one solid reasonably successful NL club in that area is to merge Bracknell, Wokingham and Binfield into one (call it Brackinghamfield United!) and therefore get a more solid base for sponsorship and financial clout rather than having it split up between all these different low level clubs.

[Four Of Clubs]

To my mind the only way to get one solid reasonably successful NL club in that area is to merge Bracknell, Wokingham and Binfield into one (call it Brackinghamfield United!) and therefore get a more solid base for sponsorship and financial clout rather than having it split up between all these different low level clubs.

Naahh - surely they'd be called Binkinghell?

Maybe the difficulties are down at the roots - quite a few Reading league clubs over the past few season have risen sharply up to STEP6 (& 5) in some cases and not had the backing/scope/desire to go any further. Their best players then tend not to make an easy transition up to the next level - a lot move to the 'bigger' local clubs then move back down again fairly quickly - local footballers like playing local footbal.
Evidence also the number of fairly good STEP7 clubs around Berks/Bucks/Oxon/Surrey who'd give at least half the clubs at the level above a good game but are happy playing within that structure and have no wish to step from County/Town level.
Similarly many of those in charge have no desire to step up and be hit with a raft of expensive regulatory measures to continue to progress i.e. minimum 60 seater stands in place for average crowds of 20-30 - floodlights, pitch surrounds, PA systems, turnstiles etc etc.

[Barry the bird boggler]

...Oh and re Platypuss & Dover @ Truro - the players are flying down and the supporters coach is leaving at 0500h !

That's insane for STEP2!

I follow Truro a bit as the missus is from there - as a result I've been to Treyew Rd a fair few times as it's about 10 minutes walk from the in-laws.

Will probably try to pick up their local fixtures too if possible - Farnboro, Maiders and maybe 'Stoke.

Truro are my favourite NL club as well and they continued their 100% start by beating Dover 1-0, next up Salisbury City away tonight.

Trouble for them though is they desperately need a new ground, talk of them sharing with the RU team at a new complex, hoping it gets the thumbs up quickly.

[Alan Partridge]

i had an interest in Truro as a m8 was playing in the sticks for them. He's not anymore. If that Heaney stays in charge of them they will get so far and it'll all end in tears i'd imagine.

[Terminal Boardom]

Fantastic entertainment at Molesey last night. 3 red cards, 11 yellows, 7 goals and a left back more interested in swearing at supporters than actually playing. Windsor's first win with the legend that is Dave Tilbury with the opener (Top 10 chants of the year fame) and Ryan O'Toole getting three. Roll on Croydon on Saturday.

[Royal Rother]

Presumably Dave Tilbury was our red card?

[Four Of Clubs]

Tuesday nights' scores :

Badshot Lea 4-1 Cobham Cup replay

Ashford Town (Mx) 5-4 Chertsey Town
Bracknell Town 1-1 Abingdon Town
Chesham 1-0 Camb City
Egham Town 1-2 Wembley
Farnham Town 1-2 Camberley Town
Flackwell Heath 1-0 Ascot United
Fleet Town 2-4 Uxbridge
Henley Town 1-1 Thame United
Holmer Green 1-3 Oxhey Jets
Holyport 2-1 Kidlington - went to this - decided I could forgo a readily available bar at HT - was a good game and 'port did well to hang on for their first points at this level against their much-fancied visitors. Big shame though: some chavvy scum appear to have stolen the bronze statue of the baby Hippo that used to be visible as you drove along the very long access road to Summerleaze.
Hungerford Town 4-0 Bishops Cleeve
Maidenhead Utd 4-0 Thurrock
Marlow 4-3 Bedfont Town
Newbury 4-1 Highmoor Ibis
Poole 2-3 Thatcham
Slough Town 1-2 Burnham
Wantage Town 1-3 Wokingham & Emmbrook

other CONFS
Dover 2-2 Dartford
Eastleigh 0-0 Woking
Eastbourne B 5-0 Bromley
Salisbury 2-1 Truro
Sutton 1-0 Staines

[Warfield Royal]

Holyport 2-1 Kidlington - went to this - decided I could forgo a readily available bar at HT - was a good game and 'port did well to hang on for their first points at this level against their much-fancied visitors. Big shame though: some chavvy scum appear to have stolen the bronze statue of the baby Hippo that used to be visible as you drove along the very long access road to Summerleaze.

The long lane to Summerleaze is a nightmare in the dark and then trying to find the gap in the hedge to get to the ground.

