Non - League thread 2009/10

[Royal Rother]

VTFC have been in terrific form recently but have had a huge fixture backlog to take care of - I can only think they decided to field the reserve / youth team thinking they would win against hapless Bracknell and giving the 1st team a rest only to come unstuck.

I'll see what I can find out as, on the face of it, the result is the shock of the decade.

[Royal Rother]

A small but very sad aside.

Windsor & Eton striker Gavin Smith had a baby boy born 15 weeks early about 3 months ago, weighing just 1lb 6oz. After 3 months of fighting for life, a dozen blood transfusions and goodness knows what else, little Oliver passed away on Friday.

When Cirencster beat us a couple of weeks ago W&E fans did a bucket collection in aid of the Special Care Baby Unit and raised £125 - one of the Cirencester fans said the bucket didn't reach him so he did a collection himself at their game on Saturday against Totton and raised another £100. What a great gesture.

[T.R.O.L.I.]

Is the Frank Sinclair of Wrexham who was sent off tonight (for the third time this season) the same Frank Sinclair who used to play for Chelsea and Leicester?

[The whole year inn]

Is the Frank Sinclair of Wrexham who was sent off tonight (for the third time this season) the same Frank Sinclair who used to play for Chelsea and Leicester?

Indeed

[handbags_harris]

Didcot Town 4-2 Leamington. Absolute belter of a game not without it's comedy moments Didcot look home and hosed and are easily staying up next season.

[Four Of Clubs]

... amidst the terrible weather last night there were a few other 'local' NL games that survived:-

CONFS
'Beavers' 1-4 Dover

SOUTH1M
Chesham 0-1 Burnham
Leighton 1-1 Beaconsfield SYCOB
Marlow 4-0 Aylesbury Utd
Sluff 1-2 Arlesey Town
- Burnham back to 2nd - level on points (GD +22) ; Hitchin lost but leaders Bury Town won at bottom club Barton Rovers - they still have 2 games in hand on Burnham and a slightly healthier GD of +59)
SOUTH1S&W
Hungerford 0-0 Bridgwater
- W&E, Thatcham, Bedfont G & Bracknell all washed out

Hellenic Premier
Abingdon T 2-2 Kidlington
Carterton 2-3 Flackwell Heath
Pegasus Jrs 2-2 Wantage Town
Reading Town 6-0 Malmesbury Vics
Div One East
Penn & Tylers 1-2 Thame Utd bottom v top - doesn't look too convincing
- Wokkers 2nd match at Larges Lane PPoned - this allowed Thame to go 12 points clear at the top - though they have played three games more. They now have 7 games left, 5 away, including decisive trips to Wokingham & Woodley - though also play Eton Wick twice and two more of the bottom three: Kintbury and Newbury. 2nd place could be eligible for promotion anyway and Wokingham & Emm. are currently well clear of 3rd.
Div One West
Wootton Bassett Town 5-0 Launton Sports
- only mentioned cos me and 'The Lad' braved the rain and 'belted' down the M4 for this one. Actually rang the club's Sec first to check it was on - to be assured it was 'bright and sunny in Wilts' - was absolutely pnobbin' it down when we got there!
WBT went top with an ultimately comfortable win against bottom club Launton (nr Bicester) who themselves only picked up their first win of the season last Saturday and are well adrift on 4 points. I have heard they (Launton) are opting for voluntary demotion back to the Oxfordshire Sen. League next season - shame - they've only been in the Hellenic for three seasons.
They (WBT) are likely to be caught by Slimbridge for top spot - they have 3 games in hand and are 4 points behind - although the two meet next month (10th). Cheltenham's 2nd club (Saracens - 'relationship' with Town v. akin to RFC and RTFC) were the previous leaders but only have three matches left.
Purton (just west of Swinedon) are also 'in the mix' but have no lights, so aren't eligible for promotion to the Premier but they could c@ck it up for others should they get 1st/2nd.

