2019/20 National League North

[#Beebot]

Yeah. Still an underlying issue due to the Northern League not promoting enough teams in recent years.

Plus arguably too many leagues down South. Essex does not need its own step 5 league, which will be emphasised when Hashtag join the Isthmian next year.

 

[Clem Fandango]

We're bonafied northerners I'll have you know! 9 out of 11 seasons in the North!

 

[Clem Fandango]

Ketterings last two friendlies have been postponed due to a lack of players

 

[Darlo On Tour]

Cheers Sith.

I note that since I last saw games at this level, with FCFC, the 'balance' in the two confs 2nd divs hasnt really improved. Gloucester, the attempt at having Oxford c in this div.... really?? North?

Hi Farsley Arkan, speaking of Oxford, well United they played Brackley Town tonight, which is a local derby being about 20 odd miles apart. So i wasn't surprised hearing Oxford City were gonna drop into the North...........Absolute

 

[Darlo On Tour]

We're bonafied northerners I'll have you know! 9 out of 11 seasons in the North!

Where you at now Clem with Gloucester's ground? I went to Whaddon Road on a Sunday a few year's ago.

 

[The Lost Riots]

Ketterings last two friendlies have been postponed due to a lack of players

Not quite true, the Coventry United game was called off for that reason but did not specify which team it affected.
The Charlton Athletic game was called off with no reason given, but it was scheduled for two days before the season starts so not sure how it would be known there would be a lack of players then!!!

 

[DarkSithLord]

Alfreton sign Amari Morgan Smith. A real yesteryear look to our frontline with Ben Tomlinson too.

 

[Minstermen central]

Alfreton sign Amari Morgan Smith. A real yesteryear look to our frontline with Ben Tomlinson too.

Morgan Smith is a good signing.runs his bollocks off,good attitude and tidy on ball just doesn’t score enough goals.need a poacher upfront with him.

 

[Lucky Bobble]

Predictions for this year? A lot of people on this forum have been 'bigging up' York, but the 'big' clubs always seem to be tipped. Altrincham ended very well. Spennymore must be up there. Brackley had I think the best form in the lead post Christmas - but always seem to lack a bit of depth for me.

I'll go
1- Altrincham
2&3 - Spennymore & York
4-7 - Brackley, Telford, Chester, 1 other
Relegated - Kettering, Gloucester (depending on what shape Blyth are in)

 

[Bluandwite]

We've signed winger Danny Elliott from Port Vale.

Impressed in a friendly against Wigan last week and scored a worldy.

 

[DarkSithLord]

Predictions for this year? A lot of people on this forum have been 'bigging up' York, but the 'big' clubs always seem to be tipped. Altrincham ended very well. Spennymore must be up there. Brackley had I think the best form in the lead post Christmas - but always seem to lack a bit of depth for me.

I'll go
1- Altrincham
2&3 - Spennymore & York
4-7 - Brackley, Telford, Chester, 1 other
Relegated - Kettering, Gloucester (depending on what shape Blyth are in)

Struggle to see past York for the title. Good recruitment/dept to their squad.
playoffs Alty,Spenny,Brackley,Chester,Hereford, Telford

Kettering and Bradford PA to drop.

Think we could certainly surprise a few this year. Goalkeeper is a slight worry but if we can fix that then I think we have plenty of experience in the right areas. Just whether we can be consistent which has been our Achilles heel

 

[Quakerz]

Struggle to see past York for the title. Good recruitment/dept to their squad.
playoffs Alty,Spenny,Brackley,Chester,Hereford, Telford

Kettering and Bradford PA to drop.

Think we could certainly surprise a few this year. Goalkeeper is a slight worry but if we can fix that then I think we have plenty of experience in the right areas. Just whether we can be consistent which has been our Achilles heel

Bradford PA won't drop. They will find a few grand down the back of the sofa, as they do every season when everyone thinks their budget has been slashed. Then "against all odds" they will compete well "on a shoestring".

One thing I hate more than bankrolled clubs is bankrolled clubs who try and convince everyone that they aren't bankrolled

 

[Lucky Bobble]

Bradford PA won't drop. They will find a few grand down the back of the sofa, as they do every season when everyone thinks their budget has been slashed. Then "against all odds" they will compete well "on a shoestring".

One thing I hate more than bankrolled clubs is bankrolled clubs who try and convince everyone that they aren't bankrolled

I think the term bankrolled is too inexact though - and is used in a too derogatory way.

Take Salford. I don't like the way that 5 millionaires go into partnership with a billionaire and then their club buys its way into the league. Clearly hugely bankrolled. But their crowds were up to a 2500 average last year - and they've made the club now into a seemingly sustainable lower League club. Solihull Moors had some money put into them, but they've used it to build a progressive club too.

Second problem with it is that no-one really knows how much money is put in by the chairmen. How much needs to be put in for it to count as bankrolled? I have no doubt that Brackley's chairman generously supports the club - but I have no idea by how much and how sustainable the club is without that money. And he has helped to triple attendances in the last 15 years, so there is a vibrant legacy there too. If one chairman funds 40% of the wage costs, and another chairman funds 25% does this second club count as 'bankrolled'?How do you categorise the term?

Third problem, is that we are all legitimately a bit jealous and bitter when a club suddenly gets a super rich sugar-daddy and shoots up the league leaving everyone else behind... but don't we all secretly want that to happen to our club?

Would Man City and Chelsea now count as bankrolled? When I was a youngster they were very average clubs hovering around the bottom of the Prem or in the Champ. Do they still count as being bankrolled?

So both understand the distaste for 'bankrolling', but also think to paints too broader brush for a complex phenomenon.

Mind you, maybe I'm only thinking this as a post-rationalization, given my club is bankrolled....