Last season I thought I might run of petrol going down there

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

don't think it's too much of a stretch of the imagination to suggest that the success of Chelsea, Reading and Wycombe has probably caused that

Of the imagination, no, but of reality, it would be.

Wokingham and Slough plunged because financial troubles cost them their stadiums. Slough couldn't really afford to be in the conference, and improvements Wokingham made to allow them to go up (even though they didn't make it) knackered them severely.

Newbury were being bankrolled way beyond their means by a rich owner, and it went tits up when he pulled the plug.

Bracknell have always struggled. Their ground, despite being a dump, is hidden away down a lane. It's so out of sight, out of mind, that many people in the town probably have no idea where the ground is. The 80s were the club's peak. They only got into the rymans league in the early 80s and rose to the 2nd tier (when there were four tiers) but couldn't sustain it and dropped down. The reality is that the club has traditionally been a Hellenic league level club, and struggled to make the transition beyond that.

Trouble is in East Berkshire is that there is no money at all in clubs like Bracknell. Even so there are constant rumours that Bracknell will be moving to a new ground but to be honest I reckon these are about as realistic as Bracknell Forest Borough actually starting the town centre regeneration.

To my mind the only way to get one solid reasonably successful NL club in that area is to merge Bracknell, Wokingham and Binfield into one (call it Brackinghamfield United!) and therefore get a more solid base for sponsorship and financial clout rather than having it split up between all these different low level clubs.

Bracknell's move is supposed to be to where the Blue Mountain Golf Course driving range is currently, when the course moves. Binfield are none too pleased. The fact is though that Bracknell FC are so shabbily run that there wasn't even any information at all on their club site about the move. The whole club seems clueless and set in an amateur mindset, while clubs like Binfield and Ascot, who should be much smaller, overtake them.

Larges Lane is also a charmless dump, even by the limbo-dancing lowness that the bar is set for in Bracknell. The club has also been utter shite on the field for many years, which has completely eroded support.

Interestingly I saw a breakdown on Binfield's site of where their money comes from, and a much smaller percentage of it is ticket revenue than would be the case for a league club. Again, Binfield look progressive and look to know what they are doing with regards to bringing money in, while you never get the impression that Bracknell do anything other than hoping volunteers will do things for them. The only proactive step they seem to have made in the past couple or years was to close down the fans forum, due to criticism of the club.


I do think if a new ground is built it will have a positive impact. If nothing else it will put the club into the public consciousness, which it clearly isn't currently. It should also be a much more pleasant place to watch football. Unless you are the sort of person who has a great deal of enthusiasm for football at Hellenic League level, there really isn't a single thing that would encourage anyone to watch the club currently.

[Four Of Clubs]

Newbury were being bankrolled way beyond their means by a rich owner, and it went tits up when he pulled the plug.

...oddly enough in my NL following lifetime (since early 80s though only really a concerted transition to 'hopper/anorak' for the last 10 ish) there have been three incarnations of Newbury.

Town in the 80s rose fairly high up the Ryman under the chairmanship of Leader (Martin?) in days when they could even afford Don Howe as a part time advisor and had a squad packed with ex-Reading FC players - but then went under very quickly in the mid 90s - having spent a fair amount on the ground.

Then AFC Newbury grew out of Ecchinswell (and a couple of other local sides) and moved into Faraday Rd - never quite rose as high but did OK for a while in the Wessex I think - then went under again about 10 yrs later.

Latest 'phoenix' version Newbury FC formed out of OLA Newbury (a Reading League side originally based around a Pub) - They seem to be marking time whilst hopefully building from below - nice club - actually hope they don't go up before they are good and ready - however the Hellenic One has a small set-up, again packed full of Reserve/Dev sides. Their main rivals on the field this season would probably be Chalfont Wasps or Woodley Town - neither of whom would be eligible currently for STEP05 w/o instigating another kind of groundshare.

(Bracknell FC) I do think if a new ground is built it will have a positive impact. If nothing else it will put the club into the public consciousness, which it clearly isn't currently. It should also be a much more pleasant place to watch football. Unless you are the sort of person who has a great deal of enthusiasm for football at Hellenic League level, there really isn't a single thing that would encourage anyone to watch the club currently.

I also think they are in danger of being overshadowed by their current lodgers Wokingham & Emmbrook who are looking very good on the field at the start of this Premier campaign.

Not sure where a future move would leave them unless of course the clubs are going into a joint arrangement to find & fund a new ground - adding more fuel to the oft rumbling merger rumours.

[floyd__streete]

Larges Lane is also a charmless dump, even by the limbo-dancing lowness that the bar is set for in Bracknell.