[handbags_harris]

And my second non-league fix of the week, in tandem with Alan Partridge, turned out to be a wretched game: Forest Green Rovers 1-0 Barrow. Not without the comedy moments:-

1) Barrow 'keeper blowing out of his arse after running to get the ball after only five minutes.
2) The HUGE timber-like piece up front for Barrow, brought on with about 20 minutes left.

To be fair, the winner with five minutes left was a belter, proper 25 yard top corner jobby after a driving run from the halfway line. The ONLY piece of quality in the game when it actually counts.

[Messiah]

Gutted for Poole Town, again.

http://tinyurl.com/yc99drw

This is a real shame and makes you wonder where the powers-that-be really want to place non-league football. Cirencester Town have a nice fully-enclosed ground, purpose-built five years or so ago with great facilities. Gloucester City who play a couple of leagues higher have been ground-sharing with them since the great floods, apparently Town's ground no longer meets the rigid facilities and Glos now have to ground share with Cheltenham!

[Royal Rother]

Not great news from the Zam South & West Div 1:

Bridgwater announced financial problems this week, swiftly followed by Windsor & Eton.

Totton are, I am told, in the same position. Bracknell certainly are, Andover are, etc. etc.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Too many demands being placed on the clubs uneeded facilities


for example Reading Town

why the need for two turnstiles, public address system and seating for 200 when the average gate is less than 70?

[Four Of Clubs]

...meanwhile in blissful oblivion to such matters - on the pitch this Easter Sat. sees the following 'local' NL sides in action (Weather permitting ) :-

CONF-South
Basingstoke Town v Havant and Waterlooville
Newport v Maidenhead
Thurrock v Hampton and Richmond Borough
Woking v Lewes

...and from (Fri) tonight
Staines Town 0-1 Worcester City - a result which relegates Weymuff

ISTH1S
Fleet Town v Sittingbourne

SOUTHP
Farnborough v Hednesford Town
Truro City v Didcot Town
SOUTH1M
Burnham v Marlow
Slough Town v Beaconsfield SYCOB - 'lodgers' v 'landlords'
SOUTH1SW
Abingdon United v Bracknell Town
AFC Totton v VT FC
Thatcham Town v Hungerford Town
Windsor & Eton v Bedfont Green - 'landlords' v 'lodgers'

COCOP
Chessington & Hook v Ash United
Colliers Wood Utd v Sandhurst Town
Cove v North Greenford Utd
Hanworth Villa v Camberley Town
COCO1
Frimley Green v Eversley
Hartley Wintney v Farnham Town

HELLENIC Prem
Almondsbury Town v Binfield
Ascot United v Fairford Town
Carterton v Wantage Town
Flackwell Heath v Highworth Town
Old Woodstock Town v Marlow United
Witney United v Reading Town - could be a tricky one for RTFC though the 'Blanketboys' took a fearful pounding from Shrivenham in MW (5-0).
RTFC semi-final 2nd Leg @ Binfield in the Floodlit Cup was Pponed on Thursday night.
Hellenic Challenge Cup Q-F
Abingdon Town v Shrivenham
Slimbridge v Woodley Town
HELLENIC Div 1 East
Didcot Town Reserves v Henley Town
Farnborough Reserves v Newbury
Thame United v Kintbury Rangers
Wokingham & Emmbrook v Finchampstead @ Larges Lane Bracknell

WESS1
AFC Aldermaston v Horndean
Farnborough North End v Verwood Town
Fleet Spurs v East Cowes Victoria
Tadley Calleva v Whitchurch United