 

[Quakerz]

Indeed it is, and whilst it's admirable that attendances have gone up during your chairman's reign, if he pulled the plug and you turned shite the bandwagonners won't hang around for long.

 

[CFC4LIFE]

Think we had Josh Heaton on trial yesterday. What's he like darlo fans?

 

[Railway Blue]

I see Colby Bishop has joined Accrington Stanley from Leamington FC for an undisclosed fee on a 3-year contract.

 

[Clem Fandango]

Yeah big loss that one.

Few trialists still with us;

Zach Jeacock - Birmingham Under 23's keeper. Very highly rated and has looked decent so far.
Shaun Rowley - Former Halifax/Tamworth keeper. Hasn't had much to do so difficult to gauge
Tom Handley & Ioan Richards - Both formerly Cheltenham Under 18 players.
Joe Turley - Evesham midfielder, think he was their player of the season last year. Looks good.
Jamie Bremner & James Spruce - Both Bristol Rovers. Haven't seen much of Bremner but Spruce seems like he could do a job. Now 20, was a Wales Under 19 International.
Jack Spark - Bristol City, can play as a forward or a defender. Was on loan with us at the end of the last season although only featured once

 

[Clem Fandango]

Where you at now Clem with Gloucester's ground? I went to Whaddon Road on a Sunday a few year's ago.

Ground is ready for construction, it's going through the FSIF funding bid at the moment so nothing can start until that has completed which is due to be September.

 

[CFC4LIFE]

Yeah big loss that one.

Few trialists still with us;

Zach Jeacock - Birmingham Under 23's keeper. Very highly rated and has looked decent so far.
Shaun Rowley - Former Halifax/Tamworth keeper. Hasn't had much to do so difficult to gauge
Tom Handley & Ioan Richards - Both formerly Cheltenham Under 18 players.
Joe Turley - Evesham midfielder, think he was their player of the season last year. Looks good.
Jamie Bremner & James Spruce - Both Bristol Rovers. Haven't seen much of Bremner but Spruce seems like he could do a job. Now 20, was a Wales Under 19 International.
Jack Spark - Bristol City, can play as a forward or a defender. Was on loan with us at the end of the last season although only featured once

Sean Rowley is a good keeper. Played for us on loan a couple of seasons ago and won our player of the month with some quality saves.

 

[JE93]

Think we had Josh Heaton on trial yesterday. What's he like darlo fans?

Looked quality while he was with us. Played half a season and then sold him to St Mirren for a fee of around £75k. By the sounds of it it didn't work out for him up there. Alan Stubbs who signed him was sacked not long after then he got frozen out.

While he was with us he just looked a complete CB. High tall lad. Heads the ball well and will put himself in where it hurts. No slouch along the ground and reads the game pretty well. Strikes me as the kind who needs game time to keep motivated but put him in the team and I think he'll be more than capable at NL level.

From Preston originally so chorley would probably be a good fit for him.

 

[AJS]

Yeah big loss that one.

Few trialists still with us;

Zach Jeacock - Birmingham Under 23's keeper. Very highly rated and has looked decent so far.
Shaun Rowley - Former Halifax/Tamworth keeper. Hasn't had much to do so difficult to gauge
Tom Handley & Ioan Richards - Both formerly Cheltenham Under 18 players.
Joe Turley - Evesham midfielder, think he was their player of the season last year. Looks good.
Jamie Bremner & James Spruce - Both Bristol Rovers. Haven't seen much of Bremner but Spruce seems like he could do a job. Now 20, was a Wales Under 19 International.
Jack Spark - Bristol City, can play as a forward or a defender. Was on loan with us at the end of the last season although only featured once

I'd give you an opinion on Rowley but he only ever played friendlies and county cup matches for us so too little to judge

 

[Harrier94]

Think we had Josh Heaton on trial yesterday. What's he like darlo fans?

He came on loan to us but wasn't fit so didn't really feature much. Sounded like he needed a full preseason under his belt.

 

[Darlo On Tour]

Think we had Josh Heaton on trial yesterday. What's he like darlo fans?

Seen him on many occasions after our previous manager had him on the bench to start with, and then the penny dropped and slotted him in our back four. I couldn't fault him he had so much potential i thought he was a brilliant defender. He will be a good signing for you.

 

[Darlo On Tour]

Ground is ready for construction, it's going through the FSIF funding bid at the moment so nothing can start until that has completed which is due to be September.

Aye, we'll be down in September whatever ground the game's played at against us.

 

[Darlo On Tour]

He came on loan to us but wasn't fit so didn't really feature much. Sounded like he needed a full preseason under his belt.

Came on as a sub against us he looked a bit rusty then like, but he is a really good defender.

 

[Darlo On Tour]

You’ve seen more of him than me but I would of been happy to have him at York,only makes Boston stronger in my eyes.

I don't think you would like him at York not unless your desperate? I've only ever seen the real Simon Ainge stand up as Eminem would say, and that was down at Brackley where he played a blinder up top, last game of the season he couldn't give a shit at Guiseley he wasn't interested.

 

[Bluandwite]

Keeper now sorted for us as Russ Griffiths signs on after spending last season at Fylde.

Been on trial since the start of pre-season.

 

[Clem Fandango]

Zach Jeacock signs on loan from Birmingham. Pleased with that, he became their first choice keeper for the under-23s at just 17 years old last season and was involved with the England U-18 set up.

 

[Railway Blue]

Keeper now sorted for us as Russ Griffiths signs on after spending last season at Fylde.

Been on trial since the start of pre-season.

We now have genuine competition for the GK spot. First time in years. Pleased about that.

 

[DarkSithLord]

I see Jason Gilchrist conference North top scorer in 2017/18 has left Southport and signed for South Shields for a undisclosed fee.