Agreed. Always found that the welcome was friendly enough at Bracknell, mind, and I enjoyed an FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round tie against Martin Allen's Barnet in front of 1,000+ some years back. Compare that welcome to the god awful Reading Town - run as fat Roly Ford's personal pfiefdom, as if they are doing you a favour letting you into their breeze-block old men's club - and I tend to have some time for BTFC.

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

Larges Lane is also a charmless dump, even by the limbo-dancing lowness that the bar is set for in Bracknell.

Agreed. Always found that the welcome was friendly enough at Bracknell, mind, and I enjoyed an FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round tie against Martin Allen's Barnet in front of 1,000+ some years back. Compare that welcome to the god awful Reading Town - run as fat Roly Ford's personal pfiefdom, as if they are doing you a favour letting you into their breeze-block old men's club - and I tend to have some time for BTFC.

I was at that game. My memory is of the ball being at the other end for most of the match. I've seen approx 1500 there when Aldershot played there. I think the crowd was officially 1400+, but they were taking cash through a side gate, so I'd bet a fair few weren't counted. I've seen Bracknell about 10 times, and they've only let in less than three goals once.


I went with a mate to Bracknell once, and neither of were impressed with the bar staff. We went in and stood at the vacant bar, waiting for someone to come along and serve. After several minutes (literally), a woman who'd been stood next to us, chatting to a friend, then walked round at took our order.

A bit later on a guy ordered a round, including a coke. The barman just looked up and said "use the machine!", repeating it as the guy was stunned into silence. It was as if asking for a coke was just wasting his time.

[Elmer Park]

Compare that welcome to the god awful Reading Town - run as fat Roly Ford's personal pfiefdom, as if they are doing you a favour letting you into their breeze-block old men's club -

I was interested to read this comment about Reading Town. Despite living within a short drive of the ground I have only been there a handful of occasions and feel I should get down there a bit more when their games don't clash with Reading FC matches but my last two visits to the ground have not been enjoyable for different reasons.

Time before last I went there was on a cold evening, it happened to be a poor game, and by half time we were ready for hot food and drink. We were not too happy to find no hot food was available and the social club was cold and unwelcoming. Despite being several years ago this has stuck in my mind ever since and discouraged me for a long time from going back. When I went back a good few years later the game was called off because Reading Town's opponents, Bicester Town, couldn't raise a team. That occasion was no fault of Reading Town of course and happens extremely rarely but unfortunately it doesn't make me especially keen to return again to a match at this level.

To be honest although I don't think anyone would call me a football snob I get rather frustrated by the standard once you get down to this level of football so I would need the off field part of the experience to be at least half decent to make me want to watch their matches regularly.

I take it from Floyd's comment that the social club at Scours Lane is still as unwelcoming ?

[Four Of Clubs]

Compare that welcome to the god awful Reading Town - run as fat Roly Ford's personal pfiefdom, as if they are doing you a favour letting you into their breeze-block old men's club -

I take it from Floyd's comment that the social club at Scours Lane is still as unwelcoming ?

... been several times recently since Scours took on its rather 'Stalag' like aspect and I wouldn't have said it was all that bad. The general layout of the place is a bit depressing to start with compared to some of the more picturesque grounds in the Hellenic - but hey its deep within an urban area so hasn't got much going for it there = spose they could always open up the River end if they wanted a nicer view?

As far as I know the lack of catering facilities has (finally) been addressed and they do now provide Hot Food inside the bar - though only from last season.

A per the ground the bar isn't the most welcoming of layout - has the feel of a fairly grotty large sized cafe - though again I think they'd put in some comfier seats when I last went March/April time; I think without looking it up?

[Terminal Boardom]

Some very intersting comments regarding Bracknell, Ascot and Binfield. For me, both Binfield and Ascot are clubs that are run the right way. Great focus on youth and very much part and parcel of their local communities. Ascot, I know, are more than happy to stay at the level they are at and are not impatient to rise up the pyramid. I believe that they have in the region of 750 children playing football throughout their organisation. Binfield are also heavily into the youth side of football. Bracknell however, are really stuck between a rock and a hard place. Their committee really need to bite the bullet and stop behaving like a bunch of martyrs. Last year they advertsised for people to help out. As I was local to the area I offered my services and had an interesting meeting with them. Suffice to say they decided not to take my offer further.

At Windsor, the emphasis is again on youth with the prospect of a 3G training area being made available for hire throughout the week. This will remove the need for a benefactor to continually dip their hands into their wallets. The next 3 years could be interesting.