... not too sure of my destination yet - maybe somewhere in the Wessex Prem - Bournemouth (Poppies not Cherries ) are at home but if its a little bit damp will get called off early cos their vistors have to ferry over from IOW. (Cowes Sports)
Other possibles are Blackfield & Langley v Wimborne or Christchurch v Moneyfields - the latter has had recent postponements and are also supposed to be at home next Friday (9th), so that one may get called off sharpish - to protect the pitch - will try and check tomorrow AM.
Today tried for an ambitious Western League 'double' down nr Bristol but plans were severely undone by: traffic (M4 & Bath) cr@ppy road signs (Bath ) and of course the 'hoppers' bane - the f@(£ing weather.
First game aimed for was Hengrove - just south of Bristol - 11:30 KO - M4 was heaving and fairly slow from Hungerford to the other side of Swinedon.
Decided at Services beyond Chipp'num @ about 11:15 to go for the 12:00 KO @ Radstock - rang ahead 'game still on' - 12:00 stuck on A4 in Bath.
Arr. Radstock 12:30 - game OFF
Drove in ever increasingly devious routes to avoid more traffic snarls around Warminster/Frome and got to Shrewton on Salisbury Plain. Watched a soggy but hard fought 'local' Western Division One derby with Westbury - home side won 1-0 to c@ck up their visitors chances of going 2nd. Home by 18:15 - approx 8 hours after setting out: 1 match 1 goal.
Found out later that our game was one of only 5 that survived out of the scheduled program of about 20 !

[AthleticoSpizz]

it'll be AFC Aldermaston v Horndean for me and the boy tomorrow

[Four Of Clubs]

it'll be AFC Aldermaston v Horndean for me and the boy tomorrow

I'd planned to pop down and watch them H v Downton on Thursday night (when I'm sure I had seen they were scheduled to play) - only to discover, during the day, that some smart alec had rescheduled the game at very short-notice to Wednesday night only to then see it postponed cos it p!ssed it down all day!

Then again maybe I imagined it all and they were always supposed to play on Wed 31st.

Hope to get to one of their remaining MW games - but they do usually play on a Wed eve - not a good night for me to get out.
They've obviously got to fit the Downton game in again somewhere?

[Royal Rother]

Windsor & Eton's game today is off.

Disaster.

[AthleticoSpizz]

it'll be AFC Aldermaston v Horndean for me and the boy tomorrow

also bloddy postponed.........can we have British winter time back please?

[Four Of Clubs]

This PMs scores from 'local' NL sides whose games beat the weather :-

CONF-South
Basingstoke Town 1-1 Havant and Waterlooville
Newport 4-1 Maidenhead
Thurrock PP Hampton and Richmond Borough
Woking 2-0 Lewes

ISTH1S
Fleet Town 0-0 Sittingbourne

SOUTHP
Farnborough PP Hednesford Town
Truro City PP Didcot Town
SOUTH1M
Burnham 2-2 Marlow
Slough Town 3-1 Beaconsfield SYCOB
SOUTH1SW
Abingdon United 4-0 Bracknell Town
Thatcham Town 2-1 Hungerford Town

... and a silver lining amidst the clouds
AFC Totton 1-3 VT FC

COCOP
Chessington & Hook PP Ash United
Colliers Wood Utd PP Sandhurst Town - switched to Cobham FC and still OFF!
Cove 0-3 North Greenford Utd
Hanworth Villa PP Camberley Town
COCO1
Frimley Green 1-2 Eversley - played @ Eversley - hope the pitch hasn't been churned up for Monday AM
Hartley Wintney 4-2 Farnham Town

Sheerwater 1-1 Coulsdon Utd - 2nd point of the season for Coulsdon

HELLENIC Prem
Almondsbury Town PP Binfield
Ascot United PP Fairford Town
Carterton 1-2 Wantage Town
Flackwell Heath 1-1 Highworth Town
Old Woodstock Town 4-1 Marlow United
Witney United PP Reading Town

Hellenic Challenge Cup Q-F
Abingdon Town 4-3 (aet) Shrivenham
Slimbridge 4-2 Woodley Town
HELLENIC Div 1 East
Didcot Town Reserves 2-3 Henley Town
Farnborough Reserves PP Newbury
Thame United 4-0 Kintbury Rangers - Thame now 15 pts clear
Wokingham & Emmbrook 1-2 Finchampstead @ Larges Lane Bracknell - att: 116

WESSEX Div 1 - all 'local' sides games OFF


I did indeed get down to Wessex Premier -Bournemouth 'Poppies' v Cowes Sports.
A very wet soggy affair with bottom club 'The Yachtsmen' picking up a shock 2-1 win vs 4th place 'Poppies'. Not a bad bar - suspect they may well have called it off had it been a 'mainland' team as visitors. A couple of miles up the road the game @ Christchurch was off. M27/M3 was moving Ok back home by 18:20.
As mentioned elsewhere looks like Poole Town will win the league again BUT with no prospect of promotion to the Southern.
I think 2nd place Wimborne might get promoted if there are enough places and their 'Points Per Game' playing record is good enough - which currently I think it might be. Minor drawback though: they themselves lost 1-2 @ Blackfield and Langley this PM.

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

... and a silver lining amidst the clouds
AFC Totton 1-3 VT FC

I wonder how many VT FC players from that win also played in their 0-2 defeat at Bracknell

[Royal Rother]

More info on W&E's financial problems.

I find this fcuking depressing to be honest.

THE chairman of Windsor & Eton Football Club Peter Simpson has hit out at his manager for overspending in the chase for league glory.

Players and management are owed more than £35,000 in wages, and bonuses.

The financial pressures have caused a major rift between the chairman and his manager Keith Scott.

Mr Simpson exclusively told the Observer this week: "Like all managers he (Scott) always wants more and more money and things are getting to the crunch in that money is still owed to the players.

"He has too big a budget. A good budget would be about £7,500 per month and he is operating on about £10,000 per month.

"He has spent an awful lot of money this season partly on endeavours to get promoted but promotion is slightly slipping away from us at the moment."

The club, nicknamed the Royalists, are currently leading Division One South and West of the Zamaretto League by four points.

Mr Simpson hinted that Mr Scott, who recently applied for the post of manager at Wycombe, had personal ambitions.

He said: "The current manager is a very ambitious man. He is a very forceful character who strives to get his own way."

Mr Simpson, who has been chairman for 15 years, said he had to consider paying other bills such as the groundsmen and renting generators for the floodlights.

He said he has spent £62,000 of his own money on the club this season and that he was not willing to fund the player's bonuses which he feels should come from sponsorship or success in cup competitions.

"The club is a club. It's limited by guarantee, it has no shareholders, it exists for the community. I don't make a penny out of it," he said.

Mr Scott would only say: "I have had conversations with the chairman on more than one occasion about my concerns about the club fulfilling the present outstanding monies owing to players and staff."

How the hell can a Chairman let his manager overspend.

Any conversation between the 2 on the subject of stretching the budget should surely have gone like this?

Keith Scott: I need more money to strengthen our promotion campaign.

Peter Simpson: Sorry, we have set our budget and unless and until income increases that's all that is available.

KS: Then I want to leave because I want to be with a club with more ambition.

PS: Then thank you for what you have done for the club. I and all the supporters will wish you well in your future career.

End of.

Simpson going public in this way is really really poor form - totally destabilising for the team and as Scott neither sets the budget nor writes the cheques it seems nothing much more than a huge admission of weakness on his own part.

Our next game is away to Totton when we need to be at our absolute peak (unless Totton are completely knackered after playing 7 more games than us in the last 4 weeks) so I just hope the players are able to maintain their focus when it seems some wages and bonuses are not being paid.

Promotion or not I can't help but fear that the squad is unlikely to be together next season which suggests a period of struggle awaits. The manager certainly won't be here, that's for sure.

[Terminal Boardom]

At least Totton lost.

I received the e-mail from the W&EFC SC during the week which alluded to reports in the press but this is the first I have seen or read. Seems like football is in a mess from the top to the very bottom. And to think that the three games I have seen at Stag Meadow this season have been more enjoyable than anything else I have seen this season (TV games apart).

[Royal Rother]

... and a silver lining amidst the clouds
AFC Totton 1-3 VT FC

I wonder how many VT FC players from that win also played in their 0-2 defeat at Bracknell

Can't see yesterday's teamsheet yet but 6 starters and 3 subs in the team that lost to Bracknell started their recent game against Bridgwater which they drew 1-1, so it really should have been enough to see off the hapless Robins.