[Four Of Clubs]

Here's today's NL Fare:

CONF South
Boreham Wood v Thurrock
Bromley v Sutton Utd
Chelmsford v Dartford
Dover v Tonbridge Angels
Hampton & Richmond v Farnborough
Havant and W v Truro City
Maidenhead Utd v Staines Town
Welling v Eastbourne Borough
Weston-S-Mare v Salisbury
Woking v Basingstoke

ISTHMIAN One South
Walton & Hersham v Godalming Town

SOUTH Premier
Chesham United v Swindon Supermarine
SOUTH One Central
AFC Hayes v Beaconsfield SYCOB
Ashford Town (Middx) v North Greenford United
Aylesbury v Bedfont Town
Burnham v Biggleswade Town
Chertsey Town v Uxbridge
Daventry Town v Marlow
Slough Town v Fleet Town
St. Neots Town v Chalfont St. Peter
SOUTH One South & West
Didcot Town v Thatcham Town
Hungerford Town v Wimborne Town
North Leigh v Gosport Borough
Poole Town v Abingdon United

Comb Counties Premier
Ash United v Chessington & Hook United
Badshot Lea v Raynes Park Vale
Camberley Town v Hanworth Villa
Cove v Molesey
Croydon v Windsor - The 'Trams' play at Croydon Arena tucked away in a housing estate in South Norwood - bit of a god-forsaken Athletics Stadium type of arrangement.
Dorking v Colliers Wood United
Egham Town v Guildford City
South Park v Sandhurst Town
Wembley v Farnham Town
Comb Counties One
Bedfont Sports v Warlingham
CB Hounslow United v South Kilburn
Cobham v Spelthorne Sports
Eversley v Staines Lammas
Farleigh Rovers v Knaphill
Feltham v Westfield
Frimley Green v Guernsey
Hartley Wintney v Bookham
Sheerwater v Worcester Park

Hellenic Premier
Abingdon Town v Holyport
Ascot United v Wantage Town
Fairford Town v Bracknell Town
Henley Town v Highworth Town
Kidlington v Shrivenham
Oxford City Nomads v Flackwell Heath
Shortwood United v Reading Town
Slimbridge v Binfield
Thame United v Cheltenham Saracens
Wokingham & Emmbrook v Ardley United
One East
Chalfont Wasps v Lambourn Sports
Letcombe v Woodley Town
Milton United v Finchampstead
Newbury v Chinnor

WESSEX Premier
Alresford Town v Horndean
Alton Town v GE Hamble
Winchester City v Hayling United

WESSEX One
Fleet Spurs v Ringwood Town
Pewsey Vale v United Services Portsmouth
Whitchurch United v Amesbury Town

SW Premier
Saltash United v Falmouth Town

...My plan is to attempt the rather ambitious destination of WESTERN Premier - Street in Zummerset where Merthyr Town are today's visitors. Somewhat dependent upon the M4 and more crucially the M5 South co-operating - otherwise I'll need to divert off en route to somewhere like Longwell Green, Tytherington Rocks or the exotically named Brimscomb and Thrupp!

[paultheroyal]

Larges Lane is also a charmless dump, even by the limbo-dancing lowness that the bar is set for in Bracknell.

Agreed. Always found that the welcome was friendly enough at Bracknell, mind, and I enjoyed an FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round tie against Martin Allen's Barnet in front of 1,000+ some years back. Compare that welcome to the god awful Reading Town - run as fat Roly Ford's personal pfiefdom, as if they are doing you a favour letting you into their breeze-block old men's club - and I tend to have some time for BTFC.

4th official at that game

[Tamworth_Royal]

Keep an eye on Tamworth this season, seen both their home games this season and they play fast attractive football. welcome break from the crap we are playing.

[Four Of Clubs]

Yesterday's scores:

CONF South
Boreham Wood 2-1 Thurrock
Bromley 3-0 Sutton Utd
Chelmsford 0-0 Dartford
Dover 0-0 Tonbridge Angels
Hampton & Richmond 1-1 Farnborough
Havant and W 4-1 Truro City
Maidenhead Utd 1-1 Staines Town
Welling 3-0 Eastbourne Borough
Weston-S-Mare 2-0 Salisbury
Woking 1-0 Basingstoke

ISTHMIAN One South
Walton & Hersham 1-2 Godalming Town

SOUTH Premier
Chesham United 2-1 Swindon Supermarine
- Leaders AFC Totton lose 2-1 @ Leamington ; Brackley up to 2nd on GD behind them W1-0 @ Chipp’num
SOUTH One Central
AFC Hayes 1-2 Beaconsfield SYCOB
Ashford Town (Middx) 0-0 North Greenford United
Aylesbury 2-1 Bedfont Town
Burnham 2-4 Biggleswade Town
Chertsey Town 5-4 Uxbridge - team for goals so far – Curfews lost 4-5 in MW & 3-5 last Sat.
Daventry Town 3-1 Marlow
Slough Town 3-0 Fleet Town
St. Neots Town 4-1 Chalfont St. Peter
SOUTH One South & West
Didcot Town 0-3 Thatcham Town
Hungerford Town 3-0 Wimborne Town - Hungerford 100% 5 from 5
North Leigh 2-1 Gosport Borough
Poole Town 2-1 Abingdon United

Comb Counties Premier
Ash United 3-2 Chessington & Hook United
Badshot Lea 1-1 Raynes Park Vale
Camberley Town 3-0 Hanworth Villa
Cove 0-2 Molesey
Croydon 0-0 Windsor
Dorking 2-3 Colliers Wood United
Egham Town 1-1 Guildford City
South Park 4-0 Sandhurst Town
Wembley 1-2 Farnham Town
Comb Counties One
Bedfont Sports 1-0 Warlingham
CB Hounslow United 2-0 South Kilburn
Cobham 0-4 Spelthorne Sports - looks grim for this lot they host Guernsey on Monday! I may go "a-goal-whoring"
Eversley 1-3 Staines Lammas
Farleigh Rovers 1-4 Knaphill
Feltham 0-2 Westfield
Frimley Green 0-5 Guernsey
Hartley Wintney 3-1 Bookham
Sheerwater 1-0 Worcester Park

Hellenic Premier
Abingdon Town 3-0 Holyport
Ascot United 1-5 Wantage Town
Fairford Town 2-1 Bracknell Town
Henley Town 0-3 Highworth Town
Kidlington 2-2 Shrivenham
Oxford City Nomads 1-5 Flackwell Heath – league leaders humbled on their own ground – not sure they can select their best XI every match though if rumours are to be believed – need to see what the Chat room’s take on this score is: Flackwell can be v.hot?
Shortwood United 2-1 Reading Town
Slimbridge 1-4 Binfield – cracking result at one of last years’ front runners
Thame United 1-2 Cheltenham Saracens
Wokingham & Emmbrook 1-1 Ardley United
One East
Chalfont Wasps 3-2 Lambourn Sports
Letcombe 2-3 Woodley Town
Milton United 1-0 Finchampstead
Newbury 5-0 Chinnor
… some big home wins in the One West: a 4-0; two x 5-0s and 2 x 6-0s - including last years’ champs going down at Purton. One of the much fancied sides (Clanfield) were done 8-0 in midweek too – they appeared to be badly affected (i.e. much understrengthed) by the league scheduling an 18:30 KO @ Cricklade - which led to a weakened squad having to play. Some folk not happy bearing in mind they don’t need to 'enforce' non-floodlit KOs in such a relatively small division.

WESSEX Premier
Alresford Town 1-2 Horndean
Alton Town 0-2 GE Hamble
Winchester City 2-1 Hayling United

WESSEX One
Fleet Spurs 2-1 Ringwood Town
Pewsey Vale 2-1 United Services Portsmouth
Whitchurch United 4-1 Amesbury Town

SW Premier
Saltash United 2-0 Falmouth Town

... Managed to get to Street 1-1 Merthyr Town - just - f£(&ing M5 around Brizzle did its best to try & ruin our PM plus a few 'Sunday' drivers nr Bridgwater.
Nice ground - good game - not that big a crowd est 150+ (offical 134) - got a badge and the food was good and cheap (Sausages & Chips for £1.70 ) - bit dampened by the result vs the Tigers though.

BUSY W/E in NL - bags of games on Monday most of them local 'derbies' - with lots of early KOs in the CCL & Hants Premier - for those who may be seeking a 'Double' (like me ) - as well as the odd evening game dotted around for the real hardcore Anoraks, who look for 3 or even 4 games in a day!
Will attempt a Preview later on this PM - been ordered to do a 'Tip run'.

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

Fairford Town 2-1 Bracknell Town

and the superbly run Bracknell go bottom of the table, losing to a side who were a complete joke last season, and had lost their opening three games 1-3, 0-5 and 1-7 this season.

All set for the derby with Wokingham tomorrow.